Friday January 11 Ag News

Fertilizer Recommendations for Soybean Updated
Charles Wortmann - NE Extension Soil and Nutrient Management Specialist

Soybean production in Nebraska has expanded to 5.6 million ac/yr. During the past 30 years, the mean yield increase has been 0.49 bu/ac/yr for irrigated and 0.38 bu/ac/yr for rainfed production. The 2018 mean yield is 66 bu/ac for irrigated and 51 bu/ac for rainfed soybean.

In general, the fertilizer requirements for soybean are less than for corn, sorghum, and wheat. Soybean yield increases in Nebraska are observed mostly with fertilizer phosphorus. In eastern and central Nebraska, lime application is required to optimize yield potential on some soils. Along the Platte River, in western Nebraska, and for calcareous soil in northeastern Nebraska, lime-induced iron deficiency chlorosis is often a concern. Soil tests occasionally indicate a need for potassium or zinc fertilizers.

The NebGuide Fertilizer Recommendations for Soybean (G859) http://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/g859.pdf has recently been updated. The most substantial revisions are in the sections addressing fertilizer nitrogen and iron. 



Fischer Chosen as Chairman of Transportation Subcommittee

This afternoon, Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announced that U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) will chair the Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety for the 116th Congress.

“I’m ready to continue my work to improve transportation and infrastructure throughout Nebraska and our nation. This is a panel that has a busy docket, great influence on many sectors of our economy, and a big impact on the daily lives of all Nebraskans. In this role, I’m committed to working to deliver wins for our state,” said Senator Deb Fischer.

“As chairman of this subcommittee for the past four years, Sen. Fischer has been an active leader in the committee’s work to set policy across nearly every federal transportation agency,” said Chairman Wicker. “I look forward to continuing to work with her as we begin to work to enhance safety and improve America’s infrastructure.” 

Long known as a leader on transportation issues, Senator Fischer served as chairman of the Surface Transportation Subcommittee for the past four years. In the Nebraska Legislature, Fischer chaired the Transportation and Telecommunications Committee for six years.

The Transportation and Safety Subcommittee’s jurisdiction includes:
·        Safety of the traveling public
·        Reliability and efficiency of America’s freight and passenger transportation network
·        Oversight of federal agencies involving transportation research, rail, pipelines, intermodal, and commercial trucks and buses



Nebraska Soybean Board Seeks Leaders to Represent Nebraska Soybean Farmers

This year, the Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) will be seeking three soybean farmers to serve as a board member to represent fellow soybean farmers and the industry.

How does the election work?
The election is conducted by mail-in ballot in July. Soybean farmers who reside in counties that are up for election in 2019 will receive ballots and candidate information regarding NSB’s election process via direct mail.

What are the 2019 Election districts and counties?
District 2: Counties of Burt, Cuming, Dakota, Dixon, Stanton, Thurston and Wayne
District 4: Counties of Boone, Hamilton, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Polk and York
District 8: Counties of Artur, Banner, Blaine, Box Butte, Brown, Chase, Cherry, Cheyenne, Custer, Dawes, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Garden, Garfield, Gosper, Grant, Greeley, Harlan, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hooker, Howard, Keith, Keya Paha, Kimball, Lincoln, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Morrill, Perkins, Phelps, Red Willow, Rock, Scottsbluff, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thomas, Valley and Wheeler

Who can be a candidate for the NSB seat on the board?
You are an eligible candidate if you are a:
• Nebraska resident
• District 2, 4 or 8 resident and a
• Soybean farmer for the past five consecutive years, aged 21 or older, and own or share ownership and risk of loss for such soybeans, by reason of being a partner in a partnership, or is a shareholder in a corporation, or is a member of a limited liability company.

To participate as an eligible candidate, a petition containing 50 valid soybean farmers’ signatures who reside in the election district must be submitted to the NSB office on or before April 15, 2019. Interested candidates may obtain an NSB Candidacy Petition by contacting NSB Executive Director, Victor Bohuslavsky, at (402) 432-5720.

Nebraska residents cast the deciding vote
Our shared soybean farmer community determines electoral winners. These voters must be:
• Nebraska residents,
• District 2, 4 or 8 residents and a
• Soybean farmer who owns or shares the ownership and risk of loss for such soybeans, by reason of being a partner in a partnership, or is a shareholder in a corporation, or is a member of a limited liability company, during the current or immediately preceding calendar year.

