Tuesday September 15 Ag News

 Fremont Corn Expo Canceled for January 2021

The Fremont Corn Expo has been canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the difficulty to provide this program to the quality level it deserves at this time. Due to retirements and the current budget restrictions, there are four vacancies in Extension educator positions in agronomy, including the position in Dodge and Washington counties that leads the Fremont Corn Expo.

University of Nebraska Extension has hosted and organized the annual Fremont Corn Expo since it started in 2004.  It is normally held the first Thursday in January at the Christensen Field Event Center in Fremont. “Planning for a large event that draws 50 agribusiness exhibitors and over 300 local farmers starts in earnest in September each year with signing various contracts and finalizing plans with keynote speakers,” said Nathan Mueller, former Nebraska Extension Cropping Systems Educator for Dodge and Washington Counties, now serving Saline, Jefferson, and Gage counties in southeast Nebraska. “The Expo is free and open to the public throughout the day and creates an environment where social interactions between farmers, exhibitors, speakers, and the local media is essential. Creating that type of social environment while prioritizing the safety of our community during COVID-19 would be difficult,” said Angi Heller, Nebraska Extension Engagement Zone Coordinator for Dodge and surrounding counties.

While we will not have the Corn Expo in January 2021, all are encouraged to leverage resources from past expos including speaker presentations found at croptechcafe.org/fremontcornexpo/. University of Nebraska Extension and our partners, including the Fremont Chamber, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, and the Nebraska Corn Board are dedicated to providing an atmosphere for local farmers and agribusinesses that the Fremont Corn Expo creates in future years. Nebraska Extension will be continuing with the 2021 Successful Farmer Series streamed live and recorded on Friday mornings in January including one dedicated to corn production challenges in eastern Nebraska. Upcoming information on this series will be posted at lancaster.unl.edu/ag/successfulfarmerseries.  



Nebraska Agriculture Groups Urge EPA to Act Swiftly, Re-Register Dicamba Products

A wide ranging group of Nebraska agriculture organizations is urging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to move swiftly to re-register over-the-top, post-emergence dicamba products. Dicamba is a widely used crop protection product in Nebraska, but future access and use by farmers is dependent on EPA re-labeling dicamba products, as legal action forced the EPA to vacate the label for several dicamba products this past summer.

In a Sept. 10 letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler, the presidents of the Nebraska Agri-business Association, Nebraska Cooperative Council, Nebraska Corn Growers Association, Nebraska Farm Bureau, Nebraska Grain and Feed Association, and the Nebraska Soybean Association urged timely action on re-registration noting that farmers are already beginning to make decisions about purchases of seed and crop protection products for the 2021 planting season. The groups requested EPA issue new, simple, and understandable registrations for the dicamba products so farmers can appropriately plan for the coming year.

In seeking re-registration, the groups noted that dicamba herbicides used on dicamba-tolerant crops are a critical technology for farmers working to produce more food and fuel using fewer natural resources and agricultural inputs. The interests also noted that while other products exist, a diverse selection of crop protection products is vital to combat and prevent herbicide resistance.

The groups also highlighted the fact that farmers, agriculture retailers, and applicators have not only made significant investments in dicamba tolerant crops but have made great strides in the safe and productive use of the product.



Ethanol Board Sees Reconsideration of Gap Waivers as Promising
 
The U.S. EPA announced on Sept. 14 it will deny a portion of “gap-year” small refinery exemptions (SRE) to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for 2011-2018. This still leaves 14 pending gap-year SREs and approximately 30 SREs for 2019-2020.
 
“The industry has faced some of its tightest margins in the past three years, and this concept of permitting gap-year waivers would really hit us while we are down,” said Roger Berry, administrator for the Nebraska Ethanol Board. “This news is welcome because I’m not sure how many hits our ethanol producers and farmers can continue to take, and it puts some certainty back into our markets. We will continue to look for the EPA to uphold the law that is the RFS and to find ways to restore billions of gallons lost.”
 
For the years of 2016, 2017 and 2018 the EPA approved 85 SREs, removing the demand for over 4 billion gallons of ethanol nationwide. At the height of the economic crisis brought on by COVID-19, greater than 40% of Nebraska’s ethanol plants were offline and producers lost hundreds of millions of dollars due to decreased demand for ethanol and decreased production of distillers grains.
 
As the EPA considers the remaining SREs, the Nebraska Ethanol Board looks forward to the EPA similarly denying the remaining gap petitions, which will provide even more certainty and a strong market signal to producers and other stakeholders. This signal would go a long way in helping to restore the market demand for ethanol and other renewable fuels.
 
