Wednesday October 16 Ag News

I-29 Moo University to offer California dairy tours and World Ag Expo trip

The I-29 Moo University consortium of Extension dairy specialists from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota will host a “California Dairy Tours and World Ag Expo Trip” in the Fresno and Tulare, California areas on February 9-13, 2020. This tour is open to dairy producers and agri-business personnel.

The tour will focus on agriculture in California with an emphasis on dairy production. Participants will tour dairy farms in the Fresno and Tulare areas, spend one day at the World Ag Expo and another day touring local attractions and other California agriculture commodities.

“This tour provides Midwest dairy producers the opportunity to tour dairy farms in California and network with fellow dairy producers,” said Kim Clark, dairy extension educator at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. “We want dairy producers to experience California agriculture and dairy production.”

“We understand dairy producers are facing challenging times financially and with this year’s weather events,” said Tracey Erickson, dairy field specialist at South Dakota State University.  “Thanks to the support of our sponsors, we are able to offer this trip at a discounted rate for dairy producers and our current year sponsors.”

Fees for the tour include airfare, hotel, most meals, bus transportation and fees for parks and World Ag Expo. Tour fees start at $1,100 for dairy producers for the double occupancy rate. The registration information and a $250 non-refundable deposit are due by November 1. Final payment is due by December 30.  

For the full agenda for the trip and the fees, visit https://dairy.unl.edu/i-29-moo-university/upcoming-events.

The I-29 Moo University Consortium connects extension dairy staff and dairy producers from North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska to share research, information and management practices through workshops, webinars, monthly e-newsletters and on-farm tours.

For more information and to register, contact Tracey Erickson at 605-882-5140 or Tracey.Erickson@sdstate.edu, or Kim Clark at 402-472-6065 or kimclark@unl.edu.



First National Bank - Omaha supports agriculture campaign at Northeast Community College

First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO) understands the importance of agriculture in Nebraska, and has committed $250,000 toward the drive to enhance the future of agriculture education at Northeast Community College.

Don Polodna, First National Bank of Omaha community president for the Norfolk market, pointed out that agriculture is the largest industry in Nebraska.

“Our communities in this area are all surviving, are all successful, because of agriculture,” Polodna said. “Agriculture is so important for us. It’s important for my business and probably for 95% of the other businesses in northeast Nebraska.”

First National Bank has a long and colorful history that dates back to 1906 when a group of Columbus citizens got together to form a new national bank, Central National Bank. The name was changed to First National Bank & Trust Company of Columbus in 1961. First National Bank of Omaha purchased the bank in 1988; a branch was opened in Norfolk in 1993; and in 2014, the bank’s legal name was changed to First National Bank of Omaha. FNBO now has more than 100 locations in Nebraska, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas, including two in Norfolk.

“The support of a financial institution like First National Bank of Omaha is vital to the success of the Nexus project,” said Dr. Tracy Kruse, associate vice president for development and external affairs at Northeast and executive director of the Northeast Community College Foundation. “First National understands the importance of agriculture in Nebraska; the importance of educating the next generation of farmers, ranchers and agribusiness employees and owners; and the importance of a trained agricultural workforce for the success of rural communities.”

Polodna said that supporting the communities around Norfolk is one of the reasons FNBO chose to donate to the Nexus project.

“There’s no doubt, other communities are all going to benefit by having that next generation of producer,” he said. “This project is about investing today to grow tomorrow, to grow the future of our area.”

Funding for the $23 million Agriculture & Water Center for Excellence project is currently being solicited to enhance and expand the agriculture facilities at Northeast Community College. In addition to the College’s commitment of $10 million, Northeast is seeking at least $13 million in private funds to begin the initial phase of construction, which includes a new farm site, a large animal handling facility and other farm structures for livestock operations, a new veterinary technology clinic, classrooms, a farm office and storage. The new facilities will be located near the Chuck Pohlman Ag Complex on East Benjamin Avenue in Norfolk.

In August, the Acklie Charitable Foundation (ACF) announced a $5 million lead gift to the Nexus project. ACF was founded by the late Duane Acklie and Phyllis Acklie, both Madison County natives and graduates of Norfolk Junior College, a predecessor institution of Northeast Community College.

For more information on the Nexus Campaign, contact Kruse, at tracyk@northeast.edu, or call (402) 844-7056. Online donations may be made through the website agwaternexus.com. Checks may be mailed to: Nexus Campaign, Northeast Community College Foundation, P.O. Box 469, Norfolk, NE 68702-0469.



