Friday March 1 Ag News

NEBRASKA JANUARY 1 CATTLE INVENTORY

All cattle and calves in Nebraska as of January 1, 2019 totaled 6.80 million head, unchanged from January 1, 2018, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

All cows and heifers that had calved totaled 2.00 million head, up 2 percent from last year.

Beef cows totaled 1.94 million head, up 2 percent from last year.

Milk cows totaled 59,000 head, down 2 percent from January 1, 2018.

All heifers 500 pounds and over totaled 1.91 million head, unchanged from last year.

Steers weighing 500 pounds and over totaled 2.38 million head, down 4 percent from last year.

Bulls weighing 500 pounds and over totaled 110,000 head, unchanged from last year.

Calves under 500 pounds totaled 400,000 head, up 21 percent from January 1, 2018.

All cattle on feed fed for slaughter in Nebraska feedlots totaled 2.75 million head, down 2 percent from the previous year.

The 2018 calf crop totaled 1.75 million head, up 3 percent from 2017.



NEBRASKA JANUARY 1 SHEEP AND GOATS

All sheep and lamb inventory in Nebraska on January 1, 2019 totaled 75,000 head, down 5,000 from last year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Breeding sheep inventory totaled 64,000 head, down 3,000 from last year. Ewes one year and older totaled 53,000 head, down 2,000 from the previous year. Rams one year and older totaled 3,000, unchanged from last year. Total replacement lambs totaled 8,000 head, down 1,000 from last year.

Market sheep and lambs totaled 11,000 head, down 2,000 from last year. A total of 1,000 head were mature sheep (one year and older) while the remaining 10,000 were under one year. Market lamb weight groups were estimated as follows: 2,700 lambs were under 65 pounds; 1,700 were 65-84 pounds; 2,600 were 85-105 pounds; 3,000 were over 105 pounds.

The 2018 lamb crop totaled 65,000 head, down 5,000 from 2017. The 2018 lambing rate was 118 per 100 ewes one year and older, compared with 121 in 2017.

Sheep deaths totaled 3,100 head, down 600 from last year. Lamb deaths totaled 7,500 head, down 500 from last year.

Sheep and lambs slaughtered on farm totaled 800 head, up 100 from last year.

Shorn wool production during 2018 was 410,000 pounds, down 30,000 from 2017. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 58,000 head, down 4,000 from 2017. Weight per fleece was 7.1 pounds, unchanged from last year. The average price paid for wool sold in 2018 was $0.88 per pound, compared with $0.79 in 2017. The total value of wool produced in Nebraska was 361,000 dollars in 2018.

Milk goats and kids inventory in Nebraska totaled 4,000 head, up 500 from last year.



Northeast SCC to host ag career exploration event

Northeast Community College in South Sioux City will host an event later this month for those interested in pursuing agriculture-related careers.

The event, 21st Century Siouxland Ag Careers, will be held Tuesday, March 12, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Northeast Community College South Sioux City extended campus, 1001 College Way.

“Agriculture is so much more than cows, corn, pigs and processing,” said Dr. Cyndi Hanson, South Sioux City extended campus executive director. “Plan to attend whether you are looking for a job, considering changing careers or just interested in learning more about how agriculture impacts our economy. Industry professionals will be available to explain what they do, why they are passionate about agriculture and why you should be, too.”

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Northeast’s South Sioux City extended campus at (402) 241-6400.



Online Calving Management Resource Now Available

In the beef industry, calving management is critical to production and profitability of the cow herd. Proper care prior to and at calving can help reduce incidence of dystocia, and also minimize deleterious impacts should dystocia occur. Knowing how to prepare, what to do and not do, and when to take action all are critical aspects of correctly managing calving in your herd.

That’s why the Iowa Beef Center and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach developed the Calving Management Manual... http://www.iowabeefcenter.org/calvingmanagement.html.

ISU extension beef veterinarian Dr. Grant Dewell led the effort with contributions from Iowa State veterinarian Dr. Renée Dewell and Iowa State extension cow-calf specialist Katy Lippolis. He said the manual is designed to help producers prepare for and successfully navigate the calving season, and is available on the Iowa Beef Center website.

Among the manual topics are pre-calving nutrition, calving supplies and facilities, stages of delivery, dystocia prevention and intervention, and care for the calf. Each section has a separate page, and each page has links to all other sections. This makes it easy to switch between topics as the need arises.

