Tuesday June 23 Ag News

Nebraska Claims Home to the Good Life and Great Steaks!

The Nebraska Beef Council is teaming up with the Rural Radio Network to highlight the pride Nebraskans have for the state’s number one industry while also helping to place beef meals on the tables of those in need.

Using the message of “Good Life. Great Steaks.” the campaign is designed to raise awareness for the importance of the beef industry in Nebraska. As a leader in U.S. beef production, over eight billion pounds of beef from Nebraska are distributed each year across the country and around the world. The emphasis on beef production over the years has even earned Nebraska the nickname of The Beef State.

T-shirts are available for purchase online at www.nebeef.org or through any of the Rural Radio Network stations.

“When people think of Nebraska they think of beef. We’ve been raising cattle in our state for generations and as Nebraskans, we can be proud of that,” said Buck Wehrbein, board chairman for the Nebraska Beef Council. “The farmers and ranchers in our state take a lot of pride in supplying the world with a quality food source.”

Nebraskans can now purchase “Good Life. Great Steaks.” T-shirts to show off their pride for the state’s beef industry. Online order forms will be available at www.nebeef.org starting June 22nd. All proceeds from the shirt sales will go to the food banks in Nebraska helping to supply beef meals to fellow Nebraskans in need.

“Beef is a nutritious, high quality protein that is important to maintaining a healthy diet,” said Mitch Rippe, director of nutrition and education at the Nebraska Beef Council. “Food insecurity often leads to poor eating habits so this campaign will help keep nutritious food on the table for families throughout the state.”



NE Extension: Soybean Gall Midge Alert - 6/23/2020

On Wednesday, June 17th orange and white soybean gall midge larvae were found in soybean plants at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead, NE. Two days later small white larvae were found in Northeastern Nebraska. In addition, clear and white larvae were found in southwest Minnesota. On June 22nd, larvae were also found in plants in Ida County, Iowa and southeastern South Dakota. The occurrence of these larvae in soybean plants roughly corresponds with first adult captures in the area. Specific notes on each site are as follows:

Observations:
Northeast Nebraska: Larvae found on plants are mostly (75%) a mix of clear/whitish with a few that are orange in color.

East-Central Nebraska: Larvae have been found in soybean plants at several sites where adult emergence has occurred. Some orange or 3rd instar larvae are present at most sites. Larvae were often found next to areas with trees or dense vegetation. No signs of wilting in soybean plants.

Iowa: Orange and white larvae with tell-tale signs of infestation. Most of the larvae are white to creamy orange in color. No signs of wilting plants. Larvae have not been detected at some emergence monitoring sites. At least half of the sites in the area have had adult activity within the last few days.

South Dakota: White to clear larvae found in one site today in South Dakota.

Minnesota: Mostly clear to white larvae with some just beginning to turn orange in southwestern Minnesota.

Scouting
If you are scouting for soybean gall midge, you can confine your search to the first few rows of soybean field that are adjacent to a field that was injured the previous year. Carefully fold plants over and look at the base of the plants for a dark discoloration near the soil line. If you find a discolored area on the stem peel it back to determine if white or orange larvae are present.

Management
Many of you may be wondering about management strategies at this point in the season. With only one year of data it’s difficult to provide any strong recommendations. In 2019, insecticide applications in east-central Nebraska that were made 10 days after first adult emergence had a significant yield response. However, with adult activity occurring for more than 10 days and larval presence observed at most of the sites, it is not clear if applications made this late would have an economic return. To stay up-to-date on adult emergence, go to soybeangallmidge.org.



Aksarben announces postponement of 2020 Aksarben Ball to January 9, 2021

After careful consideration, and in light of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, the Aksarben Foundation and Aksarben Women’s Ball Committee have decided to postpone the 2020 Aksarben Ball to January 9, 2021.

“Rescheduling this event will enable us to provide the experience that our donors, guests and participants expect and deserve in a safe environment,” Sandra Reding, president of the Aksarben Foundation.