NEXT YEAR’S SUCCESS BEGINS TODAY
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Fall field work is in full swing for most folks.  Your focus may be on your row crops, but when possible, take time to get a jump on next year’s hay and pasture challenges and opportunities.

               I’m great at procrastinating.  But when it comes to pasture and hay fields, I’ve learned that problem prevention and advanced preparation are the only ways to make significant progress.  So today, I’m giving you a laundry list of actions you can still take this fall to make your forage production better next year.

               Let’s begin with weeds.  Many alfalfa fields are contaminated with mustards, pennycress, cheatgrass, and downy brome every spring.  This doesn’t have to happen.  Before the ground freezes, spray metribuzin, Velpar, Sinbar, or Karmex and these weeds won’t be there next spring.

               Similarly, you can avoid letting warm-season grass pastures get overrun by cool-season grasses and weeds.  Spray glyphosate or Plateau after a couple freezes turn desirable grasses dormant but these invaders are still green for cleaner pastures next summer.

               Speaking of pasture, is nitrogen fertilizer getting too expensive?  Adding clovers or alfalfa to your grass can eliminate your need for any nitrogen fertilizer.  Prepare for making this addition by grazing one of your pastures as short as possible this fall to open it up for adding legume seeds early next spring and to slow down its spring growth rate.

               Finally, pull soil samples, especially from hay fields but also from some of your pastures, and get them tested this fall.  Then use the test results to order fertilizer and maybe even apply it yet this fall if weather conditions still permit.

               Don’t be a procrastinator.  Act now to reduce hay and pasture problems next year and improve your forage production.



Beef Quality Assurance Transport Certification Session Set

Beef Quality Assurance Transportation is the latest certification needed for beef cattle haulers and producers who deliver cattle to major packing plants.

The BQA Transportation program has several objectives with the key components being to provide for transporter safety, to deliver cattle in a timely manner and to provide the most comfortable transportation for the animals.

"This new certification program will soon be a required part of business for any cattle haulers or producers who direct deliver cattle to a major packing plant," said Beth Doran, beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

To help transporters become certified in BQA transportation, a multi-state workshop will be offered by Iowa State Extension and Outreach, South Dakota State University Extension and University of Minnesota Extension on Dec. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Sioux Falls Regional Livestock near Worthing, South Dakota. The workshop will include a classroom presentation and trailer walk-through discussion.

"Several major packers have announced that as of Jan. 1, 2020 they will not accept cattle from transporters who are not BQA Transportation certified," Doran said. "Transporters include both farmer feeders and commercial truckers hauling directly to a packing plant."

Those hauling cattle to a packing plant may either attend the workshop or go online at www.bqa.org to complete the BQA Transportation curriculum. The Dec. 10 training is the last in-person workshop offered in South Dakota and northwest Iowa for 2019. It is co-sponsored by the Iowa Beef Center, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, SDSU Extension, South Dakota Beef Industry Council and South Dakota Beef Quality Assurance. Special appreciation also goes to Sioux Falls Regional Livestock and M.H. EBY, Inc. for hosting the workshop and providing refreshments and trailers for the demonstration.

For more information, see the program flyer on the IBC website. Preregistration is $25 per person and can be done by contacting Doran at 712-737-4230 or doranb@iastate.edu or Heidi Carroll, South Dakota BQA Coordinator, at 605-688-6623 or Heidi.Carroll@sdstate.edu.



Fertilizer Prices Sink for 9th Consecutive Week

Retail fertilizer prices tracked by DTN for the second week of October, 2019, continue to be slightly lower. Prices have moved lower for nine straight weeks.

All eight fertilizers were once again lower in price compared to last month. As with the last few weeks, no fertilizer was down a significant amount, which DTN designates as 5% or more.

DAP had an average price of $472/ton, down $14; MAP $473/ton, down $9; potash $383/ton, down $2; urea $403/ton, down $4; 10-34-0 $470/ton, down $1; anhydrous $509/ton, down $7; UAN28 $253/ton and UAN32 $289/ton, both down less than $1.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.44/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.45/lb.N and UAN32 $0.45/lb.N.

With prices significantly lower in recent months, two fertilizers' prices dropped to being lower in price from a year ago. MAP is now 10% less expensive and DAP is 6% lower from last year at this time.

The remaining six major fertilizers continue to be slightly higher compared to last year. Both UAN32 and urea are 3% more expensive, both anhydrous and 10-34-0 are 4% higher, potash is 5% more expensive and UAN28 is 6% higher compared to last year.



