BEEF FEEDLOT ROUNDTABLES OFFER RESEARCH, INDUSTRY UPDATES
Research findings and industry updates will be the focus of the Nebraska Extension Beef Feedlot Roundtables Feb. 12-14. Topics were selected to benefit feedlot managers, owners, employees, and those working in the allied industry.
One issue facing all producers is the ability to attract and retain employees. Because this is the biggest issue facing our feedyards, Dr. Scott MacGregor was invited to offer some options for feedyards to enhance employee retention and management succession.
Another topic facing the beef industry is lab-grown proteins. Danielle Beck with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association will offer the latest information on where that industry is and how it will be regulated. As is tradition, relevant research findings will be presented on issues such as congestive heart failure, nutrition, and management practices for the area, and there will be an update on activities from the Nebraska Beef Council.
Roundtables are scheduled for
Tuesday, February 12 ― Bridgeport, Prairie Winds Community Center
Wednesday, February 13 ― Lexington, Dawson County Extension Office
Thursday, February 14 ― West Point, Nielsen Community Center
Registration begins at 12:30 p.m., followed by presentations from 1 to 5 p.m. Following the program, Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training and certification or recertification will be available each day.
The meeting is organized by Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Beef Council.
Online registration is encouraged and available at https://go.unl.edu/2019roundtable. Cost is $20 at the door if preregistered and $40 for walk-ins.
For more information or to request a printed registration form, contact Galen Erickson, Nebraska Extension beef feedlot nutrition specialist, at 402-472-6486 or gerickson4@unl.edu.
Legislation Addresses Inequity in K-12 Student Funding, Lowers Property Taxes
State lawmakers have introduced a proposal (LB 497) to ensure the state of Nebraska provides resources to cover basic education costs for all of Nebraska’s K-12 public school students. Today, only 69 of Nebraska’s 244 school districts receive state equalization aid. The limited assistance has led to significant disparities in how Nebraska funds education for some students compared to others across the state.
“Good schools and quality education are important to our kids, our families, and our businesses. Because of its importance, the state has an obligation to support our children’s education, regardless of where they live or the school they attend. However, we have situations today where the state is paying for 100 percent of basic education funding for students in one school district, while covering less than one percent of the basic education costs in another. That level of disparity shouldn’t exist,” said Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson, the bill’s sponsor.
Nebraska’s current K-12 funding system has not only led to inequity in education funding among students, but also in sources used to fund schools. While all K-12 schools draw on property taxes for funding, schools receiving little or no state equalization rely much more heavily on local property taxes for funding. The proposal would broaden the sources used to fund Nebraska’s K-12 schools to alleviate pressure on local property taxes.
“The way we’ve been funding schools has put tremendous pressure on property taxes. Roughly 60 percent of all property taxes collected in the state go to K-12 school funding. As a result, Nebraskans now pay some of the highest property tax bills in the country,” said Friesen.
The bill contains several provisions to address both the inequity in school funding and overreliance on property taxes, including:
· Guaranteeing every public school in Nebraska receives state support equal to 50 percent of basic education funding needs.
· Adjusting the local resources component of the state aid formula to provide more state equalization aid to individual school districts to replace property taxes.
· Modifying the aid formula so schools with large amounts of agricultural land would have a better chance of receiving equalization aid.
· Ensuring additional state aid to schools are used to replace local property taxes.
· Broadening the sources of state aid funding for use in replacing local property taxes, including elimination of some sales tax exemptions, capturing internet sales tax revenues, increases in cigarette and alcohol taxes, and elimination of the personal property tax exemption.
In addition to replacing property taxes with broadened revenues, the bill also contains a provision making a one-time allocation to help replenish the state’s cash reserve fund.
“This bill provides an overall framework from which we can replace parts of our school funding system that aren’t working for our students and taxpayers. To do that we’re broadening the sources we use to fund education and reducing our overreliance on property taxes. There is a better a way to fund K-12 public education than how we’re doing it today. This bill moves Nebraska in a better direction,” said Friesen.
Several senators have co-sponsored the bill.
"The disparity of basic education funding from the state has created an unfair system that hurts property taxpayers, especially in rural communities. LB 497's restructuring of the school funding equalization formula is an important step in reducing the property tax burden, while still ensuring we provide the best education possible for our children. I look forward to working with Senator Friesen and the Revenue Committee to ensure that we pass legislation that benefits all Nebraskans."
- Sen. Joni Albrecht, Dist. 17
“Property tax relief is on the mind of nearly all of my constituents. It is my number one concern as a legislator, and it will continue to be until we have real relief. This mess was created over many years and there is no ‘easy fix’ for something this big. LB 497 provides a revenue stream that will help alleviate the immense burden placed upon our homeowners, business owners, and farmers and ranchers.”
- Sen. Tom Brandt, Dist. 32
“As I campaigned across District 38, the message I consistently got from my constituents is that we need substantially lower property taxes and more fair funding for our schools. I promised that when elected I would do everything in my power to achieve that goal. Now that I am in the Legislature, I am getting the same message from many other senators, both rural and urban. LB 497 will go a long way toward solving the overreliance on property taxes in Nebraska while maintaining the high quality of education in our state.”
