VIRTUAL CHEF EVENT FEATURES BEEF
The Beef Checkoff participated in the American Culinary Federation’s (ACF) annual conference held virtually on August 3-5th. State beef councils from Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, Oklahoma,and Texas have partnered together for over 10 years to sponsor educational breakout sessions and other beef experiences during this convention. Because of COVID 19, the ACF moved to an online-only format this year but opened the conference to chef audiences outside of their membership.
The Beef Checkoff (represented as Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner) hosted a recorded education session with panelists Dr. Davey Griffin from Texas A&M and Chef Kelly Cook with the Texas Chef’s Association. During the session, the speakers covered the impact of COVID 19 on the beef supply chain and how it impacted foodservice operators. The panelists also discussed opportunities for chefs to utilize beef on their menus, capitalizing on the increase in beef demand. Over 235 participants listened to the presentation.
In addition to the education session, the Beef Checkoff hosted a virtual tradeshow booth where conference attendees could download resource materials, sign up for beef newsletters and even live chat with checkoff staff members. The booth materials and the recorded session will remain available for the chef attendees through the month of September.
Ag Education for UNMC Students
The Nebraska Beef Council recently collaborated with the University of Nebraska Medical Center to host a class for dietetics and public health students. The course section was titled Agriculture Practices, Food Access and Sustainability and focused on common production practices and their relationship to nutrition, product quality, animal health and environmental sustainability. To give the students a better understanding on what production and sustainability looks like in Nebraska, the students spoke with producer panelists from each segment of the industry. Rancher Homer Buell from Basset, feedyard operator Joan Ruskamp from Dodge and two Tyson meats representatives discussed their respective segments and best practices to provide a cohesive look at the beef supply chain using relevant examples of how each segment works together in producing a high-quality product for consumers, while focusing on animal care and environmental stewardship throughout the process.
USDA NASS TO COLLECT 2020 SMALL GRAIN PRODUCTION AND STOCKS DATA
During the first two weeks of September, growers of small grains around the country will be contacted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The agency is taking a comprehensive look into the 2020 production and supply of small grains, which include wheat, oats, barley, and rye.
“The small grains industry is important to Nebraska agriculture and it is crucial for everyone to have accurate data about this key sector of the economy,” said NASS’ Northern Plains Regional Director, Nicholas Streff. “We will contact more than 2,300 producers in Nebraska to accurately measure 2020 acreage, yield, and production for small grains and the quantities of grains and oilseeds stored on farm.”
“Responses to the survey will also be used in calculating county yields,” explained Streff. “USDA uses county yield information from the survey to evaluate and administer vital farm disaster mitigation. Farmers who receive this survey should use this opportunity to assure their county is accurately represented in the calculation of Nebraska county yields estimates.”
NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.
Survey results will be published in several reports, including the annual Small Grains Summary and the quarterly Grain Stocks report, both to be released on September 30. These and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov. For more information call the NASS Nebraska Field Office at 800-582-6443.
Farmers, Ranchers and Landowners Are Doing Their Part to Improve Water Quality
Craig Derickson, State Conservationist for NRCS in Nebraska
Drive across Nebraska or fly overhead and you will see evidence of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) work on the state’s landscape.
Conservation practices like streamside buffers, restored wetlands, and fields planted with protective cover are just a few visible signs of the agency’s work in our state.
NRCS conservationists work with farmers and ranchers wanting to install conservation practices. NRCS offers assistance to install more than 170 practices to improve soil health, water quality, air quality and wildlife habitat. When planning these practices, NRCS staff works to help producers maintain or improve agricultural productivity.
As the nation celebrates National Water Quality Month in August, NRCS in Nebraska salutes the conservation-minded farmers and ranchers who do their part daily to improve water quality and other natural resources on their operations. Without their efforts we wouldn’t have clean, safe water for drinking, recreation and other purposes.
Agriculture can and does play a critical role in improving water quality and other natural resources in our state. Because 97% of the land is privately owned in Nebraska, considerable water quality and other natural resource improvements will be achieved by farmers, ranchers, and private landowners as they make conservation decisions every day.
For instance, the Shell Creek Watershed Improvement Group is made up of landowners and farmers who led a grassroots effort to improve water quality. They worked with NRCS and a variety of partners on the local, state and federal level including, the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District, Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, local high school science classes, and others to monitor the health of the watershed and promote water quality practices.
Through this collaborative effort, over 240 landowners have installed more than 340 conservation practices, including no-till farming, filter and buffer strips and cover crops. As a result of these practices, Atrazine levels have significantly declined in Shell Creek, resulting in the creek being removed from the EPA’s list of “impaired waterways.”
This is just one example of how our success in improving water quality in Nebraska rests with private landowners, and I am confident they will continue to do their part.
