Tuesday February 12 Ag News

Eastern Nebraska Extension Beef Workshops

Nebraska Extension are hosting Beef Profitability Workshops in Eastern Nebraska to help Beef Producers evaluate their operations to make them more profitable through the latest research information. Extension Educators will be presenting the information.

These workshops have been held across Nebraska for the past sixteen years.  Workshops are sponsored by Nebraska Extension.  The cost is $10.00 which is payable at the door, but pre-registration is encouraged so we know how many will be attending.

Workshops that will be held in the area during March includes the following locations.

March 12, 2019 – Dakota County at 1:00 p.m. @ the Dakota County Extension Office, Dakota City, NE. Topics include “Unit Cost of Production”, “Grazing Management – Where to Put the Cows”, and “Heat Stress Management”. Pre-register by contacting Larry Howard at 402-372-6006 by March 8th.

March 13, 2019 – Cuming County at 1:00 p.m. @ Cuming County Courthouse Meeting Room, West Point, NE.  Topics include “Unit Cost of Production”, “Stalking Rates & Rental Rates on Corn Residue for Grazing”, and “Heat Stress Management”. Pre-register by contacting Larry Howard at 402-372-6006 by March 11th.

March 14, 2019 – Dodge County Extension at 1:00 p.m. @ Dodge County Extension Office, Fremont, NE.  Topics include “Unit Cost of Production”, “Grazing Management – Where to Put the Cows”, and “Heat Stress Management”. Pre-register by contacting Larry Howard at 402-372-6006 by March 12th.



Finalists Named in Nebraska Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet

Sean Krebs of Clearwater, Cadrien Livingston of Orchard, Brady Revels of Omaha, and David Schuler of Bridgeport advanced to the final round of the Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Discussion Meet to be held at the next NEFB Annual Convention, Dec. 8-10, 2019.

Seth Mangels of Hoskins was named first alternate and Amy Musgrave of Ong is the second alternate.

Rather than debating, contestants work to develop a solution to a problem being discussed, building on each other’s contributions. Competitors in the annual contest must be prepared to speak on any number of agriculture-related topics; the selected question is announced a short time prior to the contest round. Finalists received the top scores of contestants after competing in three rounds of the discussion meet at the YF&R Conference, Feb. 8-9.

Krebs is from Antelope County and a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, majoring in Agriculture Engineering. He grows popcorn, field corn, and soybeans on his family farm, as well as raising cow/calf pairs.

Livingston is a Knox County Farm Bureau member and serves on the YF&R Committee. She is a student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in Agriculture Communication and will graduate in December 2019. Livingston raises Registered Gelbvieh Angus cattle with her mother on their family farm. She is also an advocate for safety in agriculture.

Revels is a Douglas County Farm Bureau board member and serves on the YF&R Committee. He grew up on a family farm in Florida but relocated to Nebraska when his job as a sales representative for an animal health company moved him to Omaha. He helps coach several area FFA judging teams and volunteers with the Nebraska State Dairy Contest. His wife, Katie, is a chiropractor.

Schuler is a Morrill County Farm Bureau member and is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Animal Science. He raises Red Angus seed stock with his family on their ranch. Schuler also served as an FFA State Officer.

Mangels is a Wayne County Farm Bureau member and a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in Business. He farms with his parents on their family farm raising cow/calf pairs and row crops. Mangles also works for Elkhorn Valley Bank in Norfolk.

Musgrave is a Clay County Farm Bureau member and serves as the county board president. She works as a statistician for the United States Department of Agriculture and raises Simmental/Angus cattle, club lambs, and Boer goats along with her husband, Ryan, and their 11-year-old son, Dax. Ryan and Amy were also the recipients of the 2018 YF&R Excellence in Agriculture award.

Finalists received a $50 prize and a chance to compete for $500 and an all-expenses paid trip to compete in the American Farm Bureau Discussion Meet in Austin, Texas. in January 2020. Farm Bureau members between the ages of 18 and 35 are eligible to compete in the Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet. For more information, visit www.nefb.org/yfr.



Tractor Safety Training Required by Law for Teen Farm/Ranch Workers
 The most common cause of agricultural-related death in Nebraska is overturned tractors and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).  Employing anyone uncertified under age 16 is a liability risk for farmers if those children operate such equipment.

