Rainout Grazing Options
Ben Beckman, Beef Systems Extension Educator, Cedar County
Summer in Nebraska is usually characterized by warm sunny days that fuel thunderstorms popping up in the afternoon and evening hours. Heavy rain, hail, and damaging winds are no stranger to us. This year in the northern part of the state however it seems like the heavy rain has gotten a bit carried away. While a bit of excess moisture is always welcome, the continual deluge this summer has left low lying hay ground flooded, fields hailed out, and producers scrambling to put up they hay they can get to in the narrow window between storms.
What this means is we are left with lesser amounts of lower quality hay being produced this fall. Hay meadows that are normally grazed as regrowth were harvested later or not at all, reducing our grazing options. This fall and winter will require a bit of extra planning with these challenges ahead to make sure we are meeting the nutrient requirements of our animals, especially lactating animals in spring calving herds.
The first step is to understand what resources are currently available. The hay that was harvested might be a bit farther along than normal, what did that do to the quality? If you haven’t already been testing your hay, this would be a good year to start. Depending on the lab you use, a basic nutrient test on hay samples will run $15-$20. Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) technology has helped provide more information at lower prices than ever before. If you need some assistance on the “how” to sample part, your local extension office would be happy to connect you with a beef educator who can help out or you can look up NebGuide G331 “Sampling Feeds for Analyses” that will walk you through the process.
If you usually graze hay meadow regrowth and were only able to put up half this year, what will that look like? Will you only graze the hayed portions or can you push animals to graze the standing forage too? Now is the time to start penciling out a plan for how to use that resource. Regrowth on grass hay can easily be above 15% crude protein. Mature grasses on the other hand are well below 10%. Both are great forage resources, we just have to manage them different. If the ground isn’t too wet, maybe limiting access to regrowth while animals are primarily utilizing the more mature forage is an option to be explored. Additionally, supplementation with high quality hay or another economic protein source may be an option. Just make sure that you’re running the numbers for both meeting animal needs and cost. Overfeeding a high priced protein source isn’t doing anyone favors except the person who made the sale.
One final option that might be considered is using annual forages to fill the gap. The window to get seed in the ground for a viable fall grazing resource is rabidly closing, so you’ll need to act quickly. Work done at UNL by Dr. Mary Drewnoski and Dr. Daren Redfern have shown that even a simple rye/brassica mixture planted in the late summer/early fall can produce large amounts of high quality forage. The best part about this is that the oats and brassicas will hold their quality into the winter, well after the first freeze, so a producer can let the crop grow, gaining yield. After that first frost when the plants quit actively growing, start grazing. Pairing this with crop residues can provide plenty of quality forage well into the winter to meet your animal’s needs without having to feed anything.
Nebraska Ethanol Board to Meet Sept. 14, 2018
The Nebraska Ethanol Board will meet Friday, Sept. 14, at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Cornhusker Marriott Hotel (333 S. 13th Street) in downtown Lincoln.
The board welcomes soon-to-be Administrator Sarah Thornton Caswell to the meeting. Caswell has extensive experience in the bio-industry sector and recently served as vice president of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Edeniq, a technology firm serving the biofuels industry. Caswell earned her law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., and is a member of the Illinois Bar. She will assume the role of board administrator Sept. 17.
This will be the last board meeting for long-time Nebraska Ethanol Board Administrator Todd Sneller, who retires Sept. 14.
The meeting highlights include:
- Presentation: Mark Wilkins, UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- American Coalition for Ethanol – Ron Lamberty & Liz Bunkers
- E30 Road Test in Legacy Vehicles update
- Husker Motorsports Team
- Marketing & Education updates
- State and Federal Legislation update
This agenda contains all items to come before the Board except those items of an emergency nature.
2018 NeFU Fall District Meetings Schedule
District 2 Fall Meeting: Loup River Inn, Fullerton, NE 68638
Wednesday, September 5, 2018: 4:00 pm meeting with Supper to follow.
· District 2 Director’s Report: Jim Knopik
· Status of Costco Project-Graham Christensen
· Status of Keystone XL Pipeline project-Art Tanderup
· Sen. Tom Briese: Nebraska Legislature Preview (Property tax reform)
· NFU Fly-in Preview –NeFU Programs Director, Camdyn Kavan
NeFU District 2 Business:
· Election of officers
· Nominations for NeFU Board of Director—elected by District convention delegates
· Select 2 delegate candidates to NFU Convention—elected by NeFU convention delegates
· NeFU Policy Day: December 6, 2018
· NeFU State Convention: December 7-8, 2018 (888) 236-2427 Reservations
· Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S. 13th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508
· NFU Convention, March 3-5, 2019 The Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Bellevue, Washington
Bring a friend, neighbor or family member that needs to get active in NeFU.
