Tuesday January 19 Ag News

 Glewen retires from Nebraska Extension

Longtime educator in Saunders County has had an accomplished, award winning career. University of Nebraska–Lincoln faculty member and Extension Educator Keith Glewen is retiring after 40 years with Nebraska Extension.

Working for Saunders County Extension out of the Eastern Nebraska Research Center (ENREC), Keith had a long and decorated career helping Nebraska’s growers, specifically with innovative cropping and water systems. Keith rose to have regional and statewide responsibilities for agronomic issues related to natural resources and the environment. His emphases were in agricultural profitability, on-farm research and soil and water management stewardship. He also spent considerable time developing programs for industry consultants who support farmers across the Midwest.

“We want to thank Keith Glewen for many years of service to Nebraska farmers,” said Eugene Goering, chairman of the Nebraska Soybean Board. “We want to especially thank him for his excellent work on the Soybean Management Field Days program. We wish Keith the best in his future plans.”

With faculty and stakeholders, Keith successfully developed the Crop Management and Diagnostic Clinic at ENREC. Field-based training sessions offered during the growing season help crop consultants and industry agronomists with diagnostic training to improve the use of row crop production best practices. In 2019, 240 participants representing 36 Nebraska counties and six states estimated the value of this training to be $28.7 million dollars.

Keith has worked with commodity boards to further research and Extension efforts through programs such as Soybean Management Field Days, Irrigation and Energy Management Field Day, Nebraska Soybean Day & Machinery Expo, Nebraska Cover Crop – Soil Health Conference, and the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network.  He has spent his career establishing trusted relationships with commodity boards, industry representatives, organizations, and growers and has helped numerous growers and producers improve and enhance their operations.

He was a member of several national, regional and local professional organizations, including the American Society of Agronomy, Nebraska Soybean Association, Soil Science Society of America and USDA Saunders County Food and Agriculture Council. Keith was also often recognized for his excellence as an educator and leader, winning several awards—in 2018, the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District named him its Water Cooperator of the Year.

The Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) wants to thank Keith for his tireless work in supporting Nebraska’s farmers and for being an excellent and distinguished partner for the NSB.

Learn more at: https://go.unl.edu/congratskeithglewen.



Planning for calving season
 Connor Biehler, Beef Systems Asst. Extension Educator

                Winter is here, fall breeding is completed, spring calving cows are in their third trimester and the next big event on the farm (with exception of the winter chores everybody loves) is spring calving. This is arguably the most crucial time of year for most operations, so it is pertinent to be prepared to have calves hitting the ground at least a month prior to your first calving date. The subsequent practices should be considered when preparing for the upcoming calving season.

                One of the first things to consider, is getting together all the supplies you will need for calving, otherwise known as a calving kit. This kit should include things such as: mild liquid soap, paper towels, at least two clean buckets to be later filled with warm water, obstetrical sleeves, lubricant, iodine, a notepad to record calf details and any dystocia issues, and calving assist tools (such as chains, handles, or head snare). Hopefully, the last one will not be needed, and should only be used by experienced professionals.

                Calving facilities should also be prepared well in advance of calving season. If these are single use areas that have not been used in months make sure to inspect all alleys, gates, and head catches. For a multi-purpose area ensure that the space is ready for calving. Have good lighting and have replacement bulbs on hand. These facilities should also have clean, dry bedding and be in good working order. Dirty and muddy bedding is a breeding ground for bacteria and as a result, can be detrimental to the health of newborn calves.

                The final trimester is a great time to vaccinate cows with a killed-virus vaccine to promote immune health. This boost of immunity from the vaccination creates antibodies that pass from the cow to the calf through colostrum. This brings me to my final point of ensuring that each calf consumes at least one quart of colostrum within 6-12 hours of birth. Absorption of immunoglobulin found in colostrum drastically decreases after this window. Making it critical to insure adequate consumption during this time. If there are any issues with the quality or quantity of colostrum other sources, such as colostrum replacements can be utilized. If outside sources of colostrum are being introduced in the herd it can promote disease transfer, so it is best to use colostrum from within your own herd.

For more information on planning for calving season reach me at my office (402)624-8007 or my cell (402)413-8557 or follow my twitter page @BigRedBeefTalk for more information on Nebraska Beef Extension.



YEUTTER STUDENT FELLOWS PROGRAM PAVES WAY FOR TRADE CAREERS

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance is paving the way to provide real-world experience, networking and career exploration for a new generation of international trade professionals.

Husker students from four colleges and 13 majors joined the new Yeutter Student Fellows program in a pilot cohort last fall. The cohort welcomes and connects students from various academic disciplines related to economics, law, policy, business and agriculture to dissect international trade issues and gain new perspectives from studying those issues.