- Sen. Dave Murman, Dist. 38
“Since the majority of property tax revenue is directed to school districts, the school finance formula needs to be part of any plan for property tax relief. LB 497 addresses both the state aid formula and provides property tax relief, giving the Legislature a credible plan to work with.”
- Sen. Tim Gragert, Dist. 40
"The only responsible path moving forward to providing the meaningful and significant property tax relief we need is raising new revenue. I have always maintained that responsible government spending is a priority, but you cannot slash and burn your way out of trouble. In a state with an ag-based economy, providing our farmers and ranchers with meaningful and substantial property tax relief is truly one of the keys to economic growth for the state. I believe that Sen. Friesen's bill brings a number of thoughtful proposals to the discussion around property tax relief."
- Sen. Tom Briese, Dist. 41
“I am proud to co-sponsor Sen. Friesen's bill, LB 497. Obviously, the devil is in the details and we will all have to work together to get something that will attract the votes we need to pass property tax relief. I am glad Sen. Friesen is leading on this issue. I think his contribution to this effort is crucial.”
- Sen. Tom Brewer, Dist. 43
"LB 497 is the result of a great collaborative effort by my colleagues and other interests who want to better balance the way we fund schools and provide property tax relief. I'm very excited about the possibilities of significant property tax reduction becoming a reality for Nebraskans.”
- Sen. Dan Hughes, Dist. 44
“The Nebraska State Constitution says, ‘The Legislature shall provide for the free instruction in the common schools of this state of all persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years.’ When some school districts get less than one percent of their funding from the state, it is safe to say that the Legislature has been negligent in their duty to provide for free instruction in the common schools. Because only 69 of Nebraska’s 244 school districts receive state equalization aid, the time has come to restore a sense of equity and balance to the way we fund our schools. I co-signed LB 497 because the bill will restore this sense of fairness and balance to our public schools, and it will provide our farmers and ranchers with some much-needed property tax relief.”
- Sen. Steve Erdman, Dist. 47
Other bill co-sponsors include Sen. Bruce Bostelman, Dist. 23, Sen. Mark Kolterman, Dist. 24, Sen. Myron Dorn, Dist. 30, and Sen. Steve Halloran, Dist. 33.
Nebraska Agriculture Leaders Back Sen. Friesen’s School Funding and Property Tax Relief Bill (LB 497)
The Nebraska Agriculture Leaders Working Group has announced its support for a bill introduced by Sen. Curt Friesen to fix major inequities in how Nebraska funds K-12 schools, while lowering property taxes for all Nebraskans. With numerous legislative proposals dealing with school funding and tax relief having been introduced, the agriculture leaders believe LB 497 is the best bill from which to start.
“We appreciate all of the different ideas that have been brought to the table. We understand that no bill dealing with these critical issues will look the same at the end of the session as it does at the start, but we think this bill is the most comprehensive in addressing the issues. I’m sure there will be things we will find to make it even better,” said Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.
The bill’s guarantee that all Nebraska students receive at least 50 percent of their basic education funding from the state is key to the group’s support.
“Education is important for all of us in Nebraska. It’s important to our families, our businesses, and the overall well-being of our state. That’s why the state has a responsibility to help fund the basic education needs of our children, yet it’s failing to meet that obligation for all of Nebraska’s K-12 students,” said Darin Uhlir, Nebraska Pork Producers Association president.
Today, 150 of Nebraska’s 244 school districts receive less than 10 percent of basic education funding from the state. Fifty-five of those districts receive less than one percent.
“When it comes to providing basic education funding, the state shouldn’t look at a student in one school district and say, ‘I’ll cover 100 percent of the costs of your basic education’ and then look at a student in a different district and tell them ‘You’re on your own’. They’re both Nebraska kids. That’s not how our state should treat them, but that’s exactly what’s happening,” said Mike Drinnin, Nebraska Cattlemen president.
In addition to the minimum aid guarantee, the bill also adjusts the local resources component of the state aid formula ensuring all school districts would receive additional state dollars to help replace local property taxes.
“It’s no secret we rely far too heavily on property taxes to fund education. Nebraskans now pay the seventh highest property taxes in the nation. This bill would help fix that,” said Mark Spurgin Nebraska Wheat Growers Association president.
Roughly 60 percent of all property taxes collected in the state are used to fund schools. The bill would help lower property taxes by broadening the sources used to fund K-12 schools and replace property taxes with the new revenues.
“Broadening the sources of revenue used to fund schools so we can replace property taxes as a funding source is key to lowering property taxes for Nebraskans. It must be a part of the discussion. LB 497 reflects a thoughtful way to do that, while making sure that our state’s tax structure remains competitive with those of neighboring states,” said Robert Johnston, Nebraska Soybean Association president.
The bill also contains provisions that adjust the state aid to school formula so school districts that are largely agricultural land based would have a better chance to receive state equalization aid, as the vast majority of these districts receive little or no equalization aid to cover education costs. Today only 69 of the 244 Nebraska school districts receive state equalization aid. This bill would help boost the number of schools that receive assistance.
