Tuesday June 19 Ag News

Helicopter to Make Low-Level Flights over Eastern Nebraska

Eastern Nebraska residents should not be alarmed if they see a low-flying helicopter over areas of the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (P-MRNRD) in June and July.

Beginning in late June and lasting approximately two to three weeks, instruments mounted below a helicopter will collect and record geologic measurements to learn more about buried aquifers (glacial sands and gravels, sandstones and other water-bearing materials).  The P-MRNRD and other members of the Eastern Nebraska Water Resources Assessment (ENWRA), a coalition of six NRDs in the eastern third of Nebraska, have planned the flights with help from the Nebraska Water Sustainability Fund, through the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission.  According to Katie Cameron, coordinator of ENWRA, “The flights will improve our understanding of available ground water and its possible connections with surface water in an area of the state made more complex by the presence of glacial deposits.”

Aqua Geo Frameworks (AGF), of Mitchell, Nebraska will oversee the flights, process data and produce a final report.  The equipment can collect data at a speed of more than 50 miles per hour and explore to a depth of more than 700 feet below the ground surface.  The helicopter will fly over parts of Dakota, Thurston, Burt, Washington, Douglas, and northwestern Sarpy Counties within the P-MRNRD.   Cameron said the flights will be a continuation of ENWRA flights conducted during summer 2016 and will focus with more detail on several areas within the P-MRNRD.  Scientific equipment is towed about 100 feet below the helicopter in a ‘spider web’ array and is designed to map geologic structures beneath the surface of the earth.  The helicopter will be manned by experienced pilots specially trained for low-level flying with this equipment.  Similar flights have been made across Nebraska since 2007, according to Cameron, as NRDs seek to better understand and manage ground water resources.



New ADM Animal Nutrition Facility Uses Industry-Leading Technology to Meet Customer Needs for Livestock Feed

Archer Daniels Midland Company today celebrated the opening of its new, high-tech feed facility in Columbus, Nebraska.

“Earlier this spring, we opened our new pet food premix facility in Effingham, Illinois. Today, we’re celebrating another new, state-of-the-art ADM Animal Nutrition plant, this time in Columbus, Nebraska,” said Samson Li, president, ADM Animal Nutrition. “We’re proud to invest in Columbus, and in a new, modern facility that will allow us to continue to meet customer needs for high quality, cost-competitive feed.”

“Adding value to agricultural products is at the heart of a strong and growing ag economy in Nebraska,” said Gov. Pete Ricketts. “By producing high-quality livestock feed here, ADM is not only adding value to ag products, but their continued investment adds value to our state. We are excited that ADM continues to invest in Columbus and across Nebraska.”

The new facility features state-of-the-art technology, including:
  •Expanded warehouse space to serve our customers more quickly and efficiently.
  •New production line to provide range blocks for cattle, dairy cows and horses.
  •Automation within receiving, batching, packaging, and loadout.
  •Multiple batching systems with simultaneous weighing for high efficiency and high output.
  •Completely integrated process control system designed to deliver consistent food quality and safety.

“From last year’s Crosswind acquisition, to our new facilities across the U.S., to our growth in China, we are continuing to invest to ensure that ADM Animal Nutrition is the go-to partner for livestock, aquaculture and companion-animal customers around the globe,” Li continued.



Ricketts, Japan’s Consul General Highlight New University-Kewpie Partnership

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts and the visiting Consul General of Japan in Chicago, Naoki Ito, toured the Henningsen Foods plant in David City, Nebraska.  The visit occurred on the heels of a newly-announced strategic partnership agreement between Henningsen’s Tokyo-based parent Kewpie Corporation and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL).  

“Henningsen Foods and Kewpie have shared a tremendous relationship with Nebraska for over 50 years,” said Governor Ricketts.  “During my recent trade mission to Japan, I met with the company’s leadership to thank them for their investments in our state and to discuss new opportunities for collaboration.  Those discussions led to today’s announcement.  This new partnership between Kewpie and the University of Nebraska leverages our world-class resources at Nebraska Innovation Campus and strengthens the special relationship between Nebraska and Japan, which support thousands of jobs in our communities.”

“It has been a privilege to tour Henningsen’s facilities in David City, and yet another opportunity to acknowledge the deep friendship and economic ties shared between Nebraska and Japan,” Consul General Ito said.  “Nebraska and Japanese trade and business partnerships continue to grow stronger every year, and they are a source of economic strength for all parties involved.”

A global producer of egg, meat, and poultry products, Henningsen Foods operates three locations across Nebraska.  Governor Ricketts and a delegation of State and university officials met with senior leaders from parent company Kewpie last year, during the Governor’s second trade mission to Japan.  Following that meeting, the Governor’s Office helped connect Kewpie with UNL.  Shortly thereafter, representatives from UNL and the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) returned to Tokyo, at which time UNL and Kewpie formalized a recently-announced strategic partnership agreement.  The agreement will see Kewpie conduct North American market research and development efforts out of UNL’s Nebraska Innovation Campus, in Lincoln.

