Monday December 9 Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending December 8, 2019, there were 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 1 percent very short, 15 short, 80 adequate, and 4 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 1 percent very short, 13 short, 82 adequate, and 4 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 24 fair, 57 good, and 15 excellent.

Corn harvested was 98 percent.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 18 fair, 66 good, and 11 excellent.

This is the last weekly Crop Progress and Condition report for the 2019 growing. We would like to extend our appreciation to the dedicated county FSA and extension staff who supplied the necessary information for these reports. For December through March, we will issue monthly reports. The first monthly report (for December) will be issued January 2, 2020. Weekly reports will begin April 6th for the 2020 season.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

Iowa farmers had 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending December 8, 2019, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. However, snow and mud remained issues in parts of the State and delayed some fieldwork.

Ninety-five percent of the corn for grain crop has been harvested, over two weeks behind last year and the 5-year average. The Northeast and South Central Districts were able to make enough progress to reach at least 90 percent complete. Farmers in all Districts in Iowa have now completed at least 90 percent of their corn harvest for grain. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain remained at 19 percent.

Livestock producers continued to use hay for supplemental feeding. Feedlots stayed muddy with warmer temperatures and snow melt this past week.



USDA:  8% of Corn Left to Harvest

USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service is calling it quits for the year in issuing its weekly Crop Progress report. But U.S. farmers still have some work left to do before they can close the books on the 2019 season.

As of Sunday, 8% of the nation's corn crop was still standing in fields, NASS estimated. That represents a total of about 7.16 million acres left to harvest, according to DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini. And with many fields in the upper Midwest still buried in snow, it could be a while before farmers are able to bring in the last of the crop.

Corn harvest progress inched ahead only 3 percentage points last week to reach 92% complete as of Sunday, 8 percentage points behind the five-year average of 100%.

The only other crops NASS included in Monday's report were cotton, which was estimated at 89% harvested, and sunflowers, which were 73% harvested.

NASS said Monday's report is the last weekly Crop Progress report it will issue for the 2019 season. The first national weekly report for 2020 will be released on Monday, April 6. Some individual states continue to release monthly updates throughout the winter.

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LENRD announces winners of Conservation Poster Contest

“Life in the Soil – Dig Deeper” was this year’s theme of the annual Conservation Poster Contest sponsored by the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD).  Approximately 127 K-12th grade students participated in the contest.  Layers of soil with earthworms, plant roots, and animal burrows were some of the examples shown in the winning posters, created by students from across the LENRD’s 15-counties in northeast Nebraska.

The following winners will receive special recognition from the LENRD:

Grades K-1    
1) Gage Anderson     St. Wenceslaus, Dodge
2) Connor Pojar         St. Wenceslaus, Dodge
3) Madison Blaha      St. Wenceslaus, Dodge

Grades 2-3
1) Emma Ortmeier            St. Wenceslaus, Dodge
2) Lauren Hegemann        St. Wenceslaus, Dodge
3) Elijah Killham              St. Francis, Humphrey

Grades 4-6
1) Colten Melcher        St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek
2) Britlee Wragge         St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek
3) Bree Pojar                St. Wenceslaus, Dodge

Grades 7-9
1) Brittany Borchers       St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek
2) Tylar Humphrey         St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek
3) Sophie Humphrey      St. John Lutheran, Battle Creek

Grades 10-12
1) Brooklyn Bailey             Guardian Angels Central Catholic, West Point
2) Marribelle Garlick          Norfolk High School
3) Isabella Steskal               Norfolk High School

The first place posters in each category were sent on to the Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) in Lincoln for the State Competition.

The NARD recently announced that the LENRD has 2 winners at the State level this year.  Students winning in the State competition include:
    Grades 4-6: Colten Melcher, Battle Creek, Nebraska (Lower Elkhorn NRD)
    Grades 10-12: Brooklyn Bailey, West Point, Nebraska (Lower Elkhorn NRD)

These students will also receive special recognition from the NARD in Lincoln.  The posters created by Melcher and Bailey will be sent on to Las Vegas, Nevada for the National competition in February 2020.

“We have had some great posters submitted over the years from across our district.  The poster contest is a fun way to help students connect with the world around them and to use the theme to focus on things they can see and hear in their own backyard,” said Julie Wragge, LENRD Information & Education Specialist. “Congratulations to all the students who participated this year.”

The 2020 poster theme is “Where would we BEE without pollinators?” For more information on the poster contest, contact Julie Wragge, at jwragge@lenrd.org or 402-371-7313.