According to Berry, the ethanol industry in Nebraska has great potential for future growth. Environmental policy is a hot topic among voters right now, and the industry sees ethanol as a solution now for reducing greenhouse gases and improving air quality. According to Growth Energy, a national ethanol trade organization, every new truckload of American ethanol displaces more than 60 barrels of imported oil.
 
Even with the advent of the electric vehicle, the internal combustion engine will still be in the majority of U.S. fleet vehicles for several decades. A mere 7 percent of the national automobile fleet is replaced each year with new car sales. This doesn’t account for people purchasing used cars. At that rate, if all new cars purchased were electric, it would take more than 14 years to replace all internal combustion engines.
 
Automobile manufactures continue to develop technologies to increase the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. These new technologies all require a fuel with high octane. Ethanol is the least toxic, cheapest and most abundant, renewable option for octane in the nation’s fuel supply.
 
“With the proper policies in place today, we will continue to see the Nebraska ethanol industry as an ever-increasing economic powerhouse for the State of Nebraska,” Berry added.    



ACE Elects Board of Directors During Annual Business Meeting

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) announced the re-election of several board members to the organization’s board of directors during its annual business meeting prior to ACE’s 33rd conference, which is being held virtually in combination with the Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW) & Expo on September 16 from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Central.

Six incumbents were re-elected to the board of directors for three-year terms:
    Roger Berry, representing Nebraska Ethanol Board
    Trevor Hinz, representing ICM, Inc.
    David Kolsrud, representing Badger State Ethanol
    Jan Lundebrek, representing Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company
    Robert Walsh, representing South Dakota Corn Growers Association
    Chris Wilson, representing Mid-Missouri Energy

“As 2020 brought on a whole new set of challenges, we’re grateful for the guidance of our dedicated volunteers who make up the board of directors and represent the grassroots diversity of our members,” said Brian Jennings, ACE CEO.

In addition, two incumbents, Gary Marshall of the Missouri Corn Growers Association and Greg Krissek of the Kansas Corn Growers Association, completed their service on the ACE board of directors. Marshall, CEO of the Missouri Corn Growers, today announced his retirement effective April 2021. Josh Roe was elected to a three-year term representing Kansas Corn.

“Gary and Greg are exceptional advocates for ethanol and agriculture, and we’ve appreciated their leadership and expertise,” Jennings said. “We particularly wish Gary Marshall the very best in his upcoming retirement.”



Trouble in the Cattle Markets: A Farm Organization's Response
Webinar: Sept. 24, noon CDT

Over the past year, events have rocked the cattle industry and drove to the surface long-standing questions concerning the cattle markets and market structure. These concerns resulted in numerous policy proposals being offered in Washington D.C. In response, the Nebraska Farm Bureau created a Task Force of cattle producers to study current cattle markets and offer policy suggestions and recommendations. Jay Rempe, Senior Economist at Nebraska Farm Bureau, will discuss the recent market events, responses by producers, and the Task Force work and recommendations, and what it learned along the way about Nebraska’s cattle industry relative to the rest of the country.

Farm and Ranch Management Webinar Schedule
Join us on Thursdays at noon Central time. Essential information for essential decisions.
    Sept. 24: Troubles in the Cattle Markets: A Farm Organization's Response. With Jay Rempe, Nebraska Farm Bureau.
    Oct. 1: The Economic Impact of Nebraska Agriculture. With Brad Lubben, Jeffrey Stokes and Eric Thompson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
    Oct. 8: 2020 Property Tax Changes. With Dave Aiken, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    Oct. 15: Update on Farm Income and Farm Program Payment Projects. With Brad Lubben, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    Oct. 22: Financial State of Ag for Nebraska Producers. With Tina Barrett, director and farm financial consultant, Nebraska Farm Business, Inc.
    Oct. 29: Ballot Initiatives: Election Day 2020. With Dave Aiken, Department of Agricultural Economics.

Register for the free presentations and view archived recordings on our webinar page at farm.unl.edu/webinars.



Register NOW for ISU Grain Storage & Corn Quality Issues
One-Hour Free Webinar on September 17
    
A free webinar titled Grain Storage and Corn Quality will be presented on Thursday, September 17th, at 7 p.m. CST. Steve Johnson, farm and agriculture business management specialist with ISU  Extension and Outreach, and Dr. Charles Hurburgh, Professor in Charge, Iowa Grain Quality Initiative, will both present and answer participant questions.
 
The webinar is free, but pre-registration is required.  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8739533453482987024.

If you miss the live webinar, search for Webinar Replays & Resources, Weather Videos & Newsletter on the new Virutal Ag Marketing Clubs web page... https://www.extension.iastate.edu/polk/VAMC.

For additional storm damage information and educational resources, use this ISU Extension and Outreach webpage:
https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/storm-damage-resources.  