For more information, call Lynn Belitz (308) 550-0859 or Jim Knopik (308) 550-0288 cell.
District 5 Fall Meeting: Lee’s Chicken Restaurant, 1940 W Van Dorn St, Lincoln, NE 68522
Monday, September 17, 2018: 6:00 pm supper on your own with meeting to follow.
· District 5 Director’s Report: Ben Gotschall
· NFU Fly-in report: Camdyn Kavan: Farm Bill trade & renewable energy
· State issues: Report on legislative and initiative property tax relief efforts.
NeFU District 5 Business:
· Election of officers
· Select 2 delegate candidates to NFU Convention—elected by NeFU convention delegates
· NeFU Policy Day: December 6, 2018
· NeFU State Convention: December 7-8, 2018 (888) 236-2427 Reservations
· Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S. 13th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508
· NFU Convention, March 3-5, 2019 The Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Bellevue, Washington
Bring a friend, neighbor or family member that needs to get active in NeFU.
For more info, call Ben Gotschall (402) 705-8679 Cell or Jeremiah Picard (402) 570-3746.
District 6 Fall Meeting: Lions Club Open Air Building, Tekamah Park, Tekamah
Tuesday, September 18, 2018: 6:30 pm Potluck - Bring a dish to share. Let Graham Christensen (graham@gcresolve.com) know if you can bring meat to grill (402) 217-5217.
Guest Speaker: LD16 State Senate Candidate Chuck Hassebrook on Real Property Tax Reform
Agenda Items:
· District 6 Director’s Report: Graham Christensen
· Regenerative Farming Update - Including two new Tree-Range Poultry Units going up in Dist. 6!
· Citizen Scientist Program Update - Last chance to test your water.
· State issues: Report on legislative and initiative property tax relief efforts.
· NFU Fly-in report: Farm Bill/Farm Crisis, trade and renewable energy issues
NeFU District 6 Business:
· Election of officers
· Nominations for NeFU Board of Director—elected by District delegates at convention
· Select 2 delegate candidates to NFU Convention—elected by NeFU convention delegates
· NeFU Policy Day: December 6, 2018
· NeFU State Convention: December 7-8, 2018 (888) 236-2427 Reservations
· Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S. 13th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508
· NFU Convention, March 3-5, 2019 The Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Bellevue, Washington
Bring a friend, neighbor or family member that needs to get active in NeFU.
For more information, call Paul Poppe (402) 380-4508.
District 7 Fall Meeting: Barnstormers Family Restaurant, 4100 S 13th St, Norfolk, NE 68701
Thursday, September 20, 2018. 6:00 pm supper on own with meeting to follow.
· District 7 Director’s Report: Martin Kleinschmit
· Paul Theobold, Candidate for 3rd Congressional District
· Timothy Gragert, Candidate for Nebraska Legislature District 40
· National Issues: NFU Fly-in report, Farm Bill status, & other national issues
· State issues: Report on property tax relief efforts and upcoming issues in the Legislature.
NeFU District 7 Business:
· Election of officers
· Nominations for NeFU Board of Director—elected by District delegates at convention
· Select 2 delegate candidates to NFU Convention—elected by NeFU convention delegates
· NeFU Policy Day: December 6, 2018
· NeFU State Convention: December 7-8, 2018 (888) 236-2427 Reservations
· Marriott Cornhusker Hotel, 333 S. 13th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508
· NFU Convention, March 3-5, 2019 The Hyatt Regency Bellevue, Bellevue, Washington
Bring a friend, neighbor or family member that needs to get active in NeFU.
For more info, call Art Tanderup (402) 278-0942 Cell or (402) 887-1396 Home.
2019 Planting Intentions Outlook: Best of a bad lot?
Farmers starting to pencil out options for 2019 crops don’t have many obvious choices in a year dominated by trade disputes, good yields and low prices. But like it or not, growers are starting to place their bets for the coming year, according to Farm Futures first survey of 2019 planting intentions. Results of the survey were released Tuesday morning on the opening day of the Farm Progress Show, the nation's largest outdoor farm show, held in Boone, Iowa, Aug. 28-30.
Some of the choices appear easy to anyone following the headlines. China’s 25% tariff on imports of U.S. soybeans helped pummel prices headed into harvest, and a record crop didn’t help the market either. So, growers said they plan to trim seedings by 2 million acres next spring. That would take soybean acreage to 87.5 million, compared to the 89.6 million put in the ground this year, a decrease of 2.3%.