Nebraska Ag Exports Expanded in 2018, But Farm Bureau Says More “To-Do” on Trade

Despite major declines in Nebraska soybean exports, and reductions in both pork and wheat exports, the dollar value of Nebraska’s total agriculture exports increased from 2017 to 2018 thanks to significant boosts in sales of Nebraska beef and corn to countries that avoided trade disputes with the United States. That’s one of several findings from Nebraska Farm Bureau’s “Nebraska Agriculture and International Trade” report which uses the most current United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) trade data to identify the value of Nebraska agriculture exports in 2018 on a per-commodity, per-county, and per-farm and ranch basis.

“Remarkedly, the overall value of Nebraska exports grew in 2018 despite trade disputes with many U.S. trading partners. Fortunately for Nebraska producers, the U.S. maintained positive relations with two leading beef markets in Japan and South Korea allowing growth to occur. Expanded purchases by Japan and South Korea boosted the value of Nebraska’s beef exports to more than $1.3 billion in 2018, a record high,” said Jay Rempe, Nebraska Farm Bureau senior economist and author of the report.

According to the report, friendly trade relations with Japan also led to increased purchases of Nebraska corn, as Japanese imports of U.S. corn grew by 34 percent in 2018. Nebraska also benefited from Mexico opting not to impose tariffs on U.S. corn in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum. U.S. corn exports to Mexico increased by 16 percent over the previous year. Production problems elsewhere in the world aided Nebraska’s total corn exports which increased by 42 percent in 2018, the second-highest level on record.

“While beef and corn exports were strong, the U.S. trade dispute with China did negatively impact exports. Soybeans have long-been the leader of Nebraska agriculture exports due in large part to Chinese demand. Soybeans were the top Nebraska export commodity from 2012 to 2017 but fell to third in 2018 as exports slumped by 21 percent to $1.2 billion, the lowest level since 2008. The decline is directly tied to China’s imposition of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. soybeans,” said Rempe. “Nebraska exports of hides and skins also suffered due to the Chinese trade dispute, falling 20 percent in 2018. China is the world’s largest importer and tariffs put Nebraska at a competitive disadvantage.”

Nebraska was the sixth-largest agricultural exporting state in the country in 2018, topping the nation in exports of beef, holding a position as the second largest exporter of hides and skins, third-largest exporter of corn, feed and processed grains, and serving as the fifth-largest exporter of soybeans, soybean meal, and vegetable oil. Ethanol, popcorn, wheat, pork, dry edible beans, and a host of other commodities and products round out Nebraska’s portfolio.

To bring the value of agricultural trade closer to home, the report identifies different ways in which dollars from trade contribute to Nebraska farms and ranches, including establishing a value of agricultural trade on an individual commodity basis.

“For example, the 2018 analysis pegs the per-unit value of exports for soybeans at $5.58 per bushel, down from $5.66 per bushel in 2017, and off 69 cents from an estimated $6.27 per bushel in 2016,” said Rempe. “The 2018 analysis shows the per-unit value of trade at $221.63 per head for beef, $69.33 per head for pork, $1.22 per bushel for corn, and $2.78 per bushel for wheat.”

The report also analyzes and puts a dollar value of agricultural trade for every Nebraska county. Custer County led the way in terms of the county receiving the most value from agricultural trade in 2018. More than $175 million of export value flowed to Custer County due to international sales. In measuring the importance of trade on a per-farm basis, Phelps County was the most reliant on trade with a per-farm export value of more than $338,000 in 2018.

“This report illustrates the importance of international trade and free trade agreements to Nebraska farmers and ranchers. If not for the positive relations with Japan and South Korea in moving more Nebraska beef and corn into those markets, 2018 would have looked much different when coupled with the declining sales of soybeans to China,” said Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.

In releasing the report, Nebraska Farm Bureau identified a four-point “To-Do” list on trade. The list includes securing Congressional passage and finalization of the United States – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA), finalizing a trade deal with China that removes the tariffs China has placed on U.S. agricultural products, expanding efforts to find new partners with emphasis on free trade agreements with countries involved in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the European Union, the United Kingdom, India, and others. The list is rounded out by the need to ensure there is a future for Rules-Based Trade, involving reforms to the World Trade Organization (WTO) that address dispute settlement process, challenges from China’s state-run enterprises, and rules governing developing countries.

“Securing the U.S.-Japan trade deal was a major “win” for Nebraska agriculture, but there are more “wins” to be had. Checking off the items on this “To-Do” list will ensure those wins keep coming and Nebraska Farm Bureau will continue to push for these important measures,” said Nelson.

The “Nebraska Agriculture and International Trade” report is available on the Nebraska Farm Bureau website at www.nefb.org.



