Wednesday August 15 Ag News

Platte Valley Cattlemen Outlook Meeting
Lucas Luckey, President

With all of the crazy weather we have experienced this summer we hope you all have been able to “weather” the storms as well as possible. That being said it is time to look to the future.  We are having our annual outlook meeting on Monday, August 20th at Jarad and Kathy Doernaman’s barn venue in Clarkson, social hour at 6:00 p.m. and our meal to begin at 7:00 p.m.

Our featured speaker for the night will be Kevin Gonnerman with FC Stone.  We would like to thank Cooperative Supply for sponsoring Mr. Stone.  We are also trying to have a nutritionist come to the meeting as well to discuss some of the challenges that come with chopping/feeding hail damaged corn.

We will also will have Doug Oertwich and Mike Mosser, who are running for legislature district 22 present for you to talk to about their campaigns and your thoughts and concerns.

We are going to representatives from Nebraska Cattlemen to discus the new office in Lincoln and how we want to be involved as a local affiliate.

We also want to thank Pinnacle Bank for sponsoring the social hour. We look forward to seeing everyone on the 20th.

Directions to the Barn:
Off of Highway 91, turn North and take the main entrance into Clarkson, the street sign should read Bryant Street or Road 8. Go North through town past the park until you get to Road X then go East a quarter mile and turn north on 570th Ave. The barn will be on the East Side of the road. 



2018 America's Pig Farmer of the Year Finalists Announced

The National Pork Board recently announced the four finalists who are vying to be named the 2018 America’s Pig Farmer of the YearSM. The program honors a U.S. pig farmer each year who excels at raising pigs following the We CareSM ethical principles and who is committed to sharing their farming story with the American public.

“The four finalists demonstrate how pig farmers embrace the We Care ethical principles as their daily standard of care,” said National Pork Board President Steve Rommereim, a pig farmer from Alcester, South Dakota. “They represent these principles by being the best in pig farming.”
The 2018 finalists are:
    Bill Luckey –  Columbus, Nebraska
    Brad Lundell – Kiron, Iowa
    Kevin Rasmussen – Goldfield, Iowa
    Patrick Bane –  Arrowsmith, Illinois

The four finalists will meet with an expert panel of third-party judges in Chicago. The judges will view videos produced at the finalists’ farms and will interview each of them.

Through Aug. 29, the public can vote once a day per person per email address for their favorite finalist at www.americaspigfarmer.com. The winner will be announced the week of Oct. 1 based on the judges’ scores and the online voting.

About the Finalists
Bill Luckey – Columbus, Nebraska 
Farming and raising pigs is a family tradition for Bill Luckey, who is a fourth-generation farmer. Luckey, along with his wife and three sons, market 10,000 pigs a year. They also raise cattle, corn and soybeans on their farm.

Brad Lundell, Kiron, Iowa 
Being a good caretaker of the pigs drives Brad Lundell’s passion. Learning from five generations of family farming, Lundell hopes consumers see why pig farming is family-oriented. With the help of his wife Sarah, and four children, they also raise turkeys, corn and soybeans.

Kevin Rasmussen, Goldfield, Iowa 
Employee care is important in providing a safe product at KLR Pork, where Rasmussen markets 26,000 pigs a year from his farrow-to-finish farm. As a fourth-generation Iowa farmer, he considers the employees who work for him as family, and that makes all the difference in the product they produce.

Patrick Bane – Arrowsmith, Illinois 
Raising pigs has been a life-long passion for Patrick Bane, whose family has been raising pigs for three generations. Bane raises 74,000 pigs on his farm in west-central Illinois, where he focuses on protecting public health, hiring the best people and maintaining herd health.

About the Expert Judging Panel: Members of the five-member panel include Robin Ganzert, president and CEO of American Humane; Sarah Hendren, RDN, Nutrition & Quality Assurance Manager at Culver’s; Kari Underly, a third-generation butcher, author and principal of Range®, Inc., a meat marketing and education firm; J. Scott Vernon, professor, College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Cal Poly; and Leon Sheets, 2017 America’s Pig Farmer of the Year.



Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska endorse Bob Krist for Governor

For the first time in its 13-year existence, the Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska (ICON) have endorsed a candidate for office when the board voted to endorse Bob Krist for Governor of Nebraska.

Krist had announced that he would run as an Independent last summer, but the unreasonably high barriers needed to secure a place on the ballot forced Krist, a lifelong Republican, to reconsider his options and he moved to the Democratic Party.

