Monday October 5 Ag News

 NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending October 4, 2020, there were 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 25% very short, 42% short, 32% adequate, and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 24% very short, 36% short, 39% adequate, and 1% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 3% very poor, 12% poor, 24% fair, 44% good, and 17% excellent. Corn mature was 91%, well ahead of 68% last year, and ahead of 80% for the five-year average. Harvested was 21%, ahead of 11% last year and 15% average.

Soybean condition rated 4% very poor, 10% poor, 23% fair, 45% good, and 18% excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 97%, ahead of 83% last year and 90% average. Harvested was 55%, well ahead of 12% last year and 25% average.

Winter wheat planted was 80%, near 83% last year and 82% average. Emerged was 33%, near 36% last year, and behind 49% average.

Sorghum condition rated 3% very poor, 7% poor, 30% fair, 41% good, and 19% excellent. Sorghum mature was 87%, well ahead of 64% last year, and ahead of 77% average. Harvested was 17%, ahead of 3% last year, and near 15% average.

Dry edible beans dropping leaves was 97%. Harvested was 82%, ahead of 77% last year.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 15% very poor, 20% poor, 27% fair, 36% good, and 2% excellent.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT

Harvest made rapid progress again as Iowa farmers had 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending October 4, 2020, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities also included baling corn stalks, applying fertilizer and manure, and fall tillage.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 14% very short, 31% short, 55% adequate and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 20% very short, 32% short, 48% adequate and 0% surplus.

Corn reached 92% mature or beyond, almost 3 weeks ahead of the previous year and 10 days ahead of the 5-year average. One-quarter of the corn for grain in the State has been harvested, over 3 weeks ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of average. This is only the second time since 2000 that at least one-quarter of the corn for grain crop was harvested by October 4. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain was at 20 percent. Corn condition rated 45% good to excellent.

Soybeans dropping leaves or beyond reached 93%, just over 2 weeks ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of average. One-quarter of Iowa’s soybean crop was harvested during the week ending October 4 with 55% now harvested. This is the second time in the last 15 years that at least half of the soybean crop was harvested by October 4. Farmers in south central Iowa are considerably behind farmers in the rest of the State with just 18% of their crop harvested. Soybean condition rated 49% good to excellent.

Pasture condition rated 20% good to excellent, unchanged from the previous week. Pasture growth is minimal with reduced daylight hours and cool temperatures. Some cattle producers have had to supplement water supplies.



USDA:  Soybean Harvest Progress Leaps Ahead

U.S. farmers took advantage of mostly dry conditions across the nation's midsection last week to speed ahead with harvest, particularly of soybeans, according to the USDA NASS weekly Crop Progress report released on Monday.

NASS estimated that 38% of soybeans were harvested as of Sunday, Oct. 4, a jump of 18 percentage points from 20% the previous Sunday. That puts this year's current progress 26 percentage points ahead of last year at the same time and 10 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 28%. The faster-than-normal harvest was likely aided by the crop continuing to reach maturity slightly ahead of normal, with 85% of the crop estimated to be dropping leaves as of Sunday compared to the five-year average of 83%.  Soybean conditions were unchanged at 64% good to excellent.

Though outpaced by the soybean harvest, corn harvest also picked up speed last week, moving ahead 10 percentage points to reach 25% complete as of Sunday. That moved this year's current progress to slightly ahead of the five-year average of 24%.  Corn reaching maturity was estimated at 87% as of Sunday, 9 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 78%. Corn condition was rated 62% good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from 61% the previous week.

Like the soybean harvest, winter wheat planting also picked up speed last week, moving ahead 17 percentage points to reach 52% finished as of Sunday, 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 47%. An estimated 24% of winter wheat had emerged, 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 21%.

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Nebraska Ag Expo Is On!
Tom Junge, Nebraska Ag Expo Manager

Lincoln-Lancaster County Department of Public Health has given us the “official” green light to go ahead with our Expo December 8-10, 2020!

The safety of all exhibitors, attendees, volunteers and Expo staff remains our top priority. We have been working closely with the Lancaster Event Center and Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department to determine all the necessary precautions we must take to have a safe and successful Expo. Look for further communication regarding these safety protocols in the next few weeks as we continue to monitor the state and county COVID positivity rates and make any necessary updates.

Lastly, both exhibitors and farmers have been encouraging us to hold the Nebraska Ag Expo and the 2020 Expo definitely won’t disappoint. With just 10 weeks to go, the event is nearly 90% full! We cannot wait to bring the latest ag technology, equipment and services to Lincoln this December and look forward to seeing you there. The Nebraska Ag Expo. New name. Same great show!  More details here.... https://nebraskaagexpo.com.  

We thank you for your understanding and support during these very challenging times. Have a safe harvest!