Many of those acres would shift to corn, helping realign rotations after soybean plantings topped corn for the first time in a generation in 2018. Corn could face brighter price prospects headed into 2019, too, giving growers faith to raise corn seedings by 1.7 million to 90.8 million acres. That would be increase of just under 2% compared to this spring.
Global corn stocks are tightening due to weather problems overseas that also hurt wheat production in other exporting countries. Winter wheat futures led a brief price rebound this summer, which appears to be bringing more land into production as growers seed fields this fall.
The survey found farmers ready to put in 33.6 million acres of winter wheat, up nearly 850,000 from a year ago, an increase of 2.6%. Farmers indicated they would seed around 4% more hard red and soft red winter wheat, while reducing white wheat acreage.
“Dry conditions in the Pacific Northwest caused by this summer’s extreme heat may be causing that reduction, despite better prospects for exports due to the drought in Australia,” said Farm Futures Sr. Market Analyst Bryce Knorr. “Moisture looks better for the other winter wheats, and farmers are also rewarding strong basis in the cash market for both those classes.”
Spring wheat prices lagged this year as production rebounded following the 2017 drought on the northern Plains. The survey found a drop in planting intentions for both spring wheat and durum of 2.5%.
Cotton growers have enjoyed a strong market this year due to high abandonment of fields on the Southwest Plains that cut production. Improved moisture could lead more fields into production in 2019, with the survey putting seedings at 13.8 million acres, nearly a 2% increase for 2018.
Sorghum is another crop ensnarled in trade friction between the U.S. and China. Nonetheless, growers reported plans to boost seedings of the feed grain by nearly 8%, to 6.5 million.
“Obviously, it’s still very early in the process for fixing acreage, so a lot could change,” said Knorr. “But the initial readings from our August surveys historically held up well through the fall and winter.”
Over the past 11 years the average difference between Farm Futures August intentions and USDA’s Prospective Plantings the following March is 1.5% for corn and 2.5% for soybeans.
Farm Futures surveyed 924 growers July 20 to August 2. Farmers were invited by email to complete an on-line questionnaire.
United States and Canadian Cattle Inventory Up 1 Percent
All cattle and calves in the United States and Canada combined totaled 116 million head on July 1, 2018, up 1 percent from the 115 million head on July 1, 2017. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 46.6 million head, were up 1 percent from a year ago.
All cattle and calves in the United States as of July 1, 2018, totaled 103 million head, 1 percent above the 102 million head on July 1, 2017. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 41.9 million head, were up 1 percent from a year ago.
All cattle and calves in Canada as of July 1, 2018, totaled 12.4 million head, down 1 percent from the 12.5 million head on July 1, 2017. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 4.70 million head, were down 1 percent from a year ago.
This publication is a result of a joint effort by Statistics Canada and NASS to release the number of cattle and calves by class and calf crop for both countries within one publication. This information was requested by the United States cattle industry to provide producers additional information about potential beef supplies. United States inventory numbers were previously released on July 20, 2018. Canadian inventory numbers were previously released on August 23, 2018.
United States and Canadian Hog Inventory up 3 Percent
United States and Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs for June 2018 was 87.6 million head. This was up 3 percent from June 2017, and up 5 percent from June 2016. The breeding inventory, at 7.58 million head, was up 3 percent from a year ago and up 5 percent from 2016. Market hog inventory, at
80.1 million head, was up 3 percent from last year and up 5 percent from 2016. The semi-annual pig crop, at 79.6 million head, was up 2 percent from 2017 and up 5 percent from 2016. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 7.42 million head, up 2 percent from last year and up 3 percent from 2016.
United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2018 was 73.5 million head. This was up 3 percent from June 1, 2017 and up 1 percent from March 1, 2018. The breeding inventory, at 6.32 million head, was up 3 percent from last year, and up 2 percent from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 67.1 million head, was up 3 percent from last year, and up 1 percent from last quarter. The pig crop, at 33.2 million head, was up 4 percent from 2017 and up 7 percent from 2016. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 3.12 million head, up 4 percent from 2017 and up 5 percent from 2016.
Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs on July 1, 2018 was 14.2 million head. This was down slightly from June 1, 2017 but up 1 percent from June 1, 2016. The breeding inventory, at 1.26 million head, was up slightly from last year and up 2 percent from 2016. Market hog inventory, at 12.9 million head, was down slightly from last year but up slightly from 2016. The semi-annual pig crop, at 14.1 million head, was down 4 percent from 2017 and down 4 percent from 2016. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 1.24 million head, down slightly from last year and down 3 percent from 2016.
