Friday June 29 Ag News

2018 NEBRASKA ACREAGE

Nebraska producers planted 9.70 million acres of corn in2018, up 2 percent from last year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Biotechnology varieties were used on 96 percent of the area planted, unchanged from a year ago. Area to be harvested for grain is estimated at 9.35 million acres, up 1 percent from a year ago.

Soybean planted area is estimated at 5.50 million acres, down 4 percent from last year. Biotechnology varieties were used on 96 percent of the area planted, up 2 percentage points from 2017. Producers expect to harvest 5.45 million acres, down 4 percent from a year ago.

Winter wheat seeded in the fall of 2017 was a record low 1.10 million acres, down 2 percent from last year. Harvested area is expected to total 1.00 million acres, down 2 percent from a year ago.

Alfalfa acreage to be harvested for dry hay is estimated at 880,000 acres, up 6 percent from last year. Other hay acreage to be cut for dry hay is estimated at 1.85 million acres, up 3 percent from a year ago.

Sorghum acreage planted, at 220,000 acres, is up 22 percent from a year ago. Area expected to be harvested for grain is 155,000 acres, up 15 percent from last year.

Oats planted for all purposes is estimated at 135,000 acres, up 23 percent from last year. Area to be harvested for grain is estimated at 45,000 acres, up 29 percent from last year.

Dry edible bean planted acreage is estimated at 125,000 acres, down 31 percent from last year. Harvested acres are estimated at 114,000 acres, down 26 percent from the previous year.

All chickpea planted acres are estimated at 5,000 acres, with harvested area estimated at 4,600 acres.

Proso millet plantings of 100,000 acres are down 5 percent from a year ago.

Sugarbeet planted acres, at 45,900 acres, are down slightly from last year. Area expected to be harvested is estimated at 44,500 acres, down 2 percent from a year ago.

Oil sunflower acres planted are estimated at 33,000, up 10 percent from last year. Harvested area is estimated at 31,000 acres, up 9 percent from a year ago. Non-oil sunflower planted acreage is estimated at 10,000 acres, down 35 percent from a year ago. Harvested area is estimated at 9,000 acres, down 40 percent from the previous year.

Dry edible pea planted acres are estimated at 65,000 acres, up 12 percent from last year.  Harvested acres are estimated at 62,000 acres, up 11 percent from the previous year.

Fall potato planted acres are estimated at 19,500 acres, up 3 percent from the previous year. Harvested acreage is forecasted at 19,300 acres, up 2 percent from a year earlier. The percent planted by type of potato is: 45 percent white, 50 percent russet, 2 percent red and 3 percent yellow.

The estimates of planted and harvested acreages in this news release are based primarily on
surveys conducted during the first two weeks of June.



IOWA ACREAGE

Corn planted for all purposes in Iowa is estimated at 13.3 million acres, unchanged from the March intentions and last year according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Acreage report. Corn to be harvested for grain is forecasted at 12.9 million acres. Producers reported planting biotechnology varieties on 93 percent of their 2018 corn acres. The percent of corn acreage planted to insect resistant (Bt) varieties is estimated at 3 percent, herbicide resistant only varieties were planted on 7 percent of the acres, and stacked gene varieties were planted on 83 percent of the acres.

Soybean acreage planted is estimated at 9.90 million acres, up 100,000 acres from the March intentions, but down 100,000 acres from the 2017 planted acreage. Soybean acreage to be harvested is forecasted at 9.84 million acres. Based on reports from producers, 95 percent of the soybean acres were planted with herbicide resistant varieties.

Total dry hay expected to be harvested for 2018 is estimated at 1.20 million acres, up 100,000 from the March estimate and up 120,000 acres from 2017. Of the total, 830,000 acres of alfalfa and 370,000 acres of other hay are expected to be harvested for dry hay.

Acreage seeded to oats is estimated at 130,000 acres, down 10,000 from the March intentions, but up 15,000 acres from 2017. Oat acreage expected to be harvested for grain is estimated at 55,000 acres, up 13,000 acres from 2017.

Winter wheat planted acres are estimated at 20,000 acres, up 4,000 acres from 2017. Acres to be harvested for grain is forecasted at 13,000 acres, up 5,000 from 2017.