“I wanted to offer something that could give students a margin of excellence in preparation for careers in the area of international trade,” said Jill O’Donnell, director of the Yeutter Institute. “The world needs students who are focusing in different areas, have an interest in trade and subsequently go to work in the field, broadly defined. There are many different international trade career paths in the public and private sector.”

Students in the pilot cohort are challenged to connect knowledge gained in the classroom with a greater understanding of trade issues.

Each student was tasked with producing a trade briefing paper on a certain topic, mimicking a task that could be asked of a student at a future job. The Yeutter Institute helped students connect with experts in each topic area.

Joseph Vlach, a junior economics and global studies major, said his involvement in the cohort has helped unravel some of the misconceptions about international trade.

“Nothing is really as one-sided as it seems,” he said. “The more I learn, I find there is more to the story — it is much more complicated than you might see on TV or read about in short articles and paragraphs.”

Vlach’s briefing paper is focused on the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership — a trade deal that evolved from the United States withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2017 — and U.S. competitiveness in the Asia-Pacific region.  O’Donnell connected Vlach with a former U.S. trade negotiator who was closely involved with negotiating the TPP.

“It’s surprising, there’s a long list of things to learn and change your thinking of and to have a different viewpoint,” Vlach said. “My biggest takeaway is a change of mindset to always look for opportunities and to try things out.”

As the world becomes more globalized, the Yeutter Institute is creating pathways for students to grasp trade issues and lead them to future careers in the field.

Malina Lindstrom, a junior animal science, and agricultural and environmental sciences communication major, said that her experience in the Yeutter Student Fellows program will help determine if she wants to pursue a career in politics.

“When this opportunity came up this summer, I knew it could be the perfect way to figure out if government and politics is something that I wanted to pursue further,” she said.

As a livestock producer, Lindstrom was drawn to focus her briefing paper on the potential for increased beef exports through current U.S. trade negotiations, as well as the potential for variety meat exports. Earlier this year, the cohort had the opportunity to network and learn from agricultural industry professionals at Nebraska Cattlemen, which gave her background information for her project.

“Knowing and understanding what is happening today is beneficial and can be very impactful to your career no matter what you’d like to do,” she said.

During the spring semester, the student fellows will work on team projects that explore new ways to build connections between citizens and federal trade policymakers.

To learn more about the Yeutter Institute and student projects, visit https://yeutter-institute.unl.edu.



PLANNING SPRING AND SUMMER FORAGES
– Jerry Volesky, NE Extension

While we are still early in the new year, it may be time to start planning and thinking about any spring or summer annual forages that we might plant.  Part of the process may be anticipating some dry conditions this summer and a need for extra feed or booking seed early for possible discounts.

First, an important consideration would be to decide whether we plan to hay, graze, or silage this crop; and secondly, what is the time period that we want to be able to graze or hay.  For spring or cool-season annual forages, the planting period is typically late March to early April.  This would include things like oats, field peas, or other spring cereal grains.  With that planting date, these would provide grazing in late May and through June

For the summer annual forages, the planting period is typically late May and on into the summer months.  This would include things like forage sorghum, sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids, pearl millet, and foxtail millet.  Additionally, other species or legumes that are typical of some cover crop mixes could be part of the package as well.   With a late-May or early-June planting of a summer annual, grazing should be available in July.

One should also consider the herbicides that may have been used on a field the previous year.  Some herbicides have long residuals that could hinder establishment even into this spring.

Doing your homework and planning ahead can help make your forage season run smoothly.  



Two Roundtables to Tackle New Opportunities at Renewable Fuels Summit

Renewable fuels producers are constantly innovating and seizing new opportunities. At the 2021 Virtual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit, leading experts, including former Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, will discuss how export markets might help increase biofuels demand and what is driving biofuels producer investment decisions. The January 26 virtual Summit is free and open to the public. Registration is required.

“We are excited to hear from Ambassador Branstad and other industry experts at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit as we delve into what new trade and investment opportunities may open up around the globe or here at home,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw. “Biofuels plants have always been good at adapting and innovating and today is no different. Join the Summit to learn from those on the cutting edge.”

The New Opportunities: Exporting Biofuels’ Benefits roundtable, focused on the future of export opportunities will include:
    Ryan LeGrand, CEO, U.S. Grains Council
    Terry Branstad, former Iowa Governor and Ambassador to China
    Hagan Rose, Accounts Manager U.S. and Canada, Eco-Energy
    Moderator: Rick Schwarck, CEO, Absolute Energy

The New Drivers: What’s Steering Investments in Biofuels roundtable will include:
    Neil Koehler, President, KBE
    Walter Cronin, Chief Commercial Officer, Green Plains, Inc.
    Natalie Merrill, Vice President of Business Development and Optimization, Renewable Energy Group, Inc.
    Kelly Nieuwenhuis, President, Siouxland Energy
    Moderator: Brad Wilson, President and General Manager, Western Iowa Energy

The 2021 Virtual Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit is taking place on January 26. To register and learn more, please visit IowaRenewablFuelsSummit.org.



