Monday February 1 Ag News

Happy Nebraska 4-H Month!

Every year, Nebraska 4-H Month sees thousands of young people, parents, volunteers, and alumni come together to celebrate the many positive youth development opportunities offered by 4-H. While celebrations may look different this year, we are still looking forward to celebrating with you in new ways.

Check out the Nebraska 4-H Month virtual backgrounds and the new Nebraska 4-H - I Belong Facebook profile frame. Be sure to join Nebraska 4-H on social media and celebrate with us each Friday. Many counties are also hosting local celebrations. Contact your local Extension office for information about local celebrations!

4-H Professionals Appreciation Day
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5
Take some time to thank your local 4-H Educators, Assistants, and Staff for all the hard work they put in throughout the year.

4-H Volunteer Appreciation Day
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12
This is a great opportunity to thank the 4-H volunteers in your life, including 4-H Club and Project Leaders.

4-H Spirit Day
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19
Show off your 4-H spirit by wearing green or a 4-H clover! Share your pictures on social media using #iBelong.

4-H Sponsor & Donor Day
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Contact your local Extension office for a list of local sponsors or donors you can write thank you notes to.

Enrollment is OPEN
Enrollment is not required for many 4-H programs and events. However, club and independent members are required to officially enroll through 4-H Online each year. By enrolling, youth have the opportunity to participate in county fairs, the Nebraska State Fair, and additional statewide opportunities and events. Youth may enroll in specific projects which they plan to complete throughout the year.



Saunders County Livestock Ass'n Banquet

Saunders County Livestock Association Annual Meeting & Banquet
Saturday Feb. 20th, Starlite Event Center. Wahoo.
5:30p.m. social 6:30 p.m. banquet.  
LIMIT OF 400 tickets to be sold ADVANCE ONLY $25 each. NONE will be sold at the door.
For tickets contact Any Director or Dan 402-480 8778   Dave 402-840 0116 BY FEB. 15th.



 Central Valley Ag Announces Launch of CVA Elite Agronomy Products

Central Valley Ag Cooperative (CVA) is excited to announce CVA Elite, a proprietary line-up of Adjuvants, Stabilizers, Growth Promoters & Seed Treatments that will be offered for the 2021 growing season.

CVA believes that meaningful, productive change only comes by looking at challenges and opportunities from new angles and exercising curiosity. With the changing agronomy market, CVA feels there is an opportunity to deliver more value to the customers by launching a private label brand of agronomy products.

CVA Elite products will provide a more systematic approach, providing customers reliable solutions in a complex world of Adjuvants, Stabilizers, Growth Promoters & Seed Treatments.

These CVA Products include:
    Protect UREA
    Protect UAN
    PHP
    COC
    NIS
    MSO
    Dicamba Combo
    Acidifier MSO/NIS
    Drift & Deposition
    AMS + Surfactant

CVA Elite products have been proven in the geography of CVA via field testing and are built for the dynamic growing conditions and stresses growers face each year, resulting in more profit per acre.

 “The CVA Elite line-up was built with the vision of innovative products that yield solutions for our member-owners,” said Nic McCarthy, Senior VP of Agronomy for CVA, “As agriculture is changing around us, we must lead with innovation and CVA Elite products meet the demands of our members”.  

For more information on products visit https://www.cvacoop.com/cva_elite.



Growers Statewide to Share On-Farm Research via In Person and Online Events

The annual Nebraska On-Farm Research Network research results update meetings will be offered in-person and online in 2021.  Farm operators and agronomists from across the state will obtain valuable crop production-related information from on-farm research projects conducted on Nebraska farms by Nebraska farmers in partnership with University of Nebraska faculty. These research projects cover products, practices, and new technologies that impact farm productivity and profitability.

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network is a statewide, on-farm research program that addresses critical farmer production, profitability and natural resources questions. Growers take an active role in the on-farm research project sponsored by Nebraska Extension in partnership with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Soybean Checkoff, and the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission.

The February programs will provide an opportunity to hear growers who conducted on-farm research share their results from the 2020 growing season. Field length replicated treatment comparisons were completed in growers’ fields, using their equipment.

The following dates/locations are planned:

Feb. 25:
    Auburn - 4-H Building Nemaha County Fairgrounds, 816 I St., Auburn, Neb.
    Beatrice - Gage County Extension Office, 1115 West Scott, Beatrice, Neb.
    Clay Center - Clay County fairgrounds, 701 N Martin Ave, Clay Center, Neb.
    David City - David City Library, 399 N 5th St, David City, Neb.
    Wahoo - Lake Wanahoo Education Building, 655 County Road 16, East side of Lake Wanahoo, Wahoo, Neb.
    York - Cornerstone Event Center, Fairgrounds York, 2400 N. Nebraska Ave., York, Neb.
    Online option also available

Feb. 26:  
    Alliance - Knight Museum, 908 Yellowstone, Alliance, Neb.
    Clay Center - Clay County fairgrounds 701 N Martin Ave, Clay Center, Neb.
    Kearney - Buffalo County Extension Office, 1400 E. 34th (Fairgrounds), Kearney, Neb.
    Nebraska City - Kimmel Orchard Education Building, 5995 G Rd. Nebraska City, Neb.  
    Norfolk - Madison County Extension, 1305 S. 13th Street, Norfolk, Neb.
    North Platte  - West Central Research, Extension, and Education Center (WCREEC), 402 W. State Farm Road, North Platte, Neb.
    Osceola - Polk County fairgrounds, Ag Hall, 12931 N Blvd, Osceola, Neb.
    Seward - Harvest Hall, Fairgrounds Seward, 1625 Fairgrounds Circle, Seward, Neb.
    West Point - Nielsen Center - West Point, 200 Anna Stalp Ave, West Point, Neb.
    Wilber - Saline County Extension Office, 306 W 3rd Street, Wilber, Neb.
    Online option also available

Programs start 8:30 a.m. CST/7:30 a.m. MST and conclude at 12:30 p.m. CST/11:30 MST.   

