Ag News Recap for Sept 12 and Sept 13

NEBRASKA CROP PRODUCTION REPORT

Based on September 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2018 corn crop is forecast at 1.85 billion bushels, up 10 percent from last year's production, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Area harvested for grain, at 9.35 million acres, is up 1 percent from a year ago. Average yield is forecast at 198 bushels per acre, up 17 bushels from last year. Both yield and production are new record highs if realized.

Soybean production is forecast at 338 million bushels, up 4 percent from last year. Area for harvest, at 5.45 million acres, is down 4 percent from 2017. Yield is forecast at 62 bushels per acre, up 4.5 bushels from a year ago. Both yield and production are new record highs if realized.

Sorghum for grain production of 15.8 million bushels is up 32 percent from a year ago. Area for harvest, at 155,000 acres, is up 15 percent from 2017. Yield is forecast at 102 bushels per acre, up 13 bushels from last year, and a record high if realized.



Iowa Crop Production Forecast

Iowa corn production is forecast at 2.65 billion bushels according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Crop Production report. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 206 bushels per acre, up 4 bushels per acre from the August 1 forecast, and up 4 bushels per acre from last year. If realized, this will be highest yield on record, 3 bushels per acre above the record set in 2016. Corn planted acreage is estimated at 13.3 million acres. An estimated 12.9 million of the acres planted will be harvested for grain.

Soybean production is forecast at 590 million bushels. If realized, this will be the highest production on record with 24.0 million bushels more than the previous record of 566 million bushels set in 2016. The yield is forecast at 60.0 bushels per acre, up 1 bushel per acre from the August forecast, and 3.5 bushels per acre higher than 2017. If realized, this will tie the highest yield on record equaling the 60.0 bushels per acre in 2016. Soybean planted acreage is estimated at 9.94 million acres with 9.84 million acres to be harvested.

The forecasts in this report are based on September 1 conditions and do not reflect weather effects since that time. The next corn and soybean production forecasts, based on conditions as of October 1, will be released on October 11.



USDA: Corn Production Up 2 Percent from August Forecast
Soybean Production Up 2 Percent

Corn production is forecast at 14.8 billion bushels, up 2 percent from August and up 2 percent from last year. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 181.3 bushels per acre, up 2.9 bushels from the August forecast and up 4.7 bushels from 2017. If realized, this will be the highest yield on record for the United States. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 81.8 million acres, unchanged from the August forecast, but down 1 percent from 2017.

Soybean production is forecast at a record 4.69 billion bushels, up 2 percent from August and up 7 percent from last year. Based on September 1 conditions, yields are expected to average a record high 52.8 bushels per acre, up 1.2 bushels from last month and up 3.7 bushels from last year. Area for harvest in the United States is forecast at 88.9 million acres, unchanged from August but down 1 percent from 2017.



Corn Price Projections Fall on Forecast of Near-Record Production
NCGA newsletter

The already record national average yield projections were raised even further this month to 181.3 bushels per acre from 178.4 the month prior which, if realized, would surpass the previous record by 4.7 bushels per acre according to the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Given record yield projections, U.S. total corn production is now projected to reach 14.8 billion bushels for 2018/19, nearing the record of 15.1 billion bushels set in 2016. Given increased demand projections, corn price projections were lowered 10 cents at the midpoint to reflect the anticipated size of the supply.

Yield projections are also forecast to set records in many states including: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota. The overall increase to projected yield, if realized, led to the 241 million bushel per acre increase to production estimates.
 
Feed and residual use and export demand projections were raised by 50 million bushels each, with ethanol demand estimates raised by 25 million bushels. As the increase to production projections more than offset these demand increases, the average farm price was decreased by 10 cents, with the new price range projected as $3.00 to $4.00 per bushel.



Soybean records fall as U.S. harvest begins
Robust domestic demand continues, says USDA

U.S. soybean farmers will harvest a record crop to feed ravenous domestic demand, according to government projections released today.

After months of retreating prices and bad news due to the ongoing U.S-China trade war, Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) leaders welcomed today’s mostly positive U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) numbers that led to an 8-cent increase in soybean prices.

              “I think it’s encouraging from a producer’s standpoint the market went up a little based on a report that didn’t have many changes,” said Lindsay Greiner, a Keota farmer elected as ISA president last week. “Maybe the market has hit bottom. We’re going to work hard talking with new customers and strengthening relationships with existing ones to find a home for all our beans to hopefully keep prices moving upward.”

              U.S. soybean production is forecast at nearly 4.7 billion bushels, up 2 percent from August and 7 percent from last year, according to the September USDA Crop Production Report. The national yield is pegged at 52.8 bushels per acre, up 1.2 bushels from last month and 3.7 bushels better than last year.

              Iowa soybean production is forecasted at 590.4 million bushels, up nearly 10 million bushels from last month and more than 24 million bushels higher than the previous record set in 2016, according to the crop production report. The average yield is projected to tie the all-time-high at 60 bushels per acre. Favorable August rain and temperature led to a 1-bushel-per-acre increase from last month.

With combines ready to invade fields, ISA Market Development Director Grant Kimberley said the soybean industry faces a big challenge marketing the crop given China’s 25-percent tariff on U.S. soybeans implemented on July 6. It has essentially halted sales to the country.

The ISA board of directors last week approved $50,000 in soybean checkoff funds to help the U.S. Soybean Export Council put on a soybean marketing event in Europe, bringing buyers and sellers together later this year. Similar efforts are planned in Southeast Asia and elsewhere.

“The industry will do what it takes to move as much soybeans, meal and oil as possible,” Kimberley said. “ISA and its farmer leaders will continue to advocate for a swift end to the current trade challenges.”

U.S soybean crush for the 2018-19 marketing year was increased by 10 million bushels to 2.07 billion, according to the September USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) Report. Export projections held steady at 2.06 billion bushels.

National soybean ending stocks for 2018-19 increased by 60 million bushels to 845 million, according to the WASDE Report. The forecasted average farm price for soybeans ranges from $7.35 to $9.85 per bushel for the current marketing year, which began Sept. 1.