This publication is a result of a joint effort by Statistics Canada and NASS to release the total hogs, breeding, market hogs, sows farrowed, and pig crop for both countries within one publication. This information was requested by the United States hog industry to provide producers additional information about potential hog supplies. United States inventory numbers were previously released on June 28, 2018. Canadian inventory numbers were released on August 23, 2018.
Growth Energy, Prime the Pump Convene Top Retailers for Annual Retreat
Last week, Growth Energy welcomed the fuel industry’s leading independent E15 retailers at their fourth annual Prime the Pump retreat in Brainerd, MN. The three-day Prime the Pump retreat allowed attendees to share best practices for tackling industry challenges.
The 24 attendees included Nathaniel Dodridge from Casey’s, Matt Spackman and Sam Herro from Kum & Go, Joel Hirschboeck from Kwik Trip, Lance Klatt, Steve Anderson, and Joel Hennen from Minnoco, Steve Walk from Protec Fuels, AJ Siccardi and Sean MacLaurin from RaceTrac, Mike Lorenz from Sheetz, and Sarah Prorok and Chris O’Bryan from Thorntons, as well as industry representatives from ADM, Applied Predictive Technologies, Big River Resources, Growth Energy, and POET. The discussion focused largely on enabling consumer choice at the pump and why E15 is growing in sale volume when offered.
“Our Prime the Pump retreat provides a unique opportunity for retailers connect and for Growth Energy to ensure that our market development strategy reflects the most pressing needs for our retail partners,” said Growth Energy Vice President of Market Development Mike O’Brien.
“This ongoing collaboration with retailers ensures that we’re not only continuing to expand the E15 footprint to give more Americans access to a cleaner burning fuel, but that we’re also delivering the best marketing tools and practices for our partners to be successful,” continued O’Brien.
Growth Energy’s retail partners are the leading independent convenience stores in the country with the average station selling nearly one in every seven gallons of fuel sold in the United States.
“The Prime the Pump annual retreat is an excellent opportunity to compare notes with leading c-store operators, as well as, influence the development and strategy behind the E15 market,” said Kwik Trip’s General Manager of Fuel Marketing and Procurement Joel Hirschboeck.
Action on Ag Labor Bill Possible This Fall
www.fb.org
When House lawmakers return to Capitol Hill after their August recess, the legislative clock will be counting quickly down to the scheduled mid-October break ahead of the elections in November. This leaves only 19 in-session days to address one of agriculture’s major worries: the labor shortage.
With this tight timeline looming, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) is hoping to soon move the American Farm Bureau-supported Ag and Legal Workforce Act of 2018 (H.R. 6417). The measure would replace the H-2A agricultural guest worker program with a new H-2C program that would be available to both seasonal and year-round agricultural employers. The new program aligns closely with many AFBF policy provisions, making it less bureaucratic and less expensive for growers.
While AFBF does not support the cap on the number of visas included in the bill, sponsors of the measure have sought to address these concerns by lengthening the visa term to three years, not counting returning H-2A workers or current undocumented workers who come forward against the cap limit and also by granting emergency authority to the USDA secretary to grant more visas if the cap is reached during the first two years of the program.
“We continue to work to improve the legislation, but the AFBF board of directors unanimously came to the conclusion that the Ag and Legal Workforce Act of 2018 addresses many of agriculture’s labor concerns,” said Paul Schlegel, managing director of public policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation. “The legislation is likely the only ag labor reform bill with any traction, meaning it’s farmers and ranchers’ best hope this year for much-need changes to ensure a reliable workforce.”
The bill has not yet been scheduled for a floor vote but AFBF is pressing leadership to schedule the bill for debate and a vote in September.
Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to ask their representatives to demonstrate support for the bill by signing on as cosponsors.
IPPA: USDA Action Helpful, but Stay Focused on Trade
The Iowa Pork Producers Association says details announced Aug. 27 by USDA on assistance for pork producers harmed by trade disruptions is a small positive step. Iowa's pig farmers are more interested in having the Trump Administration continue its efforts to solve various trade disputes that are creating economic losses for them and their rural Iowa communities.
"The USDA announcement that outlines the details for increasing purchases of pork for federal nutrition programs and some direct payments to pig farmers is only short-term relief. It will not make producers whole for the dollars they've already lost in the marketplace," says Ft. Dodge pig farmer Gregg Hora, who is IPPA President. "We're more interested in a long-term solution that will return normal trading to China, Mexico and Canada," he said.
The Trump Administration's announcement earlier that day about its Free Trade Agreement negotiations with Mexico to remove retaliatory tariffs on pork is an example of a long-term solution that is underway that can really help pork producers.
"While we're grateful and commend the administration for its action to help us," Hora said, "what pork producers really want is to export more pork, and that means ending all these trade disputes soon."