Visit https://go.unl.edu/2021onfarmresearch for registration, details and program updates.  

Pre-registration is required.  Walk-in registration will not be permitted.  Early registration is encouraged due to capacity limitations at each location. Once a location is full, it will no longer be listed as a registration option. Please pre-register for in-person training at least two days in advance for planning purposes.

In-person meetings will only be held if local and UNL directed health measures allow and if weather conditions are suitable for travel. If a meeting is cancelled, registered participants will be notified via email, phone, or text message.  

Facial coverings/masks guidelines may vary based on local directed health measures. For information about the COVID-related health measures that will be in place at each meeting, please contact the local site host.  Contact information available on the website.

For more information and general inquiries about Nebraska On-Farm Research Network, contact Laura Thompson, Nebraska On-Farm Research Network and Ag Technology Extension Educator at onfarm@unl.edu or 402-245-2224.



BROWN MID-RIB VARIETIES IMPROVE QUALITY
– Jerry Volesky, NE Extension

Summer annual grasses often are an important part of many hay and pasture plans.  As you select a variety to plant this coming summer, choose one with a genetic trait that improves animal nutrition.

Summer annuals like Sudangrass, cane, sorghum-sudan hybrids, forage sorghum, and millet can produce high forage yields even under dry growing conditions.  But they tend to be more stemmy and less digestible than many cattle producers prefer.  Can they be made better?

The answer is – yes.  A natural, genetic trait called BMR (or Brown Mid-Rib) has been used in numerous varieties and hybrids of summer annual grasses for many years.  This trait makes them more digestible and enables cattle to extract more energy from these forages.

It received the brown mid-rib name because the mid-rib or vein that runs down the center of each leaf has a brownish tint in summer annual grasses that have this genetic trait.  Normally this mid-rib is a cream or whitish color.

The important characteristic is how the BMR gene affects forage quality.  Grasses that have the BMR gene produce less lignin than normal plants.  Lignin is a complex compound that attaches to fiber components like cellulose in the plant and make it less digestible.  Since plants with the BMR gene produce less lignin, more of the fiber can be digested by your cattle, increasing the energy or TDN value of this forage.  Grazing studies in Texas found yearlings to have a 12% greater daily gain when grazing a BMR forage compared to a conventional forage.  In addition, animals eat more of the stems, reducing waste.

The BMR gene has little other effect on these plants, so they respond like normal plants to other management practices, like planting rate, fertilization, and harvest timing.  Give BMR forages a try and I think you will be pleased.



Trade Policy Internship Honors Nebraska Farm Bureau Leader While Supporting UNL Students

The Steve Nelson Yeutter Institute International Trade Internship Award from the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s (UNL) Clayton Yeutter Institute of International Trade and Finance honors a longtime Nebraska Farm Bureau leader, as it helps students gain valuable experience in the nation’s Capital. Applications for the internship award are now open and due February 18, 2021. More information is available at https://yeutter-institute.unl.edu/nelson-yeutter-international-trade-internship-award.

The new internship award honors Steve Nelson, who served for nearly 20 years on the Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) board of directors and was president from 2011-2020. As president, Nelson participated in numerous trade missions including travel to Vietnam, Taiwan, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Japan, and South Korea. Under his nine-year tenure as NEFB president, he continuously advocated for opening international markets for Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers. Nelson farms near Axtell in south central Nebraska and produces irrigated corn, hybrid seed corn, and soybeans.

“While at Nebraska Farm Bureau, Steve Nelson stressed the importance of trade in Nebraska, and providing this opportunity to young people in agriculture seems like a great way to carry on his legacy,” said Mark McHargue, newly elected president of Nebraska Farm Bureau.

"Because of Nebraska Farm Bureau's extensive involvement in the trade arena and support for agricultural youth and leadership development, we felt that this internship was a perfect match for these priorities," McHargue said. “Agriculture will benefit in the long term because youth receiving this award will learn how to influence future agricultural trade policy.”

The award will support a student interested in agricultural trade to complete a trade policy internship in Washington, D.C.

“Internships are critical for professional development and career exploration, and we are grateful for the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s partnership in honoring Steve Nelson’s service through an award that will allow a student to work in the heart of the trade policy community in Washington, D.C.,” said Jill O’Donnell, director of the Yeutter Institute. “Borrowing from the words of our namesake Clayton Yeutter, our goal is to equip students to be ‘broad and creative and global’ in their thinking, and this award will help us do just that.”

The first award recipient will be selected this spring. The award program will provide $6,000 annually for a UNL student with sophomore standing or above to intern full-time in the summer with the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) in Washington, D.C. WITA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to providing a neutral forum for the open and robust discussion of international trade policy and related issues. The student will gain valuable exposure to and experience with trade policy issues and trade leaders in business, agriculture, law, academia, non-governmental organizations, embassies, and the U.S. Government. The award is supported by donations from the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and a Yeutter Institute donor.

Gifts in honor of the Steve Nelson Yeutter Institute International Trade Internship Award may be directed to the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation. Donations can be made online at www.nefbfoundation.org or mailed to Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation, P.O. Box 80299 Lincoln, NE 68501.



Brand Law Changes: ICON in Favor of Legislation LB 614; Against LB 572 & LB 571

ICON actively defends Statewide Nebraska Brand Laws and opposes any changes that would take away Livestock Ownership protection.

