Tuesday October 20 Ag News

ROUND TWO: Nebraska's Livestock Stabilization Grant Program
Nebraska Cattlemen

Yesterday, Governor Ricketts held a press conference announcing the intentions to allocate the remaining funds of Nebraska's portion of CARES Act. As a reminder, Congress allocated federal funds to each state for COVID relief. Nebraska's portion was just over $1 billion. From these funds Governor Ricketts developed the Livestock Stabilization Grant Program where eligible producers could receive up to $12,000. As discussed below, the Governor announced that the livestock grants will be reopened for livestock producers who did NOT receive a first round grant of $12,000). In other words, producers who previously received the $12,000 award under Round 1 of this program or the Nebraska Small Business program are NOT eligible for a second grant. The same eligibility rules as Round 1 still apply:
     Must have 1-10 employees (sole proprietors qualify as 1 employee and are eligible);
    Must have at least 20 animal units;
    Two-thirds of gross income must come from farming or ranching
    Livestock producers licensed for tax withholding are encouraged to apply for assistance under the state Small Business Stabilization Program.
 
Eligible fund uses include paying operating expenses with the purpose of helping the producer maintain or bounce back during the period of economic downturn .
 
Grants will again be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, and applications will be accepted beginning on Wednesday, October 21 at 10 AM CT - November 13 at 7 PM CT.
 
Award recipients will be notified by November 25 and the funding disbursement period ends on December 28, 2020.
 
For all new programs and application deadlines click here... https://coronavirus.nebraska.gov/Programs&Grants.  
 
The online application portal is expected to go live at approximately 10 AM tomorrow, Wednesday October 21st. You can access the portal link here...  https://coronavirus.nebraska.gov/Programs&Grants#SmallBusinessStabilizationGrant:LivestockProducers.  Under the "Livestock Producer Stabilization Program, Round 2" on the dropdown menu, click on "How to Apply."




Nebraska Corn Board hosts international customers through Virtual Grain Exchange

Despite the limitations of international travel due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) recently hosted two trade teams to promote the state’s corn, ethanol, distillers grains, beef and pork industries to international customers. The visits were held virtually and were in conjunction with the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC) first Virtual Grain Exchange series.

Both Nebraska visits took place on Oct. 15. In each virtual trade mission, preproduced video field trips highlighted key sectors of Nebraska’s agriculture. The videos were followed by live question and answer discussions led by farmers and industry leaders within the state’s agricultural sectors.

“Nebraska is home to some of the most efficient and productive farmers in the world,” said Steve Wellman, Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) director. “While the coronavirus may have greatly impacted the world as we know it, our agricultural industry is still going strong in our state. We’re open for business, and we must continue to identify new customers and maintain positive relationships with our current buyers. Thankfully, technology allows us to be able to do this. Obviously, we’d prefer to meet with these customers in person, but this is the next best thing.”

The day kicked off meeting with customers from North Africa, Israel and Turkey. During this virtual Zoom meeting, the potential buyers met with Director Wellman; Joan Ruskamp, farmer and cattle producer; Walter Cronin, chief commercial officer with Green Plains; and Jeff Wilkerson, NCB director of market development. The second trade team included customers from Taiwan and included panelists Mark Jagels, NDA agricultural trade representative; Shana Beattie, farmer and pork producer; Brandon Hunnicutt, farmer and NCB vice chairman; and Roger Berry, Nebraska Ethanol Board administrator.

“It certainly was a different trade mission experience for me,” said Hunnicutt. “While I prefer to visit with our international friends on Nebraska soil so I can help walk them through our production process, I can tell we still had an impact from behind a computer screen. Our guests were engaged and asked several really good questions.”
Zoom session during Taiwan trade team.

Nebraska was just one of several states that partnered with USGC to host trade missions as part of the Virtual Grain Exchange. In total, more than 1,200 international customers registered for the series, including international buyers and end-users of coarse grains and co-products from 54 countries and members of the U.S. grain export value chain.