Virtual Farm Bill Meeting Series Planned for 2021

Iowa producers have until March 15 to make their annual election for Price Loss Coverage or Agriculture Risk Coverage (at the individual and county levels) under the 2018 Farm Bill.

This annual decision is unlike the previous farm bill, when producers made a one-time decision for their operation that was in place for the life of the bill.

In order to help Iowans understand their options for 2021, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is offering a series of webinars. The lead webinar is on Jan. 19 at 1 p.m., and will feature staff from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency addressing program logistics, changes for 2021, and how producers can best work with their county FSA staff and offices that may remain closed to the public through the sign-up date.

The basic choices continue to be Price Loss Coverage, and Agriculture Risk Coverage (at the individual and county levels). A farmer's choice will depend on the type of operation, and the county and region where the farm is located. PLC payments are triggered when the marketing year average price falls below the reference prices of $3.70 per bushel for corn and $8.40 per bushel for soybeans.

Current USDA projections for 2021 are close to $4 per bushel for corn and $10.55 per bushel for soybeans. Whereas, ARC-CO payments are triggered when actual county revenue for the crop is less than the guarantee.

Alejandro Plastina, associate professor in economics and extension economist at Iowa State, will review the analysis process on Feb. 5 at 1 p.m.

"We are excited to present our new decision tool," said Plastina. "It calculates the highest county yield that would trigger ARC-CO payments in 2021-2022, for a user's defined price and a range of plus/minus 20 percent of that price, and shows the probabilities for each of those yield triggers based on historical county yields."

The two statewide webinars will be followed up by farm management field specialists holding regional webinars, presenting various scenarios with the most recent price projections, and answering questions and concerns.

"While payments may not have the financial impact we have seen in previous years, producers should still review the decision for this risk management option with benchmark data as well as price projections for the current marketing year," said Ann Johanns, program specialist in economics with ISU Extension and Outreach. "If a producer does not make a change by March 15, the election from the previous sign-up is retained."

Registration information. There is no cost to join the live webinars, and all virtual sessions will be recorded and available for viewing on the Ag Decision Maker website the day following the live session.

With guidelines on in-person programming evolving, some in-person sessions may be offered in areas of the state. See the Ag Decision Maker webpage, https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/info/farmbill.html for details on the webinar series and a calendar of in-person programming.

A separate webinar will be held Jan. 21, on the topic of "Farm Transitions in 2021 and Beyond." The presenters are Melissa O' Rourke, farm and agribusiness management specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, and David Baker, director of the Beginning Farmer Center. View this webinar on the Ag Decision Maker webinar page: www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/info/meetings.html.



Commodity Classic Announces Dates of its Digital “Special Edition” for 2021

Commodity Classic has set the dates for its 2021 Special Edition, which will take place March 2-5, 2021 as a digital experience.

Registration will open Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at CommodityClassic.com. The registration fee is waived for the first 5,000 farmers, thanks to the generous support of sponsors.  All other registrants and farmers after the first 5,000 will be charged $20. The registration covers all online educational sessions and events, as well as access to all archived sessions through April 30, 2021.

In October, Commodity Classic announced that it was pivoting to a digital event due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Commodity Classic, originally scheduled for San Antonio, Texas, in early March, is the Silver Anniversary of America’s largest farmer-owned, farmer-focused agricultural and educational experience.

The digital experience will focus on providing top-quality educational sessions and farmer networking opportunities that are hallmarks of Commodity Classic.  Participating sponsors will showcase new products, services and innovation through a variety of online presentations, educational sessions and interactive discussions. Additionally, an impressive lineup of agriculture thought leaders, top-yielding farmers, agribusiness representatives and Commodity Classic association leaders are expected to be on the schedule.

To stay up to date on registration information, event schedule, speakers, educational sessions and other event details, sign up for email updates at CommodityClassic.com.

Premier Sponsors of the 2021 Special Edition of Commodity Classic are AGCO, Bayer, Case IH, Corteva AgriScience, John Deere and United Soybean Board/Soy Checkoff.

Champion Sponsors are BASF and Syngenta.  Key Sponsors are Kubota/Great Plains, New Holland, Pioneer, Precision Planting and Valent.

Established in 1996, Commodity Classic is presented annually by the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.



USDA Announces Implementation of Improvements to Livestock Risk Protection Insurance Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) today announced that further changes to its Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) insurance plan will take effect on January 20 for crop year 2021 and succeeding crop years.

“We are always looking for feedback from producers and other stakeholders,” said RMA Administrator Martin Barbre. “These changes are a direct reflection of that feedback and will improve LRP coverage for producers in 2021 and beyond.”