"Of particular interest at this time of year are the sections on dystocia prevention and intervention and care for calf," Dewell said. "The images in the dystocia section of the calving manual show clearly on a mobile device. A producer can use the images and captions to identify the type of dystocia they are dealing with and attempt to correct it."

All section content of the online manual eventually will be available as pdf downloads.



U.S. Beef and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Accusations against the beef industry, including Iowa’s 28,000 beef producers, have recently been included in The Green New Deal and EAT-Lancet.

However, research shows that eliminating meat consumption would only have a very minor impact on the environment. "In fact," says Matt Deppe, CEO of the Iowa Cattlemen's Association, "removing all livestock and poultry from the U.S. food system would only reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by less than one-half of one percent."

Concerns about livestock and greenhouse gases (GHG) generally reflect a world-wide view of livestock production. Because of advances in animal health, animal welfare, genetics and nutrition in the U.S., our beef has one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world, 10 to 50 times lower than some nations, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA also reports that greenhouse gas emissions from cattle only account for 2% of U.S. GHG emissions.

The concerns also fail to take into account the incredible advances made by US farmers and ranchers. Research from the Beef Checkoff Program shows that since 1977, today’s beef farmers and ranchers produce the same amount of beef with 33% fewer cattle.

In Iowa, cattle are able to maximize land use and utilize resources that might otherwise go to waste. In our state, cattle often graze hillsides not suitable for row crops. They also consume grain grown by Iowa’s farmers, and make use of crop residue, ethanol co-products, and cover crops as feed. Cattle then return the nutrients back to the land via manure. It’s a continuous cycle of growth and regeneration.

Corn-fed cattle from Iowa are truly part of the solution, not the problem. Compared to beef from other parts of the world, like Brazil or Australia, which often comes from grass-fed cattle, grain-fed cattle have up to a 67.5% lower carbon footprint. This is due heavier carcass weights, a shorter time spent on feed, and a higher energy, lower forage diet.

Despite the myths about the beef industry, Iowans can proudly enjoy beef, knowing that its impact on greenhouse gas emissions is low and continues to decrease. For more information about beef’s impact on the environment, check out: Beef It’s Whats for Dinner (https://www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/raising-beef/beef-in-a-sustainable-diet) and Beef Research (https://www.beefresearch.org/sustainability/index.html) 



Farm Bureaus Mobilize for Agricultural Safety Awareness Program Week

Farm Bureaus across the nation are mobilizing for Agricultural Safety Awareness Program Week, March 3-9. U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers will join Farm Bureau in promoting the week with its theme “Safety: Know Your Limits.”

A different safety focus will be highlighted by Farm Bureau and U.S. Ag Centers each day of ASAP Week:
  - Monday, March 4 – Emergency Preparedness
  - Tuesday, March 5 – Livestock
  - Wednesday, March 6 – Heat Stress and Hydration
  - Thursday, March 7 – Roadway Safety
  - Friday, March 8 – Hearing Safety

During this week and throughout the year, Farm Bureau encourages farmers to make safety a priority on the farm.

The Agricultural Safety Awareness Program is a part of the Farm Bureau Health and Safety Network of professionals who share an interest in identifying and decreasing safety and health risks. For more information and resources, visit the ASAP Facebook page. Visit the Centers’ YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/USagCenters) for new content and fresh ideas about how to stay safe while working in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Join the movement to keep farms safe and share your own safety messages on social media using these hashtags:
  - #KeepFarmsSafe
  - #ASAP19
  - #USAgCenters

The 11 U.S. Agricultural Safety and Health Centers (www.cdc.gov/niosh/oep/agctrhom.html) are funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.



USDA: Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 493 million bushels in January 2019. Total corn consumption was down 4 percent from December 2018 and down 7 percent from January 2018. January 2019 usage included 92.1 percent for alcohol and 7.9 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 2.87 million bushels, up 13 percent from December 2018 and up 18 percent from January 2018. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 444 million bushels, was down 4 percent from December 2018 and down 7 percent from January 2018. Corn consumed in January 2019 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 91.3 percent and 8.7 percent, respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.82 million tons during January 2019, down 5 percent from December 2018 and down 8 percent from January 2018. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.30 million tons in January 2019, down 7 percent from December 2018 and down 10 percent from January 2018.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 263,218 tons during January 2019, down 9 percent from December 2018 and down 13 percent from January 2018. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 253,103 tons in January 2019, down 1 percent from December 2018 and down 8 percent from January 2018.

Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks
Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 5.49 million tons (183 million bushels) in January 2019, compared with 5.51 million tons (184 million bushels) in December 2018 and 5.24 million tons (175 million bushels) in January 2018. Crude oil produced was 2.11 billion pounds down 1 percent from December 2018 but up 6 percent from January 2018. Soybean once refined oil production, at 1.40 billion pounds during January 2019, decreased 4 percent from December 2018 but increased 10 percent from January 2018.

Flour Milling Products
All wheat ground for flour during the fourth quarter 2018 was 232 million bushels, down 1 percent from the third quarter 2018 grind of 233 million bushels and down 1 percent from the fourth quarter 2017 grind of 235 million bushels. Fourth quarter 2018 total flour production was 108 million hundredweight, down slightly from the third quarter 2018 and down 1 percent from the fourth quarter 2017. Whole wheat flour production, at 5.53 million hundredweight during the fourth quarter 2018, accounted for 5 percent of the total flour production. Millfeed production from wheat in the fourth quarter 2018 was 1.63 million tons. The daily 24-hour milling capacity of wheat flour during the fourth quarter 2018 was 1.65 million hundredweight.



Leading Agriculture Organizations Endorse USMCA

The National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers and National Sorghum Producers today announced their support for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). 

Mexico and Canada account for 25 percent of all U.S. agriculture exports and USMCA preserves and builds upon the existing trading relationship between the United States, Canada and Mexico. 

Members representing the four organizations will be advocating members of Congress to ratify USMCA this year while also urging the Administration to keep the current NAFTA agreement intact until the new agreement is ratified.

 “Mexico and Canada are the U.S. corn industry’s largest, most reliable corn market; Mexico is corn’s number one buyer and Canada is one of our largest ethanol importers. We cannot afford to risk losing this market,” said NCGA President Lynn Chrisp. “USMCA is NCGA’s top legislative priority for 2019 and we will be working closely with the Administration and members of Congress to get it ratified.” 

“Passage of USMCA would boost both national and rural economies, and for soybeans, it would assure us tariff-free access to two strong markets, including Mexico, which is our #2 market for whole beans. Under NAFTA, soybean exports to Mexico quadrupled and to Canada doubled. We would like to continue that positive trade momentum with our neighbors,” said Davie Stephens, ASA President and a soybean grower from Clinton, Kentucky.

 “USMCA includes important provisions for wheat farmers including tariff-free access to imported U.S. wheat for our long-time flour milling customers in Mexico. Further, the Agreement makes important progress toward fixing the grading issue U.S. farmers face when exporting their wheat to Canada,” stated NAWG President and Sentinel, Oklahoma wheat farmer Jimmie Musick. “NAWG, ASA, NCGA, and NSP will continue to work together to get this critical trade deal enacted.”

"The new USMCA agreement with Mexico and Canada is a win for American producers, and having an agreement in place will safeguard the traditional second largest importer of U.S. sorghum," said National Sorghum Producers Chairman Dan Atkisson, a sorghum farmer from Stockton, Kansas. "We look forward to expanded market opportunities with Mexico, and urge Congress to pass the measure as soon as possible." 

Leaders of the organizations announced their support during Friday’s general session of Commodity Classic, America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused agricultural and educational experience.



USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for March 2019

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation, today, announced interest rates for March 2019, which are effective March 1 – March 31, 2019. The Commodity Credit Corporation borrowing rate-based charge for March is 2.625 percent, the same as 2.625 percent in February.

The interest rate for crop year commodity loans less than one year disbursed during March is 3.625 percent, the same as 3.625 percent in February. Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for March are as follows: 2.500 percent with three-year loan terms, the same as 2.500 in February; 2.500 percent with five-year loan terms, the same as 2.500 percent in February; 2.625 percent with seven-year loan terms, the same as 2.625 percent in February; 2.750 percent with 10-year loan terms, the same as 2.750 percent in February and; 2.750 percent with 12-year loan terms, the same as 2.750 percent in February.



Senate Passes Pesticide Registration Act

U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., along with Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, today are pleased to announce final Senate passage by voice vote of the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act (PRIA).