“Deciding to postpone our annual event wasn’t an easy call,” says Sam Hohman, 2020 Aksarben Women’s Ball Committee Chair, “we considered various options but ultimately felt delaying the event until January would be the best way to honor this year’s participants and give us all reason to come together and celebrate the community at the start of the new year.”

The Aksarben Ball is a statewide celebration which, for the past 125 years, has been bringing Nebraska’s civic minded families together to celebrate and recognize the spirit of giving in our state. The Ball format recognizes a number of families for their contributions to their communities and Nebraska. While the event raises money for Aksarben, the purpose of the event is to convene and honor families committed to the wellbeing of Nebraska.

Education is an essential part of workforce development and, for decades, scholarships have been at the core of the Aksarben Foundation mission. Each year, the Aksarben Ball raises funds critical in helping those hard-working students dreaming of a college education, but with critical financial need preventing their dreams from being realized. Thanks to our generous donors – we award over $1 million in scholarships annually. Every scholarship awarded through the Aksarben Foundation is funded entirely by donor dollars and helps these students attend the Nebraska college or university of their choice.

Original Event Date: Saturday, October 17, 2020
New Event Date: Saturday, January 9, 2021
Next Year’s Aksarben Ball: Saturday, October 23, 2021

The Aksarben Ball is held at the CHI Health Center in downtown Omaha.



Virtual Cover Crop Boot Camp Planned for July

An Online Cover Crop Boot Camp will be held in July, provided by Iowa Learning Farms and Practical Farmers of Iowa.  Billed as an event where ag retailers can learn to build a business case for cover crops, the program consists of three online sessions taking place July 8, 15 and 22, all at noon.

The series is designed to efficiently provide actionable agronomic information that can help independent and retail agronomists and crop consultants build their business through recommending and implementing cover crops.

“The needs of agronomists and advisers for information, practices, and business tactics related to cover crops has not been diminished by pandemic-related restrictions,” said Sarah Carlson, strategic initiatives director for PFI. “These webinars will provide ag professionals, who are working with farmers every day, with an opportunity to tune up muscle-memory about cover crops, learn from industry experts, and examine new ways to build their business. And they can join these lunchtime webinars from the convenience of their truck, office or living room.”

The series incorporates speakers from manufacturing, research, services, production and consulting, offering a broad spectrum of perspectives and information.

“In planning the agenda, our core team was focused on providing participants with a well-rounded picture of the economics and mechanics of cover crop implementation,” said Elizabeth Ripley, conservation and cover crop outreach specialist for Iowa Learning Farms. “Research has clearly shown multiple production, conservation and environmental benefits from cover crops. However, it is equally important to prove the business case for both agronomists and farmers. Participants in these webinars should plan to come away with information and tactics that will help them grow or build their conservation-focused line of business.”
Session details

July 8 – The Business of Cover Crops
Matt Carstens (president and CEO, Landus) and Lee Briese, (independent crop consultant with Centrol of Twin Valley)
Topics include: Cover crop benefits to consulting businesses; working with co-ops; client interactions and planning; and business case for conservation agriculture.

July 15 – Setup and Logistics for Cover Crop Success
Bert Strayer (cover crop lead, La Crosse Seed), James Holz (Greene County farmer and co-owner, Iowa Cover Crop), Dean Sponheim (co-owner, Sponheim Seeds and Services), and Nate LeVan (field agronomist, Pioneer)
Topics include: Fall and spring logistics; seeding preparation and process; coordination of services – termination, nutrient management, strip-tillage, crop scouting.

July 22 – Conservation Agronomy of Cover Crops: Start to Finish
Dave Schwartz (executive vice president of sales in plant nutrition for Verdesian Life Sciences), Meaghan Anderson (Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field agronomist), and Eileen Kladivko (professor of agronomy at Purdue University)
Topics include: Managing pests, residuals and herbicides; nitrogen management; and agronomics of cover crop advising.

To register for the webinars, visit https://iastate.zoom.us/j/364284172.

All sessions will be recorded and archived for later viewing. Only attendees of the live events will qualify to receive CCA continuing education credits for participating.

