Thursday February 27 Ag News

Central Valley Ag Announces Casey Potter as SVP of Grain

Central Valley Ag (CVA) is pleased to announce Casey Potter as Senior Vice President of Grain. He will be responsible for leading the grain division of CVA, focused on providing the best markets to local producers in the challenging grain marketing environment. Potter joined CVA in 2019 as the Merchandising Manager and was previously the Commercial Manager for the Columbus, Neb. ethanol plant for ADM.

“Casey has more than 19 year’s experience in the grain business focused around merchandising of grain and grain assets within the cooperative and public sectors,” said Carl Dickinson, CEO/President of Central Valley Ag. “I am very excited to have him join our leadership team. He has been a terrific asset to CVA over the past year and we look forward to having him take the lead of the grain department.”

Central Valley Ag’s grain division has access to every major market west of the Mississippi, allowing them to provide competitive bids to patrons. Potter will lead the CVA Grain Specialists who are the frontline grain buyers for the company. These individuals engage producers in everyday grain transactions, providing non-traditional contracting alternatives to find the best way for customers to sell their grain in addition to purchasing grain.

“I am excited to have the privilege to lead a talented group of people at CVA and be part of the cooperative system again,” said Potter. “I look forward to the responsibility of being a steward of CVA’s grain assets and the opportunity to continue to create value for our patrons.”

Potter holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and agribusiness from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Potter, his wife Jennifer, and their four children reside on their family’s farm outside of Valparaiso, Neb.



Nebraska Cattlemen and CIH are co-hosting an upcoming Beef Margin Management Seminar

Volatility in the cattle markets is becoming the norm. Are you equipped to take advantage of the swings in the fat cattle, feeder, and corn markets?

Join us to learn how to use all the tools available, along with the when and why. We’ll address everything from cash contracts, futures and options to protecting against a weakening cash basis.
-    Quantify price and basis exposures on cattle and feed
-    Balance the trade-off between risk and return potential
-    Adjust positions to leverage market moves and volatility

Dates and Times:
March 11th 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM and
March 12th 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location:
Nebraska Cattlemen Office
4611 Cattle Drive
Lincoln, Nebraska

Price: $300

Registration fee includes breakfast, lunch, an evening cocktail reception and all seminar materials.  Limited seating! Call 1.866.299.9333 to reserve a seat. 

If you have any questions about this program please contact Bonita Lederer blederer@necattlemen.org or voice/text @ 402-450-0223.



Ricketts Hosts Vietnamese Trade Delegation

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts welcomed a trade delegation from Vietnam to the State Capitol.  The delegation included top officials from Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as well as Vietnamese business leaders.  Gov. Ricketts and representatives from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture met with the trade delegation to discuss growing the friendship and trade relationship between the Cornhusker State and Vietnam.

During the delegation’s visit, Vietnamese companies signed several memorandums of understanding pledging to purchase Nebraska cattle, corn, distiller’s dried grain solubles, soybeans, and wheat.

The Vietnamese leaders’ visit to Nebraska comes less than six months after Governor Ricketts led a trade mission to Hanoi, Vietnam.  In 2018, Nebraska was Vietnam’s largest U.S. supplier of soybean meal and dry edible beans.  From 2017 to 2019, Nebraska’s beef exports to Vietnam grew 168 percent.  Total U.S. ag exports to Vietnam increased from $2.5 billion to $4.0 billion between 2017 and 2018.



Register for the 2020 World Pork Expo June 3-5 in Des Moines.

Registration is now open for the 2020 World Pork Expo presented by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC). Attendees, media and exhibitors can complete their registration by visiting the World Pork Expo website. This year’s trade show will be hosted from June 3 to 5 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

“We are thrilled to continue the tradition of the World Pork Expo this year,” said David Herring, NPPC president, and pork producer from Lillington, N.C. “There’s truly something for everyone at the Expo — from the trade show to networking. Anyone in the pork industry is encouraged to attend!”

With 360,000 square feet of exhibition space, more than 500 exhibitors are planned for the 2020 World Pork Expo.

Continually Maximizing Indoor and Outdoor Trade Show Space
Organizers plan to take advantage of all the space available in order to give attendees and exhibitors the best experience possible. Of the 500 plus companies attending the show, they will be displaying products and services from animal health, nutrition, build and equipment, financial marketing, genetics and more.

