Wednesday January 13 Ag News

NPPC’s ‘Farming Today for Tomorrow’ Campaign Showcases Pork Producer Environmental Stewardship
 
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) today introduced a multimedia campaign, “Farming Today for Tomorrow,” to showcase U.S. pork producers’ long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship and further reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“For more than five decades, U.S. pork producers have embraced advancements that have allowed them to do more with less,” said NPPC President Howard “AV” Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin. “Hog farmers have an excellent story to tell and want to be part of ongoing discussions and solutions to address climate change.”

The “Farming Today for Tomorrow” campaign features interviews with pork producers discussing on-farm efforts to reduce their environmental footprint, including the use of renewable natural gas to power facilities, hog manure to fertilize the land and precise nutrient farming to ensure fertilizer is only used where it’s needed.

“Conservation is important to the future of our family operation because we rely on the ground. They’re not making any new ground,” said Duane Stateler, a hog farmer from McComb, Ohio, featured in the campaign. “It’s invaluable to us that we protect and preserve what we already have.”

“As a third-generation farmer, we’ve learned from our parents and grandparents that taking care of the land is important and that we have a responsibility to do so,” said Lori Stevermer, a hog farmer from Easton, Minn., also featured in the campaign. “I want clean air and clean water because I live on the farm and next to our pigs….I want my children to have the opportunity to farm just like I have.”

Thanks to environmental stewardship efforts, U.S. pork producers have reduced their emissions to 0.4 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, according to 2019 Environmental Protection Agency data. Hog farmers are committed to further reducing their environmental footprint, including support for voluntary, incentive-based tools to maximize the sequestration of carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions.

To learn more about NPPC’s “Farming Today for Tomorrow” campaign, visit: www.nppc.org/farmingtodayfortomorrow.



 Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. Launches “MBA NextGen”

Today, the Masters of Beef Advocacy (MBA) program managed by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff,  launched updated advocacy training modules – MBA NextGen. MBA NextGen updates the popular MBA training modules making it easier than ever for a new generation of farmers and ranchers to share their story and advocate knowledgeably for the beef industry. Updated information and resources to help answer consumer questions are all accessible with the click of a mouse.

MBA NextGen continues to be a free, self-guided online course that provides farmers, ranchers, service providers, students, consumers, and all members of the beef community the tools and resources to become a beef advocate and answer tough questions about beef and raising cattle.

“The MBA program is one of the most effective tools we have to teach a wide audience the core principles of the cattle industry, and has been a tremendous asset in our efforts to better inform consumers and thought leaders about our industry,” said Paul Dybedahl, Manager, Communications for the Masters of Beef Advocacy Program. “Whether you’re from a family of ranchers or a consumer simply wanting to know more about how that delicious beef dinner got on your plate – MBA NextGen can arm you with the information you need to be a strong advocate for the beef community and communicate with interested consumers.”

MBA NextGen consists of five self-guided online lessons, open to everyone, and at no cost to participate:
    Lesson 1: The Beef Community - Context of raising beef from pasture to plate focusing on the community of people involved throughout the beef lifecycle.
    Lesson 2: Raising Cattle on Grass - An introduction to the first step in the beef lifecycle and the many benefits of raising cattle on our country’s vast grass pasture resources.
    Lesson 3: Life in the Feedyard - A discussion on the role of feedyards, including animal care, nutrition and environmental stewardship, at this important step in the beef lifecycle.
    Lesson 4: From Cattle to Beef - An in-depth look at the slaughter process and the humane handling and safety measures in place at today’s beef processing facilities.
    Lesson 5: Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. - A primer on choosing and cooking the right cuts of beef and the important role of beef in a healthful diet.

The MBA program started in 2009, and to-date, there are more than 15,000 graduates. Once the lessons are completed, advocates gain access to a variety of continuing education resources ranging from online courses that delve deeper into specific topics such as beef sustainability and nutrition to in person top advocate training, and more. Graduates are also invited to join the Masters of Beef Advocacy Alumni Facebook group, a virtual community for MBA graduates to ask questions and get connected to the latest advocacy resources.

To enroll or find out more about the latest Masters of Beef Advocacy Program, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.



Virtual Farm Bill Meeting Series Planned for 2021

Iowa producers have until March 15, 2021 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.

Webinars planned. 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 United States 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: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/info/meetings.html .



Weekly Ethanol Production for 1/8/2021

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending January 8, ethanol production increased 0.6%, or 6,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 941,000 b/d—equivalent to 39.52 million gallons daily. Production remained 14.1% below the same week last year. The four-week average ethanol production rate decreased 0.4% to 946,000 b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 14.50 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks expanded 1.8% to 23.7 million barrels, which was 3.0% above a year-ago and a 35-week high. A majority of the stocks build took place in the East Coast (PADD 1), where inventories grew by 9.1%.

