Tuesday December 29 Ag News

 A YEAR IN REVIEW
– Ben Beckman, NE Extension Educator
 
We as humans often like to try and compare things to average or normal.   At the end of the year, we look back and see if the precipitation we received was within the expected normal range.  Were temperatures for particular season outside of normal, or even if our pasture or hay production was in the range we consider normal.
 
Taking this time to look back and try to compare 2020 to years past is beneficial, but resist the temptation to compare things to normal.  Very rarely, do things in the ever changing world of agriculture really meet average or normal.
 
This year much of the state was too dry, but we don’t have to go back far and too much water was the issue. This variability can be found geographically as well as across time.  For most of 2020 north central parts of the state had an abundance of water, while the panhandle and west were already drying up.  Another challenge this year were early temperatures. This spring, temperatures were cool and impacted early pasture and hay growth, in years past, an overly warm spring has presented a different set of problems to deal with.
 
Producers work in a dynamic system that seldom repeats itself.  In doing so, we learn to be adaptive, to build resilience into our production and planning, and try to spread our eggs out amongst several different baskets.  When you take time to look back this year on the challenges and successes, try to see where adapting to a problem worked or how a bit more flexibility next year could keep an issue from arising.  Leave the normal and average comparisons out of it.



Nebraska Beef Council January zoom meeting

The Nebraska Beef Council Board of Directors will have a zoom meeting at the NBC office in Kearney, NE, located at 1319 Central Ave. on Wednesday, January 13th, 2021 beginning at 10:00 a.m. CST. The NBC Board of Directors will discuss USMEF Foreign Marketing. For more information, please contact Pam Esslinger at pam@nebeef.org.    



PORTABLE GENERATORS: UNDERSTAND THE HAZARDS    
UNMC, Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health, Omaha, NE

Portable generators can temporarily provide power to farms and ranches during disasters or severe weather events. They are internal combustion engines suitable for temporarily generating electricity.

However, users need to be aware of the serious harm generators can cause to property and people if they aren’t used in a safe manner.

Hazards associated with generators include
⦁    Shocks and electrocution from improper use of power or accidentally energizing other electrical systems.
⦁    Carbon monoxide coming from a generator’s exhaust.
⦁    Fires that occur from improperly refueling a generator or inappropriately storing fuel for the generator.
⦁    Noise and vibration hazards.
   
The electricity produced by a generator poses the same hazards as utility-supplied electricity. Additional hazards associated with generators occur when users bypass built-in safety devices (such as circuit breakers) found in electrical systems.

These precautions can help reduce shock and electrocution hazards related to portable generator use:
⦁    Never attach a generator directly to the electrical system of a structure such as a home, office, trailer, unless a qualified electrician has properly installed the generator with a transfer switch. Attaching a generator directly to a building’s electrical system without a properly installed transfer switch can energize wiring systems for great distances. This creates a risk of electrocution for utility workers and others in the area.
⦁    Always plug electrical appliances directly into the generator using the manufacturer’s supplied cords or extension cords that are grounded (3-pronged). Inspect the cords to make sure they’re fully intact and not damaged, cut or abraded. Never use frayed or damaged extension cords. Ensure the cords are appropriately rated in watts or amps for the intended use. Do not use underrated cords. Replace them with rated cords that use heavier gauge wires. Don’t overload a generator, because doing so can lead to overheating and creation of a fire hazard.
⦁    Use ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), especially where electrical equipment is used in or around wet or damp locations. GFCIs shut power off when an electrical current is detected outside normal paths. GFCIs and extension cords with built-in GFCI protection can be purchased at hardware stores, do-it-yourself centers, and other locations that sell electrical equipment. Regardless of GVCI use, electrical equipment used in wet and damp locations must be listed and approved for those conditions.
⦁    Make sure the generator is properly grounded and grounding connections are tight. Consult the manufacturer’s instructions for proper grounding methods.
⦁    Keep the generator dry. Don’t use it in the rain or wet conditions. If necessary, protect the generator with a canopy. Never manipulate a generator’s electrical components if you’re wet or standing in water.
⦁    Don’t use electrical equipment that has been submerged in water. Equipment must be thoroughly dried out and properly evaluated before using. Power off and do not use any electrical equipment that has strange odors or begins smoking.