USDA Acreage
Corn Planted Acreage Down 1 Percent from 2017
Soybean Acreage Down 1 Percent
All Wheat Acreage Up 4 Percent
All Cotton Acreage Up 7 Percent

Corn planted area for all purposes in 2018 is estimated at 89.1 million acres, down 1 percent from last year. Compared with last year, planted acres are down or unchanged in 31 of the 48 estimating States. Area harvested for grain, at 81.8 million acres, is down 1 percent from last year.

Soybean planted area for 2018 is estimated at 89.6 million acres, down 1 percent from last year. Compared with last year, planted acreage is down or unchanged in 14 of the 31 estimating States.

All wheat planted area for 2018 is estimated at 47.8 million acres, up 4 percent from 2017. This represents the second lowest all wheat planted area on record since records began in 1919. The 2018 winter wheat planted area, at 32.7 million acres, is up less than 1 percent from last year and up slightly from the previous estimate. Of this total, about 23.2 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 5.89 million acres are Soft Red Winter, and 3.62 million acres are White Winter. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2018 is estimated at 13.2 million acres, up 20 percent from 2017. Of this total, about 12.7 million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. Durum planted area for 2018 is estimated at 1.89 million acres, down 18 percent from the previous year.

All cotton planted area for 2018 is estimated at 13.5 million acres, 7 percent above last year. Upland area is estimated at 13.3 million acres, up 7 percent from 2017. American Pima area is estimated at 243,000 acres, down 4 percent from 2017.



NEBRASKA JUNE 1, 2018 GRAIN STOCKS

Nebraska corn stocks in all positions on June 1, 2018 totaled 551 million bushels, down 4 percent from 2017, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Of the total, 280 million bushels are stored on farms, down 8 percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 271 million bushels, are down slightly from last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions totaled 98.0 million bushels, up 37 percent from last year. On-farm stocks of 23.5 million bushels are up 24 percent from a year ago and off-farm stocks, at 74.5 million bushels, are up 42 percent from 2017.

Wheat stored in all positions totaled 37.0 million bushels, down 15 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks of 1.40 million bushels are up 33 percent from 2017 but off-farm stocks of 35.6 million bushels are down 17 percent from last year.

Sorghum stored in all positions totaled 3.26 million bushels, up 21 percent from 2017. On-farm stocks of 380,000 bushels are up 153 percent from a year ago and off-farm holdings of 2.88 million bushels are up 13 percent from last year.

On-farm oat stocks totaled 250,000 bushels, down 17 percent from 2017.



IOWA GRAIN STOCKS - JUNE 1 2018

Corn stored in all positions in Iowa on June 1, 2018, totaled 1.10 billion bushels, down 4 percent from June 1, 2017, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Grain Stocks report. Of the total stocks, 56 percent were stored on-farm. The March - May 2018 indicated disappearance totaled 600 million bushels, 6 percent above the 568 million bushels from the same period last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions in Iowa on June 1, 2018, totaled 220 million bushels, 24 percent above the 177 million bushels on hand June 1, 2017. This is the fourth highest June 1 total stocks on record, 14 percent below the record set in 2007. Of the total stocks, 32 percent were stored on-farm. Indicated disappearance for March - May 2018 is 146 million bushels, 11 percent above the 132 million bushels from the same quarter last year.

Oats stored on-farm in Iowa on June 1, 2018, totaled 420 thousand bushels, down 18 percent from June 1, 2017.



USDA Grain Stocks
Corn Stocks Up 1 Percent from June 2017
Soybean Stocks Up 26 Percent
All Wheat Stocks Down 7 Percent

Corn stocks in all positions on June 1, 2018 totaled 5.31 billion bushels, up 1 percent from June 1, 2017. Of the total stocks, 2.75 billion bushels are stored on farms, down 3 percent from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 2.56 billion bushels, are up 7 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2018 indicated disappearance is 3.59 billion bushels, compared with 3.39 billion bushels during the same period last year.

