Wednesday August 29 Ag News

Nebraska Soybean Board to Hold September Meeting

The Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) will hold its final board meeting of the 2018 fiscal year on September 5 at Country Inn & Suites in Lincoln.

The majority of the meeting will be spent finalizing the budget for the 2019 fiscal year and reviewing project reports. The winners of the NSB July election will be introduced to the board, and the members will review expectations for their term beginning October 1, 2018.

Committee meetings will be held and all attendees will be given updates on the NSB’s strategic business plan.

A full agenda can be found at www.NebraskaSoybeans.org.



Nebraska State Grange Annual Convention

The annual meeting of the Nebraska State Grange will be held at the Ramada Rivers Edge Inn, Columbus, Nebraska, September 7-8-9.

The Executive Committee will meet at 9 AM on Friday morning.

At 12 PM attending Grange members will leave the motel for lunch and a tour of the Genoa Indian School and the Mormon and Pawnee Museum. The group will meet for supper at Dusters.

After supper the attendees will gather at the motel to register and practice for the opening ceremony on Saturday morning, followed by looking over resolutions and an Ice Cream Social.

Saturday morning the group will be welcomed by a representative of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, followed by the opening of the Grange annual session and guests will be introduced.

The National Grange Report from Betsy Huber, will be read, followed by the annual report of the State President, Kevin Cooksley, from Weissert, NE. Election of officers will follow the reports.

The MC for the noon luncheon will be Joe Fryman, from Blair. Scholarships and community Service awards will be presented. The afternoon speaker will be Christine Hamp, from Washington State, representing the National Grange. Christine holds the office of National Grange Lecturer. She will be accompanied by her husband Duane.

The Saturday evening banquet will be at 6 PM. The MC will be Kevin Cooksley, State Grange President. The Lecturers Awards and Distinguished Service Awards will be presented. The entertainment will be a talent show. The evening will end with an auction of the winning baked goods.

Sunday morning Ricki Wulf, Chaplain, will lead a memorial service for members who have passed on in the last year.

Darlene Janing, Lecturer, has arranged for Elizabeth “Liz” Blaser, from the Duncan area, and a current senior at the Columbus High School, to speak about balancing her many activities, band, National Honor Society, dance, 4-H, and her favorite, riding and showing horses. She got her first horse when she was seven years old. She has served as an elected youth delegate holding membership with the National Reining Horse Association. She plans to attend college, major in Pre-med and hopes to ride for a division one equestrian team.

The elected officers will be installed, followed by committee reports.

Lunch will be on your own. The MC will be Russell Tooker, State Grange Overser.

Committee Reports will be given and the session will close at the end of business. 



HUSKER HARVEST DAYS: UNIVERSITY EXHIBITS TO FOCUS ON MANAGING CHANGE, CHALLENGE

Husker Harvest Days exhibits from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln will help show farm and ranch families how to manage change and challenges in their operations.

“Managing Change and Challenge: Strengthening Nebraska’s Agricultural Economy” is the theme for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources exhibits at the Sept. 11-13 show near Grand Island.

Exhibits will outline a wide range of decision points, strategies and tools for farmers, livestock producers and farm families that can have a direct impact on their economic well-being.

Exhibits inside IANR’s trademark Husker Red steel building at Lot 827 on the southeast side of the exhibit grounds will provide information on:
> the relationship between cost, nutritional value and impact of various feed sources for cow/calf operations;
> how farmers can better utilize federal farm policies such as the Farm Bill safety net during a time of transition into new realities in the agricultural marketplace;
> using crop budgets to analyze the true operating costs for a farm;
> agricultural land value and rental rates in Nebraska;
> succession and transitions for farms and ranches;
> the nutrient value of baled cornstalks for cattle feed and exploration of the implications of the practice on soil quality;
> how families, farms and communities deal with stress.

In addition, a bank of video screens will provide a big-picture experience of “Hot Topics in Nebraska Agriculture.” Nebraska Extension specialists will be on hand to providing additional information on each of the showcased topics, which include crop response to hail, cover crop planting, grazing cover crops, and effects of weather and climate on agricultural systems. The screens will also be used to demonstrate a grain marketing program that can simulate real-time commodity marketing decision-making.