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, stepped 1.2% higher to 7.53 million b/d (115.47 bg annualized). Gasoline demand was 12.0% less than a year ago.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol climbed 4.0% to 748,000 b/d, equivalent to 11.47 bg annualized. This was 12.4% below the year-earlier level as a result of the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There were zero imports of ethanol recorded for the week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of November 2020.)



Prices for Most Fertilizers Continue to Move Higher at Start of 2021

Average retail prices for fertilizers showed some mixed moves the first week of January 2021 after several consecutive weeks of all prices moving higher, according to sellers surveyed by DTN.

Six of the eight major fertilizer prices were higher compared to the prior month. Four were up a significant amount, which DTN designates as 5% or more. Both DAP and potash were 6% higher than a month ago with DAP having an average price of $482 per ton and potash $369/ton.  MAP was up 7% from last month with an average price of $543/ton. Anhydrous was 10% higher compared to last month with an average price of $470/ton.  Two other fertilizers were slightly higher from a year earlier. Urea had an average price of $368/ton and 10-34-0 $464/ton.

The remaining two fertilizers were slightly lower in price from last month. UAN28 had an average price of $209/ton, while UAN32 is at $251/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.40/lb.N, anhydrous $0.29/lb.N, UAN28 $0.37/lb.N and UAN32 $0.39/lb.N.

Retail fertilizer prices continue to be mostly lower in price from a year ago, but there are a few exceptions. Urea is 3% more expensive, DAP is 11% higher while MAP is 22% more expensive compared to last year.

Both potash and 10-34-0 are 2% less expensive, anhydrous is 3% lower, UAN32 is 8% lower and UAN28 is 12% less expensive from last year at this time.



Wiegard Joins ASA to Round Out Policy Team

The American Soybean Association is pleased to announce a fifth addition to its in-house Washington, D.C., policy team. Ariel Wiegard will join ASA Jan. 19 as a director leading the portfolio for conservation, precision agriculture, nutrition, and other issues of importance to soy.

Wiegard brings with her a bevy of conservation and agriculture experience, having most recently served as Federal Government Relations lead for Syngenta, where she has worked since 2018. Before, she was director for the Center for Agriculture & Private Lands with the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. Wiegard has worked on climate policy, endangered species regulation and other key conservation and agriculture technology issues including water quality, precision planting, rural broadband and 5G.

Christy Seyfert, Executive Director of Government Affairs, said Wiegard immediately stood out amongst a strong group of candidates, “We were impressed with her enthusiasm and the depth of experience she will be able to employ here at ASA. Ariel is accustomed to successfully telling the story of agriculture – across a broad number of topics vital to soy growers – and will be a great team addition.”

Wiegard attended the University of Virginia for college and Vermont Law School’s master’s program for environmental law and policy focusing on agriculture and food systems. She joins Seyfert (farm policy), Kyle Kunkler (biotechnology and crop protection), Alexa Combelic (biodiesel, transportation and infrastructure, sustainability), and Virginia Houston (trade, food aid, livestock) to round out the policy team based in D.C.



U.S. Soy Turf to Cover More Ground Than Ever in 2021

The Indiana Soybean Alliance, with support from the United Soybean Board and SYNLawn® Indiana, is kicking off a new partnership with the Indianapolis Colts. The partnership features soy-backed SYNLawn artificial grass to be used during 2021 pre-game and traveling educational exercise programs, which will be held once COVID-19 limitations end.

“SYNLawn is a leader in the use of U.S. soybean oil to offer both performance and sustainability to its products,” said United Soybean Board Director Jim Carroll III, an Arkansas soybean farmer and former USB Chair. “Through soy checkoff farmer investments, USB has collaborated with SYNLawn to introduce the benefits of U.S. soy to their customers in diverse locations ranging from New York City to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.”

This partnership helps further the educational efforts on the many benefits offered by U.S.-grown soybeans, as well as the soy checkoff’s positive impact on building new markets for the industry.

Participating children and adults will have the opportunity to learn about soy while enjoying the Colts’ popular “Touchdown Town” 40-yard dash across SYNLawn. On game days and all year round, kids throughout the state will have fun learning about football, fitness and soybeans on the soy-backed synthetic grass rolled out for the Colts’ traveling interactive football experience.

From rooftops to road medians and rocket-launch viewing sites, SYNLawn has installed 82 million square feet of U.S. soy-backed grass across 200,000 installations in the United States and 19 other countries since 2008. For 2021, North America’s largest manufacturer of artificial grass is set to add more soy than ever to its products, which will increase its use of U.S. soy by 10%.