Soybeans stored in all positions on June 1, 2018 totaled 1.22 billion bushels, up 26 percent from June 1, 2017. On-farm stocks totaled 377 million bushels, up 13 percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 845 million bushels, are up 33 percent from a year ago. Indicated disappearance for the March - May 2018 quarter totaled 888 million bushels, up 15 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Old crop all wheat stored in all positions on June 1, 2018 totaled 1.10 billion bushels, down 7 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks are estimated at 130 million bushels, down 32 percent from last year. Off-farm stocks, at 970 million bushels, are down 2 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2018 indicated disappearance is 395 million bushels, down 17 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Old crop Durum wheat stocks in all positions on June 1, 2018 totaled 35.9 million bushels, down 1 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks, at 15.0 million bushels, are down 19 percent from June 1, 2017. Off-farm stocks totaled 20.9 million bushels, up 17 percent from a year ago. The March - May 2018 indicated disappearance of 13.6 million bushels is down 18 percent from the same period a year earlier.

Old crop barley stocks in all positions on June 1, 2018 totaled 94.7 million bushels, down 11 percent from June 1, 2017. On-farm stocks are estimated at 26.4 million bushels, 2 percent below a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 68.3 million bushels, are 14 percent below June 1, 2017. The March - May 2018 indicated disappearance is 35.3 million bushels, 8 percent below the same period a year earlier.

Old crop oats stored in all positions on June 1, 2018 totaled 41.0 million bushels, 18 percent below the stocks on June 1, 2017. Of the total stocks on hand, 11.4 million bushels are stored on farms, 16 percent below a year ago. Off-farm stocks totaled 29.6 million bushels, 20 percent below the previous year. Indicated disappearance during March - May 2018 totaled 13.9 million bushels, 8 percent above the same period a year ago.

Grain sorghum stored in all positions on June 1, 2018 totaled 65.3 million bushels, down 23 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks, at 5.22 million bushels, are down 39 percent from last year. Off-farm stocks, at 60.1 million bushels, are down 21 percent from June 1, 2017. The March - May 2018 indicated disappearance from all positions is 74.9 million bushels, down 22 percent from the same period last year.

Pulse crops stored in all positions on June 1, 2018 and the change from June 1, 2017 are: dry edible peas, 4.40 million cwt, up 1 percent; lentils, 1.76 million cwt, up 45 percent; Austrian winter peas, 270 thousand cwt; all chickpeas, 880 thousand cwt, up 108 percent; small chickpeas, 268 thousand cwt, up 102 percent; and large chickpeas, 612 thousand cwt, up 111 percent. Small chickpeas are defined as peas that will pass through a 20/64 inch round hole screen. Large chickpeas are defined as larger than 20/64 inches.



Two Young NE Leaders attend the 2018 NCBA Young Cattlemen’s Conference

In early June, 61 upcoming cattlemen and women leaders from across the Nation gathered together for the week long National Cattlemen’s Beef Association 2018 Young Cattlemen’s Conference. Among those participants were two young cattlemen future leaders from Nebraska, Terryn Drieling of Ashby and Scott Peterson of Valentine.

NCBA’s YCC program kicked off in Denver, Colorado with classroom type sessions. These sessions were designed to provide the participants with more information about NCBA and the work the organization conducts on behalf of members. Along with background information on NCBA the group participated in leadership development, media training and hands-on demonstrations of NCBA’s consumer marketing programs.

While in Colorado they got the opportunity to tour Five Rivers Cattle Feeding’s Kuner Feedyard, the JBS processing plant as well as met with the executive team at JBS Headquarters. Prior to leaving Denver, participants also stopped at one of Safeway’s flagship stores to learn more about beef marketing at the retail level, giving the group an in-depth understanding of every aspect of the beef supply chain.

On their way to Washington D.C. the group stopped briefly in Chicago for a tour of Hillshire farms, the new McDonald’s Campus and OSI, one of the nation’s largest premiere beef patty producers.

Washington, D.C., brought the young leaders face to face with the impacts of public policy on their operations and an in-depth briefing on current policy issues from NCBA lobbyist and policy experts. While at the Capitol the participants had the opportunity to advocate for industry policy priorities to 200 of their elected officials.

“YCC was the experience that I needed to fully grasp the entire beef chain. Understanding the challenges of JBS and Tyson in staffing and marketing gave me a greater understanding of the challenges facing the beef industry as a whole. I am grateful to the Nebraska Cattlemen and all those individuals who assisted in my selection. This experience energizes me to continue to work for beef producers and to seek other ways of impacting the industry. The experiences and friendships will last a lifetime.” Scott Peterson of Valentine, Nebraska.

