Monday December 31, 2018 Ag News

Here's the last post of the year, posted in the final hours of 2018.  So long, MMXVIII!!!!



Corn Stalk Quality After Weathering
Bruce Anderson, Nebraska Extension Forage Specialist

Rain in the fall usually is welcomed despite the delays it causes with crop harvest.  Pastures and alfalfa benefit from extra growth and winterizing capabilities.  Wheat and other small grains get well established as do any new fields of alfalfa or pasture.  The reserve moisture stored in the soil will get good use during next year’s growing season.

But rain also reduces the feed value of corn stalks in fields that were already combined, and even on standing stalks.  This fall many fields have had some pretty heavy rain and snow on those stalks.

Rain reduces corn stalk quality several ways.  Most easily noticed is how fast stalks get soiled or trampled into the ground when fields are muddy.

Less noticeable are nutritional changes.  Heavy rain soaks into dry corn stalk residue and leaches out some of the soluble nutrients.  Most serious is the loss of sugars and other energy-dense nutrients, which lowers the total digestible nutrients (TDN) or energy value of the stalks.  These same nutrients also disappear if stalks begin to mold or rot in the field or especially in the bale.  Then palatability and intake also decline.

There is little you can do to prevent these losses.  What you can do, though, is begin to supplement a little earlier than usual.  Since weathering by rain reduces TDN more than it reduces protein, consider the energy value of your supplements as well as its protein content.

Weathered corn stalks still are economical feeds.  Just supplement them accordingly.

SNOW OR WATER – WHAT’S THE DIF?
Are you getting tired of winter?  Tired of hauling water or chopping ice?  Well maybe, just maybe you can let your cows eat snow when its available for their water needs.

Snow sometimes can be a good source of livestock water.  Research from Canada and several northern states have shown that cows can eat 30 to 40 pounds of snow per day to meet their water needs.  And some ranchers already rely on only snow to provide water on their winter pastures.

To be successful using snow as your water source, several conditions must be met.  First off, the snow must be clean and fresh.  We’ve all heard jokes about eating yellow snow, but it’s no joke if that is what your cows are depending on.  Snow that’s crusted over, filled with dirt, or heavily trampled is not adequate.

Second, the cows must be in good shape.  It will take body heat energy to melt the snow they eat so thin cows or sick cows should not be forced to rely on snow for water.  Lactating cows also should have a good source of liquid water.

Make sure the cows are eating an adequate diet to provide the extra energy needed to melt that snow.  Cows that go off feed or aren’t eating enough might be having trouble getting enough water from the snow.  After all, they do need to learn how to effectively graze snow to get enough water.

Lastly, be sure to have an alternate water source readily available.  Snow availability and snow conditions can change rapidly.

Snow can be used as the only source of water for many livestock, saving time, money, and potentially extending grazing to remote areas or later in the season.  However, monitor intake and cow condition carefully to be successful.



Nebraska Cattlemen 2018 Year in Review

Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) once again reflects on membership and leadership happenings as another year passes.

2018 was anything but predictable. In terms of an essential element, moisture was as plentiful as any year. Rainfall was abundant in the spring, summer and fall depending on your location in the state. The impact by Mother Nature provided plenty of moisture for grass and crop production. And to close out the calendar year, it was too much. Prior to NC annual convention, the rain/sleet/snow the first weekend in December nearly statewide forces us to remember the winter of 1983-1984.

An exciting occurrence in 2018 was the once in a lifetime mission in creating a member-owned office in Lincoln. Since the merger over thirty years ago, the membership of Nebraska Cattlemen has never enjoyed or benefitted owning an office in Lincoln. Being frugal and prepared, every NC Board since the merger has planned and saved for this opportunity. The 2017 NC Board established a fundraising campaign to supplement the financial demands of owning our building. The campaign is well within reach of the monetary goal and the building is on track to being completed the first part of the 2019 year.

Another unpredictable variable was all things related to trade. Trade has become a necessity to our profitability based on the reality the world’s consumers desiring our product. Depending on the week or month, the value of exports can range as high as $300+ per value of the total dollars of a harvested beef carcass. That fact referenced against the noise certain media cries about the current administration’s trade efforts, sometimes it’s difficult to know the truth. However, the facts through the first eleven months of 2018, USDA/Foreign Ag Service statistics reported beef exports up cumulatively for the year 768,276 metric tons, 13.6% versus 2017, which is significant. “We can be hopeful of what could happen. But that reinforces two points. Trade is essential for beef producers. And regardless of negotiations being successful or unsuccessful, we as producers will be impacted. It does feel like superior success is on the cusp of happening as this administration has negotiated for improvements, specifically for beef trade like none in recent times.” NC Executive Vice President, Pete McClymont.

