Monday July 1 Ag News

Plans in motion to protect West Point and Battle Creek from flooding

As the area continues to recover from the March flood events, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) Board of Directors is looking into possible solutions for communities for the future.  One of the LENRD’s 12 responsibilities includes flood prevention and control as well as prevention of damages from flood water and sediment.

The City of West Point has an interlocal agreement with the LENRD to move forward with a preliminary study and design of a flood control levee.

LENRD Projects Manager, Curt Becker, said, “We’ve been working with the City of West Point in the development of this flood-control project for the last few years.  We are to the next step.  The levee will allow for optimal flood reduction in times of torrential rainfall.”

The LENRD Board voted to approve 50% of the costs of the West Point Levee Improvement Project design and permitting up to $494,760.00.  The district’s share would be $247,380.00.  This is part of the $1.7 million project that was approved by the LENRD in July of 2017.

The City of Battle Creek approached the LENRD board this spring, asking if the potential flood-control projects that were deemed feasible in 2014 could be revisited.  The 2 reservoirs that have been proposed for the area, south of Battle Creek, are a 160-acre pool for approximately $17 million and a 1,200-acre pool for $36 million.  Battle Creek’s City Council met on May 13th and voted to explore options for a 1,200-acre flood-control reservoir on the south side of Battle Creek.

The LENRD Board voted to move ahead with the process of securing funding for a flood-control project at their May meeting, and to file a letter of intent with FEMA/NEMA for flood protection for Battle Creek.  The board also voted to direct staff to contract with consulting firms to prepare all the necessary documentation and complete a grant application to the USDA Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations program.

LENRD General Manager, Mike Sousek, said, “There are multiple benefits to think about when considering a project of this size.  First and foremost is flood reduction.  Along with that comes the benefits of recharge and retiming as well as recreation.”  Sousek continued, “This is just the first of many steps in this process.”

The Village of Snyder is seeking a location for a new Public Water Supply Well.  The LENRD has a program that provides $5,000 in financial assistance for the construction and development of a test-well that is used to determine the pumping capacity of a proposed well, along with an evaluation of water quality.  The information from the test well is then utilized in the design and location of the production well.  As a condition of granting the financial assistance, the Village of Snyder will grant the LENRD access to the test-well for future groundwater monitoring purposes.  The board voted to direct staff to make payment to the Village of Snyder upon receipt of the documentation of the completion of the test-well.

In other action, the board directed staff to send non-compliance notification letters containing a July 22, 2019 deadline, to farm operators in the Phase 2 and Phase 3 Management Areas who have not submitted annual reports the district.  Notices to irrigators who have not submitted end-of-season flow meter readings from the 2018 pumping season for active irrigation wells will also be sent.

The board also held a Public Hearing to receive testimony on proposed changes to the LENRD’s Groundwater Management Area Rules and Regulations.

LENRD Assistant General Manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “The proposed changes include amendments to Rule 1, which would add language outlining additional penalties when enforcing the plan’s rules and regulations, inclusion of some definitions for terms that relate to current groundwater management strategies, and other changes to integrate management components that are included in the recently adopted Integrated Management Plan.”

A complete summary of the proposed changes is available at the LENRD office in Norfolk and on the district’s website.  The board will review the testimony and approve the changes at their July meeting.

The next LENRD board meeting will be Thursday, July 25th at 7:30 p.m. at the LENRD office at 1508 Square Turn Boulevard in Norfolk.  Stay connected with the LENRD by subscribing to their monthly emails at www.lenrd.org.



Japanese Beetles Emerging; Scout Corn and Soybean Fields 
Justin McMechan - NE Extension Crop Protection and Cropping Systems Specialist

Japanese beetle adults are beginning to emerge in eastern Nebraska. Their distribution has been increasing in Nebraska the last few years and they are being seen in corn and soybeans more frequently, in addition to feeding on landscape trees and shrubs. They will continue to emerge for the next few weeks. First identified in counties along the state's eastern border several years ago, the beetles were found as far west as Lincoln County in 2016.