“I had high expectations going into YCC, and this trip exceeded them all. I learned something new at every stop, made solid connections, built lasting friendships, and was once again impressed by the NCBA team. The highlights for me were visiting with the McDonald’s team, seeing how their burgers are made, and visiting our representative on the Hill. Kudos, to our team at Nebraska Cattlemen for being a constant voice for us not only within our state, but also in DC. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to attend YCC and look forward to what the future holds for the beef community.” Terryn Drieling, Ashby Nebraska.

NCBA’s YCC program impacts these young producers with knowledge and experiences they had never known before. These types of programs are crucial to the future of the United States Beef Industry.



Lindsay Corporation Increases Cash Dividend

Omaha-based Lindsay Corporation announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.31 per share, payable August 31, 2018, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 17, 2018. This quarterly cash dividend rate represents a 3.3% increase in the previous quarterly indicated rate of $0.30 per share. The new annual indicated rate is $1.24 per share, up from the previous annual indicated rate of $1.20 per share.

At March 19, 2018, Lindsay Corporation had approximately 10.8 million shares outstanding, which are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LNN.



Iowa’s Farmland Owners Continue to Age, with More Than a Third 75 or Older

An Iowa State University study shows that the age of Iowa’s farmland owners continues to rise, with a record high 35 percent aged 75 years or older in 2017.

Sixty percent were over the age of 65, which is 5 percentage points higher than 2007 and twice the level recorded in 1982, say Wendong Zhang and Alejandro Plastina, assistant professors and extension economists at Iowa State, who released results of the 2017 Farmland Ownership and Tenure survey at a press conference Thursday in Ames.

Conducted by Iowa State University since the 1940s, the Farmland Ownership and Tenure Survey — completed every five years — focuses on forms of ownership, tenancy and transfer of farmland in Iowa, and characteristics of landowners. The latest survey was conducted in July 2017.

Aging farmland owners is one of several notable trends found in the latest survey, said Zhang and Plastina, both assistant professors of economics.

“An increasing amount of land is cash rented,” Zhang said. “In 1982, leased farmland was equally divided between cash rent and crop share leases. However, by 2017, 82 percent of leased farmland was under a cash rent arrangement. Two primary reasons for the trend away from crop share and towards cash rent agreements are that landowners have become more dispersed and the number of landowners per tenant has increased. Both these trends make payment in grain and keeping grain differentiated by owner more difficult.”

More farmland is now owned debt free, the researchers said. In 2017, 82 percent of Iowa farmland was debt free, a significant increase from 62 percent in 1982 and 78 percent in 2012. This could be the result of profits earned during good crop years in 2012 and 2014 and profitable livestock production years like 2014.

The survey found that reasons for owning farmland are changing. “The survey found three primary reasons for owning farmland,” Plastina said. “Almost half — 49 percent — is owned for current income, 19 percent is owned for long-term investment and 29 percent is owned for family or sentimental reasons. The remaining reasons include owning a house with an acreage and for recreation purposes.”

Zhang and Plastina said the data show a trend away from sole ownership and joint tenancy towards institutionalized ownership structures, such as trusts and corporations.

“In 2017, trusts accounted for 20 percent of all acres in Iowa, while three decades ago almost no land was owned in that fashion,” Zhang said. “In contrast, the share of farmland owned by sole owners or joint tenancy declined from 80 percent of farmland in 1982 to only half in 2017.”

Taken together, these major trends have significant implications for when and how farmland is intended to be transferred to the next generation, the Iowa State economists said.

The latest survey found willing or giving land to family remained the most popular method of intended land transfer. The second most popular method of intended land transfer was the establishment of trusts.

“These recent trends reveal that only 7 percent of Iowa farmland was intended to be sold to a nonfamily member,” said Zhang. “Recent federal and state tax policy changes, especially the reinforcements of stepped-up basis for farmland transition and 1031 exchanges for farmland, will likely continue making the farmland market tight with limited land sales.”

Complete results of the survey are available at https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/6492. A video of the press conference is available at https://vimeo.com/277524155. Zhang and Plastina’s presentation slides are available at http://bit.ly/2017IFOTSPresentation.