“LB 497 provides a great framework to begin fixing the inequity in how we fund schools and providing the meaningful and substantive property tax relief Nebraskans want. Our group looks forward to helping Sen. Friesen and others find a path forward to tackling these tough, but critical issues,” said Dan Nerud, Nebraska Corn Growers Association president.
The Agriculture Leaders Working Group includes member-elected leaders from the Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, Nebraska Farm Bureau, Nebraska Pork Producers Association, Nebraska Soybean Association, Nebraska State Dairy Association, and Nebraska Wheat Growers.
FEED HIGH QUALITY HAY AFTER CALVING
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
Good cow nutrition is crucial following calving to get cows rebred. Today let's review some guidelines to do the job right.
Cows need good feed after calving. Each cow experiences much stress after calving because she is producing milk for her calf and she is preparing her reproductive system to rebreed. As a result, nutrient demands are high. Energy requirements increase about 30 percent and protein needs nearly double after calving. Underfeeding reduces the amount of milk she provides her calf, and it can delay or even prevent rebreeding. And if it gets cold, wet, or icy again, nutrient demands can sky-rocket.
Winter grass, corn stalks, and other crop residues are low quality right now because these feeds are weathered and have been pretty well picked over. So it is critical that the hay or silage you feed will provide the extra nutrients your cows need.
Not just any hay or silage will do. Your cow needs 10 to 12 percent crude protein and 60 to 65 percent TDN in her total diet. If she is grazing poor quality feeds or eating grass hay, your other forages and supplements must make up any deficiencies.
Make sure your forage has adequate nutrients; if you haven't done so, get it tested now for protein and energy content. Compare this to the nutrient requirements of your cows. Then feed your cows a ration that will meet their requirements. Use supplements if needed. But don't overfeed, either. That is wasteful and expensive.
In summary, avoid underfeeding after calving; it can delay rebreeding and slow down calf growth. Use your best quality forages with any needed supplements to provide adequate nutrition. Your cows will milk well, rebreed on time, and produce healthy calves year after year.
Perdue Selects Three Senior Leaders at USDA
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today selected three highly-qualified individuals for senior leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Perdue named Dr. Mindy Brashears as Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, Naomi Earp as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, and Dr. Scott Hutchins as Deputy Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics. These positions do not require Senate confirmation.
Dr. Scott Hutchins
Dr. Hutchins formerly served as the global leader of integrated field sciences for Corteva Agriscience and as an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska. Previously, he served as president of the Entomological Society of America. Dr. Hutchins earned his B.S. in entomology from Auburn University, M.A. from Mississippi State University, and Ph.D. from Iowa State University.
Dr. Mindy Brashears
Dr. Brashears is a Professor of Food Safety and Public Health and the Director of the International Center for Food Industry Excellence at Texas Tech University. Dr. Brashears’ research program focuses on improving food safety standards to make an impact on public health. Her highly acclaimed work evaluates interventions in pre- and post-harvest environments and on the emergence of antimicrobial drug resistance in animal feeding systems. These efforts have resulted in commercialization of a pre-harvest feed additive that can reduce E. coli and Salmonella in cattle. She also leads international research teams to Mexico, Central and South America to improve food safety and security and to set up sustainable agriculture systems in impoverished areas. She is past-Chair of the National Alliance for Food Safety and Security and of the USDA multi-state research group.
Naomi Earp, J.D.
Earp is a retired career civil servant with more than 20 years of experience in federal equal opportunity policy, charge processing, complaint handling, and employment law. She entered federal services as a GS-9 career employee and worked her way to the Senior Executive Service level prior to appointments as Chair and Vice Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under President George W. Bush. Throughout her career, Earp has been a strong advocate for labor-management partnership and cooperative business models to raise awareness and address both disparate treatment complaints and allegations of systemic discrimination. Her federal equal opportunity, civil rights compliance, and public policy career includes positions with the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health. Born and raised in Newport News, Virginia, Earp received a BS in Social Work from Norfolk State University, an MA from Indiana University, and a Juris Doctorate from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.
The three previously had been nominated by President Donald Trump for Senate-confirmed positions at USDA. While the Senate Agriculture Committee on a bipartisan basis favorably reported all three nominees, their nominations expired without receiving confirmation votes by the end of the 115th Congress in early January. The President has resubmitted their nominations to the Senate in the 116th Congress.
“At USDA, we’ve been engaged in fulfilling our mission without all of our players on the field, so we want to get these strong, qualified leaders in the game,” Perdue said. “I want to thank these three for their patience, as their professional lives have been placed on hold for months during their nomination process. Now, they will get to work right away on behalf of the American people. Nevertheless, I urge the Senate to act on their new nominations as quickly as possible, so we can have them in the positions for which they were intended in the first place.”
The three have been re-nominated for more senior roles than the ones Perdue today selected them to fill in their respective mission areas at USDA. Dr. Brashears was nominated for Under Secretary for Food Safety; Earp was nominated for Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights; and Dr. Hutchins was nominated for Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics.