“Even though trade teams are virtual this year, the fact remains that all end-users want to get a good look at the entire U.S. agricultural value chain when making decisions about U.S. grains,” said Ryan LeGrand, U.S. Grains Council president and CEO. “The teams visiting Nebraska are eager to not only see the state of corn harvest there, but also are keenly interested in getting a peek inside major production facilities so they can see for themselves just how high-quality Nebraska corn is. By allowing them to do so, we can strengthen the relationships between U.S. farmers and these buyers, and we appreciate Nebraska Corn Board’s assistance in this process.”



VALUING CORN STALK BALES  
Ben Beckman, NE Extension Educator
 
With dry conditions still plaguing much of the state, baling corn residue following harvest might be an optional roughage source if hay supply is getting tight.  What value should be put on harvesting corn residue?
 
Figuring out the true value of corn stalk bales can be a bit tricky, but breaking down the costs can help it make sense.  First, look at the value of nutrients removed from the field that will need to be replaced by fertilizer.  Stalks this fall will contain between $3-5 worth of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and sulfur per ton.
 
Stalks also provide organic matter and help reduce erosion.  We need to account for the loss of these benefits as well.  Nebraska research shows that dryland corn yield declines about 2 bushes for each ton of residue removed.  Irrigation costs increase similarly to maintain yields, accounting for an additional $10-12 per ton.
 
Baling stalks is harder on equipment than putting up grass or alfalfa hay.  This additional labor and equipment cost comes in at around $20-25 per ton.  Adding everything up, we accumulate $33 to $45 in cost per ton of residue removed.
 
With costs calculated, we have to figure out what a bale is worth.  From a nutritional standpoint, corn stalk bales don’t come out much better than straw.  Even if being selective with what we harvest, we can only count on around 5% crude protein and up to 55% TDN.  With these values, combining stalks with distillers grain in a diet may be the most efficient use.  Comparing a distillers grain and stalk ration with a mixed grass hay diet, we can put a value on corn stalk bales up to $80 per ton.
 
So, is corn stalk harvest worth it? This year with fertilizer prices down, and hay up, corn stalk bales may be a reasonable option to explore.



 I-29 Moo University podcast delivers timely, relevant topics

Dairy specialists from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas have developed a new, twice-monthly podcast for dairy producers. The podcast is focused on issues of interest to dairy producers, including economics, animal heath, forage, labor, farm programs and more.

The first podcast was released on May 26 and featured Kim Clark Nebraska Extension dairy educator; Jim Salfer, Minnesota Extension dairy educator; and Fred M. Hall, Northwest Iowa Extension dairy specialist, discussing the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Other podcast topics to date include heat stress, forage preservation and sampling, feeding strategies, animal activism, silage safety, risk-management tools, reproduction, and quality assurance programs.

Episodes are released every two weeks, and feature commentary by I-29 Moo University Extension dairy specialists in conversation with other dairy industry experts.

“Podcasts give dairy producers another avenue to receive timely, relevant dairy related information such as production practices, financial management and practical strategies, and they don’t have to attend a workshop or be in front of their computer,” Salfer said.

The discussions are driven by current topics and questions from producers. The podcast is geared toward dairy producers of all sizes from 20 cows to 10,000 cows.  

“We hope that producers will interact with questions and comments that can help develop more programs,” Hall said.

Each episode is about 30 minutes and is available on the I-29 Moo University website as well as on each state’s dairy Extension website. Producers can also subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and Spotify. Past episodes are archived, so listeners can tune in whenever they choose.

For more information, contact Kim Clark at kimclark@unl.edu or 402.472.6065; Jim Salfer at salfe001@umn.edu or 612.360.4506; or Fred M. Hall at fredhall@iastate.edu or 712.737.4230.



NEBRASKA MILK PRODUCTION

Milk production in Nebraska during the July-September 2020 quarter totaled 356 million pounds, up 3% from the July-September quarter last year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The average number of milk cows was 59,000 head, 1,000 head more than the same period last year.

