Wednesday November 7 Ag News

Nebraska Power Farming Show – December 4-6, 2018 – Lancaster Event Center, Lincoln

The second largest indoor U.S. farm show, presented by Farm Credit Services of America and AgDirect, will be held December 4-6 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Spread across 9.2 acres, the 12th annual Nebraska Power Farming Show features the broadest mix of ag-related products and services in the Midwest.

“The Nebraska Power Farming Show is an agricultural megastore,” said Tom Junge, show director. “With 790 companies on hand representing 60 product and service categories, farmers and ranchers will find everything they need to increase profits, lower input costs and improve productivity.”

More than half of the Nebraska Power Farming Show exhibitors don’t participate in the nearest outdoor show. “This may be your only chance to see them in Nebraska,” said Junge. Nearly 100 companies are also NEW to the Nebraska Power Farming Show.

NEW this year – see an Ag Innovation Pitch Competition on Wednesday at 2 pm in Pavilion 2 East. Watch six ag tech start-ups pitch their latest ideas to help producers manage their operations more effectively. A $20,000 Grand Prize and $5,000 People’s Choice will be awarded!

NEW to the Midwest - Be one of the first to see Yamaha’s RMAX – an unmanned copter sprayer – in the Pavilion 3 café.

NEW show hours – 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Tuesday and Wednesday, and 8:30 am to 3 pm Thursday. Admission and parking at the Lancaster Event Center is FREE! For additional show information, visit www.nebraskapowershow.com.

The Nebraska Power Farming Show is produced by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association in conjunction with local Nebraska and Iowa farm equipment dealerships. The show is sponsored by: Diamond Sponsor – Farm Credit Services of America and AgDirect; Platinum Sponsors – Bayer and Nebraska Farm Bureau; Gold Sponsors – Mitas, Stine Seed Company and Sukup Manufacturing; Siver Sponsor – Heartland Chevy Dealers; and Media Sponsors – Midwest Messenger and Rural Radio Network.



NDA ANNOUNCES NEBRASKA AG YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) today announced its selection of the 2018-2019 Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council (NAYC). NAYC members are college students that work throughout the year promoting Nebraska agriculture and teaching young students about agriculture and the many careers available in the agricultural industry. NDA sponsors the NAYC and its activities throughout the year.

“The NAYC is a talented group of hard-working young men and women who make a positive difference in the lives of Nebraska youth and the ag industry they serve,” said NDA Director Steve Wellman. “The NAYC is the future of agriculture, and I look forward to working with these students and supporting them in their efforts.”

The NAYC is entering its 48th year with the installation of this Council. Throughout the year, Council members coordinate and participate in a wide range of activities and events that focus on agriculture. Council members visit elementary schools to talk about where food comes from, take urban youth on farm tours to experience life on a farm, and visit with high school students about career opportunities in agriculture. The primary focus of the NAYC is to coordinate the annual Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI), a five-day summer conference for high school juniors and seniors that is full of speakers, workshops and networking opportunities.

This year’s Council is comprised of 21 young men and women. The 2018-2019 NAYC leadership includes:
Head Counselors: Hannah Settje, Raymond, and Collin Swedberg, Wallace;
President: Brent Miller, Lyons;
Secretary: Grant Dahlgren, Bertrand;
Vice President of Promotions: Jacob Schlick, Fairfield;
Vice President of Alumni Relations: Cooper Grabenstein, Smithfield;
Vice President of Communications and Social Media: Emily Frenzen, Fullerton;
Vice President of Sponsorship: Sage Williams, Eddyville;
Vice President of Youth Outreach: Cheyenne Gerlach, DeWitt; and
Vice President of NAYI Improvement: Courtney Nelson, Monroe.

Additional NAYC members include: Colin Ibach, Sumner; Colton Thompson, Eustis; Eric Leisy, Wisner; Felicia Knoerzer, Elwood; Isaac Stallbaumer, Oconto; Kelli Mashino, Spencer; Kelsey Loseke, Blair; Kevin Sousek, Malmo; Nick Birdsley, Omaha; Ralston Ripp, Kearney; and Wesley Wach, Hayes Center.

To learn more, visit NAYI’s website at nda.nebraska.gov/nayi/ or search for Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute on Facebook.



Commodity Leaders Join Forces on Sustainability Research

The National Pork Board (NPB), United Soybean Board (USB) and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on a sustainability research platform that will benefit all three organizations and their producers. This research program will include the sharing of completed research, coordination on current and planned research and define ways to share and communicate results with each organization’s members.