While in their deputy roles as selected by Perdue, they will not be serving in “acting” capacities for the positions for which they have been nominated. As a result, they will not be able to exercise the functions or powers expressly delegated to the Senate-confirmed positions. As Deputy Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics, Dr. Hutchins will oversee the Office of the Chief Scientist, with Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young continuing to serve as Acting Chief Scientist.
Brashears, Earp, and Hutchins will begin working at USDA on Tuesday, January 29, 2019.
NeABA Mid-Winter Conference on February 12th and 13th
The Nebraska Agri-Business Association is proud to present the 2019 Mid-Winter Conference on February 12th & 13th, at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Kearney, NE. This conference has been specifically designed for Certified Crop Advisers to give you the opportunity to earn 20 CEU hours, which is half of the required 40 hours in a two-year cycle! Leading experts from the industry and universities will be presenting the latest up-to-date information.
The 2019 Mid-Winter Conference has been designed to address all four CCA performance objectives. CCAs who attend this workshop can earn credits in the following categories: Soil and Water Management (4 credits), Nutrient Management (4 Credits), Crop Management (6 Credits) and Pest Management (5 Credits). There will be an additional credit in either Crop Management or Nutrient Management.
The cost of registration for the conference is $275.00 per person for NeABA Members and $375.00 for Non-Members. Registration includes breakfast buffet on Wednesday, lunch and breaks on both days, and all speaker handouts. Details at www.na-ba.com.
Hotel Accommodations: A block of sleeping rooms (specify Nebraska Agri-Business Association) has been reserved at the Holiday Inn, Kearney at a room rate of $99.95. For room reservations, please contact the Holiday Inn at 308-237-5971 to assure room rate and availability.
‘TAKE CHARGE OF CHANGE’ IS FOCUS OF WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE
Women producers looking to increase their business-management skills are encouraged to attend the 2019 Women in Agriculture Conference Feb. 21-22 in Kearney.
Organized by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, the conference will be at the Holiday Inn Convention Center, 110 S. Second Ave.
Twenty scholarships will be awarded to producers to cover registration and hotel costs. Scholarship applications are available at https://wia.unl.edu/scholarships.
The Women in Agriculture Conference allows women to build relationships with each other, attend workshops and gain valuable knowledge that will help them support their own farms and ranches. The theme for this year’s conference is “Take Charge of Change.”
The conference features more than 30 concurrent workshops on production, market, financial, human and legal risk. In addition to workshops, participants will have the opportunity to hear from Marji Guyler-Alaniz, founder of FarmHer. Guyler-Alaniz will discuss the inspiration for and evolution of FarmHer and the image of women in agriculture. Other general session speakers include Tim Hammerich of Ag Grad; Joan Ruskamp, chair of the National Cattleman’s Beef Board; Jim Robb of the Livestock Marketing Information Center; and Gianella Alvarez of Beanitos.
Registration is available at https://wia.unl.edu. The cost is $125 through Feb. 11 and $150 after that. Fees include all workshop materials, registration, meals and breaks.
The conference is hosted by Nebraska Extension and the Department of Agricultural Economics at Nebraska. Producer scholarships are made possible by Beanitos and the Kelley Bean Company.
Ricketts Announces Schedule for 31st Annual Governor’s Ag Conference in Kearney
Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced the agenda for the 31st Governor’s Ag Conference, which brings together ag producers, industry leaders and agri-business managers in Nebraska on an annual basis to talk about the future of agriculture. The conference is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, March 4-5, 2019, at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney.
“For 31 years, the Governor’s Ag Conference has been a premiere forum for Nebraska farmers, ranchers, and industry leaders to come together to discuss agriculture and how to keep growing our state’s number one industry,” said Governor Ricketts. “We hope you can join us to talk about the future of agriculture in Nebraska. It’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss.”
“We’ve asked industry experts at the local, state and federal level to lead discussions at this year’s Governor’s Ag Conference and share their knowledge and experience with producers and agribusiness leaders from around the state,” said Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Director Steve Wellman. “Conference speakers and attendees can use this opportunity to connect with colleagues and prepare for the future.”
The conference starts Monday, March 4, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. with a panel presentation featuring Nebraska entrepreneurs and recruiters. The panel includes representatives from three innovative Nebraska companies and three organizations involved heavily in recruiting companies to Nebraska.
On the entrepreneur side, the panelists are Vishal Singh with Quantified Ag; Lukas Fricke with ChorChek; and Mitch Minarick with FARMAFIELD. These speakers will discuss their companies, goals, visions and why they chose Nebraska communities to start their businesses.
The three people representing recruitment success are: Phil Kozera with Bio Nebraska; Dan Duncan with Innovation Campus; and Bryan Slone with the Nebraska State Chamber. They will discuss their efforts in recruiting and how to find and attract startups as well as how to connect to established industries.
Governor Ricketts will moderate this panel presentation that will include questions and answers from the audience.
The annual “Celebrate Nebraska Agriculture” reception, at 6 p.m. on March 4th will feature an assortment of food and beverages from Nebraska.
The conference resumes on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, at 9 a.m. with a presentation from Jim Smith, executive director of Blueprint Nebraska, an organization that is spearheading a statewide, citizen-led economic development initiative.
