Wednesday May 13 Ag News

“Rural Radio Forum:  The 2020 Census”

“The 2020 Census” is the topic of the next Rural Radio Forum.  It will air on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm CT on 840 AM KTIC in West Point.

Guests of this special program will include Nebraska Governor, Pete Ricketts, Constitutional scholar and Professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Dr. Peter Longo, a representative at the Center of Public Affairs at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and more.

Found in Article 1, Section 2, the US Constitution requires that every 10 years, “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States . . . according to their respective Numbers . . . the actual Enumeration shall be made within every subsequent Term of ten Years”.  But what does that actually mean?  How is the count made?  And what’s at stake if not everyone is counted?

In this, the 13th Rural Radio Forum, the Rural Radio Network will devote an hour of air time across our network of stations as we talk with experts from the state and local levels to answer those questions, learn about the importance of the Census, the impacts on rural communities and especially the agricultural sector, challenges faced by officials to ensure everyone is counted, and more.  We’ll also talk about the urgency of completing the census in a timely manner, as April 1 was designated as “Census Day”, then in May, the Census Bureau will begin following up with households that have not responded, so that their report can be delivered to the President in December.

The Rural Radio Forum is an hour-long program presented quarterly by the Rural Radio Network on issues faced by rural Nebraskans.  Podcasts of past Rural Radio Forum programs are available at RuralRadio.com.



NEBRASKA STRONG RECOVERY PROJECT COMING TO A CLOSE
Brittany Foster, Team Leader, Nebraska Strong Recovery Project

The Nebraska Strong Recovery Project has been an outreach program providing community-based counseling and identifying unmet needs during the 2019 flooding disaster, and continuing to the present time, under supervision of Region 4 Behavioral Health Services, based out of Norfolk. As the Nebraska Strong Recovery Project is ending May 17th, here’s to continued progress and resilience in the past year’s recovery as well as the ongoing current Covid-19 response.

This past year outreach workers have been working across the state in counties affected by the 2019 flooding disaster, reaching out door-to-door, networking with various entities in each community, promoting education and activities, and providing a compassionate presence at local events.
Services provided this past year emphasizing self-care and well-being may well continue to be beneficial, as Nebraska now is coping with Covid-19, another type of disaster.

Nebraska Strong team members have appreciated the warm welcomes, impactful conversations, and a great sense of strength and resiliency found in the communities served by outreach work.

As this service draws to a close, a reminder to continue taking care of your physical and mental health, staying strong, knowing that last year’s flooding disaster and our current Covid-19 disaster will eventually be in the past, with brighter horizons to cherish in the future. For further needs or services, you may call the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

STAY NEBRASKA STRONG!!!



May 14 USDA Webinar for Producers Interested in Applying for Direct Payments through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) will host a webinar on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at NOON CT, for farmers, ranchers, and other producers interested in applying for direct payments through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

This webinar is an opportunity for producers to learn about the general application process and required documentation prior to the official beginning of signup. Producers interested in participating may register in advance at https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_SPWI7yOFSqaGG1JKzhEbjA.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. We encourage participants to submit questions through the Q&A box or by emailing CFAP.webinars@usda.gov. While questions will not be answered live during the webinar, answers will be posted at www.farmers.gov/CFAP.

USDA is hosting this webinar to share what information is needed to apply for direct payments through CFAP, once the application period begins. Producers who are new to participating in FSA programs are especially encouraged to join the webinar. More details about CFAP direct payments will be announced soon.

As part of President Trump and Secretary Perdue’s April 17 announcement of a $19 billion Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program, USDA will provide $16 billion in direct support based on losses for agricultural producers where prices and market supply chains have been impacted. Also, USDA will assist eligible producers facing additional adjustment and marketing costs resulting from lost demand and short-term oversupply for the 2020 marketing year caused by COVID-19.

A recording of the webinar, the answers to its questions, and other CFAP information can be found at www.farmers.gov/CFAP.



