AG Peterson Files Complaint Alleging Multiple Environmental Violations by AltEn, LLC.
Attorney General Doug Peterson filed a complaint in the District Court of Saunders County alleging multiple environmental violations by AltEn, LLC. AltEn is an ethanol plant located near Mead, Nebraska. The complaint alleges violations of the Nebraska Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), violations of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Act (ISWMA) and multiple violations of permit conditions and includes violations of an order from the Director of the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE).
The Attorney General was joined in a press conference by Governor Ricketts and Jim Macy, Director of NDEE to discuss the court filing and to answer questions regarding concerns surrounding the Mead plant.
AltEn was originally permitted to produce ethanol using field corn as its primary feedstock. However, AltEn was using discarded treated seed corn rather than normal field corn to produce its ethanol. The treated seed corn resulted in byproducts that were contaminated with pesticides, including contaminated distillers grains and contaminated wastewater. In 2019, the Department of Agriculture determined that the distiller’s grain contained pesticides, since then, AltEn has been prevented from land applying the distiller’s grain as a soil conditioner.
AltEn has three primary lagoons on its property to hold its contaminated wastewater. At this time, AltEn has significant stockpiles of contaminated distiller’s grain and is operating its lagoons at improperly high levels. NDEE has ordered AltEn to dispose of all of the contaminated distiller’s grain and address the contaminated wastewater, but AltEn has failed to adequately do so. AltEn has consistently missed deadlines and failed to complete actions required by NDEE to fix the environmental problems at the facility. The stockpiles of distiller’s grains and the poorly maintained lagoons present an ongoing threat to the environment.
The Complaint seeks:
Proper disposal of the contaminated byproducts (distillers grains and wastewater)
Compliance with State statutes, their permit conditions and the order of the Director
Civil Penalties (NEPA authorizes $10,000 per day per violation, subject to the court’s discretion)
Ricketts Designates March 20th as “Meat on the Menu Day”
Friday, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that he had designated March 20th as “Meat on the Menu Day” in Nebraska. On this day, Nebraskans are encouraged to purchase and eat beef, pork, chicken, lamb, or another kind of meat.
“Agriculture is Nebraska’s number one industry and beef is our largest segment of production,” said Governor Ricketts. “While meat is one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat, there are radical anti-agriculture activists that are working to end meat production and our way of life here in Nebraska. I have designated March 20th as ‘Meat on the Menu Day’ to highlight the importance of meat in a good diet as well as to provide an opportunity to support our farmers and ranchers.”
Recently, Colorado Governor Jared Polis designated March 20th as “MeatOUT Day,” encouraging people to adopt a vegan diet. The day is a part of a national “MeatOUT” campaign aimed at ending animal agriculture production. Governor Ricketts has designated the same day as “Meat on the Menu Day” to highlight the importance of meat to a healthy diet.
Fischer, Wyden Introduce Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021
U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today introduced the bipartisan Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021. The legislation would restore transparency and accountability in the cattle market by establishing regional cash minimums and equipping producers with more market information.
“I am reintroducing this bill with bipartisan support. It will help facilitate price discovery and provide cattle producers with the information they need to make informed marketing decisions. I am committed to working across the aisle to advance the bill forward this Congress,” said Senator Fischer.
“Cattle ranchers and rural economies have been hit especially hard during the COVID-19 public health crisis. And that economic fallout gets compounded for Oregon producers who face both a lack of processing facilities and opaque cattle markets that add up to a serious disadvantage. This detailed and common-sense bipartisan bill would provide our state’s rural producers the transparency and accountability they need to negotiate fair prices, stay in business and continue generating jobs throughout Oregon,” said Senator Wyden.
More information:
Senator Fischer first introduced the Cattle Market Transparency Act in 2020. Today, she and Senator Wyden are reintroducing this legislation, which will:
1. Establish regional mandatory minimum thresholds of negotiated cash and negotiated grid trades to enable price discovery in cattle marketing regions. It will require the Secretary of Agriculture in consultation with the Chief Economist, to establish regionally sufficient levels of negotiated cash and negotiated grid trade, seek public comment on those levels, then implement.
2. Require USDA to create and maintain a publicly available library of marketing contracts between packers and producers in a manner that ensures confidentiality.
Mandate that a packer report to USDA the number of cattle scheduled to be delivered for slaughter each day for the next 14 days and require USDA to report this information on a daily basis.
4. Prohibit the USDA from using confidentiality as a justification for not reporting and makes clear that USDA must report all LMR information, and they must do so in a manner that ensures confidentiality.
Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) is introducing companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Support for the Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021:
“Cattle market transparency and fed cattle market price discovery have been headline issues for Nebraska Cattlemen members over the majority of the past decade. Items in Senator Fischer’s bill, such as the cattle contract library and clarification of USDA-LMR confidentiality guidelines to avoid non-reporting of USDA-LMR collected data will aid in increasing cattle market transparency for all producers. Additionally, directing USDA-AMS to establish regionally negotiated cash, plus negotiated grid marketing volume minimum thresholds will enhance price discovery for the betterment of all cattle producers. We sincerely thank Senator Fisher for her work on this vitally important issue for Nebraska Cattlemen members,” said William H. Rhea III, President of Nebraska Cattlemen.
"As a Nebraska cattle producer, I echo the same sentiments expressed by Senator Fischer on the impacts to our livelihood of increased packer competition, decreased competition, and a declining cash market. This bill builds off the recommendations provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its Boxed Beef and Fed Cattle Price Spread Investigation Report and discussions producers across the U.S. are having in response to historically low cattle prices and a dysfunctional marketplace. Senator Fischer and her team condensed years’ worth of industry discussion into an economically solid and proven piece of legislation that will put us on the path to a more competitive business landscape,” said Lee Reichmuth, U.S. Cattlemen’s Association Region VII (Nebraska & Iowa) Board Member.
“On behalf of Nebraska Farm Bureau and our farm and ranch members, I want to thank Senator Fischer for her dedication and commitment to Nebraska beef producers. Transparency in cattle markets has been and continues to be an issue of great concern to many of our members. Market transparency has been the overarching goal of all of our policy discussions on this topic for years. We’re excited that Sen. Fischer’s Market Transparency Act of 2021 again offers needed reforms and looks to bring transparency back to the cattle marketplace. We look forward to working with Sen. Fischer on this important legislation to enact change in cattle markets that will lead to positive outcomes for our state’s beef producers,” said Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau President.
Iowa Cattlemen Respond to Introduction of Cattle Transparency Act
Earlier this week, Sens. Fischer (R-NE) and Wyden (D-OR) introduced the Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021. This bill attempts to restore transparency and improve price discovery in the fed cattle market by establishing regional mandatory minimum levels of cash trade and providing more market information to producers.