Governor Ricketts, NDA Director Wellman and Nebraska Department of Economic Development Director Dave Rippe will update conference participants on legislative initiatives in agriculture and highlight the work being done between state agencies to grow Nebraska. This panel presentation will be moderated by NDA Assistant Director Amelia Breinig.
Next on the agenda will be Jim Wiesemeyer, with Pro Farmer, giving participants an update on the national farm bill and how it will impact farmers and ranchers nationwide as well as here in Nebraska.
The Governor's Ag Conference is coordinated by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and is co-sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America. A $125 registration fee covers participation at activities on both Monday and Tuesday. Registration and additional information is available online at www.nda.nebraska.gov, or by calling NDA toll-free at (800) 831-0550.
Iowa Pork Schedules Regional Conferences in February
The Iowa Pork Producers Association is inviting the state's pig farmers to attend one of the five Iowa Pork Regional Conferences being held in February. The events are being held at different locations from Feb. 18 through 22.
In addition to the regional conference program that runs from 1-4:30 p.m. each day, a separate morning session from 9 a.m. to noon will provide Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus training free to those who pre-register. The PQA Plus training is sponsored by IPPA and provided by Iowa State University Extension.
"The afternoon conferences include five speakers providing timely and relevant information," says Jamee Eggers, IPPA producer education director. "The farmer members of our producer education committee partnered with the Iowa Pork Information Center to select topics and identify exciting speakers."
The locations of the conferences are:
- Mon, Feb. 18 - N.W. IA Comm College, Bldg A, Rm 116/119, 603 W Park St., Sheldon, IA 51201
- Tuesday, Feb. 19 - Audubon Recreation Center, 703 Southside Ave., Audubon, IA 50025
- Wednesday, Feb. 20 - Hansen Agriculture Learning Center, 2508 Mortensen Rd., Ames, IA 50011
- Thursday, Feb. 21 - Washington County Extension Office, 2223 250th St., Washington, IA 52353
- Friday, Feb. 22 - Borlaug Leaning Center, 3327 290th St., Nashua, IA 50658.
Topics and speakers for the afternoon conferences are:
- Being Prepared for Foreign Animal Disease; Dr. Andrew Hennenfent, the state's Emergency Management Coordinator, will outline how farmers will be impacted if there is a foreign animal disease outbreak. Find out the differences between stop movements, permitting movements and what other orders would mean to your farm.
- What China Knows that You May Not about African Swine Fever; Dr. Chris Rademacher of the Iowa Pork Industry Center will provide an overview of ASF, a review of clinical signs of the disease, and a discussion of the feed biosecurity issue.
- Trade and Tariffs Update; ISU Extension Livestock Economist Dr. Lee Schulz will talk about how current foreign tariffs are impacting the swine market.
- Using Maintenance to Extend Building Longevity; Brian Blumhagen of New Modern Concepts will talk about proven approaches to slow-down natural degradation. And, if you have experiences that worked for you, you'll be asked to share.
- A review of decision-making tools that Iowa State University Extension Swine Specialists can provide for you to solve production problems and other issues on your pig farm.
The regional conferences are free for those who pre-register two business days before the meeting at their regional location; otherwise the cost is $5 at the door. Check-in starts 30 minutes before the start of the conference. To pre-register for the conference and/or certification training, contact IPPA's Carla Vanderheiden at (800) 372-7675 or cvanderheiden@iowapork.org.
Registration Now Open for the Pork Management Conference
The National Pork Board will host its annual Pork Management Conference, April 16-19, in Nashville, Tennessee. At the annual conference, a diverse set of experts from across the country will address business trends and challenges facing the U.S. pork industry. Through presentations, breakout sessions and networking, attendees will gain important insight on the pork industry and its challenges along with learning more about financial management practices to improve the performance and efficiency of pig farming.
“The Pork Management Conference continues to be an important event for pork producers,” said Emily Erickson, chair of the Pork Checkoff’s Producer and State Services Committee and a pig farmer from Jackson, Minnesota. “It is exciting to have a great line up of guest presenters and industry experts who will provide valuable knowledge and insight for our producers and other attendees.”
In addition to the general sessions on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings, two concurrent afternoon sessions are planned for Thursday. Topics will include benchmarking, disaster recovery, risk management, research and development, tax credits, finding and keeping talented workers, accounting, and tax updates.
Registration is $425 per person through March 22 and $475 after that. No refunds will be made after March 29. A registration form and a detailed list of events are available at pork.org/pmc.
ACE leadership to share Mexico ethanol market outlook from work with retailers in the country at IRFA Summit
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Senior Vice President and Market Development Director Ron Lamberty will share ethanol market opportunities and challenges from his travels to Mexico over the past year in a trade roundtable discussion at the 2019 Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit taking place tomorrow, January 29.
Lamberty traveled to Mexico six times last year to participate in ethanol technical workshops for Mexican petroleum equipment installers and retailers. The workshops were a joint effort of the U.S. Grains Council and the Mexican Association of Petroleum Equipment Suppliers (AMPES), to inform fuel marketers about opportunities in sourcing, blending, distributing, and retailing ethanol-blended gasoline, as Mexico’s transportation fuel sector continues to evolve.