Apply Manure Responsibly When Soil Conditions are Dry

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center and Conservation Learning Group, is hosting a free virtual field day focused on best management practices for applying manure in dry soil conditions on Thursday, Sept. 24 at 1 p.m.

Join for a live conversation with Brian Dougherty, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field agricultural engineer.

Maximizing the nutrient availability and retention of applied manure for the upcoming crops begins with proper handling and application to the land. During dry conditions, it is even more important as those nutrients are especially vulnerable to being flushed from the system during future rain events.

Dougherty led a study at Iowa State University’s Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Nashua to examine the effect of manure application timing and cover crops on yields and drainage water quality. During the virtual event, Dougherty will share results from that project and similar projects, as well as provide best management practices for applying manure for the upcoming crop year.

“This field day will give producers some tips on planning ahead for fall manure applications,” said Dougherty. “We will discuss some challenges specific to applying manure in very dry conditions as well as the benefits of using manure and cover crops together as an integrated system for improving utilization of manure nutrients.”

To participate in the live virtual field day at 1 p.m. Sept. 24, click this URL: https://iastate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpduihpj8iE9ZHcjpsenc2DWQILG41wg0D or visit www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/events and click “Join Live Virtual Field Day”.

Or, join from a dial-in phone line by dialing +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923; Meeting ID: 914 1198 4892.

The field day will be recorded and archived on the ILF website so that it can be watched at any time.

Participants may be eligible for a Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit. Information about how to apply to receive the unit (if approved) will be provided at the end of the live field day.  



New Report: Pork Industry Makes Gains in Sustainability

As America’s pig farmers continue to fight back from the negative impact of COVID-19 and the ups and downs of markets and bad weather, a new study released by the National Pork Board, Production Analysis Summary for U.S. Pork Industry: 2017-2019, shows that America’s pig farmers continue to make strides in overall sustainability by being more efficient every day.  

The 15-page report, prepared by Minnesota-based MetaFarms and its subsidiary SMS (Swine Management Services), looked at sow, nursery, finish and wean-to-finish data over a three-year period. The results reconfirmed long-term trends of increasing efficiency, which has the additional benefit of reducing production costs — an especially welcome conclusion in 2020.  

“One of the greatest benefits of this Pork Checkoff-funded study is the benchmarking ability it offers producers who always want to improve their efficiencies,” said Chris Hostetler, animal science director for the Pork Board. “It’s also a great way to show today’s consumers that America’s pig farms are becoming more efficient all the time and that pork is a sustainable choice when it comes to choosing a protein.”   

Brad Eckberg of MetaFarms and Ron Ketchem of SMS, helped analyze much of the data in the study.

“The ability to benchmark allows producers to compare their production numbers to other farms and systems, regardless of what record program they are using, what genetics they have or their farm size,” said Ketchem, a longtime industry number cruncher. He continues to be surprised by the increasing range of production numbers between farms year after year.

“Every year, more variation occurs with new highs and lows being set,” he said. “This shows the impact in genetics and the ability of producers to manage their farms daily.”

When producers are looking at benchmarking and at ways to improve, Ketchem offers these rules of thumb:

    Farrowing rate: A 1% change in farrowing rate equals a 0.34 pig increase or decrease in pigs weaned/mated female/year. Example: A change of 4% in farrowing rate equals an increase or decrease of 1.36 pigs weaned/mated female/year.

    Piglet survival: Based on 15 total pigs born per litter, a change of 1% in piglet survival equals a 0.36 increase or decrease in pigs weaned/mated female/year. Example: A change of 4% piglet survival equals an increase or decrease of 1.44 pigs weaned/mated female/year.

    Female death loss: A 1% change in female death loss equals a 0.25 pig increase or decrease in pigs weaned/mated female/year. Example: A change of 4% in female death loss equals an increase or decrease of one pig weaned/mated female/year.

Key productivity indexes (KPIs) are used throughout the analysis of sow, nursery, finish and wean-to-finish data to draw attention to specific areas of focus within production stages. The retrospective study, the eighth of its kind funded by the Pork Checkoff since 2011, breaks the KPIs into a month-to-month format to show the effects of seasonality on the data. The findings also identify possible improvements in genetics, nutrition, health, management practices, among other areas.

According to Hostetler, the goal of the study’s production analysis is to aid the pork industry in improving profitability, which has to be part of the sustainability equation. “We hope that producers will dig into the specific parts of this study and use it to help improve their own farm businesses,” he said. “If you’re happy with your numbers in one area of production, look at another area and see where more progress can be made. It’s all about getting a little better every day.”



