Monday October 22 Ag News

Schools can now enroll in Nebraska Thursdays

October is National Farm to School month, and schools across the state are celebrating with Nebraska Thursdays, a new program open for enrollment, sponsored by Center for Rural Affairs and Nebraska Department of Education-Nutrition Services.

Participating schools serve a locally-sourced meal in their cafeterias on the first Thursday of each month.

“Sourcing Nebraska products encourages fresh, local and healthy meals in the school cafeteria, educates students about Nebraska agriculture, and boost our local economies,” said Sandra Renner, project associate at Center for Rural Affairs.

Funded by a USDA Farm to School grant, five schools across Nebraska participated in a Nebraska Thursdays pilot program during the 2017-2018 school year. Those schools were Omaha Public Schools, Litchfield Public School, Overton Public School, Thayer Central Community School, and Wayne Community Schools.

According to Sharon Davis, director of Nebraska Department of Education-Nutrition Services, the efforts of the five pilot schools impacted almost 42,000 students and resulted in thousands of food dollars staying in the Nebraska economy.

The pilot program also resulted in the creation of resources, promotional items, and an interactive recipe portal. These resources and more are available upon enrollment in the program. Sign up information and stories about each of the five pilot schools can be found at: education.ne.gov/nethursdays or cfra.org/f2s/NebraskaThursdays.

“Community members interested in starting a Nebraska Thursdays program, or farm and food businesses interested in supplying menu items, are encouraged to reach out to local school districts about this opportunity,” said Renner.

Additional support for Nebraska Thursdays comes from the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission, Midwest Dairy Council, and Nebraska Beef Council.



Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and Nebraska Extension Team Up to Host 2018 Traveling Road Show

Mark your calendars for the 2018 Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition (NGLC) –Nebraska Extension joint Traveling Road Show appearing at eight locations across Nebraska. This year’s speaker is Dr. Jason Rowntree, associate professor of Animal Science at Michigan State University. Jason is the faculty coordinator for Lake City and UPREC AgBioResearch and Extension Centers which is also the first academic farm to become an accredited hub for Holistic Management working with the Savory Institute.  He has obtained more than $2 million in funding to study how grazing livestock can improve land and mitigate climate change by capturing carbon and providing other ecosystem services. 

Presentation topics will include:
·    Changes from a conventional cow-calf research facility to a lower input grazing and grass finishing operation
·    Impacts of grazing management on the land
·    Impact of grass finishing strategies on cattle, forage and carcass performance
·    Changes in industry attitudes towards beef grass finishing
·    Future considerations and direction of grazing management and the market place

Cost $15 which covers the cost of the meal. NGLC will pick up the cost of all student registrations. Must preregister by November 9 to reserve a meal. Call the Extension office corresponding to your choice of location. Registrations will be taken until full.

Monday, November 12, 2018
  - 10 AM – 2 PM (Central time) Lifelong Learning Center, NE Community College, Norfolk, NE Contact Ben Beckman, Nebraska Extension in Cedar County 402-254-6821
  - 5 PM – 9 PM (Central time) Loup County Ag Society Community Center, Taylor, NE Contact Steve Niemeyer, Nebraska Extension in GLW Counties  308-346-4200

Tuesday, November 13, 2018
  - 10 AM – 2 PM (Central time) Cherry County 4-H Building, Valentine, NE Contact Jace Stott, Nebraska Extension in BKR and Cherry Counties 402-387-2213
  - 5 PM – 9 PM (Mountain time) Chadron State College, Student Center, Chadron, NE Contact Jack Arterburn, Nebraska Extension in Sioux, Box Butte, Dawes and Sheridan Counties 308-327-2312

Wednesday, November 14, 2018
  - 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM (Mountain time) Veterans Memorial Hall, Arthur, NE  Contact Randy Saner, Nebraska Extension in Keith County 308-284-6051 Nebraska Extension in Lincoln County 308-532-2683
  - 5 PM – 9 PM (Central time) Nebraska Ag Industry Education Center, NCTA, Curtis, NE Contact Kathy Burr, Nebraska Extension in Frontier County 308-367-4424 or 888-367-4424

Thursday, November 15, 2018
  - 10 AM – 2 PM (Central time) Sutton Community Senior Center, Sutton, NE Contact Bradley Schick, Nebraska Extension in Clay County 402-762-3644
  - 5 PM – 9 PM (Central time) Great Plains Room, Nebraska East Union on UNL East Campus, Lincoln Contact UNL Center for Grasslands Studies 402-472-4101

For more information, contact Ron Bolze, Coordinator, NGLC, 402-321-0067 (cell) or ron@nebraskagrazinglands.org.



