Monday September 10 Ag News

USDA September 10 Crop Progress Report Delayed

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is delaying today’s Crop Progress Report due to technical issues until tomorrow, September 11, at 12 p.m. ET.

Please visit our website for more information or historic releases: http://www.nass.usda.gov/ne/ .



NDA AT HUSKER HARVEST DAYS LINCOLN

Staff with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) will once again be on hand at Husker Harvest Days to answer questions and share information about programs that affect farmers and ranchers. Husker Harvest Days is Sept. 11-13 near Grand Island. NDA staff will have information on livestock development and animal health, farm mediation and negotiations, the NextGen Beginning Farmer program, pests and pesticide management, and noxious weed control.

“Husker Harvest Days is a long-standing tradition in Nebraska,” said NDA Director Wellman. “This great event gives people the opportunity to expand their knowledge of Nebraska’s number one industry as well as the role of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.”

Here are more details about the NDA programs featured at Husker Harvest Days and where staff will be located throughout the event.
•Farmer mediation, negotiations and NextGen Beginning Farmer program: Look for NDA staff in the Nebraska Farmer Hospitality Tent located at Main and Central;
•Animal health: NDA’s Animal Health Protection programs will be represented in the Livestock Industries Building in the northwest corner;
•Entomology/Plant health: Entomology program staff will be in the Nebraska Association of Natural Resources Districts building (lot 39E, southeast side);
•Pesticide/fertilizer management: NDA staff from the Pesticide/Fertilizer program will be in the Nebraska Farmer Hospitality Tent (at the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue);
•Noxious weed control: Staff from NDA’s Noxious Weed program will be at the Nebraska Weed Control Association Tent (lot 116, northeast part of the grounds); and
•Livestock growth and development: Staff from Ag Promotion & Development will be in the Nebraska Commodities Building (lot 10 at the east end of Main Street) talking about the benefits of livestock growth.

In Nebraska, 48 out of the state’s 93 counties have been designated as Livestock Friendly Counties (LFC). NDA administers Nebraska’s Livestock Friendly County program. Postcards with messages in support of livestock growth will be available for people to sign. The postcards are to show Nebraskans’ support for responsible animal agriculture expansion.



Estimating Nitrogen Credit from Manure
Rick Koelsch - UNL Livestock Environmental Engineer

Manure is a valuable source of nutrients offering agronomic and soil health value. Most manure nutrients (e.g., phosphorus) can be managed successfully with traditional soil analysis. However, nitrogen in manure requires some simple advance planning to insure that it is given proper credit for offsetting commercial fertilizer inputs.

Soil Samples Don’t Credit Manure N
Manure nitrogen comes in two forms, ammonium-N (or NH4+-N) originating from urine and organic-N originating from the feces. Soil samples typically only measure nitrate-N (NO3--N) although ammonium-N can be requested. Ammonium-N from manure will convert to nitrate-N in the spring as soils warm.  Organic-N from manure is a slow release nitrogen that converts to crop available-N through the warmer summer months of the growing season. A late fall soil sample will completely miss any manure nitrogen and a spring soil test may only partially credit manure’s ammonium-N and not credit any of the organic-N.

Read More of this article, including sections on calculating crop-available nitrogen from manure, additional considerations for Manure-N, and more on Water.unl.edu.... Direct link to the article is... https://water.unl.edu/article/animal-manure-management/estimating-nitrogen-credit-manure. 

Take Home Message
Don’t rely on your soil sampling program to credit nitrogen applied as manure.



COMBINE CORN EARLY TO GET SOME STALKS
Bruce Anderson, NE Exension Forage Specialist

               Corn may soon be dry enough to combine in many areas.  Maybe it would be wise to harvest some corn early to get some stalks.

               Most of us soon will have only a little pasture left.  But your cows will still be out there trying to get what little they can.  You know the cows and calves can’t be doing very well unless you also are feeding them, but what also is this grazing doing to your pasture?