Leadership from the three commodity groups agree that it is prudent to consider specific ways in which they might work together more effectively to ensure alignment and collaboration in sustainability research and how the results can and will be communicated and shared.

“Sustainability is defined by the We CareSM ethical principles pork producers established over 10 years ago,” said National Pork Board President Steve Rommereim, a pig farmer from Alcester, South Dakota. “Joining in the efforts of two other organizations, as a collective group, we can more effectively spend producer dollars to achieve the goals we can all believe in and support. Without one, we wouldn’t have the other.”

An overarching goal of proactive, continuous improvement is a shared focus among pork, soybean and corn producers.

“Most farmers are invested in multiple commodities and invested in more than one of our organizations, so it’s important that we are collaborating wherever we can,” said Lewis Bainbridge, USB chair and soybean and livestock farmer from South Dakota. “We need to be supportive of one another, especially now when there’s more interest in what we’re doing to produce our commodities. We need to be looking at the big picture of how our commodities work together and take that a step further.”

Through combined communications efforts and outreach, the organizations can increase the education, capacity and motivation of pig and grain farmers to adopt conservation measures that deliver benefits to the environment and to farm resilience and profitability.

“NCGA’s targeted focus - whether it’s policy, market development or research – is to grind more corn and do it profitably. However, in areas like sustainability and research where we share goals and values in our industry, it is just plain smart to work in collaboration,” said Lynn Chrisp, NCGA president of Hastings, Nebraska. “This memorandum will encourage increased communications, further sharing of staff and funding resources, pool expertise, and ultimately makes us all more effective.”

A task force of farmer representatives from NPB, USB and NCGA will be formed and, with support from each organization, will be responsible for managing and evaluating the activities outlined in the MOU. Additionally, the task force will track progress and evaluate the value and impact of the MOU upon completion of all activities.



Midterms Over, Soy Looks to Future with Hopes of New Farm Bill

The polls are closed, the votes are in. No matter the final tally of D’s or R’s, the soybean industry is eager to work with the new Congress in January and, meantime, see the 115th Congress conclude with a successful swan song, one note of which it hopes is a new farm bill.

Agriculture has always depended on support from both sides of the aisle, and now that the midterm elections are over, the American Soybean Association (ASA) expects that longstanding bipartisan cooperation to be renewed. ASA reiterates its request for the now lame-duck 115th Congress to pass a new five-year bill that can provide greater certainty and long-term stability during a down farm economy and time of trade strife. It is also important to reaffirm our commitment to conservation practices, invest in agricultural research and work to expand new markets for soybeans.

John Heisdorffer, ASA president and soybean grower from Keota, Iowa, said, “The Farm Bill is our greatest risk management tool. With the economic challenges facing all farmers today, tools such as crop insurance, as well as ARC & PLC, are invaluable.” Heisdorffer went on to explain, “In addition to support from farm programs, funding for the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program and Market Access Program (MAP) is needed. FMD funding has already lapsed, and MAP funding will run out at year’s end. These programs are critical to the soybean industry, particularly with the need to open and expand markets to offset sales lost to China.”

ASA remains positive that Members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees can resolve differences between their respective bills and agree on a compromise version in December. A Conference Report that both chambers would then approve before adjourning rather than extending the 2014 farm bill would be a welcome parting gift from the 115th Congress to the ag community.



Farm Bureau Looks Forward to Working with New Congress
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall

“We look forward to working with the new Congress to strengthen agriculture by fixing the ag labor problems we face, boosting our farm economy via export growth and reducing the burden and cost of federal regulations. Supporting the use of farm-grown fuels, fixing our nation’s broken infrastructure, supporting agricultural research, and bridging the broadband gap that hurts rural America are also important for a strong agriculture. We hope that the newly elected leaders across the nation will join us in unifying behind these goals.

“It is clear that rural voters turned out for this election and we are proud of them. We stand ready to work with this wave of elected leaders who will stand up for farmers and ranchers and our ability to feed our nation.”



NAWG Calls on Congress to Make Farm Bill a Priority During Lame Duck

With the closing of the 2018 Midterm Elections, NAWG President and Oklahoma wheat grower Jimmie Musick has issued the following statement:

“While the 2018 midterm elections brought change to the political makeup of Congress, this should not impact the priority of passing the 2018 farm bill by the end of this session of Congress. With the farm bill having expired, growers are left with much uncertainty and are denied access to several beneficial programs within the bill.

