Wednesday October 2 Ag News

Gillespie receives Master Conservationist Award

Dan Gillespie of Battle Creek was recently honored with the Master Conservationist Award.  The Master Conservationist Awards recognize people and organizations who excel in managing and conserving Nebraska’s water and soil.  The awards are sponsored by the Omaha World-Herald and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

The award was recently presented to Dan at the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) Annual Conference at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney.  The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) assisted in nominating Dan for this award in the Agriculture category.

Dan began experimenting with no-till corn into soybean stubble in 1986 on his farm south of Meadow Grove.  Since 1991, he has practiced Continuous No-Till Farming on all his 412 corn-soybean acres.  Dan was the first one to start no-tilling in the area.

After continuous no-till for 13 years, Dan began planting cover crops in the fall of 2005 in response to intense rainfall events.  He has planted cereal rye cover crops on all soybean stubble acres since 2006 while also experimenting with legumes and brassicas in seed mixtures. After several years of utilizing aerial application, he has settled on drilling all cover crops after harvest.

In the spring of 2007, the Battle Creek watershed endured a seven-inch rainfall. Dan was able to plant in his cover cropped field only three days later while having no need to repair any waterways or flow areas.  No sediment left the 11-16% slopes on his farm with valuable nutrients and he maximized his rainfall infiltration and storage in the soil profile. Dan said, “I haven’t repaired a concentrated flow area in the fields since I implemented continuous cover cropping.  I believe the top benefit or return on my conservation investments is the elimination of soil erosion.  The regeneration of my cropland soils has allowed me to spend less on fertilizer, herbicide and irrigation inputs.”

In the spring of 2012, Dan drilled soybeans into the green, living cereal rye he had planted the previous fall and let both soybeans and rye cover crop grow until cover crop termination in May. The practice worked well, yields were excellent, and he has continued to utilize this practice. He is one of the leaders in the state regarding “planting green.”

In the fall of 2012, Dan drilled the flow areas (high probability of soil erosion) in his corn fields with a bushel of rye per acre. The concept was to augment the residue cover from the corn crop in the stable flow areas with a living root system. The fields were drilled to soybeans in spring 2013 and the cover crop in the flow areas was left to grow until the first herbicide application.  Dan said, “The practice worked very well and is now used for treating ephemeral gully problems by many farmers.”

Dan’s use of soil moisture monitoring with telemetry gives him real time available water capacity for the crop, allowing him to take advantage of the increased infiltration and water storage capabilities that healthy soils provide. Dan has averaged 5.14” of irrigation water on corn and 4.94” on soybeans annually since installation of flow meters and adoption of electronic soil moisture monitoring.  The reduction in applied irrigation has also reduced issues with fungal diseases in Dan’s cornfields. He has not applied a fungicide to his corn since the implementation of soil moisture monitoring.  Dan added, “I have cut back on N application as the soil organic matter improves and increased soil biological activity continues to mineralize nitrogen at greater rates.”

The 2% soil organic matter improvement in Dan’s fields allows him to infiltrate intense rainfall events and store that moisture in the soil profile. That 2% additional soil organic matter can store an additional 1.5 inches of rainfall in the soil profile, releasing it to the crop as needed and this happens repeatedly through the year.  Dan added, “Night crawler populations are a good soil health indicator and have gained rapidly since the implementation of cover crops. The macropores they create when burrowing add significantly to the infiltration rate for rainfall and irrigation water in the field.”

Dan had 30 acres of cropland in CRP from 1981 through 2001 and enrolled 20 acres into Pollinator CRP in 2015-2016 to enhance habitat for pollinators. The 30 acres of CRP, returned to crop production, routinely out yields the cropland next to it due to the soil organic matter improvements from CRP years.

When you visit with Dan about his farming practices, he says, “I want to leave the land in better shape than it was in when I started farming it.”

Julie Wragge, LENRD Information & Education Specialist, said, “His credibility comes from experience. Dan wouldn’t ask another farmer to do something that he hasn’t tried and proven himself.  Speaking to agri-business groups, soil health workshops, No-till Conferences and Expos, college classes, high schools and grade schools, Dan has spoken to or presented to over 18,000 people since 2012.”  Wragge added, “Dan is very deserving of this high honor.  He continues to ‘sell’ conservation to everyone he encounters.”