 Nebraska Extension’s Tractor Safety & Hazardous Occupations Courses take place at 12 Nebraska locations this year for teens 14 or 15 years of age who will work on a farm.  Anyone older than 15 is also welcome to attend, but those under age 14 are not eligible to take the class.  Extensive training on tractor and ATV safety occurs during in-class lessons with hands-on activities.  Instilling an attitude of safety and a respect for agricultural equipment is the primary goal of the course.

 The first day of classroom instruction includes hands-on demonstrations, concluding with a written test.  Classroom instruction will cover the required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program.  Students are required to pass the test before taking the driving test on day two.  The second day will include a physical driving test with equipment operation and ATV safety lessons.  To receive certification, students must demonstrate competence in hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course.  In most locations, instructors will offer an ATV simulator experience to learn about safe behaviors and laws for ATVs and UTVs.  Students will also complete homework assignments for the second day.

 Instructors for the course include staff members of Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health: Aaron Yoder, PhD, Ellen Duysen, Daniel Kent, and UNMC student Jill Oatman.

 All on-site classes begin at 8:00 A.M. and end times will vary, depending on the number of participants.  Training site locations, Site Coordinator contact numbers, and dates of training includes:
June 11 & 12 - Plains Equipment, O’Neill - (402) 336-2760
June 20 & 21 - Fairgrounds, Wayne - (402) 375-3310                          
July 1 & 2 - Fairgrounds, Weeping Water - (402) 267-2205 

Cost of the course is $60, which includes educational materials, instruction, supplies, and lunches.

 To register, print and complete a registration form and submit with payment to the appropriate Site Coordinator at least one week before the course (call the specific location number listed above for mailing address and instructions). 



Ricketts Announces Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced recent appointments he has made to fill Nebraska’s boards and commissions.  Among the nominations are: 

The following appointees are unpaid and are not subject to Legislative confirmation:
Dairy Industry Development Board - Michael Henn, Norfolk
Nebraska Potato Development Committee - Timothy May, Imperial & Matthew Ward, North Platte
Riparian Vegetation Management Task Force - T.J.Walker,  Lincoln & David Zorn, Gothenburg

The following appointees are unpaid and are subject to Legislative confirmation:
State Fair Board - Dawn Caldwell, Edgar & Christopher P. Kircher, Omaha

Thank you to the many Nebraskans that give generously of their time and talent to make a difference in our state.  These appointments will provide crucial insight and expertise to their respective boards, committees, and commissions.  To learn about openings and apply to serve on a board or commission, go to https://governor.nebraska.gov/board-comm-req.



New study reveals positive economic impacts of Nebraska’s ethanol industry

A recent impact study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) economists reveals Nebraska’s ethanol production capacity increased by 23 percent since 2014, and continues to be a significant driver of economic impact for the state.

“The state sees what economists describe as an economic ‘bounce’ when we take advantage of the added value when grain is converted to food, fuel, fiber, renewable chemicals and bio-products,” said Sarah Caswell, administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board. “There is enormous potential for biofuels to continue to strengthen the economic health of Nebraska through bio-based innovation and international trade.”

The study’s authors ­– Dr. Kathleen Brooks, UNL agricultural economics professor; Dr. Tim Meyer, UNL agricultural economics professor; Dr. Eric Thompson, UNL economics professor and Bureau of Business Research director; and Dr. Cory Walters, UNL agricultural economics professor – examined the economic impact of Nebraska’s ethanol industry between 2015 and 2017.

As of 2017, Nebraska’s ethanol production capacity was 2.558 billion gallons per year, with 1,453 full-time employees at 24 facilities. This represents an increase of 481 million gallons annually and an additional 152 full-time employees compared to 2014.

These additional jobs reflect the ethanol industry’s substantial and continued annual impact on the local labor market. In 2016, the total labor income impact – including direct and indirect jobs – was $275 million earned from an estimated 3,509 jobs for an average annual earnings of $78,300. Ethanol plant jobs provide significantly higher-wages compared to other manufacturing positions and are uniquely located in rural communities.