Sitzman Youth in Nebraska Agriculture $1,000 Scholarship to Be Awarded

College students enrolled as full-time undergraduate or graduate students at a fully accredited Nebraska college, university or technical college in an agriculture related degree program are encouraged to apply for the Larry E. Sitzman Youth in Nebraska Agriculture Scholarship.

The deadline to apply is November 10. Applications will be reviewed, and selection notifications will be sent by December 1. Students may apply for the scholarship online by visiting the youth tab on www.nepork.org.

The Larry E. Sitzman Youth in Nebraska Agriculture Scholarship is a $1,000 scholarship that will be awarded to one deserving applicant each year.

The scholarship is named for Larry E. Sitzman, who retired in 2016 as Executive Director of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association. Sitzman learned  patriotism, service to our country, and respect for our leaders  from his parents. While  in  high school, he heard John F. Kennedy’s inaugural  address, in which he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you,  ask what you can do for your country.” This address increased his desire to serve.

Agriculture has always been his passion. Throughout his life he has provided service in various forms and from different positions of leadership. Sitzman is known for sharing his voice defending perspectives and asking challenging questions. He served on many state and national agricultural boards before being named the Director of Agriculture for Nebraska in 1991.  Today, Sitzman serves as an active volunteer leader  at the Veterans Administration in Lincoln.

Academics, agriculture, military, and other forms of public service  have all improved in some measure due to the leadership, service, and voice of Larry E. Sitzman. Upon his retirement, the Nebraska Pork Producers Association established this scholarship in his honor.

Eligibility Requirements:
·    Must be currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student at a fully accredited Nebraska college, university or technical college in an agriculture related degree program
·    Must have at least one full year of study remaining toward a degree
·    Must have plans to work in the agriculture industry upon graduation

Selection will be based on qualities of leadership and participation in collegiate or extracurricular activities related to the agriculture industry.

Remember, the deadline for applications is November 10. Go to www.nepork.org  to apply online.
For more information, contact Kyla Habrock: kyla@nepork.org



Time to Pregnancy Check Cows
Steve Neimeyer – NE Extension Educator

Harvest is well underway which means the breeding season should be wrapping up soon for spring calving herds. If you have thought to yourself recently “When did we turn out the bulls?”, you might work on a very busy operation. The start and end of the breeding season needs to be put on the calendar just like other special events. By planning when to pull bulls, other tasks such as weaning and pregnancy checks can be planned.

Determine Breeding Season Length
The length of the breeding season is directly correlated to the length of the calving season. However, it seems that everyone is always ready for calving to be done, but never ready to pull the bulls. With proper herd management, nutrition and body condition, cows should be cycling within a month after calving. Therefore, when bulls are turned out to pasture, a majority of cows should be capable of conceiving at first service. According to CHAPS data (NDSU), 60% of cows should conceive during the first 21 days of the breeding season. So, the remaining 40% should be able to conceive during the next 21 days, right? Outside factors such as bull servicing ability and environment (heat, flies, pasture quality), can make meeting this benchmark difficult. One option that is often the best of both worlds, is to strive for a 60-day breeding season that should yield optimal pregnancy rates, while still resulting in a condensed calving season and uniform calf crop.

Pregnancy Detection
With the evolution of technology, there are several methods of pregnancy detection available for producers to choose. Rectal palpation has been utilized for decades, and still remains as a viable way for an experienced person to physically palpate the fetus and determine the gestation length (age of the fetus). This method is quick, requires no extra equipment and is a low cost option for producers. Palpation can be done starting at day 45 up to the last trimester. Another option available is transrectal ultrasonography. With this method, an ultrasound machine connected to a probe inserted in the rectum, either by hand or with a hands-free probe extender, allowing the fetus to be examined visually. Advantages of ultrasound include earlier determination of pregnancy (as early as 30 days), more accurate fetal age determination, sexing, presence of multiple fetuses, as well as visual inspection of other structures of the reproductive tract. Lastly, blood tests can detect pregnancy by measuring the amount of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) secreted by the placenta. Blood sample taken as early as day 28 and can be evaluated for these PAGs. The advantages of blood tests are they can be done early, and do not require skilled technicians. However, some disadvantages are that results are not immediate and cattle cannot be sorted immediately. Lastly, if the pregnancy is lost, PAGs will remain in the blood for an extended period of time, so false positives are possible and companies recommend re-checking the pregnancy again later in the season.