Two instructors from Madison High School receive Educators of the Year Award

Two instructors from Madison High School received the Educators of the Year Award from the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD).

Suzy Foley and Patrick Kratochvil, both science teachers at Madison High, were recently honored at the NARD Annual Conference held at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney.  The awards were presented by Jim Johnson, Chairman of the NARD Information & Education Committee, and NARD President Larry Reynolds.

The two were nominated by the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) for their work in developing the Taylor-Union Watershed Team.  The team was started in the summer of 2011 to introduce minority students to fieldwork in science and to see how the concepts taught in the classroom can be used in real work situations.

Kratochvil said, “A total of eight sites on the Taylor and Union Creeks are tested once a month on consecutive days from June through August. The water quality is calculated based on the Water Quality Index (WQI) System, developed by the National Sanitation Federation.  Macro-invertebrates are also studied, allowing us to obtain a more complete survey of the Taylor and Union Creeks.  A macro-invertebrate count is made giving a water quality rating based on a formula developed by the Nebraska Wildlife Federation’s Adopt-a-Stream program.”

Kratochvil added, “Through the project we are using a cross-curricular strategy, which includes science, language arts, math and technology. This project also teaches the students about the different areas of science including Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, and Chemistry.”

Suzy Foley said, “We have students that started as young as incoming 6th graders and have continued through their first year of college. Through this process we have seen that the skills learned lead to higher achievement on tests such as the ACT and a more diverse set of skills for the job market.”

Foley added, “Students use their critical thinking skills while collecting and analyzing the samples collected during the Watershed class.  Excel is used to analyze the data that has been gathered throughout the summer and from past summers.  Once the data is entered, we generate graphs to visually display the information.  This allows the students to obtain a better grasp of the information they have collected.  They also create a Power Point presentation to share with the Madison Public School Board of Education, local community groups, the LENRD Board of Directors, and local Universities and Colleges.”

Kratochvil commented, “Each year we have some of the students involved in the program go to the Middle School and do a presentation about what the program is and how it’s exciting and fun as well as educational.  This is one way that we keep recruiting students into the program.”

LENRD Information & Education Specialist, Julie Wragge, said, “I was happy to nominate such a great team of leaders for our youth.  I have worked with Suzy and Patrick for a long time and they continue to step it up each year as they grow their program.  I’m very proud of the partnership the LENRD has developed with Madison Public Schools.  We congratulate Suzy and Patrick on this very deserving award.”

The Watershed Team has also become involved with the “Know Your Well” program through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nebraska Environmental Trust, and the Nebraska Water Center.  The students have had to gain an understanding of how land and water conservation apply to real world situations.  In this project, the students collect well samples from rural drinking wells in the area.  They run tests on the water and reports are given to the well owners with a discussion about the results.  Students were given the task of trying to discover where any possible contaminants came from.

The Taylor-Union Watershed Team has received grants from the LENRD, the Nebraska Environmental Trust, the Groundwater Foundation, and Farmland.

Patrick lives in Albion, and is originally from Pierce.  Suzy lives in Madison, and is originally from Blair.



Grain donations accepted for Northeast’s Nexus campaign

A Randolph area grain producer is donating grain to Northeast Community College as a way to support the construction of new ag facilities at the College in a tax advantageous approach.

Mike Korth, of Randolph, has pledged 200 bushels of corn each year for five years to the Nexus project, a plan to relocate the College farm and build a new veterinary technology building near the existing Chuck M. Pohlman Agriculture Complex.

“Donating the grain to Northeast is easy,” Korth explained. “I just turn the corn over to Northeast when I take my crop to the CVA (Central Valley Ag) 81/20 Grain Hub. The elevator then sells the grain and sends the proceeds directly to Northeast. In that way, I get to deduct 100 percent of the value of the grain from my income for tax purposes.”

Korth encourages other producers to consider this option.

“Pledging to donate as little as one acre’s production each year for five years is an easy way to make a significant contribution to the new ag facilities at Northeast without having to write a big check,” he said.