Bob Krist is a retired Lt. Colonel in the US Air Force, flying over 100 combat missions during his 21-year Air Force career. Krist has remained in the aviation field since retirement from the Air Force, working with the Army Corp of Engineers as contract manager and chief pilot.  

ICON’s actions reflect the board’s deep dissatisfaction with Governor Ricketts and his refusal to address meaningful property tax reform. Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers pay the nation’s highest property taxes (in excess of $22,000) on a per capita basis, outpacing second-place California where the per capita average is $13,000. 

“Governor Ricketts has ignored the needs of his most loyal supporters in rural Nebraska by continuing to actively oppose any discussion of meaningful property tax reform,” ICON Treasurer Al Davis said. “The Governor’s 2018 tax bill would have generated only $25 in property tax relief for the state’s homeowners, but $13 million dollars in income tax relief for him and his family.”

“Nebraska’s agricultural producers are at the breaking point,” ICON board member Chris Abbott said. “If something isn’t done soon I think we’ll see many more individuals exiting the state for better agricultural opportunities elsewhere. I want my children to have the same opportunities I had to build a life in Nebraska. I don’t think that will be possible if we reelect Ricketts for another four years.”

Bob Krist is solidly pro-life and a supporter of the second amendment. He has been one of the strongest advocates for the disabled and those with special needs and knows the issues associated with family members of those individuals since his own daughter is a special needs child.

“Ricketts lack of leadership manifests itself in other areas too,” Davis said. “We’ve seen troubles in the state patrol, in health and human services, loss of life in the state’s corrections systems due to overcrowding, and the closing of a number of nursing homes due to lack of funding and poor oversight by the state. In addition, we’ve lost two great Nebraska companies during the past four years when Con-Agra moved to Chicago and Cabela’s was taken over. I ask you, where is the leadership?”  Davis said.



ACE elects board of directors at annual meeting

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) announced the re-election of several board members and the election of two new representatives to the organization’s board of directors during its annual meeting prior to ACE’s 31st annual conference in Minneapolis.

Six incumbents were re-elected to the board of directors for three-year terms:
 ·    Ron Alverson, representing Dakota Ethanol
 ·    John Christianson, representing Christianson PLLP
 ·    Kenton Johnson, representing Granite Falls Energy
 ·    Anthony Mock, representing the North Dakota Corn Growers Association
 ·    Doug Punke, representing RPMG
 ·    Brian Vasa, representing Nebraska Public Power District

Two new members were elected to serve on the board of directors for a three-year term:
 ·    Pam Miller, representing Siouxland Ethanol
 ·    Bill Dartt, representing Cardinal Ethanol

“The ACE board and staff have impressed me for a long time with their dedication to and expertise in the ethanol industry,” Miller said. “It's an honor for me to join the ACE board of directors and serve alongside other board members who provide the leadership necessary to move our industry forward.  I'm looking forward to exploring creative ideas that can drive usage of ethanol here in the Midwest where 90 percent of the ethanol is made but the amount of ethanol used is lower than the national average.  This is an opportunity to add value to our product in our own backyard.  ACE has long been the champion of grassroots efforts that make a difference and I'm anxious to help with these efforts.”

“I’ve followed ACE for five years and attended four annual meetings, so I’m anxious to participate in ACE’s efforts to strengthen the ethanol and agriculture industries by partnering with local stations throughout the country,” Dartt said.

“Pam and Bill are exceptional advocates for our industry, and we’re happy to have them join the other dedicated active volunteers who make up our board of directors and represent the grassroots diversity of our entire membership,” said Brian Jennings, ACE CEO. “ACE members can be rest assured they’re well-represented by the resolve, expertise and experience the board members bring to the table and ACE is grateful for their leadership.”



Seaboard Triumph Foods supports the Sioux City Community School District Career Academy Programs

Seaboard Triumph Foods (“STF”) donated $400,000 to support college and career readiness programs offered at the Sioux City Career Academy. With 30 career pathways to pursue, the Sioux City Career Academy allows students to make a connection between their education and their future with meaningful, real-world experiences.

“We created the Sioux City Career Academy for our students to be successful and gain adaptable skills which will serve them as they enter a highly competitive workforce. The Sioux City Community School District understands that students today need knowledge and hands-on experiences to meet the demands of the ever-changing economy,” Dr. Paul Gausman, Sioux City Community School District superintendent shares.

Each of the 30 pathways is a career-focused sequence of high school courses that integrates core academic knowledge with technical and occupational knowledge to provide students with a pathway to post-secondary education and careers.

