Thursday May 31 Ag News

Fischer Welcomes Announcement of New Guidance on Hours of Service Rules for Livestock and Ag Haulers

Today, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released clarifying guidance on hours of service exemptions for haulers of agricultural commodities, including livestock, and personal conveyance. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer, chairman of the Senate Surface Transportation Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement:

“It is clear the hours of service regulations for truck drivers are inflexible and fail to consider many of the unique operations occurring everyday across the country. This is especially true for livestock haulers, who transport a live and perishable product. Issuing this clarifying guidance is a step in the right direction to provide flexibility in the hours of service rules. I look forward to continuing to work with U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez to explore all avenues, including possible legislation, to provide flexibility for livestock and ag commodity haulers,” said Senator Fischer.

The FMCSA’s guidance on ag commodity haulers’ hours of service clarifies the 150-air mile radius exemption from hours of service for ag commodity haulers.  According to the guidance, time within the 150-air mile radius driving to, loading, or driving away from a source will be exempted from hours of service.  Only after a driver has exited the 150-air mile radius will the driver’s hours of service time begin.  However, if a driver reenters the 150-air mile radius from the source of the load, his or her time will again begin exempted from hours of service.  The guidance clarifies the definition of a source to mean any place an ag commodity is loaded.

FMCSA also updated its guidance on personal conveyance, which is when a driver utilizes his or her commercial motor vehicle for personal use during off-duty time.  This guidance clarifies that a driver can use a commercial motor vehicle for personal use, such as driving to a place to rest, regardless of whether the vehicle is loaded or not, as long as the driver has been released from work.

Senator Fischer has been working closely with the Administration for the past year to provide flexibility for ag and livestock haulers.  She raised this issue with Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao during the secretary’s visit to Nebraska in August 2017.  She followed up with letters to Secretary Chao and the FMCSA in September and November.  Earlier this year, she met with both the Administrator and Deputy Administrator of the FMCSA on multiple occasions to highlight the concerns raised by Nebraskans regarding hours of service, including a meeting with Nebraska livestock representatives.  She also joined 29 of her colleagues in sending a letter earlier this month requesting the FMCSA to examine ways to provide flexibility in the hours of service rules for all drivers.



AFAN Announces a New Service: Producer Empowerment Workshops

AFAN announces a new service that provides Producer Empowerment Workshops designed for agriculture producers who want to expand their operations by adding livestock. The curriculum covers a range of topics important to producers, from how the zoning process works to how to communicate with community leaders, decision makers and the media. Workshop participants receive a binder with helpful resources that will prepare them to navigate the often complicated expansion process easier and more effectively. The half-day workshops will walk producers through the ins and outs of dealing with zoning boards and prepare them to answer concerns from neighbors and community leaders. Workshops can be designed to address issues specific to each livestock group or more broadly designed to include information encompassing several types of livestock.

Agri-businesses, financial organizations, clubs and other producer groups interested in scheduling a Producer Empowerment Workshop are to contact Ashley Babl, Livestock Programming Coordinator. AFAN will work with your organization to make arrangements and invite your customers and/or members to the workshop.

Contact Ashley Babl at 402-421-4416 or AshleyB@a-fan.org.



New FieldNET® Modem Will Support 4G LTE Technology

Lindsay Corporation (NYSE: LNN), a leading global manufacturer and distributor of irrigation and infrastructure equipment and technology, today announced that FieldNET technology soon will be available with 4G LTE functionality.

The new cellular Category M1 (Cat-M1) modem has been certified and approved by a major wireless carrier as a network ready-to-integrate device that supports 4G LTE technology in the United States. LTE Cat-M1 is a low-power technology that allows growers to connect to the Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) devices. The new FieldNET Cat-M1 offers extended range and compatibility with current and future FieldNET products.

"The 4G LTE modem will provide our U.S. customers with a simple, reliable and cost-effective wireless management solution for new systems or for upgrading existing FieldNET products," said Reece Andrews, product manager for FieldNET and Irrigation Controls. "This innovative device is another example of our commitment to provide growers with the tools they need to make faster, better-informed irrigation decisions."

The most-awarded pivot telemetry in the industry, FieldNET offers seamless remote monitoring and control, integrating a grower's irrigation tools and systems. The platform, which is compatible with almost any electric pivot brand, delivers real-time information, so growers can see exactly what their systems are doing and control them quickly and easily from a smartphone, tablet or computer.