Colorless, odorless carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas. Many people have died due to exposure to CO when their generator was not properly ventilated. Even if you can’t smell exhaust fumes, you may have been exposed to CO. To avoid CO exposure, follow these guidelines:
⦁    Never use a generator indoors or in enclosed spaces such as garages, crawl spaces or basements. Be aware that open windows and doors may NOT prevent CO from building up when a generator is located in an enclosed space.
⦁    Make sure the generator has between 3 and 4 feet of clearance on all sides and above it to ensure adequate ventilation.
⦁    Don’t use a generator outdoors if its placement near doors, windows, and vents might allow CO to enter and build up in occupied spaces.
⦁    If anyone in the vicinity of the generator displays symptoms of CO poisoning – dizziness, headaches, nausea, fatigue – immediately go to an area with fresh air and seek medical attention. Don’t re-enter the area where CO buildup is suspected until trained and properly equipped personnel has determined the area is safe.

Generators pose fire hazards under the following conditions:
⦁    While they’re running, portable generators become hot. They remain hot for long periods after they stop running. Generator fuels – gasoline, kerosene, etc. – can ignited when spilled on hot engine parts.
⦁    Before refueling a generator, shut it down and allow it to cool.
⦁    Store and transport gasoline and other generator fuels in approved containers properly designed and marked for contents.
⦁    Maintain an adequate supply of fuel. Assess your generator’s rate of fuel consumption and consider how much you can store for how long. Gasoline and diesel stored for long periods may need added chemicals to ensure they’re safe to use. Check with your supplier for storage recommendations.
⦁    Keep fuel containers away from flame producing and heat generating devices (the generator, water heater, cigarette, lighter, matches, etc.). Don’t smoke around fuel containers. Be aware that escaping vapors or vapors from spilled materials can travel long distances to ignition sources.
⦁    Don’t store generator fuels in your home. Store them well away from living areas.

Don’t overlook the noise and vibration hazards associated with portable generators.
⦁    Generator engines vibrate and create noise. Excessive noise and vibration could cause hearing loss and fatigue that may affect job performance.
⦁    Keep portable generators as far away as possible from work areas and gathering spaces.
⦁    If generators cannot be placed at a distance from these areas, wear hearing protection.

Additional safety precautions for using generators include:
⦁    Disconnect power coming into your house/business before operating your generator. Otherwise, power from your generator could be sent back into the utility company lines, creating a hazardous situation for utility workers.
⦁    Regularly inspect and complete maintenance activities for your generator. Check above-ground storage tanks, pipes and valves to identify cracks and leaks. Immediately replace damaged materials. Tanks may require a permit or must meet other regulatory requirements. Complete a maintenance service at least one time per year. Periodically run the generator to make sure it will be ready when its needed.

Since every emergency is different, learn about and follow guidance from your state and local emergency management authorities and local utility company. Before engaging in an activity that could impact utility services, contact your local utility company to ensure your activities are completed safely.



Make Every Bite Count: USDA, HHS Release Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025

Nutrition in America took a major step forward today with the publication of Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. Jointly published by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) every five years, the guidelines provide science-based recommendations designed to foster healthy dietary patterns for Americans of all ages – from birth through older adults. Importantly, this edition expands the guidance, for the first time including recommended healthy dietary patterns for infants and toddlers.

“At USDA and HHS, we work to serve the American people – to help every American thrive and live healthier lives through access to healthy foods and providing nutrition recommendations,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “With the release of the dietary guidelines, we have taken the very important step to provide nutrition guidance that can help all Americans lead healthier lives by making every bite count.”

Dietary Guidelines for Americans is the nation’s trusted resource for evidence-based nutrition guidance. The guidelines are designed for use by healthcare professionals and policy makers for outreach to the general public and provide the nutritional foundation for federal nutrition programs. The dietary guidelines should not be considered clinical guidelines for the treatment of disease.

