Thursday May 28 Ag News

Lower Elkhorn NRD to open by appointment only beginning June 1st

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) office in Norfolk will open its doors for appointments only beginning on Monday, June 1st.

LENRD General Manager, Mike Sousek, said, “We plan to start relaxing some of our restrictions and will allow the public to visit with staff in the office, by appointment only, to ensure a healthy and safe environment for everyone.”

Sousek added, “As we navigate through these uncertain times, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.  We’re available to answer your phone calls and emails, and now you also have the option of making an appointment with us.  If you do not feel comfortable meeting face-to-face, there’s also a drop box at the main entrance (west door) for reports and permits.”

The LENRD will continue to monitor the developments with COVID-19, and implement the latest recommendations from federal, state and local authorities.  Visit the LENRD website, Facebook or Twitter, or sign up for our monthly emails for further updates.



Nebraska State Dairy Association Thanks Governor Ricketts for Relief Dollars for Small Dairy Farmers

The Nebraska State Dairy Association would like to thank Governor Ricketts for earmarking $100 million Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) dollars for small dairy farmers, beef, pork, and poultry producers. 

The new program will allow dairy, beef, pork and poultry producers between 1-10 employees to be eligible for a $12,000 CRF grant.

“Dairy farmers across the state have been struggling with low prices and rising input costs for years and the Covid-19 issue has only compounded those issues. With the rapid decrease in demand from the food service industry, stockpiles of dairy product rose, and we saw farmers in Nebraska dispose of their milk. These dire economic times have slashed our prices from a strong $18-$19 cwt in January to a bleak $10-$11 in April. The Nebraska dairy farmer needs more aid now than ever and I applaud Governor Ricketts for his leadership and lending a much-needed hand to the Nebraska dairy farmer.” said Mike Guenther, Nebraska State Dairy Association President

Nebraska dairy farmers are urged to contact the Department of Economic Development via the “Get Nebraska Growing Hotline” at (855)-264-6858 for information on applying.



NEBRASKA DUO EYES END TO COSTLY SWINE DISEASES

Two University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers have received $1 million in grant funding to continue research that could lead to the development of vaccines and genetic-selection tools to fight some of the world’s costliest swine diseases.

Husker researchers Daniel Ciobanu and Hiep Vu have each recently been awarded a three-year, $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. It is the third NIFA grant for each.

Ciobanu, an associate professor of molecular genetics in the Department of Animal Science, is working to identify the role a pig’s genes play in resistance to viral diseases. His research mostly focuses on porcine circovirus 2, a pathogen found in global swine populations that costs U.S. pork producers more than $250 million annually.

Vu, an assistant professor in the Nebraska Center for Virology and Department of Animal Science, is engaged in developing vaccines to protect pigs against viruses such as swine influenza and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, which affect swine production worldwide.

Their work may seem to go against each other in some ways, Ciobanu said. If the gene variant that makes an animal susceptible to a viral disease can be identified and over time eliminated from the swine population, is a vaccine even needed? But Ciobanu said their research actually complements each other.

“Hiep and I will have totally opposite kinds of objectives, but they tie together way more than other people believe,” Ciobanu said. “You can use both vaccination and host genome profiling to provide a better immune response. You can vaccinate only certain animals that are susceptible, and you don’t need to vaccinate everyone. This is valid in humans and could be valid in animals, as well.”

Ciobanu’s research will build upon data he began collecting eight years ago from more than 1,000 pigs infected with porcine circovirus 2 at the university’s Animal Science Complex. After genotyping the pigs with 60,000 data markers and conducting extensive DNA and RNA sequencing, a breakthrough discovery was made. The team has identified a gene called Synapogyrin 2 that is associated with resistance to porcine circovirus 2, the smallest virus that infects mammalian cells.

Early identification of pigs susceptible to the virus would improve the general health and welfare of swine populations worldwide, Ciobanu said, with potential benefits for other livestock species and even humans.

