Thursday June 6 Ag News

Report of Destroyed Real Property

The Department of Revenue, Property Assessment Division, announces that a new form has been created (Report of Destroyed Real Property, Form 425), pursuant to 2019 Neb. Law LB 512. Please review the instructions on the Form 425.

The Form 425 is to be used by owners of real property whose property has suffered significant property damage as a result of a calamity occurring on or after January 1 and before July 1 of the current assessment year. The property owner may file the Form 425 with the county assessor and the county clerk on or before July 15.

A calamity is defined as a disastrous event, including, but not limited to, a fire, an earthquake, a flood, a tornado, or other natural event which significantly affects the assessed value of the property. Destroyed real property does not include property suffering significant property damage that is caused by the owner of the property.

Significant property damage means –
     1. Damage to an improvement exceeding 20% of the improvement’s assessed value in the current tax year as determined by the county assessor;
     2. Damage to the land exceeding 20% of a parcel’s assessed land value in the current tax year as determined by the county assessor; or
     3. Damage exceeding 20% of the property’s assessed value in the current tax year as determined by the county assessor if:
          a. The property is located in an area that has been declared a disaster area by the Governor and
          b. A housing inspector or health inspector has determined the property is uninhabitable or unlivable.

The county board of equalization will consider the report to determine any adjustments to the assessed value of the destroyed real property for the current year.

The county board of equalization must act upon this report on or after June 1 and on or before July 25, or on or before August 10 if the board has adopted a resolution to extend the deadline for hear protests under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 77-1502, and must send a notice of the reassessment value for the destroyed real property to the property owner.



NDA’s TRADE TEAM FOCUSES ON GROWING NEBRASKA AGRICULTURE INTERNATIONALLY

Today, Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Director Steve Wellman announced the creation of an International Grow Nebraska Agriculture trade team within NDA’s Ag Promotion and Development focus area. The team will be led by NDA Assistant Director Amelia Breinig.

“Trade is important to Nebraska and the creation of this trade team broadens the base of our international trade responsibilities,” said NDA Director Wellman. “NDA has always been dedicated to promoting agriculture abroad. This new trade team structure puts a renewed emphasis on international trade.”

NDA’s international trade team focuses on the sales, promotions and value-added aspects of Nebraska agricultural products in the international marketplace. Team members continue to promote new opportunities for international trade as well as support existing relationships with our current trading partners. The international trade team consists of Mark Jagels, Angel Velitchkov and Jordan Schlake.

In the area of international trade, NDA is currently working on increasing: livestock exports to South America; dry edible bean exports to Bulgaria; and pork, beef, dry edible beans and soybean exports to Vietnam. For 2019, Governor Pete Ricketts has scheduled trade missions for Vietnam and Japan in September and Germany in November. In the next year, NDA is set to host multiple delegations visiting Nebraska on reverse trade missions.



Husker quarter-scale tractor team wins international competition

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln quarter-scale tractor A-Team took top honors at the International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition held May 30-June 2 in Peoria, IL. The competition brought 24 collegiate teams from the United States, Canada and Israel together to test their skills at the event hosted by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).

The competition is unique among student engineering-design contests, providing a realistic 360-degree workplace experience. Teams are given a 31-horsepower Briggs & Stratton engine and a set of Titan tires. The design and build of the tractor is up to each team and is tested and perfected over the course of a year.

In advance of the competition, teams must submit a written design report. Onsite, they must sell their design, in a formal presentation to industry experts playing the role of a corporate management team. Finally, machines are put to the test in three performance events; three tractor pulls, a maneuverability course and a durability course. Industry leaders judge each design for innovation, manufacturability, serviceability, maneuverability, safety, sound level and ergonomics.

The intense competition is extremely helpful to tractor team members, many of whom are agricultural engineering majors, according to Roger Hoy, professor in biological systems engineering and tractor team advisor.