Nebraska Farm Bureau President Praises Disaster Recovery Efforts, Says Excess Tax Revenues Must Go to Property Tax Relief

In his annual address at the Nebraska Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and Convention, Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson praised the efforts of Nebraskans, especially Farm Bureau members and their neighbors who rallied together in the face of historic blizzards and floods that ravaged the state in the Spring of 2019.

“I’ve never seen the Farm Bureau family come closer together or be stronger than it’s been in 2019. In some of the worst conditions I’ve ever seen, Nebraskans across the state found out exactly what it was like to be a part of the Farm Bureau family when our members and our organization were there to help them get back up, persevere, and push forward in disaster recovery,” said Nelson.

In relaying his appreciation for the work of Farm Bureau members and the Farm Bureau organization, he thanked all those who made financial contributions to the organization’s Disaster Relief Fund.

“I had no idea how much money we could raise and wasn’t sure it would be enough to make a difference, but as we were able to capture and share stories of those impacted, the awareness of the needs grew and the fund climbed steadily to more than $3.4 million, with more than 6,000 donors and gifts coming from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., as well from active military located in nine different countries,” said Nelson. “This amazing generosity has allowed us to make nearly a thousand financial distributions that have served tens of thousands of Nebraska’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.”

In terms of agriculture policy issues, Nelson called on the legislature and the Governor to make sure excess state tax revenues are used for property tax relief.

“When the legislature convenes in January there will be a lot of talk about how to spend roughly $100 million plus in state tax revenues that aren’t obligated in the state budget. There will be plenty of ideas on how to spend that money. I’m calling on the legislature and the Governor to make sure those revenues are used specifically for property tax relief,” said Nelson. “The overreliance on property taxes is holding Nebraska agriculture back; and it’s holding our state back.”

In addition to the use of those revenues for property tax relief, Nelson said the legislature must continue a path to find new and different ways to fund K-12 schools as Nebraskans can no longer afford to place such a heavy burden on property taxes to fund education.

In his address, Nelson also spoke to the importance of growing international markets for Nebraska’s agriculture products, highlighting several actions needed including congressional passage of the United States – Mexico – Canada Agreement, finalizing a deal that would eliminate the tariffs China has placed on agricultural products, work to find and sign trade deals with new partners around the globe, as well as reforms to the World Trade Organization.

“We’ve never been more dependent on international trade for the well-being of Nebraska agriculture. Nebraska Farm Bureau continues to work to promote Nebraska agricultural products around the world,” said Nelson.

Nelson also told members that changing consumer tastes and demands, evolving supply chains, the global economy, continued emphasis on improving environmental management, technological innovation, and the growing ability to direct market to consumers, were identified as factors that will continue to drive opportunities in agriculture.

“For agriculture to be successful, we must continue to look forward. Nebraska must be open to new opportunities to grow agriculture, even when those opportunities look different than what has been available to previous generations,” said Nelson, who specifically pointed to the Nebraska families who are now raising chickens due to the Costco affiliated processing plant located in Fremont, and the opportunity for Nebraska farmers to commercially produce industrial hemp in 2020.

In his closing remarks, Nelson pointed to the need for neighbors to continue to look out for each other during challenging times.

“I know 2019 has been a difficult one for a lot of people. I hope and pray that 2020 is better for all of us. If you see someone you think is struggling, don’t be afraid to engage. Talk with them or share your concern with someone close to them who can help. Your compassion and generosity just might change someone’s life, or you might even save it,” said Nelson.



Sasse Earns Nebraska Farm Bureau “Friend of Agriculture” Designation

U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse has been designated a “Friend of Agriculture” by NEFB-PAC, Nebraska Farm Bureau’s political action committee. Sasse who is seeking re-election to U.S. Senate received the designation based on his work on several policy issues of high priority to Nebraska farmers and ranchers, according to Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson.

“Trade and reducing regulatory burdens on farmers and ranchers, including the nomination of agriculture friendly judges, are priorities for our members and Sen. Sasse has provided leadership on these and other important issues in Washington, D.C.,” said Nelson.

Sen. Sasse pointed to the strong partnership with Farm Bureau when working on behalf of farm and ranch families in showing his appreciation for the designation.

“Agriculture makes our state great and that's why the Nebraska Farm Bureau's endorsement is huge. Washington gets a lot of stuff wrong, and everyday the Farm Bureau and I work together to push back against bureaucratic overreach in the fight to protect Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers. That also means advocating for expanded trade, slashing red tape, and confirming judges that believe in the Constitution. I’m grateful to stand with Nebraska's hardest-working families, and humbled to have the endorsement of Nebraska's largest farm and ranch organization,” said Sasse.