Outdoor exhibits adjacent to the building will feature demonstrations related to pest management and commodity marketing. The weed science team will demonstrate how best to apply pesticides with minimal drift using a sprayer technology trailer. They will also help attendees learn how to identify field and pasture weeds and herbicide injury on both crops and weeds.

For youth attendees, the outdoor area will also feature the Commodity Carnival, where participants can learn about livestock and grain marketing.

IANR faculty and staff will be available to answer questions on a variety of extension and research-related topics, provide copies of NebGuides and direct those needing further information to extension experts in their area.

Showgoers can also learn about the latest opportunities for students at the university’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis. College representatives will be available throughout the show to answer questions from potential students. Those interested in the Nebraska Leadership Education Action Development program can also visit with a representative.



Regional Water Symposium to be held October 24-26 in Lincoln

Registration for the 2018 National Institutes for Water Resources Regional Symposium "Water Resources of the U.S. Great Plains Region: Status and Future" is now open, with early bird rates valid through September 17.

Organized by the Nebraska Water Center (NWC), the nine-state regional event will be held October 24-26, at Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center in Lincoln, Nebraska. The symposium will bring together water leaders, scientists, managers, students and stakeholders within the Missouri and Arkansas River Basins. Federal representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Geological Survey will discuss basin-wide challenges and share research and funding opportunities.

Unlike previous NWC symposiums focused on Nebraska, this one will bring together Water Resources Research Institute directors from the nine state region - Montana, the Dakotas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. Key topics include nutrient loading and harmful algal blooms, agricultural water use, surface and groundwater contamination and depletion, industrial and municipal water use, impacts of climate change on water resources, coordinated aquifer management and maintaining healthy ecosystems for fish and wildlife within the basins, among others. 

Registration fees through September 17:
    Regular Registration: $250
    Student Poster Presenter Registration: Free with student ID and poster verification
    General Student: $150

The symposium features more than 30 speakers. In addition to presentations, there will be a juried poster session showcasing student research in water and agricultural sciences. Graduates and undergraduates are encouraged to share a poster, but only graduates are eligible for the competition. The symposium will include updates on the Platte Basin Timelapse project, tours of the Nebraska Innovation Campus Greenhouse and Food Innovation Center, as well as two dinners and two lunches.

For more information, including event registration, visit go.unl.edu/2018water.
Support for the 2018 symposium is provided by the Nebraska Water Center, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska, USDA NIFA, USGS Nebraska Water Science Center, National Institute for Water Resources, EPSCOR Nebraska, and UNL IANR.



ICGA Delegates Move on Issues Impacting Iowa Corn Farmers at Annual Grassroots Summit

The Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) held its Annual Grassroots Summit in Des Moines on Friday, August 25 and Saturday, August 26 where ICGA delegates set the direction for the policies and priorities in the coming year.

“I am humbled and honored to be stepping into the role of President of the Iowa Corn Growers Association,” stated Curt Mether, a farmer from Logan. “In a time of great uncertainty in Washington, I want to personally thank you for your dedication as we work together to share your voice along with nearly 7,500 members. We are committed to finding agreement on the key issues that we as corn farmers are facing.”

During the two-day Grassroots Summit, the 100 delegates in attendance had the opportunity to review expiring policies and debate new resolutions. The Grassroots Summit is the year-end event in the policy development process. The policy process includes a member-wide survey in the spring, roundtable discussions held across the state in the summer and the Grassroots Summit in late August. Policies that relate to national issues can be brought forth at the Commodity Classic meetings in March with National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) farmer delegates.

The delegates deliberated on many important state issues impacting Iowa corn farmers, including these priority issues:  (Listed in alphabetical order, not by priority ranking)
Conservation/Water Quality – Maintain legislative funding stream for Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy
Ethanol – Obtain funding for the renewable infrastructure cost-share program (RFIP)
Livestock – Support existing regulatory framework for the livestock industry
Research – Ag Extension and Diagnostic Lab funding
Taxes – Protect critical tax credits (Section 179 and biofuels)

“This meeting reaffirmed our top federal priorities of expanding consumer access to higher blends of ethanol year-round including E15, calling for the implementation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as intended, supporting international marketing of agricultural commodities by expanding trade agreements, and the continued funding of USDA commodity export programs,” Met her confirmed. “We are focused on supporting legislation that will build markets and create demand for corn and corn products.”