BEEF PROMOTION OPERATING COMMITTEE APPROVES FISCAL YEAR 2021 CHECKOFF PLAN OF WORK

The Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) will invest approximately $39,380,000 into programs for beef promotion, research, consumer information, industry information, foreign marketing and producer communications during fiscal 2021, subject to USDA approval.

At the end of its September 9-10 meeting in Denver, Colorado, the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC) approved checkoff funding for a total of 13 “Authorization Requests” – or grant proposals brought by nine contractors for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2021. The committee includes 10 producers from the Cattlemen’s Beef Board and 10 producers from the Federation of State Beef Councils.

Nine contractors brought a total of $47,725,121 worth of funding requests to the BPOC this week, nearly $8,345,121 more than the funds available from the CBB budget.  

“Producers drive all the decisions that the BPOC makes during these important meetings,” said CBB and BPOC Chair Jared Brackett. “Cattlemen and women from across the U.S. and importers carefully consider every proposal to determine where we should spend these Checkoff dollars with one primary goal in mind – increasing beef demand to provide producers with the best possible value for their Checkoff investments.

“Once again, our contractors came to these meetings with some incredibly innovative ideas and projects. As always, it’s a real challenge to balance the budget and distribute our limited amount of Checkoff dollars to these contractors in a way that we believe will best drive beef demand. I personally thank all our contractors and committee members for dedicating considerable time and effort to continue moving the beef industry forward."

In the end, the BPOC approved proposals from eight national beef organizations for funding through the FY 21 Cattlemen’s Beef Board budget, as follows:
    American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture - $670,996
    Cattlemen’s Beef Board - $1,689,915
    Foundation for Meat and Poultry Research and Education - $646,144
    Meat Import Council of America / Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative - $497,037
    National Cattlemen’s Beef Association - $26,442,207
    National Institute for Animal Agriculture - $89,466
    North American Meat Institute - $994,068
    United States Meat Export Federation - $8,350,170

Broken out by budget component – as outlined by the Beef Promotion and Research Act of 1985 – the Fiscal Year 2021 Plan of Work for the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board budget includes:
-    $9.8 million for promotion programs, including continuation of the checkoff’s consumer digital advertising program, as well as veal promotion
-    $8.9 million for research programs, focusing on a variety of critical issues, including pre- and post-harvest beef safety research, product quality research, human nutrition research and scientific affairs, market research, and beef and culinary innovations
-    $7.3 million for consumer information programs, including a Northeast public relations initiative; national consumer public relations, including nutrition-influencer relations and work with primary- and secondary-school curriculum directors nationwide to get accurate information about the beef industry into classrooms of today’s youth
-    $3.3 million for industry information programs, comprising dissemination of accurate information about the beef industry to counter misinformation from anti-beef groups and others, as well as funding for checkoff participation in a fifth annual national industrywide symposium focused on discussion and dissemination of information about antibiotic use
-    $8.4 million for foreign marketing and education in 80 countries in the following regions: ASEAN region, Caribbean, Central America/Dominican Republic, China/Hong Kong, Europe, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Middle East, Russia/Greater Russian Region, South America, Taiwan and new markets
-    $1.7 million for producer communications, which includes investor outreach using national communications and direct communications to producers and importers about checkoff results, as well as development and utilization of a publishing strategy and platform and a state beef council content hub.

The full fiscal 2021 Cattlemen’s Beef Board budget is approximately $43.1 million. Separate from the authorization requests, other expenses funded include $254,000 for program evaluation; $445,000 for program development; $720,000 for USDA oversight, which includes $450,000 for AMS oversight and $190,000 for CBB’s legal and compliance; and $2.1 million for CBB administration. The fiscal 2021 budget represents a decrease of 3.2 percent, or $1.4 million from the $44.5 million fiscal year 2020 budget

All authorization requests and budgets are now sent onto the full Cattlemen’s Beef Board for approval, followed by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service for review, with a start date for the new fiscal year on October 1.

For more information about the Beef Checkoff and its programs, including promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety, contact the Cattlemen’s Beef Board at 303-220-9890 or visit DrivingDemandForBeef.com.



Provisions of Peterson’s Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act Advance in the House of Representatives

Today the House Committee on Energy and Commerce released the text of legislation containing the provisions of House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson’s Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act. The House is expected to consider H.R. 4447 the week of September 21st.

“In recent years, the Environmental Protection Agency has granted dozens of small refinery exemptions, waiving billions of gallons of biofuel from RFS blending requirements. The Agency granted these harmful waivers with little transparency, concealing details from the public about which refiners are being granted waivers and why. The provisions of my bill will require EPA to pull back the curtain and show the American people how they justify granting these waivers that have greatly impacted profitability for biofuels producers and farmers across the country.”

