Friday April 19 Ag News

Stress of dealing with flooding can be overwhelming to farmers
UNMC, Nebraska Extension encourage people to seek help – you are not alone!

Nebraska’s farmers had more than enough stress to manage before this year’s flooding events ravaged a huge swath of farm properties, businesses and communities. Now the uncertainty farmers face in crop and livestock operations may seem overwhelming.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Nebraska Extension want farmers and their communities to know “You are not alone. We care about you!” and help is just a call – or even a text – away.

“We know it’s sometimes difficult to talk about the stress we experience,” said Susan Harris-Broomfield, Nebraska Extension Educator – Rural Health, Wellness and Safety. “Reaching out can be as simple as texting ‘GO’ to 741741 to connect with the National Suicide Prevention Crisis Text Line. It’s free, and there’s 24/7 support to crisis counselors.”

The initial effects of the March 14 collapse of the Spencer Dam were traumatic enough, wiping out bridges, roads, buildings and animals. But, the effects of that catastrophic event will greatly intensify the stress farmers and farm communities will undergo for years to come.

The Life Change Index is a scale that rates the impact individuals experience with different life changes. Sudden change has a physical, emotional and psychological effect on our body. It reorders important routines, sending our physical being into turmoil and resulting in significant stress.

“Cortisol is our built-in ‘fight-or-flight’ alarm system, our body’s main stress hormone,” Harris-Broomfield said. “It works in conjunction with our brain to control mood, motivation and fear. When it’s at normal levels, it aids a number of body functions. But when stress remains and we continue to overproduce cortisol, it has significant damaging effects.”

Excess levels of cortisol can disrupt normal body functions, leading to anxiety and depression, headaches, heart disease, memory and concentration problems, digestive problems, insomnia and weight gain.

“When cortisol levels remain high, it can increase blood sugar levels, putting a strain on your pancreas,” Harris-Broomfield said. “It can suppress your immune system and cause high blood pressure, setting the stage for a heart attack or stroke.”

While cortisol wreaks havoc with important body functions, emotional and psychological functions also suffer. The effects that prolonged stress has on our brain may not be highly visible in the early stages of a stressful event. However, over a period of time, the effect of mental stress can lead to depression, anxiety and personality disorders.

“While we sleep, our brain flushes out harmful toxins that build up there each day,” Harris-Broomfield said. “A good night’s sleep boosts memory, concentration and learning. Someone constantly under major stress is losing the benefits sleep provides.”

When stress is prolonged, people can become physically exhausted, experience forgetfulness and high levels of anxiety. A person who was typically well-balanced, friendly and outgoing may find they lose their sense of humor, desire to isolate themselves from others and develop a negative outlook on life.

“If the stress continues, it becomes a downward spiral that individuals can’t pull themselves out of unless they have help to do that,” Harris-Broomfield said.

“Active listening” is the approach Harris-Broomfield recommends for family members and friends of those under stress. Active listening techniques include demonstrating concern, gathering information to help you understand, giving nonverbal cues such as nodding and leaning forward, and restating what you heard in your own words.

“Listen without judgment,” Harris-Broomfield said. “If you see any sign that suggests a person may be considering suicide, just ask them, “Are you having thoughts of suicide?”

Warning signs of suicide include someone threatening to hurt or kill himself/herself; talking about wanting to die, especially if someone is wielding a weapon and intending to harm himself/herself with it.

Additional signals include talk of feeling hopeless or being a burden, giving away possessions, using alcohol or drugs excessively, acquiring a firearm and having questions about insurance in the event of a death. These signs should be especially concerning if these kinds of actions are out of the ordinary for that person.

“A lot of people are shocked if you ask them whether or not they’re considering suicide, but often, if they are, they will answer yes,” Harris-Broomfield saif. “Don’t worry that you’re putting the idea in their head. Just ask. If they answer ‘yes,’ don’t leave them alone. Immediately call or text someone for help. It’s very helpful to have hotline phone numbers in your phone, so they’re readily available if you need them.”

Harris-Broomfield emphasized that all available extension resources for Nebraska farmers, ranchers and their families are free.

“We’re rolling out a new webinar for farm and ranch families,” she said.

Nebraska Extension Educators Glennis McClure and Brandy VanDeWalle will present “Wellness in Tough Times,” a free webinar that will provide strategies for dealing with the stress of farming or ranching in today’s difficult economic environment. The live webinar will air at noon (CDT) on April 23 and can be accessed at go.unl.edu/farmstresswebinar.

Following the April 23 airing, the webinar can be watched at  go.unl.edu/farmstresswebinar.

For more information, contact VanDeWalle at brandy.vandewalle@unl.edu or (402)759-3712.

“Communicating With Farmers Under Stress” is a Nebraska Extension program intended to help agribusiness professionals as they meet and work with farmers and ranchers. The two-hour workshops, which will be held in five different locations across the state, will help build awareness around potentially stressful conditions some farmers are facing.