“This is a perfect example of the economic development opportunities created in Nebraska that result from collaboration and partnership between the university, state government and the private sector through global engagement,” said Mike Boehm, UNL Vice Chancellor Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Nebraska and Japan continue to grow important trade and investment relationships.  Today, Japan is the fourth-largest global importer of Nebraska products, and the state’s largest source of foreign direct investment, having invested more than $4.4 billion since 2010.  Today, approximately 35 Japanese-owned companies employ around 9,400 Nebraskans.

Aside from strengthening Nebraska-Japan ties, the UNL-Kewpie agreement will also help to foster enhanced research and academic collaboration between the University of Nebraska and Japan.

This July, Governor Ricketts is slated to host an official delegation from Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, including Prefecture Governor Toshizo Ido, to discuss additional opportunities for growing Nebraska-Japanese trade and investment relationships.



SINGLE WIRE CROSS FENCES
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Cross fences are one of my favorite tools.  They are a major part of grazing management packages and are especially valuable in situations like drought or stockpiling.

               I like cross fences.  They give us a method to control when and where our animals graze and, maybe more importantly, when and where they do not graze.

               But when I say cross fence, what do you visualize?  Maybe it’s your opinion that the only fence worth having is a 4-strand barbed wire fence.  Or maybe two or three electric smooth wires will do.

               What about a single electric hot wire cross fence?  I use this type of cross fence most of the time.  For several reasons.  For starters, they’re cheap.  Sometimes it doesn’t cost a thing, except for electricity, if using the wire and posts and charger that are used around corn stalk fields during winter.  But even if you buy new wire and posts and leave them in place permanently, the cost is small.

               Secondly, they’re easy to build and take down.  No scratches from barbed wire.  No multiple trips back and forth to put up each wire and stretch it tight enough.  No worry about crossing or tangling wires.  And most important of all, they work!  At least most of the time.

               Single wire cross fences aren’t fool proof.  In tall grass, it might not be seen.  I use an electric tape instead sometimes for visibility.  A second wire might be needed for grounding when it’s dry.  Also, deciding the height can be tricky.  High enough for calves to walk under?  If lower, what happens when a calf gets pushed to the other side?  And on uneven ground, you might need extra posts or a second wire to avoid gaps.

               Yes, cross fences are a great tool.  But sometimes deciding what type to build is the biggest challenge.

MANAGING SEEDING YEAR ALFALFA
               Alfalfa seeded this spring is ready, or soon will be ready, to cut.  Use the following harvest guidelines to get the most from your first-year alfalfa.

               Seeding year alfalfa is different from established stands.  Stems are spindly, roots are small and shorter, and growth is a little slower.

               You can harvest seeding year alfalfa as early as 40 days after seedlings emerge.  Notice that I said 40 days after emergence rather than after planting.  It takes plants about 40 days to develop their ability to regrow from the crown after cutting.  If plants are cut before this development takes place, maybe to control weeds, at least one set of leaves must remain on the plant for it to regrow.

               Although alfalfa seedlings can be harvested 40 days after emerging, I think it’s better to wait until around 60 days after emergence, at late bud to early bloom stage, before first cut.  Yield will be a little higher and plants will withstand weather stress easier with a little extra growth.  This extra time also allows roots to penetrate the soil more deeply, helping avoid problems from soil compaction or surface soil dryness.

               These first harvest recommendations may be earlier than some folks like to cut.  However, after this early cutting the regrowth of seedling alfalfa will become more similar to established alfalfa, giving you the opportunity for two or three cuts the first year.  And, it helps control many weeds as well.

              One last point – never cut seeding year alfalfa during the four week period before a killing freeze.  Winter injury can be severe due to reduced winterhardines.  So look ahead at the calendar to plan when future cuts might be taken to avoid cutting during this sensitive time.

               First year alfalfa can be productive, just manage it right.



RESEARCH AIMS TO QUANTIFY THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

A multi-disciplinary team of researchers at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln will conduct a project targeting the sustainability of Nebraska’s supply chain. The project is funded by a $15,510 grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

National Ag Statistics Service lists Nebraska farms accounting for 91 percent of Nebraska’s land with farms covering 43.2 million acres. With such a large amount of land controlled by farmers the sustainability on these acres is critical to overall sustainability.

“The first step toward a more sustainable agriculture sector is to quantify the sustainability of the supply chain,” said project leader John Hay, extension educator with Nebraska Extension

A diverse group of 80 private and public stakeholders worked together to develop the Field to Market sustainability initiative for commodity crop production, including a tool to aid in quantifying sustainability from crop fields. From this effort came the Fieldprint calculator tool. Nebraska Extension will work with farmers to use the tool with a goal of continuous improvement leading to increased sustainability.