This Cover Crop Boot Camp is based on work supported by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Additional partners include the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance and Iowa Soybean Association.

For information, contact Ripley at 515-294-5429, or ejuchems@iastate.edu.



OCM to Hold Series of Online Discussions
First Topic will be Meat Processing and Inspection

The Organization for Competitive Markets has announced that its annual conference, scheduled for August has been cancelled.  In order to provide timely information and discussion of topics important to its members and to the public, OCM will be hosting a series of online events dealing with issues such as market access, consolidation, labeling, and meat imports, among others.

The first online event will be a Facebook Live discussion on the OCM Facebook page on Thursday, June 25th at 7:00pm Central time.  The topic of the event will be “One Size Fits All Food Inspection.”  The guest speaker for the event will be Dr. James Dillon, a veterinarian and military officer who serves as the Director of Meat Safety Assurance for the State of Texas and as a DIMA officer in support of Public Health Activity at Ft. Hood.

OCM Interim Executive Director Ben Gotschall will moderate the discussion, and requests than any questions for Dr. Dillon related to Meat Inspection or Food Safety be emailed to him at bgotschall@competitivemarkets.com prior to the event.

More topics and dates for future events will be posted on the OCM Facebook page and website: www.competitivemarkets.com.



NMPF “Sharing Our Story” Page Amplifies Dairy’s Voice

Supporting the hard work of dairy cooperatives and providing a voice for them on Capitol Hill are core parts of the National Milk Producers Federation’s mission. In conjunction with National Dairy Month, NMPF has developed a new “Sharing Our Story” page on its website highlighting its member dairy-farm families and offering a place where the latest and most compelling arguments on behalf of the dairy community can be found.

Leading the page is a revamped “Farmer Focus” feature, spotlighting the work of NMPF cooperative farmers from across the country. NMPF’s “Dairy Defined” thought-leadership series is also featured, dispelling myths about the industry and offering fact-based views on its current challenges through timely essays and a regular podcast. “CEO’s Corner,” a monthly column on the dairy policy environment from NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern, rounds out the page.

“Dairy has a compelling, and crucial, story to tell readers and listeners from farms and grocery aisles to Capitol Hill. It’s only fitting that we launch an effort to get the word out during National Dairy Month,” Mulhern said. “We hope visitors to Sharing Our Story will better understand all that dairy has to offer and be motivated to become an ally to the important work dairy farmers do every day.” 

The new page is NMPF’s second significant web addition this year, following the establishment of its special page devoted to dairy’s response to coronavirus in March. 



More Farm Households Reporting Off-Farm Income

Nearly half of all family farm operators and their spouses reported having a job off the farm in 2018.

The USDA reports that the majority of households, regardless of farm size, report that they work off the farm because it is more lucrative than farm work, provides more reliable income, and may offer health and retirement benefits.

Households had the option to report more than one reason for working off the farm.

Among small family farms--those with annual gross cash farm income (GCFI) under $350,000--about 88 percent of these households reported working off the farm because it was more reliable and 75 percent because it was more lucrative.

By comparison, among large-scale farm households--those with GCFI of $1 million or more--about 72 percent reported working off the farm because it was more reliable and 51 percent because it was more lucrative.

In addition, about 40 percent of all principal operators or their spouses who work off the farm listed farm-related financial stress, such as low commodity prices or low farm revenue, as a reason for having a job off the farm.



NGFA and NAEGA support U.S. Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2020

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) today said they strongly support legislation that would reauthorize and improve the U.S. Grain Standards Act.

The Senate Agriculture Committee will consider the bill reauthorizing the U.S. Grain Standards Reauthorization Act for another five years during a June 24 business meeting.

The Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) establishes official marketing standards for grains and oilseeds under the authorization of the U.S. Grain Standards Act, which was first signed into law in 1916. The existing authorization law, which passed in 2015 and included provisions to ensure uninterrupted export inspections, expires Sept. 30.