“The workshop will help participants identify stress triggers and signs of stress,” Harris-Broomfield said. “Presenters also will talk about helpful techniques for responding to people under stress. Some farmers may struggle to effectively cope with stress, and presenters will talk about how to identify, approach and work with them. We’ll also provide information on where to turn for additional help and provide resources information for many different situations.”

Dates and locations for the workshops will be released soon. For more information on the workshops, contact Harris-Broomfield at susan.harris@unl.edu.

Harris-Broomfield said machinery breakdowns, debt loads, volatile markets, sleep deprivation, changing regulations and the pressure to hold onto multi-generational farms are just some of the issues Nebraska’s farmers will deal with over coming weeks, months and years.

“Don’t be ashamed to reach out for help,” she said. “All of these things impact us as much mentally as physically. We’re Nebraska Strong, but sometimes that might mean having the strength to reach out for help.”



Lower Elkhorn NRD promotes Arbor Day with tree sales 

In Nebraska, Arbor Day is traditionally celebrated on the last Friday in April.  The 147th Anniversary of Arbor Day will be celebrated Friday, April 26th.

Since Nebraska is the birth state of Arbor Day, it’s only appropriate that the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) promotes tree-planting programs each year.  The LENRD will have tree seedlings available for purchase this Friday in celebration of Arbor Day, at the Maskenthine Lake Recreation Area, north of Stanton.  From Norfolk, the lake is located 10 miles east on highway 275 and then 2 miles south on Ridge Road.  Signs will direct you to the LENRD Tree Distribution Center (approximately 2 miles north of Stanton).

The Center will be open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Arbor Day.  Seedlings can be purchased in bundles of 25 for $22.  The LENRD staff will be cleaning out the cooler that day, quantities are limited, and everything must go.

LENRD Forester, Pam Bergstrom, said, “Plant a tree to protect your property and the future.  Our parents did it for us, and we should return the favor for future generations.”

Contact Bergstrom at the LENRD office, 402-371-7313, if you have questions about your trees or if you need further assistance.



TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SPRING SOIL MOISTURE
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

Most of us have more moisture in our soil profiles this spring than we’ve experienced in a long time.  Let’s take full advantage of this promising condition.

Do you remember when we last had soil profiles nearly completely full of moisture throughout our area?  I know I don’t?  Because full profiles are unusual for most of us, some suggestions might be helpful as reminders of how to take advantage of your good fortune.

First consider pasture fertilization.  Good moisture is needed to make full use of nitrogen fertilizer.  Our university recommendations are based on available moisture for various areas.  When soil moisture is high at the start of the growing season, like this year, heavier rates can be expected to produce economically higher grass yields as long as you can use the extra grass either for grazing or by cutting excess for hay.  I suggest applying an extra twenty to forty pounds of nitrogen per acre this spring if you can use that extra growth.

Alfalfa production should also benefit from all this moisture.  Older dryland fields probably will benefit the most since they usually extract most of the deep profile moisture within three or four years of stand life.  Most of our alfalfa fields tend to be low in phosphorus, especially if they haven’t had any fertilizer added for several years.  If your soils would benefit from a bit more phosphorus, this is a good spring to apply it since your alfalfa should be able to make immediate use of the increased nutrition to boost hay yields.

Lastly, look to plant and fertilize annual forages.  If you plant summer annual grasses or might double crop forages after wheat, take advantage of extra moisture if it remains available at planting time.

Extra moisture is valuable.  Take full advantage of it this year.

ASSESSING AND REACTING TO ALFALFA WINTERKILL
Winterkilled alfalfa has shown up throughout the area this spring.  In a moment I’ll offer some suggestions for overcoming this forage loss.

If you haven’t looked at your alfalfa this spring, check it soon.  Last winter was tough on a lot of fields.

If you find significant winterkill but decide to keep the stand anyway, here are a few options to increase forage production:
– for fields planted last year, simply interseed more alfalfa in thin spots,
– for older fields, autotoxicity and other problems make interseeding alfalfa risky.  But other species can be added.

Annuals like oats and Italian ryegrass can be interseeded right away; or plant summer annual grasses right after first cutting.

Perennials like orchardgrass, festulolium, and red clover can bring long-term help but won’t add much to this year’s production.

If you do interseed, competition by the remaining alfalfa for sunlight could be a serious threat to success.  It only takes about one week of shading by a full alfalfa canopy to kill seedlings below.  About the only way to open up that canopy once it develops is to harvest the alfalfa extra early.  This will lower first harvest yield and may further weaken already stressed alfalfa plants.  But it’s the only way to get enough sunlight to the new seedlings.

In some situations it might be better to wait until late summer to interseed. Alfalfa cut in late August or early September regrows more slowly than spring alfalfa, thus causing less competition.  Interseeding right after that harvest has a better chance of succeeding, provided adequate moisture is available.

Winterkill will reduce forage production in many alfalfa fields this year.  Act quickly and properly to minimize long-term losses.