2018 finishes with yet again a critical need for property tax relief and reform. The year brought another wasted attempt to bring any measure of improvement to how ag land taxation and/or K-12 school funding is addressed in the country’s fourth largest ag cash receipts state. Despite the frustration, the commitment by current NC leadership, members and staff continues.

The year-end has NC staff and leaders preparing for the 2019 legislative session. Nebraska Cattlemen will continue working for Nebraska beef producers – pasture to plate in 2019.



My Goals for 2019
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts

As we close out 2018 and enter 2019, many of us are turning our minds to the future.  Some are setting new financial or fitness goals.  For others, they may be resolving to spend more time with family or to read new books.  As we enter the new year, I have put together a list of goals for our state in 2019.  I am sharing a few of them here.

Great Opportunities ­– Jobs create opportunities for individuals and families, giving them dignity, economic freedom, and financial independence.  For the third year in a row, Nebraska achieved one million non-farm jobs in 2018.  This year, we ranked #3 for wage growth, #4 for workforce participation rate, and #6 for low unemployment.  My team has put a big focus on connecting Nebraskans to great opportunities through initiatives like our reemployment program at the Department of Labor and the Developing Youth Talent Initiative through the Department of Economic Development.  In 2019, we will expand our efforts to develop our people and connect even more Nebraskans to great jobs.  We will continue to build upon the foundation of our current programs to ensure that our people have the skills they need to take the great jobs in our state.

Innovative Customer Service Successes – In 2018, our team made progress on our mission to make government more effective, more efficient, and more customer focused.  We brought faster service to the Omaha Metro South DMV in Sarpy County with a new, enhanced location in Bellevue.  We eliminated bureaucratic processes in the Division of Developmental Disabilities so our service coordinators can spend more time serving the needs of Nebraskans.  A review of how inmates in our prisons receive medical care cut down on the number of inmates being transported out of state prisons, helping protect public safety.  In 2019, the Center of Operational Excellence and our process improvement coordinators will continue to equip our team with new skills to eliminate waste and find innovative ways to speed up the work of state government.

Property Tax Relief – As the Legislature gathers again for a new session, there will be another opportunity to deliver new property tax relief for Nebraskans.  As we think about how to address high property taxes in the upcoming legislative session, it is important to focus on the fundamentals.  There are three key things that matter when it comes to cutting property taxes:  We have to control spending.  We have to reform how property is valued for tax purposes.  And we cannot tax one group of people to pay for someone else’s tax relief.  Right now I am preparing a budget that controls spending along with additional property tax relief.  I will be unveiling my budget during my State of the State address on January 15th, and I look forward to working with Senators to deliver more tax relief for you.

Year-Round E15 – In October, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and I joined President Trump in Council Bluffs for a special announcement.  At the event, President Trump announced his approval of the year-round sale of E15.  This is a big deal for Iowa and Nebraska, the top two ethanol-producing states in the nation.  Right now, E15 can only be marketed September 16th through April 30th, meaning that we are missing out on peak driving months during the summer.  A final rule from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will allow E15 to be sold all year long, and we will be encouraging the EPA to finalize this rule in time for the summer driving season.  The EPA also recently approved the State of Nebraska for a pilot program to test E30.  In the pilot program, we will study the use of Nebraska-grown and produced E30 in conventional vehicles owned by the state.  This additional research around mileage and maintenance will help show that E30 will help consumers save money at the pump, help clean up the environment, and is great for our farmers and ranchers.

These are just a few of our goals for 2019.  In the coming weeks, I will be sharing some of the initiatives I have been working on as we kick off the 106th session of the Nebraska Legislature.  Until then, I hope you and your family have a safe and joyous conclusion to the holiday season.  If you have thoughts you would like to share about the upcoming year, I hope you will take the time to write me at pete.ricketts@nebraska.gov or you can call 402-471-2244. 

Have a blessed and prosperous New Year!