Producers Welcome Help But Want End To Trade Disputes
The National Pork Producers Council commended the Trump administration for providing assistance to America’s farmers suffering from the ongoing trade disputes with China, Mexico and other nations.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced details of a $12 billion aid package for U.S. agriculture, including a nearly $559 million purchase of pork for federal nutrition assistance and child nutrition programs, $200 million for developing foreign markets for U.S. agricultural products and some direct payments to farmers, including pork producers. They would receive $8 per hog based on 50 percent of the number of animals they owned on Aug. 1.
“True to his word that he would have our backs, President Trump today demonstrated his commitment to America’s farmers, including pork producers, by giving us some relief from the financial hit we’ve taken from retaliatory tariffs from some of our biggest trading partners,” said NPPC President Jim Heimerl, a hog farmer from Johnstown, Ohio.
U.S. pork exports to China are down significantly for the year, with the value falling by 9 percent through June. The drop has come mostly because of the 50 percent additional tariff that country imposed in response to U.S. duties on Chinese steel and aluminum imports and on other goods over China’s theft of intellectual property and its forced transfers of U.S. technology. Exports to Mexico are down slightly. In June, it put a 10 percent tariff on U.S. pork in response to U.S. tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminum imports; the duty increased to 20 percent on July 5.
“While we’re grateful and commend the administration for its action to help us,” Heimerl said, “what pork producers really want is to export more pork, and that means ending these trade disputes soon.”
In addition to continuing to press for a swift resolution to the trade wars, NPPC is asking the White House and congressional lawmakers to approve public-policy initiatives that would buoy pork producers, including ones that would:
• Establish and fully fund a Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine bank.
• Prohibit states from regulating agricultural production practices outside their borders.
• Reform the visa system to address an agricultural labor shortage.
• Give USDA oversight of lab-produced cultured protein and gene editing in livestock.
NPPC also is urging the administration to quickly conclude talks on a new trade agreement with Mexico, reiterating its priorities of maintaining the zero-tariff rate on pork traded with that country and of lifting the tariffs on steel and aluminum from Mexico so it will drop its retaliatory tariffs on U.S. pork and other products. (The United States and Mexico today announced agreement on a framework for a new trade deal.)
“Pork producers and others in agriculture have been patriots and very patient as the administration rightfully realigns trade policy to make sure our trading partners play by the rules, to ensure that there’s free, fair and reciprocal trade,” said Heimerl.
ADC Applauds Administration on Efforts to Reach Trade Agreement with Mexico
The American Dairy Coalition and the 30,000 dairy producers across the nation they represent applaud President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Ambassador Lighthizer, the U.S. Trade Representative, for their efforts to reach a trade agreement between Mexico and the United States.
According to a statement from the office of Secretary Perdue, the new agreement will “reduce trade distorting policies, increase transparency and ensure non-discriminatory treatment in grading of agricultural products.” According to data distributed by U.S. Dairy Export Council, Mexico is the No. 1 U.S. cheese export market and the volume and value of these exports to Mexico has nearly tripled in the last decade. Trade relations with Mexico are crucial to the future growth and sustainability of the U.S. dairy industry.
“This is nothing short of a great victory for farmers and ranchers, because locking in our access to Mexican markets is critical to supporting farm income and strengthening rural communities. Mexico has historically been a great customer and partner and we are happy to have this resolved for our agricultural producers,” Perdue wrote in a statement today.
The American Dairy Coalition looks forward to reaching an agreement with Canada in the near future and achieving an updated and fair North American Free Trade Agreement that will provide our nation’s dairy farmers the confidence and access to pivotal markets to grow their businesses.
Farmers Union Appreciates Step Forward, Urges Work Towards Fair Trade NAFTA Framework
President Donald Trump today announced that the U.S. and Mexico have reached a deal on terms to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), putting pressure on Canada to reach agreement with the two nations jointly or through separate bilateral agreements.
National Farmers Union (NFU), an advocacy organization representing nearly 200,000 farm families, supports the administration’s stated intent to renegotiate NAFTA and fix the systemic issues that disadvantage family farmers and rural communities. NFU believes the nation’s trade deficit and lost sovereignty are a result of a “free trade” agreement framework that began with NAFTA in 1994 and has replicated in U.S. trade deals over the past 25 years.
Rob Larew, NFU Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Communications, issued the following statement in response to the president’s announcement:
“Today’s movement on NAFTA renegotiations is a positive step towards putting in place a trade deal that rewrites the current rules of international trade to put family farmers and ranchers on an even playing field with multinational corporations. While this is an important step, there is still much work to be done on the part of U.S. negotiators to secure balanced trade and renewed sovereignty for American agriculture. Farmers Union urges the administration to work tactfully with our Mexican and Canadian trading partners to institute a new, fair trade NAFTA.”