A phased roll-out for the Cat-M1 is expected begin in June 2018.



Lindsay's FieldNET Advisor™ Adds New Crops, Regions and Productivity Features

Lindsay Corporation (NYSE: LNN), a leading global manufacturer and distributor of irrigation and infrastructure equipment and technology, has added new features to further enhance FieldNET® technology and extend its capabilities to more growers around the world.

"The new features will give growers an increased level of customization and mobility, while helping them be even more precise when deciding when, where and how much to irrigate," said Brian Magnusson, vice president of technology at Lindsay Corporation. "These enhancements are the result of Lindsay's commitment to accelerate the development and deployment of precision irrigation technologies to help growers around the world make the most of every drop of water."

FieldNET is a fully integrated wireless management tool that gives growers the ability to remotely monitor and control entire irrigation systems, regardless of electric pivot brand. Offering an added level of decision support, FieldNET Advisor gives growers science-based recommendations to help them make faster, better-informed irrigation decisions.

When it launched in 2017, FieldNET Advisor covered corn and soybean crops in the U.S. and Canada. With the latest enhancements, the technology now extends to 21 crops, including alfalfa, barley, cotton, dry edible beans, peanuts, popcorn, potatoes, sorghum, sugarbeets, sweet corn, sugarcane and wheat. In addition, the technology is expected to be available later this year in several new countries - Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Mexico, New Zealand, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, Tasmania, Turkey, Ukraine and Uruguay.

Growers can now view irrigation recommendations from FieldNET Advisor via the FieldNET app, providing growers with an added level of convenience and mobility.

"From virtually anywhere, with a smartphone or tablet, growers can now check soil water depletion and irrigation recommendations, access field-specific weather information, make real-time modifications to location-specific crop growth stages, soil moisture levels or rainfall data, have full access to the daily VRI prescriptions and more," Magnusson said. "We also have enhanced the web version of FieldNET Advisor to improve the user experience and deliver many powerful new features."

Some of the key new features include:
-   A new "Irrigated Area" page that allows users to further customize the irrigated area that FieldNET Advisor uses to generate irrigation recommendations. It also allows users to select certain areas of the field that they may want to avoid or ignore when determining irrigation application and VRI prescriptions.
-    The addition of an "Unmanaged" crop zone to the crop type list, which allows growers to define a crop zone and irrigation depth for areas of the field with crops that are not currently supported by FieldNET Advisor.
-    Integration with a global soil database to provide more precise soil data for areas outside of the U.S.
-    The addition of in-field adjustment pages that allow growers to update FieldNET Advisor based on field observations.
-    Added displays and enhanced charting to allow growers to more easily visualize crop water usage, irrigation schedules and rainfall events throughout the entire growing season.
-    Integration with Growsmart™ Rain Buckets to utilize rain bucket data.
-    The ability to prioritize different soil areas within a field based on past or present productivity and profitability.
-    Enhanced irrigation management settings that allow growers to account for various water restrictions, dynamically optimize VRI prescriptions and irrigation schedules and customize irrigation management by crop zone.
-    Yield prediction graphics based on potential crop water stress that allow growers to visualize and analyze potential yield loss data for irrigated and unirrigated portions of a field.

"These updates and features give growers more control over the inputs and data used in FieldNET Advisor," Magnusson said. "We know that every operation is unique, so we've given growers the ability to edit information based on the specifics of their operation and what they're seeing in their fields. This increased level of customization and precision is critical as growers look for ways to produce more with less."



Baker Named Director of Beginning Farmer Center

Dave Baker has been named director of the Beginning Farmer Center, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach announced Wednesday.

Baker, who has been serving as interim director since January 2018, previously was the Beginning Farmer Center’s Farm Transition Specialist. He has been with the center since 2006.

“Dave has been invested in the Beginning Farmer Center for many years, working to help those who want to farm get their operation started,” said Jay Harmon, interim director of Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension and Outreach at Iowa State University. “His leadership will continue to positively impact farmers across Iowa.”

Baker holds a bachelor’s degree in facility management from Troy University and received his MBA in business management from Southwest Minnesota State University. Prior to joining ISU Extension and Outreach, Baker owned and managed a farm in northwest Iowa, consisting of corn, soybean, hay, cattle, hogs and poultry.

