Aaron Nygren, Extension Educator, Colfax County
Due to the wide spread flooding issues and road closures, we are cancelling two pesticide trainings scheduled for Thursday, March 14th at 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. in Stanton. We have rescheduled for March 28th at 6:00 p.m. at the Fairgrounds in Stanton.
Chemigation Training in Norfolk PPD
Wayne Ohnesorg, Nebraska Extension Educator
NDA ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF THE 2019 AG POSTER CONTEST
In celebration of National Ag Week, March 10-16, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is announcing the winners of this year’s poster contest. More than 1,800 students in grades 1-6 from all over the state entered NDA’s annual contest by illustrating Nebraska agriculture, the state’s number one industry.
“There are many talented students in Nebraska who are in tune with agriculture and the many contributions the ag industry makes to our state,” said NDA Director Steve Wellman. “This year’s posters were creative and thoughtful. They show how agriculture plays such an important role in our lives every day.”
The posters, depicting this year’s theme of “The Many Colors of Nebraska Agriculture,” were judged in three separate categories: first and second grade; third and fourth grade; and fifth and sixth grade. The poster contest is in its 16th year.
In the first and second grade division:
· 1st place: Kylie Fischer, 1st grade, St. Paul Lutheran School in West Point
· 2nd place: Karissa Schweitzer, 2nd grade, Milford Public Schools
· 3rd place: Mercy Mae McDonald, 2nd grade, Centura Public Schools in Cairo
· Governor’s Choice: Creighton Weber, 2nd grade, Twin River Public Schools in Genoa
In the third and fourth grade division:
· 1st place: Kellyn Underwood, 4th grade, St. Wenceslaus Catholic School in Omaha
· 2nd place: Maryanne Winterbottom, 4th grade, Avery Elementary School in Bellevue
· 3rd place: Taiya Viacrucis, 4th grade, St. Wenceslaus Catholic School in Omaha
· Governor’s Choice: Allie Dirkschneider, 4th grade, Howells-Dodge Consolidated in Dodge
In the fifth and sixth grade division:
· 1st place: Sarit Jimenez, 6th grade, Columbus Middle School
· 2nd place: Sarah Lange, 6th grade, Raymond Central Public Schools
· 3rd place: Evelyn Galicia Bedolla, 5th grade, Knickrehm Elementary School in Grand Island
· Governor’s Choice: Denise Acevedo, 5th grade, Crestridge Elementary School in Omaha
NDA announces the winners of its annual poster contest during National Ag Week to highlight the diversity of agriculture and celebrate the food, feed and fuel that farmers and ranchers provide every day. The winning posters and the names of the schools submitting entries are on NDA’s website at www.nda.nebraska.gov/kids.
CONSIDER DOUBLE CROPPING FORAGES ON CROP GROUND
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
Can’t make money on your crop ground and need more pasture? Double cropping annual forages may be a better option.
Successful double cropping of annual forages requires good planning and timely operations along with some timely moisture. To use this approach this spring, small grains like oats or spring triticale, maybe mixed with field peas or some brassicas like collards or forage rape, need to be planted as soon as possible. Grazing of these plantings can begin six to eight weeks after planting and can last until early to mid-June if stocked and managed properly.
As portions of this spring planting get grazed out, the double crop of a summer annual grass like sudangrass or pearl millet can be planted. With adequate moisture, the summer annual grass will be ready to graze in forty-five to fifty days and may last through September.
This double crop forage strategy works even better if winter annual cereals like winter rye, wheat, or triticale were planted last fall for spring forage. They will be ready to graze earlier than any spring planting and like the spring plantings, as portions are grazed out, plant summer annual grasses to begin grazing them by mid-summer.
Another strategy is to plant the summer annual grasses first in mid- to late May. Graze portions of them out in August, then plant oats or turnips or both for late fall and winter grazing.
Of course, adequate moisture or irrigation is needed for these options to produce both double crops. Thus, it is wise to have extra hay or a nearby pasture where animals can be placed and fed temporarily if extra time is needed to grow sufficient forage for grazing.
An extensive description of these annual forage systems, including economics, is available on-line at beef.unl.edu.