"The Senate has once again acted to provide certainty to farmers, consumers, farmworkers, and other stakeholders," the Senators said. "We urge the President to swiftly sign this legislation into law."

Thursday's Senate passage sends the legislation to the President's desk for signing into law. The House passed this version of the legislation on February 25.

This week, agriculture groups urged swift House passage of PRIA. In December 2018, a variety of agriculture interests urged Congress to pass PRIA.

PRIA established a framework for EPA when registering pesticides. The original intent has been to create a more predictable and effective evaluation process for affected pesticide decisions by coupling the collection of fees with specific decision review periods.

This legislation includes technical changes and extends authority for EPA to collect updated pesticide registration and maintenance fees through FY 2023.



Bipartisan 'Modernizing Ag Transportation Act' Reintroduced

Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) Thursday reintroduced the Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the Hours of Service (HOS) and Electronic Logging Device (ELD) regulations at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Further, the bill would delay enforcement of the ELD rule until the required reforms are formally proposed by the Transportation Secretary.

"Livestock haulers need a permanent solution to the HOS and ELD rules that provides flexibility while also ensuring road safety and the humane transportation of animals," said Senator Hoeven. "We've worked hard to secure regulatory relief under these rules, including the 150 air-mile agriculture exemption and the flexibility the FMCSA provided for all commercial drivers last fall. Our legislation builds on these past efforts, putting the ELD rule on hold and helping ensure the DOT advances reforms that will work in the real world."

"Providing farmers and ranchers a seat at the table will lead to more sensible rules around the transportation of agricultural goods," said Senator Bennet. "It is important that we maintain safe roads, while also recognizing the unique flexibility needed to move Colorado's agricultural products to market."

Specifically, the Hoeven-Bennet bill would establish a working group at DOT to identify obstacles to the safe, humane and market-efficient transport of agricultural commodities, including livestock, and, within one year of the group's establishment, develop guidelines for regulatory or legislative action to improve the transportation of these commodities. The working group will be comprised of representatives from the transportation and agriculture industries, transportation safety representatives and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and is required to consider:

- The impact, incompatibilities and other challenges and concerns of existing HOS rules and ELD rules under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on the commercial transport of livestock, insects and agricultural commodities.

- Initiatives and regulatory changes that maintain and protect highway safety and allow for the safe, efficient and productive marketplace transport of livestock, insects and agricultural commodities.

- Other related issues that the Transportation Secretary considers appropriate.

Within 120 days of receiving the working group's report, the Transportation Secretary must propose regulatory changes to the HOS and ELD regulations, taking into account the findings and recommendations of the working group.

In addition to Hoeven and Bennet, the legislation introduced Thursday is cosponsored by Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Michael Rounds (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Risch (R-Idaho), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mo.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.).

The Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act is supported by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), United States Cattlemen's Association (USCA), Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), the American Honey Producers Association (AHPA) and the Rocky Mountain Farmer's Union (RMFU).



AGRICULTURAL GROUPS OPPOSE FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION BOARD NOMINATION

The National Pork Producers Council was one of more than two dozen agricultural signatories on a letter to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., opposing the nomination of Rodney Brown for the Farm Credit Administration board. The agency regulates the agricultural banking system.

Brown is the former president and CEO of the California Bankers Association. The organizations, including NPPC, oppose Brown's nomination because he previously held a leadership position in an organization that lobbied for the elimination of the Farm Credit System. NPPC reports America's pork producers are largely dependent on and value the Farm Credit System.



National Dairy FARM Animal Care 4.0 Open for Comment

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program, the dairy industry's on-farm quality assurance program, this week released proposed Animal Care Version 4.0 standards for input from industry stakeholders.

Currently, 98 percent of the U.S. milk supply participates in FARM, an initiative developed as part of dairy's commitment to producing the highest quality milk with integrity. Its Animal Care Program standards are revised every three years to reflect current science and best management practices.

"The FARM Animal Care comment period is an important opportunity for stakeholders to advance our goal of encouraging the highest standards of animal care and herd management," said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. "We are excited to work with industry partners in this next step."

Standards, rationale, and accountability measures behind the proposal have been reviewed and revised by the FARM Animal Care Technical Writing Group made up of dairy producers, veterinarians, animal scientists and industry personnel. Before being released for comment, the National Milk Producers Federation Animal Health and Well-Being Committee reviewed and provided feedback into the proposed changes.