“The workshops helped Mexican fuel marketers, equipment suppliers, and even some government officials understand offering gasoline with 10 percent ethanol is a safe and economically sensible way to have cleaner air and provide less expensive fuel for drivers in Mexico,” Lamberty said. “I appreciate IRFA for inviting me to join the panel and give an update on Mexico. E10 would open a new market for 1.2 billion gallons of ethanol. That’s not quite another California or Texas, but it’s more than Florida. And it’s 200 million more than nationwide E10 in Canada.”
“Current U.S. ethanol exports to Mexico are primarily for industrial uses like perfumes, solvents, and beverages, but we’re starting to see retailers in border cities buy pre-blended E10 at U.S. terminals for resale in their convenience stores or service stations,” Lamberty added. “While these volumes are tiny right now, just as we saw ethanol spread across the U.S., when retailers see other retailers successfully selling E10, they become more confident they could offer it too, and volumes increase.”
Lamberty’s 2018 travels to Mexico included visits to Mexico City in November, Xalapa in August, Chihuahua in July, and León in June. In the spring of last year, Lamberty spoke at two other workshops in Monterrey and Tijuana. ACE will continue to work with the USGC to provide information to retailers and others who want to sell more ethanol in 2019.
The IRFA trade panel includes Mike Dwyer of the U.S. Grains Council, Kelly Nieuwenhuis of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board, and Eamonn Byrne of Plymouth Energy as moderator. For more details on the program, visit https://iowarenewablefuelssummit.org/program/. Summit attendees can catch up with Lamberty about ACE’s market development work in Mexico and other timely ethanol topics with ACE staff at exhibit booth #26 at the IRFA Summit trade show.
RFA & NCGA Co-Title Sponsorship of 2019 Crappie Masters Tournament Trail Begins This Week
The 2019 season of the Crappie Masters Tournament Trail begins later this week, with the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) signed on as co-title sponsors for the third consecutive year. The first of 16 tournaments begins Friday, Feb. 1 in Deland, Fla., between Daytona and Orlando, at St. Johns River.
“Crappie Masters is pleased to again have the Renewable Fuels Association as a 2019 co-title sponsor of the Crappie Masters All American Tournament Trail,” said Crappie Masters President Mike Vallentine. “We have done significant education outreach to the boating community on the benefits of 10 percent ethanol blends (E10), and have helped push back on misinformation on higher blends like E15. Every Crappie Masters tournament winning team for the past four years has safely used E10 fuel with no reported engine issues. We plan to continue to help dispel the myths propagated by ethanol’s opponents, and support homegrown, environmentally friendly ethanol as the choice for the boating community,” he added.
“We are looking forward to another successful year on the Crappie Masters All American Tournament Trail,” said RFA Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White. “Thanks to our partnership with Crappie Masters, with each passing year, more boaters learn about the benefits of clean, lower priced, higher octane ethanol. The winners of the 2018 season highlighted the numerous environmental and performance-related benefits of using E10 in their boat. For nearly 30 years, E10 has been used in all types of marine engines and the fuel blend is approved for use by all major marine engine manufacturers, helping to clean the air and water,” he added.
“This season, we are excited about continuing to engage with boaters and anglers about the benefits of the renewable corn ethanol they fill up their boats with throughout the tournament trail,” said NCGA Ethanol Action Team Chair and Missouri farmer Jay Schutte. “America’s corn farmers produce an abundant and reliable crop that’s used to produce ethanol. Not only are there a number of environmental benefits to fuel blended with 10 percent ethanol, but as the world’s cleanest and most affordable octane source, ethanol helps maximize engine performance.”
Crappie Masters Television will also highlight each tournament. The weekly show can be found on the Pursuit Channel, which is on DIRECTV 604, Dish Network 393, Verizon, CenturyLink and Roku.
The next Crappie Masters Tournament Trail event is Feb. 8-9 at Lake Talquin in Gadsden County, Fla. The 2019 Crappie Masters Tournament Trail season runs through Sept. 28.
Secretary of Agriculture to Speak at 2019 Cattle Industry Convention
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will speak at the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans, La., Feb. 1, 2019. Perdue will give his remarks at the Closing General Session of the event, being held Jan. 30 – Feb. 1, 2019 at the New Orleans Convention Center. He will address the farm bill, trade and other issues affecting the state of American agriculture.
The convention is the largest gathering of cattle industry professionals in the country, and the NCBA Trade Show will feature more than 350 exhibitors on 7+ acres. The annual meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National CattleWomen, CattleFax and National Cattlemen’s Foundation will also be held at this event.
NCBA President and California cattleman Kevin Kester says the industry is honored to host Secretary Perdue at the Convention. “There are many issues facing those who make their livings in the cattle industry, so It’s great that Secretary Perdue will share his thoughts and his agency’s plans with us at the Convention,” Kester said. “We have more than 7,000 people already pre-registered for the event, and we should have a record turnout. Those in attendance at the Closing Session will benefit from hearing what we an industry can expect from government in the coming months and years.”