But we invite more producers to include conservation as part of their operation. Farmers and ranchers who are interested in learning how to integrate conservation into their operation, can visit USDA’s farmers.gov website for more information about NRCS conservation opportunities and assistance.
Trump Talks Derecho with Reynolds, Naig
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and others met with President Trump in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to discuss the effect the derecho had on Iowa’s farmers, landowners and businesses.
“Today, I had the opportunity to meet with President Trump about the emotional, financial and logistical challenges the derecho has caused for our agriculture community. I appreciate the President’s willingness to travel to Iowa to learn about the damage first-hand and speak with some of the farmers and agribusinesses who suffered tremendous losses during last week’s storm. These farmers have had a very challenging year, and the federal financial aid package President Trump approved is a critical step in the recovery process.”
Estimated Crop Damage
Last week, the USDA RMA reported 57 counties in Iowa were in the path of the derecho. There are approximately 8.2 million acres of corn and 5.6 million acres of soybeans in those counties that may have been impacted by the storm.
Based on MODIS satellite imagery and Storm Prediction Center preliminary storm reports, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship believes 36 counties in Iowa were hardest hit by the derecho. Within those 36 counties, the storm likely had the greatest impact on 3.57 million acres of corn and 2.5 million acres of soybeans.
Estimated Commercial Grain Storage Losses
Several cooperatives located in central and east-central Iowa are reporting sites damaged by the derecho. Early estimates indicate more than 57 million bushels of permanently-licensed grain storage was seriously damaged or destroyed. The co-ops estimate it will cost more than $300 million to remove, replace or repair the damaged grain storage bins.
Tens of millions of bushels of on-farm storage were also lost during the storm. This may create grain storage challenges as farmers head into the 2020 harvest. In 2019, Iowa farmers harvested 2.6 billion bushels of corn and 502 million bushels of soybeans, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
2020 Farmland Values Stable
Farmland values held steady in the first half of 2020 in the Corn Belt states of Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming, says Deb Stanbro, president of the Iowa Chapter of American Society of Farm Manager and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) and an appraiser at FCSAmerica. Stable demand for land, decreased sales volume and low interest rates continue to provide support and the market adjusted to pandemic induced social distancing.
Rural Appraisers play a key role in the farmland market with sales and data analysis, timely asset valuation and professional service. The following information is provided by the Appraisers at Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica) in support of the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Rural Appraisers and Farm Managers.
In Iowa and Wyoming, benchmark farmland values increased 0.3% in the first six months of 2020. Nebraska experienced a decline of -0.4%, while South Dakota saw a larger but still modest drop of -2.0%. Tim Koch, chief credit officer at FCSAmerica, said overall declines in real estate values in Nebraska and South Dakota were at least partially influenced by broader declines in pastureland values of 4.0% and 4.7%, respectively. South Dakota also is seeing residual impact from last year's flooding.
"In the central part of Iowa, the values indicated no change to an increase of 6.3% during this time period," Stanbro said.
The pandemic impacted how farmland was sold with the methods of sale shifting as states issued guidance on social distancing. Public auctions declined 21%, 31% and 35% respectively in Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming in the second quarter compared to the same period last year. In Iowa, public auctions were down 8%. More buyers in the region chose to list land privately or through a Farmland Broker or Realtor.
"There still is liquidity in agriculture, and those who can afford it are looking for real estate," Koch said. On the whole, he said, values continue to benefit from many of the same factors that have supported the market for the past few years. The following factors will help determine the direction of the real estate market in the months to come:
- Already attractive interest rates reached historic lows during the early weeks of COVID-19. Indicators point to favorable rates for the foreseeable future, Koch said.
- Federal aid to an industry hit hard by the trade war now includes payments to ease financial pain from the pandemic. While producers would prefer an environment in which government support wasn't needed, Koch said, the aid has been critical to farm income. Depressed commodity prices are currently signaling reduced farm income levels for 2020. Absent additional federal support, increased financial stress across a broad segment of agriculture would likely yield increased sales activity and the potential for further softening of real estate values.
- Buying continues in a tight real estate market. Across the region, the availability of dry cropland is down. Nebraska also saw fewer listings of irrigated land in the first half of 2020. Those in a position to buy see farmland as a secure, long-term investment, Koch said. So far, it continues to be producers who are the predominant buyers, however, continued interest from investors looking to diversify their investment holdings continues to provide further support to farmland values.
Members of the Iowa Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) work with close to 2 million acres across Iowa. Our Rural Appraiser members provided appraisals on over 2.3 million acres of Iowa farmland, valued at over $17 billion in 2019. Our Farm Manager members are experts in helping landowners and farm operators achieve their objectives, while our Rural Appraiser members are equipped with the tools necessary to tackle a wide spectrum of real estate valuation assignments. ASFMRA members are recognized as the most trusted rural property professionals and their accreditation represents the highest level of professionalism in the industry.