Last year ICON successfully organized and DEFEATED TWO BILLS in the Unicameral that affect you; one was promoted by a small group of RFL’s (Registered Feedlots) calling themselves The Beef Producers (TBP). It would have eliminated the Brand Law completely, resulting in ownership verification chaos.

Another bill promoted by the Nebraska Brand Committee (NBC) was going to lower inspection fees even further for the RFLs. Both bills would have taken away security and placed more burdens on the little man -- cow-calf producers and feeders.

ICON actively participated in a Legislative Review study (LR 378) this past year as another attempt was made to improve the Brand Law.  During the meetings, ICON was given the task of protecting the interests of the Mother Cow stakeholders of Nebraska. ICON clearly and undeniably defined the focus and purpose of the Brand Law, which is “Statewide third-party ownership verification.”

In the end, it became self-evident that the goal of the NBC and TBP’s were different than ours. NBC and TBPs would like to change the Brand Law to fit their vision of the future and fix the problems between them with new legislation.

ICON’s proposals and revisions to the draft bill that resulted from LR 378 were not objected to, but neither were they incorporated. A surprise disclosure was made during the meetings by the attorney for TBP (who is also the attorney for the RFL -- Adams Land & Cattle Company/ ALCC.)

Years ago, ALCC brokered a special unapproved “no inspection” deal with past members of the Brand Committee, eliminating their already reduced costs of brand inspections on certain cattle.

NBC has now properly disallowed this invalid/illegal deal between NBC and ALCC, but ALCC is protesting. It is now in court for a second time.

The ICON Board of Directors asks their members & concerned ranchers and citizens to come to action immediately.

It is the Board’s recommendation that you contact your Senator and Brand Committee Members before Feb. 9, 2021 and voice opposition to (against) LB 572 and LB 571 which, if passed, will raise your inspection fee ceiling to $1.50 per head and Brand Renewals to $200, while lowering the RFL fees from approximately 0.35 to 0.17 per head. Plus, it will validate the “closed door sweetheart deal” with ALCC that is currently in the courts. Feel free to also contact us or your local Livestock Auction Market with your opinion.

Instead, please voice support (in favor of) LB 614 to be advanced, which will eliminate the Registered Feedlot provisions and equalize and lower fees for all.



Senator Brandt Continues to Prioritize Rural Broadband

Senator Tom Brandt of Plymouth and Legislative District 32 has continued working to address the issue of getting rural broadband to all Nebraskans. With COVID-19 and many rural Nebraskans needing faster speeds and greater bandwidth for everything from Zoom calls to telehealth to precision farming to Netflix, reliable broadband has become more important than ever. As Senator Brandt was quoted as saying in the Lincoln Journal Star’s Editorial on January 30th: “COVID really exposed a lot of weaknesses in the system, and I think everybody just wants to speed it up.”

Last session, Senator Brandt brought LB996 which passed and was signed into law by the Governor. It created the Broadband Data Improvement Program to ensure that the State of Nebraska is accurately represented in federal broadband grant programs.

This Session, Senator Brandt introduced two bills to tackle the issue. On January 15, he introduced LB460, which would enable public power to lease their dark fiber and would lift major hurdles for utilities to partner with internet providers to provide high-speed connectivity to unserved and underserved communities. On January 20th, he introduced LB600 which would expand financial resources and tools for the development of broadband infrastructure and facilities in rural areas by allowing public power districts and electric cooperatives financing authority, and by repurposing the Municipal Infrastructure Redevelopment Act for financing broadband infrastructure and facilities in rural communities.

“These bills put us well on the way to getting high-speed Internet, not just in unserved rural areas but also in underserved urban communities as well,” Senator Brandt said. “The telecoms have worked hard for twenty years to address this, and there is still a lot of work left to do in our rural areas. I’d like to see public power use its immense resources to partner with the telecoms to solve this technology problem.”

In addition to introducing these bills, Senator Brandt has co-sponsored Sen. Curt Friesen’s LB388 which was introduced at the request of the Governor. It would create the Broadband Bridge Program to allocate $40 million over two fiscal years in grants to underserved and unserved communities.

Dennis Houston, CEO of the Nebraska Rural Electric Association stated, “I believe that partnering together, putting the people of rural Nebraska ahead of profits, and eliminating red tape might ultimately be the recipe for providing connectivity to every Nebraskan. We thank Senator Brandt and the Governor for introducing legislation that strives towards this vision, and look forward to the opportunity to help facilitate better connectivity across rural Nebraska.”

“I’m happy to see so many bills from my colleagues with their sights set on rural broadband expansion,” Senator Brandt continued, “Higher internet speeds will help my constituents better compete with their counterparts in Omaha, Lincoln and other better served communities as well as weather the covid storm, and it will help to bring younger folks back to rural Nebraska which will revitalize rural communities.”



Iowa Pork Schedules Regional Conferences in February

The Iowa Pork Producers Association is inviting the state's pig farmers to attend one of four Iowa Pork Regional Conferences being held in February. The events are being held at different locations from Feb. 15 through Feb. 18.
 
In addition to the regional conference program that runs from 1-4:30 p.m. each day, a separate morning session from 9 a.m. to noon will provide Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Plus training. The PQA Plus training is sponsored by IPPA and provided by Iowa State University Extension.
 
"The afternoon conferences include five speakers providing timely and relevant information," says Jamee Eggers, IPPA producer education director. "The farmer members of our producer education committee partnered with the Iowa Pork Information Center to select topics and identify relevant speakers."
 
The site selection for these meetings allows for physical distancing as required by the State of Iowa. If weather or coronavirus conditions require the cancellation of the event; the conference sessions will be recorded and made available online.
 