Delegates weighed several key federal issues: (Listed in alphabetical order, not by priority ranking)
Ethanol – Retain the RFS and reduce regulatory barriers for higher blends
Risk Management - Protect crop insurance funding as part of the Farm Bill
Trade – Expand new and protect existing bilateral and multilateral trade agreements
Trade – Protect/expand the Market Access Program & Foreign Market Development funding as part of the Farm Bill
Transportation – Infrastructure maintenance and upgrade to our inland waterways system

On Friday, TED talk speaker and author, Adam Carroll kicked off the summit inspiring ICGA’s members to take an active role in their organization and their community. In the afternoon, attendees participated in several small group roundtables with topics ranging from social media, Farm Bill, soil health, research, ethanol to trade promotion. Members enjoyed that evening the I-LEAD graduation ceremony of 22 agriculture industry rising stars. Iowa Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, an I-LEAD Class 6 graduate, gave the keynote congratulating Class 8 and reassuring them the impact the leadership program will have on their future.

The Local Leaders Awards Breakfast kicked off Saturday morning with an update from Iowa Corn Grassroots Network & Checkoff Committee Chair, Larry Buss, explaining the plan to increase ICGA’s membership. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig welcomed and thanked members for participating in the policy development of their organization. Wrapping up the program, Buss handed out awards recognizing the efforts of many outstanding local corn farmer-leaders and their programming at the county and district level.

During the final part of the Summit, Incoming President Curt Mether and Incoming President Wayne Humphreys gave their presidential updates outlining their key goals for the upcoming year. ICGA members also heard from National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Kevin Skunes.

The Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Luncheon concluded the event which included the presentation of the Walter Goeppinger Lifetime Achievement Award, given to an Iowa Corn member who has showcased exemplary leadership skills and service throughout their time with Iowa Corn. This year, Iowa Corn honored Gordon Wassenaar of Prairie City who has shown exceptional dedication and leadership to the agriculture industry. The summit wrapped up with an update from Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series partners University of Iowa Athletic Director, Gary Bara and Iowa State University Athletic Director Jamie Pollard.

ICGA will release its finalized top 2019 state and federal policy priorities in December based on grassroots input provided during the Summit. The complete 2018-2019 policy resolution book is available upon request by emailing corninfo@iowacorn.org or calling 515-225-9242.



USDA Announces Atypical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Detection

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing an atypical case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), a neurologic disease of cattle, in a six year old mixed-breed beef cow in Florida.  This animal never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply, or to human health in the United States.

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed that this cow was positive for atypical H-type BSE.  The animal was initially tested at the Colorado State University (CSU) Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (a National Animal Health Laboratory Network laboratory) as part of routine surveillance of cattle that are deemed unsuitable for slaughter.  APHIS and Florida veterinary officials are gathering more information on the case.

BSE is not contagious and exists in two types - classical and atypical.  Classical BSE is the form that occurred primarily in the United Kingdom, beginning in the late 1980’s, and it has been linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in people. The primary source of infection for classical BSE is feed contaminated with the infectious prion agent, such as meat-and-bone meal containing protein derived from rendered infected cattle.  Regulations from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have prohibited the inclusion of mammalian protein in feed for cattle and other ruminants since 1997 and have also prohibited high risk tissue materials in all animal feed since 2009.

Atypical BSE is different, and it generally occurs in older cattle, usually 8 years of age or greater. It seems to arise rarely and spontaneously in all cattle populations.

This is the nation’s 6th detection of BSE.  Of the five previous U.S. cases, the first, in 2003, was a case of classical BSE in a cow imported from Canada; the rest have been atypical (H- or L-type) BSE.

The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) recognizes the United States as negligible risk for BSE.  As noted in the OIE guidelines for determining this status, atypical BSE cases do not impact official BSE risk status recognition as this form of the disease is believed to occur spontaneously in all cattle populations at a very low rate. Therefore, this finding of an atypical case will not change the negligible risk status of the United States, and should not lead to any trade issues.