The improvements to LRP include:
    Increasing livestock head limits for feeder and fed cattle to 6,000 head per endorsement/12,000 head annually and swine to 40,000 head per endorsement/150,000 head annually.
    Modifying the requirement to own insured livestock until the last 60 days of the endorsement.
    Increasing the endorsement lengths for swine up to 52 weeks.
    Creating new feeder cattle and swine types to allow for unborn livestock to be insured.

For more information, please see the livestock insurance plans page on the RMA website.

RMA is authorizing additional flexibilities due to coronavirus while continuing to support producers, working through Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) to deliver services, including processing policies, claims and agreements. RMA staff are working with AIPs and other customers by phone, mail and electronically to continue supporting crop insurance coverage for producers. Farmers with crop insurance questions or needs should continue to contact their insurance agents about conducting business remotely (by telephone or email). More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.



USB Partnership Launches Pilot Phase of Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy Mark

U.S. soy is taking a big step to make its mark as a global leader in sustainability. From January 19 through March 19, the United Soybean Board is teaming up with partners from Soylent and DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences in a pilot program identifying their products and ingredients as being made with sustainably grown U.S. soy. The companies will use the new Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark, which recognizes soy ingredients that have originated from a system of continuous improvement. The goal of this food industry innovation is to improve sustainability in product supply chains from farm to fork.

“It feels good knowing that when I grow this nutrient-dense protein, I am not only helping the food industry feed millions of families across the country sustainably but also contributing to a cleaner planet for the next generation,” said USB farmer-leader Belinda Burrier, who grows soybeans in Maryland.

The Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark is based on a national system of sustainability and conservation laws and regulations and farmer participation in the U.S. Farm Program. It seeks to increase demand for soybeans grown by U.S. farmers who commit to practices such as conservation tillage, cover crops and responsible nutrient management (e.g., right source, right rate, right time and right place). The Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark applies to those soybean acres grown under best practices on-farm.

Products carrying the mark contain soy ingredients that:
    Were grown in the United States.
    Are compliant with all U.S. environmental regulations.
    Protect highly erodible soils and wetlands.
    Were grown on family farms with responsible labor practices.

Across the U.S., soybean farmers like Burrier are focused on being good stewards of natural resources and have been utilizing sustainable practices on their farms for years. U.S. soybean production benefits from robust conservation programs to reduce soil erosion and protect water quality. These standards, combined with careful implementation of best practices, are observed by more than 300,000 of the nation’s soybean farmers.

In order to increase the perception of soy as a sustainable ingredient, the soy checkoff is bringing the sustainability of U.S. soy front and center to end-user marketing and sustainability teams. USB and U.S. soybean farmers are building connections with important decision-makers who promote products to consumers and ultimately build soy demand.

“DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences is proud to partner with USB and Soylent in developing the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark, which represents the many ways that U.S. soybean farmers are working to ensure that U.S. soy sets the global benchmark for sustainable plant protein production,” said Tony Andrew, Protein Solutions Business Unit Leader at DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.

Sustainable ingredients won’t just help food companies and industrial partners meet their sustainability goals but their business goals too, as consumer preference for sustainable U.S.-grown products continues to increase. According to USB’s 27th annual Food Industry Insights survey, when a product is associated with the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark, the majority of consumers (nearly 70%) familiar with sustainable farming said they would be more likely to purchase the product — showing a strong correlation between the mark and consumer sales. The mark also assures customers that soy used in ingredients was grown in the U.S. on family farms with responsible labor practices and compliant with all U.S. environmental regulations.

"It’s an honor to be one of the first companies to receive the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark,” said Demir Vangelov, CEO of Soylent. “For years, we have created market-leading products rooted in science and sustainability, so it was important to us to be a part of this pilot.”

After the pilot program, USB anticipates making the mark available to other interested companies. Requests to use the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark will be accepted through a USB-managed portal. To participate, the customer will provide an overview of their supply chain, which will be reviewed by a third-party auditor. The percentage of soy used by end product will be measured and applied against supply standards on a mass balance basis.

To learn more about the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark, please visit www.sustainableussoymark.com.

 

Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Rise to Meet Carbon Reduction Opportunities

The biodiesel and renewable diesel industry kicks off the first ever Virtual National Biodiesel Conference and Expo this week. The temporary move from in-person meetings to a virtual gathering has not dampened spirits, however, as the outlook for America’s sustainable petroleum diesel replacement remains strong among environmental regulators, biodiesel and renewable diesel producers, and marketers.

In his annual State of the Industry address, themed “Rise 2021,” National Biodiesel Board CEO Donnell Rehagen pointed to several factors contributing to increased demand for biodiesel and renewable diesel.