With nearly one out of every three U.S. farm acres being planted for export and roughly 30 percent of Nebraska’s total agriculture receipts consistently coming from exports to foreign countries, international trade is critical to farmers and ranchers.

“Sen. Sasse is unapologetically supportive of agricultural trade and supports opening new markets for Nebraska agricultural products,” said Nelson. “He understands the future of agriculture is heavily tied to our ability to move Nebraska commodities and agriculture products into international markets.”

In his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Sasse has also confirmed more than 150 judges to the federal bench since 2017, an area of interest to farmers and ranchers as more and more groups opposed to agriculture have turned to the courts to implement activist agendas.

“Now more than ever, farmers and ranchers are being impacted by decisions being made on the federal bench. Sen Sasse’s efforts to vet and support judicial nominees who understand and practice judicial restraint rather than viewing themselves as, to borrow a phrase from Sen. Sasse, ‘super-legislators’, has been extremely important,” said Nelson.

Sasse has also championed efforts to reduce unwarranted regulations on Nebraska farmers and ranchers that needlessly increase the costs of doing business, in addition to pushing back on regulations that would infringe on private property rights.

“Whether it’s pushing back on the federal government’s overreach with EPA’s misguided ‘Waters of the U.S.’ Rule or pushing forward with initiatives to reduce regulations on livestock haulers who are critical to our state’s livestock sector, Sen. Sasse has listened and been a strong voice for our farm and ranch families,” said Nelson.

Sen. Sasse provided a strong voice for agriculture on federal tax policy and helped deliver the first major revisions to the federal tax code in more than 30 years.

“Sen. Sasse worked to help deliver federal tax reform that lowered rates, doubled the estate tax exemption, maintained the ability for farmers and ranchers to deduct their property taxes, and helped increase the ability for farm and ranch families to reinvest hard-earned dollars back into their operations,” said Nelson.

According to Nelson, Sasse has also played an important role in other key areas of interest to farmers and ranchers such as offering support for the Trump administration’s authorization of the year-round sale of E-15 ethanol, backing passage of the 2018 Farm Bill that offered reforms to commodity and conservation titles, and protected federal crop insurance, as well as urging USDA’s Risk Management Agency to cover crop losses associated with the loss of irrigation water following the collapse of the Gering-Ft. Laramie-Goshen irrigation district tunnel collapse.

Sen. Sasse also opened the doors for Farm Bureau to have face-to-face meetings and provide direct input on several of President Trump’s nominees for his cabinet and other top political appointments that are crucial to agriculture, giving Nebraska agriculture a direct voice in that process.

“Sen. Sasse has proven himself to be an advocate for agriculture and we appreciate his ongoing efforts to serve Nebraska’s farm and ranch families. We are proud to name him as a Nebraska Farm Bureau Friend of Agriculture,” said Nelson.



Soil Sampling for Better Fertilization Decisions
Amy Timmerman – NE Extension Educator

Soil sampling and testing are essential to determine soil properties and fertility levels to make good management decisions about fertilizer, manure, and lime application rates. Appropriate nutrient and amendment applications can increase crop yield, reduce input cost, and minimize environmental impact. Soil testing becomes inexpensive when compared to the total investment in crops and fertilizers.

Soils are typically sampled in the fall or spring. Either time works to determine potassium, phosphorous, sulfur, micronutrient, and lime requirements. However, if trends in nutrient concentrations are being compared over time, it is important to sample at similar times of the year. For nitrogen (N) recommendations, it’s recommended that both soil organic matter and residual soil nitrate-N be measured.

The timing of soil sampling for making N recommendations could be important as snowmelt and precipitation during early spring may affect N losses (especially for coarse-textured soils), resulting in under application of pre-plant or in-season N. Collecting pre-plant soil nitrate-N soil samples to a 2- or 3-foot depth is a good practice for determining residual soil nitrate-N to be credited in N rate decisions.

A critical step for successful soil sampling is to collect representative samples from the field. The University of Nebraska provides detailed information about different approaches for soil sampling for uniform and variable-rate fertilizer application.  The sampling pattern should be selected based on the nutrient management decision needing to be made and to best represent the field. For uniform fertilizer applications, samples can be collected randomly within representative areas of the field. However, accounting for known sources of variability in soil fertility such as soil types, cropping history, and erosion, etc. is still helpful in adjusting recommendations even if the fertilizer is uniformly applied.

Consider grid sampling of 1 to 2.5 acres if soil type or previous management (differences in livestock containment, manure application, irrigation amounts, or cropping history) causes variation in nutrient availabilities. Consider zone or directed sampling if yield maps, remotely sensed images or other sources of spatial information are available and show consistency from one layer to another layer. Both grid and directed soil sampling are valid options for precision soil sampling. Grid sampling for nitrate-N is not recommended because annual fluctuations in nitrate levels would require annual grid sampling, which is not cost-effective. Instead, residual nitrate sampling (to a depth of 3 feet) should be done on a directed sampling basis. More information can be found in the Nebraska Extension publication, Soil Sampling for Precision Agriculture.