Japanese beetles have one generation per year. They often feed in clusters due to an attraction to the female sex pheromone and an attraction to volatile chemicals produced by damaged plants.

Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica Newman) can contribute to defoliation in soybeans, along with a complex of other insects, such as bean leaf beetles, grasshoppers, and several caterpillar species. They feed by skeletonizing the leaves, leaving only the leaf veins. They feed primarily in the upper canopy, making the damage very visible. In soybeans insecticide treatment is recommended when insects are present and damage is expected to exceed 30% defoliation in vegetative stage and 20% in reproductive stage soybeans. For more information see Managing Soybean Defoliators, NebGuide G2259.

Similar to corn rootworm beetles, Japanese beetles will scrape off the green surface tissue on corn leaves before silks emerge, but prefer silks once they are available. Japanese beetles feed on corn silks, and may interfere with pollination if abundant enough to severely clip silks before pollination. University of Illinois Extension recommends: "An insecticidal treatment should be considered during the silking period if:
-    there are three or more Japanese beetles per ear,
-    silks have been clipped to less than ½ inch, AND
-    pollination is less than 50% complete."

Be aware that Japanese beetle numbers are often highest on field margins, so scout across the whole field before making a treatment decision. Japanese beetle adults are about ½ inch long and have a metallic green head and thorax. A key characteristic is a series of white tufts of hair on each side of the abdomen.

A variety of insecticides labelled on corn and soybeans would be expected to provide control of Japanese beetles. See product labels or the Insecticides for Field Crops section from Nebraska Extension EC130 for rates and restrictions.

In some cases people have mistaken the Japanese beetle for its look-alike, the false Japanese beetle, or sand chafer, Strigoderma arboricola, which is a native Nebraska insect found across most of the state. Sand chafers are commonly found along the Platte River valley and other river valleys in Nebraska. False Japanese beetle adults are about the same size as Japanese beetles, but do not have a metallic green head. They may vary in color from coppery brown to black. They may have some white hairs on the side of the abdomen but they are not organized into tufts of hair.

Sand chafers are often noticed because they have a habit of landing on people and seem to be attracted to people wearing light-colored clothing. They have not been reported to cause economic damage to crops as adults, although the immature white grub has been reported to cause damage to potato tubers.



Roger Elmore Retiring from Career in Ag Research, Extension 

Longtime CropWatch contributor Roger Elmore will retire June 30 after 38 years of teaching, research and extension work — more than 29 years of which he served at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

The Nebraska Extension cropping systems specialist, Heuermann Chair, and Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute Faculty Fellow has spent his entire career addressing agronomic issues relevant to the immediate needs of crop producers.

“Roger has been a tremendous resource on crop management decisions for Nebraska producers and their advisors, and really for growers across the country,” said Richard Ferguson, professor of agronomy and horticulture and vice chancellor of RICA. “His expertise will be greatly missed!”

Elmore’s most significant research contributions have centered on evaluating corn growth and yield response to extreme weather events. He has been able to engage diverse groups based on this research with high-impact extension programming. He also co-led a cover crop research project for five years supported by the Nebraska Soybean Board and the Nebraska Corn Board.

When asked about his time at Nebraska, Elmore quickly refers to his time with colleagues in research and extension and how much he will miss it. “It’s a team atmosphere here and I’ve always been a team player,” Elmore said.

“I have loved doing research and serving the people of Nebraska,” Elmore said. “I always say I get paid to talk with people and be an extrovert.”

Elmore is a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and of the Crop Science Society of America. He received the Agronomic Education and Extension Award from the American Society of Agronomy in 2017. He was also recognized in 2018 for his dedication and outstanding service to the South Central Agricultural Laboratory.



ICON Held 14th Annual Meeting & Convention

The Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska (ICON) held their annual meeting in Broken Bow on Friday, June 21 with renowned speakers, food, comedy and fund raising at the Cobblestone Hotel which was well attended.

