Friday January 3 Ag News

Sorry, forgot to post on Friday.... Here's the end-of-the-week Ag News. 


NE FFA Alumni Convention Coming to West Point

The Nebraska FFA Alumni & Supporters will hold their annual Convention and Awards Banquet in Cuming County on January 24 & 25, 2020. The two day event will be co-hosted by West Point, Wisner Pilger, & North Bend Alumni & Supporters and FFA Chapters.

Friday’s itinerary includes tours of the Nielsen Center Science & Technology facility, Jones Manufacturing, Alber’s Feedlot and the Wisner Pilger Agricultural Education new addition. Supper, hosted by Wisner FFA Alumni & Supporters, will be held at Rainforth Animal Health. The evening will conclude with a tour of the West Point Community Theater and a viewing of the movie “Spies in Disguise”.

The annual meeting will be held at the Nielsen Community Center Citizens State Room beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. Following the annual meeting, tours will be held at West Point Implement and West Point Design. Lunch will be held at Native 32 Winery hosted by West Point FFA with a tour to be held following lunch. Afternoon tours will include Nebraska Vet Services Embryo Barn and Valmont Industries. An ice cream social will be held at Tomka Ag/Countryside Consignments hosted by the North Bend FFA Alumni & Supporters.

The convention will conclude with the annual awards banquet to be held at the Nielsen Community Center. The banquet will include a prime rib dinner, award presentations, keynote speaker, Aaron Davis, and a silent and live auction. Jake Hopwood of Valentine will be the auctioneer for the live auction.

Registration deadline is January 10th. You may register online at: https://tinyurl.com/neffaalumni2020 or by contacting Jill Goedeken, NE FFA Alumni & Supporters Secretary, at 402-276-1076.

The Nebraska FFA Alumni & Supporters 2020 Convention & Awards Banquet is funded in part by the Cuming County Visitor’s Bureau.



January 7th Public ARC/PLC Meeting in Stanton

An ARC/PLC informational meeting is scheduled for 6:30 pm on Tuesday, January 7th at the VFW in Stanton.   This meeting is designed to provide important information to producers as they begin to make farm-bill related program decisions.

This meeting will have specific examples using Stanton County data along with yield data for Colfax, Cuming, Madison, Pierce, Platte, and Wayne Counties.

This public meeting will also discuss the Farm Loan Program and Conservation Reserve Program general and continuous signup period provisions.



Stockmen’s Livestock, Inc. to host World Livestock Auctioneer Championship qualifier January 8

Stockmen’s Livestock Inc., 1200 E Hwy 50, Yankton, SD will host the final of three regional qualifying events for the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC). The midwestern regional qualifying event will be January 8. Opening ceremonies will commence at 9:00 a.m. CST with the awards ceremony to follow. A total of 36 contestants will compete for a top 10 placing, granting them a spot in the semi-finals for the 2020 WLAC at Dickson Regional Livestock Center, LLC, in Dickson, Tenn.

Each qualifying event is a live sale where each contestant auctions 8 drafts of livestock (traditionally cattle) to actual bidders. Contestants are judged on the clarity of their auction chant, professionalism and their ability to conduct the sale while catching bids.