“If the swine industry can use this gene variant or mutation as a DNA marker to select for disease resistance, then they can assess its impact in cattle and other livestock and even in humans,” Ciobanu said.

The next phase of Ciobanu’s work will be done in vitro, using cell lines engineered with different mutations of Synapogyrin 2. Ciobanu and his team will test the different cell lines to see if the gene impacts susceptibility for viruses other than porcine circovirus 2.

Vu will use his grant to utilize molecular methods in his efforts to engineer a broadly protective vaccine that could protect against multiple, if not all, variants of swine influenza virus.



Agenda for Biodiesel Production Technology Summit released
BBI International and Biodiesel Magazine are pleased to announce that the agenda for the Biodiesel Production Technology Summit, set to take place Aug. 24-26, 2020, in Omaha, Nebraska, has been released and is now available online.

Featuring two full days of panel discussions by more than 30 experts, the Biodiesel Production Technology Summit provides a balanced mix of content including biodiesel and renewable diesel topics covering pretreatment, new process technologies, improving existing production technologies, posttreatment and much more.

Handcrafted by Biodiesel Magazine Editor in Chief Ron Kotrba from dozens of submitted abstracts, along with personal invitations to his deep industry connections after more than 15 years with the publication, the Biodiesel Production Technology Summit agenda is designed specifically for existing and future biodiesel and renewable diesel producers to learn about cutting-edge process technologies, new techniques and equipment to optimize existing production, and efficiencies to save money while increasing throughput and fuel quality.

The agenda paired with extensive networking opportunities and an exposition hall are anticipated to provide an unrivaled conference experience for all producers of biomass-based diesel. Co-located with the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, the combined events are expected to be the world’s largest gathering of biofuel producers.

In an unprecedented move, event owner and operator BBI International is providing unlimited free passes for producers of ethanol and biomass-based diesel to attend the FEW and Biodiesel Production Technology Summit. Registrants of the FEW will also be encouraged to freely attend technical sessions at the co-located Biodiesel Production Technology Summit in order to learn the latest information on biodiesel and renewable diesel, which may assist in decisions whether to co-locate biomass-based diesel production at their ethanol refineries.

“I am proud of the impressive agenda we have created for the inaugural Biodiesel Production Technology Summit,” said Kotrba, who also serves as program director for the biodiesel event. “Our speaker lineup features some of the largest, most respected and well-known companies and individuals in the sector.”

To view the Biodiesel Production Technology Summit agenda online, click here... http://biodieseltechnologysummit.com/. 



NPPC Urges Quick Senate Action on Legislative Relief for Hog Farmers

COVID-related challenges have taken a severe financial and emotional toll on U.S. hog farmers, and rapid federal government assistance is needed to help thousands of pork producers weather this crisis. At a press briefing hosted by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) today, four pork producers addressed the crisis on their farms and called on the U.S. Senate to expeditiously adopt livestock agriculture provisions included in COVID-relief legislation recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

The impact of COVID-19 has caused hog values to plummet, creating a financial disaster for pork producers nationwide who face a collective $5 billion loss for the remainder of the year. Additionally, U.S. pork producers face staggering costs for the millions of hogs that will be euthanized as pigs back up on farms due to ongoing bottlenecks in the pork supply chain.

Livestock agriculture provisions included in the House-passed HEROES Act would provide much-needed relief measures to U.S. pork producers. NPPC urges the Senate to quickly adopt these provisions in companion legislation:
    Compensation for euthanized livestock that can't be processed into the food supply due to COVID-related packing plant capacity reductions;
    Expanded direct payments—without payment limitations—to livestock farmers who have suffered severe losses as COVID-related market disruptions have caused the value of their livestock to plummet;
    Increased funding for animal health surveillance and laboratories, which have been tapped to perform COVID-19 testing during this human health emergency; and
    Mental health assistance for our farmers who face an unimaginable animal welfare crisis.