With thoughtful consideration, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association cannot support the Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021 in its current state. We affirm proactive provisions, such as the creation of a contract library, reports on the number of cattle scheduled for delivery, and the requirement that USDA report all information mandated by Livestock Mandatory Reporting. However, we disagree with the concept of using a three-year average of negotiated and negotiated grid purchases to determine a required baseline.
Initiating a regional minimum mandate using a three-year average would prevent further erosion of price discovery and transparency, but would not address the imbalance of cash trade across the entire beef belt. Producers in the Iowa/Minnesota and Nebraska reporting regions already provide ample price discovery by trading more than 60-percent and 41-percent, respectively, using negotiated means when marketing fed cattle inventory.
The desire of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is to continue working alongside legislators and stakeholders in the development of an optimal and appropriate solution for the cattle industry. Our criticism of the initial requirement based on a three-year average does not negate the value of the aforementioned provisions in this legislation. However, we firmly believe the responsibility for robust price discovery should be shared by all participants in the fed cattle market.
Smith and Biofuels Caucus Co-Chairs Announce Two New Bills to Grow Biofuels Markets
Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE), along with the co-chairs of the House Biofuels Caucus, introduced the Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act and the Adopt GREET Act today. These two new pieces of legislation would increase access to biofuels for consumers and require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fully recognize their environmental benefits.
“As the second-largest ethanol producing state, Nebraska is already a leader in providing America and the world with clean, renewable fuel,” said Rep. Smith. “Ensuring EPA’s models accurately reflect ethanol’s environmental benefits and improving access to this fuel at the pump will help even more consumers choose this American energy source.”
Background on Legislation:
The Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act would authorize $500 million over 5 years for infrastructure grants for fuel retailers and direct the EPA Administrator to finalize a proposed rule to repeal E15 labeling requirements warning drivers about E15’s potential impact on cars, which may confuse and deter drivers from using E15, a blend of gasoline with 15 percent ethanol. The bill would also direct the EPA Administrator to finalize provisions from the same proposed rule to allow certain existing Underground Storage Tanks (UST) to store higher blends of ethanol.
The Adopt GREET Act would require the EPA to update its greenhouse gas modeling for ethanol and biodiesel by requiring the EPA to adopt the Argonne National Lab’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) Model for both fuels. EPA would then be required to update its modeling every five years or report to Congress to affirm its modeling is current or otherwise explain why no updates were made.
Nebraska Soybean Board seeks soybean farmers interested in United Soybean Board nomination
The Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) is looking for soybean farmers interested in filling one of Nebraska’s four director positions with the United Soybean Board (USB), for a three-year term.
USB is made up of 78 volunteer farmer-leaders who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. Checkoff funds are invested in the areas of meal, oil and sustainability, focusing on programs and partnerships that drive demand and preference for U.S. soy. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff.
Any farmer interested in applying needs to meet the following criteria:
1. Be involved in a farming operation that grows soybeans
2. Be a resident of Nebraska
3. Be at least 21 years of age
To be considered for the national leadership position, interested farmers need to submit a USDA Background Information Form before the March 17, 2021, deadline. To obtain this form, contact Scott Ritzman at the Nebraska Soybean Board office at 402-432-5720.
The Nebraska Soybean Board members will submit a “first preferred choice nominee” and “second preferred choice alternate” for the open positions to USDA for consideration. The Secretary of Agriculture will make the final appointments. The USDA has a policy that membership on USDA boards and committees is open to all individuals without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation and martial or family status. The chosen individual appointed is eligible to serve a total of three consecutive terms.
For more information about the United Soybean Board, visit www.unitedsoybean.org.
LENRD elects officers, prepares for groundwater management area hearing/open house
During their February meeting, the LENRD board continued to discuss the proposed Phase 2 Groundwater Management Area in Cuming, Colfax, and Dodge Counties, due to the rising levels of nitrates.
Nitrate is found naturally in the environment; however, evidence shows that excess nitrate comes primarily from the use of commercial fertilizers (both organic and manufactured). Nitrate dissolves readily in water and can easily transport beyond the root zone if unused by a growing crop to contaminate groundwater.
LENRD General Manager, Mike Sousek, said, “If you have ideas to help us slow down this train, please give us a call. This is about protecting our health and the health of our children and grandchildren. This is your water. The water that you drink. We are here to help you protect it.”
He added, “By working together at the local level, we can make changes today to protect the resources for tomorrow. It’s a matter of keeping our local control and moving in a direction that benefits everyone involved. No one wants the state or federal government to start making these local decisions for us.”
An Open House Public Hearing will be held on Thursday, March 25th in West Point at the Nielsen Center. This hearing will give the public a chance to stop by from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. to learn more about the rising nitrate levels in the tri-county area. Groundwater users are encouraged to attend this public hearing to share their ideas about the proposed regulations for the Phase 2 Area and get their questions answered by the LENRD board and staff.
In other action the board instructed staff to advertise the construction bid documents for the Phase 1 – Willow Creek Dam Pore Pressure Mitigation Project, and to hold the bid opening on March 22nd.
The board also made a motion to advertise the request for proposals to develop a Floodplain Management Plan for the Willow Creek Dam, which is a requirement of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s grant process.
The board authorized the general manager to sign a Cooperative Agreement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to renew the long-standing commitment between the LENRD and NRCS to protect and conserve our natural resources.
The board ended their February meeting with the election of officers. The officers for 2021 are: Chairman – Mark Hall, Norfolk; Vice-Chairman – Roger Gustafson, Emerson; Secretary – Jerry Allemann, Wayne; Treasurer – Dennis Schultz, Wisner; Nebraska Association of Resources Districts (NARD) Delegate – Joel Hansen, Wayne; and NARD Alternate – Scott McHenry, Norfolk.
Their next board meeting will be held Thursday, March 25th in West Point at the Nielsen Center. The meeting will he held immediately following the Open House Public Hearing on the proposed groundwater regulations. More information and maps of the Phase 2 Area can be found on the LENRD’s website or by contacting the LENRD office in Norfolk – http://www.lenrd.org/groundwater-management.
Nebraska farmer to chair U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action
U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action (USFRA) is pleased to announce a new chair and three new members of its Board of Directors, all of whom are women.
The USFRA Board is now chaired by Anne Meis from the Nebraska Soybean Board. New Board members include Julie Fussner from Culver’s Franchising System, LLC, who was also appointed to USFRA’s Executive Committee; Janie Simms Hipp from the Native American Agriculture Fund; and Hope Bentley from McDonald’s.
U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action (USFRA), formerly the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, represents farmer- and rancher-led organizations as well as other leaders throughout the agriculture sector with a shared vision of co-creating sustainable food systems and a belief that bold action is needed. We connect farmers and ranchers with the best minds in food, agriculture, science, finance and technology to support our sector in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, and in the process, contributing to increased social and economic stability.