Contestants competing are Frederick Bodnarus, Saskatoon, Sask.; Troy Bradshaw, Lipan, Texas; Jeff Bynum, Attalla, Ala.; Albert Carroll, Downeyville, Ont.; Leon Caselman, Long Lane, Mo.; Dakota Davis, Waukomis, Okla.; Dean Edge, Rimbey, Alta.; Brandon Frey, Ft. Collins, Colo.; Collin Gibbs, Miles City, Mont.; Patrick Greenleaf, Wilmore, Kan.; Brandon Hamel, Damar, Kan.; Cody Hanold, Brighton, Ill.; Seth Harvey, Jackson, Ga.; Brett Heath, Colome, S.D.; Jacob Hills, Ridgeway, Wis.; Jake Hopwood, Valentine, Neb.; Kent Korte, Metropolis, Ill.; Ed Leist, Petoskey, Mich.; Curt Littau, Carter, S.D.; Justin Mebane, Bakersfield, Calif.; Daniel Mitchell, Cumberland, Ohio; Kyle Mueller, Bloomington, Wis.; Clayton Neumann, Bigfoot, Texas; Mark Oberholtzer, Loyal, Wis.; Jake Parnell, Sacramento, Calif.; Chris Pinard, Swainsboro, Ga.; Jay Romine, Mt. Washington, Ky.; Jim Settle, Arroyo Grande, Calif.; Jeff Showalter, Broadway, Va.; Ryan Siecke, Creighton, Neb.; Robert Strickler, Banco, Va.; Marshal Tingle, Nicolasville, Ky.; Brad Veurink, Corsica, S.D.; Curtis Wetovick, Fullerton, Neb.; Mike Witten, Trenton, Mo.; and Zack Zumstein, Marsing, Idaho.

The public may attend the livestock auction and competition free of charge. It will also be streamed live on www.LMAAuctions.com and the LMA Youtube channel.

The remaining qualifying events are balanced regionally across the LMA Membership. The western regional was held at Crawford Livestock Market, LLC; October 11. The eastern regional was held at Farmers Livestock, Inc; November 18.



Nebraska Cattlemen Reflects on 2019

Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) once again reflects on membership and leadership happenings as another year passes.

Nebraska Cattlemen started the year off with excitement about the big move to the newly constructed office building as well as the formation of a professional business relationship with the Harry A. Koch Co. to create NCIG. This entity is a joint venture to offer insurance products of all types to NC members, with a percentage to be remitted to NCIG. The Board’s primary motivation for this joint venture was to address the critical challenge of escalating health care costs. With HAK & Co. seeking out NC to offer this opportunity, it allows a path to a significant member benefit the association has never had previously.

March brought devastation in the form of bomb cyclone Ulmer, impacting the entire state, it’s people, cattle and the beef community. The sever and negative impacts will continue to challenge Nebraska Cattlemen and its members moving forward. In order to help those cattlemen and women in need NC formed the Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund and generated $1.7 million in donations all of which went to the applicants of the fund.

Another event that caused significant financial and emotional hardship on cattle and beef producers was the fire at the Tyson plant in Holcomb, Kan., on Aug. 9. This event gave evidence of how any disruption can negatively affect the entire industry. NC, in conjunction with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, actively worked with a variety of entities, including Tyson Fresh Meats, for ongoing transparency to producers; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to emphasize oversight in all phases of government functions; Commodity Future Trading Commission, to actively monitor market manipulation; CME, to ascertain that market trading activity is not abused; the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, to allow federal hauling and facilitate the needed hours for transport; and the Food Safety and Inspection Service, to move federal meat inspectors to plants increasing harvest levels. The plant is just now coming back online to levels that existed prior to the fire.

The conclusion of the calendar year is complete with the passing of the baton from one NC leader to the next. Ken Herz is a respected, thoughtful leader who is ready to make a difference as NC’s president. His experience as NC’s Tax Committee chair has positioned him to be the right leader at the right time, with property tax and relief more possible than in recent years. Ken and the 2020 Board are poised to act on proposed property tax relief and reform and other issues for the membership’s benefit.



Nebraska Extension Offering Land Application Training in January and February
Leslie Johnson - Animal Manure Management Project Coordinator

The Animal Manure Management team is busy preparing for the annual Land Application Training days that are scheduled across the state January 27 through February 7, 2020. This year, interactive experiences using real-life scenarios will guide the selection of preferred manure application sites based upon agronomic and soil health benefits, cost of transportation, water quality protection, and minimizing neighbor odor exposure. Participants will combine their experience with a few management principles for finding preferred fields. I'm pretty excited to hear what folks think of the new activity.