The afternoon kicked off with a silent auction to benefit the Jim Hanna Memorial Scholarship ($1,500.00 was raised) and ICON’s annual business meeting which was followed by three speakers. First was Rick Leonard, legal council for the Legislature’s Agricultural Committee. 

Next, Brian O’Shaughnessy, CEO at Revere Copper and vice –chair of the board at the Coalition for a Prosperous America. O’Shaughnessy’s speech was thoughtful and focused on foreign trade policies which have been so destructive for many of the nations' most important industries. 

Then Michael B.Yanney, prominent Omaha businessman and philanthropist, as he discussed his lengthy career and the problems he believe must be addressed to keep Nebraska on the cutting edge of future economic development and opportunities.

ICON was organized in 2005 to fight for positive change for the cow-sector of the ag economy.  The organization has had significant success through the years at both the federal and state level, fighting for Nebraska's leading industry, cattle and beef.

ICON president, Jim Dinklage, talked about how ICON is pushing for Country Of Origin Labeling (COOL) on all meat. According to Dinklage, the USDA approves the meat that is being commercially sold and inspected, but it does not require that meat have the origin where it was raised. ICON wants to change that.

“All this imported meat does not have to follow the same rules that we have. So I think that we need to have a label that states that the beef is born, raised, fed, and slaughtered in the United States and make it very distinctive from any meat that is imported,” said Dinklage.

Another issue discussed at the ICON meeting that is threatening the beef industry is “fake meat.” Fake meat, veggie patties, imitation meat, faux meat, and many other names given to the plant based replica has begun to be more popular throughout the U.S.

This fake meat is often labeled as meat while containing no animal by products. Recently in national news, fake meat products have been found to be more processed and contain more additives than real meat. This is part of the reason Dinklage and ICON are pushing to separate real meat and fake meat with labeling.

“The future of our beef business in Nebraska is probably under assault right now with fake meat,” said Dinklage. “We need to do something on our label and make it illegal for them to use the word meat or burgers on it because it also confuses the consumer.”

Following the afternoon of discussions and speakers, the evening finished up with dinner and cocktails. Humorist and cowboy poet R.P. Smith entertained those in attendance to conclude the 14th Annual ICON Meeting and Convention. 



 ACE conference breakout sessions explore key industry issues

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 32nd annual conference coming up August 14-16 in Omaha offers a variety of breakout sessions covering the latest in technology innovations, strategic planning advice, and ways to make ethanol plants more profitable. The breakout sessions will be held concurrently in three rounds on the afternoon of Thursday, August 15, following the morning general session panels.

“Our conference theme is ‘What it Takes,’ a nod to our members’ incredible resolve and dedication in always improving operations and performance,” said Shannon Gustafson, ACE Senior Director of Operations and Programming. “This year’s breakout sessions will explore a variety of technologies, strategies, and practices that can help producers take this industry to the next level.”

Breakout sessions include:
-    Improving Profitability in Challenging Market Conditions — Whitefox Technologies
        Data and case studies on how membrane technology improves overall efficiency of existing distillation/dehydration, combining the benefits of mole sieve and membrane technology
-    Overcoming the Margin Squeeze: Strategies to Manage Your Plant’s Cost of Capital — Christianson PLLP
        Board-level goal-setting and how this process affects capital investments and financing choices
-    Energy Savings, Improved CI Scores, and Your Bottom Line — Saola Energy and TotalGen Services
        Options to improve a plant’s Carbon Intensity score and overall energy efficiency
-    Preventing a Budget Blowout: Natural Gas Market Dynamics and Risk Management Strategies for Natural Gas Procurement — Encore Energy Services
        Supply and demand market factors impacting the natural gas market and risk management approaches
-    Understanding the Value of Protein at Your Facility — Fluid Quip Technologies and ICM Inc.
        Pros and cons of new technologies and the opportunities in a high protein feed market
-    How Biorefineries Can Achieve Success by Adopting Focused Strategies — ICM Inc.
        Ideas for industry leaders to stay relevant and successful in a changing market
-    Talent Development Solutions for the 21st Century — K·Coe Isom
        Assess and address the efficacy of your organization’s HR and talent development systems
-    Alternatives for Traditional Cleaning Methods Utilized in Fuel Ethanol Production — U.S. Water
        Alternative cleaning solutions to improve yield, with the potential to reduce chemical costs
-    Becoming Multilingual: The Art of Communication — Wired Within
        Discover the various methods of communication based on personality and choices