Cory Bratland, a trader with Kluis Commodity Advisors headquartered in Wayzata, Minnesota, told clients during a webinar today that high-level talks between U.S. and China trade negotiators are reportedly set to resume. That news along with strong demand, and the fact soybean production estimates didn’t escalate like some traders speculated, likely led to a rebound in prices.

But it will take more to narrow “ugly” basis levels (the difference between local cash prices and futures contracts) for farmers, Bratland said.

“I hate to say it, but basis levels won’t get better until something is done with China,” he said. “If that happens, they will firm up. But it won’t happen overnight.”



Agriculture Interests Reinforce Importance of Trade, Join Gov. Ricketts in Proclaiming Agriculture Trade Awareness Day

Governor Pete Ricketts proclaimed Wednesday, September 12, 2018 as Agriculture Trade Awareness Day in Nebraska. Flanked by leaders of numerous agriculture organizations and agribusinesses, Gov. Ricketts made the announcement during a joint “Trade Matters to Nebraska” news conference at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island. 

“Trade is a central part of our overall strategy to grow Nebraska. From our family farms to Main Street, international partnerships are helping create great opportunities for working Nebraskans every day. Just this year, we have led a trade mission to Mexico and hosted a major trade conference with a Japanese delegation in Omaha, and we will continue to pursue new opportunities around the world,” said Governor Ricketts.

Nebraska was the fifth-largest agricultural exporting state in the country in 2016, exporting more than $6.6 billion of agricultural goods. Nebraska also topped the nation in beef exports, was the third largest exporter of corn, feed and other grains, and processed grain products, and was also the fifth-largest exporter of soybeans and soybean meal, according to the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s “Nebraska Agriculture and International Trade” report issued in March.

Statements from Partnering Agriculture Organizations and Agribusinesses

“Roughly one third of our state’s agriculture cash receipts are directly tied to our ability to export the grains, livestock, and agriculture products produced on our farms and ranches. With so much of the success of our family businesses tied to international markets, it’s critical we work to finalize trade deals and grow new markets across the globe for our state’s farm and ranch families.”
Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president and farmer from Axtell, NE

“As soybean producers begin harvest, trade deals and access to markets is a top priority. More than half of our soybeans are exported with the majority going to China. Trade is vital to Nebraska soybean growers and the livestock users who consume our soybean meal. Access to these markets provides certainty not only to our producers but also our Nebraska communities.”
Robert Johnston, NE Soybean Association president and soybean producer from Clearwater, NE

“Increased agriculture trade has the potential to turn around the economic slump corn farmers are experiencing. With one of every ten planted crop acres going to Canada or Mexico, it’s essential we finalize a NAFTA agreement so we can shift gears and explore additional trade opportunities with other countries. If we don’t continue to work on expanding our markets, our competitors will take our place, which will greatly hurt American farmers.”
Larry Mussack, Nebraska Corn Growers Association chairman and farmer from Decatur, NE

“Job growth in Central Nebraska is very dependent on increased trade. We are fortunate as a company to have built strong relations over the years with our international customers. We have an obligation as a U.S. manufacturer to continue to innovate and improve the quality of life for those we serve.”
Mike Lewis, Chief Agri, president/general manager

“Nebraska is the nation’s largest beef-exporting state, and our global sales continue to significantly increase each year. Currently, USDA estimates that U.S red meat exports are trending 17 percent higher than last year, and Nebraska’s beef producers are responsible for the lion’s share of this increase. This success is a direct result of capitalizing on international demand for the high-quality beef that Nebraska produces.”
Mike Drinnin, Nebraska Cattlemen president-elect from Columbus, NE

"The export market is vital to sorghum growers. More than half of the sorghum produced in the U.S. is exported to customers around the world. We continue to work with our national groups to find resolve to the current trade issues."
Mike Baker, Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board chairman and farmer from Trenton, NE

“Pork trade and export markets add over $50 of value per animal on our farms. This is money that helps our rural economies remain strong and vibrant.”
Al Juhnke, Nebraska Pork Producers Association executive director

"With Nebraska exporting half its wheat annually, trade is very important to our farmers. We appreciate being able to work with other ag groups to highlight how trade has benefitted Nebraska.”
Mark Spurgin, Nebraska Wheat Growers Association president from Paxton, NE

“The export market is a key focus for the dairy industry, as we continue to look to Mexico as our number one export market, but also look to expand opportunities around the world.”
Bill Thiele, Nebraska State Dairy Association president from Clearwater, NE



NE Grange Convention Summary
 The annual meeting of the Nebraska State Grange was held at the Ramada Rivers Edge Inn, Columbus, Nebraska, September 7-8-9.

Resolutions adopted by the Nebraska State Grange were: To work to educate consumers about the way food is raised, and how livestock is cared for and harvested in the United States: That Grange and other ag organizations need to educate consumers as to just what “GMO” means: That the term “Meat” must be reserved for animal protein, and protein grown in a laboratory setting should be identified by some other name.

At noon, on Friday, the attending Grange members left the motel for lunch and a tour of the Genoa Indian School and the Mormon and Pawnee Museum. This was a very interesting tour disclosing both the positive and the negative aspects of the school that was founded to educate young indian children and teach them English as well as trade skills that would enable them get jobs in the “white man's world” Many became successful people but many died from contact with illnesses they had not been exposed to before. The Grange group also stoped at the Pawnee Reburial Mound where hundreds of Pawnees were reburied in the 1990's, and following that stop, at the Genoa National Bank where they viewed the large mural of a Pawnee Village, which covers one wall.

State President, Kevin Cooksley, from Weissert, NE., opened the meeting Saturday morning. He shared with the group a letter of greetings from the National Grange President, Betsy Huber, and following that he presented his own annual report to the delegates.

This was election year and two officers chose not to be reelected. Jeannie Jeary, from Seward, was replaced by Denise Kaelin, from Ansley, and Richard Schell, from Roca, was replaced by Scott Kaelin, also from Ansley. All other officers were re-elected.

The Emcee for the noon luncheon was Joe Fryman, from Blair. Community Service awards were presented to Friend Grange, 4th place, 3rd place went to Custer County Grange, 2nd place, to Geneva Grange, and 1st place to, Riverview Grange at Blair.

