Monday July 23 Ag News

Cuming County Producers Have Until Aug. 1 to Submit FSA County Committee Nominations

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director for Cuming County, Sarah Beck, today reminded farmers and ranchers they have until Aug. 1, 2018, to nominate themselves or others as candidates to serve on the local FSA county committee.

County committees are made up of farmers and ranchers elected by other producers in their communities to guide the delivery of farm programs at the local level. Committee members play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of FSA.

“The August 1 deadline is quickly approaching,” said Beck. “If you know of a great candidate or want to nominate yourself to serve on your local county committee, visit your FSA office before the deadline to submit the nomination form. I especially encourage the nomination of beginning farmers and ranchers, as well as women and minorities. This is your opportunity to have a say in how federal programs are delivered in your county.”

The Cuming County FSA Committee consists of three members and meets once a month or as needed to make important decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs, county office employment and other agricultural issues. Members serve three-year terms. Nationwide there are over 7,700 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees.

To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must participate or cooperate in an agency administered program and reside in the local administrative area where the election is being held. For 2018, an election will be held in Cuming County in LAA 2, which includes the townships of Cuming, Garfield, Neligh, Sherman, and St. Charles.

A complete list of eligibility requirements, more information and nomination forms are available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov/elections.
 
All nominees must sign the nomination form FSA-669A. All nomination forms for the 2018 election must be postmarked or received in the Cuming County FSA office by Aug. 1, 2018. Ballots will be mailed to eligible voters by Nov. 5 and are due back to the local USDA Service Centers on Dec. 3. The newly elected county committee members will take office Jan. 1, 2019.



USDA TO SURVEY COUNTY SMALL GRAINS ACREAGE

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey producers in 32 states, including Nebraska, for its County Agricultural Production Survey.

“County-level yields have a direct impact on farmers around the State. USDA’s Farm Service Agency uses the data in administering producer programs such as the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) included in the 2014 Farm Bill, and in determining disaster assistance program calculations,” said Dean Groskurth, director of the NASS Northern Plains Field Office. “NASS cannot publish a county yield unless it receives enough reports from producers in that county to make a statistically defensible estimate. So, it is very important that producers respond to this survey. In 2017, NASS was unable to publish several large producing counties due to a lack of sufficient number of responses.”

“As required by Federal law, all responses are completely confidential,” Groskurth continued. “We safeguard the privacy of all respondents, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified. Individual responses are also exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.”

Many producers respond by mail or on-line via NASS’s secure reporting website. If not enough responses are received from a county, NASS will begin contacting producers by phone or in person. County-level data for winter wheat and oats will be available Thursday, December 13th.



Open House Public Hearing Thursday, July 26th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.:  LENRD promotes groundwater quality with potential Groundwater Management Area expansion in Pierce and Madison Counties

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District’s (LENRD) concern for groundwater quality and the growing health concerns for the public, as well as the desire to further implement best management practices to prevent groundwater contamination, are the primary reasons the district is considering expanding the geographic area of the Phase 2 & 3 Groundwater Management Area in Pierce and Madison Counties.

The Phase 2 Area was first established in 1997 and included a 110 square mile area of Pierce County.  In 2005, the Phase 2 Area was expanded to include all of Pierce County with the exception of Eastern Township in the extreme northeast corner of the county.  The attached map shows the proposed Phase 2 & 3 Areas in Pierce County and Madison County.

Concerns about high nitrates in the district have risen as long-term monitoring has shown increasing levels of nitrate concentration in much of the groundwater in Pierce County, and most recently in small portions of northern Madison County.  Results indicate that of the approximately 40% of the registered wells sampled in Pierce County, the average nitrate-nitrogen level is 11.7 parts per million (ppm).  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a maximum contaminant level of 10 ppm for nitrate-nitrogen in public water supplies.