Sampling depth is another key factor for good soil sampling. It is important to represent the root zone where the plant will uptake nutrients, but it must be consistent with the sampling depth used in developing the calibration data set to be used for interpreting the soil tests. In dry years, when it is difficult to push the probe into the ground, there is a danger of not getting the proper depth. Sampling too shallow will often lead to unusually high soil test results because of the tendency for nutrients to become concentrated near the surface. Shallow sampling will thus overestimate the actual soil nutrient status and lead to underestimating fertilizer rates needed.

Soil samples for determining soil pH, soil organic matter, and availability of any nutrient other than N should be taken from the 0-8 inch soil depth. A single sample should be comprised of thoroughly mixed soil from 12 or more places in the sampling zone. Sampling zones should be 40 acres or less.

Guidelines for interpreting soil test results for nutrient application decisions are available in crop-specific UNL Extension publications and in the Extension book, Nutrient Management for Agronomic Crops of Nebraska.



CORN STALK QUALITY AFTER WEATHERING
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Recent rainfall, and even snow, may be good for wheat and next year’s crops, but it does have its drawbacks.  One challenge is this moisture’s impact on corn stalk feed quality.

               Rain in the fall usually is welcomed despite the delays it causes with crop harvest.  Pastures and alfalfa benefit from extra growth and winterizing capabilities.  Wheat and other small grains get well established as do any new fields of alfalfa or pasture.  And the reserve moisture stored in the soil will get good use during next year’s growing season.

               But rain, as well as melting snow, also reduces the feed value of corn stalks in fields that were already combined, and even on standing stalks.  Last week many fields had some pretty heavy rain and snow on those stalks.

               Moisture reduces corn stalk quality several ways.  Most easily noticed is how fast stalks get soiled or trampled into the ground when fields are muddy.

               Less noticeable are nutritional changes.  Moisture soaks into dry corn stalk residue and leaches out some of the soluble nutrients.  Most serious is the loss of sugars and other energy-dense nutrients, which lowers the TDN or energy value of the stalks.  These same nutrients also disappear if stalks begin to mold or rot in the field or especially in the bale.  Then palatability and intake also decline.

               There is little you can do to prevent these losses.  What you can do, though, is begin to supplement a little earlier than usual.  Since this weathering reduces TDN more than it reduces protein, consider the energy value of your supplements as well as its protein content.

               Weathered corn stalks still are economical feeds.  Just supplement them accordingly.

SUPPLEMENTING PROTEIN WHEN WINTER GRAZING
               Every day you can graze corn stalks or winter pasture saves you fifty cents to a dollar compared to feeding hay or silage.  Protein supplements are critical to your success, though.

               Winter grazing saves lots of money and usually takes less labor than feeding cows all winter.  But these advantages become meaningless if cows don’t stay healthy or loose condition due to a lack of protein.

               Why is protein so important?  In ruminants, like cattle, protein is used twice – first by the microbes in the rumen that are digesting the fiber in the corn stalks and winter grass and secondly by the animal.

               For the microbes to digest these low quality forages, the diet must contain at least seven to eight percent protein.  Otherwise the microbes become protein deficient and are unable to work effectively.  When this happens, the amount of energy the animal receives from the forage is low and the animal becomes energy deficient.  So one major reason to supplement protein with winter forages is to make sure the microbes are fed properly so your animal does not become energy deficient.  In other words, protein increases energy.

               The protein supplement you use is important.  Many cheap protein sources contain mostly urea and other forms of non-protein nitrogen.  These supplements are less effective at this time of year when cattle are eating mostly winter forages that contain low energy.

               Instead, use supplements that contain more all-natural protein.  Alfalfa often is the cheapest natural source of protein, but other sources also work well.

               Winter grazing can reduce winter feed costs and labor.  Feed the right protein with it, and you will be successful.



Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award Seeks Nominees

Know a Nebraska rancher, farmer or forester who goes above and beyond in the care and management of natural resources? Nominate them for the 2020 Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award®.

Sand County Foundation presents the Leopold Conservation Award to private landowners in 20 states for extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation. In Nebraska, the $10,000 award is presented with Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (AFAN), Cargill and the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others with their dedication to land, water and wildlife habitat management on private, working land. In his influential 1949 book, “A Sand County Almanac,” Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage.