“In particular, the outlook for foreign market development funding is in doubt until action is taken. Additionally, the USDA no longer has the authority to undertake new sign-ups for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) which incentivizes growers to incorporate healthy soil, non-tillage, and other similar practices into their operations.

“NAWG congratulates those who were newly elected to the 116th Congress and commends you for pursuing a career in public service. The economy in Rural America is struggling and we need strong supporters of agriculture to bring it out of these difficult times. NAWG urges Congress to pass the 2018 farm bill during lame duck and is looking forward to working with the new congress on overseeing implementation of the bill and educating them on the value of the wheat industry.”



EIA Shows Ethanol Stocks Gain

Energy Information Administration data shows domestic ethanol stocks posted the first gain in two weeks while production steadily grew to reach a 9-week high.

Total domestic ethanol inventories increased 500,000 bbl in the week ended Nov. 2 to a 23.2 million bbl, which is 8.9% higher than the corresponding week in 2017.

Plant production increased by 9,000 bpd to 1.068 million bpd, a 9-week high, during the week-ended Nov. 2, 1% higher than the corresponding week in 2017. Four-week averaged production was 1.041 million bpd versus 1.043 million bpd during the corresponding 4-week period in 2017.

Net refiner and blender inputs, a measure for ethanol demand, declined for the second straight week, down 19,000 bpd to 917,000 bpd during the week ended Nov. 2, and 0.1% below a year ago. For the four weeks ended Nov.2, blending demand averaged 931,000 bpd, 7,000 bpd above the same period in 2017.



Fertilizer Prices Higher Across the Board

All eight retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN recorded increases in the first week of November, with urea leading the way month-over-month.

Urea recorded a $19-per-ton increase, spiking from $389 last month to $408 in this latest update. In one year, the price of urea increased $78/ton.

Anhydrous saw a $17/ton price increase to $505 compared to last month and is up $104/ton in the past year.

UAN28 came in at $245/ton, jumping $8 since last month.

Both 10-34-0 and UAN32 recorded $6/ton increases since last month. UAN32 came in at $285/ton and 10-34-0 at $457/ton.

DAP and MAP each saw price increases of $5/ton since last month, at $506/ton and $528/ton, respectively.

The price of potash increased by $2/ton to $366.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.44/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.44/lb.N and UAN32 $0.45/lb.N.



USMEF Strategic Planning Conference Underway in Long Beach

The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) opened its annual strategic planning conference Tuesday with a status report on the current state of U.S. beef, pork and lamb exports, followed by a discussion of the key trade policy issues shaping the outlook for exports in 2019 and beyond.

USMEF Chair Dennis Stiffler began with an overview of U.S. lamb production, demand and exports. Stiffler is president of the Texas Division of Halperns’ Steak and Seafood and CEO emeritus of Mountain States Rosen, a fabricator, processor and distributor of lamb and veal products. He noted that lamb exports struggled in 2017 but have rebounded this year, mainly due to an uptick in lamb variety meat shipments to Mexico. Access to the Japanese market, which recently reopened to U.S. lamb for the first time in 15 years, is “a real game-changer” for the lamb industry, Stiffler added.

“Since the market opening was announced, there has been a great deal of buyer interest in U.S. lamb,” Stiffler explained. “There are now four U.S. plants approved for export to Japan, and USMEF is preparing for its first major lamb event. On Nov. 28 in Tokyo, there will be a USMEF educational seminar for chefs, importers, purveyors and media.”

Stiffler also spotlighted two significant success stories for U.S. red meat: the surge in pork exports to Central America and the Dominican Republic and the remarkable growth in U.S. beef exports to Taiwan. He noted that the Central America-Dominican Republic-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement helped unlock the potential for U.S. pork in the region and the industry has capitalized in a big way. Exports to the Dominican Republic have already set a new record in 2018 and volumes to all seven Central American countries are up by double digits this year. Though relatively small in population, seven of the eight countries in the region are now top 20 markets for U.S. pork.

2017 was a record-breaking year for U.S. beef in Taiwan, with exports exceeding $400 million for the first time, and Stiffler said momentum continues to build.

“Beef exports to Taiwan will break the $500 million milestone this year, meaning that export value will have doubled in just the past five years,” he said. “And the U.S. dominates the chilled beef market in Taiwan, capturing a 75 percent share.”