“The science tells us that good nutrition leads to better health outcomes, and the new dietary guidelines use the best available evidence to give Americans the information they need to make healthy decisions for themselves and their families,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “USDA and HHS have expanded this edition of the dietary guidelines to provide new guidance for infants, toddlers, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, helping all Americans to improve their health, no matter their age or life stage.”

As always, the new guidelines build on the previous editions and were informed by the scientific report developed by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, along with comments from the public and input from federal agencies. USDA and HHS thank the committee for their work and dedication over the last fifteen months, providing the departments with a comprehensive scientific review and proposal of overarching recommendations, a highly regarded step of critical importance in dietary guidelines development. USDA and HHS also made transparency a priority in this edition and appreciate the many public comments that were received throughout this process.

Today’s release provides the public with the most up-to-date evidence on dietary behaviors that promote health and may help prevent chronic disease. Steeped in scientific evidence, the key recommendations look similar to those of the past and address two topics that garnered much attention throughout the development of the guidelines – added sugars and alcoholic beverages. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 carried forward the committee’s emphasis on limiting these dietary components, but did not include changes to quantitative recommendations, as there was not a preponderance of evidence in the material the committee reviewed to support specific changes, as required by law. As in previous editions, limited intake of these two food components is encouraged. In fact, this sentiment remains prominent throughout the policy document and complements the four overarching guidelines, which encourage Americans to “Make Every Bite Count” by:
-    Following a healthy dietary pattern at every life stage.
-    Customizing and enjoying nutrient-dense food and beverage choices to reflect personal preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations.
-    Focusing on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages from five food groups – vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy and fortified soy alternatives, and proteins – and staying within calorie limits.
-    Limiting foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, and limiting alcoholic beverages.

For consumers, USDA’s MyPlate translates and packages these principles of dietary guidance for Americans in a way that is handy and accessible. To share these messages broadly, USDA offers the Start Simple with MyPlate campaign and a new MyPlate website to help individuals, families, and communities make healthy food choices that are easy, accessible, and affordable, in addition to helping prevent chronic disease. For more information, please visit www.myplate.gov.



Dietary Guidelines For Americans Solidifies The Benefits Of Beef And A Healthy Diet

The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) today commends the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for finalizing the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), which recognizes the role of lean beef in a healthy diet across all life stages and ages.
 
Updated every five years, the DGAs serve as the foundation for federal nutrition policy and shape the recommendations found on USDA’s MyPlate. While there is no one-size-fits-all diet, “Beef is one of Americans' favorite foods, and science consistently shows lean beef can be the cornerstone in a variety of healthy diets," said NCBA President Marty Smith. "Now more than ever, the key to proper nutrition is giving people practical and realistic advice, to help create balanced diets that work for them – featuring foods they love, like beef, which pairs perfectly with other nutrient-rich foods,”
 
The DGAs emphasized the importance of making every bite count by choosing nutrient-rich foods most often; that is easy to do with beef. No other protein food delivers the same nutrient-rich package as beef in about 170 calories, on average, per three-ounce serving of cooked beef. Beef is a good source of ten essential nutrients including high quality protein, iron, zinc, and choline with more than 30 lean cuts.
 
"U.S. cattle producers appreciate the work of the committee, USDA and HHS on their sole focus on nutrition and science-based research to put together a set of recommendations that will benefit all Americans," Smith said.  



2020-2025 Guidelines Reaffirm Lean Pork's Role In A Healthy Diet
National Pork Board

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) was released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Updated every five years, this report serves as the foundation for federal nutrition policy and shapes the recommendations found on USDA’s MyPlate. The DGA also provides the public with tools they need to make informed decisions regarding food for their families. This edition marks the first time the guidelines provide recommendations by life stage, from birth through adulthood.  