Awards Aim to Keep Agricultural Education Teachers in Nebraska

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation awarded 18 teachers with funds in support of agricultural education and FFA programs in Nebraska.

“All 18 teachers have a passion for teaching agriculture in Nebraska,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation. “We are very proud to support the future of Nebraska agriculture. Our investment has a great return as the number of schools that offer agricultural education and FFA in Nebraska grows each year,” she continued.

Recipients are all agricultural education teachers in their first through fifth year of teaching. Teachers are eligible for increasing awards each year. As the teachers’ impact grows in the classroom, in their FFA chapters, and in their communities each year, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation aims to recognize and support their efforts.

The 18 recipients of the scholarships are Katie Arp, Bishop Neumann High School;

Kensie Burnside, Neligh-Oakdale High School; Jacob Goldfuss, Sandy Creek Public Schools; Kate Grimes, Axtell Community Schools; Amanda Hafer, Lutheran High Northeast; Cale Harrington, Loup City Public Schools; Blair Hartman, Ansley Public Schools; Hannah Horak, Shelton High School; Katie Horning, Northwest Public Schools; Carrie Johns, Gering High School; Brian Johnson, Litchfield Public Schools; Katie Nolles, Boyd County High School; Kara Philips, Madison Public Schools; Savannah Schafer, McCook Public Schools; Nicole Sorenson, Minatare High School; Brooke Wehrbein, Auburn High School; Emily Whipple, Ainsworth Community Schools; Macie Wippel, Minden Public Schools.



10 Semi-Finalist Teams Advance in Ag Innovation Challenge

The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is advancing ag innovation by supporting start-ups from across the country through the 2021 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. AFBF and Farm Credit today announced the 10 semi-finalist teams in the competition.

“The hard-working entrepreneurs recognized today are committed to providing solutions for some of the biggest challenges facing agriculture,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “This includes supporting farms, ranches and rural economies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The competition provides an opportunity for individuals to showcase ideas and business innovations in agriculture. This is the seventh year of the Challenge, which was the first national business competition focused exclusively on rural entrepreneurs launching food and agriculture businesses.

The 10 semi-finalist teams were awarded $7,500 each. They are:
AgriHoodBaltimore, Baltimore, Maryland. Team lead: Richard Francis          
Agro Empresas Black Belt, Coamo, Puerto Rico. Team lead: Luis Raimundo Bures Martinez
Arbre Technologies Inc., Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Team lead: Matthieu Vollmer                     
BoldCypress LLC, Oran, Missouri. Team lead: Nathan Holmes
Butter Meat Co., Perry, New York. Team lead: Jill Gould
Harvust, Walla Walla, Washington. Team lead: Riley Clubb
Insulights.com , Akron, Iowa. Team lead: Bill Brown                    
Parasanti, Thrall, Texas. Team lead: Max Adams
Row Shaver Systems LLC, Great Bend, Kansas. Team lead: Dave Button
TerraClear Inc., Grangeville, Idaho. Team lead: Trevor Thompson

The 10 semi-finalist teams will compete at the AFBF Convention on Friday, Jan. 8, to advance to the final round where the four finalist teams will receive an additional $7,500 for a total of $15,000. The final four teams will compete live in front of Farm Bureau members, investors and industry representatives on Tuesday, Jan. 12, to win:
  - Farm Bureau Entrepreneur of the Year, for a total of $50,000
  - People’s Choice Award, for a total of $20,000

The top 10 semi-finalist teams will participate in pitch training and mentorship from Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business faculty, and network with representatives from the Agriculture Department’s Rural Business Investment Companies.

Farm Bureau would not be able to recognize and support these rural businesses without generous funding provided by sponsors Farm Credit, Bayer Crop Science, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services, FMC Corporation and John Deere.

To learn more about the Challenge visit fb.org/challenge.



Veterans in Agriculture to Partner with Extension for Ag Connections Program

Iowa’s Veterans In Agriculture recently announced that they are one of 17 recipients of USDA-NIFA’s Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Program Grant. They will partner with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Farm, Food and Enterprise Development, Iowa State’s Beginning Farmer Center, Iowa Foundation for MicroEnterprise, and Community Vitality and Ag Ventures Alliance on the three-year program, “Connecting Veterans to Agri-Food System Opportunities.”

When returning to civilian life, many veterans are interested in developing careers in agricultural enterprises and food system industries. Supporting these transitioning members and veterans is important for sustaining food and agriculture systems across rural America, as 46% of active U.S. military personnel are from rural areas. Additionally, about one-third of Iowa’s farmland is owned by people over age 75, whereas only 2% is owned by people under age 35. Sixty-eight percent of Iowa farmers report they have no adult children currently engaged in farming. These facts indicate the importance of connecting and educating a new generation of food producers and helping them access resources, land and food system opportunities.