“Stakeholders – ranging from producers to grain handlers and processors to end-users and consumers – benefit when (FGIS) and its delegated and designated state and private agencies provide state-of-the-art, market-responsive Official inspection and weighing of bulk grains and oilseeds, and do so in a reliable, uninterrupted, consistent and cost-effective manner,” NGFA and NAEGA said in a June 23 support letter to Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.

NGFA and NAEGA said they support reauthorizing all expiring provisions of the current law for another five years, including: the ability for Congress to appropriate funding for standardization and compliance activities that have broad societal benefits, including to farmers and consumers; authorization for the USDA Grain Inspection Advisory Committee to operate; and the current statutory limitation on the amount of money FGIS can spend on administrative costs not associated with direct inspection and weighing activities.

USGSRA 2020 also includes a number of improvements advocated by NGFA and NAEGA that they said will promote increased data and information-sharing to benefit the system and its users, including:
-    Requiring delegated state agencies to notify users of Official inspection or weighing   services at least 72 hours in advance of any intent to discontinue such services;
-    Ensuring FGIS user fees are directed solely to inspection and weighing services;
-    Reporting requests for waivers, exceptions and other specific services received and granted by FGIS; and
-    Directing FGIS to complete a comprehensive review of the current boundaries for the officially designated grain inspection agencies in the domestic marketplace.

NGFA and NAEGA also highlighted their concerns about ongoing non-tariff trade barriers that have restricted exports of U.S. grains and oilseeds, noting that the reauthorization bill retains the provision that prohibits the “use of false or misleading grade designations” for U.S. grain exports.



Anticipating June 1 Corn Stocks

The USDA releases the June 1 corn stocks estimate on June 30. Typically, the Acreage report published on the same day eclipses the quarterly grain stocks report. While the Acreage report remains crucial for price expectations this year, the grain stocks report looks to hold some essential information on feed and residual levels for the current marketing year, according to University of Illinois agricultural economist Todd Hubbs.

"The drop in ethanol production and severe supply chain issues with livestock markets creates an expectation of expanded feed and residual use during the quarter," Hubbs says. "The following analysis presents an estimate for June 1 corn stocks under current feed and residual use estimates during the marketing year."

The corn supply available as of March 1 is the base for estimating June 1 stocks, Hubbs explains. Corn stocks at the beginning of the quarter totaled 7.953 billion bushels in the March Grain Stocks report. Currently, the Census Bureau estimates for corn imports are only available through April. In the first half of the marketing year, corn imports totaled 14.2 million bushels. Imports for the third quarter might have been around 7 million bushels. By combining imports with the beginning stocks, the total available supply for the second quarter comes in at 7.960 billion bushels.

An estimate of corn exports for the third quarter is based on the cumulative weekly export inspections estimate available for the entire quarter. Cumulative export inspections through May totaled approximately 1.096 billion bushels. During the first eight months of the marketing year, total Census Bureau corn exports came in 74 million bushels above cumulative export inspections.

"Assuming the margin continued through May, corn exports through three quarters of the year equaled 1.214 billion bushels. Since exports in the first half of the marketing year totaled 621.7 million bushels, the estimate for third-quarter corn exports equals 592.3 million bushels," Hubbs says.

The Grain Crushing and Co-Products Production report released on June 1 provided corn used for ethanol and co-product production during March and April. A drop of 26.7% from the previous year showed the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown, Hubbs notes. Corn used for ethanol production over the two months totaled 655.3 million bushels. Weekly estimates of ethanol production provided by the Energy Information Administration indicate ethanol production decreased by 33.7% in May 2020 from the preceding year.

"By calculating the amount of corn used to produce ethanol from these May numbers, corn used for ethanol production in May was approximately 308.3 million bushels if conversion rates remained similar to recent months. Total use for the quarter is estimated at 969 million bushels," Hubbs says.

Corn used to produce other food and industrial products during the marketing year is projected at 1.405 billion bushels by the USDA. According to historical corn use data, around 75% of the final marketing year food and industrial product use occurs in the first three quarters of the marketing year, Hubbs explains.