“Last year we unveiled Vision 2020, our plan to grow to over six billion gallons by the year 2030, and, with advancements in feedstocks, 15 billion gallons by 2050,” he said. “The biodiesel and renewable diesel industry believes, with strong data I might add, we will have the production and market demand to reach this previously unimaginable goal by 2030.”

Specifically, Rehagen said states across the country have embraced sustainable fuels as part of their own efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions within their borders. Those efforts took on greater significance during the pandemic as Americans witnessed natural reduction of smog and pollution from drivers staying home and using less petroleum.

Beyond the growth in demand for traditional biodiesel and renewable diesel in on-road and off-road transportation applications, the increasing use of Bioheat® as an oilheat replacement, as well as interest in renewable jet fuels, are expanding new markets for the industry.

Rehagen also reminded virtual attendees that at last year’s conference in Tampa, the industry was celebrating the recently reinstated biodiesel tax incentive, which continues to encourage growth.

“By renewing the biodiesel tax incentive through 2022, Congress sent a strong signal that it supports growth in the biodiesel market and provided a much-needed economic lifeline to biodiesel producers and farmers across this country,” he said.

“At the beginning of 2020, markets began to reflect our ambitious industry goals. We saw biodiesel production reach more than 130 million gallons in the first month and a wave of corporations announced their commitments to carbon reduction, including Amazon, Walmart, Ikea, Pepsi, McDonalds, and many others.”

Those factors have the industry on target to achieve the Vision of six billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable diesel by 2030, Rehagen added. And that demand will require equivalent increases in feedstocks that will unfold as related markets rise to meet global demands.

“The continued growing demand for animal protein alone, driven by worldwide population growth, will lead to increased fats and oils in the market available for industrial uses,” Rehagen said. “Our U.S. farmers will continue to lead the way in feeding this growing population and we will use the additional availability of vegetable oils, used cooking oil, and animal fats that comes with it.”

The virtual National Biodiesel Conference and Expo concludes on Thursday. Next year’s conference will mark the 30th anniversary of the biodiesel industry with plans to meet in Las Vegas, January 17-20, 2022.



Secretary Perdue Statement on MOU on Animal Biotechnology

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (PDF, 141 KB) with the Assistant Secretary for Health and Head of the Public Health Service Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D., establishing a regulatory environment at the Department of Agriculture for agricultural animal biotechnology innovation:

“Today’s Memorandum of Understanding clears a path to bring our regulatory framework into the 21st century, putting American producers on a level playing field with their competitors around the world. In the past, regulations stifled innovation, causing American businesses to play catch-up and cede market share,” said Secretary Perdue. “America has the safest and most affordable food supply in the entire world thanks to the innovation of our farmers, ranchers and producers. Establishing a new, transparent, risk and science-based regulatory framework would ensure this continues to be the case.”

Background:
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the finalization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) outlining responsibilities concerning the regulation of certain animals developed using genetic engineering that are intended for agricultural purposes (such as human food, fiber, and labor). This MOU complements USDA’s issuance of an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on the Movement of Animals Modified or Developed by Genetic Engineering on December 28, 2020.

Agricultural biotechnology holds tremendous potential to improve animal health, enhance farm productivity, improve nutrition, and even reduce the need for some animal health measures. USDA and FDA have a long history of delineating the review of products with overlapping jurisdictional authority between the two agencies to promote regulatory clarity and reduce duplicative review. USDA and FDA are committed to working together to foster safe use of this promising technology and encourage innovation.

The terms of the MOU support USDA’s ANPR outlining a contemplated regulatory framework that would apply to certain animals (cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, mules, or other equines, catfish, and poultry) developed using genetic engineering intended for agricultural purposes. Under this framework, USDA would safeguard animal and human health by providing end-to-end oversight from pre-market reviews through post-market food safety monitoring for certain farm animals modified or developed using genetic engineering that are intended for human food.

The MOU also allows for the transition of portions of FDA’s pre-existing animal biotechnology regulatory oversight to USDA. USDA would continue to coordinate closely with FDA to fulfill oversight responsibilities and provide the appropriate regulatory environment, ensuring the safety of products derived from new technologies and fostering innovation at the same time. As always, FDA would continue its review of intentional genomic alterations intended for any purpose other than agricultural use, such as biopharma and non-heritable genomic alteration, and the regulation of dairy products, table and shell eggs, certain meat products, and animal food (feed) derived from animals developed using genetic engineering.



 ASA Pleased with Move to Allow USDA to Lead Animal Biotech

The American Soybean Association (ASA) applauds the establishment of a memorandum of understanding between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that would establish USDA as the lead regulatory agency for genetically engineered animals intended for agricultural purposes, transitioning parts of FDA’s existing role over to USDA.

ASA was reminded by the 2014-2015 high pathogenic avian influenza outbreak, and again by the ongoing African swine fever outbreak overseas, that feed markets are directly impacted by the health of animal populations.

