Monday July 20 Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending July 19, 2020, there were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 15% very short, 33% short, 51% adequate, and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 11% very short, 32% short, 56% adequate, and 1% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 3% very poor, 8% poor, 23% fair, 46% good, and 20% excellent. Corn silking was 61%, well ahead of 32% last year, and near 58% for the five-year average. Dough was 3%, near 1% last year and 6% average.

Soybean condition rated 2% very poor, 6% poor, 21% fair, 53% good, and 18% excellent. Soybeans blooming was 75%, well ahead of 41% last year, and ahead of 61% average. Setting pods was 31%, well ahead of 6% last year, and ahead of 15% average.

Winter wheat harvested was 79%, well ahead of 28% last year, and ahead of 66% average.

Sorghum condition rated 0% very poor, 5% poor, 39% fair, 44% good, and 12% excellent. Sorghum headed was 25%, ahead of 16% last year and 17% average.

Oats condition rated 2% very poor, 10% poor, 27% fair, 56% good, and 5% excellent. Oats harvested was 57%, well ahead of 10% last year, and ahead of 43% average.

Dry edible bean condition rated 1% very poor, 5% poor, 28% fair, 60% good, and 6% excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 52%, well ahead of 9% last year. Setting pods was 8%.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 7% very poor, 18% poor, 30% fair, 42% good, and 3% excellent.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT

Although some areas of the State received over 3.0 inches of rain, statewide Iowa farmers had 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 19, 2020, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Fieldwork activities included spraying, harvesting hay and grain movement.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 9% very short, 20% short, 69% adequate and 2% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 6% very short, 19% short, 73% adequate and 2% surplus.

Corn silking or beyond reached 69%, 9 days ahead of the previous year and 3 days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn in the dough stage reached 6%, 8 days ahead of the previous year and 4 days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn condition rated 80% good to excellent.

Soybeans blooming reached 74%, 2 weeks ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of average. Soybeans setting pods reached 29%, just over 2 weeks ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of average. Soybean condition rated 79% good to excellent.

Oats turning color reached 90%, 8 days ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of the average. Oats harvested for grain reached 24%, 5 days ahead of last year but 1 day behind the average. Oat condition rated 81% good to excellent.

Alfalfa hay second cutting reached 76%, 9 days ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of the average. Hay condition rated 68% good to excellent.

Pasture condition rated 56% good to excellent. Heat stress and increased insect populations continue to affect livestock.




USDA Weekly Crop Progress: Soybean Condition Improves Slightly; Corn Condition Steady

The condition of the U.S. soybean crop rose slightly last week while the condition of corn was unchanged, USDA NASS said in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday. Development of both crops was slightly ahead of normal.

NASS estimated that 69% of the corn crop was in good-to-excellent condition as of Sunday, July 19, unchanged from the previous week.  Corn silking jumped ahead 30 percentage points to reach 59% as of Sunday. That was well ahead of 30% at the same time last year and moved this year's silking progress to 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 54%. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 9%, also ahead of the five-year average of 7% by 2 percentage points.

Soybean development also continued to run ahead of normal last week. Soybeans blooming was estimated at 64%, 7 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 57%. The portion of the crop setting pods was estimated at 25%, 4 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 21%.  Soybean conditions improved slightly last week. NASS estimated that 69% of the soybean crop was in good-to-excellent condition as of July 19, up 1 percentage point from 68% the previous week.

Winter wheat harvest slowed last week, moving ahead 6 percentage points compared to 12 percentage points the previous week. An estimated 74% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, 1 percentage point ahead of the five-year average of 75%.

The percentage of spring wheat headed reached 91% as of Sunday, 3 percentage points behind the five-year average of 94%.  Spring wheat condition held steady at 68% good to excellent.

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Creep Feeding Calves
Steve Niemeyer – NE Extension Educator 

Keeping a tight grip on feed costs is a priority for every beef producer. Creep feeding calves can be a good return on investments in certain situations. Maintaining the calf’s efficiency at an early age is becoming much more critical with modern market requirements. The gross income of the cow/calf enterprises is partially dependent on the weaning weight of the calves. Outside of changing weaning date, there are management strategies that can   increase calf weaning weight. However, chasing increased output or calf weaning weight can have some negative downstream implications to profitability of the cowherd. Strategies to increase calf weaning weight could include increased selection for maternal milk production, increased genetic selection for growth, increase in forage quality consumed by the calf, and creep feeding the calf to increase nutrient intake. Creep feeding of beef calves usually is reserved for specific market and management situations such as high calf prices, low feed prices, dry lot operations, fall born calves, and purebred bull calves. Creep feeding suckling calves can increase market weight of the calf at weaning.  