Open vs. Bred Cow Price
Bred cows are worth more than open cows, so why should the bulls be pulled? Leaving the bulls in year round can be a much less efficient program to manage. For example, preg-checking cows before removing bulls from the pasture can be difficult for the technician, since fetuses of all ages will be present. In addition, cows that may appear “open”, could be less than 30 days bred, and will have to be re-checked at a later date to be certain of her pregnancy status. At the same time, the fetuses in cows bred early in the season may be difficult to age since calves will be large and out of arms reach. If you forget to pull the bull or if a longer breeding season is required to increase pregnancy rates, for financial and management reasons, cows should be managed and sorted based on pregnancy distribution. Preg-checking cows and keeping all early bred cows can be one way accomplish this. Anything bred later than desired (after 45 or 60 days) could then be marketed to herds that calve later than yours do. Cows that come up open can be marketed either right after pregnancy check to eliminate further feed costs or feed a high energy ration to increase weight and condition before sale at a later date.

To-Do List
Take some time to calculate how long bulls have been out to pasture, and determine when they need to be pulled based on your marketing, weaning and cow herd goals. Determine the desired calving season length and dedicate yourself to selling later bred cows. Lengthening the breeding season doesn’t mean greater revenue, and can often be the exact opposite. By properly managing the breeding season and pregnancy checking cows, bred cows can be managed more efficiently throughout the winter months.




AGP Celebrates Co-op Month

Co-op Month is celebrated nationwide during the month of October in recognition of the many ways cooperatives create shared prosperity for their members. The theme of this year’s National Co-op Month is “Cooperatives See the Future.”

“We see a bright future for the local and regional cooperatives and their farmer-producers who own AGP,” said Keith Spackler, AGP Chief Executive Officer. “Together, we continue to forge ahead with investments in equipment, facilities, technology, and people to meet the challenges and realize the opportunities in U.S. agriculture today and tomorrow.”

For more than 100 years, cooperatives have played an integral role in the lives of farmers, the business of agriculture, and the economy of rural America. Today, agriculture cooperatives account for $246 billion (62 percent) of total U.S. agriculture sales of $395 billion, according to statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The majority of American farmers are members of the nearly 3,000 farmer-owned cooperatives.

“The past success of farmers-owned cooperatives gives us optimism for the future of the cooperative business model,” said Spackler. “We look forward to continuing our mission at AGP to serve local cooperatives and agricultural producers by the procurement, processing, and marketing of agricultural products.”



Prescribed Burning Workshop

When fire is planned and controlled properly, it can be a useful tool to manage unwanted plants and improve wildlife habitat. Learn how at the 2018 Nebraska Prescribed Fire Conference on Thursday, Dec. 6, in Kearney.

Are cedar trees increasingly noticeable in your pastures? Are brome, cheatgrass, and bluegrass overtaking your native warm-season grasses?  Does your CRP land seem bunchy and full of dead litter that’s smothering new growth?

These are just a few of the problems that a prescribed burn can help solve. The problem with using fire, though, is that you need to know how and when to use it as well as where the fire will go after you light it.  You also need to be able to put it out and keep it from burning something you don’t want to burn.

While wildfires can be destructive and deadly, under the right conditions and with proper planning and control, a prescribed burn can be beneficial.

But well-planned and controlled prescribed burns don’t just happen. It takes understanding of how fire reacts in certain weather conditions, with particular fuel loads, and on various types of topography.

You can begin to learn how to conduct a safe, legal, and effective prescribed burn at the 2018 Nebraska Prescribed Fire Conference Thursday, Dec. 6 in the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Kearney. The conference agenda and registration information is available online at www.nefirecouncil.org. 