Dr. Tracy Kruse, associate vice president of development and external affairs at Northeast and executive director of the Northeast Community College Foundation, said the College has more information on how a gift of grain would work to the advantage of both Northeast and the producer. Forms to be used to make the donations and other information on the process for giving a gift of grain can be found online at https://agwaternexus.com/gifts-of-grain-and-livestock/.

“We do encourage producers to talk with their tax professionals if they have questions about how this process works,” Kruse said. “It is important that the producer give up title to the grain before it is sold in order to achieve the best tax advantage.”

Kruse noted that there is a similar process for giving gifts of livestock.

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 with a large animal handling facility and other farm structures for livestock operations, a new veterinary technology clinic and classrooms, and 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.



LISTENING SESSIONS ON RURAL COMMUNITY PROSPERITY SCHEDULED IN NORTH PLATTE, LINCOLN

Two regional convenings in October will offer Nebraskans opportunities to share their best ideas on how the University of Nebraska can help rural communities position themselves for economic success. The listening sessions, which are open to the public, will be held in North Platte on Oct. 15 and in Lincoln on Oct. 24.

“The University of Nebraska is a key resource for the state’s rural communities,” said Mike Boehm, NU Vice President and Harlan Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “As part of our efforts to ensure the continued competitiveness of our state, we want to help rural communities position themselves for long-term economic prosperity.”

The sessions are organized by a working group charged with creating a comprehensive strategic framework for an innovative, robust and integrated approach to rural community vitality, prosperity and resilience.

The upcoming discussions, to be hosted by Boehm, will invite Nebraskans to share experiences in rural community development and to explore how the University can be most effective in strengthening the economic prosperity and vitality of rural communities.

Session times and locations:
    NORTH PLATTE: Oct. 15, 1:30 – 5 p.m., West Central Research and Extension Center, 402 W. State Farm Rd.
    LINCOLN: Oct. 24, 8:30 a.m. – noon, Nebraska Innovation Campus, 2021 Transformation Dr.

To register to attend in person or online, visit http://go.unl.edu/rcphub.

For more information, visit https://ianr.unl.edu/rural-community-prosperity.



Weed Seed Control Clinic Will Explore Harvest as a Control Method

Controlling weeds has always been one of the biggest challenges of producing a crop, and with the ever-present issue of herbicide resistance, farmers are constantly searching for new solutions.

Some practical, but innovative ideas will be explored during an Oct. 21 workshop, when Australian researcher Michael Walsh visits Iowa State University to talk about the various ways farmers can harvest and destroy weed seeds from the combine.

Walsh is director of weed research at the University of Sydney, Australia. Weed resistance in Australia is among the worst in the world, and Walsh has explored a number of seed harvest solutions, including removing chaff from combines, grinding chaff and weed seed, and windrowing/tramlining the chaff.

Walsh will host a harvest weed seed control clinic at the Iowa State University Field Extension Education Laboratory Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The morning session will focus on the principles of harvesting weed seeds as a method of control, and following lunch, Walsh will demonstrate the types of combine and equipment modifications used to separate weed seeds from other materials entering the combine.

Meaghan Anderson, field agronomist with ISU Extension and Outreach, said the workshop will be a great opportunity for participants to learn about weed management tactics of other countries, while also considering the potential for use on their own farm.

“'Harvest weed seed control’ is an alternative weed control tactic that targets weed seeds before they are shed from the plant, using the combine to intercept the seeds and prevent them from entering the seedbank and contributing to future problems,” she said.

According to Anderson, some Australian farmers are using combines that are modified to either pull a machine that collects and crushes the weed seed, or modified internally, in a way that collects and grinds the seed, or deposits the chaff behind the combine.

Anderson said some of the methods may not work in the United States, at least not currently, but there may be some ideas for the future.

“While the technology is not currently available for our system, it is likely this will be a tool that will be of value in the near future,” she said.

One thing she’s certain about is the continued fight against herbicide resistance. Harvesting weed seeds before they have a chance to fall to the ground could provide farmers one more option.

The clinic is free and open to the public. Attendees may be eligible to receive up to 4.0 pest management Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) continuing education units for their attendance at the clinic (pending approval). Iowa State’s Field Extension Education Laboratory is located at 1928 240th St., Boone, Iowa.