The guidelines reaffirm the role of lean pork in a healthy diet and are consistent with the recommendation to include a variety of nutrient-dense proteins. Overall, they advise people to “follow a healthy dietary pattern” that consists primarily of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meat and poultry, and low-fat dairy or fortified soy alternatives. They also advise limiting added sugars, saturated fats, sodium and alcoholic drinks and staying within recommended calorie limits.  

While fresh pork is respected by the scientific community as a nutritious source of lean protein, it continues to lag behind other proteins when it comes to consumer perceptions of being “good for me and my family” according to the ongoing Checkoff-funded At Home Meat Tracker.

In response, the National Pork Board is updating its approach to Human Nutrition Research and building a strategic pathway for pork nutrition that capitalizes on the latest research and opportunities that will ultimately help evolve perceptions for pork in a healthy diet and overall nutritional well-being. As we build a new health narrative, this will be an important message that we bring to life through Real Pork.

In 2021, be on the lookout for:
-    A new look and new messages to help consumers make the connection to pork being “good for me and my family.”
-    A more holistic wellness approach including a public wellness challenge in January demonstrating how pork fits into healthy lifestyles.
-    The Checkoff’s continued involvement in human nutrition and behavioral science research to support pork’s presence in health and wellness dialogue globally.



Dietary Guidelines Reaffirm Dairy’s Crucial Nutritional Benefits; Fats Review Urged for 2025

The National Milk Producers Federation praised USDA and HHS today upon the release of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), which reaffirmed dairy’s central role in diet as a provider of essential nutrients that are often under-consumed in American diets. NMPF also pledged to continue efforts to broaden consideration of the latest science on dairy fats in the next examination of the federal guidelines, which are released twice each decade.

“USDA and HHS deserve praise for once again recognizing just how vital dairy is to the nation’s health and well-being,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “We encourage them to affirm that role even more clearly in the next iteration of the Dietary Guidelines, to reflect the positive contribution of dairy fats in diets that’s increasingly recognized in a growing body of evidence.”

The guidelines culminate nearly two years of work that began in 2019 with the selection of the Scientific Advisory Committee, which drafts recommendations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services.

The latest update to the guidelines restates dairy’s importance to diet. Highlights include:
-    A recommendation of three servings of dairy in the Healthy U.S. Eating pattern and Healthy Vegetarian Eating patterns, in keeping with past guidelines
-    Dairy’s continued recognition as a distinct food group
-    A recognition that Americans aren’t consuming enough dairy to meet their nutritional needs
-    Dairy’s reaffirmation as a source of four nutrients of public health concern, including potassium, calcium, and vitamin D, as well as iodine for pregnant women
-    A recommendation of milk, yogurt, and cheese in the first-ever healthy eating patterns geared toward infants and toddlers ages birth to 24 months.

“The panel’s recognition that dairy is a key source of ‘nutrients of concern’ in U.S. diets is especially important,” Mulhern said. “During a time of food insecurity and concerns about proper nutrition among Americans, dairy is a readily accessible solution to clearly identified public-health challenges. Dairy farmers work hard to be part of that solution, and the panel’s recognition of the nutritional importance of dairy is greatly appreciated.”

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans have significant implications for numerous government policy areas, including guiding the types of milk served in school meal programs and setting the parameters for how nutrition programs are implemented and developed.



Agricultural safety conference shares life-saving research

The Journal of Agromedicine has dedicated an issue to the 2020 North American Agricultural Safety Summit, disseminating research results and intervention evaluations that make agricultural work places safer.

Although the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic prevented an in-person Summit scheduled for March 2020, conference host organization Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and support from eight sponsoring organizations, to promote the Summit’s objectives in alternative ways.

Links to 41 published abstracts summarizing poster presentations and lightning talks are posted at www.ashca.com, under the “Safety Summit” tab. The abstracts were peer-reviewed and accepted based on: a) the likelihood of generating dialogue and collaboration among researchers, program implementers and industry partners; and b) relevance to current and emerging priorities in production agriculture.