“The students demonstrated that they can successfully take classroom lessons and apply them to real-world engineering problems,” said Hoy. “The students that participated on quarter-scale this year have excellent character, work ethic and values.”

Nebraska’s agricultural engineering program is one of the nation’s top programs that emphasizes hands-on applications in and out of the classroom, such as participating in the quarter-scale tractor competition.

Nebraska has consistently performed well since the inception of the competition in 1998. This is the second win for the A-Team, which is made up of juniors and seniors. The X-Team, made up of freshmen and sophomores, also fared well at the competition, placing second overall in their division.

Team members, listed by hometown are:
BEATRICE: Nathan Lancaster
BLOOMFIELD: Reece McFarland
BROKEN BOW: Court Kaelin
EAGLE: Jonah Bolin (A-Team captain), Noah Bolin (A-Team captain)
GRANT: Zak Kurkowski (A-Team captain), Jaci Kurkowski
LINCOLN: Seth Brunkhorst, Brett Halleen
MADISON: John Freudenburg
NORFOLK: Grant Gaspers
OAKLAND: Olivia Bures, Josh King
ORD: Devon Vancura (A-Team captain)
STANTON: Alex Schellpeper (X-Team captain)
ST. PAUL: Rylan Dvorak
LODI, CA: Nick Engle
O’FALLON, IL: Mark Dean (X-Team captain)

Along with Hoy, Joe Luck, associate professor of biological systems engineering, also serves as a team advisor.



ILF Webinar Topic Is Recycling Drainage Water for Irrigation

Iowa Learning Farms will host a webinar Wednesday, June 19 at 12 p.m. about drainage water recycling.

Drainage water recycling is a conservation practice during which subsurface drainage water is captured for use as supplemental irrigation water in the summer. In addition to the irrigation benefit, drainage water recycling reduces nitrogen and phosphorus loss by reusing the water in the field. Chris Hay, Senior Environmental Scientist with the Iowa Soybean Association, will discuss current drainage water recycling research that is taking place as part of the multi-state “Transforming Drainage” project, modeling work in Iowa and field research projects that are beginning in Iowa. 

“Drainage water recycling is a practice with multiple potential win-wins: crop production and downstream water quality, nitrogen and phosphorus loss reduction, water quality and water quantity,” said Hay, whose research and outreach focuses on agricultural water management and water quality with a primary focus on edge-of-field practices. He hopes that webinar attendees will understand that drainage water has exciting potential for both crop production and water quality, but that more research is needed – especially on the economics – before widespread implementation is realistic.

A Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit has been applied for and is pending CCA board approval. For those who are able to watch the live webinar, information for submitting your CCA/CPAg/CPSS/CPSC number to earn the (pending) credit will be provided at the end of the presentation.

To watch, go to www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars and click the link to join the webinar shortly before 12:00 p.m. on June 19, to download the Zoom software and log in option. The webinar will be recorded and archived on the ILF website for watching at any time at https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/webinars.



2019 Beef Feedlot Short Course Registration Is Open

The 2019 Beef Feedlot Short Course, organized and hosted by Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University, is set for Aug. 6-8 at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center in Ames. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach beef specialist Erika Lundy said the goal of the event is to optimize participant learning through exposure to new technology, research and best management practices, and the best way to accomplish this is in a small group setting with a mix of hands-on and classroom instruction.

"Because this short course is designed specifically for feedlot managers, employees and industry, the attendance limit is 30," Lundy said. "We feel this is the best way to provide in-depth information on nutrition basics, data management, feed bunk management and health issues, but still be able to answer questions at any stage."

Sessions will be at the Iowa State Beef Nutrition Farm and Couser Cattle Company in Nevada, Iowa.

The program runs from 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6 through noon on Thursday, Aug. 8. For questions on the short course content contact Lundy at ellundy@iastate.edu or IBC director Dan Loy at dloy@iastate.edu.

2019 short course topics include:
    Bunk management and the basics of starting cattle on feed.
    Feed mixing demonstration and evaluation.
    Feedlot nutrition.
    Managing and identifying cattle health issues in the feedlot.
    Facility design and cattle handling.
    Data management.