The afternoon speaker was Christine Hamp, from Washington State, representing the National Grange. Christine holds the office of National Grange Lecturer. She was accompanied by her husband Duane. She spoke about how they had joined a Grange that was about to close and the many ways that they revived their Grange membership and how it went on to become a great asset to the community and how they started other Granges in the areas around them by taking on projects that needed to be done, by providing a safe enviroment and enjoyable entertainment for all ages in those communities. Her motto was “If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you”.

The emcee for the evening Banquet was Kevin Cooksley, State Grange President. Quilts of Valor were presented by Eileen Krumbach, from York, to Kevin Cooksley and Eldon Wulf, from Blair, in honor of their military service. The evening ended with an auction of the winning baked goods, raising over $900.

Sunday morning Ricki Wulf, Chaplain, lead a memorial service for members who have passed on in the last year. Erv Rolofson, Raymond Grange, Lila Tooker, Elkhorn Grange, Clark Hatch, Waverly Grange, and Leo Peterson, Weissert Grange.

Darlene Janing, Lecturer, 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 were installed, by the National Represenatives, Christine and Duane Hamp.

Following the instillation. Committee reports and resolutions were discussed and adopted when that was concluded, the convention was adjourned.



NRD Hall of Fame Inductees Revealed at Husker Harvest Days

Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRD) three Hall of Fame inductees were announced in a press conference at Husker Harvest Days this morning outside the natural resources building at lot 39E on the southeast side of the showgrounds. These three individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Natural Resources Districts Annual Conference September 24th and 25th. Media is invited to attend.

Individuals who have made significant contributions through Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts resulting in improvements to the state’s natural resources are selected for this coveted honor once a year. The candidates are elected into the Hall of Fame by vote of current NRD Managers and Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) Board of Directors. There are three Hall of Fame categories. They include: Natural Resources Districts Board member, Natural Resources Districts Employee and Natural Resources Districts Supporter. The NRD Supporter includes individuals outside the NRD system who have shown tremendous care and leadership in Nebraska’s on-going conservation efforts.

The Hall of Fame inductees are:
Keith Rexroth – Hall of Fame Natural Resources Districts Board member (Sidney, Nebraska)
Ron Milner – Hall of Fame Natural Resources Districts Employee (Imperial, Nebraska)
Don McCabe – Hall of Fame Natural Resources Districts Supporter (Grew up near Newcastle, Nebraska. Currently lives in Lincoln, Nebraska)

Hall of Fame inductee Keith Rexroth from Sidney, Nebraska, was nominated for the Hall of Fame Natural Resources Districts Board member award by the South Platte Natural Resources District. Rexroth spent 24 years as a member of the South Platte Natural Resources District (SPNRD) Board of Directors, 16 of those as Chairman. One of his major achievements during those years was his commitment and input into developing an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) which will help protect water resources into the future. He’s received numerous awards including the 1983 Outstanding Young Farmer Nebraska award, 2005 NRD Director of the Year award and 2013 University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center Outstanding Service to Panhandle Agriculture award. Rexroth received an appointment by the governor as an advisor for the Three-State Cooperative Agreement on the Platte River, has been a member of the High Plains Ag Lab Advisory board since 1973, was a board member for the USDA Agricultural Research Service station in Akron, Colorado and has spent countless hours volunteering his time to youth education as well.

“With the amount of talent and commitment shown from past and current NRD directors, it’s very humbling to have acknowledgement, let alone this type of recognition,” said Hall of Fame Natural Resources Districts Board member inductee, Keith Rexroth. “Getting awards is not the reason I served on an NRD Board. The important mission is how we manage Nebraska’s resources for future generations, regardless of who gets the credit. The input and ongoing hard work from the South Platte NRD operators and communities with their water management efforts is one of the things I’m most proud of.”

Hall of Fame inductee, Ron Milner posthumously was nominated for the Hall of Fame NRD Staff category by the Upper Republican Natural Resources District. His wife resides in Imperial, Nebraska. Milner served as the first general manager of the Upper Republican Natural Resources District (URNRD) from 1972 to 1997. He helped pass the Groundwater Management Act in 1976 and with Milner’s guidance, the URNRD board adopted an order that required metering and reporting of groundwater use, making the NRD the first in the state to do so in 1978. Metering was done so that Milner and the NRD would be able to see how much water was being used and to make sure that irrigators were not going over their newly allotted allocation. There was great opposition to the metering, but Milner knew it was the right decision to make and it would be beneficial to the conservation of groundwater. He created the first Groundwater Management Area in the state and enacted well spacing rules as well.

"Ron would be quite excited and grateful,” said Monna Milner, wife of Hall of Fame Natural Resources Districts Employee inductee, Ron Milner. “I know he was very proud of the work he accomplished. I’m very honored and he would be too. It’s really something.”

Hall of Fame inductee, Don McCabe, was nominated by the Central Platte Natural Resources District to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Natural Resources Districts Supporter.  McCabe grew up on a farm near Newcastle, Nebraska. He currently resides in Lincoln. He worked for the Nebraska Farmer magazine for 37 years and was instrumental in helping farmers in Nebraska learn about how to implement conservation practices to protect Nebraska’s soil and water. He earned a journalism degree from the University of Nebraska and served in the U.S. Navy for four years. McCabe covered natural resources issues that needed to be addressed through Groundwater Management Plans, to new techniques and technologies available to help farmers address production and natural resources issues. He’s key in helping lower nitrate levels in the Central Platte Natural Resources District due to his articles focusing on conservation efforts to achieve such a goal.

“I was pleasantly surprised and honored to be named to the NRD Hall of Fame.,” said Don McCabe, inductee of the NRD Hall of Fame Natural Resources Districts Supporter. “Throughout my career, I enjoyed working with Nebraska NRDs and informing Nebraska Farmer magazine readers about the many types of NRD projects and the districts' wise management of the state's natural resources. Nebraska has unique natural resources, namely its complex and rich groundwater resource and, fortunately for Nebraskans, the state has a unique and effective local management system of NRDs to manage those resources. NRDs, staff members and directors alike, were always cooperative in sharing information and I am glad I was able to help them get the word out.”

All three Hall of Fame inductees will be presented their awards at the Nebraska Natural Resources Districts Annual Conference Banquet on Monday, September 24th, 2018 at 6 PM.