Several health concerns are related to the consumption of high nitrate water.  Nitrates can be particularly harmful to infants under six months of age.  Excessively high nitrates can lead to methemoglobinemia, a condition that is commonly known as “blue baby syndrome” in which there is a reduction in the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, potentially leading to death.  Pregnant women and other adults with certain health conditions may also be at increased risk.  Preliminary results from another study also indicate a potential positive link between groundwater nitrates and the incidence of birth defects and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Because of these potential health risks, the MCL has been set by EPA to 10 ppm.

Actions taken in the Phase 2 Area by agricultural producers and the LENRD will help to protect and improve groundwater quality. The following are requirements for the Phase 2 Area.  The proposed changes are in italics:
·         Fall and winter application of commercial nitrogen fertilizer is prohibited between October 15 and March 15
·         Operators who apply commercial nitrogen must be certified by the LENRD
·         Submittal of annual field reports to the LENRD by March 15th of each calendar year
·         Require deep soil sampling (24 inches) in fields planted to continuous corn
·         Any single application of commercial nitrogen fertilizer in excess of 80 pounds per acre is prohibited
·         Require use of LENRD approved nitrogen inhibitor or stabilizer if applying more than 50 pounds of commercial nitrogen in any single application (after March 15) and provide documentation to verify use along with proper application rate

Actions taken in the Phase 3 Area by agricultural producers and the LENRD will help to protect and improve groundwater quality. The following are requirements for the Phase 3 Area.  The proposed changes to the existing rules and regulations of a Phase 3 Area are in italics:
-    Continue all Phase 2 Area controls
-    Require use of LENRD approved nitrogen inhibitor if applying more than 50 pounds of commercial nitrogen in any single application (after March 15)
-    Any single application of commercial nitrogen fertilizer in excess of 80 pounds per acre is prohibited
-    Require deep soil sampling (24 inches) in all fields planted to corn (regardless of crop rotation)
-    Require the development and adherence to a LENRD approved Nutrient Management Plan
-    Require annual irrigation water sampling
“The changes proposed are the product of several months’ worth of effort between the District staff and our Board of Directors, and while these changes will require some adjustments for area producers, the feedback thus-far has mostly been positive,” said Brian Bruckner, LENRD Assistant General Manager. “The District takes the responsibility for groundwater management seriously, and is equally as committed to working cooperatively with landowners and producers as their actions are key to a long-term solution.”

“The District encourages any citizens with further questions or comments about their Groundwater Management Area to contact the LENRD office or visit our website for more information,” added Bruckner.  “We are seeking reasonable solutions to natural resources issues through increased communication and education.”

The LENRD will hold an Open House Public Hearing on Thursday, July 26th at the LENRD office in Norfolk from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to receive testimony on the proposed changes.  Any oral or written comments, suggestions and opinions will be entered into the hearing record.

Written testimony should be mailed to the LENRD, 1508 Square Turn Boulevard, Norfolk, NE  68701, or hand delivered to the LENRD, or emailed to:  lenrd@lenrd.org

The LENRD Board of Directors will make a final decision regarding the Phase 2 & 3 Area proposed expansion at their August 23rd Board Meeting.



Southern Rust of Corn Confirmed in Nebraska 
Tamra Jackson-Ziems, Extension Plant Pathologist

Southern corn rust was confirmed in corn leaf samples from Fillmore, Saunders, and Thayer counties  in eastern Nebraska earlier this week. The disease had been confirmed in western Missouri and southern Kansas in the prior week after very little confirmed southern rust activity in southern states. The disease currently appears to be at very low incidence in the fields from where samples were submitted. Cooler temperatures may help to slow disease spread, so monitoring the weather forecast will help to anticipate disease behavior. Fields should be scouted soon and frequently in the coming weeks for this and other diseases in case treatment is necessary.  

Southern rust is caused by an aggressive fungus that can cause disease to rapidly develop in susceptible corn hybrids under favorable weather conditions. The disease can cause significant yield loss in susceptible hybrids if it becomes severe, so producers and crop advisors should monitor closely for this disease. Sometimes southern rust does not become widespread or severe and does not always require treatment, making scouting and disease monitoring critical. It may take two or more weeks under favorable weather conditions for the disease to become more severe. Severe disease can also impact stalk strength and standability.