The provisions included in H.R. 4447, Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act would set an annual deadline for refiners to request exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard and require EPA to publicly release the name of refiners requesting a waiver, the number of gallons requested to be waived and the number of gallons of biofuel that will not be blended as a result of the waiver. These provisions mirror the provisions of H.R. 3006, the Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act, with adjustments to address business confidentiality concerns that were raised by members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Congressman Peterson is a co-chair of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus, a bipartisan group of Members of Congress who advocate for homegrown renewable fuel policies that boost farmer incomes and reduce dependence on foreign oil.



RFA Applauds Congressional Efforts to Enhance Transparency of Small Refinery Waiver Process

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce today unveiled the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, which contains provisions requiring more transparency and accountability in EPA’s process for evaluating small refinery exemption requests under the Renewable Fuel Standard. The provisions are based on the Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act, introduced last year by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson.

“This provision would finally pull back the curtain on EPA’s secretive and obscure small refinery waiver program, and we are pleased to see its inclusion in the House energy package,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “By setting a deadline for waiver petitions and requiring small refineries to publicly disclose their identities, this language brings badly needed transparency and structure to the program. This would prevent companies like ExxonMobil, Chevron, HollyFrontier, and CVR from hiding behind phony claims of confidentiality and stop them from further gaming the system. We thank Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD) for their work on the original legislation, and we applaud the leadership of the Energy and Commerce Committee for recognizing the importance of bringing clarity and openness to the refinery waiver process.”

Also today, a bipartisan and bicameral group of federal lawmakers led by Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-IA) expressed “disappointment and concern” that the EPA has not been forthcoming with the U.S. Government Accountability Office and has failed to release records pertaining to the small refinery exemption program.

“While we were pleased to see EPA reject a large number of gap-year refinery waiver requests earlier this week, we can’t ignore the fact that fundamental problems remain with the small refinery exemption program,” Cooper said. “The complete lack of transparency surrounding the program still needs to be addressed. We thank Rep. Finkenauer and her colleagues for working together to demand that EPA respond immediately to the GAO’s request for basic information about the small refinery exemption program.”



USDA Announces Increased Subsidies and Other Improvements to the Livestock Risk Protection Insurance Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced it is increasing premium subsidies and will make other improvements to the Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) plan of insurance for feeder cattle, fed cattle, and swine starting with the 2021 crop year. The increased premium subsidy is retroactive to the beginning of the 2021 crop year and is based on the coverage selected by the livestock producer. RMA will implement the other improvements later this year.

“We encourage livestock producers to contact their insurance agent to take advantage of these improvements,” said RMA Administrator Martin Barbre. “These changes will not only make LRP more affordable for producers, but also will provide them with better coverage.”

Other improvements to be implemented include:
-    Increasing livestock head limits for feeder and fed cattle to 6,000 head per endorsement/12,000 head annually, and swine to 40,0000 head per endorsement/150,000 head annually
-    Modifying the requirement to own insured livestock until the last 60 days of the endorsement
-    Increasing the endorsement lengths for swine up to 52 weeks
-    Creating new feeder cattle and swine types to allow for unborn livestock to be insured

For more information on the LRP program, please see the RMA website www.rma.usda.gov.



USDA Needs Tools to Help Farmers

The American Farm Bureau Federation and 41 other agriculture organizations are asking Congress to ensure the USDA has the tools necessary to help farmers in times of crisis. The group sent a letter to House and Senate leadership requesting they immediately provide replenishment for the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) through the continuing resolution. Without immediate replenishment, funding for farm bill programs could run out while farmers struggle against low commodity prices, natural disasters and the coronavirus pandemic.

“For decades, CCC has been regularly replenished to fund programs integral to the farm safety net that Congress has worked tirelessly to craft,” the letter states. “Producers count on programs like Agriculture Risk Coverage, Price Loss Coverage, Dairy Margin Coverage, Marketing Assistance Loans, conservation programs, and many others as they provide food, fuel and fiber for our nation. Without immediate CCC reimbursement, payments and programs would be significantly delayed, jeopardizing operations across the country.”

Although much recent attention has been focused on CCC aid to farmers to address the unprecedented crisis caused by the pandemic, it’s important to recognize that the CCC is critical when natural disasters strike, enabling USDA to act quickly to deliver aid. The CCC is also core to our nation’s success advancing conservation efforts, having enrolled more than 140 million acres in USDA conservation programs – more than the land mass of California and New York combined. In reality, the CCC is a stabilizing force across U.S. agriculture.