After the comment period closes on Sunday, March 31st, FARM staff, Technical Writing Group and the NMPF Animal Health and Well-Being Committee will review and consider revisions based upon the comments, then present final proposed standards for approval by the NMPF Board of Directors in June. The FARM Program encourages all those involved in the dairy supply chain to participate. To review proposed standards and provide feedback, please visit https://nationaldairyfarm.com/animal-care-open-comments/.

These draft standards have been proposed for FARM Animal Care Version 4.0. FARM Version 3.0 will remain in effect until Dec. 31. To learn more, visit www.nationaldairyfarm.com.



Lighthizer reiterates administration seeking structural change, enforceability in any ‘executive’ agreement with China
Randy Gordon, President and CEO, National Grain & Feed Assoc.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer this week reiterated that the Trump administration is seeking nothing less than significant structural changes and enforceability as part of any agreement to resolve trade friction with China.

“In the whole history of U.S. trade policy, I am not aware of another country that has presented such a severe challenge to American policymakers,” Lighthizer said while testifying for more than three hours on Feb. 27 before the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade issues. “In retrospect, we should have taken this question more seriously when China’s economy was much smaller. But we did not, and now this administration – and you – must deal with the result.”

Lighthizer said enforceable provisions to protect intellectual property rights and prevent forced technology transfers are particularly important to achieve during the current round of negotiations. But he also cited Chinese government industrial investments and policy subsidies, “and a whole variety of specific impediments to trade and unfair practices in agriculture and services” and cyber theft that require structural change. “The issues are too serious to be resolved with promises of additional purchases (of U.S. agricultural and other products),” he said. “We need new rules (and) any agreement must be enforceable at all levels of the Chinese government (including provincial).” He noted the intellectual property protection provisions of an ultimate agreement alone likely will be 27 to 28 pages long. He also said a final agreement would need to ban China’s use of currency manipulation to gain competitive advantage

In thanking Congress for its bipartisan support for undertaking the negotiations with China, the U.S. trade representative repeated earlier assertions that “significant progress has been made,” and that the two sides are “seriously engaged at the highest level.” But he said it is “too early to predict the outcome.” And on several occasions, he said he would not consider negotiations to be a success if it results in anything less than structural reform of China’s trade and economic policies. “Let me be clear: Much still needs to be done both before an agreement is reached and, more importantly, after it is reached, if one is reached,” he said at one point.

Lighthizer made it clear that even if an agreement is reached, the United States will need to engage in a lengthy process of monitoring and enforcement, taking “proportional action” as needed as new challenges in the U.S.-China trading relationship arise.

For the first time, Lighthizer outlined the process under which China’s commitments would be monitored and enforced. He said complaints would be addressed during regular meetings at various levels of the two governments – at monthly intervals at the country official level, quarterly at the vice ministerial level and semi-annually at the Cabinet or ministerial level. Complaints about China’s follow-through on its commitments would be able to be raised anonymously by U.S. companies or identified through patterns of behavior. The United States would reserve the right to take unilateral action to enforce Chinese commitments, Lighthizer indicated.

Lighthizer also stressed that any agreement ultimately reached between China and the United States will not be a “trade agreement” requiring ratification by Congress, but rather an “executive agreement” between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to resolve the investigation launched by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which resulted in the imposition of U.S. tariffs against Chinese imports and retaliatory tariffs imposed on U.S. soybeans and other products by the Chinese government.

Finally, Lighthizer said his office in the next few days will issue a Federal Register notice suspending, until further notice, President Trump’s previously planned March 2 increase in U.S. tariffs from 10 to 25 percent on $200 billion in Chinese imports to give the two nations more time to reach an agreement.

Agricultural Provisions: Lighthizer said that the negotiations, if ultimately successful, could result in substantial new purchases of U.S. soybeans, as well as corn, distillers grains, pork, beef, poultry and rice. China is proposing to buy an additional $30 billion a year in U.S. agricultural products as part of a possible agreement. But Lighthizer said the United States will not “sell out” its demand for structural reforms in exchange for increased Chinese purchases of U.S. products.

He also testified that negotiators are spending “a lot of time” addressing the removal of sanitary/phytosanitary and other non-tariff trade barriers. In addition, he stressed that U.S. negotiators are demanding that China change its process for approving new agricultural biotechnology traits and to create a science-based and timely approach. Negotiations also are addressing approvals and impediments to increased Chinese imports of U.S. rice, poultry and beef (including the use of ractopamine in U.S. livestock production).