Favorable Weather
The pathogen does not overwinter and so its spores (urediniospores) must be blown into the area by wind from the south. The fungus needs moisture to germinate and infect, so high relative humidity, rainfall, irrigation, etc. will hasten disease development. Warm temperatures also favor southern rust development, especially temperatures in the upper 70s to lower 80s F, which are optimal for the fungus, even if they occur during the overnight hours. Cooler and drier conditions will help to slow disease spread, such as what was observed in 2017 when the disease was confirmed in southeast Nebraska early in the growing season and failed to become widespread in most counties.

Monitoring
A new southern rust tracking website has been created to help document the distribution of the disease nationally.  https://t.co/dQdUzF2Pv7

Please help us keep the map updated by sharing samples with southern rust. Samples submitted to the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic that are microscopically confirmed will be highlighted in red on the map, while other samples that look probable for southern rust in photos will be highlighted in yellow to indicate that the disease is “suspected” until a positive sample is submitted from that county.

Management
Most hybrids are susceptible to the southern rust fungus. Familiarize yourself with your hybrids’ anticipated reactions (seed company catalogs) to southern rust to know which ones may need treatment. Foliar fungicides can effectively manage the disease. Most systemic fungicides can provide protection of leaves from future infections for up to 21-28 days. 

The wide range of planting dates across Nebraska this year has resulted in a wide range of corn growth and reproductive stages in fields, some of which are still in the vegetative growth stages. Later planted fields that are earlier in their maturity are at the greatest risk for yield loss if the disease develops there soon. Southern rust can sometimes take days to several weeks to develop once it’s identified in an area, so immediate treatment may not be necessary for most fields.

Spraying early may mean a second application is necessary later in the season to protect plants during later grain fill stages as the disease increases in severity once the fungicide has worn off.

Sample Submission
Submit samples to the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic for help identifying this and other diseases. The clinic site has information on how to submit a sample and the sample submission form.



Frogeye Leaf Spot Showing Up in Soybean 
Loren Giesler - NE Extension Plant Pathologist

Over the past few days we've received several reports of frogeye leaf spot in soybean. Frogeye leaf spot, a fungal disease caused by Cercospora sojina, is becoming more common across the eastern third of Nebraska.

With most of the soybean crop entering early pod stages over the next week, now is the time to decide whether you need a fungicide. Yield loss estimates due to frogeye leaf spot have been reported as high as 30% nationally with extensive leaf blighting; but for Nebraska I would estimate less than 20% yield loss in highly susceptible varieties.

The disease is most severe when soybean is grown continuously in the same field, particularly in fields where tillage is reduced, since this is a residue-borne disease. The primary source for this disease is infested residue, infected seed, and airborne spores. In areas where this disease has been observed in past years it will typically show up again if weather conditions are favorable. Overcast conditions or high humidity are favorable and irrigation or recent rains in some portions of the state will increase the potential for this disease.

What to Look For
Infection can occur at any stage of soybean development, but most often occurs after flowering and is typically in the upper canopy. Initial symptoms are small, dark spots on the leaves. Spots eventually enlarge to a diameter of about ¼ inch. The centers of the lesions will become gray to brown and have a reddish purple margin. Individual leaf spots can coalesce to create irregular patterns of blighting on the leaf.

Management of Frogeye Leaf Spot
Resistance. Soybean varieties vary in their resistance to frogeye leaf spot. Several genes are commonly used to provide resistance. You will want to know the susceptibility of your variety if you’re trying to decide whether a fungicide is warranted.

Cultural Practices. Frogeye leaf spot is more severe in continuously cropped soybean fields. Reduced tillage systems will tend to have more as the pathogen overwinters in residue.