NGFA and NAEGA on preliminary trade agreement between United States and Mexico
The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) released the following joint statement after the announcement of a preliminary trade agreement between the United States and Mexico:
"The announcement of a preliminary trade agreement between the United States and Mexico represents a significant, positive step in modernizing and further enhancing North American food and agricultural commerce that benefits the economic growth and consumers in the hemisphere. We hope this agreement contributes to broader discussions on ways to further integrate food and agricultural markets between the United States, Mexico, and Canada to provide for increased investment, food security and consumer preference.
We are particularly pleased by what we understand to be a number of efforts to preserve and enhance current trade terms in North America. These include: the retention of zero tariffs on agricultural products traded between the United States and Mexico; the addition of 21st century language to enhance information exchange and cooperation on agricultural biotechnology trade-related matters; an agreement to strengthen disciplines for science-based sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures to facilitate trade; and an agreement that grading standards and services on agricultural products, including grains and oilseeds, will operate independently from domestic registration systems for grain and oilseed varieties. We are hopeful that these benefits will be realized in a final agreement that includes Canada.
Addressing non-tariff trade barriers, as the preliminary agreement reportedly does, is particularly important to facilitating the grain and oilseed trade. We will be reviewing closely the reported inclusion in the preliminary agreement of SPS provisions that would: 1) increase transparency in the development and implementation of SPS measures; 2) advance science-based decision making; 3) improve processes for certification, regionalization and equivalency determinations; 4) conduct systems-based audits; 5) improve transparency for import checks; and 6) enhance the compatibility of SPS measures between the two countries. The new agreement reportedly also would establish a new mechanism for technical consultations to resolve SPS issues between the two countries, which also would be a welcome development.
Despite these clear improvements, we are disappointed by reports that the preliminary agreement removes or weakens key dispute-resolution procedures that currently benefit investors under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). These include provisions embodied in Chapters 19 and 20 of the NAFTA. These protections have been utilized successfully by U.S. agriculture to protect long-term investments in Mexico and defend against unjustified legal actions. These protections provide confidence to investors throughout the supply chain and protect industry efforts to create jobs and develop markets throughout North America.
The announcement of a preliminary agreement is an important step toward eliminating tariff and non-tariff barriers in North America. In the coming days we urge U.S. and Mexican negotiators to work with Canada and build on the progress already made by this preliminary agreement. We hope these efforts will tackle existing trade-distortive food and agricultural policies so that an integrated North American marketplace can flourish under a modernized and more open trading system that is a template for future trade agreements.
NGFA and NAEGA look forward to providing further analysis and input once the full details of the preliminary agreement are released."
R-CALF: Trump Hasn't Said if New U.S.-Mexico Deal Requires COOL
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard issued the following statement regarding President Trump's announcement that he has renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in part by negotiating a new trade agreement between the United States and Mexico.
"We have fully supported the Trump Administration's plan to renegotiate NAFTA and while some of the details released today indicate the new U.S.-Mexico trade agreement will benefit some U.S. economic sectors, such as the auto industry and its workers by requiring a higher percentage of supply-chain parts to be sourced in the U.S. and Mexico, we don't yet know if the new agreement contains the critical requirement for country of origin labeling (COOL) on Mexican beef and beef from Mexican cattle.
"For decades the U.S. cattle industry has been unable to produce enough beef to meet domestic demand. This is because prior free trade agreements, particularly NAFTA, allow unlimited numbers of tariff-free cattle from countries like Mexico, where cattle are overproduced at a significantly lower cost. These lower-cost imported cattle displace opportunities for current and aspiring U.S. cattle producers to expand or start their herd.
"Because beef from these imported cattle can be sold as a "Product of U.S.A." in our domestic market, the multinational beef packers wallow in higher profits because their ability to source lower-cost cattle that produce lower-cost, undifferentiated beef that inflates their profit margins.
"Every time our industry's price-point signals an opportunity to strengthen our domestic industry, unlimited imports of cheaper cattle and undifferentiated beef enter the U.S. and drive that price-point downward, thus eliminating opportunities for U.S. farmers and ranchers.
"Since NAFTA, the U.S. imports on average 1.1 million Mexican cattle each year. This represents a lost opportunity for over 3,500 U.S. ranches with a herd size of 300 head each.
"Our domestic live cattle supply chain shrank by 6.5 million domestic cattle since NAFTA and this U.S.-Mexico trade agreement should contain provisions to help our industry reverse this downward trend.