               Pastures put up with a lot of stress during grazing.  As we approach winter, these plants need time to recover and to winterize.  Even if they have received plenty of rain this year and are growing well, severe grazing now will weaken plants as they go into winter.  Next spring they will green-up later, early growth will be slow, and they'll compete poorly with weeds.

               Maybe the best way to get some rest for these pastures is to harvest some corn a little early and then move the cows to stalks.  Early stalks usually have more protein and energy than late stalks so they can put some condition on your cows while also relieving your pastures.  This also lets your pastures grow and accumulate more forage without the stress of grazing.  After the growing season is completely over you can graze any remaining forage on your pastures without causing much stress.

               Since you need a little time to set up fences and water tanks on stalk fields anyway, maybe you should start corn harvest a little early this year.  It might lessen the hectic pace you often feel later when you want to spend time in the combine harvesting crops as well as setting up stalk grazing.

               Moving to stalks early is good for both your animals and your pastures.  If you can work it out, take the time to make the change.

WHEN TO ROTATE ALFALFA
               How do you decide when one alfalfa field has run out of steam and a new one needs to be planted?  Here are some things to look for.

               When should you rotate to a new field of alfalfa?  One obvious answer is when the stand gets too thin.  Okay, then, what is too thin?  One guideline I use is density of alfalfa shoots and plants.  Older, dryland fields should have 25 or more shoots coming from 2 or more plants per square foot to be worth saving.  Irrigated fields need 40 shoots from 3 or more plants.  If your stand is thinner than these guidelines, look for somewhere to start a new field next spring.

               Also look at weed density.  Are your fields getting weedier each year?  Are many of the problems perennial plants like bluegrass, dock, or dandelions?  If so, your alfalfa stand may lack the vigor or density needed to compete.  A new field should be considered.

               Alfalfa stands, though, sometimes last a long time.  But just because your stand is thick and weeds aren’t a problem doesn’t mean you should keep the field another year.

               This is especially true for many older dryland fields.  Once dryland fields exhaust all available subsoil moisture, yields drop even though stands may remain thick.  In these fields, yield is limited to only what annual rainfall can support.  Many dryland fields reach this stage after four or five years.  Rotating to a new field can provide a fresh source of deep subsoil moisture.

               And don’t forget that the crop that follows alfalfa will get some free nitrogen as well as a rotation-based yield boost.  Rotating alfalfa through your fields just a little more frequently will give you this boost more often.

               Think about these factors as you decide whether or not to start new alfalfa next year.



Iowa Corn Provides Farmers Insights at Pre-Harvest Crop Fair in Dunlap

In the tradition of providing farmers the latest industry insights, the Harrison/Crawford Corn Growers along with the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPB) will host a pre-harvest crop fair in Dunlap, Iowa on Tuesday, September 18 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Gold Slipper.

“The crop fairs give Iowa corn farmers access to information they might not get elsewhere,” explained Larry Buss, an ICPB director and farmer from Logan who chairs the Iowa Corn Grassroots Network, Membership & Checkoff (GNMC) Committee. “Crop fairs are customized to include topics that fit each region of the state, with opportunities for farmer-to-farmer learning and a chance to interact with subject area experts on a variety of topics including legislative policy, water quality, market development, and risk management.”

The event will open with a social at 5:00 p.m. and the meal will begin at 5:30 p.m.

5:30 p.m. - Buffet Meal

6:15 p.m. - Harrison County Pilot Project; Part of the Iowa Pest Resistance Management Plan - Larry Buss, Pilot Project Leader - Jason Sporrer, Agriland FS - Brent Wiersma, BASF

6:30 p.m. - Harvest Conditions - Greg Reisz, E4 Crop Intelligence

6:45 p.m. - Grain Bin Safety - Mike Wollner, Safety with Help

7:00 p.m. - 2018/2019 Market Outlook: The Good, The Bad & The Mildly Amusing - Chad Hart, ISU Extension Economist

7:30 p.m. - What Happened in 2018? What is Next? - Elwynn Taylor, ISU Extension Climatologist

R.S.V.P. to Janelle Kracht at 515-229-9980, jkracht@iowacorn.org or Colleen with Cogdill Farm Supply at 800-235-5360.