Fungicide Application. A fungicide application to manage frogeye leaf spot is typically not warranted in most Nebraska fields. Fields with a history of frogeye should be watched carefully and if disease develops, application of a strobilurin fungicide at the R3 (pod set) to early R4 growth stage is considered most effective. Most current fungicide products are combinations with different modes of action that have activity against this fungus and are a good resistance management strategy.



Farmer-Leaders Elected to Board of Directors for Iowa Corn

Iowa Corn announced today the results of the Board of Directors elections for the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB).

Those elected as ICGA Directors will continue to bring grassroots policy issues forward and be the collective voice for the nearly 8,000 corn farmer-members, lobbying on agricultural issues at the state and federal level. They include:
District 2- Stuart Swanson, Wright County
District 5- Dennis Friest, Hardin County*
District 6- Lance Lillibridge, Benton County
District 7- Carl Jardon, Fremont County*
District 8- Steve Kuiper, Marion County
*For those re-elected

Since 1978, Iowa corn farmers have elected their peers to serve on the ICPB to oversee the investment of funds generated by the Iowa corn checkoff. ICPB Directors will continue to promote a thriving Iowa corn industry through research into new and value-added corn uses, domestic and foreign market development and providing education about corn and corn products. These individuals include:
District 4- Larry Buss, Harrison County *
District 5-Michael Fritch, Jasper County
District 8- Gary Petersohn, Ringgold County *
District 9- Stan Nelson, Des Moines County​ *    
*For those re-elected

Both organizations are charged with creating opportunities for long-term Iowa corn grower profitability. Elected Directors will begin to serve on September 1st, 2018.



USDA Announces Grain Inspection Advisory Committee Appointments

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of 12 members to serve on the Federal Grain Inspection Service’s (FGIS) Grain Inspection Advisory Committee beginning July 1, 2018.

Members appointed for three years are:
    John W. Lindgren, Vancouver, Wash.
    Rick L. Robinette, South Sioux City, Neb.
    Mark A. Watne, Jamestown, N.D.
    Randall W. Burns, Malverne, Ark.
    Dr. Errol B. Turnipseed, Brooking, S.D.

Members appointed for two years are:
    Bruce A. Sutherland, Okemos, Mich.
    John J. Morgan, Crowley, La.
    Linsey Mofit-Tobin, Long Grove, Iowa
    Sarah Sexton-Bowsher, Mayetta, Kan.
    Chad R. Becnel, Gonzales, La.

Members selected as alternates to serve one-year terms are:
    Aaron T. Anseeuw, Virginia Beach, Va.
    Patricia Dumoulin, Hampshire, Ill.

“The United States is recognized as the world leader in grain production with harvests that offer high-quality, consistency and variety,” said Perdue. “Members of the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee are valued USDA partners who deliver precious advice on grain inspection and weighing. Their recommendations ensure that FGIS services meet the needs of all our stakeholders. Ultimately that supports the American economy.”

Established in 1981, the Advisory Committee represents the interests of all segments of the U.S. grain industry from producer to exporter. The 15-member committee typically includes grain processors, merchandisers, handlers, exporters, consumers, grain inspection agencies and scientists.



Field Day to Help Farmers Focus on Nitrogen

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host the next in its Focus on Nitrogen: Managing Nitrogen for Maximum Profit and Minimum Water Quality Impact workshop series on Aug. 21 at the Iowa State Northwest Research Farm near Sutherland. The workshop is part of a statewide series of events this summer and fall that focus on managing nitrogen.

The event is targeted to farmers and those who advise farmers and is hosted by a team of ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists, ag engineering specialists and water quality researchers. It will allow presenters to share research-based information on maximizing profitability with nitrogen management while also increasing the understanding of the practices that minimize and reduce nitrate-nitrogen loss.

Check-in for the event and coffee will begin at 9 a.m., with the workshop starting at 9:30 a.m.