 Summer Beef Campaign in the Northeast

The modern-day grocery shopping experience is a far cry from how our parents shopped for their family meals.  Technology is truly changing the way we shop for food, isn’t it?  You really are just a few clicks away from your groceries showing up at your door step in a matter of hours, complete with helpful meal solutions to pull off a home-cooked meal in under 30 minutes.  The Beef Checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative (NEBPI) took advantage of several non-traditional retail marketing platforms this summer, ensuring that Northeast shoppers chose beef as the center for their summer celebratory meals.

Long gone are the coupon clipping days and instead, modern shoppers can access recipes, cooking tips and product rebates right from their smartphones.  The Checkoff continues to find value in focusing on influencing the shopper's buying decision before they step foot inside the grocery store. Ibotta, a mobile retail rebate app boasting 24 million downloads is the third most frequently used shopping app.  This summer, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic shoppers had the opportunity to engage with checkoff-funded beef recipes and cooking tips, to unlock rebates on fresh beef through the Ibotta app. The campaign reached over 2,500 retail locations and the geographical reach of their footprint included the entire New England and Mid-Atlantic regions.  Stores included Hannaford, Stop and Shop, Giant, Giant Food, Martin’s, Food Lion, Weis Markets and Redner’s Warehouse Markets.  The campaign included tiered beef rebates structured to target both new and existing beef users, encouraging shoppers to shift up in the beef category from ground beef to whole muscle cuts and ultimately become repeat beef purchasers. The campaign was a partnered effort between the NEBPI, the Pennsylvania Beef Council, Virginia Beef Council, Iowa Beef Industry Council and North Carolina Beef Council.

Additionally, the Beef Checkoff’s NEBPI partnered with the East Coast online retailer giant, Fresh Direct, for a 4th of July beef burger campaign.  Campaign promotional elements included a themed homepage ad featuring beef, leading up to and including the holiday weekend, a grilling landing page and shopping page featuring beef burgers. The campaign also offered run-of-site Checkoff banner ads featuring the checkoff’s “Nicely Done” artwork, select beef SKUs boosted in consumer search bars, a blog article featuring a ‘Beef. it’s What’s For Dinner’ burger recipe, a box insert, e-blasts and social media posts to further elevate the reach of the campaign.

As a result of both digital retail-focused campaigns, over 3.5 million impressions were garnered.  The Ibotta campaign achieved nearly 140,000 consumer engagements which drove the sale of over 43,000 units of beef during the 5-week campaign.

Christie Brown, the NEBPI’s Director of Marketing commented at the conclusion of both campaigns, “Not only does the Checkoff have the opportunity to deepen relationships with regional retailers through these beef campaigns, but it’s also an incredible way to reach and engage with our Northeast-based consumers, all while driving beef sales at the retail level.”  



Ag Decision Maker Article Discusses USDA Payment Programs

Few Iowa farms will receive payments this fall from current farm bill programs ARC or PLC, but payments will be available throughout the state to producers through the Market Facilitation Program, one component of the three programs included in the recently announced short-term tariff relief program.

A breakdown of payments that may be available is the focus of a new Iowa State University Extension and Outreach article titled “What can Iowa farmers expect from ARC/PLC and the Trade Assistance Package in 2018?” The article is written by Chad Hart, associate professor and extension economist, and Alejandro Plastina, assistant professor and extension economist at Iowa State.

The article can be found in the September issue of Ag Decision Maker.

A very limited number of farmers will be eligible to receive ARC or PLC payments in 2018. Only six counties (Davis, Jefferson, Mahaska, Union, Van Buren and Wapello) had ARC payments triggered for corn and only five counties (Davis, Jefferson, Lucas, Van Buren and Wapello) for soybean.

PLC payments for corn were triggered for the third consecutive year, while no PLC payments for soybean were triggered.

“Since only about 1 percent of all Iowa base crop acres are enrolled in the PLC program, the impact of PLC payments on Iowa farms is very limited,” Plastina said.
Trade Assistance Package

A trio of programs have been announced by the United States Department of Agriculture to help farmers deal with the short-term consequences of U.S. trade disputes. A total of $12 billion has been authorized, with an estimated $6.31 billion available this fall. The remaining funds could be utilized for a second round of support later this winter, likely in December.

Sign-up for the various relief programs began on Sept. 4. Applicants must have an ownership interest in a farm, be actively engaged in farming, have an average adjusted gross income of less than $900,000 for the 2014-16 tax years and have complied with regulations on highly erodible land and wetland conservation.

The USDA’s estimates show Iowa farmers stand to gain over $550 million from the Market Facilitation Program, with most of those payments going to pork and soybean producers. MFP payments have a $125,000 cap per person or legal entity for crops and a similar cap of $125,000 for livestock, but the cap works differently between crops and livestock.

“The cap for crop producers is a combined one, summing payments for corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans and wheat,” Hart said. “The cap for livestock products is separate from the crops, so diversified producers with both crop and livestock production can receive more than $125,000 from the program.”

Payment rates were determined by the USDA and are listed in detail by commodity and payment rate in the Ag Decision Maker article.

The USDA also announced the Food Purchase and Distribution Program, which will purchase a variety of products that face trade disruptions. An additional $200 million to the Agricultural Trade Promotion Program will be used for cost-share assistance on agricultural market development.



Tractor Zoom Completes $1 Million Seed Round

Tractor Zoom, a Des Moines, Iowa-based online marketplace that connects farm equipment auctioneers and buyers, has completed a $1 million seed investment round. Innova Memphis, an early-stage investment firm that focuses on starting and funding high-growth companies in the biosciences, technology and agtech fields, participated in the round along with Ag Startup Engine and a small group of angel investors.

"The agriculture and heavy equipment industry are ripe for innovation, and we liked the Tractor Zoom team's perspective on the industry and their proven ability to bring creative solutions to market," said Ken Woody, President of Innova Memphis. "The team is attacking the gaps in knowledge and accessibility when it comes to farm machinery with an energy that I find inspiring."

Tractor Zoom is a platform for auctioneers to list and advertise farm machinery auctions, while providing buyers an easy way to search and browse farm equipment for sale at auction. Tractor Zoom launched their mobile application in November of 2011, and web application in February 2018.