This year's presenters are:
    Bill Couser, Couser Cattle Company, Nevada, Iowa.
    Dr. Garland Dahlke, associate scientist, Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University.
    Dr. Terry Engelken, associate professor, Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University.
    Shane Jurgensen, Couser Cattle Company, Nevada, Iowa.
    Dr. Dan Loy, director of the Iowa Beef Center and extension beef specialist, Iowa State University.
    Erika Lundy, Iowa State extension beef specialist, Iowa Beef Center.
    Dr. Robbi Pritchard, feedlot consultant, Aurora, South Dakota.
    Dr. Dan Thomson, Jones Professor of Production Medicine and Epidemiology, Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University.

The $350 per person registration fee includes transportation between designated hotel and course locations and meals listed on the agenda. The registration deadline is midnight, July 30 or when the course limit of 30 is reached, whichever occurs first. Any cancellation requesting a refund must also be received by midnight, July 30. All registrations must be done by either online registration or submitting registration form with payment. Substitutions are allowed.

See the short course website for registration information, requirements, and links at http://www.aep.iastate.edu/feedlot.

Participants are responsible for making their own lodging arrangements, if needed. A block of rooms is available at the Sleep Inn & Suites, 1310 Dickinson Ave, Ames for those wishing to stay in Ames. Call 515-337-1171 for reservations.



NCGA HIGHLIGHTS NEGATIVE EFFECT OF ETHANOL WAIVERS

National Corn Growers Association Renewable Fuels Public Policy Director Kathy Bergren participated in a Capitol Hill briefing today for U.S. House of Representatives staff to help explain the damaging effects the EPA’s expansive Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) waivers to large, profitable refineries and recommend solutions.

Since early 2018, EPA has granted 53 RFS exemptions to refineries for the 2016 and 2017 RFS compliance years totaling 2.61 billion ethanol-equivalent gallons of renewable fuel. EPA currently has 39 waiver petitions pending for the 2018 RFS compliance year. These waivers have taken a toll on farmers by undercutting the RFS and reducing corn demand.

NCGA President Lynn Chrisp recently touched on the negative impact of these waivers, following the announcement that EPA had completed action to allow for year-round sales of E15. “While corn farmers are immensely grateful that the barrier to year-round E15 has been lifted, we won’t be able to reap the full benefits if EPA continues to allow oil companies to avoid blending biofuels in accordance with the RFS,” Chrisp said.

NCGA recently endorsed the Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act of 2019 that would set a deadline for refineries to apply for RFS waivers and bring much-needed transparency to the waiver process. NCGA also continues to advocate for reallocating waived gallons and advance ongoing legal actions.

Today’s briefing, sponsored by the pro-RFS Fuels America coalition that NCGA is a member of, followed a briefing for U.S. Senate staff last month and also included representatives from Archer Daniels Midland Company, Renewable Fuels Association and Advanced Biofuels Business Council.



NAWG Submits Comments to EPA’s Review of a Petition to Modify the Tolerance and Product Labels for Glyphosate with Regard to Oats

On June 05, 2019, the National Association of Wheat Growers submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s request for comments on a petition filed by several special interest groups to reduce the tolerance of glyphosate in or on oats and requiring glyphosate-containing product labels to explicitly prohibit preharvest use on oats (Docket Number EPA-HQ-OPP-2019-0066).

NAWG President and Lavon, TX farmer Ben Scholz made the following statement:

“While NAWG’s mission does not include representing oat producers, its members believe it’s important to provide comments on this Docket as it impacts EPA’s review of pesticides.

 “In its submission, NAWG urged the EPA to reject this petition in its entirety. The issues raised in this petition have been considered under the current pesticide review and labeling, and the requested action by the Agency is not necessary.

 “Further, EPA’s work to review and regulate the chemistry of pesticides should not be dictated by special interest groups who have an alternative agenda but rather should continue to be based on science and facts, as the EPA currently operates.