• Meis grew up on a multi-generational hog farm and is a ten-year 4-H leader. In addition to her USFRA role, she serves on the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Soybean Board. She and her husband Jim run a family farm operation in Elgin, Nebraska, growing corn, soybeans, alfalfa and raising cattle.
• Fussner is vice president of marketing for Culver Franchising System, LLC (CFS), where she oversees brand strategy, creative execution, media optimization, menu strategy and company events. She has spent the vast majority of the past 20 years working in food consumer packaged goods. She most notably spent 10 driving growth for Oscar Mayer products while at Kraft Foods.
• Simms Hipp, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, is CEO of the Native American Agriculture Fund. Previously, she was the founding director of the Indigenous Food and Agriculture Initiative at the University of Arkansas and served as national program leader for Farm Financial Management, Trade Adjustment Assistance, Risk Management Education, and the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development programs at the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture. She has been a senior advisor for tribal relations to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack as well as director of the Office of Tribal Relations.
• Bentley leads the Strategic Sourcing function responsible for the McDonald’s Core Food menu across all 14,000 restaurants in the United States. She joined McDonald’s in 2007 and has held roles in food sourcing, supply chain services and new product development. Prior to McDonald's her twenty plus year career has included roles in Operations, Supply Chain and Marketing Operations with Rockwell International, W. W. Grainger and ULTA. She is also Board member of the Chicago Urban League.
USFRA’s Board of Directors will oversee the next steps of the organization’s Decade of Ag vision for a resilient, restorative, economically viable and climate-smart agricultural system that produces abundant and nutritious food, natural fiber and clean energy for a sustainable, vibrant and prosperous America.
“I want to lead USFRA because it is critical that the farmer voice is part of the discussion of growing food in the 21st century,” Meis said. “My greatest hope is that there begins to be an increased trust in farmers and modern farming. A trust that farmers are true stewards of the land, water and resources and care about our environment.”
USFRA’s current Executive Committee is as follows, with the treasurer position currently open. USFRA’s staff is grateful for the service, counsel and company of Blair Van Zetten from American Egg Board, who served as treasurer from 2018 until he recently passed away.
USFRA Chairwoman, Anne Meis, Nebraska Soybean Board Member
USFRA Vice Chairman, Scott VanderWal, American Farm Bureau Federation Vice President
USFRA Secretary, Marilyn Hershey, Dairy Management, Inc. Chairwoman
USFRA At Large-Premier, Doug Berven, Poet Vice President of Corporate Affairs
USFRA At Large, Julie Fussner, Culver Franchising Systems LLC, Vice President of Marketing
USFRA Immediate Past Chair, Chip Bowling, National Corn Growers Association Past Chair
Board of Directors:
Hope Bentley, Senior Director of Strategic Sourcing, McDonald’s
Nate Clark, Director Strategic Business Communications, John Deere
Janie Hipp, Executive Director, Native American Agriculture Fund
Andy Knepp, Vice President, Environmental Strategy & Industry Activation, Bayer
Sally Rockey, Executive Director, Foundation for Future Agriculture
Lynn Rohrscheib, Member, United Soybean Board
Brody Stapel, President, Edge Dairy Farmers Cooperative
Open, Nutrien
Open, American Egg Board
Nebraska Sales Tax and Agricultural Exemptions
Webinar: Thursday, March 11 at noon CST
The webinar is a refresher for those new to or wising to brush up on ag exemptions from state sales tax. It will cover the regulations set forth in 2014 legislation, many providing perspective from the side of the consumer farmer/rancher. Agricultural exemptions, auctions and occasional sales will be covered.
This is the third in a monthly series of webinars geared toward helping agricultural producers better understand their finances. Details at farm.unl.edu/webinars.
2021 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Survey - Preliminary Results Overview
Thursday, March 18, noon
Jim Jansen, Agricultural Systems Economist, Nebraska Extension
The Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights 2020-21 report represents the 43rd edition to the annual series. These reports provide an important insight on agricultural land market dynamics for stakeholders across Nebraska. In today’s market, where market transactions exceeding $1 million dollars are the norm, objective market information and analysis is more critical than ever. The focus of the report continues to be on providing unbiased information for agricultural land values and rental rates so industry participants can make educated and informed decisions.
This webinar will present the preliminary results from this year’s real estate survey of expert panel members from across the state. The full report will be released in June 2021. Register for the webinar at farm.unl.edu/webinars.
AGP CEO KEITH SPACKLER TO RETIRE
Ag Processing Inc a cooperative (“AGP” or the “Company”) today announced that J. Keith Spackler, Chief Executive Officer, has informed the Board of Directors of his intention to retire after conclusion of the current fiscal year on August 31, 2021. Spackler will continue in his role as CEO until a successor is named and the transition in leadership is complete.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors and everyone at AGP, I want to thank Keith for his leadership, dedication, and commitment during his 36 years of service to the Company,” said Lowell Wilson, Chairman of the AGP Board of Directors. “Throughout his tenure, Keith advanced a work environment and business culture that allowed AGP to generate outstanding financial and operational results, and a strong strategic position. In doing so, the Company successfully achieved its mission to add value for its cooperative members and their producer-owners.”
“Working with so many exceptional people in achieving success at AGP has been a tremendous honor and privilege,” said Spackler. “The dedication and effectiveness of the AGP Board, management, and employee teams allow us to consistently add value and returns for our cooperative owners. We have great confidence in the strength of our overall team and the continued ability of AGP to capitalize on future opportunities. I am fortunate and proud to be a part of the cooperative system dedicated to serving agriculture.”
During Spackler’s leadership tenure, AGP achieved substantial growth in volumes and profitability, focusing on its core businesses. Over the past nine years, the Company made extensive investments to expand capacity and improve efficiencies at each of its ten soybean processing plants, four refineries, three biodiesel plants, and export operations. Highlights include a doubling of capacity at its Hastings, Nebraska processing facility, addition of a new processing plant in Aberdeen, South Dakota, completion of a new refinery and doubling of its biodiesel plant at Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, as well as reinvesting at all facilities. At the same time, AGP substantially increased earnings and cash returns to its cooperative owners, while maintaining an extremely strong financial position.
Spackler’s career spans over 40 years in agribusiness. After working in commodities and economic analysis, he joined AGP in May 1985. With responsibilities in business analysis, strategic planning, and finance, Spackler was promoted to roles of expanded responsibility throughout his career. He served from 2001-2012 as AGP’s Chief Financial Officer and was named Chief Executive Officer in September 2012. He remains active at the board level with various cooperative-related associations.
In connection with Spackler’s upcoming retirement, the AGP Board has initiated a process to identify the Company’s next CEO.
