Thursday March 26 Hogs & Pigs Report + Ag News

NEBRASKA HOG INVENTORY UP 6 PERCENT

Nebraska inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1,2020, was 3.80 million head, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. This was up 6 percent from March 1, 2019, but down 1 percent from December 1, 2019.

Breeding hog inventory, at 440,000 head, was down 2 percent from March 1, 2019, but unchanged from last quarter. Market hog inventory, at 3.36 million head, was up 7 percent from last year, but down 1 percent from last quarter.

The December 2019 - February 2020 Nebraska pig crop, at 2.20 million head, was up 3 percent from 2019. Sows farrowed during the period totaled 190,000 head, up 3 percent from last year. The average pigs saved per litter was 11.60 for the December - February period, compared to 11.55 last year.

Nebraska hog producers intend to farrow 190,000 sows during the March - May 2020 quarter, down 5 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period a year ago. Intended farrowings for June - August 2020 are 190,000 sows, down 2 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period a year ago.



IOWA HOGS & PIGS REPORT

On March 1, 2020, there were 24.6 million hogs and pigs on Iowa farms, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Hogs and Pigs report. The March 1 inventory is up 4 percent from the previous year.

The December-February 2020 quarterly pig crop was 5.85 million head, down 5 percent from the previous quarter and 1 percent below last year. A total of 520,000 sows farrowed during this quarter. The average pigs saved per litter was 11.25, down 0.10 from the previous quarter.

As of March 1, producers planned to farrow 510,000 sows and gilts in the March-May 2020 quarter and 510,000 head during the June- August 2020 quarter.



United States Hog Inventory Up 4 Percent

United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2020 was 77.6 million head. This was up 4 percent from March 1, 2019, but down 1 percent from December 1, 2019.  

Breeding inventory, at 6.38 million head, was up slightly from last year, but down 1 percent from the previous quarter.  Market hog inventory, at 71.3 million head, was up 4 percent from last year, but down 1 percent from last quarter.

The December 2019-February 2020 pig crop, at 34.7 million head, was up 5 percent from last year. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 3.16 million head, up 2 percent from previous year. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 49 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was a record high of 11.00 for the December 2019-February 2020 period, compared to 10.70 last year.

United States hog producers intend to have 3.12 million sows farrow during the March-May 2020 quarter, down slightly from the actual farrowings during the same period one year earlier, but up 2 percent from the same period two years earlier. Intended farrowings for June-August 2020, at 3.13 million sows, are down 4 percent from the same period one year earlier, and down 1 percent from the same period two years earlier.

The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 49 percent of the total United States hog inventory, up 2 percent from the previous year.



NDA Announces Winners of Ag Poster Contest

National Ag Week is March 22-28, and the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is adding to the week-long celebration by announcing the winners of its 17th annual poster contest. More than 1,750 students in grades 1-6 from all across Nebraska entered NDA's annual poster contest by highlighting agriculture, the state's number one industry.

"These posters truly express how Nebraska agriculture brings us together," said NDA Director Steve Wellman. "The students who entered this year's contest lifted our spirits with their colorful posters about agriculture and the many contributions the ag industry makes to our state. We appreciate their efforts and the extra time teachers and parents spent to help make our contest a success."

The posters, depicting this year's theme of "Nebraska Agriculture Brings People Together," were judged in three categories: first and second grade; third and fourth grade; and fifth and sixth grade. Here are the winners, grade levels and schools they represent.

In the first and second grade division:
1st place: Hayden Saxton, 2nd grade, Weeping Water Elementary School
2nd place: Santiago Castillo, 2nd grade, Chase County Schools in Imperial
3rd place: Riley Reiman, 2nd grade, Weeping Water Elementary School
Governor's Choice: Ashlynn Pursley, 2nd grade, Chase County Schools in Imperial

In the third and fourth grade division:
1st place: Paisley Peterson, 3rd grade, Oakland-Craig Elementary School in Oakland
2nd place: .Mackenna Wollenburg, 4th grade, St. John Lutheran School in Seward
3rd place: Jett Henderson, 4th grade, Weeping Water Elementary School
Governor's Choice: Cooper Bartling, 4th grade, Ackerman Elementary School in Omaha

In the fifth and sixth grade division:
1st place: Sophia Spieker, 6th grade, St. Mary's Catholic School in Wayne
2nd place: Brandon Rosas, 5th grade, Knickrehm Elementary School in Grand Island
3rd place: Destiny Maya, 5th grade, Pershing Elementary School in Lexington
Governor's Choice: Regina Corado Cruz, 5th grade, Knickrehm Elementary School in Grand Island

NDA announces the winners of its annual poster contest during National Ag Week to highlight the diversity of agriculture and celebrate the food, feed and fuel that farmers and ranchers provide every day. The winning posters and the names of the schools submitting entries are on NDA's website at nda.nebraska.gov/kids .