To help with the lunch count, RSVP by Oct. 14 to Meaghan Anderson at mjanders@iastate.edu or 319-331-0058.



National Pork Board Report Calls for Pork Industry to Better Meet the Needs of Hispanic Consumers

A National Pork Board report shows U.S. Latinos’ affinity for pork and growing purchasing power make it a critical audience for the industry, but as Hispanics acculturate, their pork consumption declines. The new report, Time to Tango: Latinos are Pork’s Future, reveals steps food retailers and packers must take to connect with these influential consumers who represent the biggest growth opportunity of the next several decades.

The report is the latest in the National Pork Board’s Insight to Action research program examining key behaviors, attitudes, and cultural nuances of U.S. Hispanic shoppers. It outlines top motivators for Hispanics when selecting their preferred retailer and protein choice.

“Pork is entrenched in Hispanic heritage and culture, and extremely relevant to the fast-growing and economically powerful Hispanic segment,” said José de Jesús, director of multicultural marketing for the National Pork Board. “The pork industry must proactively engage them and better meet their needs, otherwise we risk losing the Latino consumer.”

According to the report, as Hispanic consumers become acculturated in the United States, the link between pork and culture weakens. Often, they can’t find the cuts they want for traditional dishes in mainstream stores, so they use other proteins or shop at specialty stores that offer the service to deliver the cuts they want. Nearly half (49%) of Hispanics do not choose mainstream retailers as their go-to store, and instead opt for specialty stores, ethnic markets and bodegas. The meat case is a contributing factor — 44% of Hispanics choose to buy their fresh meat at non-mainstream grocery stores.

To maintain and increase loyalty among Hispanic consumers, the report outlines three key motivators retailers and packers must address:
-    Accessibility: Most (79%) Hispanic consumers shop with someone else in their family and seek out stores that offer a family friendly experience. More than half seek out stores offering specialty cuts. Therefore, the shopping experience and value must meet Latinos’ expectations, and the cuts and preparations they want need to be more easily available in mainstream stores.
-    Authenticity: Traditional family recipes are important to Hispanic consumers, but those traditions vary by the country of origin. What’s relevant to the Cuban or Puerto Rican consumer will be different than those from Mexico or Central American countries. While two of three Hispanics in the U.S. are originally from Mexico, a third are from other nations. A “hyper-local” strategy is best and should extend beyond the meat case. Having the right cuts available is key, but also offering the seasonings, spices and ingredients that are needed to complete those traditional pork dishes is just as important.
-    Health: Nearly two-thirds (63%) of unacculturated Hispanics mistakenly believe pork is unhealthy. The industry must focus on the nutritional value of specific cuts, including pork’s protein profile.

“The food industry is changing rapidly; foresight and adaptability are the keys to survival. U.S. Hispanics spend $95 billion a year on consumer packaged goods and their purchasing power is growing,” said David Newman, a pig farmer and president of the National Pork Board. “It’s no longer enough to offer a Hispanic aisle or packaging in Spanish. We need to look at each area of the store and ensure we’re meeting Hispanic consumers’ needs.”

The report is the first in a series of reports, articles and updates the National Pork Board will provide in the months ahead to help the food industry better respond to Hispanic consumers’ needs.  The Pork Board has also developed a free marketing toolkit that includes content and information for retailers and packers to leverage in their own communications channels. The full report, and more information about the National Pork Board’s Insights to Action research, is available at www.Pork.org/marketing.



Statement on U.S. Response to Illegal EU Subsidies Under WTO

“Subsidies and barriers that handicap U.S. businesses in the global marketplace by violating international trade commitments shouldn’t be tolerated. We strongly support the World Trade Organization’s imposition of $7.5 billion in retaliatory duties on European products, including dairy foods, to prod the EU to uphold its World Trade Organization commitments and reinforce the importance of two-way trade.

“NMPF strongly endorses the U.S. Trade Representative’s new list of European dairy exports that will now face higher tariffs, including cheeses, yogurt and butter.

“The U.S. is running a $1.6 billion dairy trade deficit with Europe because of unfair EU trade practices that block our access to their market while they enjoy broad access to ours.