“NAWG supports the U.S. Government’s regulatory process of pesticides because it is based on thorough scientific review, has resulted in crop protection tools that are safe for grower use, and farm worker use, and food produced from these tools is safe for human consumption, including consumption by children.”



Sasse Statement on Disaster Relief Legislation Becoming Law

U.S. Senator Ben Sasse released the following statement after President Trump signed disaster relief legislation into law. Sasse and the Senate passed the legislation last month.

"This is great news for our state. I’m grateful that the President signed this relief legislation into law. It's an important down payment and a big deal for Nebraska as we keep working hard to recover."

Legislation background:
Expands payment for lost crops and livestock to include “milk and on-farm stored commodities” and “crops prevented from planting in 2019.”

Adds $500 million in emergency funding and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers for rehabilitating farmland damaged by natural disasters, including the 2019 Floods.

Increases funds for Air Force construction costs from $700 million to $1 billion and included 2019 flood damage.



Statement by Steve Nelson, President, Regarding President Trump Signing of Disaster Assistance Package

“President Trump’s signing of the disaster assistance bill is tremendous news and an important step forward in helping Nebraska farm and ranch families and our rural communities recover from the March flooding and blizzards in our state.”

“This disaster bill includes roughly $3 billion to cover crop damage, including additional funding for farmers prevented from planting due to the floods, as well as payments for on-farm stored grain that was damaged in these flooding events. The bill also provides $558 million in funding for the Emergency Conservation Program, the primary program farmers and ranchers can utilize for fence repair and debris removal, including clearing sand from farm fields.”

“We want to thank the entire Nebraska Congressional delegation for their support for the disaster assistance package and for President Trump signing this package into law.”

“We urge USDA to move forward as quickly as possible in developing the rules and implementing the key programs so they can be put to work in helping Nebraskans.”



Perdue Statement on President Trump’s Signing of Disaster Aid Bill

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today commended President Trump’s signing of the disaster relief bill that will provide $19 billion in assistance to states and territories hit by flooding, hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters.

“Congress provided much needed resources to assist farmers, ranchers and producers dealing with extensive damage to their operations caused by natural disasters,” said Secretary Perdue. “President Trump is committed to helping America’s farmers get back on their feet following recent natural disasters. I thank him for his leadership and I thank the members of Congress from Georgia, Florida and the Carolinas who fought so hard to make sure this bill passed. We look forward to implementing this disaster aid package in a fair way and working with state leadership to identify where the true losses and needs are to best serve our fellow Americans in need of a helping hand.”



Farm Bureau Statement on Disaster Relief
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall

“The disaster relief measure signed by President Trump today is an important lifeline for farmers and ranchers whose greatest desire is to keep producing the food, fuel and fiber that make our way of life possible. The last two years have brought historic hurricanes like Florence and Michael. We have faced wildfires, tornadoes and flooding that has led to the worst planting season on record for many commodities. Many farmers have faced near-complete losses, and this measure will help us weather the storm.

“Americans have always come together in times of need to help lift our neighbors and support our communities. We thank Congress and the President for delivering this much-needed assistance for American agriculture.”



Council Empowers East African Poultry Associations To Build Future Markets

Industry associations can provide a powerful voice for producers and users of agricultural goods, not just in the United States, but globally. Recognizing the role associations can play in supporting producers and ensuring the safety and quality of end-products, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) is working to empower poultry and feed associations in East Africa - including Tanzania, Kenya and Ethiopia - with the goal of building future demand for coarse grains and co-products.

“Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya are the gateway countries for U.S. feed grain exports in the region,” said Katy Wyatt, USGC manager of global strategies, who recently returned from an assessment mission to the region. “All three countries have rapidly changing dynamics in their feed industries that will affect regional trade and will ultimately affect future grain imports.

“The Council is able to leverage existing operations through the office in Tanzania to target market opportunities for U.S. feed grain exports and livestock sector development in this region.”