NEBRASKA CHICKEN AND EGGS

All layers in Nebraska during September 2018 totaled 8.24 million, up from 7.75 million the previous year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Nebraska egg production during September totaled 206 million eggs, up from 188 million in 2017. September egg production per 100 layers was 2,502 eggs, compared to 2,418 eggs in 2017.

IOWA CHICKEN AND EGGS
Iowa egg production during September 2018 was 1.35 billion eggs, down 3 percent from last month but up 6 percent from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The average number of all layers on hand during September 2018 was 57.8 million, up slightly from last month and up 5 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for September were 2,343, down 3 percent from last month but up 1 percent from last year.

September U.S. Egg Production Up 4 Percent
United States egg production totaled 8.91 billion during September 2018, up 4 percent from last year. Production included 7.76 billion table eggs, and 1.15 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.07 billion were broiler-type and 85.5 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during September 2018 totaled 386 million, up 3 percent from last year. September egg production per 100 layers was 2,309 eggs, up 1 percent from September 2017.
                                   
All layers in the United States on October 1, 2018 totaled 386 million, up 2 percent from last year. The 386 million layers consisted of 325 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 57.3 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.47 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on October 1, 2018, averaged 76.8 eggs per 100 layers, up 1 percent from October 1, 2017.

Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 16 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during September 2018 totaled 49.6 million, up 16 percent from September 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 51.7 million on October 1, 2018, up 11 percent from a year ago.

Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 188 thousand during September 2018, down 1 percent from September 2017.

Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Down Slightly
Broiler-type chicks hatched during September 2018 totaled 787 million, down slightly from September 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 649 million on October 1, 2018, down slightly from a year ago.

Leading breeders placed 8.33 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during September 2018, up 1 percent from September 2017.



How Freezing Temperatures Affect Forages
Bruce Anderson - NE Extension Forage Specialist

When plants freeze, changes occur in their metabolism and composition that can poison grazing livestock if not properly managed.

Sorghum-related plants like cane, sudangrass, shattercane, and milo can be highly toxic for a few days after frost. Freezing breaks plant cell membranes. This breakage allows the chemicals that form prussic acid, which is also called cyanide, to mix together and rapidly release this poisonous compound. Livestock eating recently frozen sorghums can get a sudden, high dose of prussic acid that can be lethal. Fortunately, prussic acid soon turns into a gas and disappears into the air. Delay grazing sorghum for three to five days after a freeze to reduce the risk of poisoining.

Freezing also slows metabolism in all plants. This stress can allow nitrates to accumulate in plants that are still growing, especially grasses like oats, millet, and sudangrass. This build-up usually isn't hazardous to grazing animals, but green chop or hay cut right after a freeze can be more dangerous.

Alfalfa reacts two ways to a hard freeze — one close to 20°F and cold enough to cause plants to wilt.  It can cause nitrate levels to increase, but rarely to hazardous levels. Freezing also makes alfalfa more likely to cause bloat for a few days after the frost. Then, several days later, after plants begin to wilt or grow again, alfalfa becomes less likely to cause bloat. Waiting to graze alfalfa until well after a hard freeze is a good, safe management practice.

Frost causes important changes in forages so manage them carefully for safe feed.



Lindsay Corporation Reports Fiscal 2018 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results

Lindsay Corporation (NYSE: LNN), a leading global manufacturer and distributor of irrigation and infrastructure equipment and technology, today announced results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended August 31, 2018.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year Summary
Revenues for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 were $123.3 million, a decrease of 7 percent compared to revenues of $131.9 million in the prior year's fourth quarter. Net earnings for the quarter were $5.0 million and diluted earnings per share were $0.46, compared with net earnings of $6.3 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.59 for the same period in the prior year. Adjusted net earnings for the fourth quarter were $4.5 million, or $0.42 per diluted share.1

Total revenues for the year ended August 31, 2018 were $547.7 million, an increase of 6 percent compared to revenues of $518.0 million in the prior year. Net earnings for the year were $20.3 million and diluted earnings per share were $1.88, compared with net earnings of $23.2 million and diluted earnings per share of $2.17 in the prior year. Net earnings for the year were reduced by tax expense of $2.5 million due to the enactment of the U.S. Tax Reform and by after-tax costs of $8.8 million related to the Company's Foundation for Growth initiative. Adjusted net earnings for fiscal 2018 were $31.6 million, or $2.94 per diluted share.1

"Despite challenging market conditions resulting from tariffs and falling grain prices, our fourth quarter North America irrigation equipment sales were improved over the prior year," said Tim Hassinger, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our full year revenue growth of 6 percent was led by 16 percent growth in North America irrigation and 8 percent growth in our infrastructure segment. We also continue to make good progress on our Foundation for Growth objectives that we introduced earlier in the year."