“This special issue of the Journal of Agromedicine helps reinforce the important partnership between academia and industry in moving agricultural health and safety forward,” said Barbara Lee, Ph.D., Journal of Agromedicine senior associate editor, an ASHCA board member and director of the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety.

The Journal of Agromedicine is the highest-rated journal in the field of agricultural health and safety. It is edited by the National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, and published by Taylor and Francis Group.

2021 Summit: The North American Agricultural Safety Summit 2021, to be presented online March 22-24, seeks abstracts that address pandemic “lessons learned” and other topics related to safeguarding agricultural workers. Abstract submission deadline is Jan. 15, 2021. In addition, ASHCA seeks nominations of individuals and organizations for 10 categories of safety awards to be presented during the 2021 Summit. Nomination deadline is Jan. 6, 2021. For more information on the 2021 Summit, or to register for the conference, visit the ASHCA website at www.ashca.org.



Granular Releases Free, Easy Crop Rotation ROI Calculator

For years corn has held a profitability edge, making a corn-on-corn rotation a consideration for many U.S. farmers. Looking at 2021, Data Scientists at Granular, the world's leading farm management software platform, have seen renewed optimism in beans due to recent market rallies, amping up the corn versus soybeans profitability debate for many farming operations.

After analyzing more than 10 million acres and corn-bean rotations for the past decade, Granular's Data Science team created a proprietary Corn vs Soybeans Calculator to help farmers with their decision to rotate or not. It is estimated that around 20% of traditional corn-corn acres remain undecided, and taking into account certain agronomic and geographical factors, optimal rotation for 2021 profitability may be different than recent years. By leveraging this free, simple-to-use digital tool, powered by Granular's algorithms and data from local universities, farmers can get 2021 profitability estimates within minutes.

"Corn versus beans is a perennial debate, and we've put more than 1.1 billion pixels into this analysis, so we're confident it's thorough," said Chris Seifert, head of digital agriculture data science with Corteva Agriscience. "Because so many farmers still have acreage undecided for 2021, and we saw the highest bean prices in November since 2016, we created the Corn vs Soybeans Calculator to help them make data-backed decisions on what's right for their operation. At the end of the day, we want farmers to feel confident in their seed and input decisions for 2021, and using data can help give them that confidence."

The differentiator between this calculator, and potentially others available, is that it is directly correlated with the millions of acres of continuous cropping data that helps Granular more accurately predict the potential yield penalty than existing research based on field trials alone. The digitization of data sets at scale gives the agriculture industry the opportunity to truly understand limiting factors toward profitability, and helps farmers understand how to achieve the greatest returns on their investments.

"We're still debating rotating to soybeans or doing corn-on-corn on a few of our fields," said farmer and Pioneer customer Andy Nordhues of Randolph, Neb. "We had strong corn-on-corn yields in 2020, but we're certainly watching the bean markets. Having a tool to help me pull the numbers together and analyze trusted data trends to assist in making my decisions is definitely helpful."

Farmers know that to ensure profitability they must meticulously track their numbers. For efficiency, having all of the farm data in one system that provides up-to-date insights and analysis allows farmers to understand field-by-field profitability.

The calculator accounts for the expected yield penalty for repeat crops (based on state) as well as the anticipated cost increase for the suggested mitigation strategies. Budget costs are calculated using numbers provided by local state universities, and the crop price is the prior day's market closing cost, updated daily via Barchart.

Farmers can access the free ROI calculator at granular.ag/corn-vs-beans-profitability-calculator.

For farmers that want to dig even deeper into the agronomic and marketing factors impacting their rotation decisions, Granular has compiled expert insights from Pioneer Agronomy Manager Matt Essick and South Dakota Grain Merchandiser Cullen Wilson.

Farmers can also look to their local Pioneer seed professional to assist them in making data-backed decisions for ahead of the 2021 growing season. And no matter what crop an individual operation analysis favors, Corteva has the seed technologies including Pioneer brand Enlist E3 soybeans, and Pioneer brand Qrome corn products with rootworm protection to support a strong 2021 plan.