Joel DeJong and Paul Kassel, field agronomists with ISU Extension and Outreach, will host the event and highlight nitrogen management strategies and water quality testing practices being conducted at the farm and the results the studies have shown. They will also discuss research on rate selection, split applications, time of application, nitrogen additives, manure nitrogen and using nitrogen in wet years.

To register for the event, contact DeJong at 712-540-1085 or jldejong@iastate.edu. There is a $10 registration fee for the event, and pre-registration is required in order to get an accurate count for the lunch that will be provided.

CCA credits will be available to those who attend the event.

Directions to the Northwest Research and Demonstration Farm: The Northwest Iowa Research and Demonstration Farm is located at 6320 500th Street near Sutherland, Iowa. That’s a quarter mile east of Highway 59 on B-62, about two miles south of Calumet or about 12 miles north of Cherokee.



AMPI Celebrates Expansion of Iowa Cheese Plant

When people think of Iowa they usually think of corn, maybe soybeans. But did you know it's ranked 8th among the states for cheese production?

In Sanborn, Iowa, Associated Milk Producers Incorporated (AMPI) celebrated the expansion of its cheese production facility with a ribbon cutting.

The 14,000 square foot plant has undergone a multi-million dollar renovation, which managers call just the first phase of a larger expansion project.

"We recently and are in the process of completing a 14,000 square foot addition and in that addition, we're going to house eight state of the art cheese vats which will, in essence, double our capacity," said Division Manager Harold Peters.

Peters says AMPI currently produces 1.4 million pounds of milk per day. And with this new technology, that number will double to 3 million.

"Certainly we've been waiting for this a long time. We have the milk, the milk's been available, the new equipment, the new technology, we'll be able to utilize our staff a little bit better. And hopefully, be able to grow and change some of our cheese styles too," Peters said.

AMPI is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative headquartered in New Ulm, Minn., and ranks in the top 30 of dairy organizations in the United States and in the top 10 U.S. dairy cooperatives.



Twelve Candidates Pursue Title of 65th Iowa Dairy Princess

Twelve young women involved with the Iowa dairy community will compete to win the title of 65th Iowa State Dairy Princess Wednesday, Aug. 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Multi-Media Center of the Cattle Barn at the state fairgrounds in Des Moines. The princess and her alternate are charged with helping consumers learn more about dairy products and the farm families who tend the farms and cows that provide them.

The contestants are:
    Amanda Engelken, 19, daughter of Tom and Cherrie Engelken of Earlville, representing Delaware County;
    Cynthia Hamlett, 19, daughter of Mark and Jennifer Hamlett of Aurora, representing Iowa Holstein Association;
    Abby Hoefler, 19, daughter of Brian and Eileen Hoefler of New Vienna, representing Dubuque County;
    Grace Howe, 17, daughter of Shelly and the late Matt Howe of Waukon, representing the Iowa Jersey Cattle Club;
    Faith Johnston, 18, daughter of Darin and Melissa Johnston, representing Bremer County
    Jordan Kalenske, 19, daughter of Tommy and Tracy Kalenske of Fairbank, representing Iowa Brown Swiss Association;
    Brianna Lucey, 18, daughter of Marcia Harbaugh of Guttenberg, representing Clayton County;
    Lakaya Lyon, 19, daughter of Kathy Lyon and the late Greg Lyon of Atalissa, representing Iowa Jersey Cattle Club;
    Aubreigh Machande, 18, daughter of John and Carmen Loots of Charlotte, representing Jackson and Clinton counties;
    Cayla Nolting, 17, daughter of Chad and Cheryl Nolting of Waukon, representing Allamakee County;
    Jessica Schmitt, 18, daughter of Carl and Terry Schmitt of Fort Atkinson, representing Winneshiek County; 
    Kassi Steinlage, 18, daughter of Loran and Brenda Steinlage of West Union, representing Fayette County;

The winners are chosen on the basis of their knowledge and enthusiasm about dairy, personality and communication ability during judging which begins Tuesday, Aug. 7. Both the princess and alternate will receive scholarships from Midwest Dairy, which sponsors the contest and princess program on behalf of Iowa’s dairy farmers.