“Trade authorities should also address one particularly egregious example of EU trade practices: the EU’s abusing the use of geographical indications to limit competition from cheese exporters in the U.S. that use common food names. Rather than compete head-to-head with high-quality American-made foods by allowing the use of common food names to coexist alongside GIs relating to those products, Europe instead blocks sales of these everyday food products from the United States and aggressively pressures other countries to do the same.

“The retaliatory tariffs announced today are a clarion call for fair trade and an indication that trade must be a two-way trade. What better way to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with Europe than by selling them award-winning US cheeses?”



DMC Payments Top $300 Million as Signups, Aid Exceed Previous Program

The popular Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program signed up more than 22,000 dairy farmers – more than participated in the last year of the Margin Protection Program (MPP) that it replaced -- and paid out more than $302 million in its first year. That’s $302 million more than what farmers would have received under the MPP, which would have actually cost farmers money in 2019, according to an analysis of USDA data done by NMPF.

Monthly milk price/feed cost margins so far in 2019 have been above the $8 per hundredweight coverage cutoff that existed under MPP, but below the new $9.50 per hundredweight coverage limit under DMC, the stronger dairy safety net enacted last year in the farm bill. Under the old MPP rules, the total paid out under the entire program so far this year would have been $75,000 -- about $3 per farmer and a net loss for them after premium costs. Instead, the new DMC threshold has triggered hundreds of millions of dollars in much-needed assistance for dairy producers, showing the program’s value and helping farmers stay afloat who otherwise may not have been able to continue.

With 2020 signup beginning on Oct. 7, that success is worth keeping in mind as farmers weigh the program’s affordable cost versus its proven benefits.

“The Dairy Margin Coverage program has proven its worth, with more than $300 million in farmers’ pockets as a result of our work on the farm bill with Congress and USDA,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. “None of that assistance would have occurred under the MPP. We encourage farmers who haven’t already signed up for all five years of Dairy Margin Coverage to re-new their sign up for 2020, and for farmers who decided not to participate in the 2019 program to consider it in the future.”

According to the latest USDA data, 22,631 dairy producers signed up for DMC. Based on reported margins for the first eight months of the year, payouts so far for 2019 have been $302,906,824. Wisconsin signed up the largest number of farmers, while California enrolled the highest production volume of any state.
A key change to the program that boosted aid was the inclusion of dairy-quality alfalfa into the feed-cost calculation, which narrowed the difference between milk prices and feed costs and adjusted margins to better reflect dairy expenses, a change that NMPF pushed for throughout legislation and implementation.

“We thank USDA not only for prioritizing the DMC in farm-bill implementation but adjusting it in a way that provided additional benefit to producers,” Mulhern said. “The DMC’s success has truly been a partnership throughout, from a united dairy community that aided Congress as it crafted and approved the program, to USDA’s work with that community in making it reality.”



CWT-assisted sales contracts top 94 million pounds of dairy product exports

Cooperatives Working Together in September assisted member cooperatives in capturing 39 contracts to sell 2.4 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 299,829 pounds of butter, 7.8 million pounds of whole milk powder, and 668,001 pounds of cream cheese. The products will be going to customers in 12 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America and are being shipped during the period from September 2019 through next February.

These contracts bring the 2019 total CWT-assisted product sales contracts to 94.4 million pounds, which includes of 42.6 million pounds of cheese, 4.5 million pounds of butter, 42 million pounds of whole milk powder, 277,782 pounds of anhydrous milkfat, and 5 million pounds of cream cheese. These transactions will move the equivalent of 848 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis overseas.

Assisting CWT member cooperatives gain and maintain world market share through the Export Assistance program in the long-term expands the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, helps all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.




NMPF Requests Dairy Farmer Input on Zero-Day Withdrawal Period Antibiotics

The National Milk Producers Federation is requesting dairy farmers respond to this survey to better understand how dairy farmers interpret an antibiotic with a zero-day withdrawal period of zero-day milk discard time.  Survey link here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/antibioticwithdrawaltimesurvey.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration opened a docket Aug. 9 requesting information regarding transit times to slaughter, milking frequency, and how end users interpret zero-day withdrawal period or zero-day milk discard time statements found on new animal drug labeling. This request is driven by the recognition that the animal agriculture industry has drastically changed since original assumptions were determined in 1980, and FDA is requesting information to ensure their regulations are in line with what is practiced today. 