The Expo will be held in the Varied Industries Building and the Jacobson Exhibition Center, outdoors on Grand Avenue and the areas between the two main buildings. Attendees are encouraged to explore the fairground space to experience all the Expo’s offerings.

“We’re currently making adjustments around the show to maximize the flow of the entire trade show. This will help with show continuity for years to come,” said Doug Fricke, director of trade show marketing for NPCC.

Company-sponsored hospitality tents will continue to be around throughout the fairgrounds. Organizers are expecting 60 plus tents this year, giving industry representatives an opportunity to network with producers and employees in a more relaxed setting.

The trade show will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 3-4, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 5.
 
Start Planning Your Expo Experience
The Expo is packed with three days of learning and networking opportunities, events and activities. More than 15 educational and informational seminars are free to attend. These seminars address innovative production and management strategies, and current issues and topics related to the pork industry.

Other activities you won’t want to miss include:
    MusicFest — Join us on Thursday evening to relax and enjoy free live music and refreshments. Stay tuned to find out who this year will feature!
    Big Grill — Stop by and enjoy a free pork lunch during all three days of the Expo. More than 10,000 lunches are served! Lunches are available between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
    NPPC Hospitality Tent — Visit one-on-one with NPPC board members and staff to learn about current legislation, regulation, and public policy issues that impact pork production.

Additional Registration Information
Registration is now available online until May 28. Tickets include entry to the Expo for all three days. Discounted rates are available during pre-registration including $10 per adult (ages 12 and up) and $1 for children (6 to 11 years old). Registration on-site will be $20 per adult. There is an on-site Friday-only option for $10.

Save the date for June 3-5 to visit Des Moines. Three days of education, fun, networking and delicious pork await you.



ANNUAL NEBRASKA CHICKEN AND EGGS

Nebraska's layer numbers during 2019 averaged 8.87 million, up 13 percent from the year earlier, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The annual average production per layer on hand in 2019 was 300 eggs, down 2 percent from 2018.

Nebraska egg production during the year ending November 30, 2019 totaled 2.66 billion eggs, up 11 percent from 2018.

Total number of chickens on hand on December 1, 2019 (excluding commercial broilers) was 11.2 million birds, up 10 percent from last year.

The total value of all chickens in Nebraska on December 1, 2019 was $42.5 million, up 2 percent from December 1, 2018. The average value decreased from $4.10 per bird on December 1, 2018, to $3.80 per bird on December 1, 2019.



USDA Chickens and Eggs 2019 Summary

United States Average Layers Up 1 Percent: Layers during 2019 averaged 400 million, up 1 percent from the year earlier. The annual average production per layer on hand in 2019 was 283 eggs, up 1 percent from 2018.

United States Egg Production Up 3 Percent: Egg production during the year ending November 30, 2019 totaled 113 billion eggs, up 3 percent from 2018. Table egg production, at 99.1 billion eggs, was up 3 percent from the previous year. Hatching egg production, at 14.2 billion eggs, was up 2 percent from 2018.

United States December 1 Chicken Inventory: The total inventory of chickens on hand on December 1, 2019 (excluding commercial broilers) was 532 million birds, down slightly from last year.

United States Total Value: The total value of all chickens on December 1, 2019 was $2.36 billion, up 2 percent from December 1, 2018. The average value increased from $4.32 per bird on December 1, 2018, to $4.43 per bird on December 1, 2019.



Growth Energy Welcomes Focus on Biofuels at Environment and Climate Hearing

Growth Energy thanked Representative Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) for pressing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Wheeler on efforts to restore integrity to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Wheeler testified today about his agency’s 2020 priorities before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change, where he assured rural champions that, “President Trump is fully committed to the RFS program.”

“We’re grateful to rural champions like Representative Dave Loebsack, who continue to press the EPA to enforce the RFS as promised by the president and required by law,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We urge regulators to deliver certainty and stability for America’s farmers and biofuel producers by upholding the nation’s targets for low-carbon biofuels. That means quickly addressing the 23 exemption requests under review for 2019 and offering true transparency in accounting for each and every gallon. As recognized in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new innovation agenda, low-carbon biofuels are not only vital to the rural economy, they are a critical tool in our fight against climate change.”



USDA Is Pitting America's Family Ranchers Against Brazil's $1.2 Billion Subsidies to Its Cattle Industry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) recently reported that the government of Brazil subsidizes Brazilian cattle production to the tune of about $1.2 billion in U.S. dollars. The purpose of the government subsidy is to increase Brazilian cattle raising productivity, its herd quality, and its acquisition of high-quality seed stock.