Roles and Responsibilities of NSB representatives:
• Attend every NSB meeting – 8-day fiscal year commitment
• Attend/participate in other educational events sponsored by the Nebraska soybean checkoff in your district
• Receive no salary but are reimbursed for expenses incurred while carrying out board business
• Serve a three-year term that would begin October 1, 2019

As an elected representative for NSB, you will help guide the Nebraska soybean industry in the areas of research, education, domestic and foreign markets, including new uses for soybeans and soybean products.

If you have any questions regarding the election process, please contact NSB Executive Director, Victor Bohuslavsky, at (402) 432-5720. For more information about the Nebraska soybean checkoff, visit www.nebraskasoybeans.org.



March 1, 2019 Deadline for Soybean Farmers Interested in United Soybean Board Nominations

The Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) is seeking soybean farmers interested in filling two or Nebraska’s four seats with the United Soybean Board (USB), for a three-year term.

USB is made up of 73 farmer-leaders who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. Checkoff funds are invested in the areas of animal utilization, human utilization, industrial utilization, industry relations, market access and supply. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff.

You are an eligible candidate if you are:
• A Nebraska resident,
• At least 21 years of age and
• Involved in a farming operation that raises soybeans.

To be considered for the national leadership position, interested farmers need to submit a USDA Background Information Form to the NSB office before the March 1, 2019 deadline. To obtain this form, contact Victor Bohuslavsky at the Nebraska Soybean Board office at (402) 432-5720.

The NSB board members will submit to the U.S. Department of Agriculture a “first preferred choice nominee” and “second preferred choice alternate” for the open positions. The Secretary of Agriculture will make the final appointments. The USDA has a policy that membership on origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation and marital or family status. The chosen individual will begin serving a three-year term in December 2019. Each individual appointed is eligible to serve a total of three consecutive terms.

For more information about the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org.



CALENDAR PLANNING
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               The time between snow storms, frigid temperatures, and January thaws is a great time to reflect on last year’s successes and problems as well as plan ahead for next year.

               At this time of year, most of us have an abundance of new calendars for the new year – from the coop, the bank, and maybe as a gift.  Put these calendars to good use by planning next year’s forage activities now and make notes on that calendar to complete needed work on a timely basis.

               For example, order alfalfa and other seeds here in January and February to make sure you get what you want.  Then as soils thaw in March, remind yourself to pull any soil samples you didn’t get last fall as well as get ready to plant oats at your earliest opportunity.

               By mid-April, be sure to get alfalfa and cool-season grasses planted before corn planting begins.  This might also mean that lime and phosphorus or other fertilizers needed to be applied even earlier.  Mark it down.  Also, fertilize cool-season grass pastures by mid-April.

               When May arrives, spray your thistles right away and begin checking your alfalfa so once buds just start to form you can be ready for an early first cutting that brings a premium price.

               In late May, warm-season grass pastures can use some fertilizer, and shortly thereafter plant your summer annuals.

               Be ready by late July to early August to prepare and plant turnips or oats for late fall, early winter grazing.  Finally, finish your year by sampling and testing all your harvested forages so you can plan and feed animals during winter to meet their needs at lowest cost.

               I’m sure you can think of many other items to add to your own calendar.  Make those notes now, and in twelve months you will smile, knowing you got all your forage work done correctly and on time.



Reflecting on My Year at the Helm of the Federation of State Beef Councils
Dawn Caldwell, 2018 Chair, Federation of State Beef Councils

For several reasons, no term better summarizes my term as the Federation of State Beef Councils chair than the word “invest.”  The web site dictionary.com defines the word to mean putting money to use, to use money in accumulating something, or to use, give or devote time, talent, etc. to achieve a goal. In my experience, that has been the national Beef Checkoff Program in a nutshell.

One dollar per beef animal sold, combined with the time, talent, and dedicated commitment of state beef council executives and staff, state beef council producer members (including those who serve on the Federation board), Cattlemen’s Beef Board members, and contractors, all factoring into beef checkoff success that benefits every beef producer.