Merck Animal Health Cuts Ribbon on Omaha Expansion
Merck Animal Health this week held a ribbon cutting to celebrate a major expansion of its west Omaha operations center.
Merck and Co., Inc. is a Fortune 500 company and global manufacturer of pharmaceuticals. Merck Animal Health produces a broad range of veterinary medicines and services, and has two locations in west Omaha. These include a large biological manufacturing facility and the newly-expanded operations center.
Merck has been doing business in Omaha since the 1950s. Its Omaha operations center was built in 2007 and serves as a Midwest hub for the company's inventory, processing and shipping operations. The facility employs nearly 100.
The new expansion puts the operations center at nearly 240,000 square feet, including 31,000 square feet of refrigerated space. It has the ability to support over 15,000 pallets of secured storage. The site is slated to distribute more than 10 million pounds of product to over 70 international markets in 2019.
"We've had a presence in Nebraska for a long time and appreciate the opportunity to continue growing our footprint here," said Rick Schubert, Executive Director of Logistics at Merck Animal Health. "This investment is a testament to our customer commitment, but Merck Animal Health's commitment to Nebraska as well."
Notably, the operations center is working toward a zero-waste environmental impact, the company reports, and is a strong supporter of recycling all waste streams. The site has earned the National Safety Council Award with distinction for 11 years running.
Company leaders as well as officials from both the City of Omaha and the State of Nebraska were on hand for the ribbon-cutting. This included Nebraska Department of Economic Development Director Dave Rippe and Department of Agriculture Director Steve Wellman.
"This latest investment by Merck Animal Health reflects on Nebraska's status as a national leader in agribusiness and an epicenter for agricultural innovation," Rippe said. "We value Merck's continued commitment to Nebraska and its people."
"I congratulate Merck for today's achievement," Wellman said. "This expansion builds upon a foundation focused on innovation and scientific breakthroughs in antibiotics and animal health that are happening every day at the Elkhorn campus right here in Nebraska. Their work to develop and promote antibiotics to improve animal health is an important asset to Nebraska's number one industry -- agriculture."
Pulled Pork's Sweet 16 is Underway
Sixteen Iowa restaurants are now in the brackets for a full-on competition to find Iowa's best pulled pork sandwich. The month-long contest sponsored by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) mimics the March Madness college basketball tournament craze and will follow the same narrowing process that gets restaurants to the "Elite 8" and "Final Four."
However, in this case, it will be fans who determine the winner as Iowans vote on the restaurant in the competition which they think serves the best pulled pork sandwich. The play-offs will be fast and furious, with voting deadlines of March 18, March 21, March 25 and March 28. The winner will be announced March 29.
Restaurants in the Sweet 16 are:
Iowa BBQ Co - Le Mars
Smokin' Hereford BBQ - Storm Lake
Vinny's BBQ - Dakota City
Edgewater BBQ - Emmetsburg
Blue Barn BBQ - Cedar Falls
Starbeck's - Cedar Falls
Backwood's BBQ - McGregor
Dotzy's Restaurant & Saloon - Elgin
Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon - Beebeetown
The Full Nelson - Halbur
Bett & Bev's BBQ - Jefferson
Short E's BBQ - Johnston
Warehouse Barbecue Co + Brewhouse - Ottumwa
Lynnville's Smokin' J's BBQ - Lynnville
Smilee's - DeWitt
Sweet 'N Saucy - Fairfield
IPPA Consumer Outreach Director Kelsey Byrnes initially invited the organization's Facebook followers during the first week of March to nominate the Iowa restaurant they feel has the best pulled pork sandwich and 1,150 people responded. Pork fans nominated 80 restaurants and Byrnes then selected the top two vote-getters in each of IPPA's eight districts to fill out the "Sweet 16" bracket.
Fans will be able to vote on both IPPA's website, iowapork.org, and by following the organization's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/IowaPork/.
"We hold this social media contest to attract new pork fans and remind people that there are restaurants in all parts of Iowa that offer really great barbecue pork," Byrnes said.
Along with bragging rights, the winning restaurant will receive $250 and a "Pulled Pork Madness" plaque.
The inaugural winner of Pulled Pork Madness in 2018 was Moo's BBQ in Newton.