To learn more about these sessions and others, visit ethanol.org/events/conference.



National FFA Organization Names 2019 New Century Farmers

This summer, 36 FFA members have been selected to participate in the 2019 New Century Farmer conference in Indianapolis. This exclusive, highly competitive program develops young men and women committed to pursuing a career in production agriculture.

Participants will take part in an intensive seminar July 7-12 and hear from industry experts during a series of workshops and sessions. New Century Farmers will learn ways to overcome common challenges faced by farmers and how they can grow personally and professionally. They will also learn how to profit from value-added products, how to utilized emerging technology, and how to network with other agriculturists.

Corteva AgriScience™, Case IH, CHS Foundation, Farm Credit, Nutrien Ag Solutions and media partner Successful Farming sponsor the New Century Farmer conference. The program is designed to provide participants with valuable skills and knowledge applicable to their farm/ranch operations. In addition, participants build a network of colleagues to access throughout their careers.

The 2019 New Century Farmers include:
Nebraska - Hannah Borg, Allen

The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 669,989 student members who belong to one of 8,630 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The organization is also supported by 459,514 alumni members in 2,236 alumni chapters throughout the U.S.



Nebraska’s NRDs Celebrate 47 Years of Protecting Natural Resources

July 2019 marks 47 years of protecting lives, property and the future of natural resources for Nebraska’s 23 Natural Resources Districts (NRDs).  NRDs are unique because they are governed by locally elected boards and Nebraska is the only state to have this system.

Senator Maurice Kremer introduced and the Nebraska Legislature enacted Legislative Bill (LB) 1357 in 1969 to combine Nebraska’s 154 special purpose entities into 24 Natural Resources Districts by July 1972.  The original 24 NRDs’ boundaries were organized based on Nebraska’s major river basins which allows for better management practices to be applied to similar topography.  In 1989, the Middle Missouri NRD and the Papio NRD were merged into one, becoming the Papio-Missouri River NRD which resulted in the current 23-NRD system.

“Nebraska’s 23 NRDs have been addressing natural resources issues and concerns with local solutions for 47 years,” said Mike Sousek, General Manager of the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) in Norfolk.

Nebraska's NRDs are involved in a wide variety of projects and programs to conserve and protect the state's natural resources.  Sousek added, “NRDs are charged under state law with 12 areas of responsibility including flood control, soil erosion, and groundwater management.  While all NRDs share the 12 main responsibilities, each district sets its own priorities and develops programs to best serve local needs and to protect Nebraska’s natural resources for future generations.”



Iowa Learning Farms July Webinar Shares Progress Toward Water Quality Goals

Iowa Learning Farms will host a webinar on Wednesday, July 17 at 12 p.m. about the progress toward Iowa’s water quality goals.

How many acres of cover crops are planted each year in Iowa? Are extended rotations and perennials increasing? Laurie Nowatzke, measurement coordinator for the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy at Iowa State University, will discuss the progress and challenges of Iowa’s water quality improvement efforts by addressing these questions and others. Find out how progress is measured, where to find the data and what questions remain about Iowa’s water quality improvement.

“Water quality challenges are on the minds of many Iowans. In this webinar, I hope to shed light on where we’re currently seeing progress in conservation practice adoption and where there are still challenges,” said Nowatzke, who works for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to evaluate Iowa’s progress in meeting water quality goals, research Iowa farmers’ conservation practice adoption, and track statewide use of water quality improvement practices in agriculture. She hopes that webinar attendees will understand how conservation practice adoption in Iowa is tracked, the “bright spots” and challenges of water quality progress, and where to find data and information about Iowa’s water quality improvement efforts.