CORN GROWERS SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS TO AFLATOXIN CONTINUES

The National Corn Growers Association continues to move forward with its long-term initiative to manage and ultimately solve aflatoxin issues for farmers with the announcement of a new round of research grants.

The Aflatoxin Mitigation Center of Excellence Research Program will again offer grants to researchers for projects focused on solving aflatoxin issues for farmers. These grants, which will be awarded to researchers focusing on six priority areas, were designed by southern corn checkoff boards to bring a unified approach to funding research projects across the region and will thus favor research teams that include members from multiple states.

“The National Corn Growers Association, working with southern state grower associations including Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi and North Carolina, developed AMCOE to bring a unified approach to aflatoxin research that will yield results in a timely and more efficient manner,” said NCGA Corn Productivity and Quality Action Team Chair Charles Ring, a corn grower in Texas. “Working together, we can improve the tools available for aflatoxin control and get real results that farmers can see in their fields.”

Projects funded for 2020 should focus on one of these six priority areas: amelioration, best-management, biological controls, breeding, testing and transgenic.

While corn farmers in southern states experience aflatoxin challenges every year, these challenges may present themselves in any corn region of the United States when the crop comes under stress. Thus, the benefits of such research, particularly as outlined in the six priority areas, are truly national in scope. Thusly, proposals will be considered regardless of the geographic region of the parties submitting and any state wishing to provide additional funding for AMCOE is encouraged to do so.

Letters of intent from principal investigators, co-principal investigators, and collaborators not exceeding the $75,000 per year limit will be accepted by AMCOE until October 25.



Seeding Rural Resilience Act Will Help Farmers and Ranchers

The American Farm Bureau Federation supports the Seeding Rural Resilience Act sponsored by Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), which is designed to help farmers respond to stress and decrease the stigma associated with mental health care in rural communities.

“Farmers and ranchers are some of the most resilient people you will ever meet,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “But times are tough on the farm, and with challenges from weather, trade and low commodity prices, it can definitely wear down the resiliency of farmers. AFBF commends Senators Tester and Grassley for introducing the Seeding Rural Resilience Act, which will be instrumental in bringing mental health resources and awareness to rural communities.”

AFBF is committed to raising awareness about the benefits of seeking support and how to recognize the signs that someone needs help.

According to a Morning Consult research poll commissioned by AFBF in April 2019, a strong majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues (91%), farm or business problems (88%) and fear of losing the farm (87%) impact the mental health of farmers and ranchers, and nearly half of rural adults (48%) say they are personally experiencing more mental health challenges than they were a year ago.

Background on the bill:
The Seeding Rural Resilience Act creates three initiatives aimed at promoting mental health awareness in rural America:
-    Implementing a farmer-facing employee training program that requires the Agriculture Department to provide voluntary stress management training to Farm Service Agency, Risk Management Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service employees;
-    Forming a partnership between the Department of Health and Human Services and USDA to create a $3 million PSA to increase public awareness of farm and ranch stress and destigmatize mental health care in rural communities; and
-    Directing the Secretary of Agriculture to work with state, local and nongovernmental stakeholders to collaborate and determine best practices for responding to farm and ranch mental stress.



The National Wheat Foundation Begins Accepting Applications for 2020-2021 Scholarship Honoring Ag Students

The National Wheat Foundation officially began accepting applications for the Jerry Minore Scholarship, honoring students pursuing a career in agriculture. The scholarship is available to both high school and college students for the 2019-2020 academic year with an application deadline of December 01, 2019.

“The scholarship is meant to aid those students who have shown a passion for agriculture both inside and outside the classroom,” said Wayne Hurst, Chairman of the National Wheat Foundation. “These students can then educate the next generation on the importance of wheat and agriculture and the significant role both play in society.”

The late Jerry Minore was a BASF Senior Market Manager and a liaison to the wheat industry. Since his unexpected death in 2012, BASF has partnered with the National Wheat Foundation to fund scholarships and honor his advocacy efforts for wheat growers. This year the Foundation will be issuing two scholarships for $2,500 each.

“We are proud to partner with the National Wheat Foundation to find students who have shown a commitment to our industry and a willingness to honor Jerry’s legacy and enthusiasm for agriculture,” said Scott Kay, Vice President U.S. Crop, BASF Agricultural Solutions. “We will continue to invest in the best and brightest ag students to help them achieve their career goals. We look forward to seeing their impact.” 

For more information on how to apply, visit https://wheatfoundation.org/education-and-scholarships/.