CASNR virtual tours kick off March 25
While in-person tours at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have been canceled in response to the spread of COVID-19, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources will host virtual tours for prospective students and families.

Since March 25, CASNR has hosted online informational sessions to prospective students and their families daily at 11 a.m. CDT. Students first log in to hear from their chosen college (CASNR) and then transition to virtual breakout rooms for individual academic appointments with majors and advisors.

The virtual sessions also include a video tour of East Campus, hosted by CASNR Ambassador Sydney Brewer for students and families from all over the world.

“CASNR is here for you, and we are embracing changes with innovation and resilience,” said CASNR Recruitment Associate Taylor Hart.

CASNR offers a plethora of degree programs that prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Prospective students are invited take an online quiz to see which of the 31-degree programs within CASNR best fits their passions and interests.

For current CASNR students, a new weekly video series, What’s Up Wednesday, helps keep them up to date on daily happenings around campus. The video series also allows the CASNR community to engage with their favorite staff, faculty and students. What’s Up Wednesday videos are available on the CASNR Facebook page.

CASNR Dean Tiffany Heng Moss kicked off the first video in the series. Future videos will feature various members of the college community sharing information on student resources, opportunities, and updates on how CASNR faculty and students alike are transitioning to online learning.

Prospective CASNR students can register for virtual tours online at https://admissions.unl.edu/. Current CASNR students, faculty and staff can view What’s Up Wednesday videos on the CASNR Facebook page. For more information about CASNR, call 402-472-2201 or mkester2@unl.edu.



Valero Halts Some Ethanol Production

At least two of Valero's 14 ethanol plants may be temporarily halting production, citing excess ethanol in storage as gasoline demand is falling amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

In letters sent to traders this week, the company said it was unable to fulfill contracts with traders who sell dried distillers grains for its plants in Albion, Nebraska, and Albert City, Iowa. In addition, Valero has notified corn purchasers for its Lakota, Iowa, ethanol plant that it is not buying corn.

Valero cited the pandemic as a force majeure event in making the decisions.

Force majeure is a clause included in contracts to remove liability for natural and unavoidable catastrophes that interrupt the expected course of events. In this case, Valero isn't required to fulfill its contract obligations.

Valero is one of the largest ethanol producers in the United States with an annual capacity of about 1.73 billion gallons.



USDA Announces More Than 3.4 Million Acres Selected for General Signup Conservation Reserve Program

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the acceptance of more than 3.4 million acres in the general Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signup recently completed, the first general signup enrollments since 2016. Through CRP, farmers and ranchers receive an annual rental payment for establishing long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland. Farmers and ranchers who participate in CRP help provide numerous benefits to the nation’s environment and economy.

“The Conservation Reserve Program is one of our nation’s largest conservation endeavors and is critical in helping producers better manage their operations while conserving valuable natural resources,” Perdue said. “The program marked its 35th anniversary this year, and we were quite pleased to see one of our largest signups in many years.”

Over these 35 years, CRP has addressed multiple concerns while ensuring the most competitive offers are selected by protecting fragile and environmentally sensitive lands, improving water quality, enhancing wildlife populations, providing pollinator forage habitat, sequestering carbon in soil and enhancing soil productivity. Seventy percent of the nation’s land is owned and tended privately, and America’s farmers, ranchers and landowners have willingly stepped up to protect the environment and natural resources.

This general signup included offers for State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE), which allows producers to install practices that benefit high-priority, locally developed wildlife conservation objectives using targeted restoration of vital habitat. Over 95 percent of SAFE offers submitted were accepted under this general signup representing more than 487,500 acres. This acceptance level highlights the commitment to SAFE as an important part of CRP.