"The Tractor Zoom team is honored to be able to work with such great customers in the auction and agricultural communities," said Kyle McMahon, CEO of Tractor Zoom. "With this fundraise we'll grow our team, expand our geographic footprint in North America, and release products for other key players in the ag industry, bringing the equipment buying and selling experience full circle."

Approximately 70% of farm equipment auctions globally take place in the U.S., and Tractor Zoom is strategically headquartered in the middle of the Midwest Corn Belt. The company plans to enter other heavy equipment markets before going outside of North America.



CBB Operating Committee Approves FY19 Plan of Work

The Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board will invest about $40.5 million into programs of beef promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications during fiscal 2019, subject to USDA approval.

In action at the end of its September 11-12 meeting in Denver, the Operating Committee approved checkoff funding for a total of 14 “Authorization Requests” – or proposals – brought by seven contractors for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2018. The committee, which includes 10 producers from the Beef Board and 10 producers from the Federation of State Beef Councils, also recommended full Beef Board approval of a budget amendment to reflect the split of funding between budget categories affected by their decisions.

The seven contractors had brought a total of $45 million worth of funding requests to the Operating Committee this week, almost $5 million more than what was available from the CBB budget.

"The members of the Operating Committee listened with open minds as contractors presented their requests for funding. The committee engaged in respectful debate as they went through the funding for each request, mindful of program committee comments from summer convention,” said Beef Board Chariman Joan Ruskamp, a feedlot owner from Nebraska.

“Trimming nearly 4.8 million dollars to meet the budget of $40,521,900 was not an easy task, yet the committee remained focused on program funding that would best strengthen demand for beef..

In the end, the Operating Committee approved proposals from seven national beef organizations for funding through the FY 19 Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board budget, as follows:
-    National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (five proposals for $27.4 million)
-    U.S. Meat Export Federation, a subcontractor to NCBA (one proposal for $8.3 million)
-    North American Meat Institute (four proposals for $1.9 million)
-    Cattlemen’s Beef Board (one proposal for $1.7 million)
-    American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture (one proposal for $700,000)
-    Meat Import Council of America (one proposal for $417,000)
-    National Livestock Producers Association (one proposal for $60,000)

Broken out by budget component, the Fiscal Year 2019 Plan of Work for the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board budget includes:
-    $10.5 million for promotion programs, including continuation of the checkoff’s consumer digital advertising program, as well as veal promotion
-    $9.2 million for research programs, focusing on a variety of critical issues, including pre- and post-harvest beef safety research, product quality research, human nutrition research and scientific affairs, market research, and beef and culinary innovations
-    $7.6 million for consumer information programs, including a Northeast public relations initiative; national consumer public relations, including nutrition-influencer relations and work with primary- and secondary-school curriculum directors nationwide to get accurate information about the beef industry into classrooms of today’s youth
-    $3 million for industry information programs, comprising dissemination of accurate information about the beef industry to counter misinformation from anti-beef groups and others, as well as funding for checkoff participation in a fifth annual national industrywide symposium focused on discussion and dissemination of information about antibiotic use
-    $8.3 million for foreign marketing and education in 80 countries in the following regions: ASEAN region, Caribbean, Central America/Dominican Republic, China/Hong Kong, Europe, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Middle East, Russia/Greater Russian Region, South America, Taiwan, and new markets
-    $1.7 million for producer communications, which includes investor outreach using national communications and direct communications to producers and importers about checkoff results; as well as development and utilization of a publishing strategy and platform, and a state beef council content hub. 

The full fiscal 2019 budget is $43.9 million. Separate from the authorization requests, other expenses funded include $227,000 for evaluation; $300,000 for program development; $800,000 for USDA oversight/CBB legal; and about $2 million for administration. The fiscal 2019 budget represents an increase of $3 million from the $40.9 million FY19 budget.



USDA Details Trade Damage Estimate Calculations

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today released a detailed accounting of how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) calculated estimated damage from trade disruptions.  USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist developed an estimate of gross trade damages for commodities with assessed retaliatory tariffs by Canada, China, the European Union, Mexico, and Turkey to set commodity payment rates and purchase levels in the trade mitigation package announced by USDA on September 4, 2018.  USDA employed the same approach often used in adjudicating World Trade Organization trade dispute cases.

“We have pledged to be transparent about this process and how our economists arrived at the numbers they did,” Perdue said.  “Our farmers and ranchers work hard to feed the United States and the world, and they need to know that USDA was thorough, methodical, and as accurate as possible in making these estimates.  It was a large and important task, and I thank Chief Economist Robert Johansson and his staff for their hard work.”

The full description of the Trade Damage Estimation for the Market Facilitation Program and Food Purchase and Distribution Program is available on the website of USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist... https://www.usda.gov/oce/trade/USDA_Trade_Methodology_Report.pdf. 



USSEC Assists Feed Formulators to Standardize Aquaculture Database

In order to increase aquaculture production to meet growing global demand, aquaculture feeds have become much more sustainable and scalable by replacing limited fishmeal and fish oil ingredients with more widely available plant proteins -- especially soy products. As a result, feed formulations have become much more complex and challenging. As these formulations have become more complicated, aquaculture producers have sought out soybean meal made from U.S. soybeans for their feed rations because of U.S. soy's superior component value.

"The easy approach to formulation with those ingredients is over," said Lukas Manomaitis, the U.S. Soybean Export Council's (USSEC) aquaculture program lead technical consultant based in South East Asia. "We have to move to more complex formulations using a wide variety of ingredients to meet target nutrient levels. We need formulators that are good at innovative approaches, and that are trained both within a feed company and within the industry."

To help meet this overarching need, USSEC and collaborators sought to take a page out of the training approach with terrestrial animal feed formulators by creating a standardized database of nutritional information for aquaculture species and key feed ingredients. Specific nutritional requirements for terrestrial animals like cattle, swine and poultry are well known, but unfortunately that's not the case with aquaculture. The sheer number of species in aquaculture means that there is a significant gap in the knowledge of nutritional needs of many farmed fish and aquatic organisms. Both animal and aquaculture producers seek soybean meal made from U.S. soybeans in their feed rations because of the superior component value.