“I look forward to leading the Beginning Farmer Center and serving farm families with succession planning needs,” Baker said. “The transition of Iowa’s farms is never complete as there will always be the next generation to consider.”

Created by the Iowa Legislature in 1994, the Beginning Farmer Center assists in facilitating the transition of farming operations from established farmers to beginning farmers.



USMEF Statement on Possible Retaliatory Tariffs; More Details to Come

Today the Mexican Ministry of Economy announced that in retaliation for new tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum imports, Mexico intends to impose tariffs on some U.S. pork cuts and pork products. Full details – such as the tariff rate and the exact products to which the tariffs could apply – are not entirely clear at this time. USMEF will provide more information as these details become available. In 2017, Mexico was the largest volume market for U.S. pork exports at more than 800,000 metric tons, valued at $1.51 billion.

Statement by U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom
It will be very unfortunate if U.S. pork exports to Mexico, which deliver tremendous benefits to both the U.S. supply chain and to Mexican consumers, importers, processors, retailers and restaurants, no longer enjoy duty-free access to this critical market. It is especially frustrating to see U.S. pork caught up in a dispute that has nothing whatsoever to do with pork trade. If these tariffs are implemented, they will negatively impact millions of consumers and thousands of people in the meat and livestock industries on both sides of the border. USMEF is hopeful that this impasse will be resolved as soon as possible, with duty-free access for U.S. pork maintained. This is especially important now that key competitors such as the European Union are making market access gains in Mexico and view it as a promising market for their pork products.

Canada’s Department of Finance also announced that the Canadian government intends to impose countermeasures in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs.



NPPC Statement on Latest Steel and Aluminum Tariffs
Jim Heimerl, president of the National Pork Producers Council

The National Pork Producers Council has consistently stated its concern about retaliation against U.S. agriculture, including pork, in response to tariffs placed by the United States on steel and aluminum imports. Today’s decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum from Mexico and Canada, critical export markets, significantly heightens our concern as Mexico is already threatening to retaliate against U.S. pork. U.S. pork shipped $1.5 billion of product to Mexico, its largest export market, and $792 million to Canada, its fourth-largest market, last year. 

Global export market uncertainty has resulted in considerable lost value for U.S. pork producers. According to Iowa State University Economist Dermot Hayes, hog futures dropped $18 per animal, amounting to a $2.2 billion loss on an annualized basis, since March 1 when speculation about U.S. pork access to the critical Chinese market began.

The market disruption caused by export market uncertainty comes at a time when U.S. pork is expanding production to record levels. Five new pork processing plants have recently opened or will soon begin operations, increasing U.S. pork production capacity by approximately 10 percent from 2015 levels by next year. Exports accounted for more than $53 of the average $149 value of a hog last year and support over 110,000 U.S. jobs.

We call for an end to these trade disputes so that hard-working U.S. pig farmers can do what they do best: meet global demand for one of our nation’s most competitive export products, one that favorably impacts U.S. trade imbalances with countries around the world.



Statement by Steve Nelson, President, Regarding U.S. Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, European Union

“For months we’ve warned of the risks involved for farm and ranch families as the Trump administration continues to pursue policies that target our closest trading partners.”

“Today’s announcement that Mexico, Canada, and the European Union, three of the top agriculture trading partners for Nebraska agriculture commodities, will no longer be exempt from these tariffs only creates additional uncertainty in agricultural markets and in the minds of farm and ranch families.”

“The announcement regarding steel and aluminum tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and the European Union puts more than $1.8 billion in annual Nebraska agricultural exports at risk. This action, as well as the decision to move forward with $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese products and services, will have consequences for Nebraska families who put food on our tables, clothes on our backs, and fuel in our tanks.”



Tariffs Put U.S. Farmers in Jeopardy

North Dakota farmer Kevin Skunes, president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), made the following statement after the White House announced plans to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the European Union, Canada and Mexico, triggering potential retaliatory actions against American agriculture.

“Farmers are busy with planting season but are moving forward without knowing who will buy their crop when it’s harvested later this year. With a 52 percent drop in net farm income over the last five years and depressed commodity prices, this is not the time to face such a burden. This uncertainty impacts every step of the agriculture economy, from securing financing to marketing.