The locations of the conferences are:
    Monday, Feb. 15 - Orange City at the Sioux County Extension Office, 400 Central Ave. NW, Suite 700
    Tuesday, Feb. 16 - Osceola at the Clarke County Fairgrounds Event Center, 2070 W. McLane St, Hwy. 34
    Wednesday, Feb. 17 - Waverly at the Waverly Civic Center, 200 1st St. NE
    Thursday, Feb. 18 - Washington at the Washington County Extension Office, 2223 250th St.

 Topics and speakers for the afternoon conferences are:
    Water Quality in Pig Production - Dr. John Patience, an ISU professor of animal science, will discuss the central role of water and water quality in swine production.
    Hot Topics in Swine Health - Dr. Chris Rademacher of the Iowa Pork Industry Center will provide an update on current swine health issues and foreign animal disease preparedness activities
    Economic Issues Update - ISU Extension Livestock Economist Dr. Lee Schulz will talk about the many new economic tools for pork producers that became available or were updated in 2020
    Optimizing Your Most Valuable Resource - Valerie Duttlinger, Summitt SmartFarms, will talk about the best ways to keep yourself and your employees focused on the business goals
    Helping You Find the Right Resources - A review of decision-making tools that Iowa State University Extension Swine Specialists can provide for you to solve production problems and other issues on your pig farm.

Check-in starts 30 minutes before the start of the conference. Pre-register for the conference and/or certification training to ensure adequate materials are available to all. To pre-register, go online to IowaPork.org/IPPA-Regional-Conferences, or call IPPA at (800) 372-7675 or email croepke@iowapork.org.



Iowa Pork Industry Center Earns President's Award from IPPA

The Iowa Pork Industry Center (IPIC) at Iowa State University has been presented with the Iowa Pork Producers Association's first President's Award. The award recognizes all employees at IPIC for their work and dedication to helping Iowa's pig farmers manage through so many extraordinary challenges to the industry in 2020.
 
When pork processing plants closed or slowed down from March through May of 2020, many Iowa farmers were faced with decisions on how to continue caring for pigs that were ready to enter the food chain. The solutions lay in many areas of expertise.
 
"The team that works for IPIC assisted us with economic analysis, nutritional changes to slow hog growth when we had a breakdown in the food supply chain, suggestions for animal care during those times when farmers had to hold pigs longer than expected, while employees even provided information and resources outside of the pork industry," said Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) past president Mike Paustian of Walcott.
 
Those other services included the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) providing expertise to the University of Iowa to increase the numbers of COVID-19 tests that could be run daily. The VDL had established procedures nearly a decade before to process substantially more tests of that type in a limited time period.
 
The IPIC is a coordinated effort of interdisciplinary programs with ISU's Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Business, Engineering and Veterinary Medicine that provides services and information to pig farmers in Iowa and many other states. IPIC also focuses its efforts in programs that are integral and complementary to work by ISU Extension and Outreach.
 
"The truly remarkable thing is how fast this team reacted to all the challenges," Paustian said. "Universities are not typically noted for speed, but IPIC responded to our needs and requests faster than ISU can score touchdowns!"
 
IPPA recognized that there were many Iowa people, businesses and organizations that stepped up in 2020 to help Iowa pig farmers address challenges and mitigate especially negative circumstances. "Our board of directors supported the creation of this special IPPA President's Award to recognize IPIC for their work," Paustian said.



Iowa Corn Announces New Director of Grower Services

Iowa Corn® is proud to announce the new Director of Grower Services, Carrie Dodds. In this position, Dodds oversees the District Field Managers and directs the team as they work towards the organization's goal to increase membership to 10,000 as well as increase awareness and support of the Iowa Corn checkoff.

“I am truly honored to lead the dedicated District Field Manager team to continue to serve the Iowa Corn farmer members and organization,” said Dodds. “Iowa Corn works tirelessly for Iowa’s farmer and I am proud to spread the word on all that Iowa Corn does for agriculture in Iowa.”

Dodds attended Northwest Missouri State and graduated with a double major in ag business and animal science with a minor in marketing.  From undergraduate, she started the Ag Leadership Graduate program at the University of Nebraska but received a job offer to manage the office of a 40,000 head feed yard in North Central Nebraska. After starting her family, the Dodds family moved to Iowa.

Dodds began her career at Iowa Corn in 2006 as the Market Development Manager where she learned her true passion was working with farmers to enhance and engage not only their operations but themselves.  In 2012, Dodds transitioned to the District 5 District Field Manager within Iowa Corn where she covered 14 counties in central Iowa.  Through her passion and dedication, Dodds has been promoted to the Director of Grower Services.  

Dodds resides in Saint Charles, Iowa with her husband Hooter and three sons (Grady 14, Beau 11, and Landry 7).



Consider Corn Challenge III Contest Looks to Establish Novel Biomaterials, Products, and Technologies Utilizing Corn

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is launching the Consider Corn Challenge III open-innovation contest, looking for participants to answer the call and submit proposals for new uses of field corn as a feedstock for producing sustainable chemicals and products with quantifiable market demand.

“Corn is an affordable, abundant, sustainably grown crop that has a myriad of uses and applications, which is why we are holding our third Consider Corn Challenge contest,” said NCGA Market Development Action Team (MDAT) Chair and Iowa farmer Bob Hemesath. “Corn’s cost as a feedstock has benefited greatly by improvements in technology, production and logistics efficiency. With society’s interest in more biobased products, we know we have the solution and that’s corn.”

Previous winners of the Consider Corn Challenge contests have scaled up to the next phase of development, received additional grant funding, entered into joint agreements, and obtained registration for state biobased production incentives.

“As a past recipient of the Consider Corn Challenge award from the NCGA, we have been able to deepen our technology base regarding the differential properties of our novel materials,” said Derek Wells with ExoPolymer. “Due to these efforts, we are currently investigating several targeted market applications and feasibility studies at scale. The CCC award also helped to put a spotlight on our innovative approach, enabling us to raise additional funding and continue our progress.  We are grateful for the recognition by the NCGA and are looking forward to further applying our technology for additional valuable uses of this important agricultural product.”