The United States has a longstanding system of interlocking safeguards against BSE that protects public and animal health in the United States, the most important of which is the removal of specified risk materials - or the parts of an animal that would contain BSE should an animal have the disease - from all animals presented for slaughter. The second safeguard is a strong feed ban that protects cattle from the disease. Another important component of our system - which led to this detection - is our ongoing BSE surveillance program that allows USDA to detect the disease if it exists at very low levels in the U.S. cattle population.

More information about this disease is available in the BSE factsheet... http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/fs-bse.pdf. 



Consumer Reports Article About Food Safety Illustrates Magazine’s Bias

Today’s Consumer Reports article “What’s Really in Your Meat?” is nothing more than sensationalist journalism. The article, which bases its findings on unconfirmed residue screening tests of meat, draws false and misleading conclusions meant to deceive consumers and reduce the consumption of meat.

The unconfirmed results utilized by the author were erroneously released by USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) in March of this year following receipt of a Freedom of Information Act request. After realizing the mistake, FSIS worked to correct the error and provide accurate data from confirmed tests. However, even after accurate information was provided by FSIS, Consumer Reports continued to utilize the inaccurate information on which the article is based.

In a response issued today by FSIS, the agency calls the story “sensational and fear-based infotainment aimed at confusing shoppers with pseudoscience and scare tactics.” The path chosen by Consumer Reports does nothing to protect or inform and will only serve to create doubts about safety in the minds of consumers.

Articles such as this only serve to create an inaccurate atmosphere of mistrust about the safety of the U.S. meat supply and cast doubt on the U.S. National Residue Program at FSIS. Knowingly printing inaccurate and misleading articles, which rely on information that is known to be false, misleads consumers about the competency of the current food safety programs in place at USDA. Those programs have long been the global gold standard for food safety and today they continue to provide overlapping safeguards to ensure consumers are receiving wholesome and safe products.

FSIS, in the statement issued today reiterated these points, saying:

“If violative drug residues are found in any meat or poultry product, FSIS does not allow that product to be sold for human food. In fact, all meat and poultry products that are being tested for drug residues are not allowed to leave the company’s control until FSIS labs determine that the product is safe and wholesome. If samples are violative, the company is not permitted to ship any of these meat and poultry products to the grocery store.”

The author of “What’s Really in Your Meat?” admits that the article’s findings are uncertain and any potential risks are unknown. The reality is that America’s beef producers take food safety seriously, as do the government agencies that regulate and monitor production in the United States. To suggest otherwise is false and irresponsible.

In the past, shoppers in the United States relied upon Consumer Reports for accurate information about the products they purchased. However, the bias on display in this article and others like it demonstrates that fair and accurate reporting is no longer a priority for the magazine. If Consumer Reports can’t do better than this when reporting on topics of critical importance, the American public would be better served if the magazine returned its focus to the testing of lightbulb lifespans and other matters of less gravity.



Fertilizer Prices Remain Mixed

According to retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the third week of August 2018, prices continue to be evenly mixed. Price for half of the eight fertilizers tracked by DTN were slightly higher while the other half were lower for the second consecutive week.

The move in either direction was fairly muted, as has been the case for several months. Urea moved lower with an average price of $364/ton, anhydrous was $481/ton, UAN28 was $233/ton and UAN32 was $271/ton.

The remaining half were slightly higher compared to last month. DAP had an average price of $487/ton, MAP $514/ton, potash $356/ton and 10-34-0 $446/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/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. Potash is 6% higher, 10-34-0 is 7% more expensive, UAN28 is 8% higher, UAN32 is 9% more expensive, both MAP and DAP are 12% higher, anhydrous is 15% higher and urea is 20% more expensive compared to last year.



Perdue Statement on Senate Confirmation of James Hubbard

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today issued the following statement regarding Senate Confirmation of James Hubbard, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment:

“I’m very excited for Jim to finally join our team here at USDA. His decades of experience, both in Colorado and across the federal government, make him uniquely qualified for this role and I’m confident that he will hit the ground running. I commend the Senate for its approval of Jim and urge Senators to take up other USDA nominees as quickly as possible.”