Creep feeding must take into account the economics of the cost of gain, potential market endpoint, and the influence of sale price of the calves. For instance, the cost of the gain from creep feeding has to be less than the value of the gain to be a profitable nutritional strategy. Because there is data that suggests non-creep fed calves catch up with their creep fed mates post-weaning, the highest return is realized if calves are sold at weaning. Under severe drought conditions, creep feeding can be used to sustain minimal calf growth. A risk of creep feeding is getting calves too fat, resulting in price discounts. In addition, long-term data shows that creep feeding heifers will lower their long-term productivity by decreasing lifetime milk production.

Some of the items that need to be considered when deciding whether to creep feed are:
1.       Nutrient requirements and ration composition
2.       Feed conversions of different types of creep feeds
3.       Post-weaning calf performance and bunk-breaking calves
4.       Retaining replacement heifers
5.       Challenges of starting calves on the creep rations
6.       Creep feeding design
7.       Location of creep feeder
8.       Benefits of bunk-breaking calves for post-weaning
9.       Calculating return from creep feeding



FOOD BANK FOR THE HEARTLAND RECIEVES $150,000 DONATION FROM LOCAL AG COMPANIES TO ADDRESS GROWING COVID-19 HUNGER NEEDS

Lindsay Corporation, Farm Credit Services of America, and Scoular have partnered to make a $150,000 donation to the Food Bank for the Heartland to address the food insecurity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a reminder of the importance of the reliability of the U.S. food system, even as families struggle with food insecurity across the country. The continued impact of the pandemic and temporary closure of critical food programs has compounded family food challenges. It also has added new families to the lists of those needing assistance from their local food banks and pantries in the Omaha area, rural Nebraska, and Southwest Iowa, areas served by Food Bank for the Heartland.

From March 15 to June 30, 2020, Food Bank for the Heartland distributed 7,510,900 meals to children, families and seniors in the Heartland facing hunger and 11,633,012 meals when including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This is a 61% percent increase over the average number of meals distributed during the same period. In addition, Feeding America, of which Food Bank of the Heartland is a member, estimates the number of food-insecure individuals in the Food Bank’s 93-county service area jumped from 207,000 to 296,000 due to COVID-19.

The $150,000 donation by Lindsay Corporation, Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica), and Scoular will address immediate and unique need, enabling Food Bank for the Heartland to purchase critical food items that will be distributed through the organization’s network of pantries and emergency meal providers and through its Mobile Pantry program.

“With a large part of our business focused on the world’s food production, and understanding the impact COVID-19 has had on our nation’s food supply, specifically food pantries, it was important for Lindsay to be part of the solution to relieve food insecurity for those in our community,” said Tim Hassinger, president and CEO of Lindsay Corporation. “We’re proud to partner with Farm Credit Services of America and Scoular to help provide this critical need to Food Bank for the Heartland so they can continue doing their good work.”

“As a financial cooperative serving farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses, FCSAmerica views food security as part of our mission to support and strengthen the communities we serve,” said Mark Jensen, CEO and president of FCSAmerica. “We are increasing our giving to address food insecurity, recognizing the growing need resulting from Covid-19, that has both health and financial implications that require all of us to work together for the good of our neighbors, families and communities.”

“Scoular has a long history of collaborating with producers to create safe and reliable feed and food supply chains,” said Scoular CEO Paul Maass. “Our company also embraces stewardship and compassion as core values, and during these uncertain times, it is more important than ever to demonstrate these values by joining with our agricultural partners and Food Bank for the Heartland to address food insecurity in Nebraska and Iowa.”

“As Nebraskans and Iowans continue to struggle with the community and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for supplemental meals is more critical than ever,” said Brian Barks, president and chief executive officer of Food Bank for the Heartland. “Many individuals and families are finding themselves in the unexpected position of seeking emergency food assistance for the first time. We are grateful to Farm Credit Services of America, Lindsay and Scoular for their generous support in feeding our neighbors in need during this unprecedented time.”



Nebraska receives portion of largest ever USDA farm to school grant

The Nebraska Department of Education and Burwell Public Schools have both received grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture which will allow them to partner with Nebraska Extension to bring fresh, local foods into schools.