Livestock producers with livestock waste control facility permits received or renewed since April 1998 must be certified, and farms must complete an approved training every five years. Participants who attend the day-long (9 am – 3:30 pm) event will receive NDEE Initial Land Application Training Certification. In many locations Recertification will be held during the last two and a half hours of the day-long land application training. Other locations are holding the Recertification training as a separate event. Farm personnel responsible for land application of manure are encouraged to attend for either training. Discounts for multiple employee attendance are available.

What will you learn?
Initial training will discuss basic manure topics like sampling, record keeping, and manure value for crop production. The recertification portion of the workshops will consist of a two-and-a-half-hour program including updates on regulations and a real-life scenario to determine the best location for land application based on manure’s fertilizer value, transportation costs, weather forecasts as they relate to odor risk, as well as water quality concerns and soil health benefits. Any farm staff responsible for implementing the farm’s nutrient plan are encouraged to attend.

What will it cost?
Pre-registration is required for all workshops. The initial training workshop cost is $75 per operation (includes one representative) plus $25 for each additional participant from the same operation.

For those who want to recertify, the cost is $50 per operation (includes one representative) plus $25 for each additional participant from the same operation.

Where and when can you attend?
Recertification Training
January 29 at 6:30 pm - Extension Office - West Point
January 31 at 1:00 pm - Plainview Public Library - Plainview
February 6 at 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm - Pinnacle Bank - Columbus 

Initial Training   
January 30 at 9:00 am - Extension Office - West Point
January 31 at 9:00 am -  Plainview Public Library - Plainview
February 7 at 9:00 am - Feb 7 - Extension Office - Columbus

Seating is limited at all locations, so please pre-register at least eight business days in advance of the workshop you’re planning to attend by using the online form or by using the form in the program brochure.

The workshops are sponsored by the Nebraska Extension Animal Manure Management Team, which is dedicated to helping livestock and crop producers better utilize manure resources for agronomic and environmental benefits.

For additional information on the workshops and other resources for managing manure nutrients, visit http://manure.unl.edu or contact Leslie Johnson at 402-584-3818 or ljohnson13@unl.edu.



Butler County Ag Expo 2020

Hosted by Nebraska Extension in Butler County and Butler County, NE Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM CST
Butler County Event Center 62 L St David City, NE

Schedule of Events:
9:30 AM - Nitrogen Certification/Water Conservation, Lower Platte North NRD
          Butler County Event Center meeting room      

9:30 AM - Exhibitor Booths Open to attendees
          Butler County Ag Expo - Multipurpose Room - Area FFA members begin State presentations in presentation area

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Free lunch served - Sponsors will be announced soon

11:30 AM - 1 PM Agricultural Presentation Allan Vyhnalek-UNL Extension Educator  Topic: “Ag Land Leasing for 2020”

1:00 PM - Private Pesticide Applicator - Certification: Butler County Event Center (Meeting Room)   

3:00 PM - Exhibit Booths Close



LENRD-Bazile GMA No-Till, Cover Crops, and Planned Grazing Systems WORKSHOP
Lifelong Learning Center – Norfolk, Nebraska
Wednesday, February 12, 2020 - 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Lance Gunderson MS:  President & Owner Regen Ag Lab - “What does the PLFA test tell us?” “Understanding the Haney Test:   A Glimpse Beyond the Numbers!”

Justin McMechan: Crop Protection and Cropping Systems Specialist, ENREC - “Integrating Cover Crops into IPM Plans”

Dale Strickler: Soil Health Rancher, Agronomist at Green Cover Seed - “Getting Out of the Spinning Hamster Cage”

Dale Strickler: “Tying it All Together—Soil Health, Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Improving Groundwater Quality”

Educator Panel: Q & A at the End of the Day: Lance, Justin and Dale will answer any questions this outstanding group of educators will have brought to your attention. 

