Thursday October 15 Ag News

 Rural Mainstreet Index Climbs to Pre-Pandemic Levels:
More Than One-Third of Bankers Report Area Recession
 
Since falling to a record low in April of this year, the Creighton University Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) has increased for six straight months. According to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy, the index rose to its highest level since January, prior to the onset of COVID-19.        

Overall: The overall index for October climbed above growth neutral 50.0 to 53.2 from September’s 46.9. The index ranges between 0 and 100 with a reading of 50.0 representing growth neutral.

“Recent improvements in agriculture commodity prices, federal farm support, and the Federal Reserve’s record low interest rates have underpinned the Rural Mainstreet Economy. Still, more than one-third, or 35.5%, of bank CEOs reported their local economies were experiencing recessionary economic conditions,” said Ernie Goss, PhD, Jack A. MacAllister Chair in Regional Economics at Creighton University’s Heider College of Business.  

Farming and ranching: For only the third time in the past 82 months, the farmland price index advanced above growth neutral for October. The October reading jumped to 50.6 from September’s 45.0.   

The October farm equipment-sales index increased to 37.9 from 32.1 in September. This marks the 85th straight month the reading has remained below growth neutral 50.0.  

Bank CEOs estimated that farm equipment sales will fall by an additional 3.1% over the next 12 months.

Below are the state reports:
Nebraska: The Nebraska RMI for October rose to 58.6 from 53.4 in September. The state’s farmland-price index improved to 53.8 from last month’s 46.2. Nebraska’s new-hiring index fell to a still strong 58.0 from 82.3 in September. Compared to the same month last year, Nebraska’s Rural Mainstreet economy has lost 4.6% of its nonfarm employment, representing 13,000 jobs.   

Iowa: The October RMI for Iowa climbed to 52.3 from September’s 46.5. Iowa’s farmland-price index rose to 50.6 from 42.8 in September. Iowa’s new-hiring index for October inched up to 54.9 from 54.7 in September.  Compared to the same month last year, Iowa’s Rural Mainstreet economy has lost 6.4% of its nonfarm employment, representing 43,000 jobs.  According to Jim Brown CEO Hardin County Savings Bank, Eldora, “Current commodity prices and subsidies are making the ag economy look better, but the drought has significantly reduced corn yields in some of our trade territory.”

Each month, community bank presidents and CEOs in nonurban agriculturally and energy-dependent portions of a 10-state area are surveyed regarding current economic conditions in their communities, and their projected economic outlooks six months down the road. Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming are included.   

This survey represents an early snapshot of the economy of rural agriculturally and energy-dependent portions of the nation. The Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) is a unique index covering 10 regional states, focusing on approximately 200 rural communities with an average population of 1,300. It gives the most current real-time analysis of the rural economy. Goss and Bill McQuillan, former chairman of the Independent Community Banks of America, created the monthly economic survey in 2005.



NDA UPDATES POPULAR WEED IDENTIFICATION BOOK

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA), in cooperation with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, has updated the popular “Weeds of the Great Plains” book. The new edition features 40 additional species of weeds not found in previous editions of the book.

The hardbound book features full-page color photographs and detailed descriptions of nearly 300 individual species of weeds found throughout the Great Plains. The book is available now for purchase from NDA.

“Weeds compete with pasture land and crops, reduce yields, and cost farmers and ranchers millions in lost production,” said Mitch Coffin, NDA weed program manager. “Some weeds are even poisonous to people, livestock and wildlife, making this weed identification book an important tool to help meet the needs of farmers, ranchers and homeowners.”

The weed identification book features:
- Full-page color photos, descriptions and line drawings of nearly 300 species of weeds;
- Identification methods to distinguish 125 additional similar species;
- 450 close up color photographs of weed flowers, seedlings and key identification characteristics;
- Habitats in which each weed species is commonly found;
- List of states and provinces in which each weed species grows;
- Potential livestock poisoning;
- Historical uses of each plant;
- Comprehensive glossary; and
- Index of common names and another with scientific names.

Individuals can purchase the book in person at the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s office in Lincoln for a cost of $32.50 or for a cost of $35 per copy the book can be mailed. To order the book and/or to learn more about NDA’s noxious weeds program, go to:
nda.nebraska.gov/plant/noxious_weeds/.