The Nebraska Department of Education and Burwell Public schools received $99,070 and $38,725, respectively through the grant program, which aims to increase the amount of local foods served in child nutrition programs, teach children about food and agriculture and foster economic opportunity for farmers and ranchers in surrounding communities. Each grant will be distributed over two years.

Nebraska Extension educators will work directly in the state department of education in order to identify interested school districts, build relationships between school administrators and producers and develop resources for both extension educators and local schools interested in serving more locally grown foods.

“Nebraska Extension has a really unique role potentially to play in farm-to-school efforts because of our statewide network of educators who have great connections and relationships in the communities that they work in, said extension educator Ben McShane-Jewell, who is part of the Nebraska Regional Food Systems Initiative.

 McShane-Jewell and other extension educators have been working with the Nebraska Department of Education for the past year and half on farm-to-school programs and building resources to support them. The first year of grant funds will be spent primarily on planning and building capacity within extension to carry out farm-to-school programs, said extension educator Natalie Sehi.

During the second year of the grant, Nebraska Extension will select eight communities to attend the Nebraska Farm-to-School Institute, which will be held next summer.

The institute will bring together community stakeholders will Nebraska Extension educators to develop a project plans for each participating school. Each community can then apply for a small, mini grant out of the Nebraska Department of Education’s $99,070 to effectively implement their project.

McShane-Jewell and Sehi are hopeful that over the next two years, they will be able to develop a replicable farm-to-school model that additional Nebraska schools and communities can implement years into the future.

“I want to really keep that momentum going and develop a long-lasting program within agriculture, food, nutrition and health that’s always there as an option for educators to use anytime,” McShane-Jewell said.

Sehi hopes farm-to-school programs inspire families of participating students to incorporate fresh, local foods into meals prepared at home, too.

“Hopefully the kids are taking what they earn home and impacting their families,” she said.

According to the farm to school census, 29% of Nebraska school districts say they participate in in farm-to-school activities. That translates to 71 districts, encompassing 458 schools and 188,637 students. Another 13% of Nebraska school districts say they plan to start farm-to-school programs in the future.

“School districts across Nebraska spend tens of millions of dollars annually on food, and most of that goes outside of the state,” McShane-Jewell said. “If we can start to capture some of the revenue and some of those sales potentials with producers inside the state, we’ll create some real opportunities for farm businesses to increase their revenues and be more sustainable.”



IFBF Comments on Pompeo-Ag Leader Roundtable

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in central Iowa Friday evening.  In the afternoon, he spoke at the Family Leadership Summit in West Des Moines. He was one of 10 speakers at the event. Other speakers included Gov. Kim Reynolds and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst.

Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Craig Hill reacted to Pompeo's appearance at which he discussed President Trump's trade war with China.

"The pandemic has only served to intensify the negative impact farmers were feeling prior to COVID-19. We appreciate the opportunity to visit with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a roundtable discussion about the essential role trade plays with Iowa agriculture."

Leaders from across Iowa agriculture shared the importance of trade with China and heard Pompeo recognize the importance of the Phase One Trade Agreement and express confidence the agreement will be fulfilled.

"Trade is an essential component for Iowa's agriculture economy as one out of every three acres of crop production is exported, and one out of every four pigs raised are sent to markets outside our borders. That growth must continue if farming in Iowa is to continue, a sentiment shared by Secretary Pompeo," Hill said.



IDALS Extends Iowa Disposal Assistance Program to Help Producers Affected by COVID-19

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced today that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is continuing the Iowa Disposal Assistance Program (IDAP) to support Iowa farmers. Pork and egg producers forced to euthanize and dispose of market-ready and weaned pigs or layer hens because of supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19 are eligible for the fourth round of IDAP funding.

“Iowa is the largest producer of pork and egg products and our farmers have been unduly affected by supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Secretary Naig. “The disposal assistance program is just one way the state is trying to help producers through this very difficult time.”

Iowa’s pork producers have made extremely difficult decisions over the past several months as COVID-19-related worker shortages caused meat processing facilities to reduce production. Pork producers donated to food security programs benefiting Iowa food banks and pantries, changed animals’ diets to slow the rate of growth and explored other markets to sell their products. While processing capacity has increased, the challenges continue.