Thune Leads Colleagues in Reintroducing Legislation to Permanently Repeal the Death Tax
U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a member of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, joined Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and dozens of his Senate colleagues in reintroducing legislation to permanently repeal the federal estate tax, more commonly known as the death tax. Thune’s bill, the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2019, would finally end this purely punitive tax that has the potential to hit family-run farms, ranches, and businesses as the result of the owner’s death.
Thune led the Senate’s effort to repeal the estate tax while Congress considered the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2017. Although the final version of the TCJA did not repeal the death tax, the law doubled the individual estate and gift tax exclusion to $10 million ($11.4 million in 2019 dollars) through 2025, which will prevent more families from being affected by this tax.
“Although we made great progress during the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act negotiations, the death tax still remains an onerous and unfair tax that punishes hard-working families,” said Thune. “Oftentimes, family-owned farms and ranches bear the brunt of this tax, which threatens families’ agricultural legacies and makes it difficult and costly to pass these businesses down to future generations. This way of life is integral to so many South Dakota families, which is why I remain committed to removing roadblocks for these family businesses, and we can start by repealing the death tax once and for all.”
“With Senator Thune’s leadership, I am proud to cosponsor this legislation to finally end the unfair death tax,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. “It’s the government’s final insult to force grieving families to visit both the undertaker and the IRS on the same day. Our historic tax reform legislation provided major relief from this burden to many Kentuckians – especially those in farming and rural communities. Now is the time for our Democratic colleagues to join us to take the next step to repeal the death tax once and for all.”
“Congress ought to do everything possible to encourage family enterprises to get next generations involved and keep the doors open for business,” said Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley. “It’s getting harder all the time to keep a farm or small business in the family from one generation to the next. The estate tax doesn’t serve any purpose except forcing family farms and family-run businesses to waste precious capital on costly tax planning and in too many cases, paying taxes on income or property that have already been taxed once. Rather than sending even more taxes to Washington, D.C, it would be far better to allow family farms to keep this money so they can invest in the rural communities they are located in to create new opportunities.”
In addition to Thune, McConnell, and Grassley, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), David Perdue (R-Ga.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R- Fla.), and Todd Young (R- Ind.).
Thune’s bill is supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, NFIB, the Associated General Contractors of America, the Family Business Estate Tax Coalition, Policy and Taxation Group, the National Association of Manufacturers, and many others.
Farm Bureau-Backed Senate Bills Would Alleviate HIT Pain
Two recently introduced, Farm Bureau-supported bills would provide farmers and ranchers with relief from the Health Insurance Tax. The Jobs and Premium Protection Act (S. 80) would repeal the HIT, while the Health Insurance Tax Relief Act of 2019 (S. 172) would suspend the tax for 2020 and 2021.
Most farmers, ranchers and other small businesses do not have a large enough pool of employees to self-insure, so they purchase health insurance for themselves, their families and their employees on the fully insured market. The HIT, enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act, is levied on health insurance companies that operate in the fully insured marketplace and is directly passed on to individuals and small businesses that purchase their own insurance.
There is moratorium on the collection of the HIT during 2019 but in 2020 the HIT will collectively add an estimated $16 billion to the cost of coverage for individuals, small businesses, families and others. This works out to an average $500 in added health insurance premiums per family.
The Senate bills address one of farmers and ranchers’ major concerns with the tax—its steep cost, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall wrote in letters to Sens. John Barasso (R-Wyo.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), original cosponsors of both bills, and Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.), also original cosponsors of the measure that would suspend the HIT through 2021.
Duvall said the organization would work with the senators to secure passage of the bills.
CWT Assists with 5.6 million Pounds of Dairy Product Export Sales
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) member cooperatives accepted 17 offers of export assistance from CWT that helped them capture sales contracts for 4.343 million pounds (1,970 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese; 169,756 pounds (77 metric tons) of butter and 1.124 million pounds (510 metric tons) of whole milk powder. These products are going to customers in Asia, Central America, the Middle East, Oceania and South America. The product will be delivered during the period from February through July 2019.
CWT-assisted member cooperative 2019 export sales total 11.729 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 707,684 pounds of butter (82% milkfat) and 2.249 million pounds of whole milk powder to 16 countries in six regions. These sales are the equivalent of 140.6 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively affects all U.S. dairy farmers and all dairy cooperatives by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price. It does this by helping member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share for U.S dairy products. As a result, the program has significantly expanded the total demand for U.S. dairy products and the demand for U.S. farm milk that produces those products.
Making a Difference One Student at a Time- Give FFA Day Helps Fund Future Student Leaders
In just a few weeks, the National FFA Organization will celebrate National FFA Week – a time to celebrate FFA members and share with others the exciting story of the organization that provides the next generation of leaders who will change the world.
National FFA Week is a time for FFA members to host a variety of activities to raise awareness about the role the National FFA Organization plays in the development of agriculture's future leaders and the importance of agricultural education.
As part of the weeklong celebration, the organization will encourage members, supporters and others to share reasons to give to the organization on Tuesday, Feb. 19 – Give FFA Day!