Lindsay Corporation Announces Quarterly Dividend
Lindsay Corporation announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.31 per share, payable November 30, 2018, to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 16, 2018.  At October 9, 2018, Lindsay Corporation had approximately 10.8 million shares outstanding, which are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LNN.



IOWA FARMERS USING COVER CROPS CAN SIGN UP NOW FOR REDUCTION IN CROP INSURANCE PREMIUMS

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that farmers who are using cover crops and not receiving state or federal cost share can sign up for a $5 per acre premium reduction on their crop insurance. A new online application process is available to make it easier for farmers to sign up for the program.

“As we have seen cover crop acres increase significantly in recent years, we are also getting more data on the long-term value of cover crops to farmers. This incentive program is a tool to help farmers scale up acres of cover crops and get even more comfortable with how this practice fits on their farm,” Naig said.

Farmers can sign up for the program now at www.cleanwateriowa.org/covercropdemo. Farmers who participate will receive the reduction on their crop insurance in 2019. Farmers are encouraged to sign up after their cover crop seeding has been completed.

Applications will be taken until Jan. 15, 2019. Cover crop acres currently enrolled in state and/or federal programs are not eligible for this program. The premium reduction will be available for fall-planted cover crops with a spring-planted cash crop.

Iowa cover crop acres have grown to an estimated 760,000 acres planted in 2017, a 22 percent increase from 2016. More than 700 farmers participated in the crop insurance incentive program in 2017, using cover crops on nearly 170,000 acres.

“The extremely wet weather this fall has made it a challenge to get crops harvested and cover crops seeded. The deadline to seed cover crops and still participate in state and federal cost share programs has recently been extended, so there is still time for farmers to get cover crops planted and participate in this program,” Naig said.

As cover crop acreage has increased, additional research has examined the economic costs and benefits of cover crops for farmers. Iowa State University’s Ag Decision Maker website has a new decision-making tool that can help crop and livestock farmers assess the value of cover crops on their farm. The free tool, “Economics of Cover Crops,” consists of three in-depth budgeting worksheets designed to help farmers analyze the costs and benefits of cover crops and paths to profitability in their row crop operations with or without the integration of livestock.



NPPC SETS SIGHTS ON OPENING INDIAN MARKET TO U.S. PORK

National Pork Producers Council vice president and counsel, global government affairs, Nick Giordano, was in India last week to advance progress toward opening the world’s second most populous country to U.S. pork. Meat consumption is on the rise in India, a country with very little domestic pork production. NPPC is working closely with the administration to get agreement from India on the science-based veterinary export certificate that will end what is currently a de facto ban on U.S. pork shipments.

WAGSTROM ATTENDS INTERNATIONAL MEAT SECRETARIAT ANIMAL CARE COMMITTEE MEETING
NPPC chief veterinarian, Dr. Liz Wagstrom, this week attended the Animal Care Committee meeting of the International Meat Secretariat (IMS). IMS has observer organization status with both World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) and U.N.’s Codex Alimentarius Commission, the international food-safety standards-setting organization. Dr. Wagstrom represented U.S. pork’s priorities and positions as global standards and guidelines were discussed at the meeting. In December, IMS will be at the Codex Task Force Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance to speak to science-based meat industry needs as this very important code of practice is developed.



USDA Cold Storage September 2018 Highlights

Total red meat supplies in freezers on September 30, 2018 were up 1 percent from the previous month but down 1 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were up 1 percent from the previous month and up 3 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 1 percent from the previous month but down 5 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 13 percent from last month but up 45 percent from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies on September 30, 2018 were down slightly from the previous month but up 10 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were up 4 percent from the previous month and up 17 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were down 7 percent from last month and down 1 percent from September 30, 2017.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on September 30, 2018 were up 1 percent from the previous month and up 4 percent from September 30, 2017.  Butter stocks were down 3 percent from last month but up 11 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen fruit stocks on September 30, 2018 were down slightly from last month and down 11 percent from a year ago.  Total frozen vegetable stocks were up 12 percent from last month but down 7 percent from a year ago.