"All pork producers are hurting, and immediate action is imperative," said NPPC President Howard "AV" Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. "We need the Senate to act quickly on companion legislation to provide this critical lifeline to hog farmers. Without prompt government assistance, many generational family farms will go bankrupt. This will destroy the livelihood of our communities and lead to consolidation and contraction in a farm sector that generates more than 500,000 jobs and $23 billion in personal income," he added.

"American pork producers are resilient people....We take an incredible amount of pride in raising a healthy product," said Kevin Hugoson, a fourth-generation hog farmer from Granada, Minn. Unfortunately, the challenges brought by COVID-19 have caused pork producers to lose more than $60 per animal. "There is no doubt, whether small or large, there's definitely going to be a change in the industry, with people not going forward and being able to survive this crisis....That's why it's so important for legislators to realize what a huge financial impact this is having on the pork industry."

Mike Paustian, a sixth-generation hog farmer from Walcott, Iowa, highlighted tremendous uncertainty for pork producers. "Our farm has been through a lot over the years and we've always been able to work our way through it. But it is different this time because of the magnitude of the disruption to the supply chain....It's very frustrating and hard to make long-term plans for our farm, not knowing what next week is going to look like, let alone three or six months down the road," he said. With continued uncertainty for pork producers, "more farms are just hanging on by a thread and eventually are going to have to call it quits" unless there is immediate and significant government assistance, he added.

Chad Leman, a third-generation hog farmer from Eureka, Ill., highlighted the difficult decisions that many farms are facing in having to euthanize pigs due to supply bottlenecks. "These are difficult times when you don't have a home for animals....There's just not enough capacity to turn pigs into pork," he said. Lawmakers need to understand the scope of the problem for hog producers, he explained. "This is not a few hundred pigs. This is millions of pigs that are backed up right now," he said. Pork producers are "going to need help to weather this storm because of the size of the problem," he added.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 5/22/2020

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending May 22, ethanol production shifted 9.2% higher, or 61,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 724,000 b/d—equivalent to 30.41 million gallons daily and the largest volume since March. However, production remains tempered due to COVID-19 disruptions, coming in 31.5% below the same week in 2019. The four-week average ethanol production rate rose 7.8% to 651,000 b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 9.98 billion gallons.

Ethanol stocks thinned by 1.9% to a 19-week low of 23.2 million barrels. Inventories tightened across all regions except the Rocky Mountains (PADD 4), including a 7.8% drop in the West Coast (PADD 5). Total reserves are 2.4% above year-ago volumes.

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, rebounded by 6.8% to 7.253 million b/d (111.19 bg annualized). Gasoline demand remained 22.8% lower than a year ago.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol followed, rising 4.7% to 712,000 b/d, equivalent to 10.91 bg annualized but 24.9% below the year-earlier level.

There were no imports of ethanol recorded for the eleventh consecutive week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of March 2020.)



Indonesia Removes Ethanol Ban, Recognizes Octane Benefits Of Ethanol
US Grains Council newsletter

U.S. ethanol can now enter the Indonesian market by way of pre-blended fuel, following the recent removal of a ban on pre-blended product entering the country. This change creates a potential market of more than 200 million gallons (71 million bushels in corn equivalent).

The market development efforts to accomplish this policy goal began in December 2017,
undertaken jointly by the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Growth Energy, Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA’s FAS).

Already the fourth most-populous country in the world, Indonesia is expected to grow to the sixth largest global gasoline market within a decade. This increased demand for fuel is driven by members of the country's rising middle class, who are dedicating part of their higher incomes to upgraded transportation options - especially from two-wheeled to four-wheeled vehicles.

“The removal of the ethanol ban in Indonesia is a tremendous development in this market and for our regional market development efforts to demonstrate the benefits of expanded ethanol use,” said Manuel Sanchez, USGC regional director for Southeast Asia. “We have worked tirelessly with our colleagues to demonstrate ethanol’s benefit, and this change in Indonesia is in line with other countries in this region that already blend ethanol into their fuel.”