The 2018 Farm Bill established a nationwide acreage limit for CRP, with the total number of acres that may be enrolled capped at 24.5 million acres in 2020 and growing to 27 million by 2023.

While the deadline for general CRP signup was February 28, 2020, signups for continuous CRP, Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, CRP Grasslands and the Soil Health and Income Protection Program (SHIPP) are ongoing. The CRP Grasslands deadline is May 15, and the SHIPP signup begins March 30, 2020, and ends August 21, 2020.



FFA Members Work Together to Spread Messages of Positivity

FFA members across the country have a heart for service — and now more than ever, it shows.

FFA members have given back to their communities through a variety of service projects – whether it’s helping with community gardens, volunteering at senior living facilities or helping to clean up green spaces. In a recent survey, FFA state officers indicated that, on average, they participate in one to two community service events a month.

Today, as a new reality sets in with COVID-19 and e-learning becomes the new norm, FFA members are finding ways to encourage others online by sharing messages of positivity. Mamie Hertel, National FFA central region vice president, reached out to several members from across the country to compile words of support from others in a new video.

In addition to the video, the 2019-20 National FFA Officer Team is posting inspiring messages each day on Facebook Live, except for Sunday, staying in touch with tomorrow’s leaders. FFA members, in turn, are joining in the conversation as well. For example, Emily Nave from Tennessee shares that she’s keeping upbeat by doing things she enjoys, such as painting. FFA alumni Adrian Schunk from Michigan shared that she does three things to stay positive – encourage others to learn something new, stay connected to one another and keep active!

“Our positive thoughts and words can make a world of difference to someone who is in need of encouragement,” Hertel said. “We all are capable of being more positive, so why not start today?”



USDA to Initiate Rulemaking on “Product of U.S.A.” Meat Labels in Response to OCM and AGA Petition

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) responded to a petition filed by the Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM) and American Grassfed Association (AGA) regarding truth in labeling of imported meat.

The OCM and AGA petition, filed in June 2018, called for FSIS to ensure only domestic meat products can be labeled “Product of U.S.A.” The current policy allows imported meat to bear the “Product of U.S.A.” label if it simply passes through a USDA-inspected plant, allowing foreign profiteers to mislabel meat products and plunder the profits of U.S. farmers and ranchers at the expense of U.S. consumers.

In today’s response, FSIS indicated it has decided to initiate rulemaking to define the conditions under which the labeling of meat products would be permitted to bear voluntary statements that indicate that the product is of U.S. origin, such as "Product of USA" or "Made in the USA.”

AGA Executive Director Carrie Balkcom said, “The members and supporters of American Grassfed will aggressively participate in the comment period when this rulemaking process opens. We ask that the comment period be sooner rather than later to allow American farmers to continue to Make America Great, per the mantra of our executive branch and its appointees. For the USDA to continue to allow foreign products to be labeled ‘Product of U.S.A.’ continues to penalize American family farms and farmers." 

OCM Executive Director Angela Huffman said, “Far too often, global monopolies control our regulatory system and almost guarantee the biggest cheaters win. We are encouraged that FSIS agrees with our concerns that the current ‘Product of U.S.A.’ labeling system causes confusion for consumers and takes money out of the pockets of the farmer. We want to thank FSIS for opening up the rulemaking process to right this wrong. Farmers, ranchers and consumers deserve fair and transparent markets.”

In today's response to OCM and AGA, FSIS said:
After careful consideration of your petition and the 2,593 public comments submitted to regulations.gov in response to your petition, FSIS has concluded that its current labeling policy, which permits meat and poultry products that were derived from animals that may have been born, raised and slaughtered in another country but processed in the United States to be labeled as “Product of USA,” may be causing confusion in the marketplace, particularly with respect to certain imported meat products.”

Following the repeal of mandatory Country of Origin Labeling in 2015, global meatpacking corporations began abusing the voluntary “Product of U.S.A.” label by misbranding meat and meat products from foreign countries as “Product of U.S.A.” after moving them through USDA-inspected processing plants. OCM and AGA continue to call on Congress and the Administration to reinstate mandatory Country of Origin Labeling.



Secretary Perdue Applauds State Department’s H-2 Decision

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement in response to the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to authorize temporary waivers for in-person interviews for eligible H-2 visa applicants.