With seed money from USSEC and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and further funding from the Nebraska Soybean Checkoff and the Canadian government (Mitacs), in 2014, a consortium of academic institutions led by Dr. Dominique Bureau of the University of Guelph began to pull existing aquaculture nutritional information and knowledge into one central location. Further in-kind and informational support was provided by private individuals and commercial interests, in particular Adifo, the company who created the BestmixTM feed formulation program. Their help was essential to structure the resulting database correctly for use in commercial feed formulation programs.

Eleven workshops in locations in South East Asia were held in 2015 and 2016 that brought together formulators to use the first version of the database in formulation exercises. Now expanded to an international scope, the IAFFD is in its Stage 2 version, which has incorporated lessons learned from the workshops to evolve and improve the database.

"The IAFFD is a good tool for training and feed mills can use it to benchmark their own databases," said Manomaitis. "Every feed company has their own database, but bringing together aquaculture formulators from multiple companies is difficult because no one wants to share theirs. That is the value of having a publicly available aquaculture feed formulation database for use in-group situations. It's important to note that this is not a USSEC database -- it has international buy-in as an industry standard. We believe it will help to better show the nutritive values of U.S. soy to match the ingredient values."

Also, having a database developed from the ground up as an aquaculture database (and not an adapted terrestrial animal database) is critically important, said Manomaitis. "To the best of our knowledge this is the only publicly available standardized database for aquaculture."

Manomaitis pointed out that the database also helps to better clarify what nutritional information is missing from major species. "Right now, we're focusing on twenty-six major species groups. It's prohibitively expensive to do live animal research on all these species for nutritional information, but we can use models mixed with what existing research there is. The model is an engine -- if we find there's a better model, we can put that one in and improve the quality of the database. The database is constantly evolving and improving."

Work on Stage 3 of the database started this year using commercial aquaculture results to verify data, as well as whole body carcass analysis for ten species at different life stages to continue to verify and improve the database. It is anticipated that two more species will be added as well as more ingredients, including some branded products.



Most Fertilizer Prices Higher Again

Retail fertilizer prices continue to vary, according to data tracked by DTN for the first week of Sept. 2018.  While last week the majority of fertilizer prices were lower, compared to the previous month, this week most fertilizers are again higher, showing a slight increase in price looking back to last month.

As has been the case for several months now, the move in either direction was fairly minor. Moving higher was DAP, which had an average price of $488/ton, MAP $514/ton, potash $358/ton, urea $366/ton, 10-34-0 $446/ton and UAN32 $271/ton.

The remaining two fertilizers were slightly lower looking back to last month. Anhydrous had an average price of $480/ton and UAN28 $232/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, MAP is 12% higher, DAP is 13% more expensive, anhydrous is 16% higher and urea is 21% more expensive compared to last year.



EIA: Ethanol Supplies Gain

Energy Information Administration data shows domestic ethanol stocks increased during the week ended Sept. 7 after two consecutive weekly draws as supply at the Gulf Coast increased by more 5%.

EIA reports ethanol inventories rose 191,000 bbl during the week profiled to 22.894 million bbl, 1.8 million bbl or 8.5% higher than supply held during the same week in 2017.

Plant production slid 67,000 bpd to 1.020 million bpd during the week ended Sept. 7, 2.6% lower than the corresponding week in 2017. Four-week averaged production was 1.062 million bpd versus 1.050 million bpd during the corresponding four-week period in 2017.

Net refiner and blender inputs, a measure for ethanol extended lower, sliding 25,000 bpd to 918,000 bpd during the week ended Sept. 7, which was about 2% higher than a year ago. For the four weeks ended Sept. 7, blending demand averaged 938,000 bpd, 6,000 bpd more than the same period in 2017.



NAWG and USW Welcome Attention on Trade Policy Risks and Opportunities

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) appreciate the Senate Agriculture Committee holding a hearing on “Perspectives on U.S. Agricultural Trade” Sept. 13, 2018, focused on the Trump Administration’s trade agenda. The organizations are encouraged that Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow, as well as the members of the Administration who testified today, recognize the challenges farmers face in weathering today’s unique trade policy environment. 

“We commend the leadership for holding this hearing and we were glad to hear the Administration witnesses acknowledge there is legitimate anxiety in farm country about the impact of retaliatory tariffs on our products,” said Jimmie Musick, NAWG President and a wheat grower from Sentinel, Okla. “We see opportunity for our members from the strong resistance to China’s unfair trade policies. We also recognize the risk to farm income continues to grow the longer this confrontation with China continues and we call on the Administration to do all it can to resolve the dispute as quickly as possible. Finally, we’re grateful to Ambassador Doud for making the grain grading disparity with Canada a top priority in NAFTA.”

“In our successful partnership with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, state wheat commissions and U.S. Wheat Associates have worked for many decades to develop markets in China, Mexico, Japan, Europe and dozens of other countries,” said Chris Kolstad, USW Chairman and a wheat grower from Ledger, Mont. “Wheat growers depend on export markets to support wheat prices and we want the Administration to succeed in breaking down trade barriers. We’re also glad that Ambassador Doud and Under Secretary McKinney both noted the importance of negotiating new agreements that work for our farm families and for our overseas customers.” 

NAWG and USW look forward to final approval of the renegotiated agreement with Mexico that maintains duty free access to its crucial wheat market. The organizations are also encouraging the Administration to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership or quickly negotiate a trade agreement with Japan that keeps U.S. wheat on equal footing with competing supplies from Canada and Australia.



Farm, Ethanol Groups Urge President Trump to Restore Integrity to RFS, Allow Year-Round E15 Sales

In a letter to President Trump today, the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, National Sorghum Producers, American Coalition for Ethanol, Growth Energy, and Renewable Fuels Association urged the administration to act immediately to restore the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and allow year-round sales of E15 and other mid-level ethanol blends. The groups also expressed concern that any benefit from year-round E15 sales and proper implementation of the RFS could be nullified if refiners are given further regulatory bailouts that undercut the spirit and intent of the law.

The letter follows comments made by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Aug. 29 that an announcement on the RFS and E15 would be coming soon. “With ethanol prices hitting a 13-year low and net farm income plummeting to half of the record $123 billion achieved in 2013, such an announcement could not come at a more critical juncture for rural America,” the groups wrote.