Nominations may be submitted on behalf of a landowner, or landowners may nominate themselves. The application can be found at: https://www.sandcountyfoundation.org/uploads/NE-CFN-2020.pdf.

The application deadline is March 2, 2020. Applications can be emailed to judys@a-fan.org or postmarked by March 2, and mailed to:

Leopold Conservation Award
c/o AFAN
5225 S. 16th Street
Lincoln, NE 68512

Selected recipients must be available for an Earth Day press conference, summer video production, and fall award ceremony.

The first Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award was presented to Wilson Ranch of Lakeside in 2006. The 2019 recipient of the award was Broken Box Ranch in Moorefield.

The Leopold Conservation Award Program in Nebraska is made possible thanks to the generous support of Cargill, AFAN, Nebraska Environmental Trust, Audubon Nebraska, Lyle Sittler Memorial Fund, McDonald’s, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Nebraska Land Trust, Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, Sandhills Task Force, Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, World Wildlife Fund-Northern Great Plains, and Green Cover Seeds.



More Than 50 Organizations Urge Sens. Rounds and Thune to Amend the U.S. Beef Integrity Act

More than 50 farm, ranch, consumer, manufacturing, labor and other organizations  sent a joint letter today to U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and John Thune (R-SD) urging them to amend their recently introduced U.S. Beef Integrity Act (S.2744) by including it "within a comprehensive mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) bill" for beef and pork.

The U.S. Beef Integrity Act (Act) is a voluntary measure that would reserve the U.S. label only for meat that is exclusively born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States. The letter explains that the Act's attempt to correct just the one isolated problem in which foreign beef can be mislabeled as a "Product of USA" will have the unintended consequence of undercutting the broad-based groups' efforts to fully reinstate mandatory COOL for beef and pork.

"Attempting to correct this single problem with stand-alone legislation, rather than reinstating mandatory COOL in its entirety, will unnecessarily complicate the efforts of U.S. cattle and hog farmers who desire to have their exclusively U.S.-produced beef and pork differentiated in America's consumer market," the groups wrote.

The groups further explain that without mandatory COOL, America's cattle and hog producers have no assurance that the beef and pork from their animals will ever be labeled as to their origin when sold to consumers in U.S. grocery stores. They explain that these producers are without the means to cause their superior, USA-produced beef and pork to be labeled as exclusively born, raised, and slaughtered in the United States.

The groups also point out that providing a statutory change to what constitutes beef and pork "Product of USA" would conflict with the statutory system already in place for meat products such as chicken and lamb. They explain that chicken and lamb remain subject to mandatory COOL, and thus the "Product of [Country X]" label is applicable only to imported covered chicken and lamb products, and there is never a "Product of USA" label on those meats. They state it would be less confusing for consumers and better for American ranchers for beef and pork to be reinstated under the COOL labeling system already in place for these other meats.

The letter concludes that while the groups are interested in correcting the mislabeling of imported beef, they firmly believe that addressing this issue in a stand-alone, voluntary measure is harmful to their ongoing, collective efforts to fully restore mandatory COOL for beef and pork.

"For this reason, we urge you to help us achieve our objective by amending S.2744 so cattle and hog producers in South Dakota and all other states will, once again, have the ability to offer their exclusively U.S.-produced meat products to American consumers," the letter states.

Groups joining the letter and seeking to amend the U.S. Beef Integrity Act include:  American Agriculture Movement; American Federation of Government Employees, Local 3354 (AFL-CIO); Buckeye Quality Beef (OH); Cattle Producers of Louisiana; Cattle Producers of Washington; Coalition for a Prosperous America; Colorado Independent CattleGrowers Association; Colorado Women Involved in Farm Economics; Community Alliance for Global Justice; Community Farm Alliance; Consumer Federation of America; Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias; Dakota Resource Council; Dakota Rural Action; Family Farm Defenders; Farm Aid; Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance; Farm Women United; Food & Water Watch; Government Accountability Project Food Integrity Campaign; Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska; Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming; Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy; Missouri Rural Crisis Center; Missouri's Best Beef Co-Operative; Murray County, Oklahoma Independent Cattlemen's Association; National Family Farm Coalition; National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Trade Association; National Women Involved in Farm Economics; Nebraska Women Involved in Farm Economics; North Dakota Women Involved in Farm Economics; Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance; Northeast Organic Farming Association - New Hampshire; Northeast Organic Farming Association - New York; Northeast Organic Farming Association Interstate Council; Northern Plains Resource Council; Northern Wisconsin Beef Producers; Oglala Sioux Livestock and Land Owners Association; Oklahoma Independent Stockgrowers Association; Organization for Competitive Markets; Public Justice; Range Allotment Owners Association; R-CALF USA; Rocky Mountain Farmers Union; Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA); Rural Coalition; South Dakota Citizens for Liberty; South Dakota Stockgrowers Association; Spokane County Cattlemen (WA); State of Missouri National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Agriculture Committee; Stevens County Cattlemen's Association (WA); United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW); and Wyoming Women Involved in Farm Economics.