These positive economics also occur in the local corn market due to higher demand from nearby ethanol plants. The study noted a consistently positive impact on local basis (the difference between the local cash price and the futures price) from ethanol production. For example, a producer near an ethanol plant producing 220 bushels of corn per acre would receive an additional $11.44 per acre each year.

Nebraska’s large ethanol production results in 94 percent of the product being shipped out of state, making Nebraska one of the largest exporters of bioenergy. In addition, 51 percent of dried distillers grain produced in 2015 and 44 percent in 2016 were shipped out of state. These out-of-state sales result in a net positive for the state and represent a direct economic impact by bringing new money into the state economy.

“The quantifiable economic impact of ethanol production on the Nebraska economy is clear,” said Jan tenBensel, chairman of the Nebraska Ethanol Board. “But we should also understand the enormous savings in health and environmental costs associated with displacing toxic petroleum products with cleaner-burning biofuels like ethanol. Choosing ethanol fuel brings additional and significant cost savings in terms of public health.”

Although ethanol and co-product production increased in 2016 and 2017, prices declined and led to reduced overall production values. Between 2015 and 2017, Nebraska’s value of production for ethanol and co-products averaged $3.8 billion.

While the value of production for ethanol and co-products was lower between 2015-2017 compared to previous years, both ethanol capacity and employment increased indicating a positive long-term outlook. Ethanol plants continue to assimilate technology that increases efficiency and diversifies their production portfolio to take advantage of new market opportunities.

The purpose of the “Economic Impacts of the Nebraska Ethanol and Ethanol Co-Products Industry” study was to estimate the value of production during 2015-2017 as an update to the 2014 study, and compare that value to major commodity production values in Nebraska. In addition, the study measured productive capacity, co-product value, employment, net returns, in-state utilization and exports. To view the full study, visit https://agecon.unl.edu/ethanolimpacts.



Ethanol Industry Makes 'A Significant Contribution' to U.S. Economy, RFA Analysis Finds

The U.S. ethanol industry faced a number of regulatory and marketplace challenges in 2018, but continued to make a remarkable contribution to the nation’s economy, according to a new study released today at the Renewable Fuels Association’s (RFA) 24th annual National Ethanol Conference. The analysis, conducted by ABF Economics on behalf of RFA, found the industry supported nearly 366,000 jobs and generated nearly $46 billion in gross domestic product in 2018.

“The ethanol industry continues to make a significant contribution to the economy in terms of job creation, generation of tax revenue, and displacement of crude oil and petroleum products,” the study noted. “The importance of the ethanol industry to agriculture and rural economies is particularly notable. Continued growth and expansion of the ethanol industry through new technologies and feedstocks will enhance the industry’s position as the original creator of green jobs and will enable America to make further strides toward energy independence,” the study added.

According to the analysis, the production and use of 16.1 billion gallons of ethanol in 2018:
-    Supported more than 71,000 direct jobs and almost 295,000 indirect and induced jobs across all sectors of the economy;
-    Added nearly $25 billion in income for American households;
-    Generated an estimated $4.8 billion in tax revenue to the Federal Treasury and $4 billion in revenue to state and local governments;
-    Supported more than 16,200 jobs and $6.3 billion in GDP through exports alone; and
-    Displaced an amount of gasoline refined from roughly 550 million barrels of imported crude oil, keeping $36 billion in the U.S. economy.

The analysis also estimated the impact of the ethanol industry on the state economy in top ethanol-producing states. Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois were the top three states in terms of economic impacts, but states like Ohio, Kansas, Michigan, Texas, Missouri, California, and New York also benefited from ethanol plants’ contributions.

“The U.S. ethanol industry continues to serve as a vital economic engine and job creator, especially in our nation’s rural communities,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Our industry has played an important role in America’s energy renaissance and has been instrumental in reducing U.S. petroleum import dependence to its lowest level in nearly six decades. We are proud of these achievements and look forward to providing even greater benefits to U.S. consumers as the industry continues to grow and evolve.”