“Through the power of your membership, we are able to advocate at both the state and federal level for issues which directly impact your bottom-line. If you aren’t a member, I encourage you to join us today to have your seat at the table and get engaged on issues impacting your farm,” said GNMC committee Vice Chair Roger Wuthrich, an ICGA director and a farmer from Bloomfield.

Crop fair sponsors include Cogdill Farm Supply, Inc., the Harrison/Crawford Corn Growers Association, Iowa Corn Growers Association and the Iowa Corn Promotion Board.



Webinar to Highlight the Benefits of Conservation Planning

Iowa Learning Farms will host a webinar that will highlight the benefits of Conservation Planning for farmers and landowners on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 12 p.m.

Conservation Planning provides many benefits to the farmer operator, landowner and society through the identification of resource concerns and opportunities to implement practices like no-tillage, cover crops, waterways, saturated buffers, wildlife habitat and more. Kevin Kuhn, NRCS Resource Conservationist serving on the Ecological Services State Staff, has 30 years of experience working for NRCS assisting landowners with conservation on their farms. He will discuss how conservation planning optimizes the use of conservation practices, saves time and money, and improves water and soil quality.

“Conservation planning is about putting the right conservation system in place that meets the objectives of the landowner, the resource concerns of the specific tract of land, and minimizes offsite resource concerns,” said Kuhn. “Conservation planning is time well spent.”

The Iowa Learning Farms webinar series takes place on the third Wednesday of the month. To watch, go to www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars and click the link to join the webinar shortly before 12 p.m. on Sept. 19 to download the Zoom software and log in option. The webinar will be recorded and archived on the ILF website for watching at any time at https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars.



REDUCTION IN CROP INSURANCE PREMIUMS AVAILABLE FOR FARMERS USING COVER CROPS THIS FALL

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today encouraged farmers using cover crops and not receiving state or federal cost share to consider participating in a state program that provides a $5 per acre premium reduction on crop insurance. Farmers who plant cover crops this fall may be eligible for the reduction on their crop insurance in 2019.

This is the second year of the program that is aimed at increasing acres of cover crops in the state. More than 700 farmers used cover crops on nearly 170,000 acres last fall in the inaugural year of the demonstration project.

“It’s great to see the level of interest in this new and innovative program, both by farmers here in Iowa and by other states interested in using it as a model. We see this incentive as way to scale up cover crop adoption by reaching a broader group of farmers and landowners,” Naig said.

Program information and the online sign-up and application process for farmers and landowners to certify eligible land for the program can be found at https://www.cleanwateriowa.org/covercropdemo.

In an effort to streamline the sign-up process, IDALS is in the process of developing a new, online sign-up format. At this time, sign-up is currently not open, but interested participants can get more background on the program and to help plan their cover crop seeding this fall. Farmers are encouraged to wait to apply until their cover crop seeding has been completed.

Applications will be taken until January 15, 2019. Cover crop acres currently enrolled in state and/or federal programs are not eligible for this program.

“We recently announced that the popular statewide cost share program that provides assistance to farmers using cover crops is closed and this crop insurance incentive program offers another option for growers that were limited in acres or were not able to receive funding through that program,” Naig said.

The premium reduction will be available for fall-planted cover crops with a spring-planted cash crop. Some policies may be excluded, such as Whole-Farm Revenue Protection or those covered through written agreements. Participating farmers must follow all existing good farming practices required by their policy and work with their insurance agent to maintain eligibility.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) worked with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA), who oversees the federal crop insurance program, to establish the three year demonstration project.