Nebraska Delegation Members Earn “Friend of Farm Bureau” Award

All five members of the Nebraska congressional delegation have received the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) “Friend of Farm Bureau” Award for the 116th Congress. The awards are given at the end of each Congress to lawmakers based on individual voting records on Farm Bureau priority issues which in 2020 included, trade, disaster relief, COVID-19 aid, and broadband, among others. Nebraska Farm Bureau nominated the members of the delegation for the awards.

“We are very fortunate to have elected leaders working in Washington, D.C. who understand and appreciate the important role agriculture plays in our state. Their hard work and dedication to supporting policies that help Nebraska farm and ranch families is to be commended. We are proud to have the American Farm Bureau recognize all five members of our state’s congressional delegation for their leadership and service,” said Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.

Sens. Deb Fischer and Ben Sasse received the AFBF Friend of Farm Bureau award, as did Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Dist.1), Rep. Don Bacon (R-Dist.2), and Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Dist.3).

“We look forward to continuing to work with the members of the delegation on initiatives that will grow opportunities for Nebraska agriculture. As has been proven time and again, when farm and ranch families and the agricultural economy do well, the people and state of Nebraska do well,” said Nelson.



 Northeast agriculture facilities get boost from Frontier Cooperative investment

Frontier Cooperative, headquartered in Lincoln, has pledged $50,000 to the Nexus capital campaign to build new agriculture facilities at Northeast Community College in Norfolk.

“Frontier Cooperative is proud to support ag education and the next generation of future ag leaders,” said Jeremy Wilhelm, CEO of Frontier Cooperative. “We have had a great partnership with Northeast Community College and have hired many interns and employees who have come through the Northeast program. Supporting the Nexus campaign and doing our part in continuing the education of the next generation of ag leaders perfectly aligns with Frontier’s mission and vision and with the ag industry as a whole.”

Formed by the merger of Frontier Cooperative and Midwest Farmers Cooperative in September 2019, Frontier Cooperative is a full-service, member-owned cooperative operating approximately 55 locations throughout eastern and southeast Nebraska. Frontier offers products and services in grain, agronomy, feed and energy and has been proudly serving local producers for more than 100 years.

“The future success of modern agriculture and rural America will be in the hands of our current students,” Wilhelm said. “It is important that we are investing in the education of our young people, so they can improve upon the future of agriculture in Nebraska.”

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held Sept. 10 for the project at Northeast, which includes a veterinary technology clinic and classroom located to the west of the Chuck M. Pohlman Ag Complex, and a combined farm operations and large animal handling building and a feedlot, located north of the Pohlman Ag Complex on the Acklie Family College Farm. Construction began in April and the facilities should be ready for students by Fall 2021.

“Frontier’s contribution will help provide state-of-the-art learning facilities for agriculture students at Northeast,” according to Dr Tracy Kruse, associate vice president of development and external affairs and executive director of the Northeast Foundation. “Northeast already has a nationally-recognized ag program and these new facilities will help our instructors further strengthen that program, providing our students with training in the latest technology and best practices.”

Funding for the agriculture facilities will come from the College’s commitment of $10 million, as well as external fundraising to fill the gap. With a total project cost of $22.3 million, Northeast has raised enough funds to begin construction; however, fundraising for the Nexus campaign will continue, as additional funding is needed for equipment, technology and furnishings.

In August 2019, the Acklie Charitable Foundation (ACF) announced a $5 million lead gift to the Nexus project. ACF was founded by the late Duane Acklie and Phyllis Acklie, both Madison County natives and graduates of Norfolk Junior College, a predecessor institution of Northeast Community College.



Voices for Food council in Dakota County increases food access

Since 2015, Dakota County’s Voices for Food Council has taken a unique approach to addressing food insecurity in Northeast Nebraska.  

Volunteers run a community garden specifically to ensure that the program’s food pantries are well stocked with fresh, locally produced vegetables. Local gardeners with an abundance of sweet corn, tomatoes or zucchini can donate produce to the pantries, which allows the program to serve even more people. A network of volunteers from across the county work to transport and distribute food.  

This past summer, as the COVID-19 pandemic caused demand to swell, Voices for Food volunteers coordinated drive-through pantries to distribute food quickly and safely. Over the course of the pandemic, Voices for Food facilitated the process of serving more than 10,000 people in coordination with the food bank.