Dairy Defined: Chobani Makes It Clear – You Don’t Have to Call an Oat Drink “Milk”

One of America’s many innovative dairy companies, Chobani Inc., is drawing attention with a new line of oat-based products meant to capitalize on diverse consumer tastes.

In reality, the real game-changer is likely to be its new line of dairy creamers, which will go a long way toward getting the delicious taste of real cream (rather than chemically-colored white liquids made from vegetable oil) into more U.S. coffee cups – a market that dwarfs the plant-based beverage sector.

But amid the inevitable publicity about a dairy company developing a non-dairy product, it’s important to note something else about what Chobani’s doing: They aren’t using dairy terms on their plant-based offerings. And that proves an important point, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers updates to its labeling guidelines on dairy terms: Responsible marketers follow the law, and they don’t have to falsely call a plant-based beverage “milk” to compete.

One of the biggest mischaracterizations of dairy-farmers’ positions on plant-based beverages is that they somehow want to “stifle” them. Um, no. Consumers simply deserve products that call themselves what they are – and as people who know a lot about milk, dairy farmers aren’t keen on sharing that term with imitators who use dairy terms to peddle goods that offer inferior, wildly varying levels of nutrition, misleading consumers into thinking those products have benefits that they don’t.

Chobani Oat exposes the fallacy of cries from plant-based manufacturers that their products must be called milk, or cheese, or whatever – or else consumers might be confused. Standing up for labeling transparency isn’t only honest, it’s commercially viable.

And don’t just ask Chobani...
Ask Trader Joe’s …
Or Sunnyside Farms …
Or Pacific Foods …
Or Dream Plant Based Beverages (a division of Hain Celestial) …
And many others.

Contrary to what plant-based lobbyists want consumers to believe, dairy farmers embrace responsible competition and understand that proliferating choices are a 21st-century reality. That’s why products like dairy/plant-based blends are entering the marketplace, and that’s why a smart company like Chobani adds both oat beverages and milk-based creamers to its offerings.

But the competition should be based on merit, not manipulative marketing. Plant-based is one of several classes of beverages competing with milk for consumer dollars, and after 40-plus years of false and misleading labeling, it’s still only managed to gain about a ten percent share of the milk market. And though plant-based is far from milk’s biggest competitor (that would be water), it’s the only one whose manufacturers insist on calling their products “milk,” “cheese,” “butter” and “yogurt,” directly trying to use dairy’s success against it.

Until the bad actors stop violating existing regulations on their own – or the FDA begins enforcing its own rules -- we commend the companies who do labeling right. They’re showing integrity, and more of that is badly needed to help consumers make the best decisions for themselves and for their families. 



National Dairy FARM Workforce Development Evaluation Tool Available for Comment

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program, the dairy industry’s on-farm quality assurance program, today released a proposed Workforce Development evaluation tool for input from industry stakeholders.

FARM Workforce Development (WFD) is the FARM Program’s newest initiative. It focuses on human resources and safety management and has brought together stakeholders from the entire dairy value chain to create educational materials for U.S. dairy owners and managers.

FARM WFD is developing an on-farm evaluation tool that FARM Participants can choose to implement with their dairy producers. The tool is meant to help farms:
   - learn about HR and safety management best practices;
   - identify which best practices will be most useful to implement on their farm; and
   - track improvement over time.

Also, by performing on-farm evaluations, FARM Participants can provide important assurances to supply chain customers: our dairy buyers and retailers.

The evaluation tool was developed in consultation with the FARM WFD Task Force and Working Group members, along with subject matter expert input.

FARM is also getting direct feedback from dairy producers through a pilot program that runs through the end this year. Nine cooperatives have volunteered to test the evaluation tool to solicit feedback. About 60 dairy producers are participating from across the cooperatives. Public Comment will complement the pilot.

After the comment period closes on Jan 20, FARM staff, the WFD Task Force and the NMPF Executive Committee will review and consider revisions based upon the comments, then present a final proposed evaluation tool for approval by the NMPF Board of Directors in March. The FARM Program encourages all those involved in the dairy supply chain to participate. To review the draft evaluation tool and provide feedback, please visit this link... https://nationaldairyfarm.com/workforce-development-evaluation/. 