"If this historical pattern holds and the USDA projection is correct, corn use for the first three quarters of the marketing year totaled 1.054 billion bushels," he adds. "Corn use during the first half equaled 678.39 million bushels, which set the third-quarter use estimate at 376 million bushels."

The current USDA projection for feed and residual use sits at 5.7 billion bushels. An increase in corn use for feed seems possible given the lower distiller's grain production over the quarter, Hubbs notes.

"The historical pattern of feed and residual use in corn may provide some indication of the third-quarter use," he says.

For the five previous marketing years, use during the first three quarters of the marketing year ranged from 87.4% to 90.1% of the marketing year total with an average of 87.6%. Third-quarter feed and residual use ranged from 17.9% to 20.7% of the total use over this time.

"For this analysis, an 88.7% usage rate during the first three quarters is assumed to calculate expected feed and residual use during the third quarter," Hubbs says. "The potential for the percentage exceeding this level is quite strong at the current estimate of 5.7 billion bushels of consumption.

"If the USDA projection is correct, a use level near 1.13 billion bushels is expected in the third quarter. Feed and residual use equaled 3.93 billion bushels in the first half. This analysis indicates feed and residual use during the first three quarters of the marketing year totaled 5.056 billion bushels."

By adding the estimates for exports and domestic uses, the total consumption of corn during the third quarter is estimated at 3.063 billion bushels, Hubbs explains. The total use estimate for the third quarter places June 1 corn stocks at 4.897 billion bushels. At this estimated total, June 1 stocks come in 306 million bushels smaller than in 2019.

"A June 1 corn stocks estimate that supports the USDA projection of 5.7 billion bushels of feed and residual use during the marketing year is considered neutral for corn prices," Hubbs says.

"An estimate of corn stocks near 4.89 billion bushels would indicate that feed and residual use is on the pace estimated by the USDA for the marketing year. A substantial difference from the estimated third-quarter consumption indicates a deviation in feed and residual use estimates for the current marketing year," he concludes.



Develop Standard Operating Procedures to Encourage Farm Safety
Katelyn Hain and Angie Johnson, North Dakota State University Extension

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of risk prevention measures through universal protocols in everyday life, especially in situations of high risk.

In instances such as COVID-19, reducing the chance of transmission is critical in protecting all employees, but especially individuals who may be considered at high risk of developing illness or live with individuals who are at risk.

“Communicating expectations and having procedures in place helps all employees know what is expected of them and creates an environment that emphasizes worker safety and well-being,” Hain adds. “This is important in situations where there may be a higher risk of disease transmission such as COVID-19, but developing standard operating procedures is a proactive measure for everyday prevention of farm accidents and other biosecurity risks. While you cannot completely mitigate risk, you can take precautions to help lower risk.”

A standard operating procedure that carries beyond a pandemic is frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces, especially in equipment that is run by more than one person or in shared spaces. Surfaces also should be disinfected in instances of higher disease transmission such as COVID-19.
High-touch surfaces in and on vehicles and tractors include:
    Door handles (inside and out)
    Steering wheels
    Keys
    Gear controls
    Center consoles
    Radio knobs
    Other control panel buttons
    Glove boxes
    Seatbelts

High-touch surfaces in shops and other farm buildings include:
    Door handles and control buttons
    Light switches
    Bathroom surfaces
    Shared tools
    Common meeting areas for employees (table and chairs)
    Kitchenettes (refrigerator door handles, cupboard handles, coffee pot, etc.)

To clean these surfaces, use warm water and soap and a microfiber cloth to remove dust, dirt and grime particles. Rinse with clean water after washing to remove soap residue, which could attract dust.

Be careful when using soap and water near electrical equipment, such as touchscreen monitors. Electrical equipment is sensitive to moisture, especially along monitor edges. Alcohol wipes may be a better option for some screens. Refer to your tractor or vehicle owner’s manual for proper cleaning procedures for electrical units and touchscreen monitors.

Once the dirt, dust and grime is removed, use a household disinfectant to kill bacteria and viruses on the surfaces. Do not use bleach or hydrogen peroxide-based disinfectants in your tractor and vehicle interiors because they can damage upholstery.