A Certified Crop Adviser board approved continuing education unit (CEU) is available for those who are able to watch the live webinar. Information for submitting your CCA/CPAg/CPSS/CPSC number to earn the 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 p.m. on July 17, 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.

Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (USEPA section 319) and GROWMARK Inc.



Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 516 million bushels in May 2019. Total corn consumption was up 5 percent from April 2019 but down 2 percent from May 2018. May 2019 usage included 90.9 percent for alcohol and 9.1 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 3.33 million bushels, down 10 percent from April 2019 but up 14 percent from May 2018. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 460 million bushels, was up 4 percent from April 2019 but down 2 percent from May 2018. Corn consumed in May 2019 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 91.0 percent and 9.0 percent, respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.94 million tons during May 2019, up 5 percent from April 2019 but down 1 percent from May 2018. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.34 million tons in May 2019, down 1 percent from April 2019 and down 4 percent from May 2018.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 298,347 tons during May 2019, up 1 percent from April 2019 and up 2 percent from May 2018. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 269,967 tons in May 2019, up 6 percent from April 2019 but down 4 percent from May 2018.



Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks

Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 4.96 million tons (165 million bushels) in May 2019, compared with 5.15 million tons (172 million bushels) in April 2019 and 5.17 million tons (172 million bushels) in May 2018. Crude oil produced was 1.91 billion pounds down 4 percent from April 2019 and down 3 percent from May 2018. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.49 billion pounds during May 2019 increased 2 percent from April 2019 and increased 2 percent from May 2018.

Canola seeds crushed for crude oil was 133,790 tons in May 2019, compared with 162,467 tons in April 2019 and 130,921 tons in May 2018. Canola crude oil produced was 113 million pounds, down 19 percent from April 2019 and down 2 percent from May 2018. Canola once refined oil production, at 115 million pounds during May 2019, was up 11 percent from April 2019 and up 37 percent from May 2018.

Cottonseed once refined oil production, at 38.5 million pounds during May 2019, was up 9 percent from April 2019 but down 24 percent from May 2018.

Edible tallow production was 86.2 million pounds during May 2019, up 1 percent from April 2019 but down 3 percent from May 2018. Inedible tallow production was 335 million pounds during May 2019, up 9 percent from April 2019 and up 2 percent from May 2018. Technical tallow production was 113 million pounds during May 2019, up 10 percent from April 2019 and up 4 percent from May 2018. Choice white grease production, at 115 million pounds during May 2019, increased 9 percent from April 2019 and increased 1 percent from May 2018.



USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for July 2019

USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation today announced interest rates for July 2019, which are effective July 1-July 31, 2019. The Commodity Credit Corporation borrowing rate-based charge for July is 2.125 percent, down from 2.375 percent in June.

The interest rate for crop year commodity loans less than one year disbursed during July is 3.125 percent, down from 3.375 percent in June.  Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for July are as follows: 1.875 percent with three-year loan terms, down from 2.250 percent in June;  1.875 percent with five-year loan terms, down from 2.250 percent in June; 2.000 percent with seven-year loan terms, down from 2.375 percent in June; 2.125 percent with 10-year loan terms, down from 2,500 percent in June; and 2.250 percent with 12-year loan terms, down from 2.500 percent in June.



Registration Open For First-Ever Global Ethanol Summit

With the goal of engaging a broad array of global ethanol leaders about the benefits of expanding global ethanol use, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Growth Energy and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) announce registration is open for the first-ever Global Ethanol Summit (GES), scheduled for Oct. 13-15, 2019, in Washington, D.C.

Interested domestic ethanol industry leaders and other members of the ethanol value chain can register for the event at www.grains.org/event/ges. More than 250 ministerial-level officials and senior-level industry leaders, ethanol producers and refiners from more than 40 countries have been invited to attend.