Selected highlights from the 2017 survey include:
-    Sixty percent of Iowa farmland is owned by people 65 years or older and 35 percent of farmland is owned by people 75 or older.
-    Eighty-two percent of Iowa farmland is owned free of debt, which represents a significant increase from 62 percent in 1982 and 78 percent in 2012.
-    Forty-seven percent of farmland is owned by women. Thirteen percent is owned by female landowners over the age of 80.
-    Fifty-three percent of farmland is leased, with the majority of farmland leases being cash rental arrangements.
-    Twenty-nine percent of Iowa farmland primarily is owned for family or sentimental reasons.
-    There is a continuous shift away from sole ownership and joint tenancy to trusts and corporations, which accounted for 20 percent and 10 percent of land, respectively, in 2017.
-    Over half of Iowa farmland is owned by someone who does not currently farm: 34 percent is owned by owners with no farming experience and 24 percent by retired farmers.
-    Eighty percent of land was owned by full-time Iowa residents, 7 percent was owned by part-time residents and 13 percent was owned by those who do not live in the state.
-    Cover crops are grown on approximately 4 percent of Iowa farmland. About 20 percent of farmland owners expressed willingness to pay a portion of planting costs to encourage more adoption of conservation practices on the land they own.
-    Approximately 30 percent of Iowa’s land uses inputs purchased from a cooperative, markets products through a co-op and uses custom services of agricultural cooperatives.

The Iowa Farmland Ownership and Tenure survey started in the 1940s. Since 1989, Iowa State University has conducted the survey every five years, as mandated by Iowa Code. This survey series represents the first of its kind in the nation and the only consistent information on ownership, tenure and transitions of farmland at the state level.



Denitrifying Bioreactor Field Day Is July 17 in Boone

Prairie Rivers of Iowa, in partnership with Iowa Learning Farms, will host a field day on Tuesday, July 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Field Extension Education Laboratory, located at 1928 240th St. in Boone. This field day, sponsored by Prairie Rivers of Iowa, Iowa Learning Farms, Iowa Corn, and the Story County Soil and Water District, will discuss the design and implementation of practices that work to remove nitrate from tile lines. The event is free and open to the public, and includes a complimentary meal. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by July 12 to Kayla Bergman, Watershed Coordinator at Prairie Rivers of Iowa, at 515-232-0048 or kbergman@prrcd.org.

This event will include a tour of a denitrifying bioreactor and will feature presentations from Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Station On The Edge, Jace Klein, a bioreactor designer with Ecosystems Services Exchange, and a local landowner with bioreactor experience.

“We are excited to co-host with Iowa Learning Farms to showcase a vital practice that will help Iowa reach the nitrate reduction goal outlined in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy,” said Kayla Bergman, watershed coordinator at Prairie Rivers of Iowa.

The event will be held rain or shine, so please wear appropriate clothing and make sure to wear sunscreen. Water and a free dinner from Jimmy’s BBQ Pit will be provided by event sponsors.



Senate Passes Its Version of Farm Bill before July 4 Recess

On Thursday evening, the U.S. Senate passed its version of the 2018 Farm Bill on a vote of 86-11, with the few dissenting votes coming from Republicans.

The American Soybean Association (ASA) commends the Senate’s ongoing bipartisan work, which maintains much of the 2014 farm bill structure including protecting crop insurance and commodity programs, and ASA continues to advocate for on-time passage of a final bill before the 2014 Farm Bill expires the end of September.

John Heisdorffer, a soybean producer from Keota, Iowa and ASA president, said, “We are happy that the Senate’s bill continues the structure of Title 1 commodity programs and still offers producers a choice between the Price Loss Program (PLC) and the county Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC-CO) program. While we would like to see market development funding increased, we are pleased that funding for Foreign Market Development (FMD) and Market Access Program (MAP) remains intact and is protected by consolidating those two programs under one export promotion umbrella.”

The House version of the Farm Bill, passed June 21, has similar structures for crop insurance, commodity programs, and foreign market development funding.

There are, however, some contrasts between the competing bills: The House bill includes reforms in the SNAP (food stamp) program that are not included in the Senate version; the Senate reduces the Adjusted Gross Income cap for Title 1 program payment eligibility from $900,000 to $700,000; the House broadens the definition of “actively engaged in farming”; the House eliminates the Conservation Stewardship Program; and, the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is increased from 24 million acres to 29 million in the House bill and to 25 million in the Senate bill.