Touchscreen monitors should not be disinfected with ammonia-based disinfectants because ammonia can damage the anti-glare and anti-fingerprint coatings.

Follow disinfecting product label instructions for applying the disinfectant. Be sure to wear the proper personal protective equipment when applying the product.

“After you have cleaned and disinfected high-touch surface areas, wash your hands,” advises Angie Johnson, NDSU Extension’s agriculture and natural resources agent in Steele County. “Also, get into the habit of washing your hands before you enter and after you exit your tractor and vehicle.”

The agents recommend producers encourage everyone on the farm to wash their hands and use hand sanitizers when washing is not an option. Stock the farm shop’s wash station with soap and disposable towels, and provide hand sanitizer for employees to carry. Also clean workspaces often, and supply a garbage bag to throw away contaminated materials, such as gloves or wipes that workers can remove easily at the end of each shift or task.

In addition, create a cleaning and sanitizing record sheet. Producers and employees can record the date, time, equipment or tools and how they cleaned or sanitized the items. Keep this paper record in a binder in a high-traffic area in the shop.

Place stickers inside equipment to remind operators to wipe the steering wheel, key/ignition switch, gear shifter. Placing stickers inside equipment to remind operators to wipe the steering wheel, key/ignition switch, gear shift, door handles, radio and climate control knobs, etc. before exiting the equipment also can be helpful, the agents say.



US honeybees are doing better after bad year, survey shows
AP News

American honeybee colonies have bounced back after a bad year, the annual beekeeping survey finds.

Beekeepers only lost 22.2% of their colonies this past winter, from Oct. 1 to March 31, which is lower than the average of 28.6%, according to the Bee Informed Partnership’s annual survey of thousands of beekeepers. It was the second smallest winter loss in the 14 years of surveying done by several different U.S. universities.

Last winter’s loss was considerably less than the previous winter of 2018-2019 when a record 37.7% of colonies died off, the scientists found. After that bad winter, the losses continued through the summer of 2019, when beekeepers reported a 32% loss rate. That’s much higher than the average of 21.6% for summer losses. Those summer losses were driven more by hives of commercial beekeepers than backyard hobbyists, said bee partnership scientific coordinator Nathalie Steinhauer.

While the summer losses are bad, winter deaths are “really the test of colony health,” so the results overall are good news, Steinhauer said. “It turned out to be a very good year.”

Populations tend to be cyclical with good years following bad ones, she said. The scientists surveyed 3,377 commercial beekeepers and backyard enthusiasts in the United States.

“One would hope that a lower winter loss means a better 2020 assuming that the weather cooperates and beekeepers don’t end up skimping on colony management,” said University of Montana bee expert Jerry Bromenshenk, who wasn’t part of the study.

Beekeepers in the U.S. also may be taking more of their colonies indoors in the winter, helping them survive, said University of Georgia entomologist Keith Delaplane. New U.S. Department of Agriculture research suggests putting bees in “cold storage” helps them survive the winter.

For decades scientists have been watching the population of pollinators — crucial to the world’s food supply — shrink. Honeybees, the most easily tracked, are threatened by mites, diseases, pesticides and loss of food.

Loss rates now being seen “are part of the new normal,” Steinhauer said.



USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program Reaches 20 Million Boxes Distributed

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed more than 20 million food boxes in support of American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Over the past few weeks, the Farmers to Families Food Box Program has continued to pick up steam, getting food in the hands of more and more Americans while providing much needed support to our agricultural sector,” said Secretary Perdue. “This milestone is a testament that the program is accomplishing what we intended – supporting U.S. farmers and distributors and getting food to those who need it most. It’s a real trifecta, which is why we call it a win-win-win.”

“The Farmers to Families Food Box Program has been an extraordinary success having already delivered 20 million large boxes of farm fresh food to those in need! This administration is proud of the collaborative efforts of farmers, distributors, food banks, non-profits and faith-based communities and their workforces in dispersing fresh produce, protein and dairy to those most in need across the United States,” said Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump.