Wednesday October 7 Ag News

 ROADWAY SAFETY DURING HARVEST

During harvest season, traffic on country roads greatly increases. Keeping common gravel-road hazards in mind can help reduce potential for a roadway accident.
Even though country road intersections aren’t typically marked with stop signs or yield signs, slowing down and scanning for oncoming traffic is always recommended. During the growing season, tall crops can block visibility, and during harvest, unusually heavy traffic may catch local drivers off guard.
“It’s always wise to drive safely on gravel roads,” John Wilson, retired University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Educator, says. “Gravel roads are narrower than highways and the shoulders of the road can be soft at times. If it’s been wet, there may be ruts along the road, especially if large farm equipment has recently been on the road.”
Washboards are a common feature of gravel roads. Depending on how severe they are, washboards on a gravel road can quickly cause drivers to lose control of their vehicle.
“A lot of dust is in the air when combines are operating and farm equipment is moving during harvest,” Wilson says. “Depending on the size of some of that equipment, the driver may have to cross over the center line of the road. Keep in mind that, if you’re following the equipment very closely, you may be in a blind spot and the driver may not even realize you’re there.”
At any time of the year, dust clouds caused by traffic on gravel roads can hamper visibility to the point where drivers can’t see where they’re going. If that occurs, slowing down or stopping to allow the dust to resolve is the safest way to proceed. Keeping driving speed at a minimum will also help reduce the volume of dust kicked up by a vehicle.
Large farm equipment travels much slower than the average vehicle, which means it’s always wise for drivers to slow down when approaching equipment, especially when approaching from the rear.
“This is especially true on a highway, where general traffic moves at a much faster speed than farm equipment,” Wilson says. “If you’re traveling at 55mph, it takes five seconds and the length of a football field to slow down and avoid a rear-end collision with slow moving farm equipment that’s traveling at 15mph.”
When a farm equipment operator signals that they’re making a right turn, be aware that they may need to move to the opposite side of the road to negotiate the turn. Never try to pass them as they prepare to turn.
Night-time drivers should take extra precaution when encountering farm equipment on the roadway. Darkness and large equipment reduce the operator’s ability to see oncoming traffic. If a farmer is working after dark and pushing to complete a field or reach a farm site before rain or a storm approaches, they may also be more easily distracted.
Passing farm equipment at any time can be hazardous. Drivers in a regular vehicle can’t see oncoming traffic while they’re behind the equipment. While equipment operators sometimes wave drivers behind them to go ahead and pass, don’t automatically assume that a hand signal from the equipment operator means it’s safe to pass. Move out around them slowly in every case.
“Hilly areas make it especially risky to pass farm equipment,” Wilson says. “In some situations, neither you or the equipment operator can see far enough ahead to make sure it’s safe to pass.”
While following large farm equipment on any road, be advised that they may need to swing out further onto the road if they encounter a bridge, mailbox, or other roadside obstacle on the roadside.
“During harvest, employing all our best traffic safety practices and taking extra precaution around farm equipment will help avoid an accident,” Wilson says.
When farmers move equipment, such as combine heads and grain carts, from field to field, it’s helpful to have a pickup with hazard lights flashing ahead of and/or behind the equipment to help alert motorists that a long or wide load is approaching.
“Most operators are very good about using flashing lights when they move equipment, especially at night,” Wilson says. “An added precaution is the use of an orange SMV (slow moving vehicle) sign on the back of the equipment. Just another way to alert motorists to unusual traffic on the road.”
Many farmers attempt to move to the side of a country road or highway when they know a vehicle behind them wants to pass. Motorists should keep in mind that, if shoulders are especially soft and/or narrow, equipment operators may risk being pulled into the ditch if they crowd the shoulder too much.
“Large farm equipment can quickly tip and rollover if the operator gets too close to the ditch,” Wilson says. “The safest way to navigate a roadway when large farm equipment is present is to be patient and take steps to keep everyone safe.”
Wilson notes that harvest activity always leads to an increase in another traffic hazard: deer. While rutting and hunting season cause deer to move more in November, the loss of habitat and cover once crops are taken out of the fields means deer will be more active while harvest takes place.
“The later we get into October, the more active the deer will be,” Wilson says. “It’s helpful to keep that in mind whether you’re driving along a highway or along a gravel road.”
Avoiding a hurried pace is a key safety practice for farmers. However, for motorists who travel in areas where harvest activity occurs, adopting an attitude of patience and safety first will also help keep all drivers safer.
“Take time to be careful, don’t get into a rush,” Wilson says. “Safe driving practices are important at any time but are especially key for the safety of armers and others traveling country roads during harvest.”



USDA to Survey Row Crops County Acreage & Production

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey producers in 38 states, including Nebraska, as part of its 2020 Row Crops County Agricultural Production survey. The survey will collect information on total acres planted and harvested as well as yield and production of row crops down to the county level. Producers can complete their survey securely online at agcounts.usda.gov

“The data provided by producers will help federal and state programs support the farmer,” said Nicholas Streff, Director of the Northern Plains Regional Field Office. “We hope every producer who receives this survey will take the time to respond. Producers benefit when there are data available to help determine accurate loan rates, disaster payments, crop insurance price elections, and more. Without data, agencies such as USDA’s Risk Management Agency or Farm Service Agency may not have enough information on which to base their programs.”

Within the next few weeks, NASS representatives will contact selected Nebraska growers to arrange telephone interviews to complete the survey.

Survey response is protected by federal law (Title V, Subtitle A, Public Law 107-347), which keeps respondent identity and answers confidential.

Survey results will be published on the NASS Quick Stats database (quickstats.nass.usda.gov). For more information on NASS surveys, reports, and for the release dates by commodity, visit nass.usda.gov/Publications/Calendar/reports_by_date.php, or contact the NASS Northern Plains Regional Field Office at (800) 582-6443.



Nobel Prize Serves Notice: The U.S. is Falling Behind in Race to Adopt Key Technology for Farming

For more than two years, by claiming regulatory jurisdiction over gene edited livestock, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stalled the development of an emerging technology with tremendous promise for livestock agriculture, including improved animal care, production efficiency and environmental impact. Today, the scientists who invented one of the most promising forms of this technology – the “CRISPR/Cas9 genetic scissors” – were awarded the Nobel Prize. The following statement may be attributed to Howard “A.V.” Roth, president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin.

“The National Pork Producers Council has repeatedly called for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to be granted regulatory oversight of gene edited livestock. The USDA has the right experience and an established regulatory framework for gene edited plants that can easily be extended to livestock.

“The FDA’s regulatory land grab has caused American agriculture to fall behind in the global race to develop this technology as countries, such as China, continue to advance its development. The FDA’s proposed regulatory framework is unjustifiably cumbersome, slow and prohibitively expensive. Today’s Nobel Prize award serves notice: If we don’t move oversight of gene edited livestock to the USDA, we will have ceded this promising technology to global competitors at the expense of American jobs and our nation’s global agricultural leadership position.”

Gene editing accelerates genetic improvement that would occur naturally over time by making changes to an animal’s own genome. For additional information, please visit NPPC’s Keep America First in Agriculture web site http://nppc.org/kafa/.



Red Meat Muscle Cut Exports Strong in August; Variety Meats Trend Lower

August exports of U.S. beef and pork muscle cuts were above last year's strong volumes, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Variety meat exports were lower than a year ago, due in part to the lack of available labor required to harvest and export some items.

Led by record-large demand in South Korea and Taiwan, beef muscle cut exports were the largest in more than a year at 89,148 metric tons (mt), up 3.5% year-over-year, while export value increased slightly from a year ago to $611 million. August muscle cut exports also set new records in China and Indonesia and beef exports to Canada continued to gain momentum. Combined beef/beef variety meat exports were 109,752 mt in August, down 4.5% from a year ago. Export value was $673.8 million, down 2% from a year ago but the highest since March.

For January through August, beef muscle cut exports were 6% below last year's pace in volume (627,248 mt) and 9% lower in value ($4.38 billion). Beef/beef variety meat exports were down 8% to 808,659 mt, valued at $4.95 billion (down 9%).

August exports of U.S. pork muscle cuts were 180,369 mt, up 1% from a year ago, though value was down 11% to $448.7 million. Combined pork/pork variety meat exports were down 2% in volume (217,893 mt) and 10% lower in value ($528 million). U.S. pork exports remain on a record pace in 2020, with January-August muscle cut exports up 22% from a year ago to 1.68 million mt, valued at $4.45 billion (up 20%). Pork/pork variety meat exports were up 17% in volume at just under 2 million mt, with value up 18% to $5.13 billion.

In August, pork exports to Japan were higher year-over-year and exports to Vietnam set a new record for the second consecutive month. While still lower than a year ago, exports to Mexico and Colombia continued to show improvement.

"The upward trend in muscle cut exports is very encouraging and especially critical as beef and pork production continue to rebound from the interruptions earlier in the year," said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. "Maintaining variety meat volumes has been especially challenging this year but we continue to expand and develop destinations for these items, which are essential to maximizing carcass value."