Fuel blends in Indonesia are controlled by a state-owned oil company, Pertamina. The Indonesian government has encouraged Pertamina to reduce petroleum imports, while at the same time setting goals of achieving 23 percent of its energy needs from renewable resources by 2025. This tender change to allow ethanol fully supports those goals, as well as aspirations toward an E10 policy.

Through an in-country assessment in December 2017, a USDA Agricultural Trade Mission in July 2018, the Ethanol Summit of the Asia-Pacific and continued stakeholder conversations in 2019 and 2020, the Council and its partners have worked to explain how ethanol can meet these goals while providing cost-savings.

Pertamina has responded by removing a prohibition on ethanol as a component in gasoline import tenders. The removal opens the market for ethanol at a blend rate of up to 3 percent as a component of imported RON 88 and 7 percent for RON 92 gasoline.

RON 88 gasoline is consumed in two ways in Indonesia, as a low-octane, government-subsidized fuel and as a blend with RON 92. This resulting product - unsubsidized RON 90 - accounted for approximately 55 percent of total gasoline imports in 2019. RON 92 is imported as a finished grade gasoline sold under the brand “Pertamax.”

Industry analysis indicates under a five-year average price and with a fully-realized target of 10 percent pre-blended imported gasoline, Indonesia could save an estimated $750 million by replacing higher-cost aromatics with ethanol - or more if the country also directly imports ethanol. Ethanol use would also contribute to reducing the carbon intensity of the country’s transportation fuels and decreasing particulate matter and toxic emissions, both of which are harmful to the population.

On the U.S. supply side, the tender opening has the potential to realize more than 200 million gallons (71 million bushels in corn equivalent) of sales as pre-blended fuel. Although current volatility in oil prices will likely minimize short-term opportunities, the long-term value of ethanol remains.

“The long-term cost-savings for using ethanol in Indonesian gasoline will be measurable,” Sanchez said. “We will continue to engage with local leaders as they work to capture the full range of economic, environmental and health benefits associated with blends beyond 10 percent.”



RFA Thanks Governors’ Biofuels Coalition for Renewable Fuels Aid Push

The Renewable Fuels Association today thanked the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, led by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, for sending a letter to Senate and House leadership urging them to make sure emergency relief for the renewable fuels industry is included in the next COVID-19 stimulus package.

In their letter, the governors express support for two recently introduced legislative proposals that would provide crucial relief and assistance to renewable fuel producers hit hard by the impacts of COVID-19. Specifically, the governors encourage House and Senate leadership to support inclusion of the Renewable Fuel Feedstock Reimbursement Act of 2020 (introduced last week by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Amy Klobuchar) or the Renewable Fuel Reimbursement Program provision in the House-passed HEROES Act. “These initiatives provide responsible and much needed economic relief to the states’ biofuel producers,” the governors write. “These proposals will allow important agricultural processing facilities to retain their employees, resume production when warranted by market and health conditions, and support farmers by increasing commodity demand.”

“We appreciate the efforts of Govs. Noem and Walz on behalf of an industry that helps fuel the rural economy in South Dakota, Minnesota, and other states across the nation,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “These governors have seen first-hand how important ethanol and other renewable fuels are to their states, and they have witnessed the devastating impact the pandemic has had on ethanol plants and the communities they serve. We agree with the governors on the vital importance of ensuring Congress acts quickly to provide assistance to these businesses and the 350,000 men and women whose jobs are supported by the ethanol industry.” Currently, Cooper noted, fewer than 70 of 204 ethanol plants in the country are operating at full capacity, with nearly 60 facilities fully idled and capacity utilization at less than 60 percent.



Growth Energy Welcomes Support from Governors’ Biofuels Coalition

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor today thanked the Governors’ Biofuels Coalition, led by Governor Kristi Noem of South Dakota and Tim Walz of Minnesota, who wrote a letter today urging House and Senate leaders to “ensure that relief for the biofuels industry is included in phase 4 of the Covid-19 emergency relief package that is currently making its way through Congress.”