“Temporarily waiving in-person interviews for H-2 visa applicants streamlines the application process and helps provide steady labor for the agriculture sector during this time of uncertainty,” said Secretary Perdue. “H-2 labor is vital to the economy and food security of America – our farmers and producers depend on these workers to continue to feed and clothe the world.”

USDA has been directly engaged with the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure minimal disruption in H-2A and H-2B visa applications during these uncertain times. This Administration is doing everything possible to maintain continuity of this critically important program. These flexibilities will allow our farmers and ranchers to utilize workers they have used in the past, or those who are already in the U.S., to get our food from the farm to our tables.



ASA & Other Ag Groups: ‘Governors, Be Mindful of Supply Chain Impacts’

ASA and other ag groups sent a letter this week requesting that, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, state governors be mindful of supply chain and workforce impacts on the ag community when considering individual response plans.

Consistency is important for farmers to continue operating and providing necessary inputs for the food and agriculture supply chain, especially as they approach spring planting season. These include, but are certainly not limited to, impacts on accessibility of seed, fertilizer, crop protection products, credit providers, agricultural labor, equipment, grains, oilseeds and processed commodities, flour, animal food and ingredients for food-producing animals, modes of transportation, daily movement of milk and all other agricultural commodities.

ASA and state affiliates will continue working with national and local government officials to ensure growers’ abilities to keep operating and provide the nation with a safe and abundant food and fiber supply now and in the future.



IGC Boosts Grain Production

Measures to halt the spread of coronavirus are disrupting the movement of grains and other vital food-stuffs, just as demand for rice and wheat-based products was surging, the International Grains Council said Thursday.

The group also raised its forecast for global grain production, but noted that its estimates were tentative until the full effect of the pandemic was known.

In its monthly report, the IGC upped its forecast for grain production in the 2019-20 season by 3 million metric tons to 2.175 billion tons. That was higher than the 2.139 billion tons produced in 2018-19.

The intergovernmental body also cuts its forecast for grain demand by 1 million tons to 2.192 billion tons. This compares with demand of 2.163 billion tons in 2018-19.

"Although import buying of some commodities has accelerated in recent weeks, logistical challenges are being reported as movement constraints and quarantine measures become widespread," the IGC said.

The IGC also issued its first set of projections for supply and demand in the 2020-2021 season in which it predicts a grain output of 2.223 billion tons and consumption of 2.226 billion tons, meaning a fourth consecutive year that the global grain market would be in deficit.



USGC Remains Committed To Global Customers During COVID-19 Pandemic

The U.S. Grains Council's (USGC's) staff and representatives around the world remain committed to the mission of developing markets, enabling trade and improving lives - even as that work goes fully virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re continuing operations in this new world that we are all living in,” said Ryan LeGrand, USGC president and chief executive officer. “We are staying on top of available market information in order to update our stakeholders on the status of global grain flows and port operations.”

Since the start of the outbreak, the Council has placed a priority on protecting employees. In late January, USGC staff in China went into telework status. Offices in South Korea and Japan followed suit in subsequent weeks, and other international offices transitioned to telework as the coronavirus outbreak continued to spread. Starting the week of March 16, the entire USGC staff globally began to work remotely from home and will continue do so until further notice.

Despite these global disruptions, USGC staff remain in close contact with customers and governments in the United States and around the world.

“We have everyone within the Council network working at home and making the best use of technology that we can to weather this storm,” LeGrand said. “What we’re trying to do is collect information by by maintaining our contacts and reporting back to the U.S. industry and vice versa.”

LeGrand issued a letter to those contacts this week, sharing important updates on the status of the U.S. grain export infrastructure. Operations are continuing largely as normal, at this time, with the exception of some concerns indirectly related to the coronavirus from a lack of containers.

“We have been in contact with a wide range of U.S. agriculture organizations at the state and national levels; coalitions focused on transportation; and private companies operating on the Mississippi, Illinois and Ohio river system and at export facilities in the New Orleans region as well as the Pacific Northwest region,” LeGrand wrote. “In all cases, we have heard back that operations are ongoing and facilities are taking precautions, such as increased sanitary protocols and social distancing, to ensure the spread of COVID-19 does not require a change in that status.”