NEBRASKA BANKERS ASSOCIATION ELECTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Nebraska Bankers Association (NBA) recently elected the following members to serve on the 2020-2021 NBA board of directors. The board consists of 26 bankers and is the official governing body of the NBA.
⦁    • Zac Karpf, Platte Valley Bank, Scottsbluff
⦁    • John Bothof, Northwest Bank, Omaha

The following bankers have been elected to represent their respective NBA geographic group on the 2020-2021 NBA board of directors for a second, and final term.
⦁    • GROUP 2: Steve Kunzman, Home Federal Bank, Grand Island
⦁    • GROUP 2: Don Jividen, Heartland Bank, Geneva
⦁    • GROUP 3: Daniel Fullner, Madison County Bank, Madison
⦁    • GROUP 5: John Daubert, Security First Bank, Lincoln

The following bankers have been elected to represent at-large positions on the 2020-2021 NBA board of directors for a second, and final term.
• • Kaye Monie, Hershey State Bank, Hershey

The following bankers have been appointed to represent their respective institutions on the 2020-2021 NBA board of directors. These individuals represent the eight largest Nebraska financial institutions, as of June 30, 2019.
⦁    • Nicholas W. Baxter, First National Bank of Omaha, Omaha
⦁    • Cory A. Bergt, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Lincoln
⦁    • John F. Kotouc, American National Bank, Omaha
⦁    • Brandon Mason, Bank of the West, Omaha
⦁    • Raymond M. McKenna, Cornerstone Bank, York
⦁    • Joseph T. Sullivan III, U.S. Bank, N.A., Omaha
⦁    • Chris Wiedenfield, Great Western Bank, Omaha
⦁    • Christine Wilcox, Union Bank & Trust Co., Lincoln

The NBA also acknowledged outstanding leadership, and service to the association by presenting a plaque to the following individuals who have completed their terms on the NBA’s governing body.
⦁    • David Dannehl, NBA Past Chairman, First State Bank of Loomis, Loomis
⦁    • Dana Henricksen, ACCESSbank, Omaha
⦁    • Jason Smith, F&M Bank, West Point

Nebraska Bankers Insurance & Services Co.
The Nebraska Bankers Insurance & Services Co. (NBISCO) is the NBA subsidiary formed to provide insurance products and services to member financial institutions. Cited for leadership on the NBISCO board of directors was:
⦁    • David Dannehl, NBA Past Chairman, First State Bank of Loomis, Loomis

Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association
In 1974, the NBA formed the Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association (VEBA) in order to provide health insurance to its members at highly competitive rates. Today, 85 % of NBA member financial institutions participate in VEBA, with more than 10,000 insured employees and dependents. Cited for leadership on the VEBA board of trustees were:
⦁    • Kirk Riley, NBA VEBA Chairman Waypoint Bank, Cozad
⦁    • Greg Dunlap, Horizon Bank, Waverly



NEBRASKA BANKERS ASSOCIATION PAYS TRIBUTE TO HISTORIC BANKS & BANKERS

The Nebraska Bankers Association (NBA) paid tribute to one Nebraska banker and two financial institutions in the state that have marked significant milestones in the financial services industry.
The NBA recognized the following Nebraska banker for 50 years of service to his community and the state of Nebraska:
J.B. Eberly, Stanton State Bank, Stanton
J.B. Eberly is currently serving as President and Chairman of the board of directors for Stanton State Bank. Eberly has been with Stanton State Bank for fifty years including back when it was Stanton National Bank. Mr. Eberly has been active within the NBA and VEBA and has served on several committees. He is a former member of the Volunteer Fire Department and former Treasurer for his church.

Throughout his career, Eberly has continuously shown his dedication not only to the community of Stanton but surrounding communities as well. Eberly is currently serving on the Stanton Community School Foundation and is also a member of the Norfolk Noon Kiwanis Club.