“There were a lot of people that were scared – scared of the virus, scared of not having a job, scared of not being able to feed their family,” said Brenda Sale, a Nebraska Extension associate based in Dakota City, who coordinates the program. “It was really cool to have a system in place of community people started through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to provide that outreach and make the community connection.”

The program’s unique approach and broad reach caught the attention of Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, who will recognize the program during the 2020 ServeNebraska Step Forward Awards on Oct. 29.  

Since its inception six years ago, Dakota County Voices for Food volunteers have worked to decrease food insecurity by distributing over 60,000 pounds of produce. The majority of produce distributed is raised by the Voices for Food garden committee, who operate the Cooperative Learning Garden, led by Master Gardener Marion Cain.

The pandemic underscored the importance of the program. On March 19, when Voices for Food held its first drive-through pantry, they ran out of food and had to turn away 30 cars.  

After that first experience, the Voices for Food council rallied the community to donate food, time and money so they wouldn’t have to turn away anyone going hungry again. The response was overwhelming, Sale said.  

“Anytime you asked anybody for anything, they were willing to do it and willing to help,” she said. “We had 17 different community service agencies and 23 stakeholder groups that helped with transport, packing and donations. Anytime anybody found out what we were doing, they wanted to get involved. It was really cool to see.”

The ServeNebraska Step Forward Awards outstanding people and groups for their time and service. The Step Forward Awards will be held online on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. Registration is free.



USDA to Host Educational Webinar Series on CME Specifications, Live Cattle and Beef Carcass Grading and Certification

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host a series of four webinars with guest speakers from three regional USDA Cattle and Carcass Training Centers (CCTCs), the CME Group, and USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). These free webinars begin Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, and are targeted to cattle producers, feeders, and others in the U.S. fed beef supply chain who want to better understand the reporting, delivery, and grading of feeder cattle, live cattle, and carcasses, particularly relating to CME live cattle futures.

Over the course of four evening sessions, experts from USDA, academia, and the CME Group will share their knowledge and offer information that covers a wide range of topics including CME live cattle specifications; the biological and physiological factors influencing cattle quality; the fundamentals of “on the hoof” yield and quality grading; the U.S. beef carcass standards and USDA carcass grading process; and more.

“This outreach is part of our continuing effort to work with cattle producers and others to ensure fair and competitive markets for the livestock, meat and poultry industries,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach. “Participants in this engaging webinar series will gain an understanding of—and greater appreciation for—the interconnected processes that support the production and marketing of high-quality U.S. beef all over the world.”

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill) directed USDA to establish the CCTCs in order to conduct activities that will limit subjectivity in the application of beef grading standards, provide producers with greater understanding of the value of their cattle, and provide investors more confidence in the cattle delivery system. AMS signed agreements in 2019 to establish the CCTCs at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Tex.; Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.; and at the USDA, Agricultural Research Service’s U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb.

More information about how to pre-register, and the dates, times and topics of each webinar in the series are on the AMS website... https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/beef/cattle-carcass-training-centers.  



Weekly Ethanol Production for 10/9/2020

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending October 9, ethanol production expanded 1.5%, or 15,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 937,000 b/d—equivalent to 39.35 million gallons daily. The four-week average ethanol production rate increased 0.3% to 912,000 b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 13.98 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks grew 1.7% to 20.0 million barrels, which was 9.3% below year-ago volumes. Inventories increased in the Gulf Coast (PADD 3) and West Coast (PADD 5) but declined across the other regions.

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, retreated by 3.6% to 8.58 million b/d (131.47 bg annualized). Gasoline demand remained 8.3% lower than a year ago.

Conversely, refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol jumped 5.0% to 864,000 b/d, equivalent to 13.25 bg annualized. This was 8.3% below the year-earlier level as a result of the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Imports of ethanol arriving into the West Coast were 25,000 b/d, or 7.35 million gallons for the week. This marks the ninth time in twelve weeks that imports were reported. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of August 2020.)



EPA Finalizes Cost-Saving Updates to Existing Fuels Regulations
 
Today, at the Monroe Energy LLC Trainer Refinery, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the final Fuels Streamlining Rule. The finalized rule will streamline and modernize EPA's existing regulations for gasoline, diesel, and other fuels by eliminating costly duplication and hundreds of pages of regulatory text. Under these updates, fuel standards will remain just as stringent, while reducing compliance costs for industry and EPA. Most aspects of this rulemaking will go into effect on January 1, 2021.