“We are excited to be a part of this grant to provide additional concepts for food system development, in particular with veteran farm and food businesses,” said Courtney Long, program manager for farm, food and enterprise development with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

The AgVets grant will equip military veterans with skills, training and experience for careers in agriculture and food production and aims to increase the number of military veterans pursuing careers in agriculture through comprehensive, hands-on and immersive learning.

 “We are thrilled to have received this grant,” said Beth Grabau, VIA executive director. “It will provide an opportunity to meet the needs of veterans and those who are transitioning from military service.”

The approach is multi-faceted to support different learning options for veterans because each veteran brings a unique set of skills, knowledge and interests. It will include hands-on learning, apprenticeship options with training curriculum and mentorship, and opportunities to explore local food system enterprises, traditional commercial agriculture opportunities, and agri-food systems and value-added enterprises to supplement off-farm employment through technical assistance and mentoring options. Additional workshops will be offered for transitioning farms or returning to the family farm, succession planning, whole-farm planning and enterprise management, as well as Community Food Systems certification for those interested in planning skills for food system sectors. Participants will have options to learn about agricultural technologies, startup ventures and rural angel investor networks.

“Over the next three years, this dynamic project will increase awareness of local, state and federal programs for veterans in the Iowa and the Midwest and help build our veteran farm and food businesses,” said Grabau.

For more information about this grant and other programs provided, contact Veterans In Agriculture at info@veteransinagriculture.org. For information on ISU Extension and Outreach’s involvement, contact Courtney Long at court7@iastate.edu.



NCGA Launches New Women and Mentors Program

The first inaugural Women and Mentors Retreat will kick off virtually on October 15. Tara Smith, executive vice president at Michael Torrey and Associates and Kellie Bray, chief of staff at CropLife America, will open the event with a panel delving into mentorship relationships, including how these vital connections lead to career and personal growth. In January, NCGA will host a second virtual session designed to help participants set deliberate intentions and goals with an in-person meeting will June 24 to 25, 2021.

The Women and Mentors program provides an opportunity for women looking to find the next steps in their leadership journey to partner with a mentor who has traveled that path. Mentors, who can be of any gender, both foster leaders of tomorrow and learn how to share the wealth of knowledge and understanding accumulated through years of service.

Interested? NCGA is still accepting applications https://ncga.com/get-involved/leadership-programs/profile/women-and-mentors-retreat. This program provides an impressive platform upon which to network and build strong relationships with leaders in Agriculture. If you know any women who would be interested, please pass this information along.



High-Octane Low-Carbon Fuels: The Importance to Corn Farmers and Consumers

A high-octane low-carbon (HOLC) fuel in the marketplace, once fully implemented, has the potential to increase ethanol consumption by more than 5 billion gallons. That’s equal to over 1.8 billion bushels of new annual corn demand. Not only is a HOLC fuel good for corn farmers, but it also benefits consumers and the environment.

Brian West, former Group Leader for the Fuels and Engines Research Group at the National Transportation Research Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), says based on the engine testing work he’s done, the move to a HOLC fuel just makes sense.

“Ethanol has a high Research Octane Number (RON), which is why it is attractive as a spark-ignition engine fuel,” says West. “At ORNL, we tested an unmodified Ford F-150 with conventional E10 gasoline and splash blended that with more ethanol, to make a 98 RON E25 and found modest improvements in efficiency and the truck was four-tenths of a second faster in an acceleration test. Then, in a series of additional tests, the engine compression ratio was increased by a simple piston change, allowing the HOLC E25 to improve efficiency and power even more, with efficiency gains of 5-6 percent and improving acceleration by another 0.3 seconds.”

“Octane is one of the most important properties for spark-ignition engine fuel,” West added. “If the octane number isn’t high enough, the engine control will adjust the spark timing to eliminate knock, and that comes at the cost of power and efficiency. Raising the octane number is one of the most efficient ways to permit the engine to use the optimum spark timing.”

Automakers are asking for a higher-octane fuel standard allowing new technology capable of delivering substantial gains in engine efficiency and performance. But higher-octane fuel does more than just help engine performance and corn demand.

“Having high-octane low-carbon fuel available at the pump benefits the environment and consumers,” said Iowa corn farmer and Ethanol Action Team Chair Mark Recker. “In 2018, the use of ethanol in gasoline reduced CO2-equivalent Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) from vehicles in the U.S. by 55.1 million metric tons. With higher ethanol blends at the pump, that number will increase even more. Additionally, higher blends of ethanol in a future high-octane fuel would allow consumers access to a better performing fuel without the high-octane price premium we see today.”

NCGA recently welcomed the introduction of H.R. 8371, The Next Generation Fuels Act legislation, to transition to a higher-octane fuel that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by meeting more advanced vehicles’ needs. You can learn about this legislation and the move to mid-level ethanol blends at www.ncga.com/octane.