“Imposing tariffs has the potential to undermine positive relationships with our closest allies and erode long-standing market access. NCGA urges policymakers to strengthen cooperation with our trading partners and stay at the negotiating table.”



U.S. Grains Industry Watches For Retaliation Following New Tariffs Implementation

As new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports go into effect for some of the United States' closest allies, the U.S. grains industry is watching closely for retaliations that impact sales of U.S. corn, sorghum, barley and their related products, including ethanol and distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross confirmed on Thursday that discussions to continue extensions of tariff waivers for Mexico, Canada and the European Union - three of the largest markets for U.S. grains and related products - had failed. As of June 1, they will join a large group of countries facing new tariffs of 10 percent on aluminum imports and 25 percent on steel imports, applied under Section 232 of U.S. trade law.

At press time, it appeared neither Mexico nor Canada had added feed grains or ethanol to their initial retaliation lists, though it is expected those lists will evolve as trade tensions ramp up. The European Union previously announced its countermeasures would include a 25 percent tariff on both U.S. feed and sweet corn, which is largely blocked due to biotechnology concerns. Several other U.S. agricultural products were implicated, including some pork products going to Mexico and a variety of specialty crops. Yogurt and various prepared foods were among the agricultural and food products targeted by Canada.

“Based on information we have heard from our customers and past experience, we have every reason to believe U.S. agriculture, including the products we represent, will be among the most vulnerable to countermeasures from our trading partners," said U.S. Grains Council President and CEO Tom Sleight in a statement.

"We had strong hopes this situation would be averted permanently, but it now appears we need to prepare for retaliation and its direct impact U.S. farmers. Our global staff is doing this to the best of their abilities as we continue to follow new developments.”

Many countries are already facing the new tariffs, which initially went into effect in March. Those include China, which on April 2 counter-imposed tariffs of 15 percent on imported U.S. ethanol and 25 percent on imported U.S. pork. Japan, Turkey, Russia and India also face the tariffs and have said they would retaliate but have not issued lists or their lists did not include U.S. grain products. Quota agreements on steel and aluminum to stave off tariffs have been reached with South Korea, Australia, Argentina and, tentatively, Brazil.

The Section 232 tariffs are in addition to tariffs proposed under Section 301 of U.S. trade law, particularly targeted at China, and a plethora of other trade policy issues, negotiations and concerns.




USDA Reopens Application Period for Producers Recovering from Cattle Loss, Other Disasters

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin accepting disaster assistance program applications on June 4 from agricultural producers who suffered livestock, honeybees, farm-raised fish and other losses due to natural disasters.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is reopening the application period for two disaster assistance programs in response to statutory changes made by Congress earlier this year.

“When disasters hit, help is as close as your USDA service center,” said Bill Northey, Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. “After any catastrophic event, an eligible producer can walk into any one of our local offices and apply for help.”

Beginning June 4, FSA will accept new applications for losses for calendar year 2017 or 2018 filed under the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) or Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP). Producers who already submitted applications and received decisions on their applications for these years do not need to file again, but they can reapply if they have additional losses or their application was disapproved because it was filed late.

In February, Congress passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which made several changes to these two disaster programs, including:
  - Removing ELAP’s $20 million fiscal year funding cap, enabling FSA to pay producers’ 2017 applications in full and their 2018 applications as soon as they are approved.
  - Removing the per-person and legal entity annual program payment limitation of $125,000 for LIP for 2017 and future years. (The income limitation applies as it did before, meaning producers with an adjusted gross income of more than $900,000 are not eligible.)
  - Changing LIP to allow producers to receive a payment for injured livestock that are sold for a reduced price due to an eligible event. Previously, the program only covered financial loss for livestock death above normal mortality.

Producers interested in LIP or ELAP should contact their local USDA service center. To apply, producers will need to provide verifiable and reliable production records and other information about their operation.

Drought, wildfires and other disasters continue to impact farmers and ranchers, and LIP and ELAP are two of many programs available through USDA to help producers recover. Learn more at https://www.usda.gov/disaster.



RVP Period to Begin at Highest Fuel Cost to Consumers in Years

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) restriction on E15 sales across most of the country during the summer driving season – June 1 to September 15. The ban on E15 comes at a time when American drivers would most benefit from relief at the pump. Instead, consumers are barred from purchasing lower cost fuel at a time when gas prices are approaching a national average of $3 per gallon – higher than they have been in years.