USDA Updates Available Functions During Lapse in Funding

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Friday updated its assessment of how the lapse in federal funding will affect services and programs should the government shutdown remain unresolved beyond December 31, 2018.  Many services will carry on, while others will discontinue on January 1, 2019 because available funds have been expended.

Certain USDA activities would remain active because they are related to law enforcement, the protection of life and property, or are financed through available funding (such as through mandatory appropriations, multi-year discretionary funding, or user fees). During the first week of the shutdown, 62% of employees have been either exempted or excepted from shutdown activities. If the shutdown continues, this percentage would decrease, and activities would be reduced as available funding decreases.

USDA activities that will continue beyond January 1, 2019 include:
-    Meat, poultry, and processed egg inspection services.
-    Grain and other commodity inspection, weighing, grading, and IT support services funded by user fees.
-    Inspections for import and export activities to prevent the introduction and dissemination of pests into and out of the U.S., including inspections from Hawaii and Puerto Rico to the mainland.
-    Forest Service law enforcement, emergency and natural disaster response, and national defense preparedness efforts.
-    Continuity and maintenance of some research measurements and research-related infrastructure, such as germplasm, seed storage, and greenhouses.
-    Care for animals, plants, and associated infrastructure to preserve agricultural research and to comply with the Wild Horses and Burros statute.
-    Eligible households will still receive monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for January.
-    Most other domestic nutrition assistance programs, such as the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, WIC, and the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, can continue to operate at the State and local level with any funding and commodity resources that remain available. Additional Federal funds will not be provided during the period of the lapse, however deliveries of already-purchased commodities will continue.
-    The Child Nutrition (CN) Programs, including School Lunch, School Breakfast, Child and Adult Care Feeding, Summer Food Service and Special Milk will continue operations into February.  Meal providers are paid on a reimbursement basis 30 days after the end of the service month.
-    Minimal administrative and management support, including to excepted IT systems and contracts, will be maintained to support the above activities.
-    Natural Resources Conservation Service offices will remain open to support conservation technical and financial assistance (such as Environmental Quality Incentives Program and easement programs).
-    Market Facilitation Program payments for producers that have already certified production with the Farm Service Agency.
-    Trade mitigation purchases made by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
-    Agricultural export credit and other agricultural trade development and monitoring activities.
-    USDA’s Market News Service, which provides market information to the agricultural industry.

USDA activities which would not be continued include:
-    USDA Farm Service Agency county offices will close at the end of business on Friday, December 28, 2018.
-    Provision of new rural development loans and grants for housing, community facilities, utilities and businesses.
-    Recreation sites across the U.S. National Forest System, unless they are operated by external parties under a recreational special use permit, will be closed. While technically closed, many will still be physically accessible to visitors at their own risk, but without staffing at ranger stations and without access to facilities such as public restrooms.
-    New timber sales.
-    Most forest fuels reduction activities in and around communities.
-    NASS statistics, World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, and other agricultural economic and statistical reports and projections.
-    Assistance for the control of some plant and animal pests and diseases unless funded by cooperators or other non-appropriated sources.
-    Research facilities except for the care for animals, plants and associated infrastructure to preserve agricultural research.
-    Provision of new grants or processing of payments for existing grants to support research, education, and extension.
-    ERS Commodity Outlook Reports, Data Products, research reports, staff analysis, and projections. The ERS public website would be taken offline.
-    Most departmental management, administrative and oversight functions, including civil rights, human resources, financial management, audit, investigative, legal and information technology activities.
-    Mandatory Audits (Financial Statements, FISMA, and potentially Improper Payments) will be suspended and may not be completed and released on the date mandated by law.



U.S. Soy Processors Expand Domestic Crush Capacity
www.ussoy.org
A recent study indicates that two new crush facilities are expected to open their operations in 2019, with a third crush plant expected to start up by the end of 2021. The initial facilities to open are to be in Michigan and South Dakota, with the third to be located in North Dakota. U.S. soybean processors have historically built crush plants near major livestock feeding areas, as it is more cost effective to ship the beans than it is the finished protein meal. For the U.S., that means that most crush plants are in either the Midwest, to supply hog, cattle and dairy operations, or in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast where the majority of U.S. poultry production is based. 