Halstrom said COVID-19 continues to impact many countries, but the recovery in foodservice is well underway in China and Taiwan and there is progress in other main markets, including Japan and Korea. Even as foodservice activity increases, strong retail and online sales persist.

"Record beef shipments to Korea, Taiwan and China show the kind of rebound U.S. beef can achieve as the foodservice sector gradually recovers and adapts, and we are excited to see demand strengthen further entering the fourth quarter," he said. "Pork demand is also recovering in some of the regions hardest hit by COVID-19 restrictions, and we see continued export growth in countries where domestic production has been impacted by African swine fever. U.S. pork is also making significant gains in Japan, including dramatic growth in ground seasoned pork and strong demand for chilled U.S. pork cuts in the regional retail sector."

U.S. lamb exports in August were the second largest of 2020 in both volume (3,129 mt, up 162% from a year ago) and value ($3.04 million, up 65%). With Mexico as the main growth driver, January-August lamb exports climbed 36% above last year to 14,428 mt, though value was down 3% to $17 million.



NCBA Calls On USDA To Take Action On Namibian FMD Outbreak

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association's (NCBA) Vice President of Government Affairs, Ethan Lane issued the following statement in response to reports of another reported occurrence of foot-and-mouth disease in Namibia:
 
“Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a grave and persistent threat to the U.S cattle industry and warrants every available caution and protection to ensure that the problems plaguing cattle production in other parts of the world do not reach our shores. NCBA has serious concerns regarding the latest report of another FMD outbreak in Namibia, a country with an unfortunate history of FMD. While Namibia has taken steps to mitigate risk of FMD through the establishment of a cordon fence and buffer zone, the occurrence of this most recent outbreak in the buffer zone and indications of delayed reporting of the outbreak to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) raises serious concerns about Namibia’s newly granted access to the United States.”
 
“NCBA calls on USDA to investigate and reaffirm the efficacy of Namibia’s cordon fence, security of Namibia’s buffer zone and surrounding FMD protocols, and if found deficient, USDA must take immediate action to suspend imports from Namibia in order to ensure the continued safety of U.S. cattle and beef.”



Weekly Ethanol Production for 10/2/2020

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending October 2, ethanol production grew 4.8%, or 42,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 923,000 b/d—equivalent to 38.77 million gallons daily. However, the four-week average ethanol production rate declined 0.4% to 909,000 b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 13.93 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks ticked 0.1% lower to 19.7 million barrels, which was 7.3% below year-ago volumes and the smallest reserves since the end of 2016. Inventories thinned across all regions—including a sizeable (0.7 million barrels) disappearance in the Gulf Coast (PADD 3)—except for the East Coast (PADD 1) and Midwest (PADD 2).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, expanded by 4.3% to 8.90 million b/d (136.38 bg annualized). Gasoline demand remained 6.0% lower than a year ago.

Conversely, refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol receded by 2.0% to 823,000 b/d, equivalent to 12.62 bg annualized. This was 10.3% below the year-earlier level as a result of the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There were zero imports of ethanol recorded after 16,000 b/d hit the books the prior week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of August 2020.)



Reaching Retailers to Foster the Adoption of Higher Ethanol Blends

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has been a leader in retailer education when it comes to utilizing and accessing higher blends of ethanol like E15 and E85. ACE’s Flex Fuel Forward website is a resource for retailers by retailers.

Ron Lamberty, Senior Vice President of Market Development, says the organization launched a new tool for retailers, helping them determine the compatibility of existing station equipment with E15.

“A huge number of retailers have E15 compatible equipment and could sell it tomorrow without a big investment,” Lamberty said. “But they don’t know, and most haven’t even checked, because API, AFPM, oil companies and petroleum marketer groups have been telling station owners their equipment isn’t compatible with E15 since it was approved, and replacing it will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. We just want them to check because a lot of them will be shocked to find out they can add E15 for next to nothing.”

The National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Ethanol Action Team (ETHAT) provided funding for Flex Fuel Forward, helping fund updates like Flex Check.

“We’re constantly adapting our market development outreach to provide new information and tools that will give retailers the best chance of success adopting and profitably marketing higher ethanol blends,” Lamberty explained. “The goal is moving significant new ethanol volume, and widespread station conversions will move the needle farther and faster than new construction – and at a much lower cost. So, we have to help inspire those conversions. Tools like Flex Check arm retailers with information to give them the confidence they can offer higher ethanol blends without breaking the bank and other flexfuelforward.com information helps them succeed when they make the change.”

“Funds provided by NCGA and state corn groups have helped ACE create more user-friendly versions of assets on the site and promote those tools to fuel marketers who might not know about them otherwise,” Lamberty added. “ETHAT funds help us expand our reach to more retailers with advertising in convenience store and petroleum industry publications and websites, and a presence at tradeshows and educational workshops pre-pandemic and whenever we’re allowed to go to those events again.”

Many recognizable brands across the country, such as Casey’s General Store, Sheetz, Pump & Pantry and Kwik Trip, sell E15 and/or E85 and continue to expand their offerings at new or existing locations. Flex Fuel Forward shares stories from these retailers on why they sell higher ethanol blends and help dispel myths that exist.

“As a corn farmer and retail gas station owner myself, I know how important it is to have a trusted resource for information I can rely on to know what’s happening in the industry and where I can go for the most up-to-date information,” said Missouri farmer and NCGA Corn Board Member Gary Porter. “Websites like Flex Fuel Forward are key to getting E15 and E85 in the marketplace.”

To learn more about Flex Fuel Forward and the Flex Check tool, go to www.flexfuelforward.com.



Sukup Breaks Record for World's Largest Grain Bin

Sukup Manufacturing Co. has designed and manufactured the world's largest free span grain bin, with a diameter of 165 feet. The previous record-holding bin has a diameter of 156 feet, which Sukup also manufactured and designed.

Ground was broken for the new bin on September 14, 2020, at Golden Grain Energy, an ethanol production plant in Mason City, Iowa. Representatives from Sukup Manufacturing attended, as well as representatives from partner organizations Buresh Building Systems Inc., a Sukup dealer located in Hampton, Iowa, and construction partner McGough Construction out of St. Paul, Minnesota.

The bin will hold 2.2 million bushels, and will include 30 rings with a peak height of 155 feet and 7 inches. Construction is expected to be complete in May or June of 2021.



Average Retail Prices for 5 Fertilizers Move Lower

For the fourth week in a row, average retail prices for five of the eight major fertilizers tracked by DTN were lower, while prices for the remaining three nutrients were higher.  Once again, no fertilizer's price was up or down a significant amount, which DTN designates as 5% or more.

For the last week of September, the five fertilizers that had lower prices were potash with an average price of $338 per ton, down $10; 10-34-0 $457/ton, down $2; anhydrous $424/ton, down $12; UAN28 $212/ton, down $4; and UAN32 $250/ton, down $4.

The three fertilizers that were slightly higher include DAP with an average price of $439/ton, up $8; MAP $459/ton, up $17; and urea $362/ton, up $1.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.39/lb.N, anhydrous $0.26/lb.N, UAN28 $0.38/lb.N and UAN32 $0.39/lb.N.

Retail fertilizer prices continue to be considerably lower than a year ago. Both anhydrous and UAN28 are 17% lower, UAN32 is 13% less expensive, potash is 12% lower, urea is 11% less expensive, DAP is 8% lower and both MAP and 10-34-0 are 3% less expensive from last year at this time.



Another billion in the books
By Kylee Kohls

Blindfolded on a rollercoaster, this year in the beef business was filled with unexpected upside-downs and lurches.

Whether a restaurateur in New York City or a rancher in Nebraska, the impacts of COVID-19 make 2020 a ride no one will soon forget.

For the first time in 16 years, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand (CAB®) reported lower annual pounds sold for its fiscal year that ended September 30. Still, 2020 was one of strong performance and the fifth consecutive year with sales of more than a billion pounds across 51 countries. Those global sales of 1.175 billion pounds were down 6%, or 75 million pounds.

"We’re prepared and positioned today to support our partners’ business recovery and growth as we move forward," says CAB President John Stika. "We’re fortunate to be in good shape because of the combined effort across our community."

Supply set to meet demand
Despite market disruption and volatility, Angus cattlemen remained focused on producing high-quality beef. In 2020, a record 35.9% of all Angus-influenced cattle met the brand’s 10 quality specifications at licensed packers.

"Just a decade ago we were celebrating a 23% acceptance rate," says Paul Dykstra, CAB assistant director of supply management and analysis. "It’s been a pretty steady uptick in both quality and Angus-influence in the cattle available for consideration."

The 5.54 million cattle certified into the brand were only 1.9% fewer than 2019. That number was just 3.5 million in 2010.

"That demonstrates a clear, concerted effort. Cattlemen are more focused than ever on what demand is telling us about beef quality," he says. "The brand is widely recognized as the target for successful producers who want to participate in the upper echelon of the market."