Ethanol Industry 'Delivering Huge Wins' Despite 'Tough Year' in 2018

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper told nearly 1,000 National Ethanol Conference attendees today that while the U.S. ethanol industry had a “tough year” in 2018, it “continued to deliver huge wins for consumers,” including lower gas prices, cleaner air, a more secure energy supply, and increased job creation. As part of his State of the Ethanol Industry report, Cooper also outlined RFA’s plans driving future growth and creating new market opportunities for American-made ethanol.

The U.S. ethanol industry produced a record 16.1 billion gallons of high-octane, clean-burning renewable fuel in 2018, the sixth straight annual increase in production, Cooper noted. As a result, the ethanol industry continued to play a vital role in the U.S. economy, supporting more than 71,000 direct jobs and nearly 295,000 indirect and induced jobs across all the sectors of the economy.

“One of the greatest successes for our industry in 2018 was growth in the export market,” Cooper said, pointing out that one out of every 10 gallons of ethanol produced in the United States was exported last year. “This accomplishment is even more impressive when you consider that U.S. ethanol faced punitive trade barriers in several key markets.”

However, the ethanol industry experienced “demand destruction” in 2018 as the result of former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s egregious abuse of small refinery exemptions, which excused 48 refiners from their blending obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“While we were focused on fighting efforts by Texas Senator Ted Cruz and others to cap RIN prices, allow exported renewable fuels to count toward the RFS, water down the RFS with RIN multipliers, and any number of other really bad ideas, former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt was busy cutting the legs out from underneath our industry,” Cooper said. “The RFS is all about moving the renewable fuels industry forward and growing the market. Unfortunately, that isn’t what happened in 2018. We didn’t take this lying down, however, and RFA and its partners continue to fight the small refiner exemptions in court, demanding that the lost volumes be reallocated.”

Cooper underscored that RFA and the industry will be prepared to quickly respond to important developments expected in the near term, including proposed EPA rulemakings for year-round E15 and the RFS “reset” and efforts to re-open the Chinese export market.

“When EPA finally puts out its proposed rule to allow year-round sales of E15, we’ll be ready,” he said. “RFA will throw everything we’ve got into ensuring a defensible rule is finalized as quickly as possible, expanding the domestic ethanol market, enabling competition, and eliminating—once and for all—a needless bureaucratic barrier that offers no economic or environmental benefit whatsoever.

“When EPA releases its proposal to reset the 2020 through 2022 RFS volumes, we’ll be primed to make the case that the reset should be used to increase the required volumes of all renewable fuels over current levels. The reset rule presents a perfect opportunity for the Agency to restore the conventional renewable volumes that were inappropriately erased.”

And on the current trade impasse with China, Cooper said, “We’ll keep the heat on the Administration to resolve lingering trade disputes, and when China finally reopens its doors to U.S. ethanol imports, we’ll be prepared to deliver.”

Looking at the long term, Cooper outlined that the RFA’s vision for the future includes not only strengthening the RFS, but also pursuing a high-octane fuel standard. “The RFS and a high-octane, low carbon fuel program are not mutually exclusive,” he said. “Rather, they can work in concert, not in conflict, to assure air quality improvements, carbon emissions reduction, and consumer savings for decades to come.”



USDA Reminds Producers of Feb. 14 Deadline for Market Facilitation Program

Agricultural producers have until Feb. 14, 2019, to sign up for USDA’s Market Facilitation Program (MFP), launched last year to help producers suffering from damages due to unjustified trade retaliation. Producers can apply without proof of yield but must certify 2018 production by May 1, 2019. Since its launch in September 2018, more than 864,000 producers have applied, supporting those hit hard with nearly $8 billion in estimated payments.

Producers of corn, cotton, dairy, hogs, shelled almonds, sorghum, soybeans, fresh sweet cherries and wheat should apply at their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office.

“Farmers are very resilient, and these payments are helping agricultural producers meet some of the costs of disrupted markets in 2018,” said USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey. “We view it as a short-term solution to help America’s farmers, and we encourage impacted producers to apply for this program by the February 14 deadline.”

USDA previously announced the second and final round of trade mitigation payments. Producers need only sign-up once for the MFP to be eligible for the first and second payments.