Please RSVP by February 4, 2020 for meal count to your local NRCS or call LENRD, 402-371-7313.  Sponsored by: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Upper Elkhorn, Lewis and Clark, Lower Niobrara and Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources Districts



Nebraska Cover Crop & SOIL HEALTH Conference
2020 Theme: Inter-Seeding Cover Crops for Corn & Soybean Rotation

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020 - 8:30am to 3:45pm
University of Nebraska Eastern NE Research and Extension Center, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE

The 2020 Nebraska Cover Crop and Soil Health Conference features innovative speakers who have worked with cover crops extensively and will share what they have learned. This is your opportunity to get your questions answered.  The theme for this year is, "Inter-Seeding Cover Crops for Corn & Soybean Rotation"

How can you get started with cover crops in your corn/soybean rotation?
Already using cover crops - could you be doing it better?

There are many benefits to utilizing cover crops, such as improved soil heath and reduced erosion. It’s the details of how and what to do that can present challenges. The focus of the conference is to provide information to growers who are in a corn/soybean rotation and to assist them in understanding the value of cover crops.

CCA credits are applied for and pending approval.

Finding the Right Fit with Cover Crops - Abbey Wick, North Dakota State University
Cover crops can be a useful tool for managing several on-farm goals.  But figuring out the right fit for both goals and comfort level can be tricky. Talking through practical approaches farmers are using combined with science-based information helps minimize risk while achieving goals.

Farming With 2020 Vision in Mind - Loran Steinlage, Farmer/Practical Field Engineer DAWNequipment/UndergroundAg, FLOLO Farms, West Union, Iowa
Loran Steinlage Owner/Operator of FLOLOfarms with wife Brenda Specializes in adapting practices and equipment to our unique area on the edge of the Driftless area.  The Steinlages are evolving to Companion/Relay NoTill cropping system which is focused on cycling plants to keep a living plant in the soila at all times,to help aid in moisture management and weed suppression. Currently producing Corn, Soybeans, Cereal Rye, Winter Wheat, Malt Barley and Buckwheat. And recently took on a role with DAWN Equipment/Underground Ag as an Infield Practical Field Engineer.

Selling Seed in Nebraska - Steve Knox, Director, Nebraska Crop Improvement Association
What you will need and what you have to do to be able to sell seed in Nebraska.

Accelerating Soil Health Adoption by Quantifying Economic & Environmental Outcomes and Overcoming Barriers on Rented Lands - Brian Brandt, Director of Ag Conservation Innovations , American Farmland Trust, Columbus, Ohio

Review of Cover Crop Demonstrations in Central Platte NRD - Dean Krull, Farmer/ UNL Research Technologist
Environmental Impact; Planting dates and results; Seeding Strategies and moisture concerns.

Understanding Soil Health, Measuring Success and Reducing Risk - Aaron Hird, State Soil Health Specialist, Co-Presented with Noah Seim, Merrick County Farmer
The USDA/NRCS in Nebraska will present an update on the Nebraska NRCS Soil Health Initiative.  Understanding how soil health can improve “in your crop field” is an important step in understanding the various measurements of success and how healthy soil reduces risk.  NRCS Nebraska has partnered with the UNL Agronomy & Horticulture Department as well UNL Extension’s Nebraska On-Farm Research Network to work alongside interested farmers and ranchers across the state to monitor the aspects of improved soil health in a crop fields and rangeland and capture the results.  Presenting about his Soil Health Initiative Demonstration Field, Noah Seim, will offer his experience comparing in-season seeding of cover crops into corn with germination between V4 and V6 growth stages vs seeding after harvest vs no cover crops.  Seim has seen the benefits of soil health and is interested in the story the data from his crop field is telling.
   
Thoughts from a 1st Year Inter-Seeder and Why You Should Give it a Try! - Jay Goertzen, Henderson, NE Farmer and Jennifer Rees, Nebraska Extension Educator
    How I built an inter-seeder out of what I had laying around the farm.
    My observations on what grew and what didn't.
    What I'm going to modify to hopefully make it more successful.