Crop insurance is an integral part of the farm safety net that helps farmers manage the risks associated with growing a crop and provides protection for farmers impacted by severe weather and challenging growing conditions. Cover crops can help prevent erosion and improve water quality and soil health, among other benefits.



Iowa Corn Growers Association PAC Announces Candidate Endorsements

The Iowa Corn Growers Association’s (ICGA) Political Action Committee (PAC) today endorsed 74 candidates for the 2018 election cycle. Established with the bipartisan support of Iowa’s corn farmers more than a decade ago, the ICGA PAC ensures members have a voice and a seat at the table on issues impacting Iowa’s farmers.

“Having a Political Action Committee is an important and necessary tool in the political process,” said Iowa Corn Growers Association PAC Chair Bob Hemesath, a farmer from Decorah. “Policy changes can make or break our farm businesses. The ICGA PAC endorsements provide our members with another way to educate and influence policy decisions made at the state and federal level. The voluntary ICGA PAC is an essential tool to support political leaders who have demonstrated their support for Iowa Corn Growers Association’s policy priorities.”

The ICGA PAC Committee is bipartisan and includes farmer-members appointed by the ICGA President. They objectively evaluate all candidates regardless of their party affiliation, on ICGA policy only. The PAC Committee reviews candidate responses to an ICGA issue survey and their voting record on ICGA’s policy priorities, such as conservation and water quality funding, ethanol, farm bill, taxes, trade, transportation, research, and value-added agriculture, including livestock.

The success of ICGA's legislative policy efforts hinges on a bipartisan approach to achieving its policy objectives, bringing both sides together for the best interest of Iowa's corn farmers. The priorities of ICGA serve as the only criteria the PAC uses to make candidate endorsements. The committee is recognized and respected for its bipartisan approach to achieving the policy objectives of Iowa corn growers by supporting lawmakers who work to implement ICGA member priorities.

Endorsements for the 2018 federal election cycle include the following (in alphabetical order):

U.S. House of Representatives - Rod Blum, Steve King, Dave Loebsack, David Young

Iowa Governor - Kim Reynolds

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture - Mike Naig

Iowa Senate - Rick Bertrand, Joe Bolkcom, Tod Bowman, Jim Carlin, William A. Dotzler Jr., Robert Hogg, Kevin Kinney, Tim Kraayenbrink, Jim Lykam, Zach Nunn, Amanda Ragan, Jason Schultz, Tom Shipley, Roby Smith, Annette Sweeney, Jack Whitver

Iowa House of Representatives - Rob Bacon, Terry Baxter, Bruce Bearinger, Michael Bergan, Brian Best, Jane Bloomingdale, Jacob Bossman, Wes Breckenridge, Gary Carlson, Dennis M. Cohoon , Peter Cownie, Dave Deyoe, Cecil Dolecheck, Dean Fisher, John Forbes, Joel Fry, Tedd Gassman, Pat Grassley, Chris Hagenow, Chris Hall, Mary Ann Hanusa, Lee Hein, Ashley Hinson, Steven Holt, Dan Huseman, Jon Jacobsen, Dave Jacoby, Megan Jones, Bobby Kaufmann, David Kerr, Jared Klein, Kevin Koester, John Landon, Shannon Lundgren, Dave Maxwell, Andy McKean, Brian Meyer, Gary Mohr, Norlin Mommsen, Scott Ourth, Ross Paustian, Todd Prichard, Walt Rogers, Sandy Salmon, Mike Sexton, David Sieck, Mark Smith, Linda Upmeyer, John Wills, Matt Windschitl, Gary Worthan, Louie Zumbach

Funding for endorsements of candidates from the Iowa Corn Growers Association PAC comes only from voluntary PAC donations by ICGA members. Neither ICGA membership dues nor checkoff dollars are used for PAC contributions.