If all nine winners of the Consider Corn Challenge I & II reached full commercialization with products available in the marketplace, the potential for additional corn demand could be approximately 2.9 billion bushels.

“Corn farmers continue to take advantage of the technology that allows them to grow a bigger crop on less land with less resources per bushel, and that means there’s enough carryout available to meet the needs for food, feed, fuel and new uses,” Hemesath added. “This contest is a way to help us think outside of the box and meet the needs of our customers, who are asking for sustainable, biobased products.”

One to six winners will be selected with a total prize pool of U.S. $150,000, split equally between winners. The submission deadline is June 3, 2021, and winners will be announced in September 2021.

Learn More at NCGA.com/newuses.



Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 478 million bushels in December 2020. Total corn consumption was down less than 1 percent from November 2020 and down 10 percent from December 2019. December 2020 usage included 92.1 percent for alcohol and 7.9 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 3.72 million bushels, down 6 percent from November 2020 but up 15 percent from December 2019. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 430 million bushels, was down less than 1 percent from November 2020 and down 10 percent from December 2019. Corn consumed in December 2020 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 89.5 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.78 million tons during December 2020, down 1 percent from November 2020 and down 7 percent from December 2019. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.04 million tons in December 2020, down 3 percent from November 2020 and down 26 percent from December 2019.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 309,298 tons during December 2020, up 5 percent from November 2020 and up 1 percent from December 2019. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 220,505 tons in December 2020, down 4 percent from November 2020 and down 14 percent from December 2019.



Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks

Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 5.81 million tons (194 million bushels) in December 2020, compared with 5.73 million tons (191 million bushels) in November 2020 and 5.54 million tons (185 million bushels) in December 2019. Crude oil produced was 2.23 billion pounds up 1 percent from November 2020 and up 6 percent from December 2019. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.50 billion pounds during December 2020 decreased 1 percent from November 2020 but increased 10 percent from December 2019.

Canola seeds crushed for crude oil was 197,889 tons in December 2020, compared with 207,700 tons in November 2020 and 176,638 tons in December 2019. Canola crude oil produced was 164 million pounds, down 5 percent from November 2020 but up 12 percent from December 2019. Canola once refined oil production, at 139 million pounds during December 2020, was down 5 percent from November 2020 but up 33 percent from December 2019.

Cottonseed once refined oil production, at 42.0 million pounds during December 2020, was down 5 percent from November 2020 and down 19 percent from December 2019.

Edible tallow production was 73.2 million pounds during December 2020, down 11 percent from November 2020 and down 16 percent from December 2019. Inedible tallow production was 265 million pounds during December 2020, down 5 percent from November 2020 and down 17 percent from December 2019. Technical tallow production was 84.7 million pounds during December 2020, down 13 percent from November 2020 and down 19 percent from December 2019. Choice white grease production, at 111 million pounds during December 2020, decreased 5 percent from November 2020 and decreased 2 percent from December 2019.



Flour Milling Products Highlights

All wheat ground for flour during the fourth quarter 2020 was 231 million bushels, down 1 percent from the third quarter 2020 grind of 234 million bushels and down slightly from the fourth quarter 2019 grind of 232 million bushels. Fourth quarter 2020 total flour production was 107 million hundredweight, down 1 percent from the third quarter 2020 and down 1 percent from the fourth quarter 2019. Whole wheat flour production at 4.85 million hundredweight during the fourth quarter 2020 accounted for 5 percent of the total flour production. Millfeed production from wheat in the fourth quarter 2020 was 1.66 million tons. The daily 24-hour milling capacity of wheat flour during the fourth quarter 2020 was 1.58 million hundredweight.

Durum wheat ground for flour and semolina production during the fourth quarter of 2020 totaled 17.3 million bushels, down 1 percent from the third quarter 2020 and down 4 percent from the fourth quarter 2019. Fourth quarter 2020 durum flour and semolina production was 8.20 million hundredweight, down 1 percent from the third quarter 2020 and down 4 percent from the fourth quarter 2019. Whole wheat durum flour and semolina production was 147,000 hundredweight, up 10 percent from 134,000 hundredweight in the third quarter 2020 but down 8 percent from 160,000 hundredweight from the fourth quarter 2019. Fourth quarter durum wheat millfeed production was
116,884 tons and the daily 24-hour milling capacity for durum and semolina production was
131,730 hundredweight.

Rye ground for flour during the fourth quarter of 2020 was 474,000 bushels, up 5 percent from the third quarter 2020 and up 4 percent from the fourth quarter 2019. Rye flour production during the fourth quarter of 2020 was 216,000 hundredweight, compared to 210,000 hundredweight in the previous quarter and 214,000 hundredweight in the same quarter for the previous year. The daily 24-hour milling capacity for rye milling was 9,655 hundredweight for the fourth quarter 2020.



USDA Announces February 2021 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced loan interest rates for February 2021, which are effective February 1.

Operating and Ownership Loans
FSA offers farm ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for historically disadvantaged producers, including beginning, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers.

Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for February 2021 are as follows:
    Farm Operating Loans (Direct): 1.375%
    Farm Operating Loans (Microloan “Special Interest Rate”): 5.000%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct): 2.625%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct, Joint Financing): 2.500%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Down Payment): 1.500%
    Emergency Loan (Amount of Actual Loss): 2.375%

FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.