“We’re grateful to Governors Walz and Noem for lending their continued support to our champions in the House and Senate, who are fighting to ensure the needs of America’s farmers and biofuel producers are addressed in ongoing relief efforts,” said Skor. “It’s critical that Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture act swiftly to deliver relief for thousands of rural communities, where the entire agricultural supply chain has been threatened by the closure of plants and lost markets for America’s farmers.”



April Hired Workers Up 9 Percent; Wage Rate Increased 2 Percent from Previous Year

There were 688,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on the Nation's farms and ranches during the week of April 12-18, 2020, up 9 percent from the April 2019 reference week. Workers hired directly by farm operators numbered 568,000 during the week of January 12-18, 2020, up 14 percent from the January 2019 reference week.

By Region - April 12-18, 2020 
Northern Plains  (ND, SD, NE, KS):  42,000 workers  -  Gross rate $15.93/hr      
Cornbelt II  (IA, MO):  29,000 workers  -  Gross rate $15.79/hr 

Farm operators paid their hired workers an average wage of $15.07 per hour during the April 2020 reference week, up 2 percent from the April 2019 reference week. Field workers received an average of $14.19 per hour, up 3 percent. Livestock workers earned $14.10 per hour, up 4 percent. The field and livestock worker combined wage rate, at $14.16 per hour, was up 3 percent from the 2019 reference week. Hired laborers worked an average of 40.3 hours during the April 2020 reference week, down 1 percent from the hours worked during the April 2019 reference week.



Dean Foods Completes Sale of Assets to Dairy Farmers of America

Dean Foods Company announced it has completed the previously announced sales of substantially all of its assets, including the sale of the assets, rights, interests and properties relating to 44 of the company's fluid and frozen facilities to subsidiaries of Dairy Farmers of America.

Dean also announced it has completed the sale of the assets, rights, interests and properties relating to eight facilities, two distribution branches and certain other assets to Prairie Farms Dairy, and completed the sale of its facility in Reno, Nevada and its "Berkeley Farms" trademark and related intellectual property to Producers Dairy Foods.

"We are pleased to complete these transactions, which maximize value for our stakeholders and will enable substantially all of our businesses to continue operating and serving customers across the country," said Eric Beringause, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dean Foods. "Our team has put in considerable work over the last several months to find the right partners for our assets that would enable them to continue to succeed while preserving the most jobs possible and to ensure a smooth transition for our customers and partners. The completion of these sales is a testament to our employees' efforts. I also want to thank our entire team for their commitment and dedication to Dean Foods not only over the last several months, but over the past several years. Their hard work has helped Dean Foods build and grow brands and products that customers love, and I feel fortunate to have had the chance to work side by side with this extraordinary group."

Meanwhile, the dairy says part of the U.S. Department of Justice's approval of Dean Foods' transaction with DFA, DFA has entered into a Consent Decree with the DOJ under which DFA has committed to hold separate and ultimately divest the dairy processing plants located in DePere, WI, Franklin, MA and Harvard, IL together with certain assets related to the operations at each plant.



IGC: Global Grain Production to Hit Record High in 2020-21

Record harvests of wheat and corn will drive grain production to an all-time high in 2020-21 and push global stockpiles higher for the first time in four seasons, the International Grains Council said Thursday.

In its monthly report, the IGC raised its production and carryover stocks forecast for the 2020-21 agricultural season, while cutting its consumption forecasts.

The intergovernmental body now expects total grains production of 2.230 billion metric tons, an all-time high, thanks to record wheat and corn harvests. The forecast is 12 million tons higher than its previous estimate given in April and compares with an expected output of 2.177 billion tons for the current season.

