Monday March 9 Ag News

SPECIALTY CROP GROWERS, PESTICIDE APPLICATORS CAN WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT SENSITIVE CROPS

Specialty crops, like fruits, vegetables, hops and honey, add value and diversity to Nebraska agriculture, the state’s number one industry. That’s why the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) encourages growers and outdoor pesticide applicators to work together to protect sensitive commercial specialty crops and pollinators from pesticides. Pesticides include all categories of pest control products such as herbicides, insecticides and fungicides.

“Specialty crops are one way for Nebraska farm and ranch families to diversify and grow their agriculture businesses,” said NDA Director Steve Wellman. “In order to protect and support specialty crop producers and agriculture in Nebraska, growers and pesticide applicators need to communicate with one another throughout the planting and growing season to raise awareness of specialty crops and beehives in the area.”

DriftWatch™ and BeeCheck™ are online mapping services from FieldWatch that allow those with commercial specialty crops, organic crops and beehives to report their field locations. Farmers and other pesticide applicators can review the map to see where specialty crops are located. Included in the registry are commercial apiary sites, vineyards, orchards, fruit and vegetable grow sites, nursery and Christmas tree production sites and certified organic and transitional organic crops.

These online mapping services help satisfy requirements concerning restricted use pesticide (RUP) dicamba products. Pesticide applicators planning to use RUP dicamba products are required to complete online training and locate specialty crops in the area before using RUP dicamba products. Online pesticide applicator training is available through Nebraska Extension.

In Nebraska, 927 growers have registered a total of 2,007 specialty crop and apiary sites on FieldWatch™. Those sites are currently found in 80 of Nebraska’s 93 counties, and contain over 105,000 acres of specialty crops.

Registration is voluntary, free, easy to use and secure. Pesticide applicators can view the map, sign up for free email alerts and get the free FieldCheck™ app, or receive direct data feeds or downloads. NDA monitors the FieldWatch™ registries for the state. Information about FieldCheck™, DriftWatch™ and BeeCheck™ can be found at bit.ly/NDAfwinfo, or by calling Craig Romary, NDA Program Specialist, at 402-471-2351.



Eight Nebraskans Attend NFU 118th Convention in Savannah, Georgia   

Eight Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) members attended the National Farmers Union (NFU) Convention March 1-3, 2020 in Savannah, Georgia. The five delegates representing Nebraska were:  Ben Gotschall, Raymond; Shannon Graves, Bradshaw; Bill Armbrust, Elkhorn; Paul Theobald, Osmond; NeFU Vice President Vern Jantzen, Plymouth; and NeFU President John Hansen, Lincoln. NeFU Membership Associate Matt Gregory and Farmers Union Insurance General Manager Jeffrey Downing also attended.

Delegates to the convention adopted the NFU Policy Book and six special orders of business. Before the policy review began, they elected Rob Larew to succeed Roger Johnson as the organization’s president and re-elected Patty Edelburg of Scandinavia, Wisconsin, to serve as NFU Vice President. Convention attendees heard remarks from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue who did not stay to answer questions. NFU President Roger Johnson delivered his final State of the Farmers Union address, offering an overview of his 11-year-long tenure and an optimistic outlook for the organization’s future. Additionally, the convention featured a panel on black land loss and voting rights and breakout sessions on precision agriculture, the history of grassroots organizing, regenerative farming, farm to table, and hemp production.

NeFU President John Hansen said, “We wish retiring NFU President Roger Johnson and his wife Anita the very best in their retirement. Roger left NFU in far better shape after his eleven years of outstanding leadership. We welcome incoming President Rob Larew and look forward to working with him for farm and ranch families in the years to come. The delegates very much enjoyed the Southern charm of Savannah and are looking forward to the convention in San Francisco next year. This year’s convention gave our delegates the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of issues, broaden their perspectives, and meet people from different locations who share their values and commitment to family farm agriculture.”

In addition to updating NFU’s policy, the 199 delegates from 33 states approved 6 Special Orders of Business:
– Family Farming and 2020: A Most Challenging Year
– Family Farming and the 2020 Election
– Family Farming and Cooperatives
– Family Farming and Climate Change
– Family Farming and Dairy Policy Reform
– Family Farming and Truth in Labeling and Promotion of Meat Products

Full text of the adopted policy manual will be available soon at www.nfu.org.

The 2021 National Farmers Union Convention will be held in San Francisco, California on February 28 – March 2.