2021 Nebraska dairy ambassadors selected
The Nebraska Dairy Ambassador program has appointed four new student ambassadors and one returning ambassador for 2021. This year’s group of ambassadors include:
Abigail Langdon, a second-year dairy ambassador from Clarkson, Neb., is a sophomore agribusiness major with a banking and finance option at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Whitney Hochstein, a Wynot, Neb. native, is a freshman graphic design and entrepreneurship major with a minor in foods and nutrition at Wayne State College
Faith Junck from Carroll, Neb., is a freshman agricultural and environmental science communications major at UNL
Claudia Leubner, a Marietta, N.Y. native, is a freshman agribusiness major at UNL
Jordan Wilbur, a Kenesaw, Neb. native, is a senior agriculture education with a leadership option major at UNL
Each year, up to six ambassadors with an interest in dairy production are selected to improve their leadership and communication skills while advocating for the dairy industry. Ambassadors engage in conversations with consumers, school-age children and their peers at agriculture literacy festivals, farmers markets, Moo at the Zoo and via social media. At the end of their ambassador program, each ambassador has the opportunity to earn up to a $1,000 scholarship provided by Midwest Dairy.
While serving as an ambassador, students have the opportunity to network with their peers and dairy industry partners, visit dairy farms, and tour agribusinesses in Nebraska.
“We have a great group of ambassadors this year. They have the drive, ambition and leadership to positively impact the dairy industry while developing a number of skills,” said Kim Clark, Nebraska Extension dairy educator.
The Nebraska Dairy Ambassador program began in 2016 at UNL with four ambassadors. Since its inception, 27 Nebraska college students have completed the yearlong program, which is open to any college student in Nebraska. In 2018, this program began partnering with Midwest Dairy. This program is now offered in a number of Midwestern states including South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Illinois.
For more information on the Nebraska Dairy Ambassador program, visit midwestdairy.com.
No Bull, Examine Your Sires’ Breeding Soundness
Connor Biehler, Beef Systems Asst. Extension Educator
Profitability of cow-calf operations begins with high conception rates. Modern technologies such as artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization increase pregnancy rates when administered correctly. However, many commercial producers still utilize herd or clean-up bulls. This means conception rates are dependent on the bull as much as the cow. Emphasizing the importance of making sure sires productively increase early season conception rates. Higher percentages of calves conceived in the early portion of breeding season produces greater pounds at weaning, generating greater income when the calf crop is marketed. The best way to test a bull’s productivity is through Breeding Soundness Exams (BSE).
BSE should be conducted by your veterinarian 60-75 days prior to bull turn-out. Conducting the test during this period allows ample time to replace unsound bulls or retest any questionable bulls prior to breeding. A BSE is a snapshot in time and liable to change. After a long, cold winter, like the one experienced throughout the Midwest this past year, bulls might have experienced damage to their external sex organs and should be tested even if they were tested in the fall.
A BSE begins with a physical examination to determine soundness of feet and legs, examining external and accessory sex organs, and evaluating the motility (movement) and morphology (shape) of sperm cells under a microscope. The objective is to identify problematic bulls that fail to meet the minimum standard. Generally, 75% of bulls tested meet requirements. This procedure does not evaluate a bull’s breeding behavior. Instead, BSE informs producers he is biologically equipped to cover cows and does not examine sexual behavioral traits such as libido, mating ability, and social adaptability with other bulls in mating environment. These behaviors should be observed during breeding season.
When testing, make sure to allocate proper time. BSE are time-consuming and rushing this process increases frustration and margin of error. Make sure slide examination of semen can be conducted indoors. Otherwise, cold weather may damage sperm motility and morphology. Testing for infectious diseases such as trichomoniasis is not routinely included in BSE. Visit with your local vet to see if testing for diseases is recommended.
For more information on Nebraska Beef Extension reach me at my office (402)624-8007 or follow my twitter page @BigRedBeefTalk for more information on Nebraska Beef Extension.
USDA GATHERS CASH RENTS DATA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is conducting the Cash Rents and Leases survey. The survey provides the basis for estimates of the current year’s cash rents paid for irrigated cropland, non-irrigated cropland, and permanent pasture. Survey recipients are encouraged to complete their Cash Rents and Leases survey by June 21. This survey can be completed and returned by mail, over the phone, or at agcounts.usda.gov.
“Survey responses from as many farm operations as possible help calculate more accurate rental rates. Completion of this survey ensures cash rental rates accurately represent your locality,” said NASS’ Northern Plains Regional Director Nicholas Streff. “Results from the Cash Rents and Leases survey will serve as a valuable decision-making tool for farmers, ranchers and landowners and can be used for future rental agreement negotiations.” Information from this survey is also used in the Farm Service Agency (FSA) Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) as an alternative soil rental rate prior to finalizing new rates each year.
In accordance with federal law, survey responses are kept confidential. Survey results will be available in aggregate form only to ensure that no individual producer or operation can be identified. NASS will publish the survey results on August 27 at quickstats.nass.usda.gov/. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northern Plains Regional Field Office at 800-582-6443 or visit: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Cash_Rents_by_County/index.php.
Luck to serve as associate director of Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center
Dr. Joe Luck, associate professor of biological systems engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has been tapped to serve as the associate director at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center (ENREEC) near Mead.
Luck, whose new position took affect March 1, joined UNL’s Department of Biological Systems Engineering at UNL in April of 2012. In addition to his new half-time role with ENREEC, he currently serves as associate professor and extension specialist for precision agriculture. His responsibilities include developing extension and research programs regarding the application of precision agriculture technologies in crop production, and formerly taught a course on precision agriculture.
Luck’s current research and extension efforts are focused on demonstrating agricultural data management strategies and technology applications for improving crop production efficiency. He works closely with interdisciplinary teams to evaluate technologies including crop canopy sensors for nitrogen application, advanced pesticide application systems, and other field application systems.
“I am excited to have Dr. Luck join the ENREEC team in this new capacity and look forward to continuing to expand our efforts in research, extension and education at the center, including those in precision agriculture,” said ENREEC Director Doug Zalesky.
In 2020, Luck received the Pierre C. Robert Precision Agriculture Award for Young Scientists from the International Society of Precision Agriculture (ISPA). He received his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Kentucky. He was raised on a family farm in western Kentucky that produced corn and soybeans and also included a small cattle operation.
ENREEC is 9,663-acre research and education facility of the Agricultural Research Division of UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. About half of the land base is in row crops, and 50% of those row crops are irrigated. The other half of the site is predominately in cool and warm season pastures. Over 6,000 domestic farm animals used for research and teaching reside onsite as well. The scope and diversity of ongoing research projects at this location make the site one of the most unique research facilities in the United States.
CHS Foundation grant allows Northeast to continue to take agriculture education on the road
Northeast Community College’s work of taking one of its agriculture programs on the road has received a financial boost that will allow for continued partnerships with a number of entities, including area high schools.