Golden Harvest® helps farmers select the right product for their farm with E-Luminate®

Golden Harvest® announced today the rollout of E-Luminate®, an exclusive digital offering that draws upon extensive agronomic data to help farmers make more informed seed selection decisions. This unique seed placement tool is available to Golden Harvest Seed Advisors for use with their customers to have field-level discussion around selecting the right hybrid.

E-Luminate enables Golden Harvest Seed Advisors to quickly assess field characteristics and choose the best products and management practices on a field-by-field basis.
·         It uses GIS-based mapping for immediate assessment of soil characteristics.
·         Additionally, details specific to weed, disease and insect pressures can be considered to generate recommendations for Golden Harvest seed that performs consistently for each field condition.
·         With E-Luminate, seed recommendations reflect actual performance comparisons across varieties, by year and region, powered by the precision of statistical analysis.
·         The results appear in a visual dashboard that compares and contrasts seed varieties.

“Golden Harvest offers a diverse portfolio of corn hybrids and soybean varieties to maximize yield in a wide variety of environments,” said Bruce Battles, head of seeds agronomy. “But high-quality seed is only part of the equation; product placement is crucial for realizing optimal yield. A number of factors can make seed selection a real challenge, but E-Luminate simplifies the equation.”

The introduction of E-Luminate builds upon and leverages the extensive data that fuels the Golden Harvest plant breeding program.

“In addition to aggressively using data and analytics to make better decisions throughout the plant breeding process, we looked at how we could translate that data science into an improved farmer experience,” said Paul Bonnett, portfolio delivery manager, digital agriculture, for Golden Harvest. “In doing so, we were able to use modeling to determine how products are likely to perform in local environments, leading to the eventual development of E-Luminate.”

When combined with the local agronomic knowledge of a Golden Harvest Seed Advisor, the applied data and modeling for seed selection in E-Luminate helps farmers create comprehensive field solutions to maximize their genetic and profit potential.



CLAAS Launches FIRST CLAAS USED Program

CLAAS of America announced at the 2018 Farm Progress Show the launch of FIRST CLAAS USED, the next generation of used equipment certification, offering a new level of uniformity and accountability for reconditioned CLAAS equipment. From the company that introduced the industry’s first “certified” used equipment program in 2011, the FIRST CLAAS USED program sets new standards for marketing used farm equipment and offers growers greater peace of mind.

“You wouldn’t buy a house without first having it inspected, so why should a grower settle for anything less with their pre-owned machines?” explained CLAAS Remarketing Manager Allen Miller. “The FIRST CLAAS USED Program adds transparency to the used equipment transaction and helps ensure that growers are set up for success when they make that investment in pre-owned equipment.”

CLAAS introduced the industry’s first certified used equipment program in 2011 with the launch of HarvestingWorld.com and its LEXION Field Ready Reconditioned Program. The new program focuses on enhancing the value of used CLAAS equipment beginning with three different levels of reconditioning.

Gold Level
This classification is reserved for select CLAAS combines that are five years old or newer with fewer than 2,500 engine hours. The combines are cleaned, detailed and meticulously inspected by a FIRST CLAAS USED certified technician. The combine is then professionally reconditioned by a trained technician. This program level also comes with a one-year MAXI CARE 500 Protection Plan.

Silver Level
Select CLAAS combines and foragers that are five years old or newer with fewer than 2,500 engine hours are eligible for silver level status. The machines are cleaned, detailed and meticulously inspected by a FIRST CLAAS USED certified technician. During inspection, a recommended parts list is produced to give the farmer a good idea of the repairs he may need to make. On silver-level combines, if the critical repairs are completed by an authorized CLAAS trained technician, the machine may be brought up to gold-level status.

Bronze Level
This classification is open to all CLAAS equipment and contains no hours minimum. Bronze-level machines are clean and operational.

“This FIRST CLAAS USED program allows growers to find not only what CLAAS machinery best fits their needs, but also what falls within their budget,” Miller said. “The program offers growers transparency and peace of mind. CLAAS takes a lot of pride in knowing that after purchasing their CLAAS equipment, growers know exactly what they’re getting — no matter the originating dealer.”

By formalizing the process and simplifying the methodology, CLAAS has created a common standard throughout the dealer network. This ensures that a gold-level reconditioning at one dealership will mean the same at a dealership 30 miles down the road.