Kevin Scott, soy grower from Valley Springs, South Dakota, and ASA president responded, “Genetic solutions have the capability of protecting the health of our herds and flocks, and ASA continues to support predictable, timely, science-based processes for making these innovations available to producers. We have great confidence in USDA’s ability to develop an appropriate regulatory pathway for these important tools.”



Retail Beef Prices Continue Higher Than Last Year
David P. Anderson, Extension Economist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

One common question from back in 2020 was how quickly retail beef prices would return to pre-pandemic levels. Retail beef prices have declined, but remain above year ago levels.

USDA’s All Fresh beef price series peaked at $7.38 per pound in June, 2020. The December monthly average price (released on January 14th) was $6.23 per pound. Retail beef prices declined fairly quickly after the June peak and were averaged $6.38 in August. This data, reported by USDA, is gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and reflects a monthly price from grocery stores across all beef quality grades and a range of beef cuts.

All fresh retail beef prices in 2020 were above those of 2019 the entire year. The price in March, pre-pandemic, averaged $5.96 per pound and finished the year at $6.23. Compared to December 2019, December 2020’s all fresh beef price was $0.264 per pound, or 4.4 percent higher.

For the year, beef prices increased 9.7 percent over 2019. That was the largest annual increase in beef prices since 2014 when beef prices increased 13.4 percent. Price increases in 2014 were driven by drought induced tight beef supplies. Most of the increase in beef prices in 2020 occurred in the second quarter of the year, with price increasing 18 percent year-over-year. Beef prices also increased by 11 percent in the 3rd quarter over the prior year. In the aftermath of the drought, beef prices registered 5 consecutive quarters of year over year increases as supplies continued to decline and demand grew. In case anyone wondered, 2016 and 2017 were the last years that average all fresh retail beef prices declined compared to the prior year.

Beef prices were above the year before in December for a variety of beef cuts. Increases ranged from about 2 percent for ground beef to about 6 percent for chuck roasts and a number of steak cuts. USDA reports data on grocery store retail featuring activity and this data indicates some growth in retail beef featuring across a variety of cuts, particularly chucks and briskets.

Several factors may be contributing to higher reported retail prices when wholesale and live cattle prices have been at, or below, last year’s levels. The data reflects only grocery store prices. Grocery stores have sold more beef, in volume and value, compared to the year before due to restaurant shutdowns. It’s also likely that costs have increased between wholesale and retail levels due to compliance with corona virus restrictions and constraints in processing. It may be difficult to get average retail prices below pandemic levels in coming months as beef production is expected to decline, cyclically, this year and, hopefully, the economy is able to fully open expanding restaurant demand.



Alltech E-CO2 launches Feeds EA model to help feed manufacturers and farmers measure and lower their feed footprint   

As the agriculture industry is moving towards more sustainable solutions and ingredients, Alltech E-CO2 has developed the Feeds EA model to help feed manufacturers and producers globally measure and lower the carbon footprint of their feed. Feeds EA measures the environmental impact of feed production at the feed mill level by assessing the impact of existing compounds or blends. This is determined by calculating greenhouse gas emissions from production, cultivation, processing, energy utilisation and transportation in the manufacturing of the feed. Feeds EA can calculate emissions from a database of more than 300 ingredients, including raw materials, soya products, byproducts and additives.  

“Optimising the sustainability of feed production provides a huge opportunity for the whole supply chain,” said Ben Braou, business general manager for Alltech E-CO2. “By utilising Feeds EA, feed manufacturers are provided with the means to further enhance their product range and sustainability credentials through supplying feed with a lower environmental impact.”

Feed has the potential to influence up to 80% of a farm’s carbon footprint, considering the direct emissions from production, as well as the transportation of feed and indirect emissions that arise from the impact of that feed on the animal. However, the true impact depends on the species and the system of production. The Feeds EA™ model provides an opportunity to optimise a ration by demonstrating how formulation changes could reduce the carbon footprint of the feed. Some ingredients carry a higher carbon weight than others, so the substitution or replacement of specific ingredients with more sustainable options can have a major impact.

“At Alltech E-CO2, we are able to work with feed mills and producers to take those specific feed emissions and apply them at a farm level through our certified livestock assessments,” said Braou. “This greatly increases the accuracy and opportunity for carbon footprint measurement and mitigation across the feed and food chain.”

Feeds EA allows feed manufacturers to produce and market more sustainable feed, thereby enabling producers to choose diets with a lower environmental impact. This is particularly relevant in markets that have an environmental focus and where farm gate prices are linked to sustainability metrics.

For feed manufacturers or producers using Feeds EA™, a summary report is provided following the calculation of the feeds’ carbon footprint, allowing for a comparison of different compounds or blends. The report includes the number of ingredients involved in the feed, their inclusion percentage in the feed, their carbon footprint percentage and the percentage of kilograms of CO2e per tonne, which is derived from the disaggregated feed emissions of the different sourced categories.