July-September Milk Production up 2.0 Percent
Milk production in the United States during the July - September quarter totaled 55.3 billion pounds, up 2.0 percent from the July - September quarter last year.  The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.36 million head, 1,000 head less than the April - June quarter, but 39,000 head more than the same period last year.

IOWA: Milk production in Iowa during September 2020 totaled 439 million pounds, up 3% from the previous September according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during September, at 219,000 head, was 1,000 more than last month and 2,000 more than last year. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,005 pounds, up 35 pounds from last September.

September U.S. Milk Production up 2.4 Percent
Milk production in the 24 major States during September totaled 17.2 billion pounds, up 2.4 percent from September 2019. August revised production, at 17.8 billion pounds, was up 1.9 percent from August 2019. The August revision represented an increase of 1 million pounds or less than 0.1 percent from last month's preliminary production estimate.  Production per cow in the 24 major States averaged 1,944 pounds for September, 36 pounds above September 2019.  The number of milk cows on farms in the 24 major States was 8.85 million head, 46,000 head more than September 2019, and 6,000 head more than August 2020.



Iowa FFA Members, Alumni Encouraged to Help Staff Polling Locations on Election Day

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig and Secretary of State Paul Pate are encouraging Iowa FFA members and young alumni to take an active role in the 2020 election by helping to staff polling locations.

Polling places around the state rely on precinct election officials to help ensure the election runs smoothly. The pandemic is creating recruiting challenges because most precinct officials are over 60 years old and at increased risk for complications from COVID-19. Young Iowans should consider staffing the polls on Nov. 3 to help protect high-risk populations.

“Now more than ever, it’s critical for our young leaders to play active roles in the election process. I’m challenging Iowa FFA members and young alumni to assist in some way at their local polling places on Election Day,” said Secretary Naig. “Not only is this a great way to protect the most vulnerable Iowans, but it’s also an opportunity to serve your communities while witnessing democracy in action.”

“This is a great opportunity for FFA members to serve their community, state and nation. It’s an important job,” Secretary Pate. “They’ll be helping ensure Election Day runs smoothly across Iowa. I hope many FFA members will step up.”

Each precinct has an election official who helps check-in voters, answers their questions, guides them through the voting process and guards the integrity of the election. To be a precinct election official, an individual must be registered to vote in Iowa, at least 17 years old, and a resident of the county in which they are working. Precinct election officials will also participate in a training session before Election Day to learn more about voting rules and setting up the venues.

Iowa FFA members and alumni who are interested in serving as a precinct election official can sign up at pollworker.iowa.gov, and a representative from the County Auditor’s office will follow up with more information. For more information about the 2020 election and how to get involved, visit pollworker.iowa.gov.

All Iowans who are eligible to vote should make their voices heard in the 2020 election.



No. 14 DEKALB FFA Ford Mustang Finishes 267 Laps Providing $10,138 for the Winning Has Roots Agricultural Scholarship

NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer, the National FFA Organization and DEKALB® brand corn present students the opportunity to qualify for the Winning Has Roots agricultural scholarship. On October 18th at the NASCAR Cup race, driver Clint Bowyer completed 267 laps to fund a $10,138 FFA scholarship.

During the race, the National FFA Organization and DEKALB® brand unveiled the new DEKALB Wining Has Roots car driven by Bowyer. The car flew around the track with dual wings for both the FFA emblem and DEKALB winged ear of corn. The special wing-designed car represents iconic roots in agriculture with a tradition of leadership, personal growth and success. With a legacy of performance, the FFA and DEKALB brand are focused on improving the future of agriculture, and together will offer students the opportunity to qualify for the Winning Has Roots scholarship.