“Every summer, earth-friendly E15 is held to tougher standards than other fuels sold year-round, cutting off sales and imposing needless costs on retailers and consumers alike,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “The Environmental Protection Agency must act to fulfill President Trump’s promise to ‘unleash E15’ by cutting this arcane regulation – saving retailers millions of dollars in labeling costs and letting rural America succeed in the marketplace unhampered.”

E15 retailers face costs of up to $1.5 million dollars each year just to relabel pumps around RVP, while others markets are entirely shut off for consumers because retailers cannot adjust for these astronomical barriers.

“RVP relief now means lifting our rural economy out of the worst crisis in a generation, with farm income plunging to a 12-year low,” said Skor. “And it means putting our industry on the path to an additional 1.3 billion gallons of ethanol demand within five years.”

Through an ongoing digital advocacy campaign Growth Energy is mobilizing rural America to call on the Administration to follow through on President Trump’s promise to make E15 available year-round, a move that would boost farm income amid the sharpest agricultural downturn since the 1980s.

E15 is approved by the EPA for use in nine out of 10 cars on the road, and it can be found at over 1,300 locations in 29 states. By providing regulatory relief to American fuel retailers, Growth Energy says the administration can hold down fuel costs, keep the air clean, and provide a vital market for more than two billion bushels of surplus grain.




NGFA asks Senate appropriators to fully fund CFTC

In a letter to the leaders of the Senate Appropriations Committee's Financial Services Subcommittee, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and several other significant U.S. agricultural producer and agribusiness groups urged the lawmakers to incorporate the full budget of $281.5 million requested by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

"The commission's responsibilities have expanded dramatically in recent years, but funding has not kept up," noted the NGFA and 15 other ag groups in a May 31 letter submitted to Subcommittee Chairman James Lankford, R-Okla., and Ranking Member Christopher Coons, D-Del. "For U.S. agricultural futures markets that are utilized extensively by our members to manage their market and business risks, this regulatory oversight is absolutely crucial."

The groups outlined several rulemakings and other initiatives at the CFTC that have direct bearing on price-discovery and risk-management functions that affect U.S. agriculture that could be hampered without adequate funding, including:
 -    Issuance of a Speculative Position Limit Final Rule: "As this very important rule moves toward final status, it is imperative that CFTC has sufficient staff and resources to get the rule right."
-    Regulating Automated Trading/High-Frequency Trading: "Commission oversight continues to be needed to help ensure that high-frequency trading doesn't overwhelm or otherwise adversely impact agricultural futures contracts."
-    Block Trading: "Now that block trading has been extended to agricultural contracts (by the CME Group), close scrutiny is merited by the commission to preserve appropriate liquidity and transparency for agricultural futures markets."

    CFTC Commitments of Traders Report: "Enhancements to provide additional frequency and transparency are needed, but will require personnel and technology resources" from the agency.  This report is important in providing transparency regarding participation in U.S. futures markets.

The letter also emphasized that the CFTC needs funding to hire important personnel. "Without sufficient resources to staff the commission and invest in needed technology upgrades, the CFTC's ability to perform these important functions, as well as to continue its core regulatory mission, will be undermined," the letter noted.

The groups sent a similar letter to House appropriators on May 9, but that committee approved only a slight increase in the CFTC budget from the current $249 million to $255 million.



Land O'Lakes, Inc. Announces CEO Retirement

Land O'Lakes, Inc. announced today that Chris Policinski will retire as Land O'Lakes President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 30, 2018. Policinski was appointed President and CEO of the Fortune 216 farmer-owned cooperative in 2005.

"On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank Chris for his many years of service on behalf of the company and the results he has generated," said Pete Kappelman, Chairman of the Land O'Lakes, Inc. Board of Directors.

"It's been a privilege to help lead Land O'Lakes through a period of growth and innovation," said Policinski. "My deepest thanks go to the members and employees who have made our success possible and who have created the opportunities ahead."

Policinski's tenure has been marked by significant growth in the size of the company which is twice the size today than it was when he assumed leadership nearly 13 years ago. In addition, Policinski oversaw global expansion in recent years with joint ventures in both South Africa and Kenya, and the biggest merger in the company's history with United Suppliers in 2016. In addition, Policinski has championed Land O'Lakes' continued investment in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. community in which the company is headquartered.