Give FFA Day is an annual 24-hour campaign encouraging the public to support various needs impacting FFA members. Last year, the National FFA Foundation raised more than $161,000 in one day! This year’s goal is to raise $200,000. Members and supporters are being urged to share why they support FFA on social media, by using #GiveFFADAy and set up their own fundraisers. More information can be found here.
So, just how does FFA influence FFA members? Bella Culotta is just one story of how the organization has a global impact.
As a senior in high school from Ithaca, N.Y., Bella joined the TST BOCES New Visions FFA Chapter and quickly developed a passion for international agriculture. Bella then received an all-expenses-paid trip to the three-day Global Youth Institute hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation. Furthermore, she was selected for an eight-week internship in Nepal where she worked on a solar-powered irrigation pump to improve the quality of life for those who lived in the region. Bella is now attending Cornell University and is considering a double major in applied economics and management with a career ambition of being an agriculture development consultant. Her goal is to educate others on the global food system.
“There are seemingly endless opportunities in FFA. You can do and see so much with the blue jacket, and that is not something to take for granted,” says Bella.
Bella’s story is just one example of how a year in FFA can change a young person’s life. National FFA is committed to offering programs to promote career preparation and leadership development, agricultural literacy, and teacher recruitment and retention.
The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 669,989 student members who belong to one of 8,630 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization is also supported by 459,514 alumni members in 2,236 alumni chapters throughout the U.S.
"Keep It In Your Plants" Campaign Highlights the Benefits of Nutrient Use Efficiency
Verdesian Life Sciences has launched a satirical marketing campaign aimed at educating growers on the importance of Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE™). The campaign encourages farmers to "Keep It In Their Plants", and demonstrates how Verdesian's NUE solutions help them make better use of their fertilizer dollars by increasing plant nutrient uptake.
"Verdesian Life Sciences is dedicated to providing nutrient use efficiency solutions that allow farmers to make the most out of their fertilizer investment," said Paul Beck, Vice President of Global Marketing. "This campaign is an engaging way to help farmers learn more about how nutrient use efficiency can work to make their farms more profitable."
Nutrient loss is a common issue that negatively impacts farmers' profitability and the environment overall by leading to larger input costs and unnecessary use of fertilizer. By making use of NUE solutions, farmers can maximize nutrient uptake, lessen their input costs and minimize their impact on their soil.
The campaign introduces a farmer who is intent on getting the most from his field by trying the latest in "pop-culture" trends. While the methods he tries are satirical, the campaign takes an informative approach to provide insights to growers on how nutrient use efficiency can benefit their farms. Verdesian has also created a microsite containing a video to explain the concept of NUE, and encourages farmers to visit the site to learn more and share its content. Farmers can share their NUE best practices on their preferred social media platform using the hashtag #keepitinyourplants.
"Verdesian Life Sciences believes that sustainability and profitability go hand in hand," added Beck. "It is our dedication to helping farmers get the most from their investment that makes us the 'nutrient use efficiency people'. Farmers can continue to rely on Verdesian to deliver products that help them keep nutrients in their crops, where they belong."
Farmers are encouraged to visit keepitinyourplants.ag to learn more about the benefits that nutrient use efficiency can bring to their business.
ANVOL Nitrogen Stabilizer with DUROMIDE Technology is Now Available
Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) announced today that DUROMIDE™, its next-generation active ingredient, has received federal registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The Koch-developed and patented DUROMIDE technology is only found in ANVOL™ nitrogen stabilizer, which is now available for purchase in the U.S.
ANVOL stabilizer features dual active ingredients including DUROMIDE and NBPT. DUROMIDE was designed to extend the protection of nitrogen currently offered by NBPT. With optimal amounts of two active ingredients working in tandem, ANVOL gets to work faster and provides a longer duration of protection from nitrogen loss through volatilization. This helps growers maximize nitrogen availability in their fields providing a higher return on investment while minimizing environmental impact.
With its intelligent design, DUROMIDE has proven to deliver protection in a wide range of soil environments. The added longevity that only DUROMIDE provides increases the opportunity for nitrogen to be moved into the soil and not lost to the environment through volatilization.
“ANVOL offers the longest-available protection against volatilization losses. This extra window of time can make a tremendous difference to growers who don’t experience adequate rainfall or aren’t able to mechanically incorporate their fertilizer after application,” says Dr. Greg Schwab, director of agronomy for Koch. “We’re excited ANVOL will be available to help growers throughout the U.S. maintain their yield potential.”
Research Proves Efficacy of ANVOL
When the nitrogen contained in urea and UAN is left unprotected, it can escape the soil through ammonia volatilization. In a Louisiana State University trial, ANVOL reduced cumulative ammonia loss to 12 percent compared to losses of more than 30 percent with untreated urea.1 Additionally, in recent studies across eight site years3conducted between 2016 and 2018, urea treated with ANVOL increased corn yield by an average of 31 bu/acre compared to untreated urea.2
Along with the stability, consistent performance and longevity ANVOL provides, its high active ingredient concentration enables a low application rate. This results in more efficient coating operations, a drier blend and overall reduced labor demands.
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
No comments:
Post a Comment