“By finalizing this action today, we’ll start 2021 with a set of streamlined fuel regulations that save industry, government, and the U.S. economy millions of dollars annually without sacrificing environmental protection,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “The Trump Administration has prioritized reducing regulatory burdens during its entire first term. EPA’s focus on improving the regulatory environment while protecting the environment has saved Americans an estimated $95 billion in unnecessary costs.”

These updates will result in improved overall compliance assurance while removing roughly 800 pages of regulatory text. Specifically, this action updates fuels regulations by deleting expired or redundant compliance provisions such as duplicative registration requirements, removing unnecessary and out-of-date requirements, and replacing them with a single set of provisions and definitions.

EPA estimates that this final action will save $40.4 million per year, largely from reduced administrative costs. Other savings are expected to occur by improving the ability to efficiently deliver compliant fuel through the system and by providing greater flexibility for fuel production and distribution.

For more information: https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuel-standard-program/final-rulemaking-streamlining-and-consolidating-existing-gasoline

This action does not change the stringency of the existing fuel quality standards.



USDA Issues $1.68 Billion in Payments to Producers Enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing $1.68 billion in payments to agricultural producers and landowners for the 21.9 million acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which provides annual rental payment for land devoted to conservation purposes.

“CRP is one of the many ‘tools’ that USDA offers to producers and private landowners to help best manage sensitive lands,” said Richard Fordyce, Administrator of USDA’s Farm Service Agency. “Lands enrolled in this program conserve soil, improve water quality, provide habitat for wildlife, sequester carbon, and benefit agricultural operations.”

Through CRP, farmers and ranchers establish long-term, resource-conserving plant species, such as approved grasses or trees, to control soil erosion, improve water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat on cropland. Farmers and ranchers who participate in CRP help provide numerous benefits to the nation’s environment and economy.

Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest private-lands conservation programs in the U.S. It was originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production. The program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits. The program marks its 35-year anniversary this December. Program successes include:
    Preventing more than 9 billion tons of soil from eroding, which is enough soil to fill 600 million dump trucks;
    Reducing nitrogen and phosphorous runoff relative to annually tilled cropland by 95 and 85 percent respectively;
    Sequestering an annual average of 49 million tons of greenhouse gases, equal to taking 9 million cars off the road;
    Creating more than 3 million acres of restored wetlands while protecting more than 175,000 stream miles with riparian forest and grass buffers, which is enough to go around the world 7 times; and
    Benefiting bees and other pollinators and increased populations of ducks, pheasants, turkey, bobwhite quail, prairie chickens, grasshopper sparrows, and many other birds.

The successes of CRP contribute to USDA’s Agriculture Innovation Agenda and its goal of reducing the environmental footprint of U.S. agriculture by half by 2050. Earlier this year, Secretary Perdue announced the department-wide initiative to align resources, programs, and research to position American agriculture to better meet future global demands.

CRP participants with contracts effective beginning on October 1, 2020, will receive their first annual rental payment in October 2021.



American Farm Bureau’s 102nd Convention Goes Virtual

The American Farm Bureau Federation announced today that its 102nd Annual Convention will be held online following the cancelation of all events through Jan. 31, 2021, at the San Diego Convention Center where the convention was scheduled to take place.

“Our top priority at every Farm Bureau gathering is the safety of our attendees and staff,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said. “While we are saddened to not meet in person for this convention, we are eager to bring this event safely to farm and ranch homes across the country and excited to offer the same top-level content our members have come to expect from our in-person events.”

The 2021 American Farm Bureau Virtual Convention, to be held Jan. 10-13, 2021, will bring together farmers, ranchers and industry experts to discuss the top issues facing agriculture, including the impact of COVID-19, sustainability and the future of the supply chain, and will feature keynote speakers who inspire and motivate grassroots action. This free online event will bring home American Farm Bureau Convention favorites from the Ag Innovation Challenge and YF&R competitions to the Ag Foundation Book of the Year and the anticipated Farm Dog of the Year.

“Our convention theme this year is ‘Stronger Together,’” Duvall said. “I can think of nothing more fitting to spotlight how the agriculture community has come together keep growing the products our nation depends on while supporting our friends and neighbors throughout this public health crisis.”