 6 Million Data Points Fuel the Next Generation of Ag Prescription Services

At a time when farmers need confidence and consistency in products and services more than ever, WinField United is responding with a prescription program designed to help them meet yield goals while getting the most from every dollar they spend. The Advanced AcreTM Prescription Program is launching in select markets in the 2020 growing season and uses over 6 million new data points every year from the WinField® United Answer Plot® program to generate customized prescriptions based on the unique challenges and opportunities every farm faces.

The Advanced Acre Prescription Program uses extensive data, best-in-class products, innovative technology tools and local expertise to leverage agronomic solutions for farmers. With over 20 seasons of Answer Plot data and decades of experience, WinField United is able to create some of the most actionable insights in agriculture. The total-acre approach of the Advanced Acre Prescription Program means that farmers can optimize the return on investment of the dollars they spend by adapting recommendations to real-time conditions. WinField United is so confident in the program that if the prescription is executed and participating farmers don’t achieve 95%* of predetermined yields based on the plan and their actual production history (APH), a portion of the program fees will be refunded by WinField United.

“WinField United offers one of the most comprehensive data sets in the industry and, along with its locally owned and operated retailers, is well-positioned to deliver the research-backed recommendations that are the foundation of the Advanced Acre Prescription Program. We’re putting our skin in the game and sharing the risk of farming with the launch of our prescription service, because we believe our data helps leads to more profitable decisions,” said Jim Hedges, vice president of seed marketing at WinField United.

Farmers are facing new levels of uncertainty as weather challenges, unpredictable markets and trade policies threaten their profit potential. WinField United and its extensive retail network are dedicated to helping farmers succeed, not only next season but every season after, by using innovative technology, unmatched product performance data and insights, and local expertise to deliver a customized prescription program that caters to individual farm needs and agronomic challenges. The foundation of the Advanced Acre Prescription Program is a system designed to help farmers prioritize and get the most from every dollar spent to deliver a more predictable and probable return on investment.

“The Advanced Acre Prescription Program is a great tool for today’s tough farm economics,” said Dave Spears, executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Mid Kansas Coop (MKC). “It combines the data, insights and technology from WinField United into a systematic, responsive program that is delivered to farmers by MKC’s locally-based team of experts. It is truly a system designed to help farmers increase their bottom line.”

The Advanced Acre Prescription Program will be available in select markets in the 2020 growing season, but a full commercial launch is expected for the 2021 season. Farmers who want to learn more about the program should visit winfieldunited.com. More program details will also be shared at local Answer Plot events in 2020.



Packed Agenda Will Keep Attendees Busy at National Ethanol Conference

With a theme of “Focus Forward,” the 25th annual National Ethanol Conference is quickly shaping up to be the can’t-miss industry event of the year, featuring world-renowned speakers, discussions on the latest hot topics, and numerous opportunities for networking. It all takes place February 10-12, in Houston, Texas, the “energy capital of the world.”

“We’re thrilled to have such a terrific program this year, with speakers and panelists representing a wide range of interests and viewpoints from around the world,”” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “There will not just be ‘something for everyone,’ but many things for everyone—so many ways to learn, connect, share and get more involved as we focus forward on the exciting future for high-octane, low-carbon renewable fuels.”

Among the sessions just announced are:
    The Path Forward for Decarbonizing Liquid Transportation Fuels: How the latest low-carbon technologies, strategies and policies are driving us toward a low carbon future.
    The Emergence of International Clean Fuel Standards: Innovation Drivers or Industry Protectionism? The latest insights on where global standards for clean fuel are headed.
    Ethanol's Competitiveness in the Octane Market: A look at how ethanol stacks up against other octane sources in the world fuel market.
    Discovering New Uses and Markets for Ethanol: There’s more than one way to use ethanol. Hear from speakers looking at ways to tap into new markets and jump ahead of the competition.
    RFS Battles: How Are Small Refinery Exemptions and Other EPA Actions Affecting the Marketplace?
    Ethanol's Benefits Go Beyond the Road. Learn about ethanol’s success in recreational uses like off-road vehicles and boats, providing power, reduced emissions and lower fuel costs.
    Stakeholders Roundtable Discussion. Hear how important stakeholder groups are planning for the future, what opportunities they see, and how can we work together to achieve our mutual goals.

Participants will also enjoy these key speakers:
    Robert McNally, president of Rapidan Energy Group, who served as the top international and domestic energy advisor for President George W. Bush—Global Energy Markets and Geopolitics: What Does the Future Hold?
    Bill Kristol, founder and director of Defending Democracy Together; political analyst and network television commentator—A Look Ahead at Policy, Politics, and the 2020 Election.

Click here for more information... http://www.nationalethanolconference.com/.  Discounted registration fees are available only through January 21.