The NBA recognized the following bank for 125 years of service to the Swanton community and the state of Nebraska:
First Tri-County Bank, Swanton
First Tri-County Bank in Swanton opened in April 1894, as The Bank of Swanton. The location in Plymouth was first opened as The Bank of Plymouth in 1893. In 1984, father and son, Dean and Thomas Bass purchased The Bank of Swanton, and in February of 1996 they also purchased Farmers State Bank in Plymouth. With the purchase in 1996 the two banks became First Tri-County Bank. The Bass family is proud to have served the bank and its customers since 1984. Page 2 of 2

The NBA recognized the following bank for 50 years of service to the Norfolk community and the state of Nebraska:
BankFirst, Norfolk
Bank of Norfolk chartered in February of 1970. The bank started in one community and is now a part of 10 communities. In 2002, the bank was renamed to BankFirst. The bank is proudly led by President and CEO, Clark Froehlich. Under his leadership, BankFirst has grown to upwards of 770 million dollars in assets.



NEBRASKA CROP PRODUCTION REPORT

Based on May 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2020 winter wheat crop is forecast at 41.8 million bushels, down 24 percent from last year's crop, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Average yield is forecast at 48 bushels per acre, down 9 bushels from last year. Acreage to be harvested for grain is estimated at 870,000 acres, down 100,000 acres from last year. This would be 95 percent of the planted acres, above last year's 91 percent harvested.

May 1 hay stocks of 1,380,000 tons are up 29 percent from last year.

IOWA HAY STOCKS
All hay stored on Iowa farms as of May 1, 2020, is estimated at 510,000 tons, an increase of 48% from May 1, 2019, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Crop Production report. Disappearance from December 1, 2019, through May 1, 2020, totaled 1.67 million tons, compared with 1.72 million tons for the same period a year earlier.

U.S. Winter Wheat Production Down 4 Percent from 2019
Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.25 billion bushels, down 4 percent from 2019. As of May 1, the United States yield is forecast at 51.7 bushels per acre, down 1.9 bushels from last year's average yield of 53.6 bushels per acre.

Hard Red Winter production, at 733 million bushels, is down 12 percent from a year ago. Soft Red Winter, at 298 million bushels, is up 24 percent from 2019. White Winter, at 224 million bushels, is down 3 percent from last year. Of the White Winter production, 16.2 million bushels are Hard White and 207 million bushels are Soft White.



UNMC, Nebraska Extension announce changes to summer tractor safety course for teens
Online training, then in-person driving training in 5 Nebraska cities

The Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health and Nebraska Extension will make changes to its tractor safety training courses. Training, which was originally scheduled for 12 sites, will be held online then in-person driving tests at five locations with safety precautions.

The new plans are designed to protect the health of the students and trainers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students will take the first day of the course online through the extension Foundation Campus website. Students are asked to register for the course between now and no later than July 10. After successfully completing the online course and testing, the required driving test will be offered July 27-31 at five locations across Nebraska.

Teens 14 or 15 years of age who work on farms, or others who are interested in learning about safe farming practices, are encouraged to register for the course. Individuals under 14 years of age are not eligible to take the class.

Federal law prohibits children under 16 years of age from using certain equipment on a farm unless their parents or legal guardians own the farm. However, certification received through the course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with certain mechanized equipment.

Susan Harris, University of Nebraska Extension Educator, reports that overturned tractors and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are a common cause of agricultural-related injuries and deaths in Nebraska. This course is designed to train students on how to avoid these incidents as well as other farm and ranch hazards.

The online course will cover the required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program, including quizzes which students must pass to attend the driving portion of training. Once a student is registered, they will be sent a training manual, course paperwork and a link to the online course.

The onsite driving training and exam will include a driving test and equipment operation and ATV safety lessons. Students must demonstrate competence in hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course. Instructors also will offer education about safe behaviors and laws for ATVs, utility-task vehicles and other off-road vehicles.