“We are extremely thankful for the commitment that Seaboard Triumph Foods has made to support excellence in education,” says Kari Treinen, executive director, Sioux City Public Schools Foundation. “The investment made in our students shows leadership and vision for the future of our students and our community.”

Career Academy classes are open to students enrolled at any of 15 area high schools including: Sioux City East, West, and North High, Bishop Heelan, Siouxland Community Christian, Hinton, Sergeant Bluff, Lawton-Bronson, Kingsley-Pierson, Akron-Westfield, Dakota Valley, South Sioux City, LeMars, Woodbury Central, and Westwood.

The STF donation to the Sioux City Career Academy allows for program expansion creating access for students to pursue college and career readiness. For the 2018-2019 school year, Career Academy program enrollment will increase from roughly 800 students to more than 1,500 students with the goal of continued program expansion.



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.



Seven Farmers Elected as Iowa Soybean Association Directors

Seven farmers have been elected to advance the competitiveness of the Iowa soybean industry as directors of the Iowa Soybean Association.

Brent Swart of Spencer was newly elected as District 1 director and will serve a three-year term. Farmers re-elected were: April Hemmes, Hampton (District 2); Suzanne Shirbroun, Farmersburg (District 3); Robb Ewoldt, Davenport (District 6); Jeff Jorgenson, Sidney (District 7); Pat Swanson, Ottumwa (District 9) and Tim Bardole, Rippey (At-Large).

They join directors: Chuck White, Spencer (District 1); Casey Schlichting, Clear Lake (District 2); Rick Juchems, Plainfield (District 3); LaVerne Arndt, Sac City and Jeff Frank, Auburn (District 4); Morey Hill, Madrid and Rolland Schnell, Newton (District 5); Dave Walton, Wilton (District 6); Bill Shipley, Nodaway (District 7); Warren Bachman, Osceola and Randy Miller, Lacona (District 8); Tom Adam, Harper (District 9); and Stephanie Essick, Dickens, Lindsay Greiner, Keota and Brent Renner, Klemme (At-Large).

Mark Vosika of Pocahontas served one term as District 1 Director.

 “I want to thank Mark for his commitment and service to ISA members and soybean farmers across Iowa,” said Greiner who also serves as ISA president-elect. “I look forward to working with this board of directors as we address key issues important to the industry including market demand, pest, disease and weed management, environmental performance, infrastructure improvements and enhanced consumer trust in modern agriculture.”



US Soybean Crush Rises Near Record in July

The National Oilseed Processors Association says US soybean processors crushed 167.7M bushels of soybeans in July, up from the same time a year earlier and more than analysts were anticipating. It was the second highest on record. Strong domestic demand for soybeans to crush into meal has been a bright spot for a market otherwise pressured by trade issues. China, the largest buyer of American soybeans, introduced tariffs in July and has shifted its business elsewhere. That has weighed down prices. 



Most Fertilizer Prices March Higher; Some Show Signs of Retreat

For the most part, retail fertilizer prices remain slightly higher the first week of August 2018, although some are showing downward movement compared to last month, according to retailers surveyed by DTN.

Just like last week, five of the eight major fertilizers were higher compared to last month, but none increased by a significant amount. DAP had an average price of $487 per ton, MAP $507/ton, potash $356/ton, urea $363/ton and 10-34-0 $445/ton.

Three fertilizers were slightly lower from the previous month, but the move to the low side was subdued. Anhydrous had an average price of $482/ton, UAN28 $233/ton and UAN32 $271/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.39/lb.N, anhydrous $0.29/lb.N, UAN28 $0.42/lb.N and UAN32 $0.42/lb.N.

All eight of the major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year with prices shifting higher in recent months. 10-34-0 is 1% higher, potash is 5% more expensive, both UAN28 and UAN32 are 8% higher, MAP is 9% higher, DAP is 12% more expensive, urea is 18% higher and anhydrous is 19% more expensive compared to last year.



RCIS claims adjusters among scouts evaluating corn and soybean conditions during 2018 Farm Journal Midwest Crop Tour

Zurich American Insurance Company (Zurich) today announced that its crop insurance business, Rural Community Insurance Services (RCIS), will serve as the exclusive crop insurance sponsor of the Farm Journal Midwest Crop Tour for the 9th consecutive year. The 2018 Crop Tour runs from Aug. 20 - 23 in seven Midwestern states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota.

“The Farm Journal Midwest Crop Tour showcases the great value the agriculture industry brings to the American economy,” said Mike Day, head of RCIS for Zurich North America. “We participate each year in the crop tour because, at RCIS, we think it is important to share our unique insights and help keep crop insurance affordable, available, and viable.”