United States and Canadian Cattle Inventory Up Slightly
All cattle and calves in the United States and Canada combined totaled 106.2 million head on January 1, 2019, up slightly from the 105.9 million head on January 1, 2018. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 45.8 million head, were up slightly from a year ago.
All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2019, totaled 94.8 million head, slightly above the 94.3 million head on January 1, 2018. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 41.1 million head, were up 1 percent from a year ago.
All cattle and calves in Canada as of January 1, 2019, totaled 11.5 million head, down 1 percent from the 11.6 million on January 1, 2018. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 4.64 million, were down 1 percent from a year ago.
United States and Canadian Hog Inventory Up 1 Percent
United States and Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs for December 2018 was 88.6 million head. This was up 1 percent from December 2017, and up 4 percent from December 2016. The breeding inventory, at 7.59 million head, was up 2 percent from a year ago and up 3 percent from 2016. Market hog inventory, at 81.0 million head, was up 1 percent from last year and up 4 percent from 2016. The semi-annual pig crop, at 82.2 million head, was up 2 percent from 2017 and up 4 percent from 2016. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 7.57 million head, up 1 percent from last year and up 3 percent from 2016.
United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 2018 was 74.6 million head. This was up 2 percent from December 1, 2017 but down 1 percent from September 1, 2018. The breeding inventory, at 6.33 million head, was up 2 percent from last year, but down slightly from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 68.2 million head, was up 2 percent from last year, but down 1 percent from last quarter. The pig crop, at 34.0 million head, was up 2 percent from 2017 and up 5 percent from 2016. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 3.16 million head, up 2 percent from 2017 and up 4 percent from 2016.
Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs on January 1, 2019 was 14.0 million head. This was down 1 percent from January 1, 2018 but up 1 percent from January 1, 2017. The breeding inventory, at 1.26 million head, was down slightly from last year but up slightly from 2017. Market hog inventory, at 12.8 million head, was down 1 percent from last year but up 1 percent from 2017. The semi-annual pig crop, at 14.0 million head, was down 2 percent from 2018 and down 1 percent from 2017. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 1.22 million head, down 2 percent from last year and down slightly from 2017.
This publication is a result of a joint effort by Statistics Canada and NASS to release the total hogs, breeding, market hogs, sows farrowed, and pig crop for both countries within one publication. This information was requested by the United States hog industry to provide producers additional information about potential hog supplies. United States inventory numbers were previously released on December 20, 2018. Canadian inventory numbers were released on March 1, 2019.
United States and Canadian Sheep Inventory Down Slightly
All sheep and lambs in the United States and Canada combined totaled 6.07 million head on January 1, 2019, down slightly from the 6.09 million on January 1, 2018. Breeding sheep, at 4.45 million head, were down 1 percent from a year ago and market sheep and lambs, at 1.62 million head, were up 1 percent from last year.
All sheep and lambs in the United States as of January 1, 2019, totaled 5.23 million head, 1 percent below the 5.27 million head on January 1, 2018. Breeding sheep, at 3.82 million head, were down 1 percent from a year ago, while market sheep and lambs, at 1.41 million head, were up 1 percent from last year.
All sheep and lambs in Canada as of January 1, 2019, totaled 842 thousand head, up 2 percent from last year's number of 825 thousand. Breeding sheep, at 628 thousand head, were up 2 percent from last year. Market sheep and lambs, at 214 thousand head, were up 3 percent from a year ago.
This publication is a result of a joint effort by Statistics Canada and NASS to release the number of cattle and calves by class and calf crop for both countries within one publication. This information was requested by the United States cattle industry to provide producers additional information about potential beef, mutton, and lamb supplies. United States inventory numbers were previously released on February 28, 2019. Canadian inventory numbers were released on March 1, 2019.
Majority of Fertilizers Are Lower
Retail fertilizers tracked by DTN for the first week of March 2019 show lower prices. This marks the second week in a row a majority of the fertilizer prices have been lower.
Five of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to last month, but none were down a notable amount. DAP had an average price of $$510/ton, MAP $534/ton, urea $403/ton, UAN28 $270/ton and UAN32 $317/ton.
Two fertilizers were higher than the prior month but neither were up by a significant amount. Potash had an average price of $386/ton and anhydrous $596/ton.