“I grew up around farming, and the Kansas race is always more meaningful to me since this is my home track,” said Bowyer. “Here, I remember that winning has roots. It takes resilience, perseverance and drive. Farming is no different. I value my partnership with DEKALB and am honored to support  the next generation of agriculture leaders.“

The Winning Has Roots scholarship will help one qualified student fund their continued education. The scholarship was created by DEKALB to help students achieve their goals and advance the agriculture industry by focusing on performance. The scholarship amount was determined by the number of laps Bowyer completed with the No. 14 DEKALB FFA Ford Mustang. A base amount of $6,400 was to be awarded to the Winning Has Roots recipient with an increase of $14 for every lap Clint completed. If all 267 laps were completed, the scholarship increased to $10,138. This is the second annual scholarship program for the DEKALB brand.

“Seeing the dual wing-designed car fly around the track this weekend was really exciting for the DEKALB brand,” said Kathleen McKittrick, DEKALB Brand Manager. “This race in Kansas, along with the partnership with the FFA and Clint, is a very special for us and the industry. The DEKALB brand believes winning has roots and is all about a mindset and skillset developed and shaped at a young age. This idea is built every day through persistence and the drive to perform. Whether in the classroom or on the farm or racetrack, there is no difference. Clint did a great job, and we’re proud to announce the scholarship application period opens October 26th.”

Eligible FFA members who are high school seniors or college freshmen, sophomores or juniors pursuing an agriculture-related major in agribusiness systems, biotechnology systems or plant systems can apply for the scholarship now through January 14 2021 by visiting the National FFA website at FFA.org/scholarships*. The scholarship winner will be notified by FFA in May 2021.



United Soybean Board Grants IFYE Association $124,110 for International Leadership Program

Recognizing the value an international experience can have on young leaders, the United Soybean Board (USB) recently approved a proposal from the IFYE Association of the USA, Inc. to immerse eight of its young leaders in international experiences for three months in four European and Asian countries. IFYE, formerly known as the International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE) is a 72-year-old international exchange program for young adults age 19 and above.

IFYE submitted its proposal for funding under the USB’s sustainability section. “The focus of our proposal was for USB to look at the sustainability of their leadership pipeline. The IFYE program has had more than 5,000 young-adult participants. Research has shown that those who live internationally and interact with families in those countries have a greater appreciate for cultural diversity. This enhances leadership capabilities,” said Victoria Fehrmann Warren, president, IFYE Association of the USA, Inc.

“USB recognizes the value an extended international experience can bring to our board,” said Mace Thornton, USB Vice President of Communications and Marketing Strategy. “The proposal submitted by IFYE aligns well with our leadership expectations to do all we can to open new markets abroad and increase the value chain for U.S. soybean producers.” After receiving USB approval, the proposal was also approved by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS), which has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

The young leaders selected for this USB program will be placed in Poland, Germany, Thailand, and Taiwan. All participants will be required to complete a medical examination and obtain appropriate vaccinations before travel. If travel restrictions continue, then alternative actions will be taken. Once in country, they will live with three to four host families, spend time at the U.S. Embassy for a first-hand trade relations experience with USDA Foreign Agriculture Service staff, meet with in-country government agriculture officials, other country agriculture leaders, and may include experiences at in-country soybean processing facilities.

The application process for this opportunity will begin in October 2020, with orientation to start in early March 2021. Candidates for the program will follow the IFYE application (www.ifyeusa.org/foreign-exchange-program/become-participant.html) and interview process with final selections confirmed by USB. Selected participants will depart for their host countries in June 2021. The program will conclude upon their return in September 2021, and will include a debriefing with the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service in Washington, D.C.

Founded in 1948, the IFYE Association of the USA, Inc. provides cultural exchange programming that places participants with multiple host families during a two- three- or six-month period in countries around the world and the U.S. IFYE representatives experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to gain understanding of the culture and lifestyle from those they live with while in the program. IFYE exchanges are conducted in collaboration with international, U.S., state and local coordinators and are facilitated and supported by the IFYE Association of the USA, Inc. The IFYE motto of “Peace through Understanding” continues to touch the lives of people around the world. To learn more visit www.ifyeusa.org.