Over the four-day tour RCIS will share its knowledge on crops and crop insurance.

Thirty RCIS crop adjusters will be among 100 plus tour scouts out in the fields along East and West legs, collecting field samples and analyzing corn and soybean crops as they make their way to Rochester, Minnesota on August 23. Their analyses will be an important component to Pro Farmer’s annual crop production estimates to be released Friday, August 24. Corn and soybeans from the tour’s seven states account for nearly 60 percent of the total corn and soybean production in the U.S., according to RCIS data.

“Our crop claims adjusters know crops; so it is fitting that they will be joining other scouts and sharing their knowledge in the fields along the tour routes,” said Day.

RCIS also will ask farmers to make their voices heard in Washington D.C. With the federal farm bill reauthorization nearing completion, the crop tour presents a timely opportunity to encourage the farming community to raise its collective voice on the importance of the federal crop insurance program - not just for farmers but for taxpayers and communities overall. Private sector delivery of federal crop insurance policies help support jobs across rural America and is valued by lenders and rural businesses for the financial stability it provides. RCIS insures more than 130 types of crops through federal crop programs.

“In this challenging farm economy, crop insurance is more important than ever,” Day added. “In the next farm bill, crop insurance should remain affordable and effective for farmers and ranchers of all sizes, crops, and regions, and viable for private sector providers to deliver.”

As one of the leaders providing crop insurance in all 50 states, RCIS insures 33.4 million acres of corn and soybeans and in 2017, recorded $1.7 billion in gross written premiums. It is the number two crop insurance provider in the United States with 3,600 agents.



 Ethanol Supply Up for Third Week

Domestic ethanol stocks extended higher for a third consecutive week in the period ended Aug. 10 as plant production, though down from a 2018 high, remained above the same week a year ago, Energy Information Administration data shows.

EIA reports ethanol inventories increased 94,000 barrels (bbl) last week to 23.017 million bbl, 1.2 million, or 5.5%, higher than supply held a year earlier.

Plant production fell 28,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.072 million bpd during the week ended Aug. 10 but was 1.2% higher than the same week in 2018. Four-week averaged production was 1.077 million bpd versus 1.021 million bpd during the corresponding four-week period in 2017.

Net refiner and blender inputs, a measure for ethanol demand, rose 7,000 bpd to 948,000 bpd during the week-ended Aug. 10, steady versus a year ago. For the four weeks ended Aug. 10, blending demand averaged 944,000 bpd, 2,000 bpd below the same period in 2017.



Large U.S. Soybean Shipment Arrives in China

A vessel carrying U.S. soybeans was unloading its cargo worth at least $23 million at the Chinese port of Dalian on Monday, becoming one of the first shipments to incur hefty new import duties as the trade row deepens between Beijing and Washington. The docking of the vessel after five weeks anchored off China's coast ended long-running speculation over the fate of the cargo, which had captured public attention.

Reuters reports that China's state grains stockpiler Sinograin confirmed it will pay the additional 25 percent import tariff on its 70,000 tonne cargo of the oilseed. That equates to about $6 million.

Comments on the country's Twitter-like Weibo showed early public support for the cargo had started to wane amid concerns that the public is footing the bill for the prolonged trade war.

Two posts about the ship's arrival in dock and the extra costs generated more than 800 comments, mostly negative.

Peak Pegasus started unloading its cargo on Saturday, a port official said on Monday, more than a month after it arrived off China's coast just hours after Beijing imposed 25 percent import duties on $34 billion worth of U.S. goods, including soybeans.

The penalties were in retaliation for moves by Washington as part of a tit-for-tat trade dispute between the world's two largest economies.

Last week, Washington said it would start collecting tariffs on another $16 billion worth of Chinese imports from Aug. 23, as it tries to pressure China to negotiate trade concessions. Beijing has said it will retaliate in kind.

Soybeans, which are used to make cooking oil and animal feed, are the top U.S. agricultural export to China, with the trade worth $12.7 billion in 2017.



Texas Tech Board of Regents Moves Forward with School of Veterinary Medicine

The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents moved forward with Texas Tech University’s plans to establish a new School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo by approving the new school, its degree plan and funding for preliminary designs for the school.

The approval was given during the Board of Regents’ meeting last week. During its last legislative session in 2017, the state legislature approved $4.17 million for a feasibility study to establish the state’s second school of veterinary medicine on the campus of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo.