“Mr. President, the circumstances have changed since you first began considering these issues, and biofuel producers and farmers are suffering. Thousands of biofuel manufacturing and farming jobs in America’s Heartland are now at risk due to the EPA’s recent mismanagement of the RFS and inexplicable delay in removing the de facto summertime ban on E15,” according to the letter.

The letter notes that ethanol prices, RIN credit prices, and ethanol profit margins are falling, as small refiner exemptions issued by EPA have reduced ethanol demand and inflated stocks.

“The situation is even more dire in the grain markets, where prices received by farmers are sagging below the cost of production. With a near-record corn crop expected this fall and tariffs putting a damper on trade opportunities, farmers desperately need expanded access to markets and new sources of demand,” the groups explained.

“Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt already gave refiners far more than their end of a deal in the form of 2.25 billion gallons of biofuels demand destruction, and they are reaping the rewards of that windfall today,” the letter continued. “Now, with the corn and ethanol industries hurting, it’s rural America’s turn to get its end of the deal.”



Family Farm Champions Urge Farm Bill Passage, Trade Support to Help Farmers Weather Growing Financial Crisis

As family farmers and ranchers endure a growing financial crisis in the farm economy, a handful of congressional champions for family agriculture joined the National Farmers Union (NFU) Fly-In today in emphasizing the critical need for passage of the 2018 farm bill and significant long-term support for farmers amidst an escalating trade war.

“There’s a crisis in the making for many North Dakota farmers, and they deserve better than being treated like collateral damage in the administration's trade war,” said U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota at the NFU Fly-In. “Amid ongoing trade uncertainty, farmers and ranchers need a strong, bipartisan bill that protects crop insurance, gives growers much-needed predictability, and expands— not shrinks— their access to global markets.”

Net farm income has plummeted by nearly 50 percent over the past five years, leaving a majority of family farmers earning negative farm income, many of them in severe financial strain, and even more without the opportunity to farm again next year. On top of low farm income, the administration’s trade war with the world has further depressed commodity prices and caused long-term damage to vital trade markets for U.S. farm products.

“Colorado farmers and ranchers want to compete and grow in local and global markets—not be stifled by erratic policy from Washington,” explained U.S. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado. "In light of low commodity prices and persistent drought, we worked hard in the Senate to pass a bipartisan Farm Bill with a reliable farm safety net and fully funded conservation programs. Instead of acting responsibly, this Administration’s trade war is inflicting long-term damage on our agricultural economy. This damage—and continued market uncertainty—make it all the more pressing to send a bipartisan Farm Bill to the President’s desk. "

U.S. Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota said Congress must pass the 2018 Farm Bill ahead of the September 30 expiration of the current farm bill.

“The farm economy in Minnesota and across the country has been hit hard by years of low prices and now is dealing with harmful trade disruptions,” said Sen. Smith. “Our producers need a Farm Bill that will get them through the current hard times and provide them with the certainty they need to plan their operations into the future. The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan Farm Bill with a strong safety net and policies that will enhance the farm economy in Minnesota and across the country. Now we need to get it over the finish line and signed into law.”

Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Charles Grassley of Iowa, and John Hoeven of North Dakota, and Reps. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts and Chellie Pingree of Maine also spoke to the importance of congressional action on behalf of family farmers.

Three hundred and fifty Farmers Union members made the trip to Washington, D.C., this week to push for passage of a farm bill that supports family agriculture, strong protections from international trade market disruptions, and expansion of the American grown biofuel market. The group will spend the next two days visiting all 535 congressional offices to deliver their personal stories as to how federal level policies impact their families and communities.

“Family farmers and ranchers are in the midst of the worst decline in the farm economy in decades, and they want to see action from their federal representatives,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “It is critical right now for family farm agriculture to have the support of Congress and the administration. And that support can come through immediate passage of the farm bill and movement on a long-term, legislative solution that protects family farmers from the significant damage occurring to our trade markets.”



Strategie Grains Cuts European Grain Forecast for 2018-2019

Strategie Grains on Thursday cut its estimate for 2018-2019 European grain production in its latest forecast update for the season.

The crop consultant decreased its monthly forecast for the crop year by 4.9 million metric tons to 277.9 million tons from 282.8 million tons in August, a contraction of about 1.7%.

Strategie slashed its corn production forecast by 2.9 million tons to 58.4 million tons, citing sharp drops in expected production from France, Germany and the Netherlands, among others.

The grain consultancy cut its soft wheat and barley production forecasts by 0.9 million tons to 126.8 million tons and by 0.5 million tons to 56.6 million tons, respectively.

Strategie left its durum-wheat production forecast unchanged at 8.2 million tons.

By early July, "harvesting had been significantly slowed by rain in southeast Europe, where a substantial portion of the harvest has suffered qualitative damage," Strategie's report said.

"The ear cereal harvests finished exceptionally early across Europe this year, with harvesting completed in all EU countries by the end of August. The yield levels we estimated last month are maintained for the most part in most EU countries but are even lower than previously estimated in Scandinavia, the Baltic States, Slovakia and Poland," Strategie said in its report.

"Yield potentials have deteriorated significantly again in France, Germany, Poland and central Europe, due this summer's hot, dry weather. These unfavorable conditions will ultimately take a heavy toll on the EU's grain maize harvests," the consultancy said, explaining the cut to its corn production forecast.



Center for Food Safety Launches EndIndustrialMeat.org to Reduce Climate Change and Transform the U.S. Food System

Today, Center for Food Safety (CFS) launched a groundbreaking new report and website to address the environmental, social, health, and economic consequences of factory farmed meat. The U.S. produces nearly 100 billion pounds of beef, pork, chicken, and turkey each year, the vast majority of which comes from animals raised in intensive factories. By opting out of industrial meat, consumers can choose a more eco-friendly diet which emits fewer greenhouse gases, sequesters carbon in soils, protects our rapidly dwindling pollinator populations, and conserves natural resources like water and trees. EndIndustrialMeat.org highlights how reducing overall consumption of meat and poultry proteins; sourcing certified humane, organic, and pasture-raised meats; and increasing portions of plant-based proteins in consumers’ diets can play a critical role in stopping and reversing climate change.