Commodity and Storage Facility Loans
FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment. FSA also offers commodity loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and administered by FSA.
    Commodity Loans (less than one year disbursed): 0.125%
Farm Storage Facility Loans:
        Three-year loan terms: 0.250%
        Five-year loan terms: 0.375%
        Seven-year loan terms: 0.750%
        Ten-year loan terms: 1.000%
        Twelve-year loan terms: 1.125%

Producers can explore available options on all FSA loan options at fsa.usda.gov or by contacting your local USDA Service Center.



USDA Dietary Guidelines Support Consumption of Soy Products

The Soy Nutrition Institute recently issued a summary statement about the latest USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, highlighting the inclusion of soy products in all three dietary patterns for healthy eating. The U.S.-style, vegetarian and Mediterranean-style dietary patterns recommend consumption of nutrient-dense foods and beverages throughout all stages of life. The guidelines define six core elements that make up a healthy dietary pattern — vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, protein foods and oils — and soy-based products are included in four of the six core elements: dairy, oils, vegetables, and protein foods.

“To have soybeans and soy-rich products included in something as important and influential as these guidelines is a significant step toward increasing overall demand for U.S. soybeans,” said Kevin Wilson, United Soybean Board farmer-leader from Indiana and Soy Nutrition Institute secretary/treasurer.

In the four core elements with inclusion of soy foods, soy-rich beverages and soy yogurt are the only plant-based milk alternatives in the dairy subgroup considered to be “dairy equivalent.” For oils, soybean and other vegetable oils provide essential fatty acids in a healthy dietary pattern, and the guidelines advise consuming these oils in place of oils higher in saturated fats. Because of their nutrient benefits, edamame and soybeans fall under the vegetables subgroup “beans, peas and lentils,” with that entire food subgroup counting toward a person’s recommended intake of vegetables or protein. To round off with protein foods, soy products including tofu and tempeh – and products made from soy flour, soy protein isolate, and soy concentrate – are included in the guidelines.

“This new guidance, based on an expanding body of evidence, demonstrates the versatility of soy due to its inclusion in most of the core element categories,” said Keenan McRoberts, Ph.D., vice president of science and program strategy for the United Soybean Board. “The recommendations provide data for soy checkoff use in strengthening U.S. soy’s important role in dietary nutrient supply.”

This report’s encouraging recommendation of soy in four of the six core food element groups offers an opportunity for the soy checkoff to continue to build momentum and partnerships in the food industry. Across the U.S., soybean farmers focus on being good stewards of natural resources and prioritize sustainable farming practices. To raise awareness 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 recently announced a pilot partnership for companies to use the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark on ingredients and products made with sustainably grown U.S. soy.

“Food companies have an opportunity to promote soy’s health benefits and to inform consumers about their options to meet the recommended guidelines through ingredients and products made with sustainably grown U.S. soy,” added McRoberts.

The USDA dietary guidelines are released every five years and provide science-based advice on food and drinks that promote health and prevent disease. They are used to develop the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.



Growth Energy Battles in Court to Reverse Demand Destruction

On Friday, January 29th, Growth Energy, along with others in the biofuels industry, filed an opening brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (Case No. 20-1046) challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) failure to properly establish 2020 biofuel blending targets under the Renewable Fuel Standard.  
 
In their brief, the parties seek to ensure that the annual biofuel targets, or Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs), account for small refinery exemptions (SREs) the agency issued for past years. EPA’s current regulations factor in only future SREs, while ignoring biofuel demand destroyed by past SREs granted retroactively, totaling more than four billion gallons in recent years.
 
“The Trump EPA’s 2020 biofuel targets failed to account for the billions of gallons of demand lost to the agency’s mismanagement of the Renewable Fuel Standard,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “Regulators took one step forward by recognizing the future impact of oil industry handouts, but they never attempted to repair the damage that continues to weigh down hopes for a swift rural recovery. As President Biden has said, EPA waivers ‘severely cut ethanol production, costing farmers income and ethanol plant workers their jobs.’ We couldn’t agree more, and we are going to fight to restore every gallon.”
 
Growth and others also challenge EPA’s abuse of its waiver authority for cellulosic biofuel targets. Under the 2020 RVOs, the agency set cellulosic targets that did not account for 50 million credits carried over from past years. As a result, cellulosic targets were set at a mere 590 million gallons.
 
“Farmers and biofuel producers are working hard to harness clean energy from agricultural residue and corn fiber,” Skor added. “These fuels are a powerful weapon in the battle against climate change. We cannot allow our nation’s investments in low-carbon energy to be derailed by regulatory abuse.”



Statement from Growth Energy, U.S. Grains Council, and the Renewable Fuels Association on U.S. Ethanol Appeal Outcome in Peru

The Peruvian National Institute for the Defense of Free Competition and the Protection of Intellectual Property (INDECOPI) Tribunal announced on January 29, 2021 that the U.S. ethanol industry and the U.S. government won an appeal on a countervailing duty case brought against U.S. ethanol in Peru, reversing a previous decision handed down by Peruvian authorities that applied a 15-cent per gallon duty on U.S. ethanol and resulted in loss of market access in the country.

Growth Energy, the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), and the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) participated extensively in this case, arguing at hearings in both the initial investigation and the appeal in Peru on behalf of the U.S. ethanol industry.  

The following is a joint statement on the decision from:  
Emily Skor, CEO, Growth Energy
Ryan LeGrand, President and CEO, U.S. Grains Council
Geoff Cooper, President and CEO, Renewable Fuels Association

“We appreciate the thoroughness of the Competition Tribunal’s analysis, and the careful review process followed in Peru. This is a welcome development for our U.S. ethanol producers and our valued customers in Peru. 

“We are pleased that Peruvian authorities reached the right result, and we look forward to continuing our close work with Peru to further enhance our mutually beneficial trade relationship development efforts, including urging them to increase their blend rate beyond 7.8 percent. Doing so would also help Peru to meet its Paris Agreement commitments and lead to opening more global trade of ethanol.