“We appreciate the Board’s continued commitment to the School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo and support of our vision to address a critical need in the region, state and nation,” said Lawrence Schovanec, Texas Tech President. “I will continue to work closely with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center President Tedd Mitchell and our Board as we move forward with this important initiative.”

Construction of two new veterinary school buildings is expected to cost $89.82 million with an additional five-year operating budget cost of $82.29 million, which includes classroom equipment, supplies and the cost of faculty pay. The Board of Regents approved the concept for the veterinary school and a proposed first-stage design budget of $1.37 million.

“The Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine is one of the initiatives we are pursuing for the Texas Tech University System as we continue to build momentum heading into the upcoming legislative session,” Texas Tech University System Chairman of the Board of Regents L. Frederick “Rick” Francis said. “This impactful initiative will further demonstrate the ability our institutions have to serve our state. We greatly value our partnership with Mayor Ginger Nelson and the Amarillo community along with the agricultural community and the dedicated support we have received from our generous donors.”

The plan approved by the Board of Regents would enroll 60 students per year for a desired enrollment of 240 students for the four-year program. The school also would serve 150-200 graduate students who are not seeking a doctorate in veterinary medicine, as well as an academic staff of 90.

Since Texas Tech began pursuing this initiative, the board of regents has approved six items in support of the School of Veterinary Medicine, which include:

·         Unanimously approved the Texas Tech University System’s strategic priorities in August 2017, which included pursuing the Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine.

·         In October 2017, the board unanimously approved Schovanec to execute consulting contracts related to analyzing feasibility and overall planning for a School of Veterinary Medicine. Texas Tech followed by approving contracts with Alastair Cribb and John Thomson.

·         The board unanimously supported the preliminary stage I facilities feasibility study in December 2017. This was to establish a feasibility study for the veterinary school facility with a budget of $242,000 for programming, planning and probable cost budget.

·         Following the City of Amarillo’s commitment on May 8, the board unanimously authorized Schovanec to execute an agreement with the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation to fund up to $69 million for the School of Veterinary Medicine.

·         At this month’s meeting, the Board of Regents unanimously voted to authorize Schovanec to establish a stage I budget of $1.37 million to provide planning and design services for the facilities.

·         The Board of Regents also supported the authorization for Schovanec to establish the School of Veterinary Medicine and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree program during the August meeting.



Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge Offers $145K in Startup Funds for Entrepreneurs

The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, today opened online applications for its 2019 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Entrepreneurs will compete for $145,000 in startup funds.

The competition provides an opportunity for individuals to showcase ideas and business innovations in agriculture. This is the fifth year of the Challenge, which is the first national business competition focused exclusively on rural entrepreneurs launching food and agriculture businesses.

Competitors are invited to submit for-profit business ideas related to food and agriculture online at http://fb.org/aginnovationchallenge by Sept. 24.

“Farm Bureau is proud to carry on our long tradition of strengthening the communities we live and farm in by encouraging new businesses across rural America,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Starting a business takes faith, courage and creativity, but rural entrepreneurs face added challenges including limited access to broadband, high transportation costs and a lack of access to business networks. Startup funds provided through the Challenge will help entrepreneurs working in food and agriculture take their businesses to the next level.”

Ten semifinalist teams will be announced on Nov. 9 and awarded $10,000. The final four teams (selected from the 10 semifinalist teams) will be announced on Dec. 5 and will receive an additional $5,000 and have all expenses paid to compete in a live pitch competition at AFBF’s 100th Annual Convention in New Orleans on Jan. 13. The final four teams will compete to win:
-    Farm Bureau Entrepreneur of the Year award and $15,000 (chosen by judges), for a total of $30,000
-    People’s Choice award and $10,000 (chosen by public vote), for a total of $25,000

Rural entrepreneurs with businesses in the following categories are encouraged to apply:
-    Ag technologies;
-    Agritourism;
-    CSAs, farmers’ markets, food stands and food hubs;
-    Farms, ranches, greenhouses, managed forests, aquaponics, cut flowers, herbs, honey and landscape plants;
-    Farm-to-table businesses;
-    Support services including scouting, equipment repair and fertilizer sales;
-    Value-added processing including yogurts, cheese and processed meats; and
-    Wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries.

Entrepreneurs must be Farm Bureau members to compete. Applicants who are not Farm Bureau members have until Nov. 5 to join. Visit fb.org/join to learn about becoming a member. Detailed eligibility guidelines, the competition timeline and profiles of past Challenge winners are available at http://fb.org/aginnovationchallenge .

Startup funds for the 2019 Ag Innovation Challenge are provided by sponsors Farm Credit, John Deere and Farm Bureau Bank.