In order to protect students and trainers, the number of students on site will be limited to allow proper social distancing. Students and trainers will be required to wear a mask at all times during instruction and driving. Masks will be provided along with instructions for proper use. Equipment, steering wheels, control knobs and hitches will be disinfected before and after each student completes their testing. Students who have had a fever or persistent cough within 14 days of testing will be required to reschedule their driving test. Additional driving tests may be added in August to accommodate students who are unable to attend the scheduled trainings in July.

Instructors for the course are members of the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health: Aaron Yoder, Ellen Duysen; UNMC graduate student Alyssa Damke; and Nebraska Extension educators Troy Ingram, Randy Saner and John Thomas.

Cost of the modified course is $40 and includes educational materials, online learning link and supplies.

In-person driving training locations, dates and site coordinator contact information is below.

O’Neill -- July 27, Akrs Equipment, 49110 US Hwy 20, contact Debra Walnofer, 402.336.2760, dwalnofer2@unl.edu 

Gering -- July 28, Legacy of the Plains Museum, 2930 Old Oregon Trail #8500, contact Stacy Brown, 308.632.1480, sbrown7@unl.edu

North Platte -- July 29, West Central Research & Extension Center, 402 West State Farm Rd., contact Randy Saner or Vicki Neidhardt 308.532.2683, randy.saner@unl.edu

Grand Island -- July 30, Hall County Extension, 3180 W. Hwy 34, contact Nancy Usasz, 308.754.5422, nancy.usasz@unl.edu

Weeping Water -- July 31, Cass County Fairgrounds, 8420 144th St, contact Sandy Prall, 402.267.2205, sprall2@unl.edu

For more information or to register, contact the appropriate Nebraska Extension staff member above. Visit  kearney.unl.edu for a registration form.



Registration Open for Pig Survivability Conference

Now in its second year of multi-institutional collaborative work with university faculty and staff, swine producers and allied industry partners, the Improving Pig Survivability Project continues to involve pork producers, allied industry representatives and university faculty and staff in a variety of research studies and programs.

An upcoming component of the project is the International Conference on Pig Survivability set for Oct. 28-29 in Omaha, Nebraska. Registration is now open on the conference website.

Conference planning chair Joel DeRouchey, of Kansas State University, said the event will provide timely, accurate and vital information to those involved with all facets of pork production. Topics range from economic and financial impacts of survivability to the roles people and technology play in decreasing mortality and increasing survivability.

“The conference content builds on information already gained through the project, and ways people can start to use the data in their own operations,” DeRouchey said. “All of our speakers bring their individual knowledge and experience that will help attendees learn more and understand how to use that knowledge when they return home.”

Project leader Jason Ross, director of the Iowa Pork Industry Center at Iowa State University, said the project has two primary objectives: to identify factors contributing to swine mortality in commercial production, and to develop strategies and information to reduce mortality and maximize pig survivability.

Ross said the conference will play a large role in sharing information gained during this first segment of the project. Read more about the project and its progress on the Improving Pig Survivability website... https://piglivability.org/. 

“The objective of the conference is to facilitate the discussion and dissemination of the most current information relative to sow, litter, weaned pig and grow-finish mortality,” he said. “Through featuring presentations and panel discussions from industry leaders and scientific experts, we want to bring the industry together to motivate change while providing the tools and resources to do it.”

The conference begins with plenary sessions in the morning and afternoon of the first day, with two sets of concurrent sessions followed by a plenary session on the second day. Each breakout session concentrates on a specific production phase – breeding herd, pre-weaning, nursery and finishing – and will have a short presentation, research updates and a panel discussion.

Full conference registration is $200 when done by Oct. 1, and increases to $300 after that date. Student registration is $25 by Oct. 1, and $50 after that date. The fee includes two lunches, one breakfast, one reception and all program materials. The conference website has links to the current agenda, lodging information and list of sponsors.