That rise, along with a cut in the IGC's forecast for grain consumption in 2020-21, means the body has raised its forecast for grain stockpiles by 10 million tons, to 627 million tons. That would mark the first rise in stocks for four seasons, the IGC said.



American Farmers, Ranchers and Food Workers Call for Better Worker Protections at Meatpacking Plants to Stop COVID-19 Outbreaks and Protect Food Supply

Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union, which represents over 250,000 workers in meatpacking and food processing, joined with a diverse group of American farmers and ranchers from Dakota Rural Action (DRA), Northern Plains Resource Council, Western Colorado Alliance, and the Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC) to call on meatpacking companies, the Trump Administration, as well as state and local governments, to take immediate and stronger steps to protect frontline meatpacking workers and our food supply from the deadly COVID-19 virus.

“The best way to protect our food supply is to protect the people who work within it,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone. “From frontline food processing workers to farmers and ranchers, we are all critical to keeping American families fed during this crisis. Enacting strong worker safety standards inside meatpacking plants will help people outside of them as well and ensure every link in our food supply chain is secure.”

The broad coalition which came together to protect workers and the food supply is calling on meatpacking companies to take immediate safety steps to stop the ongoing spread of COVID-19, which include, but are not limited to: (1) increased worker testing at meatpacking plants, (2) priority access to PPE for all meatpacking workers, (3) halting line speed waivers, (4) mandating social distancing inside meatpacking plants, and (5) isolating workers with symptoms or who test positive for COVID-19.

The need to take these immediate safety steps reflects the significant threat still facing America’s meatpacking workers. According to the UFCW internal estimates, there have already been at least 44 meatpacking worker deaths and over 3,000 meatpacking workers testing positive for COVID-19. Because of the continuing spread, at least 30 meatpacking plants have closed at some point since March 2020 – with closures impacting over 45,000 workers and contributing to a 40 percent reduction in pork slaughter capacity as well as a 25 percent reduction in beef slaughter capacity.

The following statements are from the leading members of the diverse coalition:
“Too many workers are being sent back into meatpacking plants without adequate protections in place, reigniting more outbreaks in the plants and our communities,” said Nick Nemec, a farmer, cattle producer and DRA member from Holabird, SD. “Leadership at all levels has shown a lack of support and concern for the workers and the farmers. A safe food system starts with the safety and respect of those doing the work to produce and process the food. Our current system fails because it treats farmers and workers with little respect and little regard for our safety.”

"We support the workers’ call for mandatory worker protections,” said Kathryn Bedell, rancher and Western Colorado Alliance member from Fruita, CO. “If they don’t get protective equipment and safe working conditions, the food system will remain vulnerable and we all lose – producer, workers and consumers. For too long, the government agencies have stepped back and allowed global meatpacking companies to voluntarily comply with antitrust laws. We know from firsthand experience that this is a failed approach, because it has allowed the meatpacking cartels to manipulate prices paid to livestock producers to the detriment to our livelihoods, and to the detriment of our rural communities who depend on the cattle business.” 

“Safe food starts with safe workers,” said UFCW Local 304A member John Massalley who works at Smithfield in Sioux Falls, SD. “When meatpacking plants struggle to contain this virus, it’s not just the workers inside like me who are at risk, family farmers and ranchers are too. Regular testing is critical to stopping future outbreaks, keeping workers safe and protecting our food supply.”

“This pandemic didn’t create the crisis for workers and producers in the meat industry, but it has made a horrific situation even worse,” said Steve Charter, a Shepherd, MT rancher and Northern Plains Resource Council board member. “The consequences of this rigged system are now threatening the lives of meatpacking workers at the same time they’re killing the livelihoods of family ranchers. If leaders want to address this crisis, they need to start with enforcing antitrust laws, instead of abusing emergency authority to force workers to endanger their health. We must use this opportunity to create decentralized, local and regional food systems that are better for producers, consumers, and workers. Now, more than ever, we need policies that help folks who wear boots to work each day instead of shining the shoes of executives in board rooms.”