Workshops to Help Educators Connect Ag and Food Production

Two-day professional development workshops for teachers will be offered throughout the summer and around the state by the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation and partner organizations.

The workshops will help teachers apply Iowa Core standards including social studies, and science in the context of agriculture. The workshops will also use agriculture to teach other core concepts and skills like language arts and math. The workshops will be hands on and interactive with one day of site visits and tours and one day of practical classroom application. Many STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts will be integrated throughout.

"My main goal was to get a credit. But once I got into the workshop, I realized it would exceed my expectation," said Betsy Anderson, a workshop participant in 2018. "I knew some of the information, but it was great to have it connected to real farmers and the science behind farming in Iowa."

The dates of the workshops are June 3-4 in Sioux Center; June 11-12 in Calmar; June 13-14 in Algona; June 13-14 in Pella; June 26-27 in Eldridge; June 26-27 in Fort Dodge; July 10-11 in Griswold; July 17-18 in Council Bluffs; July 23-24 in Ankeny; August 5-6 in Indianola; and Aug. 5-6 in Manchester. The workshops will include lesson demonstration, hands on implementation of concepts, tours of farms and agribusinesses, and technical skills in agriculture. The workshops will be available for teacher recertification credit and graduate level credit.

"It was simply the best professional development course I've taken! Said 2018 workshop participant, Kerri Bell. "It offered so much for two solid days. I loved every minute of it. I've made so many new friends across SE Iowa to collaborate with. I'm excited to have more resources."

Workshops are made possible by supporters of the Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation including the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, Bayer, REAP Conservation Education Program, and Farm Credit Services of America with additional support from Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Corteva Agriscience, GROWMARK, and the Iowa Beef Industry Council. To find out more about workshops in your area visit www.IowaAgLiteracy.org, email info@iowaagliteracy.org or call 515-331-4182.



USMCA Necessary for Soy: Report Does Not Convey Full Scope of Benefits

While the International Trade Commission (ITC) report on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) demonstrated marginal increases in agricultural exports, the value of USMCA to soybean producers goes beyond the pages released yesterday. The report is a good tool, yet it does not account for valuable non-tariff provisions in the “new NAFTA” –or look back historically on the myriad benefits to agriculture since NAFTA’s inception.

Davie Stephens, soy grower from Clinton, Kentucky, and American Soybean Association (ASA) president said, “USMCA builds upon the strong foundation set by the original NAFTA. Under NAFTA, the value of agricultural exports to Canada and Mexico increased to roughly $43 billion each year. Soybean exports to Mexico quadrupled under NAFTA, making Mexico the number two market for U.S. soybeans, meal and oil. We also saw a doubling of soybean exports to Canada, making it the number four market for soybean meal and the number seven market for soybean oil.”

Stephens continued, “We know that the modernizations included in USMCA will make trade with our North American neighbors even smoother. These non-tariff enhancements include the highest enforceable sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards of any trade deal to date, an enforceable biotechnology chapter that supports 21st century innovations, and create a rapid response mechanism to address trade challenges. These provisions not only serve to update the North American agreement but set a paradigm for future free trade agreements.”

While continuing to review and assess the ITC, the American Soybean Association reaffirms its support for USMCA and urges Congress to pass the agreement once the bill arrives. Passage of USMCA is vital to ensuring continued trade with two of U.S. soybeans’ top trading partners, Canada and Mexico.



 U.S., JAPAN BEGIN TRADE NEGOTIATIONS

Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi joined U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in Washington D.C. this week to begin trade talks between the countries. The focus of initial conversations were agriculture and automobiles. The countries are scheduled to meet again next week for further conversation.

The National Pork Producers Council continues to urge the Trump administration to expeditiously negotiate access for U.S. pork that is equal or better than the access extended by Japan for pork from the CPTPP nations and the European Union. U.S. pork producers are losing market share in Japan to these competitors.



Farm Groups Ask President, Congress for Disaster Relief

A group of 135 farm organizations and banks that supply seasonal loans to farms and ranches today called on the President and Congress to put aside political differences and supply urgently needed relief in the wake of weather-related disasters in 2018 and 2019.

The organizations highlighted the year’s unprecedented destruction in the letter. Farmers and ranchers are especially anxious for relief because these disasters have come on top of an ongoing downturn in farm income. In response, many banks have tightened credit, placing some growers in jeopardy of not receiving critical funds needed to plant this year’s crops absent some form of federal relief.

“Farms across the country endured an incredibly difficult year in 2018 and the trend continues in 2019 with challenging market prices and destructive weather conditions,” the groups wrote. “Historic hurricanes Florence and Michael, along with unprecedented wildfires, droughts, flooding and other natural disasters, devastated agricultural regions throughout the nation. Estimated agriculture losses in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina alone total nearly $5.5 billion. Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri currently estimate losses at more than $3 billion. Droughts have devastated the Southwest, wildfires the West and volcanic activity in Hawaii. Puerto Rico encountered its own humanitarian crisis from hurricanes Irma and Maria. For many farmers, these events have meant near complete losses.”