Congress has adjourned for the 4th of July recess, but leaders of both the Senate and House Agriculture Committees say they want to convene a Conference Committee soon after they return on July 9. At that time, they will begin hammering out differences between their two versions of the bill.



NPPC Statement on North Carolina Hog Farm Verdict

A jury verdict today against a North Carolina hog farm in favor of plaintiffs who lodged unwarranted nuisance claims sets a dangerous precedent for American livestock agriculture, according to Jim Heimerl, president of the National Pork Producers Council and a hog farmer from Johnstown, Ohio. The following statement can be attributed to Heimerl:

“For the second time in as many months, a North Carolina verdict has come back in favor of plaintiffs after a jury was prevented from visiting the farm subjected to baseless claims. We are deeply troubled by this decision against a farm that has operated responsibly and in compliance with state laws since 1985 and that maintains the highest standards of environmental and community stewardship.

“American hog farmers already face serious headwinds, including export market uncertainty caused by ongoing trade disputes. We can’t allow trial-lawyer abuse of our legal system to continue as it threatens the livelihood of livestock farming families, undermines the rural economy and unnecessarily increases food prices for consumers.”



NCBA Responds to Canadian Tariff Hikes on U.S. Beef Products

Kent Bacus, Director of International Trade and Market Access for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, today released the following statement in response to Canada's announcement of higher tariffs on U.S. beef products beginning on Sunday, July 1:

"For the past few weeks Canada has threatened to retaliate against the United States by slapping a tariff on $170 million worth of U.S. beef products in direct response to the steel and aluminum tariffs. Today, they made good on that threat. These retaliatory tariffs were and still are clearly avoidable, and the unfortunate casualties will be Canadian consumers and America’s cattlemen and cattlewomen. We may not know the extent of the damage these tariffs may have on our producers, but we believe that cooperation is a better path forward than escalation. As Canadians gather to celebrate Canada Day and we prepare to celebrate American Independence, we encourage our government and the Canadian government to remember that we are allies and we rely on each other for future economic prosperity."



AFBF Analyzing Supplemental Notice on 2015 WOTUS Repeal

The Environmental Protection Agency released a Supplemental Notice on repeal of the 2015 WOTUS Rule. American Farm Bureau Federation General Counsel Ellen Steen says,

“We are closely analyzing the supplemental notice on repeal of the 2015 WOTUS Rule that the EPA issued today. The issuance of this additional notice shows that EPA listened to public comments that showed confusion over what was being proposed and why. This supplemental notice will provide a more meaningful opportunity for public comment by clarifying that EPA’s proposal is to permanently repeal the 2015 WOTUS rule because that rule was illegal in multiple respects. AFBF looks forward to providing further comments in support of the repeal of this unlawful and unconstitutional regulation.”



International Food Security Assessment, 2018-2028
Karen Thome, Birgit Meade, Kamron Daugherty, and Cheryl Christensen
USDA Ecoonomic Research Service

International food price spikes over the past decade impacted of price shocks on the food security of vulnerable populations. Low food prices and rising incomes can improve a country's food security situation because people can more readily afford and access food. The speed of improvement in food security is also affected by inequality in income and consumption, as well as agricultural production and market conditions. Understanding how these factors combine provides a measure of progress in food security and its drivers. 

What Did the Study Find?
Given projections for lower food prices and rising incomes for most countries in this report, food security is expected to improve between 2018 and 2028: the share of the food-insecure population is expected to fall from 21.1 percent to 10.4 percent; the number of food-insecure people is projected to fall from 782 million to 446 million; the food gap—the amount of food required to allow all food-insecure people to reach the caloric target of 2,100 calories per person per day—is projected to decline from 36 million tons to 24 million.

Gains in food security vary across regions. In Asia, where income growth is strong, the share of the food-insecure population is projected to decline from 16.6 percent in 2018 to 4.7 percent in 2028. The challenge is greater in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where population growth is higher and income growth lower. In 2018, SSA is projected to have 35.3 percent of its population food insecure; despite improvements, 24 percent are still food insecure in 2028. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the share of the population that is food insecure is projected to drop from 19.5 percent in 2018 to 9.5 percent in 2028. Food security is also projected to improve for North Africa, s the most food-secure region in the study. There, the share of the population that is food insecure falls from 4.9 percent in 2018 to 2.3 percent in 2028.

Read the report here.... https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details/?pubid=89390.