"We hope that a further release of details will show that COOL will be required for Mexican beef and beef from Mexican cattle."
R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America) is the largest producer-only cattle trade association in the United States. It is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry.
Case IH Adds to Farmall Tractor Lineup
A new level of cab comfort is now available in a smaller size with the release of Case IH Farmall® utility A series — models 55A, 65A and 75A. These new models help fill out the Case IH entry-level Farmall lineup with cab and non-cab options, delivering the strength and productivity needed for any job in any weather.
“Case IH is building on the Farmall legacy with a lineup that meets demands for chores around the farm,” said Denny Stroo, Case IH Farmall tractor marketing manager. “Farmall utility tractors are dependable workhorses suitable for a multitude of uses, proven by the fact that more than 2 million Farmall tractors have been sold around the world.”
Smart and rugged utility tractors
Engineered with evenly distributed weight in all the right places — from heavy-duty powertrain components to the axle and transmission design to engine displacement.
The electronically controlled 2.9-L engines feature 3 cylinders and a tunnel block design that ensures ruggedness and easy maintenance. With Case IH FPT engines, Farmall utility A series tractors feature a simple, straightforward 8F x 8R easy-to-operate mechanical transmission. Also available is an optional 12F x 12R power shuttle, delivering simplicity and efficiency to loader work.
Comfort and versatility unite
With the expanded lineup of Farmall utility 55A, 65A and 75A tractors, producers can now choose between cab and non-cab models. The enhanced cab comfort means long days pass more quickly and are often more productive. Plus, producers can enjoy a spacious, climate-controlled cab with a mechanical contoured seat and tilt steering wheel that adjusts to create a personalized fit for each operator. An optional air ride feature elevates riding comfort.
Operation of the Farmall utility A tractors is further upgraded with new wrap-around lighting and movable dynamic fenders, improving turning radius for greater tractor maneuverability. Plus, telescopic stabilizers and optional flex-end lower links keep implements steady and provide ease of implement installation.
A family of Farmall tractor options
The release of the new Farmall utility A tractors builds on the full lineup of Case IH tractors. Whether rolling up round bales, keeping the yard manicured or powering a grain auger, Case IH Farmall tractors — ranging from 35 engine horsepower to 140 engine horsepower* — give you a hardworking, reliable option that’s right for your operation.
New Disc Mower Conditioner Features From Case IH Maximize Haying Window
The latest updates to Case IH Model Year 2019 disc mower conditioners provide efficiencies producers need in the hayfield. New 9- and 10-foot side-pull models combine fast cutting with high-quality conditioning and are perfect for lower acreages and narrow gates. Additionally, a new quick-change knife system allows for fast blade replacement to decrease maintenance time and increase time spent in the field.
“When producers encounter different conditions going from field to field, they’ll be able to easily make adjustments so that every field can be optimized for productivity,” said Brian Spencer, Case IH hay and forage marketing manager. “Simple machine adjustments and design provide producers the flexibility to meet individual crop preparation while retaining high-quality feed.”
With the latest updates to the 9- and 10-foot Model Year 2019 disc mower conditioners, producers can achieve:
- Increased work time with easy maintenance. An updated quick-change knife system featured on other Case IH machines allows producers to change knives on the headers in one-third the time of a standard knife system.
- Optimal cut and crimp for highest-quality hay. Narrow cutterbar design and improved flotation deliver a high-quality cut and more even windrows for consistent and faster drydown.
- Flexibility for cutting height. A new four-pin hydraulic cylinder tilt provides more cutting height flexibility for improved cut quality — and no tools are required to adjust the tilt, for easy in-field adjustments. New adjustable skid shoes are also available for additional cutting height flexibility.
- Productivity even in the roughest or rockiest hayfields. The fully modular cutterbar system provides superior lubrication compared with competitive systems and eliminates cross-contamination if an internal failure were to occur. And a shock protection system protects the cutterbar from expensive field failures if an obstacle is encountered. A new heavy-duty curtain also adds operator protection.
- High-quality hay production. A nearly one-to-one cut width to conditioning roll width ratio provides even and thorough conditioning for faster drydown. With no tools needed to adjust windrow formation, cutting height and conditioning roll pressure, operators can quickly make changes to adjust to changing crop conditions.
“Windrow formation adjustments have never been easier to make,” Spencer said. “And the conditioner systems allow for wider, thinner swaths so more crop is exposed to the sun for faster drydown.”