“The U.S. ethanol industry remains focused on expanding the global use of low-carbon ethanol, reducing barriers to trade, and elevating the energy discussion, and we favor continued collaboration and cooperation with Peru and other nations that share the vision of a free and open global ethanol market.”   



Cattle Inventory Lower
Matthew Diersen, Risk & Business Management Specialist, South Dakota State University

Friday was the Cattle report, which conveyed that inventory levels are slightly lower than a year ago. There were some revisions to prior estimates, but overall the levels were in line with trade expectations. The main takeaways were the stabilization of inventories, the smaller calf crop and fewer cattle outside of feedlots. The inventory levels have increased or consolidated in the plains states, stretching from North Dakota to Texas, with levels generally lower elsewhere.

The overall inventory on January 1, 2021 was 93.6 million head. For the beef sector, the number of beef cows was down slightly while the number of beef replacement heifers was up slightly. Thus, there is no clear expansion or contraction indication. In states with the largest beef cow numbers, inventory levels are up sharply in Texas and Oklahoma, and lower in Missouri. The continuing drought conditions in the western United States would just be starting to be reflected in these numbers. Cow slaughter would be a metric to follow in the months ahead, especially following calving this spring. For the dairy sector, the opposite is happening with more cows and fewer replacements. Cow inventory levels were steady in California and Wisconsin, the states with the largest dairy cow numbers.

The overall number of cattle on feed is up slightly from a year ago. The increase is consistent with the Cattle on Feed report that had January 1 levels up among large feedlots. The Cattle report gives the levels that includes small feedlots, those with fewer than 1,000 head. The total inventory is higher among both categories. Iowa has the largest inventory in smaller feedlots. Large feedlots there have an inventory level the same as last year, but the small lots have a lower inventory level.

Nationally, the dry conditions in the western United States may have resulted in the increase in placements. At the same time, the heifer mix in feedlots is lower than a year ago, a weak indicator of herd expansion. The number of cattle grazing wheat pastures is higher than last year, consistent with lower on-feed totals in Texas and Oklahoma. Kansas, in contrast, has a higher on-feed total.

Back in July, the 2020 calf crop was estimated at 35.8 million head. The current report had the calf crop sharply lower at 35.1 million head. The smaller supply of calves would be supportive of all classes of cattle prices moving forward. In the short run the higher placements level means a smaller supply of feeder cattle outside of feedlots. This should be supportive of feeder cattle prices for the first half of 2021. The dry conditions in the western United States may result in cattle moving east. Steady beef cow and replacement totals suggest a steady calf crop in 2021, which is also supportive of price in the second half of 2021.



North American Meat Institute Statement on House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis

The North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute) today released the following statement regarding the U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis’ request for documents from meat and poultry companies:

“Public health guidance has varied widely around the world and across the United States throughout the pandemic, but more than $1.5 billion in comprehensive protections instituted since the spring successfully cut average case rates for meat and poultry workers five times lower in December 2020 than they were in May, while infections rocketed up by nine times for the general population in the same period,” said Sarah Little, Vice President of Communications for the Meat Institute.

“The meat and poultry industry is focused on continuing these effective protections, reaffirmed by the Biden Administration, and ensuring frontline meat and poultry workers are vaccinated as soon as possible, as employers, unions, civil rights leaders, and governments around the world agree these workers should be among the first vaccinated after healthcare workers.”

Late last month, The Biden Administration announced worker safety guidance similar to the efforts already implemented by the meat and poultry industry since the beginning of the pandemic. For more detailed information on the industry response to the Coronavirus, and tracking of positive cases associated with the industry, go here.

The North American Meat Institute is the leading voice for the meat and poultry industry.  The Meat Institute’s members process the vast majority of U.S. beef, pork, lamb, and poultry, as well as manufacture the equipment and ingredients needed to produce the safest and highest quality meat and poultry products.



National Farm Machinery Show and Championship Tractor Pull Postpones Until 2022

National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) and Championship Tractor Pull announced scheduled events will be postponed until February 16-19, 2022. Despite initially planning to continue the shows this March, the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic has led show management to make the difficult decision to postpone events until next year.

“The health and safety of our guests, exhibitors and coworkers is our highest priority and unfortunately the best way to keep them safe is to postpone the show. Postponing the National Farm Machinery Show and Championship Tractor Pull was not made lightly, but in consultation with exhibitors, pullers, sponsors, and attendees who are a valuable part of our decision-making process” said President and CEO of Kentucky Venues David S. Beck.

The National Farm Machinery Show is held annually at the Kentucky Exposition Center and is the largest indoor farm show in the country consisting of 1.2 million square feet of sold-out exhibit space. The show is a key player in the global agriculture industry featuring the most comprehensive display of equipment, services, and technology.

Held in conjunction with the farm show, Championship Tractor Pull draws more than 70,000 fans in person and online from across the globe to watch five action-packed pulls over the course of four days. Sponsored by Syngenta, the event draws the nation’s top drivers as they compete for the title of grand champion and a prize pool of over $200,000.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2022 for the 56th National Farm Machinery Show and 53rd Championship Tractor Pull with a focus on the future of agribusiness. As we strive to produce the best experience for everyone, we will take the lessons of 2020 and 2021 to plan a comprehensive show with relevant seminars and educational content alongside the latest state-of-the-art farming equipment,” said Beck.

Exhibitors and Vendors Similar to previous years, space contracted for the prior show is reserved for the same exhibitor at the next show. Exhibitors’ 2020 floor space is reserved in 2022. If you have an interest in exhibiting at the 2022 show, applications will be available online in late-April.