U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement: In response to several questions, Lighthizer stressed the importance of congressional ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. Failure to ratify the accord “would be a catastrophe” on many levels, he said, and would undermine U.S. credibility and threaten its prospects to negotiate future trade agreements with any country for the foreseeable future. “There is no trade program in the United States if we don’t pass USMCA,” he said. “It just has to pass. If it doesn’t, you have no credibility on any deals with your other trading partners…Everything else is a footnote if USMCA doesn’t pass.”

Several congressmen pressed Lighthizer on when the so-called national security tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed under Section 232 of the U.S. trade law would be lifted against Canada and Mexico. In response, the trade representative said the United States continues to negotiate a resolution with the two countries, but “whether we’ll succeed…, I don’t know.”

U.S.-Japan Trade Talks to Begin in March: In response to a question, Lighthizer also said he plans to travel to Japan in March to kick-off bilateral trade negotiations. While the United States has separate trade agreements with several countries that now are part of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade agreement, he conceded there is a “sense of urgency” in beginning negotiations with Japan to preserve U.S. market access.



Agriculture Secretary Perdue to keynote NGFA’s Annual Convention

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will present the opening keynote address during the National Grain and Feed Association’s (NGFA) 123rd annual convention, scheduled for March 17-19 at the Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, Fla.

Perdue will address more than 600 members of the nation’s grain, feed, grain processing, milling and export industry during the NGFA convention’s grand opening breakfast on March 18. The grand opening session also will feature an industry keynote presentation from Land O’Lakes President and Chief Executive Officer Beth Ford.

The convention will kick off on Sunday afternoon, March 17, with an open forum focused on transportation and trade featuring U.S. Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud, Informa Economics Senior Vice President Ken Eriksen and Surface Transportation Board Vice Chairman Patrick Fuchs.

The March 19 program will feature Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; CSX Railroad President and Chief Executive Officer James Foote; and a presentation on potential changes the 2020 election will bring to President Trump’s trade policies from Derek Scissors, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and chief economist for the acclaimed China Beige Book. During its annual business meeting that morning, the NGFA also will be electing industry officers and members of its Board of Directors.

NGFA’s annual convention also features working meetings of each of its 17 committees that focus on the most important issues facing the industry in the year ahead. View the full schedule, which includes networking activities, NGFA business meetings and general sessions... https://imis.ngfa.org/convention. 



Syngenta partners with Ram Trucks to help farmers enhance productivity through AgriEdge®

Syngenta has teamed up with Ram Trucks to help U.S. farmers overcome the challenges of today and tomorrow. AgriEdge®, a whole-farm program that combines secure data management across digital platforms and innovative product choices for every crop, is now included in the Ram AgPack.

Ram AgPack is a unique collaboration of several agricultural organizations dedicated to delivering U.S. farmers a competitive edge. By helping them save on items they already planned to purchase, the initiative will give U.S. farmers the opportunity to maximize their return on investment. This improved ROI is compounded through access to AgriEdge.

AgriEdge is focused on empowering partners to make better decisions through the integration of data, analytics and agronomic experience. This exclusive program has helped growers maximize and sustain their return on investment for more than 15 years.

“Syngenta is committed to innovation that will help U.S. growers be more productive and more profitable,” said Aaron Deardorff, head of digital ag solutions at Syngenta. “AgriEdge gives growers the tools they need with the service to back them up. Our program was created by farmers, for farmers. Like Syngenta, Ram provides industry-specific service to farmers and ranchers.”

Dave Sowers, head of Ram Commercial Truck Marketing, added, “The Certified Ag Dealer program created an industry-exclusive network of elite agriculture dealerships, trained by farmers and ranchers. These Certified Agriculture Dealers also offer a benefits package that will save their customers thousands of dollars in capital and operating expenses when they purchase trucks from our Certified Agriculture Dealers. Ram AgPack can provide a real, immediate return on the farmers’ truck investment.”

Growers who purchase a new truck from one of more than 200 Certified Agriculture Dealers qualify for a one-year subscription of AgriEdge. Local AgriEdge specialists will work with eligible growers to identify the optimal digital technology for their farming operations.