Survey responses are completely anonymous and cannot be traced back to the respondent. No personally identifiable information is captured, and your responses will be combined with those of other farmers and summarized to further protect anonymity. The answers will be used to inform NMPF’s comments to the FDA to ensure they have the most accurate information from dairy farmers.



Farm Bureau Releases Milk Program Recommendations
The American Farm Bureau Federation today released a proposal for the future of U.S. milk-pricing provisions and marketing-order reform. The recommendations aim to bring more democracy and a more equitable program for all dairy farmers. Although federal milk marketing orders have been a pillar of the dairy industry for more than 80 years, the program has not undergone substantial change in nearly two decades. A working group consisting of Farm Bureau grassroots leaders and other contributors from the Farm Bureau family prepared the report after broad consultation with industry and academia.

The Farm Bureau Federal Milk Marketing Order Working Group recommendations are contained in the report “Priorities, Principles and Policy Considerations for FMMO Reform.”

Key recommendations would:
-    Give every dairy farmer a voice by eliminating the ability of coops to vote on behalf of member-producers on changes to federal milk marketing orders (bloc voting);
-    Improve risk sharing across the supply chain in the product pricing formulas by adjusting the “make allowance” (a fixed deduction or credit for processing milk into finished dairy products) to be variable on a commodity-by-commodity basis;
-    Collect more robust pricing information by significantly expanding the Agriculture Department’s mandatory price reporting survey; and
-    Simplify milk pricing rules in the Southeast by aligning the qualifying criteria for pooling and eliminating transportation subsidies.

Farm Bureau leaders will convene in January to consider and vote on these priorities and policy recommendations. Based on the outcome, Farm Bureau staff will work with stakeholders in the dairy industry and policymakers to advance the recommendations.

The working group was formed in January 2019 when AFBF’s voting delegates recommended the formation of a dairy task force to review methods to restructure and modernize the current Federal Milk Marketing Order system.



Most Fertilizer Prices Continue to Decline

The streak is over.  The retail price of one of the eight major fertilizers tracked by DTN increased in the fourth week of September 2019, ending a six week run in which all of the fertilizers' prices declined.

The price of 10-34-0 increased to $471/ton, up $1 from the same time last month.

Prices for the remaining seven fertilizers were lower but not by a significant amount, which DTN considers at 5% or more. DAP had an average price of $479/ton, down $12; MAP $475/ton, down $19; potash $384/ton, down $3; urea $404/ton, down $8; anhydrous $511/ton, down $17; UAN28 $254/ton, down $2; and UAN32 $289/ton, down $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 weeks, two fertilizers' prices dropped to being lower in price from a year ago. DAP is now 3% less expensive, and MAP is 9% lower from last year at this time.

The remaining six major fertilizers continue to be higher compared to last year. UAN32 and anhydrous are both 4% more expensive, both urea and UAN32 are now 5% higher, potash is 6% more expensive and UAN28 are 7% higher compared to last year.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 9/27/2019

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending Sept. 27, ethanol production expanded 15,000 b/d or 1.6% to 958,000 barrels per day (b/d)—equivalent to 40.24 million gallons daily. Output is 5.6% below year-ago volumes and 5.1% below the same week two years ago. The four-week average ethanol production rate slowed 1.4% to 982,000 b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.05 billion gallons and the lowest average in nearly three years.

Ethanol stocks rebounded 3.2% to 23.2 million barrels. However, inventories were 1.0% lower than the same week last year. Stocks built in the East Coast (PADD 1), Midwest (PADD 2), and West Coast (PADD 5) but declined across the other regions.

There were zero imports recorded after 113,000 b/d hit the books last week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of July 2019.)

The volume of gasoline supplied decreased 2.2% to 9.137 million b/d (383.8 million gallons per day, or 140.07 bg annualized). Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol narrowed 1.3% to 923,000 b/d, equivalent to 14.15 bg annualized.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production increased to 10.48%.