“SYNLawn is pleased to announce that our success with U.S. soybean oil will grow in 2021,” said SYNLawn Executive Vice President George Neagle. “Thanks to strong domestic as well as international demand for our grass, we are experiencing double-digit market growth,” added Neagle. “We see a bright future for our use of soybean oil and look forward to further collaboration with U.S. farmers on the United Soybean Board.”

Use of soybean oil and other plant-based renewable materials qualifies multiple SYNLawn products for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Certified Biobased Product label. Through their displacement of petroleum, biobased products reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that exacerbate global climate change.

“There are more than 1,000 different soy-based products available on the market today, including everything from artificial grass to machinery lubricants to tires and asphalt,” said John Jansen, USB vice president of strategic partnerships. “Supporting the partnership between SYNLawn, Indiana Soybean Alliance and the Indianapolis Colts demonstrates the value and positive impact of investments the soy checkoff makes on behalf of U.S. soybean farmers.”

According to a report the USDA released in July 2019, biobased products contributed $459 billion to the U.S. economy in 2016 (a 17% increase from 2014) and supported, directly and indirectly, 4.6 million jobs. The report’s research team estimates the reduction of fossil fuels and associated GHG emissions from biobased products is equivalent to approximately 12 million metric tons of carbon dioxide prevented in 2016. The increased production of renewable chemicals and biobased products contributes to the development and expansion of the U.S. bioeconomy — where society looks to agriculture for sustainable sources of fuel, energy, chemicals and products.

Additionally, SYNLawn's soy-backed grass is recyclable and conserves water. Its use eliminates emissions from lawn mowing and, when installed on road medians, workers no longer mow in hazardous locations. The product lasts for multiple years, which further contributes to its cost-effectiveness.



U.S. Farm & Biofuel Leaders Condemn Rumors of Last-Minute RFS Waivers

America’s top biofuel and farm advocates called on President Trump to reject last-minute attacks on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and American farmers throughout the country, a plan reported to be under consideration by Andrew Wheeler, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The following joint statement was issued by the Advanced Biofuels Business Council, Fuels America, Growth Energy, the National Biodiesel Board, the National Corn Growers Association, the National Farmers Union, and the Renewable Fuels Association:

“Reports indicate that the EPA is considering a last-minute flood of oil industry waivers, along with other regulatory favors, that would sabotage the rural recovery and shatter this administration’s promises to supporters across the heartland. There is no justification for President Trump, Andrew Wheeler, and their allies to award a massive, short-sighted handout to oil companies at the expense of farm communities. While no one benefits from months of economic uncertainty, if the EPA opts to follow this disastrous course, we would expect the Biden administration to act quickly to reverse the damage and put lost gallons back on the market.”



RFA Lauds House Biofuels Caucus for Speaking Out in Support of RFS

The bipartisan House Biofuels Caucus has called on President Trump to “direct EPA to immediately reject any pending waiver requests that do not meet the criteria established in Tenth Circuit Court’s decision,” according to a letter forwarded to the White House Tuesday evening. The Renewable Fuels Association thanked the 23 House Members for their quick action in a week that has seen rumors that outgoing Administrator Andrew Wheeler may grant more illegal exemptions at the last minute.

“We thank these House Members for their bipartisan action this week to help protect and defend the Renewable Fuel Standard,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “With the Trump administration now its final days, we call on all renewable fuel champions to speak up loudly and clearly in defense of the RFS. The stakes are high for the health of rural America, as well as our nation’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and confront climate change.”

The news of EPA potentially granting last-minute waivers “arrives at the worst time possible as the biofuels industry continues to reel from the economic impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the lawmakers write. “These exemptions, coming on top of 85 waivers already granted by EPA over the past four years, would also cause immense and unnecessary strain to businesses that are desperately trying to keep workers on the payroll.”



Animal Agriculture Alliance makes 2020 Virtual Summit recordings publicly available

The Animal Agriculture Alliance announced today that session recordings from the first-ever Virtual Stakeholders Summit, held in May 2020, are now publicly available. The 2020 Virtual Summit, themed “Primed & Prepared,” focused on equipping food and agriculture stakeholders with the tools needed to bridge the gap between farm and fork.

“The Alliance’s annual Stakeholders Summit brings together thought leaders in animal agriculture to discuss hot-button issues and out-of-the-box ideas,” says Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president and CEO. “Our 2020 Virtual Summit attracted our largest crowd to date and addressed key topics that impact every link of the food supply chain including sustainability, nutrition, and animal welfare. If you weren’t able to join us live last year, watching the recorded content is a great way to catch up on the valuable conversations and get excited for the 2021 Virtual Summit coming up in May.”