USDA’s “Beagle Brigade” Helping to Prevent African Swine Fever from Entering U.S.

When Hardy, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) trained detector dog, sniffed out a roasted pig head in traveler baggage at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International airport early this month, it underscored the efforts USDA and its partners are undertaking to keep African Swine Fever (ASF), a swine disease that could devastate the U.S. pork producers, from entering the country.

USDA continues to train dogs at its National Detector Dog Training Center in Newnan, Georgia. The center is designed and equipped to train detector dog teams (canines and handlers), like Hardy’s, to safeguard American agriculture. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Protection and Quarantine program and the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) use detector dog teams, known as the Beagle Brigade, to search for prohibited agricultural products at major U.S. ports of entry (airports and land border crossings), mail and cargo facilities. The teams detect prohibited agricultural products that can carry foreign pests and diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture and forests.

“African Swine Fever is a devastating, deadly disease affecting all kinds of pigs, both domestic and wild – and keeping our pork industry safe is a top priority,” said Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. “Recently, our collaboration with CBP proved successful when a USDA trained detector dog intercepted a roasted pig head in traveler baggage from Ecuador. The quick work of a beagle and the CBP staff prevented a potential animal health issue and further highlighted the need to be vigilant in safeguarding the U.S. against foreign animal diseases.”

Concern over ASF is not new. It is a long-standing disease found in countries around the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. However, confirmation of cases in China and the European Union over the past several months prompted USDA to review and strengthen its protections. This involves partnering with the swine industry, producers, CBP, and the travelling public to help ensure we protect American agriculture.

To prevent ASF from entering the country, USDA has in place a series of interlocking safeguards. They include:
-    Collaborating with states, industry and producers to ensure everyone follows on-farm biosecurity and best practices (including for garbage feeding in states where that is allowed);
-    Restricting imports pork and pork products from affected countries; and
-    Working with CBP staff at ports of entry to train their inspection dogs, as well as to increasing screening vigilance to pay particular attention to passengers and products arriving from affected countries.

USDA is committed to working closely with the swine industry and producers to ensure strict biosecurity procedures are in place and being followed on all swine farms.

“Because there’s no treatment or vaccine available for this disease, we must work together to prevent this disease from entering the United States in order to best protect our farmers, our consumers and our natural resources,” said Perdue. “Good biosecurity is key to protecting pigs from any disease. We know the swine industry has many biosecurity resources available for their producers, so it’s just a matter of making sure everyone follows the guidance, every day, every time. Our goal is to never have to respond to African Swine Fever.”

USDA is actively readying and planning its response, should the disease ever be found in the U.S. by working with states and industry to test response mechanisms on a regular basis and planning to increase the testing capacity of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network labs for ASF.

USDA is also asking all veterinarians and producers to be aware of the signs of illness: high fever; decreased appetite; weakness; red, blotchy or lesions on the skin; diarrhea, vomiting, coughing and difficulty breathing. Quick detection is key to preventing disease spread, so USDA is stressing the importance of reporting sick pigs to state or federal animal health officials immediately so that a disease investigation and appropriate testing can occur.

International travelers also need to be aware of this disease, as they could unknowingly carry the virus into the U.S. Anyone who has contact with pigs or swine farms on travel must ensure they carefully clean and disinfect their shoes, wash their clothes and shower prior to having contact with pigs here in the U.S. Report the visit on the CBP form (question 12). Travelers looking to bring back agricultural items or souvenirs should check USDA’s travelers web page to see if the item(s) are allowed.



CWT Assists with 1.7 Million Pounds of Cheese and Whole Milk Powder Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted 12 offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture contracts to sell 1.407 million pounds (638 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese and 264,555 pounds (120 metric tons) of whole milk powder. The product is contracted for delivery in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Oceania for the period from October 2018 through April 2019.

CWT-assisted member cooperative 2018 export sales total 51.125 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 12.962 million pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 52.452 million pounds of whole milk powder to 36 countries on five continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.146 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program in the long term helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.