USDA and FDA Announce Joint Public Meeting on Use of Animal Cell Culture Technology to Develop Products Derived from Livestock and Poultry

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, DVM and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. today announced a joint public meeting to be held on Oct. 23-24, 2018 to discuss the use of cell culture technology to develop products derived from livestock and poultry.

The joint public meeting, hosted by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the FDA, will focus on the potential hazards, oversight considerations, and labeling of cell cultured food products derived from livestock and poultry.

“This is an important opportunity to hear from the agricultural industry and consumers as we consider the regulatory framework for these new products,” said Secretary Perdue. “American farmers and ranchers feed the world, but as technology advances, we must consider how to inspect and regulate to ensure food safety, regardless of the production method.”

“The FDA knows just how vital it is to ensure the safety of our nation’s food supply and the critical role science-based, modern regulatory frameworks are to fostering innovation. Recent advances in animal cell cultured food products present many important and timely technical and regulatory considerations for the FDA and our partners at USDA,” said Commissioner Gottlieb. “We look forward to the opportunity to hold a meeting with our USDA colleagues as part of an open public dialogue regarding these products.”

The first day of the meeting will focus primarily on the potential hazards that need to be controlled for the safe production of animal cell cultured food products and oversight considerations by regulatory agencies. The second day of the meeting will focus on labeling considerations.

Representatives of industry, consumer groups and other stakeholders are invited to participate in the meeting. Attendees are encouraged to pre-register to attend the meeting. Pre-registration is available at the Meetings and Events page on the FSIS website. The meeting will be held on Oct. 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Oct. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Jefferson Auditorium in the U.S. Department of Agriculture South Building, 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC, 20250.

Anyone who wishes to submit written comments prior to the public meeting or after the meeting may do so by submitting comments on regulations.gov by Nov. 26, 2018. Comments previously submitted to FDA in regard to the July 12, 2018 public meeting will also be considered.

For further information on the joint public meeting and to register to attend the meeting, please visit the Meetings and Events page on the FSIS website. Attendance is free.



NCBA Encouraged by USDA Involvement in Lab-Grown Fake Meat Public Meeting

Today Danielle Beck, Director of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, released the following statement in response to the announcement of a joint public meeting between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the use of animal cell culture technology:

“Consumers depend on a regulatory system that ensures their food is safe and accurately labeled. That is why it is encouraging to finally see USDA involvement on the issue of regulating lab-grown fake meat. USDA’s stringent food safety inspection processes and robust labeling protections make the agency the best choice for leading oversight of these new products. NCBA looks forward to participating in the public meeting and will continue to advocate for USDA’s primary oversight role.”



CWT-Assisted 2018 Sales Top 1 Billion Pounds of Milk

In a major milestone for the farmer-managed export assistance program, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has helped its member dairy cooperatives export over 1 billion pounds worth of milk so far in 2018. That sum represents 50 percent of the overall rise in U.S. milk production through August of this year.

“This is a huge milestone, not just for the members of CWT, but also for the wider U.S. dairy industry,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “CWT’s success at ensuring nutritious dairy products reach customers all over the world demonstrates the importance of dairy cooperatives coming together to build a better economic future for our dairy community.”

Founded in 2002, CWT is a voluntary membership program funded by contributions from NMPF’s member cooperatives and more than 100 individual farmers. The funds raised from the CWT membership fee of $0.04/cwt. help maintain U.S. exports in an increasingly competitive world market.

Mulhern noted that “with milk production rising around the world, as well as in the United States, CWT helps maintain and build market share for our products as we tap into growing consumer demand across the globe for made-in-America dairy products.”

In August, CWT helped its member cooperatives to secure 48 contracts to sell 3.229 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 877,440 pounds of butter and 14.76 million pounds of whole milk powder to customers in Asia, Central America, the Middle East, North Africa, Oceania and South America. The product will be shipped to buyers in 11 countries in four regions of the world during the months of August 2018 through March 2019.