The efficiency of the U.S. grain supply chain aids in this process. Much of U.S. agriculture and export infrastructure - from farms to ports - is relatively isolated. Most export facilities operate with limited employees, sometimes as few as two or three, and increasingly benefit from automation, which creates efficiencies, reduces costs and keeps operations in line with social distancing guidelines.

At the national level, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have declared U.S. agriculture and food infrastructure and the employees who work within it as “essential,” meaning they will continue to operate as normally as possible throughout this crisis.

The pandemic and its effect on the global economy continues to evolve rapidly, but the entire U.S. grain industry is cooperating and advocating for continued, stable operations in a very uncertain time. The Council will continue to provide regular updates and, as always, staff members - no matter their location - remain available to answer questions via e-mail or phone.

“We would like to thank you for continuing to put your trust in our farmers, exporters and staff members to help you buy what you need to run your businesses and to feed your communities,” LeGrand wrote to customers. “Each of us realizes the gravity of this situation and the importance of ensuring our work together continues unimpeded until this crisis resolves.”




FSA Makes Changes to Farm Loan, Disaster, Conservation and Safety Net Programs to Make it Easier for Customers to Conduct Business

USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices are open by phone appointment only until further notice, and FSA staff are available to continue helping agricultural producers with program signups, loan servicing and other important actions. Additionally, FSA is relaxing the loan-making process and adding flexibilities for servicing direct and guaranteed loans to provide credit to producers in need.

FSA Service Centers are open for business by phone appointment only. While our program delivery staff will continue to come into to the office, they will be working with our agricultural producers by phone and using email and online tools whenever possible.

“FSA programs and loans are critical to America’s farmers and ranchers, and we want to continue our work with customers while taking precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of coronavirus,” FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce said. “We recognize that farm loans are critical for annual operating and family living expenses, emergency needs and cash flow through times like this. FSA is working to find and use every option and flexibility to provide producers with credit options and other program benefits.”

FSA is delivering programs and services, including:
    Farm loans;
    Commodity loans;
    Farm Storage Facility Loan program;
    Disaster assistance programs, including signup for the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (this includes producers now eligible because of losses due to drought and excess moisture in 2018 and 2019);
    Safety net programs, including 2020 signup for the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs;
    Conservation programs; and
    Acreage reports.

Relaxing the Farm Loan-Making Process
FSA is relaxing the loan-making process, including:
    Extending the deadline for applicants to complete farm loan applications;
    Preparing Direct Loans documents even if FSA is unable to complete lien and record searches because of closed government buildings. Once those searches are complete, FSA would close the loan; and
    Closing loans if the required lien position on the primary security is perfected, even for loans that require additional security and those lien searches, filings and recordings cannot be obtained because of closed government buildings.

Servicing Direct Loans
FSA is extending deadlines for producers to respond to loan servicing actions, including loan deferral consideration for financially distressed and delinquent borrowers.

FSA will temporarily suspend loan accelerations, non-judicial foreclosures, and referring foreclosures to the Department of Justice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will make the determination whether to stop foreclosures and evictions on accounts under its jurisdiction.

Servicing Guaranteed Loans
Guarantee lenders can self-certify, providing their borrowers with:
    Subsequent-year operating loan advances on lines of credit;
    Emergency advances on lines of credit.

FSA will consider guaranteed lender requests for:
    Temporary payment deferral consideration when borrowers do not have a feasible plan reflecting that family living expenses, operating expenses and debt can be repaid; and
    Temporary forbearance consideration for borrowers on loan liquidation and foreclosure actions.

Contacting FSA
FSA will be accepting additional forms and applications by facsimile or electronic signature. Some services are also available online to customers with an eAuth account, which provides access to the farmers.gov portal where producers can view USDA farm loan information and payments and view and track certain USDA program applications and payments. Customers can track payments, report completed practices, request conservation assistance and electronically sign documents. Customers who do not already have an eAuth account can enroll at farmers.gov/sign-in.

FSA encourages producers to contact their county office to discuss these programs and temporary changes to farm loan deadlines and the loan servicing options available. For Service Center contact information, visit farmers.gov/coronavirus.



Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. Shares Tips For Beef Safety At Home
With more time at home, consumers can confidently reach for beef as a reliable staple to nourish themselves and their families. Beef is not only an excellent source of protein; it also provides bodies with the strength to thrive throughout all stages of life. 