Feed Grain Buyers, Suppliers Arrive in Minneapolis for Export Exchange 2018

More than 200 international buyers and end-users of coarse grains and co-products from upwards of 35 countries are arriving in Minneapolis for Export Exchange 2018, ready to meet with U.S. suppliers and service providers across the value chain.

Export Exchange is a biennial educational and trade forum for U.S. feed grains that will host attendees from both the U.S. and various countries organized into 21 U.S. Grains Council (USGC) trade teams. Attendees will meet with U.S. suppliers and get a chance to learn about current supply and demand for U.S. feed products.

Co-sponsored by the USGC, Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Export Exchange 2018 offers attendees an unparalleled opportunity to meet and build relationships with domestic suppliers of corn, distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS), sorghum, barley and other commodities.

“The excitement in Minneapolis during this high-profile event is palpable. This is a prime opportunity for U.S. grain suppliers to meet with interested buyers and do real business,” said Jim Stitzlein, USGC chairman. “This meeting dovetails at a critical time when the Administration has announced its intention to move ahead on forging new free trade agreements with partner countries around the world interested in what we have to offer.” 

Export Exchange highlights the importance of strong trade policy and market development to U.S. agriculture. In addition to networking opportunities, Export Exchange attendees will be briefed on the global supply and demand situation, transportation issues and challenges, the global grains outlook, new advances in DDGS and poultry, food safety regulations, agribusiness, the current U.S. policy environment and more.

“This year’s Export Exchange is an exciting and timely opportunity to share with attendees the important role ethanol and its coproducts, like DDGS, play in countries across the globe and in supporting agriculture,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We hope that as folks connect, they have the opportunity to learn more from us about the many benefits of ethanol and how biofuels are blazing new trails in the international marketplace.”

While visiting Export Exchange, individuals on the teams have opportunities to directly do business and make connections to facilitate future sales.

“This is our fifth Export Exchange conference and it’s being held at an incredibly important time for the U.S. ethanol industry,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Trade is vital to our industry, and nearly one of our every three tons of DDGS produced last year was exported. We’re looking forward to another great event where producers and marketers of DDGS and other co-products can connect with global customers.”

The conference runs through Wednesday at the Minneapolis Hilton. More information is available at www.exportexchange.org or on social media at #ExEx18.



NCERC Celebrates 15 Years of Advancing Biofuels
   
The National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) is celebrating its 15-year anniversary this month, after opening its doors in 2003. The Illinois Corn Growers Association was instrumental in fostering its development.

The National Corn Growers Associations (NCGA) has worked closely with NCERC since its inception and continues partnering on various projects. The NCGA and NCERC partnership has underscored the advantages to the corn and ethanol industries since the beginning.
   
NCERC Executive Director John Caupert said NCERC’s portfolio of services has expanded since opening their doors in the fall of 2003, but their mission has remained the same: creating opportunities for our nation’s farmers.

“The NCERC has directly contributed to the growth of the ethanol industry, helping grow ethanol production in the United States from 2.8 billion gallons annually to the nearly 16 billion gallons of production today,” said Caupert. “NCERC has assisted in advancements in fuel ethanol production, with more than 65 products and technologies that have passed through our doors now in the commercial marketplace. These products and technologies are being utilized in every commercial corn ethanol plant operating today, with a significant impact: more than 5,000 new jobs created and in excess of $5.6 billion of annual revenue.”

Caupert went on to say as industry, policy and technology have evolved, so has NCERC. “NCERC was an early leader in transforming corn into dozens of renewable compounds, including biofuels, biochemicals, biomaterials and bioproducts. While it has always been a central focus of the NCERC to assist America’s farmers, the NCERC, now, more than ever, is committed to assisting in finding new homes, for new bushels of corn, with new market opportunities.”

NCERC works on projects going beyond the corn ethanol space, by validating products like biomaterials, biochemicals and advanced biofuels.

“We have a great working relationship with NCERC and appreciate our partnership with the organization,” said NCGA Market Development Vice President Jim Bauman. “The research done by NCERC directly benefits corn farmers and the ethanol industry by improving practices and processes of plants and serving as advocates and experts in the industry.”

Congratulations to NCERC for reaching this milestone!