One aspect of the College’s Precision Agriculture program features a mobile learning simulator that is equipped with multiple hands-on mobile training modules to train current and future producers. The Precision Agriculture Learning (PAL) simulator is housed in a customized trailer that is taken to educational trainings and events across the College’s 20-county service area.
Dr. Tracy Kruse, vice president of development and external affairs and executive director of the Northeast Foundation, said the CHS Foundation, funded by charitable gifts from CHS, Inc., the nation’s leading farmer-owned cooperative, has awarded the College a three-year, $250,000 grant that will allow the purchase of additional curriculum and equipment that will provide more hands-on learning opportunities for producers and high school students across Northeast’s 20-county service area.
“The CHS Foundation understands the need for more highly trained members of the workforce in regard to precision agriculture,” Kruse said. “The foundation sees targeting students at the high school level as a critical way to build interest in a vocation that will address a huge demand in our region that can lead to well-paying careers in the industry.”
Students in Northeast’s Precision Agriculture program develop technical skills and learn to interpret, analyze, and utilize data gathered from precision agriculture technologies to improve production. Graduates are skilled to work as technicians and producers in a rapidly changing industry that is focused on maximizing yield potential through resource efficient practices.
Northeast began utilizing the PAL simulator program in 2017 after receiving a $785,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that led to the development of first-level materials for use in high schools to provide hands-on learning experiences within the simulator.
Currently, the simulator includes a two-row precision planter that can change between hybrids or varieties with ease, a sprayer that can apply variable rate applications, and a meter test stand to show the importance of equipment calibration and maintenance. There are also soil moisture probes, which can help determine the amount of water required and the timing of its application for irrigators. The probes allow for financial and resources savings while reducing leaching of chemicals due to over-application.
College instructors also provide real-world examples using data archives gathered from Northeast Community College farm operations to show the relationships between annual environmental impacts, field characteristics and the results from the management decisions that are made based on those pieces of data. Students can see data in action similar to what they may experience it in their own operations.
Northeast Precision Agriculture Trainer Lonny Mitchell said the CHS Foundation grant will assist in preparing a future Precision Agriculture workforce through additional training tools, such as allowing students to practice installing equipment without the need of a full-scale combine.
“The primary thing this grant supports is building curriculum and providing training for high school ag teachers to bring precision ag education into their classrooms,”’ Mitchell said. “Until four years ago, this was extremely difficult, because there were no materials for teachers to use and they were not trained to develop that curriculum.”
Kylie Penke, agriculture and FFA instructor at Oakland-Craig High School, called the PAL simulator “icing on the cake” in enabling easy access to precision agriculture concepts, examples and experiences for her students. She said seeing sensors, meters and monitors at work in real time is invaluable to her students.
“All of the information shared in class starts to fall into place when the students see the monitor simultaneously keeping track of seed spacing, skips and doubles, and how those factors can dramatically affect gross income,” Penke said. “One quickly understands how granular data and applying inputs accordingly is much more profitable and more environmentally friendly than whole-farm management practices.”
She said the PAL simulator experience, especially over the past year, has been invaluable to her pupils.
“In a time where students are constantly missing activities throughout the year, I really appreciate when I can offer something as unique as the Precision Ag trailer-experience to all of my students, within the confines of one class period, without ever leaving school property!”
This is not the first time Northeast and the CHS Foundation have collaborated. The CHS Foundation contributed $50,000 to the Nexus campaign for construction of new agriculture facilities on the Acklie Family College Farm in Norfolk. In 2019, the College was named one of the foundation’s University Partners and now receives eight, $1,000 scholarships and a $2,000 mini-grant each year to support professional development opportunities provided through college clubs or organizations focused on agriculture.
In addition, the CHS Foundation provided $5,000 in student emergency funds to Northeast when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the College to close its campuses and hold all classes remotely. The funding supported students studying agriculture, providing them with essential resources to continue their education and assist with loss of income, financial support or stability, or lack of resources to effectively engage in studies remotely.
“The CHS Foundation is proud to build on our relationship with Northeast Community College,” said Nanci Lilja, president, CHS Foundation. “We’re excited to support the PAL simulator, so that more high school students can experience hands-on learning in precision agriculture.”
Mitchell said with the NSF grant concluding in mid-2021, the College is grateful to the CHS Foundation for seeing the value of its work with area high schools in precision agriculture.
“Because we were able to be in on the ground floor of partnering with our high school educators, this work has become known in states as far away as Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Educators from these states have made requests for information about the work we do and how to duplicate these efforts. It demonstrates how innovative and dynamic this program really is.”
To learn more about the CHS Foundation, visit chsfoundation.org.
DECIPHERING A HAY TEST: MINERALS
– Ben Beckman, NE Extension Educator
While typically lower on the lab results, the mineral makeup of forages is no less important than the protein and energy portions we discussed previously. Mineral supplementation can be a big expense in operations, so knowing how to utilize the information in a hay analysis is important.
Mineral demand in animals is highly dependent on your location and feed resources. Forage analysis can help identify possible mineral imbalances in your operation and form the basis for developing a solid mineral program. However, we need to be aware of a few things first.
When dealing with forages, just because a certain amount of mineral is listed in the analysis doesn’t mean it will be 100% available to the animal. Because mineral availability is depended on a number of factors from the feed to animal digestion, only a percent of reported minerals are actually absorbed into the blood steam. Typically P, K, Mn, and Fe are higher in bioavailability, Ca, Zn, and Cu in the middle, and Mg absorption is considerably lower. To further complicate things, some minerals are able to be accumulated or stored up in cattle at times when they are in excess and then used as a reserve when diets are deficient.
Using the values provided along with animal intake, an estimate of mineral consumption for each element can be calculated and used when planning a mineral program to ensure animal needs are met without going over and unnecessarily increasing expense. Figuring the right mineral balance for your heard can be a complicated process, so getting help from an expert if needed is always recommended. Those looking for a publication to read might find EC288-Minerals and Vitamins for Beef Cows is a great resource.
DECIPHERING A HAY TEST: RFV and RFQ
– Brad Schick, NE Extension Educator
Two weeks ago, we looked at Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) or energy and understanding how it is important for the health and nutrition of livestock. TDN is used to calculate forage energy availability to meet animal needs. Today we will look at Relative Feed Value or RFV and Relative Forage Quality or RFQ.
Both RFV and RFQ take into consideration intake, the energy content of the feed, and the use of a standard.
ADF and NDF have been used to measure fiber and ultimately energy of hay. Labs combine them in to come up with the estimate or relative feed value or RFV. RFV has a downfall because it assumes all fiber digestibility is the same and we all know that’s just not the case. The RFV of grasses is often incorrectly valued because they have a lot of fiber compared to legumes but is more digestible than legumes.