To ensure consumers are armed with knowledge to have the best eating experiencing with beef, the Beef Checkoff is here to provide some quick tips on how to safely handle and prepare beef when cooking at home.

Storing Beef:
    Refrigerate or freeze beef as soon as possible after purchasing.
    Ground beef can safely be stored in the refrigerator for one to two days before cooking or freezing. Once in the freezer, ground beef can be stored for three to four months before quality is impacted.
    Steaks and roasts can safely be stored in the refrigerator for three to five days before cooking or freezing. Once in the freezer, steaks and roasts can be stored for four to 12 months before quality is impacted.
    If you plan on freezing, repackage your beef into the right-size portion for upcoming meals.
    For longer storage, remove beef from original packaging and place into freezer bags or similar air-tight packaging to remove as much air as possible.

Defrosting:
    Defrost beef in the refrigerator, never at room temperature.
    Account for 12 to 24 hours to defrost ground beef and steaks.
    Use a plate or tray to catch any juices.

Handling:
    Wash hands well in hot, soapy water before and after handling raw meat and other fresh foods.
    Keep raw meat and juices away from other foods.
    Wash all utensils, cutting surfaces and counters after contact with raw meat.

Preparing:
    Always use a meat thermometer.
    Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F
    Steaks and roasts should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
    Don’t forget to refrigerate leftovers within two hours after cooking.

“Beef is a nutrient rich protein that can be a great freezer staple for a variety of dishes and meals,” said  Alisa Harrison, senior vice president of Global Marketing and Research at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. “With a few simple tips when it comes to storing, handling and cooking beef at home, families can feel confident that their beef meals will be delicious and flawlessly prepared.”

When you’re ready to get cooking, make sure to visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com for more information on safe handling, hundreds of recipes, and even online cooking lessons. With step by step instructions and tips for a dozen different cooking methods, from grilling to pressure cooking, the cooking lessons are a great resource for all levels of home chefs.



GAO Finds USDA Improperly Paid More Than $930 Million In Farm Programs

In its latest report, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) found government agencies made about $175 billion in improper payments. Of that total, USDA was responsible for $6.7 billion in improper spending to food stamps or farm programs.

The improper payments boil down to payments that never should have been made in the first place, or those made in the wrong amount, according to GAO. Improper payments increased year-over-year as 2018 only resulted in $151 billion spent incorrectly.

“However, the federal government’s ability to understand the full scope of its improper payments is hindered by incomplete, unreliable or understated agency estimates; risk assessments that may not accurately assess the risk of improper payment; and agencies not complying with reporting and other requirements in the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act of 2010,” the report continues.

Of the $6.7 billion USDA spent improperly, just under $1 billion of it went directly to farmer-facing programs. These improper payments are as follows:
    $612 million paid through Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage, improper payments were not reported in 2018.
    $282.5 million paid in crop insurance funding, compared to $184.2 of improper payments in 2018.
    $42.5 million in crop disaster assistance programs—about 23% of the payments were improper, the highest percent by farm program and up from $26.6 million in 2018.

“Improper payments… continue to be an area of fiscal concern in the federal government,” GAO reports. “Improper payments have been estimated to total almost $1.7 trillion government-wide from fiscal years 2003 to 2019.”



Sorghum Checkoff Extends Leadership Sorghum Class V Application Deadline

Due to current adverse circumstances, the Sorghum Checkoff has extended the application deadline for Leadership Sorghum Class V to April 10, 2020.

The program is designed to develop the next generation of sorghum leaders and exposes class members to various aspects of the sorghum industry, offers personal and professional development and networking opportunities over a 15-month time period.

USDA-approved criteria states eligible applicants must be farmers actively engaged in sorghum production within the U.S. and U.S. citizens. The program will accept 15 members into the program's fifth class. More information on the class schedule and program criteria can be found at LeadSorghum.com.

Full consideration will be given to all applicants regardless of age, gender, race or occupation. Every effort will be made to select a class, based on the applicant pool, which is representative of the entire sorghum industry, its diversity and rural community interests.

Applications for the program are available at LeadSorghum.com and are due by 5:00 p.m. CST April 10, 2020. Accompanying reference forms must be submitted by the April 10 deadline, as well. Following the application deadline, all applications and references will be reviewed by a selection committee.