Registration for the 2021 American Farm Bureau Virtual Convention will open later this year and will be free to all attendees. Further details on the event can be found at fb.org/events.



19 USGC Virtual Trade Teams Traverse The U.S. After Conference

Nineteen trade teams are making their way across the United States – virtually – Thursday to get a better look at the 2020 corn and sorghum crops being harvested and meet with farmers, ethanol plant managers and more.

The online events – a combination of meeting, webinar and live, interactive session – were arranged to accompany the first-ever U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Virtual Grain Exchange, held on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14, with more than 1,200 global grain market registrants.

“In a normal year, these teams would be in the fields and touring ethanol plants as a part of the Council’s marketing and development toolbox, but as we know, this is not a normal year,” said Cary Sifferath, USGC senior director of global programs. “As with many of our programs, we’ve adapted to bring these visits online with the help of our checkoff partners who stepped up to help us showcase that grain production and exports are still very active.”

Through a series of videos, teams of grain buyers, end-users and policy makers from 54 countries were able to “tour” farms and ethanol plants. Several teams also visited elevators or river terminals and experienced grain grading.

Eleven corn state checkoffs – those in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio and South Dakota – and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission and Texas Grain Sorghum Association participated in creating these experiences to help attendees build a baseline understanding of the benefits of U.S.-origin grains.

Though typically an in-person, active experience, the basic premise of trade team visits transferred online: see the U.S. grain value chain in action, how a grain elevator operation works, the productivity of an ethanol plant, how the grain inspection process provides consistency, or the transportation system’s efficiency.

“By allowing our customers to see the U.S. grain and export systems, the Council helps enable short-term sales while cultivating long-term, loyal customers,” said Ryan LeGrand, USGC president and CEO. “Showing end-users that U.S. farmers take real pride in their crops and are committed to providing a high-quality product makes a real difference in growing the global grain market.”

Council staff worked with its members to design each team agenda to meet specific goals, including educating buyers, addressing questions, and connecting buyers and sellers. The Council’s member organizations then helped identify the entities and individuals in their local areas that could share their work and help achieve those goals.

“This year was unique in that our state checkoff and sorghum partners truly went the extra mile to help us navigate the challenges a global pandemic brings," Sifferath said. "While we’d all like to conduct these events in person, the virtual option gives us real opportunities to reach many more customers than we could normally accommodate.

“We truly thank all of those who did so much to make both the Virtual Grain Exchange and the associated trade team events possible.”



Virtual Roadshow Highlights Value Of U.S. Corn, DDGS To Canadian Cattle Producers

Eight U.S. Grains Council (USGC) members discussed the value of U.S. corn and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to the Canadian beef market with customers and potential customers during a webinar in early October.

“This discussion provided an opportunity to connect U.S. suppliers and Canadian end-users,” said Reece Cannady, USGC manager of global trade. “Details about the opportunities for corn and DDGS in the cattle feeding business were extremely valuable for providing insights into current and future market trends and projects, how to establish value compared to other feed ingredients and how to identify buying opportunities.”

Canada purchased 1.68 million metric tons (61.7 million bushels) of U.S. corn and 425,000 tons of U.S. DDGS in the 2019/2020 marketing year. These sales made Canada the eighth largest market for U.S. DDGS, but the country has the potential to utilize more than four million tons of DDGS annually, which the Council is working to capture.

The United States is well-positioned to meet this need due to proximity to northern U.S. ethanol plants, but Canadian livestock feed demand is highly competitive with many alternative starch and protein feed ingredients available for producers. This month’s webinar provided the latest market and nutritional information for U.S. corn and DDGS for beef production directly from representatives at eight USGC member companies that are DDGS suppliers.

While the program was targeted at the Canadian cattle feeders and producers who are the end-users of U.S. corn and DDGS, a variety of other industry participants also joined the discussion, including cattle nutritionists, buyers from commercial feed mills and other tradespeople with experience in buying, feeding and formulating these ingredients. Eight additional livestock producers or commercial feed millers were unable to attend the live program but requested information from the webinar.

“Excellent questions during this program prompted valuable discussion,” Cannady said. “We look forward to continuing to engage in the Canadian market to help them take advantage of all that U.S. corn and DDGS have to offer.”