With nearly 40 years of experience in the food industry, Policinski held positions with Kraft General Foods, Bristol-Myers Squibb and The Pillsbury Company before joining Land O'Lakes. In addition, he is active at the board level with various industry associations, trade groups and corporations.

Today's announcement is part of a leadership succession plan directed by the board. In addition to forming a search committee to identify a permanent CEO, the board has appointed Peter Janzen as interim CEO to ensure a smooth transition and continued execution of the company's business plans.  Janzen, Land O'Lakes, SVP, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer, will postpone his recently announced retirement to serve the company as requested by the Board until the new CEO has been named. Janzen has been with the company for his entire career, joining Land O'Lakes, Inc. in 1983.



Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. Launches Commodity Crop Marketing Platform

Farmer’s Business Network, Inc., the independent farmer-to-farmer network, together with its affiliate companies, today announced the launch of its Commodity Crop Marketing platform to help farmers make better decisions when marketing their grain.

For many farmers, crop marketing is notoriously stressful and time-consuming. Information is available, but it’s often hard to know what’s important versus what’s noise. It’s even harder to turn that information into accurate decision making. Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. is looking to help reduce farmers’ marketing pain points and make better decisions.

“After talking to hundreds of members, farmers kept telling us they wanted more marketing support but it needed to be affordable.” said Devin Lammers, Head of FBN Commodity Crop Marketing. “FBN Commodity Crop Marketing provides an extensive and affordable suite of crop marketing services that can help farmers make better decisions through data driven, personalized, and actionable advice, and take action on those decisions through independent cash contracts and brokerage.”

FBN Commodity Crop Marketing offers the following products and services to help make the grain marketing process simpler, more efficient, and transparent:

-    FBN Cash Grain Management: A premium crop marketing advisory service that provides subscribers with a personal grain marketing manager to advise on marketing strategies, provide selling recommendations, and a personalized marketing plan.

-    FBN Market Intelligence: A subscription content service providing commodity markets news, analysis, and insights through email newsletters, custom reports, webinars and in-person meetings [included in Cash Grain Management]

-    FBN Brokerage: A low cost commodity brokerage account where members can trade on the futures market at significantly lower cost than typical Ag brokerages.

-    FBN Cash Contracts: Forward contracts that allow FBN members to take forward positions with more options and flexibility than those that come with traditional contracts.

Farmers are looking for new crop marketing solutions.
“Farmers Business Network has clearly been a disruptor in crop inputs. The crop marketing world needs the same thing and now it has it,” said Brandon Hunnicutt, Nebraska farmer and FBN member. “FBN has really shown itself in the last few years that they are capable of gathering, producing and generating good data, quickly. Good data leads to good decision making especially when you’re marketing your crop. And with the speed that FBN can deliver info, we’ll be able to respond and make better decisions quicker than we’ve ever been able to.”

The FBN network is dedicated to building an independent farm economy that is efficient and boosts farmers’ profitability.

“We are building advisory services that are accurate, easy and affordable,” said Lammers. “We are matching that with tools that keep farmer decision making independent, allowing farmers to develop better strategies and maximize basis. In the end, we want to enable farmers to become their own elevators.”

Building Out a Full Crop Marketing Platform
Commodity Crop Marketing builds on FBN Crop Marketing, which launched initially in 2017, with FBN Profit Center.

    FBN Profit Center automatically analyzes the estimated profitability of thousands of bids based on each farmer's individualized costs of production, transportation, and storage – and identifies the best options. Farmers also get automatic alerts for “in-the-money” bids, delivered right to their phones.

Creating a Full Profit System to Put Farmers First℠
The idea for the FBN network originated from farmers who wanted to create an independent, farmer-driven information and commerce network. The FBN network makes fair market input prices, real-world seed performance or optimal grain delivery points transparent in a no frills way – driven by member-contributed statistics from its millions of acres of member farms.

With the price transparency and online purchasing through FBN Direct, farms have commonly saved tens of thousands on inputs in a single year. Combined with the FBN analytics platform – the industry’s most advanced farm analytics system – and FBN Crop Marketing, farmers now have a full profit system with the FBN network.

The FBN network is available throughout the United States and prairie provinces in Canada. For more information, visit farmersbusinessnetwork.com.