One fertilizer, 10-34-0, was unchanged from the previous month. Starter fertilizer had an average price of $470/ton.
On the cost of N/per pound, urea is at $0.44, anhydrous $0.36, UAN28 $0.48 and UAN32 $0.50.
All eight major fertilizers are now higher compared to last year. MAP is 6% higher, both DAP and urea are 10% more expensive, both potash and 10-34-0 are 11% higher, UAN28 is 16% more expensive, UAN32 is 17% higher and anhydrous is 19% more expensive.
Weekly Ethanol Production for 3/8/2019
According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association, ethanol production declined 1.9% (19,000 b/d lower) to an average of 1.005 million barrels per day (b/d), or 42.21 million gallons daily. The four-week average ethanol production rate followed, easing 0.6% to 1.013 million b/d—equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.53 billion gallons.
Stocks of ethanol retreated 2.2% to 23.7 million barrels.
There were no imports for the seventeenth week in a row. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of December 2018.)
Average weekly gasoline supplied to the market increased 0.9% to 9.140 million b/d (383.9 million gallons per day, or 140.12 billion gallons annualized). Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol pressed to an eleven-week high of 921,000 b/d—equivalent to 14.12 billion gallons annualized. This is 2.9% higher than the prior week and 1.2% over year-ago levels.
Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production decreased to 11.00%.
Broad Coalition Urges Congress to Protect Farm Program Funding
As farmers, ranchers and rural communities grapple with a devastatingly weak farm economy, nearly 200 organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and several state Farm Bureaus, are urging congressional budget writers to reject calls for additional cuts to farm bill programs.
The bipartisan, budget-neutral 2018 farm bill was built upon the previous farm bill, which made a significant contribution to deficit reduction, the groups pointed out.
“These difficult cuts in 2014 resulted from hard choices made in partnership with agricultural leaders and were designed to substantially reform the farm safety net, conservation initiatives and nutrition assistance – ultimately reducing the financial support provided to America’s farmers and ranchers,” they wrote in a letter sent today to House and Senate Budget and Appropriations committee leaders.
Not only does the 2018 farm bill improve upon the reforms made in 2014, it is projected to cost far less over 10 years than the 2014 farm bill — while improving access to conservation programs, maintaining a commitment to nutrition programs and providing farmers and ranchers with the risk management certainty needed in this uncertain environment.
While the Agriculture Department forecasts an uptick in farm income for 2019, farmers and ranchers’ income is still expected to be 44 percent lower than it was in 2013. Add climbing farm debt and debt-to-asset ratios, rising bankruptcies and retaliatory tariffs that weigh on farm prices and erode our competitiveness in key export markets and the case for protecting farm program funding becomes all the more compelling, according to the groups.
As USDA begins implementation of the 2018 farm bill, “we respectively request that you reject cuts to vital farm policy programs. Further cuts to farm programs would deliver a significant blow to U.S. agriculture at a time when farmers, ranchers, and rural America are already struggling,” they wrote.
The letter was sent to Senate Budget Committee Chair Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); House Budget Committee Chair John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) and Ranking Member Steve Womack (R-Ark.); Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.); and House Appropriations Committee Chair Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-Texas).
USDA Announces Launch of the Start Simple with MyPlate Campaign
In a continuing effort to help Americans make healthy food choices, and in honor of National Nutrition Month®, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced a new campaign to help simplify the nutrition information that surrounds us each day.
Start Simple with MyPlate is a new initiative to reduce confusion surrounding healthy eating and help people start with the basics. The Start Simple with MyPlate campaign provides ideas and tips from the five MyPlate food groups that Americans can easily incorporate into their busy lives to help improve their health and well-being over time.
USDA recommends people visit www.choosemyplate.gov/startsimple to get started with tips on the MyPlate food groups, or to use a variety of simple resources to put these tips into action. Online resources include the MyPlate Plan and widget, a tip sheet (PDF, 1 MB), the MyPlate Action Guide, a one-week menu template (PDF, 498 KB), as well as a toolkit for nutrition professionals.
USDA also invites Americans to join the #MyPlateChallenge by sharing healthy eating tips or ideas related to the five MyPlate food groups. People can post a MyPlate-inspired healthy eating tip with a photo or video and share it on social media. Once they post their healthy eating tip, people can challenge a family member, friend, or co-worker to share their own tip.