Improving Pig Survivability project team members are from Iowa State University, Kansas State University and Purdue University. The project is funded by National Pork Board and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research.



NCBA Opposes Government Mandate Restricting Cattle Marketing Options

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Policy Division Chair and South Dakota Rancher Todd Wilkinson today released the following statement in response to the bill introduced by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) that would require a minimum of 50 percent of a meat packer’s volume of beef slaughter be purchased on the cash market:

"Currently, cattle producers utilize a multitude of methods to market their livestock, including the cash market. Increased price discovery will benefit all segments of the cattle industry — that is why NCBA has been closely working with key stakeholders, industry experts, and our partners in academia to develop tangible means to meet that end. Any solution must not restrict an individual producer’s freedom to pursue marketing avenues that they determine best suit their business’ unique needs.  Government mandates, like that being proposed by Senator Grassley, would arbitrarily force many cattle producers to change the way they do business. We will continue to work toward a more equitable solution and invite Senator Grassley, and other lawmakers interested in this conversation, to join us in the search for an industry-led solution based in free market principles."



Ranch Group Disappointed with Yet a Second COOL Resolution but No Mandatory COOL Bill

Today, U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced yet a second resolution regarding Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling (M-COOL) for beef. R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard said his organization has been working aggressively to find members of Congress willing to introduce new M-COOL legislation and is disappointed in today’s resolution.

In late April, with the help of Cowboys for Trump and grassroots rancher-members of R-CALF USA, R-CALF USA launched a petition drive at www.DemandUSABeef.com calling on Congress and President Trump to immediately pass Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (M-COOL) for beef, pork and dairy products to strengthen America’s food security interests and help stimulate economic growth.

“Currently over 375K petitioners have urged Congress and the President to pass new M-COOL legislation as an essential response to this ongoing crisis,” said Bullard.

Bullard pointed out that during this COVID-19 crisis, while American cattle ranchers are being denied access to their own markets and have been for several weeks, packers and other importers are continuing to import tens of thousands of foreign cattle into the U.S. each week from Canada and Mexico. And, he said the beef from these foreign cattle is then deceptively sold to American consumers as if it was produced by hard-working American cattle farmers and ranchers.

“It’s unconscionable for the U.S. to allow foreign cattle to displace American cattle producers’ access to their own domestic market and only with M-COOL can consumers begin supporting the American food supply chain by choosing to buy beef that is exclusively born, raised and harvested in the United States,” he commented.

Bullard said the resolution filed today will not provide U.S. cattle producers any relief from the rising tide of imported cattle and beef arriving from about 20 foreign countries.



Retail Fertilizer Price Moves Continue Mixed

Acting a bit like a broken record, retail fertilizer prices continued to be slightly lower to slightly higher the first week of May 2020, according to retailers surveyed by DTN. No fertilizer had a significant move, which DTN terms as 5% or more, in either direction.

Six fertilizers were higher in price compared to last month. DAP has an average price of $413 per ton, urea $388/ton, 10-34-0 $468/ton, anhydrous $492/ton, UAN28 $237/ton and UAN32 $280/ton.

The remaining two fertilizers had slightly lower prices. MAP had an average price of $433/ton while potash was at $370/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.42/lb.N, anhydrous $0.30/lb.N, UAN28 $0.42/lb.N and UAN32 $0.44/lb.N.

Retail fertilizers are now all lower in price from a year ago. Both DAP and MAP are now 18% lower, anhydrous is 17% less expensive, UAN28 is 11% lower, UAN32 is 10% less expensive, urea is 7% lower, potash is 6% lower and 10-34-0 is 4% less expensive from last year at this time.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 5/8/2020

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending May 8, ethanol production expanded by 3.2%, or 19,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 617,000 b/d—equivalent to 25.91 million gallons daily and a five-week high. However, production remains tempered due to COVID-19 disruptions, coming in 41.3% below the same week in 2019. The four-week average ethanol production rate bounced 2.1% higher to 579,000 b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 8.88 billion gallons.