Purdue Center for Commercial Ag to host free corn and soybean outlook webinar

Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture will host a free Corn and Soybean Outlook webinar for the month of October. The webinar is set for 3:30 p.m. (EDT) Friday (Oct. 9).

The webinar will immediately follow the release of the United States Department of Agriculture’s October Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates reports, which will be a main topic of the discussion.

“As we’re seeing harvest commence, we’ll review information released in the October USDA reports and provide insight into what these results could mean for the months ahead,” said James Mintert, professor and director of the Center for Commercial Agriculture. “We’ll also discuss updated profitability estimates and marketing strategies for both corn and soybeans.”

Michael Langemeier, professor and associate director of the Center for Commercial Agriculture, and Nathanael Thompson, assistant professor in Purdue’s Department of Agricultural Economics, will join Mintert for the webinar. Registration is free on the Center for Commercial Agriculture’s website (link below). Upon registration, participants will receive a confirmation email with a link to view the webinar live at its scheduled time. Those unable to join live can register to receive a follow-up email after the webinar to download the slides and view the recording.

Learn more and register at http://purdue.ag/webinar100920.



USDA Dairy Products August 2020 Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.09 billion pounds, 2.1 percent below August 2019 and 1.6 percent below July 2020.  Italian type cheese production totaled 449 million pounds, 3.9 percent below August 2019 and 1.2 percent below July 2020.  American type cheese production totaled 446 million pounds, 1.3 percent below August 2019 and 1.9 percent below July 2020.  Butter production was 152 million pounds, 7.8 percent above August 2019 but 1.6 percent below July 2020.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with August 2019)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 144 million pounds, up 8.8 percent.
Skim milk powder - 59.6 million pounds, down 2.0 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with August 2019)
Dry whey, total - 80.3 million pounds, down 5.4 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 97.2 million pounds, up 2.3 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 39.2 million pounds, down 1.7 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with August 2019)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 69.1 million gallons, up 7.6 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 45.1 million gallons, up 7.2 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 3.38 million gallons, up 42.0 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 8.13 million gallons, up 2.0 percent.



Register for the 10th Annual Antibiotic Symposium

The full agenda is now posted for the 10th annual Antibiotic Symposium on November 2-4, 2020, hosted by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA). NIAA will convene leaders from the animal health, human health and environmental health spaces to discuss, learn and collaborate on the latest research and knowledge about responsible antibiotic use and practices to combat antimicrobial resistance.

During the 2020 sessions, participating leaders will explore research and insights with conversations facilitated by the Symposium planning committee. Facilitators include:

    Dr. Andy King, Iowa State University Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication
    Dr. Heather Fowler, National Pork Board
    Dr. Michael Costin, American Veterinary Medical Association
    Dr. Megin Nichols, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    Dr. Paul Plummer, National Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education
    Dr. Leah Dorman, Phibro Animal Health
    Dr. Eric Moore, Norbrook, Inc.

To review the full agenda and register for the Symposium, themed, Humans, Animals and the Planet … Vital for our Future, visit www.AnimalAgriculture.org.



Proposed Rule Would Deter Organic Fraud, Strengthen Label's Integrity

The National Organic Program (NOP) opens economic opportunities and new markets for American farmers – but in the last several years, millions of dollars of non-organic products have been intentionally mislabeled and sold as organic, eroding consumer confidence in the certified organic program and undermining farmers who adhere to the law. To deter and detect this kind of fraud, a rule proposed by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) would strengthen oversight of the production, handling, certification, marketing, and sale of organic agricultural products.

A strong supporter of clear, consistent, and accurate food labeling, National Farmers Union (NFU) has previously expressed concern about behaviors that threaten the integrity of the organic seal. In comments submitted today and an accompanying statement, NFU President Rob Larew echoed those concerns and urged USDA to finalize the rule.

“While commodity prices have languished, family farmers have pursued opportunities to differentiate their products and maximize profit margins. One such opportunity is organic certification, which allows farmers to earn a premium for certain management practices. However, the financial advantages of certification depend on consumer trust in the label – something that has been undercut by bad faith actors looking to take advantage of price premiums without doing any of the work to earn them.

“Inaccurate organic labeling misleads and cheats consumers, harms the reputation of the label, and cuts into the profits of farmers who play by the rules. We owe it to both food producers and purchasers to enforce organic standards, without exception. By expanding oversight of the organic supply chain, strengthening import certification, and improving traceability, the proposed rule will help prevent fraudulent activities that weaken the organic label. It is essential that these new regulations do not disadvantage small-scale farmers or businesses, who already face significant obstacles to accessing organic markets. With that in mind, USDA should act swiftly to finalize this rule and ensure the integrity of the organic label.”