Highlights from the impressive lineup of speakers include:
    Alan Levinovitz, Ph.D., associate professor of religion at James Madison University, who discussed how faith in nature’s goodness may lead to harmful fads, unjust laws, and flawed science.
    Marissa Hake, DVM, Ryan Valk, Tara Vander Dussen, and Michelle Miller, farmers, who talked about being on the frontlines of consumer engagement and how the industry can better help farmers promoting agriculture online.
    Candace Croney, Ph.D., with Purdue University, who discussed how to rethink the way we address animal welfare in consumer conversations.
    Nicole Rodriquez, RDN, Cara Harbstreet, RD, and Allison Webster, Ph.D., RD, registered dietitians, who shared how animal agriculture can stake its claim on the plant-based plate.
    Sara Place, Ph.D., with Elanco Animal Health, who pondered “what’s the beef?” with sustainability and plant-based alternatives.

Session recordings from the 2020 Virtual Summit are available at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTORNoLhAIPY3rC-t8oTPFIe3lfQ-yjF_. To read a condensed overview of insights shared at the event, check out the highlights report at animalagalliance.org/resource/2020-stakeholders-summit-highlights-report.

The 2021 Virtual Summit, themed “Obstacles to Opportunities” is set primarily for May 5-6. Challenging times. Unprecedented times. Uncertain times. We’re all over the clichés. But we’re far from over the impact COVID-19 and 2020 in general have had on agriculture and the food industry. However, there is hope. With the right tools we can ensure the food chain is stronger than ever. We can use this time to hone our messages, fine-tune our strategies and connect, engage and protect like never before. Now is the time to turn the obstacles of 2020 into opportunities for the decades to come, and 2021 Virtual Summit attendees will leave with the right tools and ideas to do just that.

Registration for the 2021 Virtual Summit opens February 1. For more information about the Virtual Summit, visit animalagalliance.org/initiatives/stakeholders-summit/ or follow #AAA21 on social media for updates.



Brazilian Soybean Harvest Starts Slowly

Brazilian soybean harvest for 2020-21 marketing year (February 2021-January 2022) began at a muted pace in some parts of the country, agricultural consultancy AgRural said Jan. 11, although the overall crop conditions look good.

The Brazilian soybean crop has benefited from rains and mild temperatures in December and early January.

Only Rio Grande do Sul and some parts in Bahia and Piauí lack moisture, which could affect the crop development, the consultancy said. However, the deficit is not significant to impact the productivity.

Soybean harvest was limited to some parts in Mato Grosso, Goiás and Bahia, with no significant volume to report as of Jan. 7, AgRural said.

Brazilian soybean harvest is expected to pick up pace in late-January. Harvest delay in Brazil has been one of the primary factors in the U.S. soybeans futures price rise in recent weeks.



Part 4 and Final: Delving Into Ranch Group’s First-Ever Cattle Producers’ Long-Range Plan

R-CALF USA’s December launching of the cattle industry’s first-ever “Cattle Industry Long Range Plan,” coincides with the convening of a new Congress and a new Administration this month. Whether the plan serves as a roadmap for Congress’ new agenda or President-elect Biden’s new agenda will, according to R-CALF USA, be decided by the nation’s cattle producers themselves.

The plan contains objectives never before offered for the benefit of the cattle industry’s hundreds of thousands of independent U.S. cattle producers, both large and small. Its departure from previously combined cattle and beef industry plans is revealed by its primary focus directed towards cattle and cattle producers, not towards beef and beef packers.

For example, the new plan departs from previous plans by calling for growth in both domestic and export demand for beef that is specifically produced from USA born and raised cattle. It then calls for improving “cattle-sector” profitability specifically for U.S. cattle farmers and ranchers. It also expressly calls for intensifying efforts to preserve and protect the liberties and freedoms of independent U.S. cattle producers. And it uniquely calls for elevating the cattle industry’s role in assuring U.S. consumers an uninterrupted supply of U.S. produced beef.

“If the new Congress and new Administration are looking for a new strategy to strengthen the domestic food supply chain while simultaneously revitalizing Rural America, that new strategy is right here in the new cattle industry plan,” said R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard.

Bullard said the new plan has already been shared with the Biden Agriculture Transition Team, members of Congress, and with select state governors.

“Whether this plan is actually taken up by Washington, D.C. policymakers is entirely dependent on whether the hundreds of thousands of independent U.S. cattle producers will take it upon themselves to send this plan to their respective congressional delegations and tell them this should be America’s new direction,” he added.