The outgoing 2017-18 Iowa Dairy Princess is Rachel Grober, daughter of Todd and Sherry Grober of Ionia, and the Alternate Princess is Josie Buddenberg, daughter of Bruce and Julie Buddenberg of Decorah. Their reigns will be completed at the end of the Iowa State Fair, and the new Princess and Alternate will begin their duties Sept. 1.

The coronation ceremony on August 8 will also feature a celebration of 65 years of the Iowa Dairy Princess program.  Former Iowa dairy princesses and alternates will be recognized and signage at the Iowa State Fair will highlight contributions of the princess program on behalf of the state’s dairy farm families.



June Egg Production Up 2 Percent

United States egg production totaled 8.83 billion during June 2018, up 2 percent from last year. Production included 7.67 billion table eggs, and 1.16 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.08 billion were broiler-type and 79.4 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during June 2018 totaled 386 million, up 4 percent from last year. June egg production per 100 layers was 2,289 eggs, down 1 percent from June 2017.
                                   
All layers in the United States on July 1, 2018 totaled 385 million, up 4 percent from last year. The 385 million layers consisted of 324 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 58.4 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.30 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on July 1, 2018, averaged 76.1 eggs per 100 layers, down 2 percent from July 1, 2017.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 8 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during June 2018 totaled 53.9 million, up 8 percent from June 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 47.9 million on July 1, 2018, up 16 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 155 thousand during June 2018, down 54 percent from June 2017.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Up 2 Percent
Broiler-type chicks hatched during June 2018 totaled 821 million, up 2 percent from June 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 689 million on July 1, 2018, up 2 percent from a year ago.

Leading breeders placed 9.33 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during June 2018, up 13 percent from June 2017.

IOWA
Iowa egg production during June 2018 was 1.33 billion eggs, down 4 percent from last month but up 1 percent from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The average number of all layers on hand during June 2018 was 57.2 million, down 1 percent from last month but up 4 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for June were 2,318, down 4 percent from last month and down 3 percent from last year.



 HOUSE PASSES ADUFA AND AGDUFA PROGRAMS

The U.S. House this week passed by voice vote legislation reauthorizing the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) and the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act (AGDUFA). The legislation authorizes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to collect from animal health companies fees for reviewing animal drug applications, thereby supplementing the agency’s budget for the rigorous appraisal of animal drugs. The measure, passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee in May, 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 effective and safe for use. 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.



No Huge Surprises in Cattle on Feed Report, But...
David P. Anderson, Extension Economist,Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

USDA's Cattle on Feed report, released July 20th did not include many big surprises, but there were some interesting points. But, first the basics. The number of cattle on feed were reported up 4.1 percent over a year ago, on placements up 1.3 percent and marketings up about 1 percent. The 11.282 million head on feed are the most for a July 1 in the history of this report going back to the mid-1990s.

While placements were up, they represented a mixed bag, regionally. Placements were down in Texas and Nebraska, 20,000 and 10,000 head, respectively. Placements were up in Kansas, Iowa, and most of the West. But, they were down in the other Corn Belt feeding states of Minnesota and South Dakota. It's worth remembering that this 1.3 percent increase in placements amounts to about 23,000 head.

More lighter cattle were placed in June. Placements were higher in the under 600 pound and 600-699 pound classes. Fewer cattle were placed weighing 700-900 pounds. But a few more were placed in the 900 pound plus categories.

Perhaps the most interesting number in the report was the number of heifers on feed. The breakout of heifers and steers on feed is reported quarterly. The number of heifers on feed on July 1 totaled 4.454 million head, up almost 8 percent over July 1, 2017. That was the second largest number of heifers on feed behind only July 2001, when 4.446 million heifers were reported on feed. The 7.128 million steers on feed was the most for a July 1 in the data. The steer-heifer data goes back to 1996.