ACE introduces updated fuel marketer website, videos at NACS

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) is introducing its revamped fuel marketer-to-marketer flexfuelforward.com website and new videos to prospective E15 and flex fuel retailers attending the 2019 National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) show this week in Atlanta, Georgia. The NACS show is the largest annual gathering of convenience and fuel marketing professionals, drawing nearly 25,000 industry stakeholders from around the world to see the newest and best products and strategies available to station operators. This year, ACE is also accompanied on the trade show floor by Helena Jette, Director of Biofuels for the Indiana Corn Marketing Council.

“Based on input from retailers who stopped to talk to us at trade shows, emails and phone calls we received from marketers, and conversations we had with station owners and operators we work with, ACE updated the flexfuelforward.com website to provide more in-depth information for retailers considering adding E15 and flex fuel, and more answers from fellow marketers to questions retailers frequently ask about ethanol,” said Ron Lamberty, ACE Senior Vice President and Market Development Director. “Flexfuelforward.com started out as a ‘landing page,’ where marketers could find general information on higher ethanol blends and then link to other existing sites with more detailed information on the topic they were searching for. We still do that, however, retailers told us they like the E15 & Flex Fuel Retailer Roadmap, and with more in-depth video and testimonials from real-world ethanol retailers, prospective higher-blend marketers can now have more of their questions answered without leaving a site they trust.”

Studies show people trust information they get from “A person like me,” and that fact drives ACE’s approach to developing new markets. After helping wholesalers and retailers add or expand their ethanol offerings, ACE follows up with those marketers to share their successes and challenges with other retailers who may be considering adding higher ethanol blends. The flexfuelforward.com website was created to provide 24/7 access to those peer stories. Station owners can read information or watch short film clips from other station owners who have already done the things they are considering.

“Earlier this year, we had a conversation with Mike Lorenz from Sheetz, and single store owners Bruce Vollan of Midway Service, and Charlie Good of Good & Quick,” Lamberty said. “We talked to them about questions they’ve been receiving from other retailers and asked them some of the questions we’ve gotten from marketers considering adding E15 and flex fuels. Several videos from those conversations are up on the website. The look of the site has also changed to emphasize current news including updates to rules or policy changes as they happen, answers to retailer questions, and easier access to our E15 & Flex Fuel Retailer Roadmap.”

Visit flexfuelforward.com to check out the website and new videos.



Student Leaders Preparing for 92nd National FFA Convention & Expo

In a few weeks, the city of Indianapolis will transform into a sea of blue jackets when the National FFA Convention & Expo kicks off for the 92nd time. This time-honored tradition will be held in the Circle City Oct. 30- Nov. 2, 2019.

More than 67,000 FFA members from across the U.S., representing all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, are expected to attend the event. It’s an opportunity for students to be exposed to new career paths and opportunities – while celebrating the accomplishments these future leaders have made over the past year.

Throughout the week, convention and expo attendees will also be able to experience the FFA Blue Room, a 17,000+-square-foot interactive area that showcases the cutting-edge technology, research and innovation taking place in agriculture. Through experiential learning and specific focus on the most critical challenges facing our communities—from respecting the planet to feeding the world—the FFA Blue Room will inspire and equip students to activate their potential.

With an estimated $33 million impact on the city, attendees will be seen throughout the city, staying at more than 115 hotels in the area as well as giving back to the community through the National Days of Service.

In fact, during the week, more than 2,500 student members will be lending a helping hand to the greater Indianapolis area as part of the National Days of Service. Places, where students will be giving back to the community, include Gleaners Food Bank, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Indianapolis City Market, the Wheeler Mission and more.

Convention and expo events will take place at several venues in downtown Indianapolis and other surrounding areas. FFA members and advisors will meet in Lucas Oil Stadium, where the eight general sessions will be held. At the Indiana Convention Center, members can explore the expo or expand their minds by attending a variety of workshops or participating in educational and career success tours.

The convention and expo will kick off on Wed., Oct. 30 with the opening general session in Lucas Oil Stadium, where the organization will be celebrating 50 years of women in FFA.  On the morning of Saturday, Nov. 2, American FFA Degrees, the highest degree for an FFA member, will be bestowed upon more than 4,000 FFA members. The event concludes that afternoon with the election of the 2019-20 National FFA Officer team.

The National FFA Convention & Expo is scheduled to be held in Indianapolis through 2031.