For more information, visit alltech-e-co2.com.



EPA Takes RFS-related Actions to help Farmers and Refiners

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking a number of actions through the Renewable Fuel Standard program to provide certainty to impacted stakeholders. These actions include the following:
    Proposing changes to E15 fuel pump labeling requirements.
    Proposing to modify underground storage tank (UST) regulations to accommodate the safe storage of E15 and higher ethanol blends at retail stations’ existing tank systems.
    Proposing to extend the compliance time for certain obligated parties subject to the 2019 Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) and all obligated parties subject to the 2020 RVO given ongoing economic disruptions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Seeking comment on several waiver petitions from Governors and refinery groups pertaining to “severe economic harm” as well as a letter from the National Wildlife Federation pertaining to “severe environmental harm” requesting general waiver relief for the 2019 and 2020 RVOs.

Publication of the rules in the Federal Register will open a 90-day comment period for the public and interested stakeholders to weigh in on the proposed rules and petitions.

For more information on the E15 labeling modifications, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuel-standard-program/notice-proposed-rulemaking-e15-labeling

For more information about the UST regulatory modifications, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/ust/2020-proposed-rulemaking-e15-fuel-dispenser-labeling-and-compatibility-underground-storage-tanks

For more information about the 2019 and 2020 RVOs deadline compliance extensions, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuel-standard-program/renewable-fuel-standard-compliance-deadline-extension

For more information about petitions for waiver requests for the 2019 and 2020 RVOs, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuel-standard-program/petitions-waiver-2019-and-2020-renewable-fuel-standards



NCGA: EPA Undercuts Corn Farmers, Ethanol Again

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President John Linder today made the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted oil refineries two Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs), or waivers, for 2019 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending and one SRE for 2018.

“It shouldn’t be a surprise to those who have been paying attention for the last four years that this EPA would undermine corn farmers and the ethanol market on its way out the door. There is no reason for the EPA to take this action now, especially with the Supreme Court set to consider the Tenth Circuit ruling in the new term. Corn farmers need an EPA that will follow the law as written and intended by Congress. NCGA looks forward to working with the Biden Administration to rectify the harm caused by this EPA’s abuse of small refinery exemptions and restore the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard.”

Today’s waivers roughly account for 260 million ethanol equivalent gallons. NCGA last week, along with bipartisan lawmakers in both the House and Senate urged the Trump Administration against taking this action.



Growth Energy Responds to EPA’s New Round of SRE Approvals

Today, in a last-minute move by the Trump Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved 3 small refinery exemptions (SRE), reversing one denial from 2018 and granting two for the 2019 compliance year. In a statement, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor called on the incoming Biden Administration to reverse harm done to rural America through SRE abuse.

“Farm families and biofuel workers across the country have worked tirelessly to make a living over the past few months despite a global pandemic. And yet, the Trump Administration’s SRE abuse has piled on to the uncertainty and difficulty that rural Americans are facing every day. Given President-elect Biden’s commitments on the campaign trail, we‘re confident his incoming team will swiftly work to reverse the damage these oil handouts have done to rural America by this midnight maneuvering.”

EPA’s action today brings the total of SREs granted by the Trump Administration to 88, totaling 4.3 billion gallons of biofuel blending demand destroyed.  



RFA Will Fight EPA’s Illegal, Last-Minute Refinery Exemptions

The Renewable Fuels Association today harshly condemned the Environmental Protection Agency’s unconscionable and unlawful decision to grant three more small refinery exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard with just hours remaining before Donald Trump leaves the White House and Joe Biden is sworn in as President. Last week, RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper notified Wheeler of RFA’s intent to legally challenge any waivers issued in the final days of the Trump presidency.
 
EPA granted two 2019 exemptions, erasing another 150 million gallons of renewable fuel demand. Unbelievably, the Agency also appears to have reversed a 2018 petition that was initially denied, resulting in an additional loss of 110 million gallons of renewable volume blending.

“This midnight-hour attempt by the Trump administration to damage the Renewable Fuel Standard and sabotage the ethanol industry’s recovery from the COVID pandemic simply cannot be allowed to prevail,” Cooper said. “With just hours remaining in his shameful term as EPA Administrator, Andrew Wheeler couldn’t stop himself from doling out a few more Clean Air Act compliance exemptions to his well-connected friends. But the fact remains that today’s action by EPA is completely without legal merit. It flouts both the statute and recent court decisions that clearly limit EPA’s authority and ability to grant these exemptions. And while this action comes as one last sucker punch from the Trump administration, we are confident it will be a hollow victory for the politically connected oil companies receiving today’s waivers, as the new Biden Administration will most certainly act quickly to restore the volumes erased by these waivers.”