Overall, the report indicates that the marketings rate is holding up well given the large supplies of cattle. That we are moving these large supplies of cattle is a tribute to good demand from retail and export markets and demand for fed cattle from packers. Continued good movement will be critical to cattle prices over the next 6 weeks approaching Labor Day.

USDA also released the mid-year Cattle inventory report. The most important takeaways in this report were the number of heifers held for replacement and the calf crop. Heifers held for beef cow replacement declined 2.1 percent from a year ago. When combined with beef cow and heifer slaughter the data continues to indicate a drastically slowing rate of herd growth. The calf crop was reported up 1.9 percent. There will be plenty of calves for sale this Fall and available to boost beef supplies through 2019.



ACE conference breakout sessions explore key industry issues

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 31st annual conference coming up August 15-17 in Minneapolis offers a variety of breakout sessions covering the latest in technology updates, strategic planning advice, and ways to make ethanol plants more profitable. The breakout sessions will be held concurrently in three rounds on the afternoon of Thursday, August 16, following the morning general session panels.

“Our conference theme is Grit Wins, which defines the tenacity of the people who make up the ethanol industry and their continued dedication to the important work they do, despite recent hurdles,” said Shannon Gustafson, ACE Senior Director of Operations and Programming. “Time and time again, our industry (and our product) rises above the many obstacles in our path.   We look forward to reinforcing that resolve with timely updates on the issues and innovations that matter most to their business.”

This year’s event is again hosting breakout sessions tailored to ethanol plant boards of directors. Christianson PLLP and K·Coe Isom will tag team a session providing board members with strategic thinking techniques and guidance on how to use those methods to steer their company’s future. Another discussion, led by Christianson, will provide workforce management insight to achieve a plant’s productivity and profitability goals, as well as a look at current standard practices regarding compensation and benefits with data collected from ethanol plants across the country. A second session led by K·Coe Isom will take a deep dive into some of the key provisions that will impact the ethanol industry in the comprehensive tax reform package.

A bulk of the panels are centered around ways ethanol plants can increase profitability and efficiency with new technology, coproducts and market opportunities. Two new ACE members Whitefox and Solenis will introduce producers to their unique technologies and TotalGEN Services will cover the revenue boosting factors of a CHP system installation at an ethanol plant. Diversification is another way plants can obtain additional profits, and this topic will be explored in Saola Energy LLC’s session on how to enhance corn oil to create renewable diesel and Fluid Quip Process Technologies’ presentation focusing on the global market demand for protein. A leading expert in low carbon fuel markets from EcoEngineers will also share his insights into developing a successful low carbon strategy to maximize the opportunity created by these markets.

A new breakout session added to this year’s lineup will provide attendees with a list of innovative ideas to try at their plant, workplace or community to build support for ethanol. A long-standing industry news editor and writer will lead this brainstorming session on how to strengthen ethanol’s image, which is critical for the fuel’s future.

Prospective attendees should register online by August 1 to guarantee their spot. To learn more about the conference agenda and how to get involved at the event, click here... https://ethanol.org/events/conference. 



CWT Assists with 765,004 Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture contracts to sell 489,426 pounds (222 metric tons) of Cheddar, Colby and Monterey Jack cheese and 275,578 pounds (125 metric tons) of butter going to customers in Asia and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from August through December 2018.

CWT-assisted member cooperative 2018 export sales total 44.538 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 12.085 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 20.106 million pounds of whole milk powder to 28 countries on five continents. These sales are the equivalent of 829.763 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

This activity reflects CWT management beginning the process of implementing the strategic plan reviewed by the CWT Committee in March. The changes will enhance the effectiveness of the program and facilitate member export opportunities.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program in the long term helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.