Food animal production is responsible for 18 percent of global greenhouse gas production and 7 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. In creating these new resources, CFS aims to disrupt the dominance of factory farmed meat by connecting consumers with humane, eco-friendly meat producers and by encouraging them to add more plant-based sources of protein to their diets. With sections including “Ten Reasons to Opt Out,” and “How to Opt Out of Industrial Meat,” EndIndustrialMeat.org outlines the “why’s” and “how’s” of keeping factory-raised meat and poultry off your plate. As 37 percent of methane emissions come from grain-fed animals, the site also has a section profiling farmers and ranchers that are producing sustainably and humanely raised meats from grass-fed animals.

“More than 95 percent of food animals are raised in a factory, so unless you’re actively sourcing alternatives, odds are extremely high that the meat and poultry you’re eating came from a CAFO,” said Cameron Harsh, organic and animal programs director at Center for Food Safety. “EndIndustrialMeat.org helps consumers find meat from humane, ecological farmers and offers several strategies to incorporate those food choices into any lifestyle.”

Industrial beef systems produce 250 times more greenhouse gas emissions than legumes, so EndIndustrialMeat.org urges consumers to pledge to replace half the meat they used to eat with plant proteins such as beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, nuts, seeds, and quinoa in addition to smaller amounts of humane, sustainably-produced meat. This strategy helps to keep food budgets balanced by offsetting the higher price of sustainably-produced meat with increased consumption of plant-based proteins that tend to be lower in cost than even conventionally-raised meats.

Industrial meat and poultry production have significant costs despite their lower prices, including detrimental impacts on personal health, natural resources, wildlife, animals, climate, the economy, community health, farmers, and food workers. Conventionally raised meat consumption increases the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria on meats and in the environment; leads to a higher rate of trauma-related injuries for workers; tortures animals by raising them in cruel, painful environments; and emits toxic air pollutants. Animal factory operators rely on intensive production of soy and grains like corn to feed confined livestock, which consumes large amounts of fossil fuel and depletes soils. The synthetic fertilizers used for livestock feed crops contribute 65 percent of nitrous oxide and 30 million tons of ammonia annually. Monocultures of corn and soybeans also hinder soil’s ability to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, which could otherwise capture 5-15 percent of the yearly global fossil fuel emissions.

Conversely, if everyone in the U.S. went without meat for even a single day, it would prevent 1.2 million tons of carbon dioxide from being emitted through greenhouse gases—the same amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted by France.

For years, CFS has advocated for policies that establish baseline standards for food safety, animal welfare, and waste management and has employed legal, grassroots, and policy strategies to hold producers for failing to meet those standards. EndIndustrialMeat.org aims to build on this work by supporting the growth of alternative producers that meet a high bar of welfare and environmental stewardship. The website also features CFS’ online petitions which make it easy for consumers to write companies and regulatory agencies to support more eco-friendly, equitable food production practices and policies.



Hesston Introduces RazorEdge 1300 Series Pull-Type Disc Mower Conditioners

AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO), a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, unveiled the Hesston by Massey Ferguson® RazorEdgeTM 1300 Series pull-type disc mower conditioners during Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Neb., Sept. 11-13, 2018. The RazorEdge 1300 Series are heavy-duty, with a fully welded frame for unmatched reliability and maximum efficiency even in the toughest hay-cutting conditions. The unique RazorEdge cutterbar ensures a smooth, clean cut, and the hydraulically tensioned conditioner system reduces drying time to optimize crop quality.

“Everything about this rugged, high-capacity mower conditioner series is designed to give operators reliable, trouble-free hay cutting performance,” says Matt LeCroy, AGCO tactical marketing manager for hay and forages.

The new RazorEdge™ 1300 Series pull-type disc mower conditioners replace the previous RazorBar™ models and include four choices to fit producers’ needs:
    MF1373, a 9 ft 10-inch (2.9m) side-pull model
    MF1376, a 9 ft 10-inch (2.9m) center-pivot model
    MF1393, a 13 ft (3.9m) center-pivot model
    MF1395, the largest at 16 ft. (4.9m), is a center-pivot model

Each of the new RazorEdge 1300 Series mower conditioners is equipped with the RazorEdge cutterbar, which has a spur gear design to provide a thin profile and close cutting without tilting the header to minimize scalping, limiting dirt and debris in the crop to optimize feed value. Scrapers on the cutterbar also help keep the cutterbar clean by sweeping mud and debris off. The cutterbar also has a modular design so each gear assembly and adjacent idler gear can be individually removed without disassembly of the entire cutterbar. Counter-rotating discs provide improved cut quality while minimizing crop streaking.

The heavy-duty, cast iron gearbox is a standard feature on Hesston by Massey Ferguson rotary heads, designed to handle tough conditions and provide long life for these mower conditioners.

Exclusive Radura knives for better forage quality
Each RazorEdge mower conditioner comes factory-equipped with 18-degree “high lift” bottom-bevel Radura™ knives. These sharp, durable knives are created with a special cold-rolled process for a wear-resistant edge that maintains its sharpness longer than ground-edge knives. Other knife options also are available through AGCO Parts to match various crop and field conditions.

To minimize downtime, an optional quick-change knife system and the handy, new quick-change tool make fast work of replacing cutterbar knives.   

Conditioning systems to match crop and operating conditions
The RazorEdge mower conditioners crimp the crop every 3 to 4 inches with a single set of steel-on-steel conditioner rolls. This crimping action breaks open the stem for faster drying while preserving leaf quality. Plus, the herringbone tread design feeds and conditions material more evenly for improved windrow formation helping optimize crop quality, protein levels and palatability.

In addition to the standard steel-on-steel conditioner rollers, operators may choose rubber-on-rubber conditioner rolls on models 1373 and 1376 and rubber-on-steel conditioner rollers for models 1393 and 1395. The rubber-on-steel conditioner rolls are fully engaged with a rubber top roll and steel bottom roll to crimp plant stems along their entire length so stems dry at the same speed.

Models 1393 and 1395 use the industry-exclusive hydraulic roll conditioning tension system while models 1373 and 1376 use a spring tensioner to deliver consistent roll pressure. The 1373 and 1376 are also available with a tine conditioner or may be ordered without a conditioner.