The waivers come less than two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will review the Tenth Circuit Court’s decision in RFA et al. v. EPA, which found EPA had grossly exceeded its statutory authority in granting three exemptions. Previously, Wheeler had claimed EPA would not decide any pending waiver petitions until any and all appeals of the Tenth Circuit decision were resolved.

“In the past, Administrator Wheeler has asserted that the ‘appeals process needs to play out’ before EPA will decide the SRE petitions,” Cooper said. “Unfortunately, hypocrisy has been the hallmark of the Trump administration’s EPA, which right to the end has demonstrated its fealty to the nation’s largest polluters, while showing nothing but disdain for America’s hard-working farmers and producers of homegrown renewable fuels. Today’s action by Wheeler and his political enablers will not be forgotten by the women and men across the Heartland whose livelihoods depend on a strong renewable fuels industry and stability and certainty in the RFS policy.”



Now is the Time to Cut Carbon with Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel

There is little doubt that Earth’s climate is changing. Science points to these changes being primarily driven by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions. Time is of the essence as OEMs and fleets across the country take a fresh look at the use of low-carbon biodiesel and renewable diesel to help reduce emissions in their new and legacy diesel vehicles and equipment and help to slow the progression of climate change.

The heating effect associated with emissions is cumulative, making carbon reductions today significantly more valuable than carbon reductions in the future, ultimately driving conversations about integrated energy management.    

“Achieving zero emissions from our products is becoming a higher priority for our customers, our communities, and our company,” said Dr. Wayne Eckerle, Vice President of Corporate Research and Technology for Cummins, Inc. while speaking at the 2021 National Biodiesel Conference & Expo this week. “Our mission of ‘powering a more prosperous world’, includes meeting our obligation to use fewer of its resources and will require a mix of energy conversion technologies using diverse carbon neutral and renewable energy sources.”

According to an analysis by the California Air Resources Board, biodiesel produced in the U.S. has the lowest carbon intensity of any liquid fuel, while also offering substantial carbon reductions compared to coal-powered electricity and power generated from natural gas.

Achieving near-zero emissions requirements will likely include electrification for some market segments in the future. However, three out of four trucks on the road today are powered by diesel powertrains, and 97 percent of the large over-the-road Class 8 trucks are diesels.

“As we envision a greater national focus on attacking climate change in the coming year, advanced diesel engines and biodiesel and renewable diesel must be included as key strategies,” says Allen Schaeffer, Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum. “They are available, affordable, proven, and deliver substantial near-term reductions in greenhouse gas and other emissions across wide sectors of the economy like trucking that rely substantially on diesel engines today and will well into the future.”

Renewable diesel and biodiesel blends are readily available, drop-in fuels that can be used in any diesel engine, today. With renewable diesel and biodiesel, fleets can instantly lower their carbon footprint, without investing in costly new vehicles or waiting years for the build-out of new electric charging infrastructure.

Biodiesel and renewable diesel offer an immediate return on investment when considering the time value of carbon equation. And, they help both OEMs and fleets meet increasingly challenging emissions requirements and corporate sustainability goals.

Fleets and consumers have an impressive list of new diesel models to look forward to in model year 2021. General Motors adds to its strong lineup of diesel trucks and vans with the introduction of five new large diesel model SUVs, including the 2021 Chevy Tahoe, Chevy Suburban, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, and the Cadillac Escalade. All are equipped with GM’s 3.0L Duramax diesel engine and continue the company’s tradition of support for the use of B20, a blend of 20 percent biodiesel with Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel fuel. Likewise, Fiat Chrysler augments its fleet of B20-approved Ram diesel pickup trucks powered by Cummins diesel engines with two all-new diesel Jeep SUV models in 2021, including the 2021 Jeep Gladiator and the iconic Jeep Wrangler, both equipped with a 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 engine. And Ford Motor Company continues its strong tradition of offering America’s best-selling pickup trucks for 44 straight years - from the light duty Ford F-150 diesel pickup to the hard-working Ford Super Duty F-250 through F-750 models, all supporting the use of B20 biodiesel blends. The vast majority of automakers support B20 or higher biodiesel blends, not only providing the opportunity for their customers to reduce their own carbon emissions, but also reducing the Scope 3 emissions generated within their supply chain, showing investors their commitment to climate change.



Avian Flu is Spreading in Europe, Asia

Hundreds of thousands of birds have been culled in Europe and Asia in recent days, as authorities try to contain highly pathogenic avian flu (HPAI).

Having already caused serious problems in European countries such as the Netherlands and UK, the disease is now spreading in France, where authorities have confirmed more than 60 outbreaks of the H5N8 virus.

According to Brakke Consulting, Germany, Poland, and Sweden have also confirmed cases of HPAI on poultry farms. In Asia, South Korea, Japan and India have all reported multiple outbreaks.