Iowa’s egg producers have also faced distribution and disposal challenges because of COVID-19-related closures. Iowa is home to over 58 million egg-laying hens. Nearly 70 percent of Iowa’s layer flocks produce for the liquid egg market and are destined for restaurants, schools and other foodservice markets. When COVID-19 caused many of these establishments to shut down, the demand for liquid eggs plummeted. Liquid egg prices dropped by 68 percent, forcing many egg producers to reduce the size of their flocks. As a result, the Iowa Department of Agriculture expanded the IDAP program to include Iowa egg producers in round four funding.
IDAP Round Four Eligibility

The following Iowa producers can now apply for round four disposal assistance:

1. Pork producers who euthanized and properly disposed of market-ready hogs between June 23 and July 20, 2020. Eligible producers may receive $40 per market-ready hog (weighing at least 225 pounds).

2. Pork producers who euthanized and properly disposed of weaned pigs between May 1 and July 20, 2020. Each approved applicant may receive $4 per weaned pig (up to 25 pounds).

3. Egg producers who euthanized and properly disposed of laying hens between April 1 and July 20, 2020. Each approved applicant may receive 25 cents per layer hen.

Eligible producers must apply by 11:59 p.m./CT on Aug. 6, at iowaagriculture.gov/idap. All producers must provide documentation, including proof of proper disposal and an affidavit from their herd veterinarian confirming impending welfare issues, to receive funding. All paperwork must be received by the Department of Agriculture by 11:59 p.m./CT on Aug. 14.



Swine Building Maintenance the Topic of Online Webinar Series

The overall profitability of a livestock production operation greatly depends on the age of the buildings.

“Maintenance of the buildings is critical for their continued use. Techniques that can help improve the usable life of roofs, concrete, slats and trusses need to be considered and implemented,” notes Kapil Arora, agricultural engineering specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

ISU Extension and Outreach is joining industry partners to offer a five-part webinar series on the maintenance issues faced by facility managers and maintenance crews. The sessions are geared toward livestock producers, livestock building owners and contractors, facility managers, maintenance crew members, engineers, designers and others interested in swine building maintenance.
    Aug. 19 - It Is Your Concrete Pit as Well.
    Aug. 21 - Maintenance of Concrete Pits and What to Look For.
    Aug. 24 - Gable End Attic Air Intakes for Roof and Moisture Management.
    Aug. 26 - General Maintenance Tips for Swine Buildings.
    Aug. 28 - Building Truss Management.

Each session is offered from 1-2 p.m. CDT by Zoom videoconference.

Sessions will discuss concrete pit maintenance and construction, truss management, roof and moisture management and other repair and maintenance issues that can help protect the building and extend its life.

Participants also will learn about unique ways to allow clean air into the attic space and minimize pit-ventilated gases from entering the attic during periods of minimum ventilation during winter months, helping to reduce roof corrosion. Ways to maintain concrete slats including their repair, to help enhance their usable life, will also be discussed.

The series is offered in collaboration with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and sponsored by Ag Property Solutions, AgVICE, Hills Bank, Hog Slat, Iowa Pork Producers Association, Marcus Lumber and Pinnacle.

Registration is $20 and includes all five sessions. Advance registration is required to participate and must be completed by midnight, Aug. 17. Payment is online with credit card only.

Online registration and additional information is available at www.aep.iastate.edu/building. For questions, contact ANR Program Services at anr@iastate.edu, or contact your regional Iowa State University Extension and Outreach agricultural engineering field specialist.



Pass the Pork Success Leads to Phase II of Program

The Pass the Pork program that has enabled Iowa pig farmers to help bring nearly 200,000 servings of pork to food-insecure Iowans is entering a new phase. After nearly three months of securing 451 donated pigs and funds to pay for processing at local meat lockers which had extended their work hours to help out, the program will switch processing to Iowa State University (ISU) Meat Laboratory. The money for processing will come from the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act.

When the program began April 27, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) partnered with the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA), local meat lockers, and the Iowa Food Bank Association (IFBA) to address two problems created by the novel coronavirus: pigs on farms that couldn't move into their typical marketing channels and an increasing need at food banks working to support unemployed Iowans.

Unfortunately, those two situations still exist.

"We know that producers are going through an extremely challenging time and we are pursuing every option to help," said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. "We worked with Gov. Kim Reynolds to secure CARES Act funds to cover processing costs for the Pass the Pork program. This is just one way the state is supporting producers while providing locally-grown protein for hungry Iowans."

Through the generosity of Iowans across the state, the first phase of Pass the Pork raised $115,000 to process 50,000 pounds of pork, which IFBA has distributed to all six regional food banks serving Iowa.

"Although we have had challenges on the farm, we also see our friends and neighbors struggling with jobs and wondering how they will put food on the table, too. By moving into Phase II of Pass the Pork, we can continue to bring pork to our local communities when they need it most," said Mike Paustian, the Walcott farmer who is IPPA president.