Licensed packers returned more than $1.7 million dollars in premiums to cattle feeders each week for CAB-qualified carcasses, incentivizing that pull-through demand back to cow-calf suppliers.

"In a year when retail beef prices spiked and uncertainty was a theme, producers heard what consumers said again and again: quality still matters," Dykstra says.

A consistent and growing supply enables licensed processors, distributors, restaurateurs and retailers to deliver. Stika says the brand is focused on meeting demand, though some segments may serve consumers differently moving forward.

Riding the rails
Last October the fiscal year began by working through lingering disruption from the packing plant fire in Kansas. That challenged the brand’s international business and the ability to secure retail feature activity moving into the holidays.

Foodservice, on the other hand, was on record pace.

With a combination of manageable prices and availability in January and February, sales across all segments strengthened, landing both months among the top 10 for all-time CAB sales.

March finished in the history books’ top 10, too.

While the month saw foodservice and international business decline by 40% due to the onset of COVID-19, consumers transitioned their buying patterns. Retail business spiked, all but offsetting the declines in other areas.

At the peak of the pandemic in April and May, foodservice and international sales were down 72% and 64% respectively. Retail business was up almost 44%.

June brought continuity, reestablishing itself in the supply chain, and moved into fall with two months of sales above 100 million pounds.

Putting all 12 months together, retail had a record year, increasing by 12.3%, while foodservice and international sales were down 22%.

Managing through widespread crisis is not unprecedented for the company. When BSE disrupted the beef industry in 2004, brand sales declined 80 million pounds, a fairly similar volume decrease for 2020.

"In 2004, total sales were roughly 43% of what they are today, so that 80-million-pound loss in business translated into a 13.5% decline in both tonnage and resources compared to the 6% we’ll manage through this year," Stika says.

The brand remains stable with a steady supply and projections for continued growth, he says.

Closing the books on 2020, Stika is grateful and optimistic.

"For as much as we have enjoyed the past, our focus cannot be on saving the past," he says. "Rather our focus will be on changing, evolving and being more flexible so that we can really excel for our partners in the future, regardless of what it looks like."    

That’s a promise designed to deliver dollars all the way back through the system.



AFBF Supports Development of Young Leaders Through Collegiate Farm Bureaus

The American Farm Bureau Federation encourages development of young farmer leaders in a variety of ways including through support of Collegiate Farm Bureaus. Recently announced recipients of Collegiate Farm Bureau mini-grants for the fall cycle are:
Colorado State University
North Dakota State University
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College
Penn State University
The Ohio State University
University of Arkansas-Monticello
University of Georgia
University of Missouri

Each chapter will receive $500 to aid in chapter recruitment, leadership development, community service outreach, officer development, purchase of educational materials and/or registration costs for conferences. Since the development of the program in fall 2017, AFBF has awarded more than 30 mini-grants through the Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant Program.

AFBF’s Young Farmers & Ranchers program includes both men and women between the ages of 18 and 35. The objective of the program is to provide leadership in building a more effective Farm Bureau to preserve individual freedoms and expand opportunities in agriculture. The Collegiate Farm Bureau program is part of the YF&R program and works to engage agricultural students from college campuses, introducing them to Farm Bureau.



National Dairy Cattle Traceability Launched in Canada

Lactanet Canada announced the launch of DairyTrace, the national dairy cattle traceability program for dairy farmers in Canada. Designed and built to be a centralized national system for the management of all dairy cattle traceability data, DairyTrace will provide protection, prosperity and peace of mind to the Canadian dairy industry in the event of an animal health emergency.

Alongside the traceability module of Dairy Farmers of Canada's (DFC) proAction initiative, DairyTrace will support the dairy industry by protecting the economic livelihood of dairy producers, as well as bring peace of mind to consumers in the event of an emergency. As dairy farmers embrace the DairyTrace system and report their traceability data, a significant benefit will be state-of-the-art traceback capabilities in the event of an emergency or animal health crisis.

DairyTrace includes two new traceability tools; a mobile app and on-line database portal, that will streamline and simplify the recording and reporting of animal identification and movement. In addition to these tools offering convenience and efficiency, the DairyTrace launch includes the release of a modern national website at www.DairyTrace.ca, that hosts information for dairy producers, other custodians of dairy cattle and consumers.

The program also includes outstanding customer service support, improved animal tags, and instructional materials in print, on-line and via video.

Under federal regulations and/or proAction requirements, everyone who owns or has the possession, care or control of dairy cattle must record and report animal identity, movement, location, and custodianship information.

Traceability affects over 1.4 million dairy cattle on over 10,000 farms.