Roll widths on the 9- and 10-foot Model Year 2019 disc mower conditioners are extremely wide for consistent crop conditioning — with almost a 1:1 cut ratio in some cases, or 40 percent wider than competitive machines with the same cut. And like the tilt cylinder, no tools are required to adjust the conditioning roll pressure, swath doors or the swath board.
“The result is a thinner crop mat passing through the system,” Spencer said. “This means thorough and even crop conditioning and a crop that will maintain more sugar and carbs for higher-quality hay and feed value.”
CLAAS Launches New CONVIO Header Series for LEXION Combine
CLAAS of America announced today at the 2018 Farm Progress Show the launch of the CLAAS CONVIO line of headers, with first-in-the-industry features that help improve harvest efficiency while minimizing operator downtime. The CONVIO rigid platform draper for small grains and CONVIO FLEX draper for small grains, soybeans and lentils set new standards in the category for cutting and feeding performance.
When paired with the CLAAS flagship LEXION combine, the CONVIO headers provide better visibility from the cab, more automatic features, and an advanced design that leads to superior feeding efficiency and higher performance.
“Increased visibility, more simplicity and of course greater efficiency — these are three factors growers are looking for in their machinery,” said Jeff Gray, Product Manager – Field Support. “The new CONVIO series is a first in the industry with advanced features on the draper head — such as AUTO CONTOUR FLEX and AUTO BELT SPEED — that can be automatically set or adjusted on the fly. CONVIO FLEX is the only flex draper in the industry with a 9-inch range of vertical flex. This enables the cutterbar to adapt to changing terrain more efficiently.”
Developed by CLAAS, a global leader in harvesting technology, the new CONVIO series is designed to provide superior performance in a variety of crops and field conditions, optimizing grain retention while minimizing downtime.
- More visibility. When paired with the LEXION combine, the CONVIO and CONVIO FLEX headers maximize visibility into the header, allowing growers to make more accurate adjustments on the fly.
- More simplicity. All CONVIO settings can be adjusted from the cab. Additionally, the CONVIO header can also adjust automatically for faster, more accurate adaptability to changing conditions — resulting in greater uptime and more productivity.
- More efficiency. The parallel design of the transition floor to the ground combined with the shortest distance from the cutterbar onto the belt results in superior feeding efficiency and higher performance.
The CONVIO FLEX draper is available in widths from 35 to 45 feet and features up to 9 inches of cutterbar flex. The header offers the highest level of operator comfort through a wide range of automatic functions, which are fully integrated in the CEBIS terminal in the cab of the LEXION.
The CONVIO FLEX includes four operational modes that are selectable on the fly:
- Rigid — The cutterbar table and knife bar are rigid, ideal for small grain straight cuts.
- Rigid/flex — When isolated areas of laid crop are encountered, the operator can switch from rigid to flexible mode at the touch of a button while on the move. Ideal for small grain straight cut with lodged crop.
- Flex — In flex mode, the knife bar follows the ground contours on the skids so the CONVIO FLEX is able to adjust many ground conditions. It is great for soybeans, beans, lentils, etc.
- Flex with automatic flex adjustments (AUTO CONTOUR FLEX) — The cutterbar uses sensor data to continuously determine the best position for an optimal crop flow and ground contour following, as well as the lowest cutting height. This results in extremely low front attachment losses in low-growing crops. This mode isideal for soybeans, beans and lentils.
“The combination of out-of- and in-cab convenience features ensures our growers have everything they need from a draper header,” Gray said. “The flex draper rounds out our LEXION header options, to ensure that all of our growers have just the right tools for the job.”
BASF launches Credenz with LibertyLink GT27
BASF launched Credenz® soybean with LibertyLink® GT27™, the first soybean seed technology with herbicide-tolerant stacked traits. It allows growers to apply both Liberty® herbicide and glyphosate over the top of soybeans for post-emergence control of broadleaf and grass weeds.
“The Credenz LibertyLink GT27 system combines the maximum yield potential from the elite genetics of Credenz, with the most effective weed control solutions from LibertyLink, giving farmers greater flexibility in weed management,” said Jody Wynia, BASF Product Manager, Traits.
The Credenz seed comes from germplasm with proven yield performance in the most challenging growing environments. Recent BASF field trials have demonstrated that Credenz LibertyLink GT27 varieties have about two to four bushels per acre average yield advantage over leading commercial soybean trait systems. Results may vary.
“With the flexibility to use Liberty and glyphosate, growers can choose the right post-emergence weed control program to match their in-season needs,” said Wynia.
LibertyLink GT27 is not tolerant to all HPPD herbicides. Use of HPPD herbicides currently on the market are prohibited for use with LibertyLink GT27 soybeans. Growers are encouraged to talk to their local BASF representative for more information.
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
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