 “We are very excited to open this unique event to policy makers and ethanol users from across the globe,” said Ryan LeGrand, USGC president and chief executive officer. “The Global Ethanol Summit is a natural progression of our regional conferences and will continue to build on the momentum we have established to expand ethanol’s global use and trade over the last five years of outreach.”

The GES follows two previous regional ethanol summits – the Ethanol Summit of the Americas held in October 2017 and the Ethanol Summit of the Asia-Pacific held in May 2018. Additional funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Trade Promotion (ATP) program and other sponsors will support the expanded focus of the GES.

With informative general sessions, networking and dedicated business-to-business meetings over two days, the GES will provide attendees direct access to thought leaders on the future of global ethanol use and the opportunity to build partnerships with industry leaders.

“Ethanol has experienced unprecedented international popularity over the past two years as governments around the globe increasingly adopt it into their fuel supply to meet their economic and environmental goals,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “The Global Ethanol Summit is a valuable opportunity for attendees to forge strong trade relations and to provide foreign stakeholders with access to the expertise and lessons learned in the American ethanol context. We are proud to sponsor this summit and continue the discussion on expanding the global ethanol outlook for years to come.”

The GES will also feature a U.S. sales component that builds on current ethanol trade. For the last 10 years, ethanol has been the fastest-growing agricultural export, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA’s FAS).

“We believe the summit will lead to greater global understanding of the economic and environmental benefits of ethanol, and the important role that effective public policy and free trade play in the realization of those benefits,” said Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We are proud to be a partner with the U.S. Grains Council in this effort to educate the world about the value of renewable fuels like ethanol. We know the informational sessions and the networking opportunities will be invaluable for all of the participants involved.”

Following the Summit, the Council and its members will organize specialized tours of U.S. ethanol production facilities and terminals for international Summit attendees.

For more information on the GES or to register for the event, visit www.grains.org/event/ges,



July 4th Cookouts Costing About the Same

A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for July 4th, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and watermelon, will cost just a few cents more this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, says the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Farm Bureau’s informal survey reveals the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $52.80, or $5.28 per person. The cost for the cookout is up just 11 cents (less than 1%) from last year.

“Strong consumer demand for beef and growth in U.S. meat production has led to higher ground beef prices but lower pork spare rib prices for the 4th of July,” said AFBF Chief Economist Dr. John Newton.

AFBF’s summer cookout menu for 10 people consists of hot dogs and buns, cheeseburgers and buns, pork spare ribs, deli potato salad, baked beans, corn chips, lemonade, ketchup, mustard and watermelon for dessert.

“Pork production in 2019 continues to increase compared to year-ago levels. Increased supplies and competition in the meat case at the grocery contributed to lower spare rib prices,” Newton said.

With milk production record-high in 2019 and cheese production increasing, consumers will see lower cheese prices this grilling season.

New this year, AFBF tracked the average cost of 1.5 quarts of vanilla ice cream ($3.58). Including ice cream brings the total for the July 4th cookout to $56.38, which is still under $6 per person.

A total of 114 Farm Bureau members in 34 states served as “volunteer shoppers,” checking retail prices for July 4th cookout foods at their local grocery stores for this informal survey.

The July 4th cookout survey is part of the Farm Bureau marketbasket series, which also includes the popular annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey of common food staples Americans use to prepare meals at home.

The year-to-year direction of the marketbasket survey tracks closely with the federal government’s Consumer Price Index report for food at home. Both the index and the marketbasket remain relatively flat compared to year-ago levels.

“Through the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home. During 2017, farmers received approximately 14.6 cents of every food marketing dollar, according to the Agriculture Department’s revised Food Dollar Series. However, after accounting for the costs of production, U.S. farmers net 7.8 cents per food dollar,” Newton said.

As online grocery shopping continues to capture consumer interest, a survey of popular online grocery services reveals the 13 items included in the AFBF July 4th survey cost more than $70, 38% higher.