CFTC Votes to Establish Limits on Size of Speculators' Bets in Commodity Markets

The nation's top derivatives regulator voted Thursday to establish limits on the size of speculators' bets in markets for commodities including gold, cattle and crude oil, completing a long-delayed effort to enact a provision of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission established so-called position limits for the first time on 16 agricultural, metal and energy commodities, while updating federal caps on nine agricultural products that were already subject to them. By limiting the number of contracts that a single participant can amass, the rule aims to prevent speculators -- as opposed to users or producers of the commodities -- from causing price swings that don't reflect underlying supply-and-demand dynamics.

The Dodd-Frank Act, passed after the 2008-09 financial crisis, included a provision requiring the CFTC to set position limits in response to lawmakers' belief that speculators had caused a spike in oil prices.

But the issue proved remarkably thorny, as it affects a swath of market participants including farmers and ranchers, hedge funds, futures exchanges, energy producers and banks. Four previous formal attempts by the CFTC to establish position limits failed amid opposition from industry, including one final rule that was thrown out by a federal court in 2012.



Researchers are Juicing Alfalfa as a Next-Generation Aquafeed

Cows and horses aren't the only fans of alfalfa. Yellow perch like it, too.

That's what Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and their collaborators concluded when they fed the fish pellets made with a protein concentrate from the legume crop's protein-rich leaves.

They're experimenting with alfalfa as part of a broader effort to find suitable alternatives to using fishmeal, a protein-rich ingredient in aquaculture feeds given to "farm-raised" finfish and shellfish. Aquaculture is the fastest-growing sector of the food industry worldwide, generating $1.37 billion in U.S. sales alone. However, there's concern that increasing consumer demand for aquaculture products will outpace what the ocean's wild-caught stock of sardine, anchovy, menhaden and other small forage fish can supply as a fishmeal resource for aquafeeds.

According to Deborah Samac, who leads the ARS Plant Science Research Unit in St. Paul, Minnesota, formulating aquafeeds with plant-based proteins could help lessen the need for fishmeal in aquafeeds, reducing aquaculture's impact on aquatic natural resources. Using nutritious, affordable alternatives to fishmeal could also ease the burden on pelagic fish populations, which are important members of the marine ecosystem and its inhabitants, particularly larger predatory species.

Soybean meal, barley and algae are among alternatives being explored or already commercialized. Now, many of the same qualities that make alfalfa "Queen of the Forages" (and third largest U.S. field crop) could put it on the aquafeed shortlist as well. These include a crude protein content of 15 to 22 percent and a rich assortment of vitamins, including A, B and D, as well as minerals such as magnesium and copper.

Alfalfa is typically fed to dairy cows, beef cattle and horses as hay, silage or a direct forage. But it can also be "juiced" for its protein concentrate, and that's the form Samac and her University of Minnesota (UM) collaborators used for their yellow perch feeding trials.

The actual formulation process can involve passing alfalfa leaves through a screw press, squeezing out juices and then heating and centrifuging them to produce a protein concentrate, which is then dried and processed into small pellets along with other ingredients.

The feeding trial results showed that perch given pellets containing the alfalfa protein concentrate (APC) gained somewhat less weight than perch given fishmeal formulations. But there was little difference between their health, longevity and overall wellbeing. Their fillet yields, quality, composition and flavor were also similar, the researchers reported in a paper submitted to the journal Aquaculture Reports.

According to Samac, alfalfa could help impart greater sustainability to the $133.5 billion global aquafeed market by virtue of the ecosystem "services" and other benefits the crop provides.

For example, as a legume, it is a super star at naturally converting atmospheric nitrogen into a form that corn and other crops can use for their growth, alleviating the need to apply chemical fertilizers. Alfalfa's robust growth makes it an ideal cover crop, anchoring soil, retaining its moisture, helping it store carbon and controlling weeds. Alfalfa flowers are also important food for both wild and domesticated bees, contributing to the latter's production of honey, wax and other products.

Samac said additional studies are underway to fine-tune the APC concentrations used in aquafeed formulations, evaluate different processing methods, and expand feeding trials, which include rainbow trout. Value-added uses for byproducts of the APC juicing process will also be explored, she added.

Her collaborators on the effort are Jessica Coburn, Scott Wells, Craig Sheaffer, Roger Ruan and Nicholas Phelps—all of UM in St. Paul—and Gibson Gaylord of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Bozeman Fish Technology Center. Collaborators on the expanded trials include Dong Fang Deng (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Matt Digman (University of Wisconsin-Madison) and animal physiologist Brian Shepherd, with ARS' Dairy Forage Research Unit in Madison, WI.