Last week the USDA announced it is opening the United States market to imports of fresh Brazilian beef, which is produced under the Brazilian government's subsidies.

"That will pit America's family cattle farmers and ranchers against Brazil's $1.2 billion in subsidies to its cattle industry," R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard said adding, "That means our family farmers and ranchers will be competing against the Brazilian government's treasury."

According to the CME Group, a global securities and commodity exchange company, during the past two years, America's cattle farmers and ranchers have been receiving prices well below the previous five-year average. Bullard said the income paid to America's cow/calf producers was slashed nearly 20 percent last year compared to the average price they received during the five-year period from 2013 to 2017.

"It's hard to pay off loans when your income is slashed that drastically.

"This is causing a critically serious economic cost-price squeeze for America's cattle industry and unless prices improve quickly, the ongoing exodus of America's family cattle farmers and ranchers will be markedly accelerated," Bullard cautioned.

"The last thing America's family cattle farmers and ranchers need right now is a flood of subsidized beef from Brazil that will most certainly destroy economic opportunities for many of them," he said.

A Nov. 21, 2019, Reuters news article reported that November wholesale beef prices in Brazil were about $1.50 per pound in U.S. dollars. However, the USDA reports that U.S. wholesale beef prices in November were about $2.24 per pound.

Bullard says this means the Brazilian government's subsidies help exporters keep the price of Brazilian beef 33 percent below the cost of U.S. beef.

"This is not a level playing field and there is nothing about this that is fair to either U.S. cattle producers or consumers," he said.

When Congress repealed Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (M-COOL) for beef in 2015, it repealed the requirement that beef imports, such as those from Brazil, must retain their foreign label through retail sale, meaning all the way to the consumer.

Bullard says this means that consumers will be paying the higher U.S. price for beef, but the beef may very well be cheaper beef imported from Brazil.

"The Secretary of Agriculture's action of approving these subsidized Brazilian imports so they can undercut prices that America's cattle producers need to remain profitable and viable is unconscionable. At the very least Congress must intervene by restoring Mandatory COOL for beef so the U.S. industry can at least begin competing against this subsidized foreign beef," he concluded.



Wilbur-Ellis Company announces launch of new adjuvant EFFICAX®

Wilbur-Ellis Company, a recognized leader in precision agriculture, crop protection, seed and nutritional products, announced today the launch of EFFICAX, an adjuvant that helps growers optimize soil-applied residual herbicides.

EFFICAX is a soil retention adjuvant that helps growers' spray applications last longer by increasing the coverage, absorption and adhesion of the spray material deposits onto soil particles. This also improves the residual activity of most soil-applied herbicides, ensuring growers get the full benefit of products they've purchased for their fields.

EFFICAX can improve control of early-season weeds by getting more herbicide on target, holding it in place longer and ensuring herbicide investments are more efficient than ever. To add to these benefits, EFFICAX has excellent tank mix compatibility and can be used with most preferred herbicides.

"Efficax breaks new ground as a pre-emergent adjuvant that delivers optimum pesticide effectiveness," said Wilbur-Ellis' Senior Formulation Chemist Jim Glatzhofer. "It puts its tank mix partners at the right place at the right time - and helps the active ingredient work at its point of attack."

This press release is intended for informational use only and cannot be used as a replacement for the product label. Any products mentioned in this press release may only be sold in states where they are registered or where registration is not required. Please contact your local Wilbur-Ellis Representative for more information.

Wilbur-Ellis offers a complete line of agricultural inputs, including crop protection chemicals, organic and sustainable options, fertilizer, seed and technology. Family-owned since the beginning, nearly 100 years, the Company's local expertise, unparalleled knowledge and innovation-driven approach to the agriculture industry gives every Wilbur-Ellis grower the advantage they need for higher yields and a bigger return on investment.



Truterra, LLC and Syngenta collaborate to support growers with cutting-edge stewardship advancement capabilities

Truterra (formerly Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN) and Syngenta announced today that they are collaborating to offer a step-change in stewardship and conservation best practices for U.S. growers while helping them focus on maximizing acre-by-acre productivity and profitability.

This technology-based alliance will make use of data analytics from both the TruterraTM Insights Engine and the Syngenta AgriEdge® platform. The combined power of insights and expertise will help assess and improve soil health, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions, livestock lifecycle assessment and water management on American farms.

“We believe this long-term effort will enhance retailers’ experience when servicing growers that use the Truterra and AgriEdge systems,” said Jason Weller, vice president, Truterra, LLC. “In addition, Consumer Packaged Goods companies will have far greater visibility into their sourcing sustainability when working with both Syngenta and Truterra customers.”

“Teaming up our systems will reduce data entry for growers and retailers, and enable seamless data flow,” said Aaron Deardorff, Syngenta head of Digital Solutions in North America. “This capability will enable growers to establish a baseline stewardship level on each agricultural field and benchmark against other fields they farm, or those in their geography, with the appropriate level of grower data privacy.”

Through this collaboration, growers that elect to participate will receive insights on what practices would be beneficial in advancing their stewardship efforts and understand the implications on each field’s profitability potential. The greater geographic footprint of the Truterra and Syngenta alliance will help support sustainability goals of food companies with multi-geography sourcing.

Tommy Jackson, Syngenta Sustainable Solutions lead for Digital Solutions, added, “Ultimately, we are partnering to make stewardship more streamlined and consistent for U.S. growers to help them and food companies better quantify sustainability progress in the food and ag supply chain.”

“In time, we aim to be the leader in conservation and sustainability within the agricultural value chain and related non-governmental organizations,” said Weller.



HELM Agro US Hires Drew Stevenson as Regional Sales Manager

HELM Agro US, Inc., a global manufacturer of high-quality crop protection and fertilizer products, announces the hiring of Drew Stevenson as Regional Sales Manager for the Western Corn Belt.

In his new role, Stevenson will be responsible for territory development and HELM crop protection product sales across Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

“Drew has a proven track record in developing sales territories and creating customer relationships with staying power,” says Aaron Locker, Vice President of Sales with HELM Agro US. “As HELM works to aggressively expand its footprint across Midwest corn and soybean markets, Drew will be integral in reinforcing our distributor aligned and retailer focused strategies. His keen insights and agronomic knowledge will also help customers glean greater value from HELM products, especially as the Company brings new proprietary solutions to market over the next several years.”

Previously Stevenson worked for Valent USA as a Senior Sales Representative in the states of Kansas and Nebraska. Prior to that he served as a Precision Data Technology Specialist for Landmark Implement. Stevenson has also worked in agronomy sales for CHS, Inc. 

Stevenson holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. He currently resides in Selden, Kansas.



 Farm State of Mind Campaign to Expand Impact in Rural Mental Health

Bayer and the American Farm Bureau Federation announce the transition of Bayer’s Farm State of Mind campaign, an initiative to raise mental health awareness among the farming community, to Farm Bureau. The campaign aims to reduce stigma surrounding the topic of mental health in rural communities and to provide relevant information to farm families on this important topic. Farm Bureau plans to combine the Farm State of Mind assets with those of its ongoing Rural Resilience campaign, expanding the reach and effectiveness of its rural mental health initiatives.

Challenging weather, destructive pests, trade disputes, labor shortages and market volatility over the past few years have brought an unprecedented level of pressure on America’s farmers. A 2019 Farm Bureau survey shows that an overwhelming majority of farmers and farmworkers say financial issues, farm or business problems and fear of losing their farm negatively impact their mental health. In addition, 48% of rural adults said they are personally experiencing more mental health challenges than they were a year ago. Nearly one in three farmers doesn’t feel comfortable talking to friends or family members about solutions for a mental health condition.

“As a third-generation farmer, I’m familiar with the stress of farm life, and I’ve heard heartbreaking stories as I’ve traveled the country about warning signs missed and loved ones lost,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We’d like to thank Bayer for taking the initiative around this important topic and are excited to expand our impact by growing this campaign to connect even more farmers and ranchers with the resources they need.”

Complicating this issue is that many farmers are reluctant to talk about the effects of stress or seek help. The Farm State of Mind initiative provides farmers with resources, encourages conversations and reduces the stigma surrounding the issue of mental health. Transitioning this program to an organization as trusted as Farm Bureau will greatly expand its reach and effectiveness among farmers.