Speaker Ryan: Unprecedented Number of Ag Groups Request Your Immediate Action

An unprecedented number of agriculture groups have endorsed the bipartisan AG and Legal Workforce Act. More than 200 agriculture groups support the bill including dairy, horse, cattle, sheep, chicken, pork, turkey, wine, aquaculture, corn, seafood and processing interests. They all believe the AG and Legal Workforce Act is the only solution for the foreseeable future to ensure a viable workforce. While a few out-liar agriculture groups do not support the bill, the time is now to provide agriculture with a reliable workforce.

Speaker Ryan's home state of Wisconsin is the nation’s second-largest milk-producing state, with annual sales of nearly $5 billion (NASS, 2017 State Agriculture Overview). In order to sustain our existing operations, we must have the means to a legal visa program.

"It’s easy for some in agriculture who are currently allowed to use the H-2A visa program to attack and oppose the only foreseeable solution for the rest of us. Without a bill passing, we have nothing except fear and trepidation that we will continue to see stepped-up enforcement and distressed businesses," according to Laurie Fischer, American Dairy Coalition .

In late June, House Leadership made a commitment to several members of Congress for a separate July vote on an immigration guest-worker bill that will allow all of agriculture, including dairy, poultry, cattle, pork, seafood, etc., to be part of a new visa program called the H-2C. The H-2C doesn’t just help one sector of the agriculture industry, but all of us and will allow immigrant workers to come out of shadows by providing them a legal visa -- but only after they are vetted by Homeland Security.

The fact that the dairy industry has been suffering from a lack of federal immigration policy for over 30 years demands that the Speaker of the House must allow a vote this week.

The American Dairy Coalition’s 30,000 producers represented throughout the United States are strongly urging Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) to bring the AG and Legal Workforce Act to the floor before the members of the House of Representatives leave Washington, D.C. this Friday.

As interior enforcement efforts continue, those who are left without any means to secure a legal workforce are facing disaster. It is now up to Speaker Ryan to decide if the U.S. will end up importing food and putting thousands of domestic jobs at risk or securing a legal workforce we desperately need. 

The American Farm Bureau, the National Milk Producer Federation and many other National and State Associations are in support this bill.



Workshop to examine challenges for economic analysis of antibiotic use in food animals

Challenges to changing antibiotic use in food animal production and the associated economics, data and policy issues will be the focus of a workshop Sept. 6-7, 2018, at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (ERS) is organizing this workshop in collaboration with Farm Foundation.

In the last two years, private companies and producers have been considering when and how antibiotics are used to satisfy consumer demand for products from food animals that have been raised with few or no antibiotics, as well as to comply with the new rules the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has implemented regarding antibiotic use in food animal production.

This rapidly-changing landscape has also sparked discussion about how to incentive the development of new animal pharmaceutical products to which antibiotic resistance is less apt to develop. Often lacking in these discussions is information about the economic costs and benefits of such initiatives.

"In order to be able to make good policy and management decisions, public and private decision makers may benefit from information on the volume of antibiotics used, the costs of reducing antibiotic use and the demand for products produced with fewer antibiotics," says Stacy Sneeringer, ERS Research Economist. "But there are challenges surrounding confidentiality, costs and benefits of reducing antibiotic use, as well as in defining appropriate metrics."

The workshop is targeted to academics, federal analysts, policy makers, non-profit representatives and industry stakeholders. A tentative agenda is available.

The Sept. 6-7 workshop will include presentation of new research on the economic aspects of changing antibiotic use on U.S. farms, as well as information on collection of data on the sale and use of antibiotics in U.S. food animal production. Other topics to be addressed include:
-    Changes in costs, practices and structures in the U.S. livestock sector and associated industries due to the recent FDA policy changes on antibiotic use in food animal production.
-    Consumer demand for products raised without antibiotics and the associated price premiums.
-    The challenges of supplying U.S. beef raised with fewer antibiotics.
-    The potential applicability to animal pharma of incentive mechanisms used in human pharma.
-    Analysis of ongoing efforts to collect data on antibiotic use in U.S. food animal production.

There is no charge to participate in this workshop, however,  registration is required by close of business on Aug. 30, 2018.