In Phase II, pigs will be delivered to ISU's Meat Lab for processing, beginning in mid- August and continuing through early November. IPPA will coordinate the delivery of pigs.

"We are very grateful for the opportunity to be able to help those in need while training students at the same time," said Terry Houser, ISU Extension Meat Specialist. "It is great to see what we can accomplish when industry and state resources come together for such a worthy cause. We have a great staff of caring, hardworking individuals at the ISU Meat Lab and without them, all this would not be possible."

"The pandemic resulted in double digit increases in need for food in Iowa, so our deepest appreciation goes to all who have made the Pass The Pork program a reality" said Linda Gorkow, the executive director of the Iowa Food Bank Association. "This innovative initiative is making an impact to ensure essential protein is made available to thousands of Iowans in need of food assistance."

The ISU Meat Lab is also working to process Iowa beef, which goes to Iowa food banks, too. Both the pork and beef efforts are part of Gov. Reynolds' Feeding Iowans Task Force led by Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg.

Farmers interested in donating pigs to this second phase of Pass the Pork should contact Emma Lasco at IPPA. The number to call is (515) 225-7675.



Hog Farmers Urgently Need Congressional Action to Weather Crisis

U.S. hog farmers continue to face an unprecedented emergency as a result of COVID-related challenges, with an estimated two million hogs still backed-up on farms according to an analysis by Dr. Steve Meyer, an economist with Kerns & Associates. At a press briefing today, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) described the damage exacted on hog farmers and urged Congress to act swiftly to preserve their livelihoods. 

Dr. Meyer said U.S. hog farmers face massive losses due to multiple COVID-19 crisis-related factors, which have turned profit potential for 2020 from robust to disastrous.  According to his analysis, based on lean hog futures prices on March 1 and July 10 and actual hog prices in the interim, potential 2020 revenue from hog sales has been reduced by roughly $4.7 billion. Other losses associated with euthanasia, disposal and donation of pigs with no market outlet and insufficient space to hold them mean U.S. pork producers have lost nearly $5 billion in actual and potential profits for 2020. He said it appears those losses will continue into 2021.

“This is, by far, the worst financial disaster ever for American hog farmers, who were already in a weakened financial position due to two years of trade retaliation” said Dr. Meyer. “As we entered 2020, hog farmers were finally looking at a profitable year, only to have COVID-19 turn the industry on its head. Hog farmers are now looking at $5 billion in losses – or $37 per hog – relative to what they expected for 2020 before the COVID-19 crisis began. Roughly two million hogs are still backed up on farms and this is likely to cause more pigs to be euthanized to prevent suffering due to overcrowding. If COVID prompts additional plant disruptions – a real possibility – the number of hogs backed-up on farms will swell precipitously.”  

“Many U.S. hog farmers will not survive this crisis,” said NPPC President Howard “AV” Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. “As the Senate begins work on the next COVID relief package, we urge lawmakers to provide a critical lifeline to hog farmers across the nation to minimize what has already been significant damage to our producers.”

Earlier this month, Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the RELIEF for Producers Act of 2020, providing compensation for farmers who are forced to euthanize or donate animals that can’t be processed into the food supply as a result of COVID-19, among other provisions. NPPC strongly supports this legislation, as well as additional federal assistance championed by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), and urges Congress to quickly address this unprecedented crisis plaguing pork producers.

“The consequences of inaction are too great and would upset a healthy, dynamic and highly competitive pork production system that has served our farmers, the rural economy and consumers so well,” Roth said. “It’s imperative that Congress act now, or else thousands of farmers could go out of business, leading to consolidation and contraction of the U.S. pork industry.”



Bringing the Findings to Farmers: Soybean Research & Information Network Makes Research Accessible

The soy checkoff’s latest collaboration brought Qualified State Soybean Boards (QSSBs) together to maximize the results of checkoff-funded research projects in the most effective way possible: bringing the findings to farmers. The redesigned Soybean Research & Information Network (SRIN) website — soybeanresearchinfo.com — was launched through a joint effort by the North Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP) and the United Soybean Board (USB) to give farmers a virtual resource full of information and toolkits for more efficient soybean production.

This is a one-stop shop for all the information the checkoff has discovered through farmer investments regarding key problem areas in production, such as tolerance and resilience. Each article on the SRIN website provides insight and explanation on the research findings and links directly to the study in the overall database for further exploration.

“The soy checkoff and QSSBs have worked together to find solutions, best practices and data on key issues and have made that available for all farmers to use,” said Tim Venverloh, USB Vice President of Sustainability Strategy.