Serving as the Federation chair this past year has been incredibly rewarding in many ways. I can’t help but smile with pride reflecting on the successes we achieved for beef producers. I am especially appreciative of the commitment of board members and supporters of individual state beef councils, who invest into the Federation. Helen Keller said it perfectly: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

Every previous Federation chair I have known has wanted to strengthen the state/national checkoff partnership and create a greater awareness and understanding of the Federation. That was my desire, too. Laurie Munns, a Utah beef producer who has been an inspiring vice chair, and I chose to empower each of the Federation regional vice presidents to reach out to the state beef councils in their respective regions, visiting with board members there. It has been our philosophy that those investing the dollars need to be engaged in the process and decision making, and most importantly know the outcomes so they can tout the good news of success!

And there has been plenty of success to tout. For starters, beef demand is at a very high level, despite increased production. (Yes, there’s a difference between beef disappearance and demand.) There are many factors involved in increasing demand, but we have been proud to point to the following checkoff-funded projects implemented by the Federation in areas that are making a difference:
    Funding of critical nutrition and food safety research;
    Management of issues impacting the beef industry;
    Gathering of data that validates sustainability throughout the beef chain;
    Positive moves to increase beef demand in foreign markets;
    Investment in Beef Quality Assurance training and adoption;
    Conducting cattle and beef immersion experiences for thought leaders, educators, health influencers and marketers;
    Enhancement and upgrading of a beef industry culinary center that tests recipes and trains chefs;
    Development of producer video profiles that help put a face on our industry; and
    Assuring the industry keeps up with the times with programs like “Chuck,” the new virtual assistant for smart speakers and mobile devices that provides recipes, cut and cooking information – and a lot more – to today’s consumers.

Above all, I’d like to say thank you to every producer, volunteer leader, staff member and contractor working tirelessly to build beef demand. Thanks for investing your dollars, your time and your wisdom to make our industry and our livelihoods better. As we move into 2019 and beyond, we must continue to put our dollars, our time and our talents together to do all we can to make beef the world’s preferred protein.

Dawn Caldwell and her husband, Matt, live at Edgar, Neb., and have a cow-calf operation in South Central Nebraska and North Central Kansas. She will step down as Federation chair at the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans, La., Jan. 30 – Feb. 1, 2019.



Iowa Water Summary: 2018 Second Only to 1993 in Precipitation

In 2018, Iowa received 45 inches of rainfall -- nearly 10 inches more than normal. That puts 2018 second only to 1993 for average statewide precipitation, according to the year-end Water Summary Update.

While there was some dryness in the southwestern portion of the state, 27 northern Iowa counties marked their wettest year on record.

Streamflow was above normal for most of the year, while shallow groundwater levels recovered from low levels in southern Iowa to become normal to above normal for the entire state.

"The concerns about dryness and drought in southeastern Iowa were ended with the wet summer and fall, and the entire state is in pretty good shape for groundwater going into the normally dry months of winter," said Tim Hall, DNR's coordinator of hydrology resources.

Temperatures were typical of Iowa weather in 2018 -- all over the map. April was the coldest on record. May was the third warmest, and this June was the 10th warmest. November was 6.4 degrees below average and December was 5.1 degrees above average.

For a thorough review of Iowa's water resource trends, go to www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.

The report is prepared by technical staff from Iowa DNR, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering, and the U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department.



U.S. December Tractor, Combine Sales Were Higher

According to the Association of Equipment Manufacturer's monthly "Flash Report," the sale of all tractors in the U.S. in December 2018, were up 6% compared to the same month last year.

For the month, two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) were up 7% from last year, while 40 & under 100 HP were up 4%. Sales of 2-wheel drive 100+ HP were up 6%, while 4-wheel drive tractors were down 9%. Combine sales were up 30% for the month.

For the year, a total of 235,856 tractors were sold which compares to 220,605 sold thru December 2017 representing an 7% increase for the year.

For the year, two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) are up 9% from last year, while 40 & under 100 HP are up 2%. Sales of 2-wheel drive 100+ HP are up 6%, while 4-wheel drive tractors are up 13%.  Sales of combines for the year total 4,849 compared to 4,104 in 2017, an 18% increase.