Cover Crops by Helicopter: FAQ - Brent Wulf, Owner and Chief Pilot, Hexagon Helicopters Inc.
An introduction to the equipment, techniques and advantages  of interseeding with a helicopter. 

Cover Crop Panel    

Seating is limited!  Pre-register by 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 at: https://research.unl.edu/events/event.php?eventID=4417.  No fee to attend, but must pre-register.  Preregistration required to ensure resource materials are available and for meal planning purposes.  Questions - email cdunbar2@unl.edu or call 402-624-8030.



Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference is Feb. 20-21

The annual Nebraska Women in Agriculture Conference will celebrate 35 years Feb. 20 and 21 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Kearney.

Workshops and presentations will offer tools and information to help women better manage risk, improve their farms and ranches and become more successful operators and business partners.

“We are so excited, 35 years later, about the growth this conference has experienced,” said Jessica Groskopf, director of Nebraska Women in Agriculture. “We are grateful for the opportunity to continue supporting women with the tools, skills and relationships they can use to become even more effective in agriculture.”

Both single- and two-day registrations will open Jan. 6 on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website, www.wia.unl.edu. The costs are $75 for one day and $125 for both days through Feb. 9; after that, the two-day cost is $150. Scholarships are available for students, 4-H members and FFA members.

Designed to educate and uplift women who are involved in any aspect of Nebraska’s agricultural industry, the event will focus on the five areas of agricultural risk management: production, market, financial, human and legal.

The conference will feature more than 30 workshops and five speakers, including author Michele Payn, blogger Lauren Eberspacher and beef advocate Amanda Radke.



Optimizing Poultry Manure Value in Cropoping Systems Workshop
Wednesday, February 26, 1-4pm, Hruska Memorial Public Library, David City
Hosted by Nebraska Extension

Is poultry manure right for your cropping operation?  Learn more at the manure land application workshop presented by the UNL Manure Management team.  Topic on the agenda include:
  - Background on poultry facilities and raising poultry
  - Utilizing poultry manure for crop production
  - panel discussion with producers currently using manure in their cropping systems
  - odor risk and land application regulations.

Pre-registration is requested by Monday, Feb 24.  There is no registration fee, and meeting materials are available free of charge.  Reserve a spot by calling the Butler County Extension office at 402-367-7410, or email melissa.bartels@unl.edu. 



Nebraska Corn Growers Association Accepting Applications for FLAGship Program

The Nebraska Corn Growers Association is now accepting applications for the fifth class of the Future Leaders in Agriculture Scholarship (FLAGship) Program. The FLAGship Program is a scholarship program intended for future agricultural leaders in Nebraska. The Nebraska Corn Growers Association (NeCGA) will award up to 5 $2,000 scholarships to high school seniors or college freshman who are continuing their education in the state of Nebraska. Three of the scholarships are set aside strictly for those students pursuing a degree directly related to agriculture. Two of the scholarships are open to non-agricultural degree seeking students.

“Each time we look over applications for this program, the quality of applicants seems to get better and better,” said Andy Jobman, Vice President of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association and Chairman of the Grower Services Committee. “We know with the quality of applications we have been receiving, that the future of our industry is in great hands.”

To be eligible for this scholarship students must be a member of NeCGA or the son/daughter of an NeCGA member. The application for the FLAGship Program must include one letter of recommendation, a current resume (not to exceed one page), as well as proof that the student is continuing their education in state. Applicants are also asked to explain how they will advocate for agriculture in their future career as well as what issues they feel the ag industry is currently facing.

Applications must be postmarked by February 28, 2020. Packets can be mailed to 4435 O Street, Suite 210 Lincoln, NE 68510 ATTN: Director of Grower Services, or emailed to mwrich@necga.org. Recipients will be notified in March 2020 and scholarships will be distributed in December 2020. For more information about the scholarship and an application, please visit necga.org or call (402) 438-6459.