The Fieldprint Calculator assesses sustainability in the areas of land use, conservation, soil carbon, irrigation water use, water quality, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions. The tool will enable farmers to quantify and visualize the sustainability of their fields, and compare their sustainability metrics with peers using local, state and national averages.

“We will use this information to help farmers make management decision to reduce inputs and increase sustainability,” Hay said.

According to Hay, previous work with the Fieldprint Calculator has provided strong results with 45-85 percent of participating farmers planning to change some practices in the areas assessed to improve sustainability.

The project is one of the 105 projects receiving $18,301,819 in grant awards from the Nebraska Environmental Trust this year. The Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Environmental Trust in 1992. Using revenue from the Nebraska Lottery, the Trust has provided over $289 million in grants to over 2,000 projects across the state.



May Milk Production in the United States up 0.8 Percent

Milk production in the United States during May totaled 19.1 billion pounds, up 0.8 percent from May 2017.  Production per cow in the United States averaged 2,031 pounds for May, 15 pounds above May 2017.  The number of milk cows on farms in the United States was 9.40 million head, 3,000 head more than May 2017, and 2,000 head more than April 2018.

IOWA:  Milk production in Iowa during May 2018 totaled 451 million pounds, up 1 percent from the previous May according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during May, at 220,000 head, was unchanged from last month but 3,000 more than last year. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,050 pounds, down 5 pounds from last May.



Iowa State Researchers Use Twitter to Map Spread of Southern Corn Rust

A new research study conducted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach faculty and researchers, as well as several other partnering universities across the country, illustrates the efficacy of mapping and identifying the spread of pests and pathogens using the social media application, Twitter. The study is available online through the American Phytopathological Society and will be featured in Plant Disease, the society’s international journal of applied plant pathology. 

The research, “Scout, Snap, and Share: First Impressions of Plant Disease Monitoring Using Social Media,” examines the usefulness and feasibility of social media as a method of disease and pest data sharing among crop scouts, industry agronomists and university extension across the country. During the observation period between 2016 and 2017, two Twitter accounts, @corndisease and @soydisease, were created to track the appearance of disease in corn and soybean fields across the country. Participants tweeted an image of the disease they found, along with the state and county of observation, and included either the @corndisease or @soydisease account.

The project was able to successfully track the movement of southern rust (caused by Puccinia polysora) of corn northward, giving advance notice for targeted crop scouting efforts. Through the reports, stakeholders were later able to produce maps pinpointing disease spread.

“The use of Twitter to create a virtual and ongoing discussion and reporting location for diseases and pests can be a useful tool for integrated pest management,” said Daren Mueller, assistant professor and extension specialist in plant pathology and microbiology. “Through social media, we are able to connect stakeholders who are miles apart with information that could potentially preserve yields and encourage responsible crop and pest management.”

Funding for this project was provided by the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Integrated Pest Information Platform for Extension and Education Cooperative Agricultural Project.



NPPC Testifies at USTR Hearing on Thailand’s GSP Eligibility  

At a U.S. Trade Representative hearing today, the National Pork Producers Council called for Thailand’s preferential access to the U.S. market to be revoked or reduced if it does not end its unwarranted ban on U.S. pork.

Thailand is a top beneficiary of the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program, which gives duty-free treatment to certain goods entering the United States. The program allows for removal of a country’s benefits if it fails to provide the United States “equitable and reasonable access” to its market.

“Thailand takes full advantage of special U.S. trade benefits, contributing significantly to its large trade surplus with the United States,” testified Maria Zieba, NPPC’s director of international affairs. “It does so while imposing a completely unjustified virtual ban on imports of U.S. pork. President Trump has called for reciprocity in our trading relationship with other countries, but there is no reciprocity at all in our trading relationship with Thailand when it comes to pork.”

Thailand bans pork produced with ractopamine, a feed ingredient approved for use after numerous scientific assessments by world health organizations declared it safe. Thailand also does not import uncooked pork and pork offal from the United States, even though it imports these products from other international supplies. Other obstacles include excessive import permit fees and high tariffs on agricultural products.

U.S. pork producers currently face retaliatory tariffs in key export markets, such as China and Mexico, at a time of peak production levels. It’s critical that new export markets are opened for U.S. pork and other agriculture sectors.

“The United States ships safe, wholesome and competitively priced pork to more than 100 countries around the world,” said Zieba. “There is no legitimate reason for Thailand to maintain its de facto ban on U.S. pork.”

Following an NPPC petition, USTR in May agreed to review Thailand’s eligibility for the U.S. GSP program. A letter signed by more than 40 members of the House of Representatives was also sent to Thailand’s ambassador to the United States, calling for the removal of restrictions on imports of U.S. farm products, including pork.