Deb Stanbro is the current president of the Iowa Chapter of the ASFMRA and has been an Appraiser with Farm Credit Services of America (FCSAmerica) since 1999. She was also actively involved in launching the ASFMRA Iowa Chapter Young Professionals Network.
Market Value of Red Meat Exports to the U.S. Corn Farmer
Red meat exports added 12 percent of bushel value to the U.S. corn farmer in 2019. The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) recently updated a study on the market value of red meat exports. At an average of $3.75 per bushel, $0.46 is from red meat exports. The study indicated that without red meat exports, corn growers would have lost $6.4 billion in corn revenue in 2019. Other highlights from the updated study include:
Value of Red Meat Exports’ Feed Use of Corn and Soybeans
- In 2019, U.S. beef and pork exports used 480 million bushels of corn. Corn revenue generated by pork exports totaled $1.8 billion (480 million bushels x average annual price of $3.75/bushel).
- Beef and pork exports also used about 3 million tons of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) in 2019 at an annual average price of $137/ton. This generated $411.8 million in revenue for ethanol mills’ co-products.
- The projected market value of red meat exports to U.S. corn from 2020-2029 is $23.1 billion.
“The animal ag industry is the largest user of U.S. corn, and it’s beneficial to have an understanding of the impact of the value of red meat exports,” said Dan Wesely, chairman of the Market Development Action Team. “It’s important to partner with USMEF to work together to continue to expand and grow these markets, especially during these challenging times.”
As a part of the work on the study, USMEF also did an updated infographic and highlighting key statistics and facts from the study. More details on U.S. red meat exports’ value to corn are available in this slide presentation. World Perspectives, Inc. (WPI), conducted the study
Ninth Circuit Court Denies Companies' Petition to Rehear Dicamba Case
On Monday, three dicamba registrants lost one of their last remaining legal options to overturn a federal court's mandate ending the registrations of three dicamba herbicides.
On June 3, a panel of three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a decision to vacate three dicamba herbicides, XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF) and FeXapan (Corteva Agriscience).
On July 20, all three companies petitioned for a broader group of Ninth Circuit judges to rehear that case. They argued that the judges' initial decision was unfair, unconstitutional and required a full judicial review.
On Monday, the Ninth Circuit Court disagreed and dismissed those requests. "The full court has been advised of the petitions for rehearing en banc, and no judge of the court has requested a vote on whether to rehear the matter en banc," the judges' order stated. "The petitions for rehearing en banc are DENIED."
The decision leaves the three companies with one final legal option to overturn the June 3 Ninth Circuit ruling -- an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Roberts Leads Letter to Urge School Meal Flexibility
U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Monday sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to urge the Department to continue providing flexibilities to schools and sponsoring organizations for school meals and child nutrition.
"As the school year begins, the challenges brought on by the COVID emergency persist. We encourage continued use of the child nutrition program waiver authority ably used thus far to assist school food authorities and non-school sponsoring organizations who work collaboratively to provide children meals while schools explore various and blended models of in-person and virtual classroom sessions," the Senators wrote. "During this COVID emergency, we ask USDA to utilize program flexibilities, grants or reimbursements that assist school food authorities with procuring, preparing, and serving meals in a manner consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 school re-opening guidelines and that support non-school sponsors providing meals to children on remote-learning days or when in-classroom learning is unavailable."
Roberts led the letter, which included 20 U.S. Senators. They were John Boozman; Bill Cassidy, M.D.; John Cornyn; Shelley Moore Capito; Susan Collins; Steve Daines; Joni K. Ernst; Deb Fischer; Mike Braun; John Hoeven; James M. Inhofe; Kelly Loeffler; Thom Tillis; Charles Grassley; Cindy Hyde-Smith; James Lankford; Mitch McConnell; and John Thune.
Fendt Expands in North America, Debuting Five New Machines in Virtual Product Preview August 21
AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO), a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, hosted dealers and media this week to celebrate its greatly expanded Fendt® distribution network and introduce five new products to North America. The public may tune in for a virtual preview of the new Class 10 combine and expanded offering of tractors during a virtual product preview at 10:00 a.m. EDT, Friday, August 21. Registration is now available at www.fendt.com/us/.
“These exciting new Fendt offerings represent the next chapter for AGCO, our growing dealer network and, most importantly, our current and soon-to-be customers,” says Bob Crain, senior vice president and general manager for AGCO North America. “For the first time, we’re offering a comprehensive line of Fendt tractors in North America to serve the needs of livestock and hay producers and those with large-acreage crop operations.
“Fendt represents excellence, efficiency, reliability, quality and passion to AGCO, our dealers and our customers. We take these values seriously, and when we introduce products with the Fendt name, they must deliver on all of these values. We’re confident these new tractors along with the Momentum® planter and IDEAL® combines do just that.”