RFQ is a newer, more accurate fiber digestibility lab technique. It also uses ADF and NDF to calculate values, but uses a simulated digestion using rumen fluid to predict forage intake and digestibility. RFQ is more accurate than RFV because it uses actual digestion values. It is a better indicator for grass hay than RFV.
Understanding which measurement of energy to use in an operation is important to calculate livestock needs which changes drastically with different stages of production. Being able to decipher RFQ and RFV will help in the purchasing or marketing grass and alfalfa hay.
NDA REDESIGNS WEBSITE, ADDS NEW FEATURES
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) recently redesigned its website (nda.nebraska.gov) by adding new features and re-organizing content to help visitors more easily find the information they need. NDA’s website now has a records request portal and a searchable inspection report database that will continue to be added to in the future. The website is more mobile friendly, too, to better serve Nebraskans on the go.
“The goal of NDA’s website has always been to provide useful information and resources to support the needs of the agricultural community and the public,” said NDA Director Steve Wellman. “NDA long supports Governor Ricketts’s mission of improving customer service in state government. These new website features will help people find what they are looking for quickly and easily, and NDA will continue to look for ways to be more effective, more efficient and more customer focused to better serve Nebraskans.”
Ibach joins UNL as IANR undersecretary-in-residence
Former U.S. Department of Agricultural Undersecretary Greg Ibach has joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources as the institute’s inaugural undersecretary-in-residence.
In his new role with IANR, Ibach will help advance the institute in areas including agricultural biotechnology policy, agricultural-biosecurity, workforce training and the partnership between the National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research Education (NIAMRRE) and APHIS, among other areas. He may also engage UNL learners interested in public service, the importance of public and private partnerships, and science-informed policy.
“Greg is uniquely positioned to help advance IANR’s strategy and bring real-time experiences to our students,” said Mike Boehm, Harlan Vice Chancellor for IANR and NU vice president for agriculture and natural resources. “He brings to this role an incredible wealth of knowledge of all aspects of ag policy, and I’m excited for the tremendous learning opportunity his new position presents for our faculty, staff and students.”
A farmer and rancher from Sumner, Ibach spent the past three years at the undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs for the USDA. In this role, he was responsible for facilitating marketing of U.S. agricultural products and ensuring the health and care of animals and plants. He oversaw the Agricultural Marketing Service Agency, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Division, and several programs that were part of the Farm Service Agency. Ibach is a former director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, a role he held for 12 years, making him the longest-serving director in the organization’s history. He is a graduate of UNL’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
“I’m looking forward to working with the university to help promote programs that will benefit not only Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers, but all of Nebraska,” Ibach said. “The benefit our land-grant university brings to Nebraska’s agricultural economy is tremendous, and I look forward working with UNL to help grow Nebraska.”
The half-time role took effect Feb. 1.
UNL to host Inaugural Nebraska Hemp Conference
In a collaborative effort, Nebraska’s agricultural growers and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers are hosting a virtual conference on March 25th and 26th to focus on growing the hemp industry in the Midwest.
The 2021 Inaugural Nebraska Hemp Conference will feature industry experts who will provide proven agronomic practices and insights to help growers make the best decisions for their farms. Several prominent speakers from around the country will be on-hand to discuss different types of hemp (CBD/Floral, Fiber, and Grain), market trends across the US, legal and banking considerations, policy news, and outline several funding opportunities to growers and processors who are looking to expand their business in the state. The conference will also include a "Grower's Panel" during which several Nebraskan hemp farmers will relay their experiences growing this new crop during the last season, and provide insight as to growing practices, pest and disease control, nutrient management, harvesting processes, and more.
In addition to these educational offerings, a networking segment, Building the Hemp Supply-Chain in Nebraska, will provide an opportunity for growers, suppliers, processors, brokers, local businesses, and area organizations to connect with one another. The goal is to support the expansion of supply and demand networks in the region by encouraging inter-business coalitions between event attendees and businesses to strategize and find creative opportunities for outside partnerships.
The conference is sponsored in part by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Midwest Hop Producers, LLC. Conference proceeds will benefit the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in support of Hemp Education.
Registration, agenda, sponsorships, and other details are available now at www.grownebraskahemp.com.
Iowa Corn Farmer-Leaders Promote Policy Priorities at Commodity Classic
Iowa Corn farmer-leaders participated in the virtual 2021 Commodity Classic. The online delegation from Iowa consisted of both Iowa Corn Growers Association® (ICGA) and Iowa Corn Promotion Board® (ICPB) directors, and Iowa Corn farmer members serving as voting delegates and alternates. A key task for ICGA at Commodity Classic is speaking in support of policies and actions for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) to implement and establish at the federal level to benefit Iowa’s farmers.
“Each year, the ICGA policy process starts with grassroots farmer-members through our membership survey and at our local roundtable meetings. The resolutions then move to the ICGA Annual Grassroots Summit held in August, and now onto national policy development during NCGA’s Corn Congress at Commodity Classic,” said ICGA President and farmer from Randolph, Iowa Carl Jardon. “Corn Congress allows Iowa corn farmers to bring important actions and policy positions that are top of mind in Iowa to the national platform.”
The Iowa resolutions passed by the NCGA delegate body include:
Support the recognition of all government-approved nitrogen stabilization products for fertilizer and manure applications.
Support corn growers’ involvement in the MAIZALL coalition.
Support the US government advocating for equal treatment of MTBE and ethanol tariffs.
Oppose the production of MTBE in the United States.
“ICGA delegates presented resolutions and in turn voted on these and other resolutions and policies brought forward by other corn states to NCGA,” said Jardon. “These policy positions set the framework for our federal legislative efforts and directly influence our direction for years to come.”
The new NCGA policy document will be posted at iowacorn.org/membership/policy-development when it becomes available. For more information on upcoming policy development meetings in your area, contact the Iowa Corn office at (515)225-9242 or email at corninfo@iowacorn.org.
ACE Supports Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Availability of Higher Ethanol Blends
Today, U.S. Representatives Cindy Axne (D-IA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL) led the introduction of the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Investment and Market Expansion Act, with the support of House Biofuels Caucus Co-Chairs. This bipartisan legislation would create a renewable fuel infrastructure grant program at the United States Department of Agriculture and streamline regulatory requirements to help fuel retailers sell higher blends of ethanol.
Specifically, the legislation would authorize $500 million over five years for USDA biofuel infrastructure grants and direct the Environmental Protection Agency to finalize a proposed rule to repeal E15 labeling requirements. The bill would also direct EPA to finalize provisions from the same proposed rule to allow certain existing Underground Storage Tanks to store higher blends of ethanol.