4th Annual Pink at the Pump® Campaign Raises over $20,000 for Breast Cancer Research and Patient Support

This October Iowa drivers raised over $20,000 for breast cancer research and support services simply by choosing cleaner-burning Unleaded 88 during the 4th annual Pink at the Pump® campaign, co-sponsored by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) and Iowa Corn Promotion Board (ICPM).

Seventy-four retail stations donated three cents of every gallon of Unleaded 88 sold from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31 to National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) and The Hormel Institute. Unleaded 88, also know as E15, is a fuel containing 15 percent ethanol and is approved for use in all 2001 and newer vehicles.

“We are thrilled that this year’s Pink at the Pump® campaign featured a record number of participating stations and raised a record-breaking amount of funds for such a worthwhile cause,” said IRFA Communications Director Cassidy Walter. “Pink at the Pump® is an exciting promotion because not only does it support such important research and services, but it shines a light on the fact that biofuel blends like Unleaded 88 are reducing the amount of toxic emissions coming out of our tailpipe and helping keep our air cleaner and healthier to breathe.”

NBCF provides help and inspires hope to those affected by breast cancer through early detection, education, and support services. The Hormel Institute is a global, cutting-edge research facility with a seven-decade history of making significant scientific discoveries on better ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer.

“We truly appreciate every consumer who chose homegrown Unleaded 88 at the pump during October,” said Roger Zylstra, ICPB President and farmer from Lynnville, Iowa. “Through Pink at the Pump®, Iowa motorists were able to support cleaner-burning fuels and help combat breast cancer. The monetary donations collected go towards funding breast cancer research and support. As we kick off the New Year, we encourage consumers to continue selecting Unleaded 88 because using more ethanol reduces your exposure to harmful, cancer-causing chemicals and toxins, and it is better for the environment!”



Youth Encouraged to Participate in Swine Judging Contest
The hundreds of youth that will participate in the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) Youth Swine Judging Contest in January will learn more information to grow their interest in pork production, and senior level teams will be eligible to win scholarships.

The contest, which is held in conjunction with the 2020 Iowa Pork Congress, will be Thursday, Jan. 23, at the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines.

This is a team contest, and teams should register on www.IowaPork.org under the Youth tab by Jan. 10. A team will consist of 4 students, with 3 of the scores counting towards the team total. Teams of 3 will be allowed if a team of 4 cannot be formed. If a team of 3 cannot be formed, individuals will be accepted.

Check-in for the contest will be at the fairgrounds on Jan. 23, from 8-9:30 a.m., with the contest starting at 10 a.m.

Teams will judge four classes of animals: keep/cull gilts; live carcass evaluation; market hogs; and commercial gilts. There will also be two short assessments, each containing approximately 12 questions. The first will focus mostly on general farm practices, and the second will focus on meat quality and characteristics as they relate to pork production.

For more information, contact IPPA at 800-372-7675 or email info@iowapork.org.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 12/27/2019

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending Dec. 27, ethanol production scaled back by 17,000 barrels per day (b/d), or 1.6%, to 1.066 million b/d—equivalent to 44.77 million gallons daily. The four-week average ethanol production rate ticked 0.1% higher to 1.071 million b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.42 billion gallons.

Ethanol stocks thinned to 21.0 million barrels. Inventories were 2.0% lower than last week and 9.2% lower than the year-ago level. Stocks declined in all regions except the Midwest (PADD 2). Gulf Coast (PADD 3) stocks are the lowest in ten months.

There were zero imports of ethanol recorded for the third consecutive week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of October 2019.)

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market during the holiday week decreased 3.7% to 8.961 million b/d (376.36 million gallons per day, or 137.37 bg annualized). Notably, the cumulative daily average of gasoline product supplied for the year was 0.3% higher than 2018. Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol narrowed for the week ending Dec. 27 by 5.8% to 884,000 b/d—equivalent to 13.55 bg annualized.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production increased to 11.90%.