How to Apply
MFP applications are available online at www.farmers.gov/MFP. Applications can be completed at a local FSA office or submitted electronically either by scanning, emailing or faxing. To locate or contact your local FSA office, visit www.farmers.gov.

Applications can also be completed via the farmers.gov dashboard by producers who have Level 2 eAuthentication accounts. Sign into the dashboard here: https://www.farmers.gov/sign-in. Producers who do not have an account can register for an account at www.eauth.usda.gov.




USDA To Host 2018 Farm Bill Implementation Listening Sessions

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey announced that USDA is hosting a listening session for initial input on the 2018 Farm Bill. USDA is seeking public input on the changes to existing programs implemented by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Risk Management Agency. Each agency will take into account stakeholder input when making discretionary decisions on program implementation.

“The 2018 Farm Bill is intended to provide support, certainty and stability to our Nation’s farmers, ranchers and land stewards by enhancing farm support programs, improving crop insurance, maintaining disaster programs, and promoting and supporting voluntary conservation,” said Under Secretary Northey. “We are seeking input from stakeholders on how USDA can streamline and improve program delivery while also enhancing customer service.”

The listening session will be held Feb. 26, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. in the Jefferson Auditorium in the South Building located at 14th Street and Independence Ave. S.W. in Washington, D.C.

The listening session is open to the public. Participants must register at farmers.gov/farmbill by February 22, 2019, to attend the listening session and are encouraged to provide written comments prior to the listening session. For those orally presenting comments at the listening session, written comments are encouraged to be submitted to regulations.gov by February 22, 2019.  Additional written comments will be accepted through March 1, 2019. Comments received will be publicly available on www.regulations.gov.

“Truly this is a Farm Bill that improves farm safety net programs, protects federal crop insurance, and preserves strong rural development and research initiatives. At USDA we are eager to hear from our stakeholders on policy recommendations, so we can start working on implementing these important Farm Bill provisions,” said Northey

For more information on the listening session visit  farmers.gov/farmbill.



USDA to Conduct Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Survey

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is contacting producers for the March Hogs and Pigs Survey. This survey is a comprehensive gathering of quarterly data on market hog and breeding stock inventories as well as pig crop and farrowing intentions in every state.

NASS will mail the questionnaires to all producers selected for the survey in mid-February. To ensure all survey participants have an opportunity to respond, NASS interviewers will contact producers who do not respond by mail or online to conduct telephone and personal interviews.

The data gathered in this survey allow NASS to accurately measure and report conditions and trends in the U.S. pork industry. The information is used by all sectors of the industry, including producers themselves, to help make sound and timely business decisions. NASS will publish the survey results in the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs Report.



Senate Introduces Legislation to Lift Cuba Trade Embargo

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., reintroduced major legislation to lift the Cuba trade embargo. The bipartisan Freedom to Export to Cuba Act would eliminate the legal barriers to Americans doing business in Cuba and pave the way for new economic opportunities for American businesses and farmers by boosting U.S. exports and allow Cubans greater access to American goods.

The legislation repeals key provisions of previous laws that block Americans from doing business in Cuba, but does not repeal portions of law that address human rights or property claims against the Cuban government.

“Instead of looking to the future, U.S.-Cuba policy has been defined for far too long by conflicts of the past,” Klobuchar said. “Cuba is an island of 11 million people, just 90 miles from our border—lifting the trade embargo will open the door to a huge export market, create jobs here at home, and support both the American and Cuban economies. Our bipartisan legislation will finally turn the page on the failed policy of isolation and build on the progress we have made to open up engagement with Cuba by ending the embargo once and for all.”

Enzi says history has shown that the embargo with Cuba has not been very effective and that the bipartisan legislation would benefit the people in America and in Cuba. It would also provide new opportunities for American businesses, farmers and ranchers.



Commodity Futures Chairman to speak at USDA’s 2019 Ag Outlook Forum

J. Christopher Giancarlo, chairman of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), will speak at the annual dinner of USDA’s 95th Agricultural Outlook Forum. The forum is USDA’s largest annual meeting and will take place Feb. 21-22, 2019, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Va.