These contracts bring the 2018 total of CWT-assisted product sales to 46.68 million pounds of cheese, 12.96 million pounds of butter, and 41.44 million pounds of whole milk powder. These transactions will help CWT’s members sell a total of 1.043 billion pounds of milk, on a milkfat basis.



Last chance for college students to enter 10th annual agriculture scholarship competition

The Animal Agriculture Alliance launched its 10th annual College Aggies Online scholarship competition today in which students will compete for more than $25,000 in scholarships while advocating for agriculture. Undergraduate students, graduate students and collegiate clubs can sign up through September 21 at https://collegeaggies.animalagalliance.org.

Students are guaranteed to become more confident communicators as they learn the fundamentals of agriculture communication from industry mentors throughout the nine-week competition. Students and collegiate clubs invite their peers to have a conversation about agriculture both online and in person while learning the dos and don’ts of social media and how to host a successful event, such as a farm tour, school visit and campus booth.

Each week CAO mentors will offer their advice and expertise. This year’s mentors include:
    Amber Pankonin, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Stirlist.com
    Anna Leigh Peek, communications specialist, U.S. Poultry and Egg Association
    Casey Kinler, communications manager, Animal Agriculture Alliance
    Charmayne Hefley, social media specialist, Pilgrim’s Pride
    Chloe Carson, manager of digital communications, National Pork Producers Council
    Codi Coulter, communications coordinator, American Feed Industry Association
    Don Schindler, senior vice president of digital innovations, Dairy Management Inc.
    Tim Hammerich, agribusiness recruiter and founder, Ag Grad, LLC
    Wanda Patsche, farmer and blogger, Minnesota Farm Living

Since 2009, the Alliance has awarded more than $85,000 in scholarships. “This is a tremendous opportunity for college students to expand their portfolios and skillsets,” said Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president and CEO. “We are eager to support future agriculture leaders as they learn the ropes about communicating effectively online and in person.”

CAO would not be possible without the generous support of our 2018 program sponsors including: Dairy Management Inc., Seaboard Foundation, National Pork Industry Foundation, Cooper Family Foundation, Diamond V, Bayer, National Corn Growers Association, National Pork Board, Alltech, Vivayic, Ohio Poultry Association, Domino’s Pizza Inc., National Chicken Council and Pennsylvania Beef Council.



American Soybean Association Seeks Candidates for Soy Scholarship

The American Soybean Association (ASA) wants to give a scholarship to a high school senior interested in pursuing agriculture.

The Soy Scholarship is a $5,000 one-time award presented to a high school senior who plans to pursue agriculture as an area of study at any accredited college or university in the 2019-20 academic year. The scholarship is managed by ASA and made possible through a grant by BASF Corporation. High school seniors may apply online Sept. 10-Nov. 19, 2018. 

“We are proud to partner with BASF in continued support of future agriculture leaders,” said ASA President John Heisdorffer. “ASA is happy to invest in the talented students pursuing careers in ag, and provide another tool to help them achieve their goals.”

ASA and BASF have rewarded students for their hard work and interest in agriculture since 2008.

“We are proud to partner with ASA in awarding the Soy Scholarship to help educate the best and brightest students who have a passion for agriculture,” said Scott Kay, BASF vice president, US Agricultural Solutions. “We rely on the commitment and skills that the next generation of agriculture professionals will bring in the future to further our goal of feeding a growing population.”

The scholarship is awarded in $2,500 increments (one per semester) for the 2019-20 school year. The student must maintain successful academic progress and be in good standing with the college or university to receive the full amount of the scholarship.

Final selection will be made in December during the ASA Board meeting. The student will be notified mid-December, with an official announcement made during Commodity Classic in Orlando, Feb. 28 – March 2, 2019.

In addition to the scholarship, BASF will provide the winner and one parent or guardian with a trip to attend Commodity Classic in Orlando, where they will receive special recognition at the BASF booth and the ASA Awards Banquet on Friday night of Commodity Classic.