Give U.S. Wheat Farmers the Freedom to Compete

The familiar African proverb says that when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. Unfortunately for America’s farmers, that grass is the wheat growing in their fields as the big guys in Washington, D.C., and Beijing escalate their trade fight.

China’s state-run importing agency and private flour millers bought an average of more than 1.1 million metric tons of U.S. wheat the past five years because our farmers produce higher quality grain than China can grow on its own. Following the Trump Administration’s announcement of new tariffs on $50 billion of imported Chinese goods, China hit back with tariffs of its own, including a 25 percent tariff on U.S. wheat imports. In response, the White House is ordering trade officials to draw up a list of $200 billion worth of Chinese goods that would be hit with a 10 percent tariff on top of the 25 percent tariffs already promised. In a trade war, agriculture always gets hit first and the effects of these tariffs could prove devastating for farmers.

No one in China will be hurt if the retaliatory U.S. wheat tariff is implemented. China has huge amounts of stored wheat and they can purchase what they need from Australia, Canada or even Kazakhstan, although Chinese consumers will miss the opportunity to experience higher quality products made from U.S. wheat. Instead, the outcome is likely to further erode the incomes of farm families who strongly support addressing the real concerns about China’s trade policies. 

According to the USDA, net cash wheat farm income is projected to be down more than 21 percent this year compared to last. U.S. wheat growers are not in the business of ceding a market like China that wants to buy their crop and could buy so much more of it. That is why in 2016, U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) and the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) called for World Trade Organization (WTO) cases intended to push China to meet its WTO commitments on domestic support and tariff rate quota management. We are happy that the Trump Administration supports and is pursuing those cases. 

USW and NAWG know that farmers still want our organizations to keep fighting for fair opportunities to compete in China and other countries. They would prefer, however, to see our government do that first within the processes already in place. 

Instead, the Administration is doubling down on a tactical policy that makes an already risky business of agriculture even more volatile.  Policies like the ones being proposed will only make times harder for farmers, and the Administration’s vague promises of protection for the farmers we represent offers little consolation. 

Our country’s continuing agricultural trade surplus is proof that America’s farmers can compete successfully in the world based on the quality and value of what they produce, given the freedom to do so.



Soy Growers in Middle of Tariff Feud with China Stand to Suffer Most

America’s soy growers are lined up even more precisely in the crosshairs of President Trump’s contentious tariff confrontation with China. President Trump announced Monday that $200 billion in additional Chinese goods will be hit with a 10 percent tariff, deepening the likely free fall in prices that producers of soy and soy products are feeling directly in their wallets and which threaten the stability of their market long-term.

“Soybean prices are declining as a direct result of this trade feud,” said John Heisdorffer, Iowa soybean grower and president of American Soybean Association (ASA). “Prices are down almost a dollar and a half per bushel since the end of May - and continue to plummet. That represents a loss of more than $6.0 billion on the 2018 soybean crop in less than a month. We have approached the Trump Administration repeatedly and implored them to hear our side of this story.”

ASA is disappointed and highly concerned that trade tensions continue to ratchet up rather than deescalate between the two countries and that its repeated requests to the Administration for a non-tariff solution that does not threaten the market stability and livelihoods of soy growers has not been put forward.

Last Friday, China responded in kind to the United States’ 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese products under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 with its own 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion of American goods, including soybeans. In 2017, China imported 60 percent of total U.S. soybean exports, representing nearly 1 in 3 rows of harvested soybeans, with a value of $14 billion.



ASA Now Seeking Nominations for Annual Soy Recognition Awards

The American Soybean Association (ASA) wants to recognize exceptional soy volunteers and leaders—and we need your help. During ASA’s annual awards banquet, individuals will be recognized and honored for state association volunteerism, distinguished leadership achievements and long-term, significant contributions to the soybean industry. The nomination period is open through Oct. 15, 2018. The Recognition Awards categories are:
-    ASA Outstanding State Volunteer Award–Recognizes the dedication and contributions of individuals who have given at least three-years of volunteer service in any area of the state soybean association operation.
-    ASA Distinguished Leadership Award–Distinguished and visionary leadership of ASA or a state soybean association is recognized with this award to either a soybean grower-leader or association staff leader with at least five-years of leadership service.
-    ASA Pinnacle Award–An industry-wide recognition of those individuals who have demonstrated the highest level of contribution and lifetime leadership within the soybean family and industry.

Please consider and submit a nomination for one or more of the award categories. All nominations must be received online, no later than Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. No nominations by telephone, email or fax will be accepted. A judging committee will be assigned to make the final selections.

Recipients will receive their awards at the ASA Awards Banquet on Friday, March 1, 2019, in Orlando, Fla. at Commodity Classic.

If you have any questions, please contact ASA’s Farris Haley by email at fhaley@soy.org or phone at 314-576-1770, ext. 1284.