The farmer-leaders of USB and QSSBs determine which research is funded — geared toward addressing farmers’ specific and most pressing needs and uncovering opportunities to build profits for soybean farmers.

“I had no idea how much valuable research the checkoff has made possible,” said Lindsay Greiner, USB farmer-leader from Keota, Iowa. “Some of these projects are clear and actionable, such as providing data on what fungicides will provide good disease control based on the most prevalent diseases that can really threaten yield. There doesn’t seem to be a limit for how far it can go to help our industry.”

Tolerance and resilience are two issues farmers know too well, and they have been the focal points for the latest research. Additional projects have sought to combat all sorts of challenges, from obstacles associated with unpredictable weather patterns to insect management and variety performance. Some of these research projects include:
    Battling billion-dollar yield robbers such as stink bugs or sudden death syndrome (NCSRP).
    Navigating herbicide-resistant weeds and helping farmers adopt the practices best suited to their crop and weed populations (Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council).
    Enhancing seed quality by improving its genetics and traits based on a farm’s external factors (Southern Soybean Research Program).
    Controlling soybean seed and seedling rots worsened by diseases made more prevalent by wet planting seasons (USB, NCSRP).

“There’s always things that come up that we’ll have questions about, and it’s good to know right away what resources we have available,” said David Nichols, a USB farmer-leader from Ridgely, Tennessee. “It’s even better to have it in what I call ‘turn row terminology’ — in the language farmers can understand and put to use.”

And the work doesn’t stop at the creation of the website. The soy checkoff continues its investments in new research toward new best practices, solutions to problems and innovations to help farmers contend with rising challenges.

“The state and national checkoff programs working together helps take every investment further and, overall, get more done,” said Greiner.

To learn more about the latest research and the soybean industry, visit soybeanresearchinfo.com or unitedsoybean.org.



 Elanco Gets Federal Trade Commission Approval for Bayer Acquisition

Elanco Animal Health Incorporated announced that the company has received unanimous approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for its acquisition of Bayer Animal Health, a division of Bayer AG. The FTC decision represents the final antitrust clearance needed to complete the transaction, which continues on track for closing at the beginning of August.

"This approval marks the near-final step in fulfilling our vision of bringing together two dedicated animal health companies focused on delivering innovation and an expanded portfolio of solutions to farmers, veterinarians and pet owners around the globe," said Jeff Simmons, president and CEO of Elanco. "As we approach closing and look toward putting our integration plans into action, I want to thank everyone who has worked so tirelessly on this transaction, especially during these challenging times. Their hard work has positioned the combined company for success, and we look forward to welcoming our new colleagues to Elanco in the very near future," said Simmons.

The complementary transaction strengthens Elanco's Innovation, Portfolio and Productivity strategy by combining Elanco's long-standing focus on the veterinarian with Bayer's direct-to-consumer expertise, proven even more important as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the transaction will advance Elanco's intentional portfolio transformation, creating a balance between the farm animal and pet health businesses. It also expands Elanco's omnichannel approach, substantially diversifying its pet health business into the retail and e-commerce channels allowing Elanco to reach pet owners and serve veterinarians with a multi-faceted approach.



Statement on BASF Petition for Rehearing

BASF filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit today requesting a rehearing of its June 3, 2020 decision. The court's decision vacated the EPA registration of its dicamba-based Engenia ® herbicide without giving BASF an opportunity to be heard. Specifically, the petition requests a review of the decision by a panel of 11 judges from the Ninth Circuit instead of the three-judge panel that issued the previous decision. This request for “en banc” review is necessary to correct errors by the panel in issuing a decision inconsistent with basic due process and administrative law principles.

The panel’s decision undermined the authority of the EPA to make science- and data-based regulatory decisions to determine which herbicide products are safe and effective to meet the challenges farmers face every season. The EPA should be allowed to continue following a science-based approach to evaluate and manage ecological risks, while balancing agricultural and societal benefits, when reviewing registration applications. This ruling was unprecedented and devastating to tens of thousands of farmers who have counted on over-the-top (OTT) applications of dicamba-based products to control resistant weeds across tens of millions of dicamba-tolerant soybean and cotton acres.

BASF remains committed to ensuring growers have access to the safe and effective crop protection solutions they have come to rely upon, including Engenia herbicide. Without such dicamba-based products, it is estimated that farmers could lose up to $10 billion and $800 million annually in soybean and cotton yields, respectively.