HEALTHY SOILS TASK FORCE TO MEET

Keith Berns, chair, has scheduled a meeting of the Healthy Soils Task Force for Thursday, March 12, 2020. The meeting will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, 301 Centennial Mall South, 4th Floor, Lincoln, NE 68509.

Task Force members will be discussing next steps in developing a healthy soils initiative and action plan for the state of Nebraska.

For an agenda and more details, call the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at (402) 471-2341 or visit https://nda.nebraska.gov/healthysoils/index.html.



Nebraska Dairy Industry Convened in Columbus for Annual Convention and Dairy Farms Awarded

Hundreds of representatives from across the dairy industry convened at the Ramada by Wyndham Columbus Hotel and Conference Center in Columbus, Nebraska on February 25, 2020, to participate in the 2020 Nebraska Dairy Convention.

The convention opened with a trade show where attendees learned from industry experts on various topics including a session on updates to Farmers Assuring Responsible Management version (FARM) 4.0. Midwest Dairy’s CEO Molly Pelzer outlined checkoff’s key strategies to drive sales and trust, concluding with a panel outlining checkoff’s roll in navigating animal activism.

The afternoon included the Nebraska State Dairy Association (NSDA) annual meeting, a session on Optimizing Your Robotic Milking System sponsored by Automated Dairy Systems, and a Dairy Girl Network event focused on cyber security. Convention attendees enjoyed an ice cream bar, wine and cheese reception, and an evening banquet and awards ceremony recognizing producers and key industry people in Nebraska. To conclude the day, attendees heard from Trent Loose, a former radio host, actor and stockman whose life mission is to support, defend and educate consumers about modern day agriculture.

The following producers and key industry people were recognized as 2020 Award Winners.
Nebraska Dairy Princess was awarded to Anna Ready of Scribner and princess runner up was awarded to Taylor Larson of Creston
Philip H. Cole Dairy Industry Person of the Year was awarded to Senator Dave Murman of Glenvil, Nebraska
Holstein Association Service to Industry Award was awarded to Dennis Traeger

Somatic Cell Count Quality Awards
First Place -Broken Bow Dairy with an average Somatic Cell Count (SCC) of 114,000
Second Place- Hochstein Dairy with an average SCC of 124,000
Third Place -Double Dutch Dairy-East with an average SCC of 126,000

Herd Production Award -Holstein Division
First Place- Broken Bow Dairy
Second Place- Steffview Dairy
Third Place- Roger Sprakel

Herd Production Award- Cross Bred Division
First Place- Nuttleman Dairy
Second Place- Crook Dairy
Third Place-Classic Dairy Inc.   

For more information on how to be an exhibitor at next year’s convention, please contact Kris Bousquet at (531) 207-4291 or krisbousquet@nebraskamilk.org, or go to NebraskaMilk.org and complete a membership application.



Second NCTA dean candidate visit is March 16

The second of three candidates being considered for the position of dean at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis will present a public seminar on Monday.

The public is invited to attend the 3:45 p.m. seminar to be presented on March 16 by Dr. Clyde Cranwell of Hays, Kansas.

The seminar will be in the auditorium of the Nebraska Agriculture Industry Education Center, followed by a public reception at 5:30 p.m., said Tiffany Heng-Moss, who leads the 12-member NCTA Dean Search Committee.

Dr. Heng-Moss is the dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Cranwell is chair of the Department of Agriculture and University Farm Superintendent at Fort Hays State University.

From 1999 to 2006, Cranwell was chair of Agriculture Production Systems (APS) and coached the Aggie Livestock Judging Team at NCTA in Curtis.

He also has been a faculty member working with equine and thoroughbred racing programs at Morrisville State College in Morrisville, New York; and in animal science and livestock judging programs at Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Oklahoma.

Cranwell's family roots are in grain and livestock production in Northeastern Colorado and Southeastern Wyoming. His research interests are in beef cattle nutrition and management, as well as biomechanics of movement in horses and cattle.

More information and his curriculum vitae is available at https://ncta.unl.edu/meet-dean-candidates.

On Wednesday (March 11), students, faculty, staff, alumni and the campus community will meet Dr. Larry Gossen, the first candidate to present a campus seminar. Gossen is a State FFA advisor with the Nebraska Department of Education and is based in Lincoln.

NCTA is a part of the University of Nebraska system, and was established in 1967 as a post-secondary institution. It was established by the Nebraska Legislature in 1912 to serve as a residential high school.

Currently, the NCTA campus has 20 faculty, 40 staff, 240 college students at campus plus 92 online students with high school dual credit classes.

A 550-acre teaching farm with commercial crops and production livestock creates a hub for hands-on, experiential courses for NCTA students as well as many Nebraska partners in agricultural and veterinary health industries, Nebraska Extension, and 4-H and FFA programming.

A national search for the NCTA dean was launched in December, following the retirement of Dr. Ron Rosati in August. He left NCTA to become a senior advisor in developing a new agricultural college, Rwanda Conservation Agriculture in Kigali, Rwanda, which opened in September.

Dr. Kelly Bruns has been serving in the capacity of interim dean.  Bruns also is director of UNL’s West Central Research and Extension Center based in North Platte where he oversees a 24-county region in southwest Nebraska.

NCTA emphasizes workforce development in agriculture, agribusiness and veterinary technology.  Students can earn associate degrees, certificates and other credentials.

A third dean candidate, Dr. Darrel Sandall, will visit campus on March 19.



STUDY IDENTIFIES STRENGTHS, OBSTACLES FOR SUSTAINABLE AG RESEARCH

Welcome to Pocket Science: a glimpse at recent research from University of Nebraska–Lincoln scientists and engineers. For those who want to quickly learn the “What,” “So what” and “Now what” of Husker research.

WHAT?
Feeding the growing global population for years to come will require keeping farmlands healthy and resilient.

Scientists in the field of agricultural sustainability and agroecology are at the forefront of this challenge, developing new methods for preventing soil erosion, maintaining clean water and more.

SO WHAT?
Nebraska’s Andrea Basche and colleagues administered a 28-question survey to agricultural sustainability scientists across the country to gauge their opinions on the current strengths and weaknesses of the field.

Respondents expressed high levels of satisfaction in their relationships with community members and local producers. Interest from students and research communities were also cited as positive factors in their work.

Lack of research funding, entrenched financial interests and political partisanship were the top perceived obstacles listed by scientists. Those surveyed also expressed difficulties in communicating their findings beyond academia to the media and policymakers.

NOW WHAT?
With strong support for sustainable ag practices across demographics, Basche and her colleagues are optimistic about the future of the field. They also see opportunity for improvement in encouraging and preparing scientists to share their research results on a broader scale.

To read the study, visit https://go.unl.edu/vsxa.



Managing Residual Herbicides with Cover Crops
Bob Hartzler – ISU Professor of Agronomy and Meahgan  Anderson – ISU Field Agronomist

A common question when incorporating cover crops into a production system is, will the cover crop interfere with the performance of residual herbicides included with the burndown treatment? This article will discuss the fate of residual herbicides applied to crop residue and living cover crops, and how this may influence herbicide effectiveness.
    
Crop residue and residual herbicides
Considerable research has evaluated the fate of herbicide intercepted by crop residue present on the soil surface in conservation tillage systems. Agricultural Engineers at Iowa State (Baker and Shiers, 1989) determined 70-90% of preemergence herbicides was washed off corn residue with 2.7 inches of rain, with the majority coming off in the first 0.6 inch of rain. There were small differences in washoff of different herbicides. This research indicates that herbicide interception by dead plant material isn’t a major concern.
                                                                       
Cover crops and residual herbicides
While herbicide interception by dead plant material isn’t a major concern, interception by living plants could be a concern. Weed scientists at the University of Missouri (Whalen et al. 2020) studied how cover crop termination timing affected the quantity of sulfentrazone reaching the soil. Several cover crop species were established in the fall, and a combination of 2,4-D and glyphosate was applied either 21 or 7 days before soybean planting to terminate the cover crops. Authority Maxx (sulfentrazone plus chlorimuron) was included in the burndown mixture to provide residual weed control. The concentration of sulfentrazone in the upper five inches of the soil profile was measured immediately after application and throughout the growing season to determine the impact of interception by cover crops on the availability of residual herbicides.

Averaged over cover crop species, there was approximately a 50% increase in biomass between the early and late termination dates. This increase in biomass between termination dates reduced the amount of sulfentrazone directly reaching the soil by more than 50%. Sulfentrazone soil concentrations declined by about 5% in both termination dates during the first 28 days following application, suggesting sulfentrazone intercepted by the large cover crops (late termination date) was not released into the soil as the cover crop degraded. The reduced availability of sulfentrazone was reflected in waterhemp control, with a 20% reduction in control between the early and late termination dates.

Managing residual herbicides with cover crops
So how do we best integrate residual herbicides with cover crops? If cover crops are terminated early (less than 12-18 inches in height), residual herbicides should be included with the burndown application since there isn’t enough cover crop biomass to significantly suppress weeds. While a portion of the residual herbicide will be intercepted by cover crops with early termination dates, small cover crop plants break down quickly and it is likely some of the intercepted herbicide will reach the soil. 

As termination is delayed and more cover crop biomass accumulates, the answer isn’t quite as simple. In fields with dense, uniform cover crop biomass, omitting the residual herbicide from the termination application and including it with the postemergence application may be advantageous. In this scenario the cover crop biomass can provide effective early-season weed control, replacing the residual herbicide applied at planting. Unfortunately, many fields have uneven stands of cover crop where there are areas with insufficient cover crop biomass to control weeds. Due to the risks of escaped weeds and increased selection pressure for herbicide resistance associated with total postemergence programs, including a residual product in fields lacking uniform stands of cover crops will be necessary.



Rapid Start to 2020 for U.S. Pork Exports; Beef Exports also Trend Higher

Following a record-breaking performance in 2019, U.S. pork exports maintained a torrid pace in January, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). January beef exports were also higher year-over-year, while exports of U.S. lamb trended lower.

January pork exports cooled slightly from the volume and value records established in December 2019, but still far exceeded year-ago levels. Both the January export volume of 273,603 metric tons (mt), up 36% year-over-year, and export value ($738.7 million, up 50%) were the second highest on record. Export value per head slaughtered was $62.53, up 40% from a year ago. Exports accounted for 29.8% of total pork production and 27.4% for muscle cuts only, up substantially from last January's percentages (23.6% and 20.3%, respectively).

Beef exports posted more modest growth in January, increasing 2.5% from a year ago in volume (107,374 mt) and 5% in value ($672.7 million). But beef muscle cut exports were the highest ever for the month of January at 81,342 mt, up 4% from a year ago, while muscle cut value increased 5% to $589.2 million. Export value per head of fed slaughter was $302.93, up 3% from a year ago. Exports accounted for 13.1% of total beef production, down slightly from a year ago, and 10.6% for muscle cuts only (steady with January 2019).

Release of the January export data comes as coronavirus is dominating news headlines, including those related to global trade. USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said the virus has had an impact on red meat exports, which will likely be more evident in February and March data, but a number of supply and demand fundamentals and market access improvements have underpinned continued strong export volumes.

"The first quarantine actions in China were taken in late January and the calendar had turned to February before coronavirus became a major health concern in countries such as South Korea and Japan," Halstrom said. "But despite logistical challenges, a severe decline in tourism and a notable impact on sit-down dining, overall demand for red meat in these markets is quite resilient. Retail meat sales have remained strong and both retailers and restaurateurs are utilizing e-commerce and delivery services at unprecedented levels. While it's definitely a challenging situation, the Asian food industry is adapting to these conditions and finding creative ways to accommodate consumers."

Pork exports to China/Hong Kong soar, but it's not the only star performer
Pork exports to China/Hong Kong continued on a blistering pace in January, easing somewhat from the record volume reached in December but still increasing 263% from a year ago to 97,002 mt and climbing 361% in value to $245.3 million. The year-over-year increase was even more astonishing for pork muscle cuts, which were up 814% to 76,281 mt, valued at $194.7 million (up 1,297%). January exports included a significant share of carcasses (boxed primals), which totaled 35,358 mt, up from zero last year. Exports of bone-in hams and shoulders were 7,750 mt, up 569%.

Exports to Mexico, which were hampered by retaliatory duties in the first five months of 2019, increased 6% from a year ago in volume (70,460 mt) and jumped an impressive 40% in value to $134.7 million. Chilled bone-in ham and shoulder cuts remained the largest category for Mexico, totaling 42,542 mt, up 11% from last year and accounting for 75% of the chilled/frozen cut volume. Unit export values for pork cuts exported to Mexico were up 36% from last January.

"The January data really underscore the difficult situation U.S. pork was facing in Mexico a year ago," Halstrom said. "Exporters kept much of the volume moving, but the U.S. industry absorbed most of the 20% duty in the form of lower prices. With duty-free access restored and the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement moving toward implementation, we look forward to a continued rebound in Mexico's demand for U.S. pork."

January shipments to Japan, the perennial value leader for U.S. pork exports, were down 4% from a year ago in volume (31,578 mt) and 2% lower in value ($132.6 million). But Japanese import data paint a brighter picture, showing imports of chilled U.S. pork were up 13% to 17,890 mt. Imports of ground seasoned pork were record-large at 12,944 mt, up 95%, illustrating the importance of a restored level tariff playing field. USMEF projects an upward trend in Japan in 2020, due in part to tariff relief provided in the new U.S.-Japan trade agreement. The next round of tariff reductions will come April 1, when the Japanese fiscal year begins.

Other January highlights for U.S. pork exports include:
-    Exports to Oceania, which were record-large in 2019, continued to climb, reaching 11,961 mt (up 29% year-over-year) valued at $38.5 million (up 55%). Exports to Australia set a new record in January, reaching 10,723 mt (up 29%) valued at $34.1 million (up 53%). Australia and New Zealand are key markets for hams and other muscle cuts used for further processing and value-added U.S. processed products are also rapidly gaining popularity.
-    Pork exports to Canada were 18,767 mt in January, up 16% from year ago, while value increased 14% to $66.2 million. Canada's pork exports to China resumed in November after a five-month suspension, so tighter domestic supplies should translate to expanded opportunities for U.S. pork again in 2020.
-    Exports to Vietnam, where domestic production has been heavily impacted by African swine fever, increased 137% from a year ago to 1,105 mt, valued at $2.1 million (up 23%). Vietnam's demand for U.S. pork variety meat increased significantly in the second half of 2019 and that trend continued, with variety meat exports accounting for 44% (490 mt) of the January volume.

Taiwan, Mexico lead January beef export growth
The value of U.S. beef exports to Taiwan was record-high for the seventh consecutive year in 2019, and exports are off to a great start in 2020. January exports to Taiwan increased 24% from a year ago to 5,226 mt, valued at $43.5 million (up 18%). The United States dominates Taiwan's chilled beef export market, capturing 75% market share last year and 83% in January 2020.

"The Taiwanese market is a remarkable success story for U.S. beef, especially for a country with fewer than 25 million residents," Halstrom said. "U.S. beef has an ever-widening footprint in Taiwan that goes way beyond high-end dining and retail. By introducing a wider range of cuts, the U.S. industry and its importers and customers are finding new ways - including exciting new retail packaging and merchandising techniques - to capitalize on growing demand in Taiwan and make U.S. beef available to more and more consumers."

January beef shipments to Mexico were up 4% from a year ago to 21,992 mt, while value jumped 15% to $117.2 million. Mexico is the largest destination for beef variety meat exports, which increased 9% to 9,438 mt, valued at $26.7 million (up 14%).

Coming off a record year in 2019, exports to South Korea remained strong in January, though volume was down slightly from a year ago (17,794 mt, down 1%) and value dipped 3% to $130.6 million. However, U.S. beef continues to capture greater market share in Korea and the outlook remains positive for export growth in 2020, despite Korea's current economic challenges.

Beef exports to leading market Japan, which are also benefiting from lower tariff rates this year, declined 3% from a year ago in January to 25,205 mt, valued at $158.1 million (down 5%). On a more positive note, import data show chilled beef volume to Japan increased 14% to 10,686 mt. The tariff rate for U.S. beef muscle cuts dropped from 38.5% to 26.6% on Jan. 1 and will decline to 25.8% on April 1, the same rates imposed on major competitors in Japan.

Other January highlights for U.S. beef exports include:
-    Exports to the Middle East jumped 16% to 6,464 mt, valued at $17 million (up 12%). Variety meat exports to Egypt (primarily livers) make up most of the U.S. export volume to the region, but January results were also bolstered by larger muscle cut exports to Israel and Saudi Arabia.
-    Led by steady growth in the Dominican Republic and a large increase in the Bahamas, exports to the Caribbean were up 3% from a year ago to 2,212 mt, while value increased 15% to $16.3 million.
-    Beef exports to China continue to develop, with January volume reaching 876 mt (up 7% year-over-year) valued at $6.5 million (up 4%). However, the market access gains included in the U.S.-China Phase One agreement have not yet been implemented. This agreement will significantly expand the percentage of U.S. beef eligible for export to China and holds outstanding potential for the U.S. industry.

January lamb exports trend lower, but muscle cut value rises
January exports of U.S. lamb were down 31% from a year ago to 959 mt, but value declined only slightly ($2.1 million, down 1%) as lamb muscle cuts commanded better prices. January muscle cut exports were down 12% from a year ago to 215 mt, yet value increased 10% to $1.3 million. Muscle cut value growth was mainly driven by Mexico, but also increased to Bermuda, Jamaica and Egypt.



January U.S. Ethanol Net Exports and DDGS Shipments Surge
Ann Lewis, Senior Analyst, Renewable Fuels Assoc.
   
U.S. ethanol exports accelerated to a fifteen-month high in January, increasing 3% to 151.2 million gallons (mg), according to data issued today by the government and analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Brazil purchased nearly twice as much U.S. ethanol as in December, solidly outpacing shipments to Canada.

Two-thirds of all U.S. ethanol exports in January landed in Brazil (58.2 mg, +89%), Canada (24.8 mg, -22%), and India (13.3 mg, -52%). U.S. shippers also sent sizable volumes to the Netherlands (12.9 mg, +19%) and South Korea (12.6 mg, -19%). January’s export pace is equivalent to an annualized export volume of 1.8 billion gallons.

Shipments of U.S. undenatured fuel ethanol leapt to the highest volume since April 2018, up 40% to 95.7 mg. The majority was imported by Brazil (58.2 mg, or 61% of the January undenatured export market) with most of the remaining volumes secured by the Netherlands (12.9 mg), India (11.7 mg), and the Philippines (6.3 mg).

Sales of U.S. denatured fuel ethanol eased to a three-month low of 48.1 mg, 37% below December volumes. Canada reduced its purchases by 23% to 23.6 mg, yet it still captured half of denatured exports. South Korea (10.4 mg), Peru (7.3 mg), and Colombia (2.5 mg) were other large markets.

Exports of U.S. ethanol for non-fuel, non-beverage purposes bounced back, nearly quadrupling to 7.5 mg. Most product shipped to Nigeria (4.0 mg undenatured) and Colombia (1.4 mg undenatured).

There were essentially no U.S. imports on record in January following a seven-month stretch of shipments.

U.S. exports of dried distillers grains (DDGS)—the animal feed co-product generated by dry mill ethanol plants—increased by 27% in January to 976,688 metric tons (mt). Sales to Mexico rallied after a December dip, rising 19% to 169,854 mt and capturing 17% of the global market. Shippers exported 129,058 mt to South Korea (+3%), 115,632 mt to Indonesia (+21% to a record high), and 86,334 mt to Turkey (up from zero in December). The remaining half of DDGS exports were dispersed among another thirty-two countries, to include Thailand (72,725 mt), Vietnam (55,393 mt), and Japan (52,912). January DDGS sales imply an annualized export volume of 11.7 million mt.



USDA Seeks Nominees for United Sorghum Checkoff Program Board

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominees for the United Sorghum Checkoff Program board to fill five vacant producer positions, including one to represent Kansas, one to represent Texas and three at-large positions. The deadline for nominations is May 11, 2020.

Any U.S. sorghum producer who owns or shares in the ownership and risk of loss of sorghum can be considered for nomination. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will select individuals from the nominations submitted by Certified Producer Organizations. A list of Certified Producer Organizations and the nomination form are available on the AMS United Sorghum Checkoff Program webpage.

The 13-member United Sorghum Checkoff Program Board was established to maintain and expand the market for sorghum. For more information about the board, visit, www.sorghumcheckoff.com, or contact Barbara Josselyn at (202) 690-2611, barbara.Josselyn@usda.gov, fax (202) 720-1125 or mail Research and Promotion Division, Livestock and Poultry Program; AMS, USDA, Room 2610-S, STOP 0251; 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0251.



USDA and HHS Announce Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Meeting Will be Held Online

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced today that the fifth meeting of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, originally scheduled to be held in Washington, DC, later this week, will move to an online-only format out of an abundance of caution in response to travel restrictions imposed by some of the members' employers. There will be no changes to the timing or content of the meeting, and the public will still be able to view the discussions online.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, March 12, 2020 and Friday, March 13, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., EDT. For more information on the meeting, and to access the links to view online, please visit www.DietaryGuidelines.gov. As previously announced, the meeting will include presentations by each subcommittee, deliberation by the full committee, and discussion of the committee’s plans to finalize its work. This will be the final meeting before the committee publicly shares their draft report, scheduled for May 11, also online.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans serves as the cornerstone of federal nutrition programs and policies, providing food-based recommendations that help prevent diet-related chronic diseases and promote overall health. According to the National Nutrition Monitoring and Related Research Act of 1990, the guidelines are mandated to reflect the preponderance of scientific evidence and are published jointly by USDA and HHS every five years.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers 15 nutrition assistance programs that leverage American’s agricultural abundance to ensure children and low-income individuals and families have nutritious food to eat. FNS co-develops the Dietary Guidelines for Americans with the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.