Ethanol stocks tightened by 5.6% to 24.2 million barrels, the lowest volume since Mar. 20. Inventories sank across all regions except the Rocky Mountains (PADD 4), where stocks ticked slightly higher. However, total reserves remain 8.7% higher than year-ago volumes.

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, jumped 11.0% to 7.398 million b/d (113.41 bg annualized) yet was 19.1% lower than a year ago.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol followed, up 11.9% to 666,000 b/d, equivalent to 10.21 bg annualized but 30.1% below the year-earlier level. While implied gasoline demand has rebounded by 46.1% from the low experienced during the week ended April 3, refiner and blender net inputs of ethanol have been slower to recover, up 32.7%.

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



2020 DFA ACCELERATOR CLASS FOCUSES ON ADVANCING ON-FARM TECHNOLOGIES, SUSTAINABILITY AND INNOVATIVE DAIRY PRODUCTS

An all-natural sports drink made from dairy by-products, handheld pizza and Philly cheesesteak cones, a green fashion brand that’s creating t-shirts from excess milk and a hand-crafted spirit made from whey are just a few of the startup companies that are convening virtually this week as Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) launches its 2020 DFA Accelerator class.

“We’re excited about the companies for this year’s class. Not only is this the biggest group that we’ve ever had, but a lot of these companies are developing cutting-edge products and solutions,” says Doug Dresslaer, director of innovation at DFA. “Plus, on both the ag tech and food sides of the program, we have companies doing really cool things with sustainability and dairy by-products, which is a strategic focus for our cooperative and the industry.”

A 90-Day Program Focused on Growth and Mentoring
The DFA Accelerator is a 90-day immersive program, with a combination of on-site meetings and virtual programs to provide training, growth opportunities and mentorship. Most startups typically spend about four weeks in Kansas City, where DFA is headquartered. This year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program will kick off remotely for the first two weeks and will also utilize digital training tools and resources in June, with the hope of having some on-site, group learning in July.

Throughout the program, startups have numerous opportunities to meet with a variety of DFA executives and other relevant investors and industry leaders. Participants also receive guidance and advice on business development, product development, marketing and other key aspects of startup growth.

Introducing the Nine Startups in the 2020 DFA Accelerator Class
Ag Tech
    Armenta™ (Ra’anana, Israel): a non-invasive technology for antibiotic-free treatment of bovine mastitis.
    Capro-X (Ithaca, N.Y.): a sustainable solution for whey waste from Greek yogurt production.
    Livestock Water Recycling (Calgary, Alberta, Canada): a manure treatment technology, which recycles 75% of manure into clean water while segregating manure nutrients for precision fertilizer application.
    Mi Terro (Los Angeles, Calif.): a sustainable fashion brand that uses excess milk to make men’s and women’s t-shirts.

Dairy Food Products
    Chank’s Grab-N-Go (Millville, N.J.): a handheld snack company featuring pizza cones, philly cheesesteak cones and more.
    GoodSport (Chicago, Ill.): a sports drink made from milk which uses only natural ingredients and has naturally occurring electrolytes and vitamins.
    SuperFrau (Cambridge, Mass.): electrolyte drinks made from upcycling surplus whey, with real ingredients and no added sugars.
    Wheyward Spirit (Eugene, Ore.): premium spirit made from whey.
    Yaar Nordic Quark Bar (London, U.K.): Nordic chilled dairy snacks made with fresh quark, a mixture of cow’s milk and natural lactic acid.

Since its inception, the DFA Accelerator has worked with 25 companies and has continued to work with the majority of these companies in some capacity, after the 90-day program. To date, 94% of the alumni companies are still in business today.

For additional information, visit colab.dfamilk.com/. The 2020 DFA Accelerator will culminate with a Demo Day on July 30, where the startups will showcase their ideas.