AGCO Application Crop Tour Field Report No. 2: Boom Height, Carrier Volume and Droplet Size

AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO), a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and solutions, released today the latest update of its Application Crop Tour findings. The AGCO Crop Care Team designed this year’s AGCO Application Crop Tour to show several best practices to maximize the effectiveness of a weed-control program.

“When it comes to controlling weeds, there’s this battle going on between productivity, efficacy and drift control,” says Darren Goebel, AGCO director of Global Agronomy and Farm Solutions. “Growers want to get over as many acres as they can without having to stop and refill the sprayer. But with today’s contact herbicides, they need to get good coverage while also ensuring that the product they’re spraying reaches its intended target.”

Proper sprayer set-up is key to achieving desired weed-control results.

Using demonstration plots of LibertyLink® crops — cotton in Georgia and soybeans in Illinois — the AGCO team examined the effects of ground speed, sprayer nozzles, droplet size, carrier volume and sprayer boom height.

Application timing is crucial for weed-control efficacy
Jason Lee, AGCO agronomist and farm solutions specialist, says that regardless of treatment, the biggest takeaway from the plots in Illinois was the importance of weed-control timing. Because the plots did not initially experience much weed pressure, the agronomists waited for more weeds to emerge, which allowed some troublesome waterhemp plants to get quite large.

“The problem with waiting for a full flush of weeds before spraying is that some weeds will get way too big and really hard to control,” Lee explains, adding that applicators should read and follow all product label instructions. “We should control weeds when they’re small: four inches or less in height.”

Speed isn’t a factor when rate and droplet size are correctly maintained
The AGCO team applied Liberty® herbicide at speeds ranging from 5 to 15 mph and with carrier volumes ranging from 10 to 20 gallons per acre. Sprayer nozzles creating droplets of various sizes from medium to extremely coarse also were evaluated.

“From what we saw, as long as we were using the appropriate nozzle to give us the correct droplet size for the speed we were running, we’d get the right coverage,” Goebel says. “We thought maybe there would be a bigger effect due to speed, but we really didn’t see any issues as long as we were doing everything else right.”

Coverage is a key consideration when spraying contact herbicides
With weed-control products such as Liberty, which is a contact herbicide, getting adequate coverage is the most important factor, Goebel says. Achieving proper coverage will vary based on sprayer nozzle type and carrier volume.

At lower carrier volumes, such as 10 gallons per acre, using nozzles that create smaller droplets will help improve control. “However, smaller droplet sizes increase the risk of drift. Higher carrier volumes provide better coverage but require more tank fill-ups. Applicators need to strike that balance between productivity efficacy and drift,” he adds.

Based on what he observed in the Georgia cotton plots, Goebel recommends applying at least 15 gallons of carrier volume per acre, using nozzles that produce a coarse droplet. “If you’re going to use nozzles that produce larger droplets, you really should bump the water up some more to ensure you’re getting good coverage,” he says.

Sprayers equipped with pulse width modulation systems help ensure applicators are maintaining constant pressure, rate and droplet size no matter the speed at which the application occurs.

Use the correct boom height to increase coverage
Another application factor the AGCO team evaluated was boom height. Goebel says that the coverage penalty for improper height can be severe. The team compared the coverage and weed control achieved with booms at 20 inches and 60 inches above the target.

“Booms often get set too high because applicators don’t want them to accidentally hit the ground. But if you’re spraying four to five feet from the target, you’re not going to get proper coverage, and you’ll also likely get more drift,” he says, noting that boom-height control systems take the guesswork out of setting heights. “Ideally, for 110-degree spray angles, your boom height above the target should equal your nozzle spacing. So, if your nozzles are 20 inches apart, your boom should be approximately 20 inches above the target. At 60 inches, we only achieved about 30% control. The spray simply didn’t make it to the target due to a combination of drift and evaporation.”

“If you’re trying to get over a lot of acres quickly on a hot, sunny afternoon, boom height is really going to have a big impact,” he concludes. “These products need to be applied well, and having a good understanding of application equipment setup is the first step in ensuring an effective weed-control program.”

For more information on the 2020 AGCO Application Crop Tour, visit www.applylikeapro.com/crop-tour.html.