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings issued the following statement of support:
“We thank Representatives Axne, Davis, and the Co-Chairs of the House Biofuels Caucus for this demonstration of bipartisan leadership, which is necessary to ensure biofuels play a leading role in helping the U.S. achieve net-zero emissions by midcentury. While electric vehicles (EVs) continue to dominate the headlines, experts conclude EVs alone will fail to reach President Biden’s goal of net-zero emissions in the U.S. by 2050, and that increased use of biofuels will be required to help address the emissions gap. A recent study by Harvard validates what ACE has been saying for years; today’s corn ethanol is nearly 50 percent cleaner than gasoline. This vital legislation with both bicameral and bipartisan backing would ensure infrastructure parity for biofuels and EVs and help ethanol continue to be part of the solution to climate change.”
The Senate companion, S. 227, is led by Senators Klobuchar (D-MN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA).
Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation auction goes virtual
Each year, the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation hosts a fundraising auction to advance the future of Iowa’s beef cattle industry. This year’s event will be held virtually through Show Circuit (SC) Online Sales. Bidding will open at 7 a.m. on March 9 and end at 7 p.m. on March 11. Participants will need to register to bid or donate this year at sconlinesales.com.
The Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation focuses on education, advocacy, and financial assistance, in an effort to provide opportunities to young Iowans in the cattle business and enhance the public perception of the industry. Mary Greiman, Youth and Outreach Coordinator at the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation, says this is one way the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation has made a diligent and committed effort to enhance and grow youth programs and scholarships.
“Our Youth Beef Team membership has more than doubled in size and we are offering more opportunities every year for our youth to learn about and grow the beef industry. Our annual auction is one of the main ways we raise funds to do these things. Please help us continue to grow and support our youth by participation in our auction.”
Auction proceeds will help support youth programs and fund numerous scholarships. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation is able to fund these activities and more through the generosity of cattle producers and supporters.
The auction will feature a $500 Trans Ova Genetics service certificate, two Tim Cox prints, 10 pounds of the famous Cedar County Cattlemen’s pit beef and more. To participate in this year’s online fundraising event, view items and register to bid, click here https://www.sconlinesales.com/Bids/AuctionsListingNext/27127.
Volunteer Corn and Weed Resistance Highlight the 2021 Herbicide Guide for Corn and Soybeans
Following a year that included both drought and derecho, Iowa’s crop producers may face some unique challenges in 2021 related to weed management.
The recently updated 2021 Herbicide Guide for Iowa Corn and Soybean Production, published by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, offers some timely information and guidance.
Applying herbicide to corn, by marritch/stock.adobe.com.The guide is updated every year, but this year’s version gives special attention to the issue of volunteer corn, which could be more severe in 2021 following the germination of storm-damaged corn from last year’s derecho.
Millions of acres of mature corn across Iowa were flattened or badly damaged, and the potential for volunteer seed germination remains high.
“It’s really important for the growers to anticipate having volunteer corn because it is one of the most competitive weeds that we have out there,” said Bob Hartzler, professor in agronomy and extension weed specialist at Iowa State University. “We have some volunteer corn most years, but usually not a high enough density to impact yields. This year, because of the derecho, some fields could see their yields decimated if the farmer is not proactive.”
The guide also reviews common herbicides and methods for designing a resilient weed management program. Preemergence and postemergence strategies are covered in detail, in addition to non-herbicide options like mechanical weed control, cover crops and harvest weed seed control.
About two-thirds of the publication includes comparative charts showing the different herbicides, information on effectiveness ratings, a breakdown of the ingredients, and herbicide site of action and injury symptoms.
Hartzler said it’s important to know the ingredients in all herbicide programs, especially with the growing threat of herbicide resistant weeds.
“It’s very important to know what the individual ingredients in a herbicide are,” he said. “In today’s world, it’s relatively easy to find this information, but the guide provides a handy reference with quality comparisons.”
Hartzler cautions that the guide is not intended to be the sole factor that determines a farmer’s weed management program. Nevertheless, it is a helpful resource that can be reviewed by the farmer, and shared with the farmer’s agronomy team.
Monthly Dairy Webinar to Focus on Executive Analysis Reports
The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team will continue its monthly webinar series with a look at executive analysis reports on Wednesday, March 17, from noon to 1 p.m.
Executive analysis reports are made available through the Dairy Herd Improvement Association, including the transition cow management reports and the udder health monitor report.
Greg Palas, manager of support services at Dairy Records Management Systems at Iowa State University, will present the program. Palas will provide a hands-on webinar reviewing report generation and points on using the reports to tweak herd management.
Fred Hall, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, said executive reports are often underutilized despite providing valuable production information.
He said producers often get accustomed to one or two reports, and may not realize the full breadth of information available. The webinar will be an opportunity to help producers expand their reach.
“Like everyone, we get really accustomed to the one report we’re most familiar with, and hopefully during the webinar we’ll be able to go over some of the reports that maybe don’t get used to their fullest potential,” said Hall.
He said there is always something new for dairy producers to consider, even if they are already using executive reports.
Producers, dairy consultants and industry representatives can attend the webinar at https://iastate.zoom.us/my/dairyteamfredprogram. Registration is not required and participation is free.
Improve Water Quality through Stream Stabilization in Loess Hills
Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, and Conservation Learning Group, is hosting a free virtual field day highlighting the stream stabilization efforts in the East and West Nishnabotna Watersheds to improve water quality and reduce flooding on Thursday, March 18 at 1 p.m.
Join for a live discussion with Cara Marker-Morgan, project coordinator for the East and West Nishnabotna River Watersheds and Golden Hills RC&D; and Jake Miriovsky, project manager for JEO Consulting Group.
Located in the Loess Hills region of Iowa, the East and West Nishnabotna Watersheds were selected to work with the Iowa Flood Center at the University of Iowa and many other partners to develop Watershed Management Authorities as part of the Iowa Watershed Approach. Through the project, Iowans are working together to address factors that contribute to floods and nutrient flows and enjoy the improvements in quality of life and health resulting from upstream watershed investments.
Supported by U.S. Housing and Urban Development dollars, this approach is leveraging the principles of Iowa’s innovative Nutrient Reduction Strategy to make communities more resilient to flooding and help improve water quality.
“One of the keys to success on projects within a watershed is collaboration,” said Marker-Morgan. “This project is a perfect example of that with multiple landowners coming together to make a difference in our watershed.”
To participate in the live virtual field day at 1 p.m. on March 18, click this URL, https://iastate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpduihpj8iE9ZHcjpsenc2DWQILG41wg0D, or visit www.iowalearningfarms.org/page/events and click “Join Live Virtual Field Day.”
To join from a dial-in phone line, dial +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923, with meeting ID 914 1198 4892.
The field day will be recorded and archived on the ILF website so that it can be watched at any time. The archive will be available online.
Participants may be eligible for a Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit. Information about how to apply to receive the CEU (if approved) will be provided at the end of the live field day.