Organizations that signed the letter include the Agricultural Retailers Association, Amcot, American Agri-Women, American Cotton Producers, American Cotton Shippers Association, American Dairy Coalition, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Pulse Association, American Sheep Industry Association, American Soybean Association, American Sugar Alliance, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Cotton Growers Warehouse Association, Cotton Warehouse Association of America, Crop Insurance Professionals Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Cotton Ginners Association, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National Farmers Union, National Milk Producers Federation, National Sorghum Producers, National Sunflower Association, Panhandle Peanut Growers Association, Plains Cotton Growers, Inc., Produce Marketing Association, Rural & Agriculture Council of America, Society of American Florists, Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association, Southern Cotton Growers, Southwest Council of Agribusiness, U.S. Canola Association, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, United Egg Producers, United States Peanut Federation, US Rice Producers Association, USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council, USA Rice and the Western Peanut Growers Association.



More Than 300 Agriculture and Conservation Organizations Voice Support for Pesticide Law

CropLife America (CLA), joined by more than 300 agriculture and conservation organizations, sent a letter to all members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives affirming their support for pesticide regulations in place today under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The letter is in response to recently introduced legislation (H.R. 7940, S. 4406) that would undermine the science-based standards contained within our nation’s pesticide laws.  

“The legislation, as introduced, would undermine the work of EPA’s career scientists in the evaluation of pesticide safety and oversight of pesticide registration and use,” said Chris Novak, CLA president and CEO. “Within our current regulatory system, only about one in 10,000 discoveries makes the long journey from the lab to the farmer’s field—a process that can take up to 12 years. The evaluation of each pesticide requires the agency’s career scientists to review hundreds of studies to determine whether and/or how a pesticide can be safely used,” Novak continued. “This risk-based approach is necessary to ensure that farmers have new tools to combat the weeds and insects that threaten the safety and productivity of our food supply. The organizations that joined us today support a predictable regulatory process that does provide the public confidence in the pesticide registration process.”

FIFRA has been amended by Congress several times to strengthen the regulatory standard for safety – most recently by the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) that added specific protections for infants and children. Under the provisions of the current law, pesticides that are approved for use are subject to continuous review whenever new scientific data becomes available. Officially, federal regulators must review each pesticide approved for use in the U.S. every 15 years, but the reality is that the pace of scientific development means regulators are making formal assessments much more frequently as more data becomes available.

“The proposed legislation puts science in the backseat and lets politics drive decisions on the safe use of pesticides. Pesticides are a necessary tool to protect our fields, our homes, our health and the sustainability of our food supply. The organizations joining our letter represent millions of stakeholders  who are committed to defending a regulatory system built on the principles of sound science, transparency, and broad stakeholder engagement.”



NCBA’s Redbook Continues to Make Cattle Recordkeeping Easy
Handy Pocket-Sized Tool Available for 2021 on Oct. 5

For more than three decades cattle producers have been able to simplify their recordkeeping with a handy booklet from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Soon the 2021 version of the Redbook will be ready to help cattle producers effectively and efficiently record their daily production efforts, which can help enhance their profitability and reduce their stress levels.

                In addition to an area for recording Beef Quality Assurance practices and proper injection technique information, the 2021 Redbook will have more than 100 pages to record calving activity, herd health, pasture use, cattle inventory, body condition, cattle treatment, AI breeding records and more. It also contains a calendar and notes section.

                “The Redbook is a simple, cost-effective and practical way to keep track of what’s taking place with cattle on farms and ranches,” according to Dan Kniffen, a Pennsylvania beef producer. “In addition to being a proven way of capturing and the documenting continual improvement being made by cattle producers, it provides a daily reminder of the positive steps both already taken and needed going forward.”

                Redbooks can be purchased after Oct. 5, 2020, for $7.00 each, plus shipping and handling. To order, visit store.ncba.org. Customization of the Redbooks is available (for 100 books or more).        

                For more information on the NCBA Redbooks, contact Grace Webb at gwebb@beef.org, (800) 525-3085.



USB CEO to Speak at Women in Agribusiness

United Soybean Board CEO Polly Ruhland is set to be one of several future-focused keynote speakers at the upcoming Women in Agribusiness Summit taking place virtually September 16-18, 2020.

In a year of tumult across the globe, virtual conferences, webinars and other connection points have provided opportunities for those in agriculture to continue to build businesses, reinforce sustainability and gain invaluable insight into managing through unpredictable times. Trying times like these reveal strengths and weaknesses, according to Ruhland.

“There’s no sugarcoating the first three quarters of 2020,” said Ruhland. “These past few months have been exhausting, confusing, heartbreaking and frightening. But, at the same time, when I look ahead to the future of U.S. Soy, the broader agriculture industry and the society it supports, I also find substantial reasons for optimism.”