“Bayer recognized the need to help raise awareness on the important issue of mental health in farm communities – these are difficult conversations to have and our heart goes out to those individuals and families who have been impacted. That’s why we developed the Farm State of Mind campaign,” says Lisa Safarian, President of Bayer Crop Science for North America. “It was important for us to provide information and resources on the topic to those who needed it, but we quickly realized that this issue is much bigger than any one single company and no group is better positioned than Farm Bureau to take the lead on this campaign to help realize its full potential.”

The campaign is designed to encourage an open dialogue among farmers through social channels and offers a variety of tips, resources and referrals to address mental health needs. Farm State of Mind has already reached millions of farmers across the country and that number continues to grow.



New Pioneer Seeds App Functionality Improves Customer Collaboration

Farmers have always chosen Pioneer for agronomic expertise, local service and industry-leading products. The latest update to the Pioneer Seeds app takes those services to the next level.

As farmers are cleaning up their shops, Pioneer is cleaning up their smart phones by consolidating the suite of Pioneer digital tools into one app – the Pioneer Seeds app. The Pioneer Seeds app is designed to complement the in-season service and support Pioneer is known for, ensuring maximum performance through integrated knowledge and actionable insights.

Pioneer is building on the success of the revolutionary Yield Estimator tool that launched in August 2019. Now farmers can quickly snap a picture of the Pioneer® brand seeds bag tag to receive:
-    Complete product profile
-    Trait scores
-    Best management strategies
-    Recommended planter settings

“Agriculture is complicated enough already,” said Jeremy Groeteke, U.S. Pioneer Digital Ag Lead. “The new and improved Pioneer Seeds app is a refreshingly easy way to manage and track what matters most in your operation. These new tools provide on-the go access to product knowledge and operational field data, which help farmers maximize genetic potential.”

Growers also can optimize seeding rates on their phone or tablet. The Pioneer Seeds app leverages the extensive Pioneer agronomy research database to provide seeding rate recommendations for economic and agronomic conditions.

To get started, download the app and leverage the basic features. To experience the next level of management, meet with your local Pioneer sales representative, who can help develop your field-by-field plans so you can access information on the app for the 2020 planting season. Download the Pioneer Seeds app at the in the Apple App Store® or on Google Play®



Helena Previews New Herbicide Technology for Corn and Soybeans at 2020 Commodity Classic

Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC introduced new herbicides for corn and soybeans today at the 2020 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas. Empyros™ for corn and Antares® Complete for soybeans are innovative, pre-emergence herbicides designed to manage weed threats earlier when valuable resources are at stake. As weed resistance grows, Empyros and Antares Complete will empower crop protection programs with new active ingredients and unrivalled herbicide combinations.

“We’re in a battle with broadleaf and grassy weeds at the beginning of every growing season. If we don’t get out there and manage those weeds early, they can get the upper hand and challenge our corn and soybeans for the light, water, nutrients and ground they need to grow and thrive,” says Mark Wayland, Manager of Herbicide Brands at Helena. “Empyros and Antares Complete give us the versatility and strength we need to maintain an edge against early weed competition.”

Empyros is the first, broad-use corn herbicide from Helena, featuring a groundbreaking formulation of s-metolachlor and tolpyralate, the newest HPPD herbicide active ingredient in the United States. In flexible, pre- and early post-emergence applications, this patented pre-mix offers powerful knockdown and long residual control of broadleaf weeds and produces exceptional results against the toughest grasses in corn. Antares Complete is a multi-powered, pre-emergence herbicide for soybeans with an optimized combination of sulfentrazone, s-metolachlor and metribuzin. By uniting three, proven active ingredients in one, powerful premix, it eliminates early weed competition in all soybean cropping systems with long residual control of key broadleaf weeds and grasses.

“The introduction of Empyros and Antares Complete shows Helena’s commitment to standing with growers from planting to harvest,” says Phil Hollis, Executive Vice President at Helena. “These new herbicides help your crop emerge freely and establish, but our work doesn’t end there. We’re also focused on helping growers create well-rounded programs by talking about how soil health, foliar nutrition, adjuvant technology, and digital farming solutions can impact their success throughout the season.”

Helena is hosting daily learning sessions on these important agronomic topics every hour during the 2020 Commodity Classic, which concludes on Saturday, February 29. Empyros is anticipated for the 2021 growing season, and Antares Complete is anticipated for the 2020 growing season. Both are currently pending approval by the Environmental Protection Agency and state regulatory agencies. For more information, contact a Helena representative, or visit www.helenaagri.com.