Championship Tractor Pull Ticket Holders Priority ticket holders’ 2020 seats are reserved for 2022. If you purchased seats for 2021, your purchase will be refunded automatically. Please contact the ticket office at 502-367-5144 or email tickets@kyvenues.com if you want your purchase to be applied to 2022. General admission tickets go on sale in fall 2021.

For more information, visit farmmachineryshow.org and champpull.org/.



FMC Corporation Collaborates with Novozymes to Co-Develop Enzyme Solutions

FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC), a leading global agricultural sciences company, has entered into a strategic collaboration with Novozymes, the world leader in biological solutions, to research, co-develop and commercialize biological enzyme-based crop protection solutions for growers around the world.

     Collaboration between the two companies will concentrate on enzyme-based biocontrol technology for the global fungicide and insecticide markets under a multi-year global agreement. The partnership will focus on developing solutions for controlling key soybean fungal diseases such as Asian Soybean Rust (ASR), in addition to combination products with FMC’s leading diamide insecticide technology for controlling key insect pests. The companies will combine their respective R&D capabilities with FMC serving as commercial partner and Novozymes as the manufacturing partner. The partnership will leverage Novozymes’ technology to date, and FMC will help expedite and improve the success rate in identifying innovative biological crop protection products by assessing multiple classes of enzymes at the company's high throughput screening laboratory.

    “We look forward to partnering with Novozymes in bringing enzymatic technology to the crop protection market,” said Mark Douglas, FMC president and chief executive officer. “FMC is committed to delivering differentiated biological products that provide growers with science-backed solutions to help sustainably manage crops, protect yields and combat resistance. The use of enzymes in agriculture is an exciting new frontier for biologicals.”

     “We see FMC as a great partner with strong scientific and commercial capabilities – and, importantly, a clear commitment to biological solutions,” says Ester Baiget Arnau, Novozymes' president and chief executive officer. “Our partnership with FMC is part of our increased efforts to meet the need for sustainable pest control solutions for growers around the world. Together, we will develop innovative biological solutions for key market segments where FMC is an ideal commercial partner.”

     According to Novozymes and FMC, enzyme biocontrol technology is a new, differentiated tool to address significant challenges around pest management. As a stand-alone product or an integrated solution, enzymes can deliver high performance with the environmental benefits of a biological. The companies believe enzyme biocontrol technology can potentially support stand-alone products as well as play a critical role in providing comprehensive integrated pest management solutions for farmers.

     “Enzymes are a relatively untapped solution in the agricultural market,” said Dr. Bénédicte Flambard, global director of FMC Plant Health. “This unique technology will provide a high level of performance and stability that will complement synthetic chemistry. A lower cost of entry will enable use in the row crop markets where growers desire high-performing, sustainable solutions with new modes of action to combat hard-to-control diseases and pests. We are biased for new mode of action molecules, which can better control pests that are building resistance to existing products.”

     Since 2013, FMC has built a world-class biologicals business with more than 30 biological products in the market across more than 45 countries, 12 biofungicides, bioinsecticides and bionematicides in its R&D pipeline, and a dedicated biologicals research center in Denmark. The company's Accudo® biostimulant was recognized at the 2020 Crop Science Forum and Awards in the Best New Biological Product (Biostimulant) category. In 2019, Presence® and Quartzo® bionematicides received top honors in the Best New Biological Product (Biopesticide) category. FMC plans to launch four new biopesticides from its pipeline over the next four years and is actively assessing additional partnerships to develop and commercialize a diversity of new biological technologies.



AGCO Launches New Studies on Cover Crops for Carbon Management

AGCO, a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and solutions, is conducting agronomic research trials and field demonstrations in 2021 to help farmers successfully add soil carbon sequestration to their farming operations.

The rapidly evolving carbon credit market is a potential revenue channel for farmers in which they can also contribute to the solution for climate change alongside feeding the world’s growing population.

“Carbon sequestration’s revenue potential for farmers through carbon credits incentivizes adoption, investment, and innovation for the betterment of our climate,” said Louisa Parker-Smith, AGCO’s Global Sustainability Director. “With half of the earth’s vegetated land employed in agriculture and abundant soil carbon sequestration potential, it’s understandable that the Ag supply potential is over 30 times today’s total credit demand. However, we expect to see carbon-offset credit demand increase exponentially as surrounding markets mature and companies such as Apple and BP work towards self-imposed climate neutrality deadlines.”

“We are undertaking this research to help create a clear path for farmers to successfully harness the revenue potential and climate benefits of biologic carbon sequestration through cover cropping and other regenerative agriculture practices,” said Darren Goebel, AGCO’s Global Agronomy and Farm Solutions Director. “We are confident that these trials will demonstrate easy and cost-effective ways to add these practices into existing crop systems.”

AGCO’s Global Agronomy team is collaborating with the company’s global brands to drive research trials at the Martin Richenhagen Future Farm in Zambia, Africa, and the Swiss Future Farm in Tänikon, Switzerland, as well as several sites in the U.S. and Denmark. The studies focus on best practices for cover crop planting timing (before, during or after harvest), termination methods, species selection and tillage systems to maximize carbon stores.

Watch this video of AGCO Agronomist Jens Christian Jensen’s visit with Steffen Decker, a fourth-generation farmer at Stydinggaard near Styding, Denmark, to learn about his experience with cover cropping over the last 10 years:

The research trials are one component of AGCO’s new sustainability strategy, which includes a focus area on farm solutions for soil health and carbon capture.

“Our goal is to make regenerative agriculture attainable for farmers,” said Parker-Smith. “As part of our new strategy, we’re conducting these research trials to inform the development of new products to support soil health and carbon management. We’re committed to supporting farmers as part of the solution to the global challenge of climate change.”