Once up and running, these additional processing plants are expected to grow U.S. crush capacity by 6 to 10 percent and consume an estimated 120 million bushels per year. The new plants are expected to crush soybeans at a higher rate of 100,000 to 120,000 bushels per day, whereas older facilities could process just 70,000 to 120,000 bushels per day. With this improved technology, these plants are expected to result in adding 2.8 million short tons of soybean meal and 1.4 billion pounds of soybean oil to the market per year. The facilities in the Dakotas are expected to move most of its soybean meal that isn’t consumed in the local feed market out via the Pacific Northwest while the crush facility in Michigan would be able to move product not consumed locally via the Great Lakes and out to the Atlantic.

The impacts of this expansion are expected to be mostly favorable for U.S. soybean farmers as the additional demand support basis levels and cushions farmers from export risk. For processors, the additional capacity may hurt margin structure in the short-term as supply outpaces demand forecasts, but in the long run, the new facilities may close some processing and focus capacity at more profitable facilities. For global buyers, the additional crush capacity means larger supplies of U.S. Soy-based meal and oil to meet growing populations and developing consumer needs.



U.S. agriculture now facing risk of market losses in its second largest export market – Japan
www.midwestshippers.com

After experiencing dramatic market losses due to the China-U.S. tariff trade war, U.S. farmers and ranchers are now sounding a fire alarm over the threat to exports to their next largest market – Japan.    The Asian country is a huge importer of U.S. wheat, meat products, soybeans for both food and feed uses, corn and distillers grains, and a range of other American ag products.

Unlike China, Japan didn’t retaliate with tariffs of its own on U.S. products in response to Trump administration tariffs on steel and aluminum.   Japan is taking the opposite approach, forming two new multi-nation free trade pacts that will open up its markets.   The U.S. is not among those nations.

As of yesterday, December 30, Japan began cutting tariffs and backing off quotas on agriculture imports from most of America’s biggest competitors.     After the U.S. under the administration of Donald Trump pulled out of the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement that was negotiated over many years under the previous administration, 11 Pacific countries continued negotiations for a trade pact under the new Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).   Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Chile are among major ag exporting nations that are part of the agreement.

On February 1, Japan will implement a new trade pact with the EU.   The new European Union-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement will offer similar tariff reductions and quota improvements on agriculture products for the EU’s 28-nations, including U.S. competitors France, Italy, Spain, Denmark and the Netherlands. 

The Trump Administration has announced its intention to negotiate a two-nation free trade pact between the U.S. and Japan.   Those efforts are just getting going.



Farmers for Free Trade Statement on CPTPP Going into Effect and the Competitive Disadvantage it Creates for American Farmers

Today, Brian Kuehl, Co-Executive Director of Farmers for Free Trade, the nationwide campaign to support trade policy that opens markets for American farmers and ranchers, released the following statement as the the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) went into effect for six of its eleven members. Farmers for Free Trade is a bipartisan campaign co-chaired by former Senator Baucus and former Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN).

“Today marks the beginning of an era of lost opportunity for American farmers and ranchers. While America stands on the sidelines, countries that directly compete with our farmers – including Mexico, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – will begin to receive the tariff-free benefits of a trade agreement the U.S. once stood at the center of.

 “U.S. beef, poultry, grains, dairy and so many other commodities will be at an immediate disadvantage starting today. Our farmers and ranchers will continue to be at a competitive disadvantage until we reengage with trading partners across the globe and rejoin the many nations that are providing their farmers with the benefits of multilateral trade agreements like CPTPP.

 “Particularly at a time when we are looking for ways to ensure China competes on a level playing field, the United States needs to be the one setting the rules in vast new markets for our exports, including Asia. We will continue to push the Administration and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to fight for our farmers by catching up with the rest of the world on trade.”



AFBF Accepting Internship Applications Through Jan. 7

The American Farm Bureau Federation is accepting online applications through Jan. 7, 2019, for five paid summer internships.

The dates of AFBF’s internships are between mid-May and mid-August, depending on schedules, and will last 8 to 10 weeks. It is preferred that interns begin their internships no later than June 10. Interns are supervised by an intern coordinator in their assigned department and are responsible for their own housing.

Applications are being accepted for the intern positions below.....
  - Business Operations & Revenue Development
  - Communications
  - Leadership, Education & Engagement
  - Public Policy – Economic Analysis
  - Public Policy – Legislative

Visit https://www.fb.org/about/careers/category/internship for information on how to apply. Applications will be accepted through Jan. 7, 2019.