The latest equipment from Fendt includes:
Fendt with Tracks. Two new track tractors include the Fendt® 900 Vario® MT and Fendt 1100 Vario MT tractors with Fendt iD™ low-rev engine management; smooth, stepless VarioDrive™ continuously variable transmission (CVT); and the smooth-riding, patented MTS Smart Ride™ track system.
The Fendt 900 Vario MT includes three models that range from 380 HP to 431 HP. The AGCO Power™ 9.8-liter, high-power, low-rev diesel engine mated to a Fendt VarioDrive stepless CVT transmission develops 1,500 foot-pounds of torque at 1,100 rpm.
The Fendt 1100 Vario MT tractors range from 511 to 673 HP with four models including the 1167 Vario MT, the largest two-tracked tractor in the market with 673 HP. It is powered by a MAN 6-cylinder, 16.2L diesel engine that generates more than 2,000 foot pounds of torque at 1,110 rpm. Fuel efficiency, power and ride comfort in these machines take track tractor performance to a new level. An innovative steerable hitch is an available option to improve steering and ride when turning with expansive tillage tools and planters.
IDEAL 10 and 10T Combines. The combine with the highest horsepower and the largest separation capacity in North America rides on the same nimble 11.5-foot-wide chassis as the IDEAL 9. The wheeled 10 and tracked 10T are powered by a MAN 16.2-liter diesel engine that delivers 790 horsepower. The separation area in the IDEAL 10 is 12 percent larger and harvest capacity is 20 percent greater than the IDEAL 9.
Fendt 700 Gen 6 tractors. Six models of the new Fendt 700 Gen 6 tractor carry out multiple duties farm-wide. They can adjust for narrow or wide row spacings and feature a Deutz 6.06-liter, six-cylinder diesel engine that delivers 144 to 237 horsepower. They also feature the new FendtONE™ interface that lets operators customize their preferences for each use.
Fendt 300 Vario mid-range tractors. The fourth-generation Fendt 300 Vario is a mid-range tractor with a class-leading power-to-weight ratio and a nimble 13-foot turning radius. Its four models are powered by 4.4-liter AGCO Power™ engines that range from 100 horsepower to 132 horsepower. The Fendt 314, the largest model in the family, can reach 142 horsepower with the Fendt DynamicPerformance power boost when the task calls for more power.
AGCO invests heavily in fast-growing Fendt dealer network
Crain adds that Fendt tractors have been sold in North America since 1998 and that 2020 is also the 30th anniversary of AGCO as a company. Progress has been swift during these three decades.
“AGCO now has 206 Fendt dealership locations and counting in 29 states and 9 provinces, an increase of more than 80 locations since we began investing in our dealership expansion in 2018,” he says. “We’ve worked hard to place dealers in areas that best serve current Fendt owners and prospective buyers. We will continue investing in additional dealerships. Our existing Fendt dealers are excited about these new products, and our new Fendt dealers have been working hard preparing to bring new customers into the Fendt family with support, service and sales indicative of the Fendt legacy.”
Commitment to owner satisfaction, success from design to dealerships
The Fendt commitment to an excellent ownership experience goes from the engineering drawing board to far beyond the dealership door. Each Fendt is backed by Fendt Gold Star Customer Care, which assures additional value and more uptime. Gold Star provides a full warranty with no deductible for 36 months or 3,000 hours for tractors, and 36 months or 1,200 hours for IDEAL combines. Gold Star also covers all scheduled maintenance, including the cost of oil, filters, belts and other maintenance items needed during the warranty period. Fendt dealers also offer industry-leading parts support with a dealer-facing fill rate of more than 98%. If a crucial part isn’t available from a dealer, it will be shipped via the fastest method possible from the nearest AGCO Parts Distribution Center or the factory.
Highly trained Fendt technicians use the latest technology to quickly diagnose problems on the farm or in the shop to save Fendt owners time and money through reduced downtime and lower service fees.
“Since its inception more than 90 years ago, Fendt has combined craftsmanship with engineering, while listening to customers and solving their problems without sacrificing quality or reliability,” Crain says. “The products you see today reflect this history and bring farmers new technologies that increase fuel efficiency, enhance ease of operation, increase comfort and reduce per-acre operating costs. They fully embody Fendt and AGCO ideals and help farmers improve their operations while delivering unmatched performance and return on investment.”
AGCO will preview the new products to the public on YouTube on August 21, 2020. To register for the preview, to learn more about Fendt or to locate the dealer nearest you, visit Fendt.com. Several of the new products also will be previewed as part of the Farm Progress Virtual Experience Sept. 15-17, 2020. Visit www.FarmProgressShow.com for details.
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