Attendees also heard from Kevin Kester, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). A fifth-generation rancher from Parkfield, California, Kester welcomed USMEF members to the Golden State with a call for unity among meat and livestock industry stakeholders at a time of significant uncertainty and volatility in international trade.

“As I travel across the country and internationally, the No. 1 issue on the minds of producers is trade,” Kester said. “Producers recognize, more so than ever, the benefits that export markets, especially in the beef sector, are bringing to our industry. It’s very, very important that the staff and leadership of USMEF, NCBA, the North American Meat Institute and the National Pork Producers Council work together with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and USDA on all trade issues where we can get common agreement. Having that bond and working together on the policy side – I can’t overstate how important that is.”

USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom echoed Kester’s thoughts on the need for a unified voice on critical trade issues, including the upcoming negotiations between the United States and Japan, proposed revisions to the European Union’s duty-free beef quota and the need to address retaliatory duties imposed on U.S. red meat by Mexico, China and Canada.

“USMEF is not a policy organization, but we do support the policy organizations in a big way from the international marketplace,” he said. “So the alignment and coordination between our industry organizations is vital, essential and critical, and USMEF is committed to that.”

As an example of this industry collaboration, Halstrom noted that USMEF staff recently prepared detailed impact papers quantifying the estimated export losses the United States has suffered, or could suffer, as a result of trade disputes with Mexico, China and Canada and the lack of available capacity in the EU’s duty-free beef quota. The impact papers also detail potential losses from Japan’s extension of favorable access terms to non-U.S. red meat suppliers if the United States does not secure similar terms through a U.S.-Japan trade agreement.

“This is the sort of information that USMEF is supplying to our industry partners, to USDA and to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and it has been very well-received,” Halstrom said.

Dave Juday, senior policy analyst at World Perspectives, Inc., focused his remarks on the implications of the midterm elections and current political environment on red meat trade. He said the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is set to be signed Nov. 30, with Mexico expected to ratify USMCA by the end of April. Approval by the U.S. Congress and the Canadian Parliament will likely take longer, but both should be achieved by the end of June.

Separate from USMCA, the U.S. red meat industry is eager to see the U.S., Mexico and Canada come to an agreement on steel and aluminum trade, as this would allow for removal of Mexico’s retaliatory duties on U.S. pork and Canada’s retaliatory duties on U.S. cooked and processed beef. Juday said it is possible that good news could emerge on this issue very soon.

“Probably later this week or next week, there will hopefully be some progress with Mexico on taking the tariffs off their steel and aluminum, and that should mean relief on the pork tariffs,” he said. “Canada is a little more protracted process, but we could see something very soon.”

Transportation is also an important theme at this year’s conference, and on Tuesday USMEF members heard from Wendy Fung, business development manager for the Port of Long Beach. Fung explained the facility upgrades necessary to accommodate megaships, infrastructure improvements that allow truck and rail traffic to move more smoothly through the port and the strides the port has made in implementing clean air initiatives designed to reduce emissions. USMEF members will tour the Port of Long Beach on Wednesday afternoon.

Also on Wednesday, a panel discussion titled, Labor, Logistics and Trade will focus on how the current labor shortage and very tight trucking capacity are affecting U.S. exporters’ ability to deliver red meat shipments to international destinations. This discussion will be followed by meetings of USMEF’s standing committees. The conference will conclude on Thursday with a closing business session and election of USMEF officers.



The Coalition for Responsible Gene Editing in Agriculture Introduces Communication Resources

The Coalition for Responsible Gene Editing in Agriculture has created communication resources to help those researching, developing and using the technology support an informed dialogue on gene editing in food and agriculture.      

“Gene editing has the potential to deliver significant benefits and solve challenges in society and food production,” said Charlie Arnot, chief executive officer of The Center for Food Integrity (CFI), which facilitates the Coalition. “We know consumers have questions and they deserve answers. The resources provide guidance on conveying the science in a meaningful way to support a better informed public discussion about the technology.” 

Created by CFI in 2016, the Coalition is a partnership of diverse stakeholders, including academia, plant and animal genetic companies, agriculture and food system stakeholders, and public interest groups who share a vision of global acceptance and support for the responsible use of gene editing technology in agriculture and food.

Available is a guide to engagement based on communication research findings and CFI’s trust model. It also includes links to additional communication resources.

To develop the guide, the Coalition collaborated with universities, associations and others who have conducted research on consumer understanding and attitudes about gene editing. Common threads from this research, along with previous learnings about biotechnology acceptance, are the foundation of the material. 