Join USDA as we celebrate the different ways people strive to eat healthy and Start Simple with MyPlate! View more information about the challenge here: www.choosemyplate.gov/startsimplechallenge.
CommonGround Volunteers Spotlight Farming at “Empower and Light” Conference
Farm women volunteers involved in the CommonGround outreach program, along with state and national staff met in Kansas City, Mo., to share their experiences with the program and welcome new members earlier this week. Over the course of three days, the participants worked intensively to gain insight into consumer questions and hone the skills that they use to share their personal story and that of modern farming with urban and suburban moms.
In addition to social media training and panels focused on consumer questions, the volunteers hosted an event for women from the Kansas City area focused on food discussions. From entering through an exhibit designed to provoke thoughts on what sources they turn to for information to a closing panel discussion featuring volunteers, a local lifestyle blogger and a dietitian, the evening sparked conversations and built relationships to bridge the divide from the field to fork.
The conference offered the volunteers and staff a chance to share experiences gained through program participation over the past year, during which the involved states hosted more than 120 events in more than 20 states. Since it began more than eight years ago, CommonGround has created more than 1.5 billion touch points through the grassroots efforts of more than 200 volunteers.
Want to join the CommonGround conversation?
Website: FindOurCommonGround.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/FindOurCommonGround
Twitter: www.twitter.com/CommonGroundNow
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CommonGroundNow
Washington State Passes Clean Fuels Standard
The National Biodiesel Board would like to congratulate Washington State for being a leader in clean, low carbon fuels such as biodiesel and renewable diesel. On March 12, the House passed a Clean Fuels Standard (H.B. 1110) that would institute a low carbon fuel program by 2020. The program is designed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation fuels 10 percent below 2017 levels by 2028 and 20 percent below those same levels by 2035. Supporters share that the program will play a significant role in meeting the state’s overall greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.
“Washington is poised to become a national leader in production of clean, renewable fuels like biodiesel once this bill is signed into law,” said Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon who sponsored the legislation into the Washington House of Representatives. “Job growth and emissions reductions can go hand in hand, and by passing HB 1110, the House has taken a strong stance in favor of growing rural jobs and cleaning up Washington’s air.”
To meet state GHG emissions reduction targets, Washington State will need to increase use of fuel alternatives such as biodiesel and renewable diesel. Historically, biodiesel consumption in Washington State has been relatively low compared to the rest of the nation. With implementation of a Clean Fuels Standard, however, that would change quickly.
“Implementation of this program would bring Washington in line with other renewable fuels champions on the West Coast -- such as Oregon, California, and British Columbia, Canada -- creating a unified market for clean fuels on the West Coast,” said NBB Director of State Governmental Affairs Shelby Neal. “This is a great step forward for the environment, consumers, and green industry in Washington State.”
GeoSpace Labs Files Patent Application for Method & System to Determine 49 CFR 395.1(k) Agriculture ELD Exemption
GeoSpace Labs announced today that is has filed a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a system and method to determine Electronic Logging Device (ELD) exemption for transporters of agricultural commodities.
The invention is a sophisticated computer algorithm that can be used by Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) AOBRD or ELD units and/or government enforcement systems to evaluate the historic and current trigonometric relationship between the CMV geospatial location(s) and the geospatial location of a qualifying source of transported agricultural commodity at any point in time also considering the load state of the CMV and the sequence of commodity transported.
Since ELD units are centered on commercial drivers, automating the 395.1(k) exemption required advanced computer science methods to work alongside the current design specifications of federally certified ELD units. Additional processing dimensions and enhanced computer algorithms were required, and ultimately an improvement to the current ELD design specifications was needed since no design elements existed or were published for this type of automation.
GeoSpace Labs has implemented the patent pending algorithm in its ELD vertical for agricultural commodity transporters called HOS4AG, making it the only unit on the market with built in automation for commercial carriers of agricultural commodities.
More information is available at the hos4ag.com website.
GeoSpace is open to licensing the invention to other ELD providers that wish to provide 395.1(k) automations in their AOBRD or ELD units, or to government or law enforcement agencies should they wish to build this capability into their evaluative systems.
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