Giancarlo was unanimously confirmed as CFTC chairman in August 2017, after serving as acting chairman and as a CFTC Commissioner since 2014. The Commission is the federal agency that regulates commodity futures markets and protects market participants against fraud, manipulation, and abusive trading practices. Prior to his tenure at CFTC, Giancarlo served as an executive in financial services and information technology, and practiced law with firms in New York and London. He has written and spoken extensively on public policy and legal matters on technology and the financial markets.

Last week, USDA announced that Minister Lawrence MacAulay of Canada and Secretary Victor Villalobos Arambula of Mexico will join U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue for the forum’s keynote address on February 21st. The plenary session will mark the first time the three ministers have spoken jointly at a public forum since the signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in November 2018.

This year’s Agricultural Outlook Forum is themed “Growing Locally, Selling Globally.” The forum highlights current issues and trends affecting agricultural production and global markets. The gathering encourages the exchange of ideas, information, and best practices among producers, processors, policymakers, government officials, and nongovernmental organizations, both domestic and foreign. Concurrent sessions explore topics such as global trade trends, innovations in agriculture, developments in animal and crop biotechnology, frontiers in conservation, and outlooks for food and commodity markets. An exhibit hall will showcase resources from USDA agencies and private organizations. Last year, nearly 1,600 stakeholders attended the forum.



 Nationwide's sixth annual grain bin safety contest to promote awareness in rural America

The risk farmers face when they enter large grain bins cannot be overstated. Within seconds, flowing grain can bury a worker who enters the bin to remove clumped or rotting grain while machinery is still running.

To help reduce and prevent these all-too-common accidents, Nationwide has launched its sixth annual Nominate Your Fire Department Contest in recognition of Grain Bin Safety Week. The goal is to prevent injuries by promoting safe bin-entry procedures, such as maintaining quality grain, testing bin atmosphere for toxic gases and wearing proper safety equipment.

This year, Grain Bin Safety Week runs from Feb. 17-23 and has been officially recognized by the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

"The work that farmers do can often be dangerous," said Brad Liggett, president of Nationwide Agribusiness, the No. 1 farm insurer. "Along with our partners in Grain Bin Safety Week, we're dedicated to helping first responders save lives on farms across the country. That's why we will continue to make the rescue tubes and training available as long as these dangers exist."

Since 2014, Nationwide has awarded grain bin rescue tubes and training to 77 fire departments in 24 states. Nominations for this year's Nominate Your Fire Department Contest are open until April 30.

According to researchers at Purdue University, more than 900 cases of grain engulfment have been reported with a fatality rate of 62 percent in the past 50 years. In 2010, at least 26 U.S. workers were killed in grain engulfment accidents − the highest number on record.

Injuries & Fatalities: The Startling Facts
-    Suffocation from engulfment is a leading cause of death in grain bin accidents.
-    It takes only seconds to be completely engulfed in flowing grain or overcome by oxygen-deficient atmospheres.
-    24 documented grain entrapments resulted in 14 deaths (58% fatality rate) in 2015.
-    38 documented grain entrapments resulted in 18 deaths in 2014 – the highest recorded since 2010.
-    In 2010, at least 26 U.S. workers were killed in grain engulfments − the highest fatalities on record.
Source: 2015 Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-Related Injuries and Fatalities

To help prevent further deaths and injuries, Nationwide collaborates each year with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) to provide safety training. The director of NECAS travels to training locations with a state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulator and rescue tube. The comprehensive training sessions include classroom education and a rescue simulation with the entrapment tool, which is loaded onto a 20-foot trailer and able to hold about 100 bushels of grain.

Grain Bin Safety Week and the Nominate Your Fire Department Contents are supported by Nationwide and the following partners:
    The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety
    KC Supply
    Lutz Agency Inc.
    Nationwide Land As Your Legacy
    Specialty Risk Insurance
    KFSA Insurance Agency
    Grosskreutz Crop Insurance Agency
    Donner-Farber & Associates
    David Larson Financial and Insurance Services Inc.
    Gallagher
    Agri-Business Insurance Services
    The Scoular Company
    First Gabrielson Insurance Agency
    Stuber Insurance Agency
    Sump Saver
    Cornerstone Insurance Services

For more information about the program, purpose or nomination process, visit www.grainbinsafetyweek.com.