The poultry chain requires a consistent supply of reliable raw materials, feed ingredients, day-old chicks, veterinary services and supportive government regulations. Feed costs constitute upwards of 80 percent of production costs within the poultry industry in East Africa. Currently, corn shortages in the region, largely the result of two years of regional drought conditions, are driving up the cost of this feed even further - making it difficult for the industry to match rising demand for poultry and egg products.

Demand for meat, milk and eggs in Africa is expected to quadruple by 2050, driven by changing demographics, rapid population growth and increased standards of living. East Africa has one of the largest rural populations on the continent and is projected to experience a faster rate of urbanization compared to other developing regions. This need is already noticeable in the region, and poultry and feed industries are struggling to meet the growing demand for poultry and egg products.

To assist producers with meeting these challenges, the Council has engaged with the Poultry Association of Tanzania (PAT) for the past six years. The PAT is a 10-member umbrella association that represents the entirety of the poultry value chain, from broiler and layer producers to breeders and feed manufacturers. The PAT strives to support the development of the Tanzanian poultry industry by providing market information, technical assistance and industry updates.

“In times when poultry producers face difficulties, it is imperative that producers can effectively communicate the challenges and constraints hindering both current and future production,” said Wyatt. “For this reason, having effective poultry associations that represent the interests of poultry producers is critical.”

A key effort of the PAT’s engagement is advocating for government policies and regulations for the betterment of the poultry industry. Still early in the organization’s development, the PAT has already demonstrated the impact a collective voice can have on government policies, successfully pushing the government of Tanzaniain 2017 to remove a cost-prohibitive, 18 percent value-added tax on the sale of animal feed that strained production costs.

Armed with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) program, the Council is expanding these efforts to work with regional poultry associations to address key constraints and bottlenecks hindering development within the poultry industries in Kenya and Ethiopia - furthering the Council’s overall mission to develop markets, enable trade and improve lives.

“The East African market is complex and needs extensive engagement to build effective marketing programs that address constraints to U.S. exports,” Wyatt said. “Improving overall feed production and highlighting the significant growth opportunities to industry partners will continue to introduce U.S. suppliers to these markets and solidify future trading relationships.”



Syngenta #ShowYourRowContest supports clean cornfields and the people behind them

Syngenta is celebrating those who actively manage troublesome weeds through the #ShowYourRowContest, a newly launched social media competition intended to highlight weed-free cornfields. By sharing clean row images on Instagram and Twitter, participants are automatically entered for a chance to win a $500 StubHub gift card. The first 100 people to share their photo will also receive a small prize.

As part of its ongoing effort to recognize the hard work that goes into managing weeds, Syngenta recently launched a social media video series featuring six people from different backgrounds – including a farmer, a retailer and a professional farm manager, among others – who shared a common dislike of tough weeds. For every share of a video within the series, Syngenta donated $5, raising a total of $5,000 for the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Organization, to support the next generation who will be tasked with controlling weeds.

“Weeds affect everyone, from growers and retailers to people with allergies,” said Gordon Vail, Ph.D., technical product lead, herbicides, for Syngenta. “To our corn growers and their supporting retailers, weeds are yield robbers with the potential to make or break their season, so it’s important that we deliver tailored, whole-farm solutions for weed management.”

Syngenta commends those who practice sound weed-management strategies, including the use of Acuron and Acuron Flexi herbicides. Both Acuron brands contain multiple effective sites of action that help put growers back in control of tough weeds, such as giant ragweed, marestail, Palmer amaranth and waterhemp.

Interested growers and retailers can enter the #ShowYourRowContest by:
·        Posting a picture of their clean corn rows treated with Acuron or Acuron Flexi on Instagram or Twitter
·        Using the hashtag #ShowYourRowContest

Photos will be accepted now through August 31, 2019. More information, including the official rules and prize structure, can be found on the contest webpage www.syngentaus.com/ShowYourRowContest.