Among the positives, she plans to discuss the wider impacts of farmers being recognized as critical infrastructure. In addition, Ruhland will address how consumers have taken interest in food and agriculture during the pandemic, learning about the reliability of our supply chain in providing products to their grocery stores. Opportunities for dialogue about the importance of advancements in agriculture have opened up outside the industry through a renewed interest in how food is grown, transported and delivered to a multitude of end users.

At the center of these opportunities and this event are the women in agribusiness playing key roles in shaping the future.

“Women play an increasingly important role leading the growth and development of U.S. agriculture, and we should continue to be front and center in our efforts to strengthen farmers’ bonds with the general population,” said Ruhland. “I’m incredibly proud to speak with the many women who will attend the WIA Summit who have stepped up to lead our industry to cultivate inclusivity and innovation.”

To learn more about Ruhland’s insights into how U.S. Soy and the agriculture industry can fortify its resiliency, register for the Women in Agribusiness Summit or visit womeninag.com or unitedsoybean.org.



Anuvia Plant Nutrients Licenses SymTRX 10S to The Mosaic Company

Today, Anuvia Plant Nutrients announces a commercial agreement with The Mosaic Company to exclusively license its SymTRX™10S product in the USA, which will accelerate the product’s growth and availability. This agreement enables Mosaic to utilize Anuvia’s SymTRX10S technology to introduce a next-generation bio-based phosphate fertilizer with sulfur to the marketplace under the Mosaic brand name Susterra™.

Anuvia will continue to sell its SymTRX™20S product in the USA, along with commercialization of all SymTRX™ products in markets outside the United States.

“Anuvia’s strategic decision to license the SymTRX10S product to The Mosaic Company will greatly accelerate wide distribution of Anuvia’s technology to growers,” said Amy Yoder, CEO, Anuvia Plant Nutrients. “Integrating our products into existing solutions and working with partners that have wide distribution will help farmers profitability meet the demands for sustainable food production.”

The foundation of Anuvia’s suite of products is its Organic MaTRX™. This technology works alone or in conjunction with traditional fertilizer, providing crops with all of the same essential nutrients as traditional fertilizer, while improving soil health. It also reduces nutrient loss and greenhouse gases.

Utilizing Anuvia’s technology will enhance The Mosaic Company’s commitment to building healthy soils, through the launch of Susterra. Some of the key benefits growers can expect from Susterra include:

    Improved nutrient efficiency: Susterra is optimized for the efficient delivery of nutrients — with immediate nitrogen availability for early season growth and slow-release nitrogen for late season needs.
     
    Boosted and balanced soil microbiomes: Built with up to 15% recycled organic matter, Susterra promotes microbial activity in the soil, supporting a more balanced microbiome that is proven to improve overall soil health.
     
    Innovative, sustainable fertilizer: Unlike other phosphate fertilizers, Susterra uses bio-based technology to deliver recycled organic matter and nutrients for more sustainable production.
     
    Easy blending and application: A high-quality, homogeneous, dry-granular product, Susterra provides uniform nutrient distribution, blends easily with other fertilizers and is well-suited for use with existing application equipment.

Learn more about Anuvia’s SymTRX technology by visiting www.futureoffertilizer.com or www.anuviaplantnutrients.com.



Farmers Business Network® Opens Up Free Membership for All Farmers

Farmer’s Business Network, Inc. (FBN®), the leading direct-to-farm ag tech platform and farmer network, today announced that membership to its platform, which helps farmers reduce their cost of production and maximize the value of their crops, is now free for all farmers.*

"From the trade war, to unpredictable weather conditions, to the COVID-19 pandemic, these are challenging times for farmers," said Amol Deshpande, CEO and Co-Founder, Farmers Business Network. “We view this as an investment in our customers. By providing free membership now, all farmers will have access to a select range of products and services that are focused specifically on supporting their independent businesses, both in good times and in bad."

FBN is trusted by nearly 14,000 farmer members around the world, representing 45 million acres - an area roughly the size of the state of Wisconsin. In 2020, the company has seen a 42-percent surge in new members as farmers struggle amid one of the most challenging periods in recent history.

Now, any US, Canadian or Australian farmer can become a member for free and benefit from the company's direct-to-farm commerce, crop marketing, and sustainability platform that redefines transparency, value and convenience in the agriculture industry. Existing members will receive a prorated credit for the value of their paid membership, which can be used in the online FBN Direct Store or towards a Market Advisory Pro Subscription.