CFI will also provide engagement support for those wishing to more effectively engage with the public in a discussion about gene editing in food production.

“Traditionally the assumption has been that if the science is sound and there is appropriate regulatory oversight, there will be social acceptance of innovation,” said Arnot. “But we know from experience and research that is not the way it works in today’s environment. What consumers want to know is that food producers care about the same things they do, like producing safe, affordable, nutritious food in a way that protects and sustains our environment.”

Access the resources and learn more about the CFI Coalition for Responsible Gene Editing in Agriculture at http://geneediting.foodintegrity.org/.



ADM Reports Reports Higher Quarterly Net Earnings

Archer Daniels Midland Company reported financial results for the quarter ended September 30, where the company showed Net Earnings of $536 million. That's up from $192 million during the same period a year earlier.

"The team delivered another strong quarter, capitalizing on robust global demand with good execution and great utilization of our global footprint," said ADM Chairman and CEO Juan Luciano. "For the last several years, through good conditions and bad, we’ve remained focused on serving our customers and delivering our strategic plan - optimizing our core, driving efficiencies, and expanding strategically. Now, as we look forward to 2019, we are continuing to enhance our earnings power, both through our growth investments and our Readiness initiative, which is beginning to drive fundamental changes in the way we run our company."

Merchandising and Handling was significantly higher versus the weak third quarter of 2017.

In North America, the business managed risk well in a volatile price environment, and capitalized on its asset base to deliver higher volumes and margins, including strong export sales to customers in markets outside of China.

In Global Trade, good utilization of the company’s global network of origination assets and continued expansion of destination marketing volumes and margins drove solid results.

Crushing and Origination set a new record for crush volumes, leveraging its strong global asset base and the company’s growing destination marketing capabilities to capitalize on higher global crush margins. Soybean crush was the major driver of earnings growth, with North America, EMEA and South America all delivering substantially higher results year over year. Softseeds results had a significant improvement from the third quarter of 2017, with particularly good results in EMEA.



Zoetis and Leachman Cattle of Colorado Enter New Agreement to Advance Genetic Improvement in Beef Cattle

Zoetis today announced a new data and testing agreement with Leachman Cattle of Colorado to provide a unique genomically enhanced genetic evaluation. Genomically enhanced evaluations, in which genomic data is combined with pedigree and phenotypic records for a designated population of animals, allow for more accurate and reliable genetic selection tools. The analyses resulting from this agreement will leverage Leachman’s multi-breed database that houses over one million animal records and the latest genomic technology from Zoetis to improve profitability for customers.

“We believe the Zoetis technology can improve both the reliability of our predictions and our herd’s rate of genetic improvement,” said Lee Leachman, founder of Leachman Cattle of Colorado. “Our goal is to be a global leader in the genetic improvement of beef cattle. Combining our expansive, multi-breed database with Zoetis’ genetic evaluation expertise and our $Profit® technology should ensure we achieve that goal.”

Leachman Cattle of Colorado is a Fort Collins-based beef cattle seedstock company marketing more than 2,000 bulls per year and providing its $Profit index to U.S. and international seedstock producers who market an additional 6,500 bulls per year. Leachman strives to make customers more profitable by accelerating genetic improvement and currently ranks as the fourth largest beef cattle seedstock provider in the United States.

An evolving partnership
Zoetis and Leachman have enjoyed long-standing business ties; this new agreement will result in even more dependable genetic predictions. “We are contracting with Zoetis to help make our EPDs even more reliable. Our experience has shown that Zoetis is the most dependable in the industry,” Leachman said.

“This is a natural progression,” said Jason Osterstock, executive director, Global Genetics at Zoetis. “Leachman and Zoetis both have a keen focus on the profitability and success of commercial cattlemen.”

With access to the analytic pipelines and genomic expertise that are synonymous with Zoetis, Leachman will be able to achieve greater genomic advancements as part of their breeding program and further their focus on success of producers.

A leader in genetics
Zoetis has extensive experience in bovine genetics, including development of the first commercially available genetic evaluation designed for cow and calf wellness traits in U.S. Holstein cattle. Zoetis leadership in technological advancements also includes multiple commercially available genomic offerings across many beef and dairy breeds.

The addition of Leachman’s data from one million animals will strengthen the reliability of Zoetis genomics testing in beef cattle and may lead to future genomic innovation for beef cattle producers.