Free membership will enable farmers to explore which products and services will be most useful to their operation. Not only will farmers be able to shop online for inputs through FBN Direct and manage marketing contracts and bids through FBN’s Profit Center tool, but also they will be able to take advantage of the advanced agronomic and decision making software available for free to all members, including:
    Price Transparency: Unlocking the prices other farmers pay for common chemical and seed inputs, helping farmers save on average 19% off the median price of chemicals and 10% off seed inputs.
    Seed Finder: Access large scale yield and price information on over 1,400 seed varieties, helping farmers on average increase their yield by 18 bushels per acre when they select the variety recommended by our platform.1
    Free satellite imagery: Enabling farmers to monitor their fields to protect their yield from pest pressure, while saving roughly $2 per acre on satellite imagery fees.
    FBN Community: Connect and learn from a network of close to 14,000 farmers online, in our farmers-only discussion forum.
    Shop for insurance, financing and brokering options.

“Being able to utilize FBN Direct has been a huge savings for my operation,” said Mike Bergen, a farmer based in Nebraska who grows irrigated corn and soybeans as well as dryland corn. "Not only can I price and compare chemicals, but I have the ability to purchase some for substantially less. I’m glad we’re welcoming more members because the bigger the network gets and the more information that's put into it, the more valuable a service it is for everyone."

FBN's agronomic network is a contributory, farmer-driven platform that creates real-world data for growers, from growers. As before, data contribution is strictly optional for members and not required for membership. Access to features such as Seed Finder price and performance analytics, will be reserved for data contributing members.

FBN depends on direct input from farmers to develop the company's offerings to better serve growers’ needs. For example, in response to longstanding complaints about the high cost of seed, FBN started its own seed line, F2F Genetics Network, in August 2018. The company launched FBN Health in 2018 after concerns were raised about the growing costs and challenges of healthcare on the farm. In January 2020, the company rolled out HedgeCommand to help farmers market their grain. And across all FBN product and service offerings, the company’s commitment to data privacy and transparency remains unchanged.

“Our substantial investments in innovation and technology are investments in the future of the family farm,” said Deshpande. “By providing free membership, we are unlocking the value of these investments to more farmers, which helps them withstand headwinds now and positions them for greater profit potential in the future.”



Protect yield potential with a more effective approach to pest control

The 2020 corn harvest is drawing near, and now is the time for growers to assess their pest control experience and make a plan for 2021. The Agrisure® traits portfolio offers high-performing rotational options to show pests something different.
Agrisure

"Common corn pests like corn rootworm, corn earworm and western bean cutworm have historically demonstrated the ability to overcome some control management practices," says Tim O'Brien, Ph.D., Agrisure traits manager for Syngenta. "The innovative Agrisure traits portfolio offers growers different tools to rotate, which proactively protect yield potential, trait durability and long-term field health."

Corn rootworm (CRW) is historically a highly adaptable pest, and long-term management requires the rotation of multiple control strategies to delay the development of insect adaptation. The Agrisure Duracade® trait offers growers a different option that could catch CRW off guard and provides a foundation in multi-year corn rootworm management plans. The Agrisure Duracade trait features a unique mode of action that controls CRW differently than other below-ground traits, binding to a different receptor site in the CRW digestive tract.

For best results, growers designing multi-year corn rootworm management plans may want to consider the use of different control methods including crop rotation, corn rootworm-traited hybrids, soil-applied insecticides, and adult beetle control. By offering both Agrisure Duracade trait stacks and the Agrisure 3122 trait stack, the Agrisure traits portfolio provides corn producers the option to rotate trait stacks with different modes of action for corn rootworm.

The Agrisure Viptera® trait is another valuable tool, controlling more above-ground pests than any other trait in the corn industry. It is the only trait available today that effectively controls western bean cutworm. Hybrids with the Agrisure Viptera trait have less insect-feeding damage as well as higher grain quality potential due to lower incidences of mold and mycotoxin development.

By controlling 16 above- and below-ground insects, the Agrisure Duracade 5222 E-Z Refuge® trait stack combines the Agrisure Duracade and Agrisure Viptera traits to manage more pests than any other competitive trait stack. Many hybrids are also available with Agrisure Artesian® water optimization technology as identified by the 'A' at the end of the trait stack name.

The value of Agrisure traits plays out at harvest: Hybrids with Agrisure Duracade trait offer growers an average 4.1 bu/A yield advantage over products without the trait.1 Hybrids with the Agrisure Viptera trait offer an average 7.3 bu/A yield advantage over products without.2

Agrisure traits hybrids are available through local Golden Harvest® Seed Advisors, NK® retailers and independent seed companies.

Syngenta is assisting growers with long-term pest management strategies through its CRW monitoring program, designed to inform growers in all regions of the most effective integrated approach to their pest and weed control, as well as multi-year whole farm approaches.

To learn more about Agrisure traits as part of an integrated approach to pest management, visit the virtual Syngenta booth at the Farm Progress Virtual Experience from Sept. 15-17. Click here to be instantly transported to the booth and learn more about available solutions.