Corn Rootworm Management Webinar Is March 26
Farmers, other agricultural professionals and interested parties who work with corn following a previous corn crop can attend a corn rootworm management webinar on March 26 at 10 a.m., hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the University of Illinois Extension, and the University of Wisconsin Extension.
“The strong winds of last summer’s storms caused damage to many corn fields. Inspections of those fields revealed that many continuous corn fields had roots severely damaged by corn rootworms,” said Virgil Schmitt, field agronomist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “Those damaged roots have caused many growers, input suppliers and independent crop consultants to re-evaluate the corn rootworm management strategies in those fields.”
Webinar topics include a background and a research update on corn rootworms by Erin Hodgson, professor and extension specialist in entomology at Iowa State.
Other topics will include Bt resistance and corn rootworm management by Nick J. Seiter, assistant professor and field crop entomologist, University of Illinois; and diversifying corn rootworm management to delay Bt resistance by Bryan Jensen, entomologist with the Integrated Pest Management Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
This webinar is free and open to the public and will be offered through ZOOM. While there is no charge to attend, registration is required and can be completed by going to https://go.wisc.edu/p8c11n.
After registering, participants will receive an email with instructions and a link for joining the webinar. Participants may join through their web browser, mobile phone or tablet.
They will need to download a free app prior to joining. Participants should join the webinar at least 15 minutes in advance to ensure connections and software are working correctly.
NPPC Elects New Officers, Board Members
The National Pork Producers Council today elected new officers and members to its board of directors at its National Pork Industry Forum.
Jen Sorenson was introduced as the 2021-2022 NPPC president. For the past decade, Sorenson has been with Iowa Select Farms, an Iowa farming business that markets more than five million hogs per year. She grew up on a livestock farm, raising pigs and row crops. In addition to serving on NPPC's board, Sorenson chairs NPPC's Labor Security Task Force.
Sorenson takes over from Howard “AV” Roth, a hog farmer from Wauzeka, Wisconsin, who becomes NPPC immediate past president and chairman of the council’s trade and nominating committees.
Terry Wolters of Pipestone, Minn., was elevated to president-elect. Wolters owns Stoney Creek Farms, where he has ownership in several sow farms and is a partner in Pipestone System. He is also a member of Wholestone Farms and is active in the Pipestone County Pork Producers Association, Minnesota Pork Producers Association and the South Dakota Pork Producers. He is chairman of NPPC’s Animal Health Food Security Policy Committee and also a member of the Minnesota Farm Bureau.
Scott Hays of Monroe City, Mo., was elected to serve as NPPC vice president. He is a fifth-generation pork producer and the CEO of Two Mile Pork, LLC. He is chairman of NPPC’s Competitive Markets Committee and active on the Missouri Pork Association Board and committees, Missouri Corn Growers, Farm Bureau, Missouri Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow, Monroe City FFA, and Missouri Institute of Cooperatives.
Rob Brenneman of Washington, Iowa, and Jeb Stevens of Osgood, Ind., were elected as new members of the board.
They join current directors Craig Andersen of Centerville, S.D., Mark Cooper of Des Moines, Iowa, Bob Ivey of Goldsboro, N.C., Dr. Jeremy Pittman of Waverly, Va., Dr. Gordon Spronk of Pipestone, Minn., Duane Stateler of McComb, Ohio, Lori Stevermer of Easton, Minn., and Russ Vering of Howells, Neb. Cooper was re-elected to a new two-year term and Andersen and Stateler were re-elected to new three-year terms.
Elected for two-year terms to NPPC’s nominating committee were Adam Dohrman of Houstonia, Mo., and Jay Moore of Jackson, Minn.
“Guided by their many years of experience and diverse backgrounds, Jen, Terry and Scott will bring new insight and enthusiasm to NPPC and our producers,” said NPPC CEO Neil Dierks. “With the addition of our new board members, NPPC remains well positioned to advocate for the public policy interests of America’s pork producers.”
Additionally, delegates at today’s Forum passed two resolutions, including one supporting the CME Group’s Pork Cutout contract, which was introduced in November 2020. NPPC fully supports the new contract as another risk management option, in addition to the Lean Hog contract. It plays a key role in enhancing market visibility, which is so important to maintaining a highly competitive and innovative pork production system in the United States. Delegates to NPPC’s annual meeting approved a motion calling on NPPC, in collaboration with the National Pork Board, to support the contract through training and education across the industry.
Delegates also passed a resolution to delay an increase to the contribution rate of NPPC’s strategic investment program until July 2022.
United States and Canadian Cattle Inventory Down Slightly
All cattle and calves in the United States and Canada combined totaled 105 million head on January 1, 2021, down slightly from the 105 million head on January 1, 2020. All cows and heifers that have calved inventory at 45.1 million head, down slightly from a year ago.
All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2021 totaled 93.6 million head, down slightly from the 93.8 million head on January 1, 2020. All cows and heifers that have calved inventory at 40.6 million head, down slightly from a year ago.
All cattle and calves in Canada as of January 1, 2021 totaled 11.2 million head, down 1 percent from the 11.3 million on January 1, 2020. All cows and heifers that have calved inventory at 4.51 million, down slightly from a year ago.
United States and Canadian Hog Inventory Down 1 Percent
United States and Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs for December 2020 was 91.5 million head. This was down 1 percent from December 2019, but up 3 percent from December 2018. The breeding inventory, at 7.53 million head, was down 2 percent from a year ago and down 1 percent from 2018. Market hog inventory, at 84.0 million head, was down 1 percent from last year but up 3 percent from 2018. The semi-annual pig crop, at 86.0 million head, was down slightly from 2019 but up 4 percent from 2018. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 7.69 million head, down slightly from last year but up 1 percent from 2018.
United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on December 1, 2020 was 77.5 million head. This was down 1 percent from December 1, 2019 and down 1 percent from September 1, 2020. The breeding inventory, at 6.28 million head, was down 3 percent from last year, and down 1 percent from the previous quarter. Market hog inventory, at 71.2 million head, was down 1 percent from last year, and down 1 percent from last quarter. The pig crop, at 35.0 million head, was down 1 percent from 2019 but up 1 percent from 2018. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 3.16 million head, down 1 percent from 2019 and down 1 percent from 2018.
Canadian inventory of all hogs and pigs on January 1, 2021 was 14.0 million head. This was up slightly from January 1, 2020 and up slightly from January 1, 2019. The breeding inventory, at 1.26 million head, was up 1 percent from last year and up slightly from 2019. Market hog inventory, at 12.8 million head, was up slightly from last year and up slightly from 2019. The semi-annual pig crop, at 14.9 million head, was up 5 percent from 2020 and up 6 percent from 2019. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 1.26 million head, up 3 percent from last year and up 4 percent from 2019.
United States and Canadian Sheep Inventory Down 1 Percent
All sheep and lambs in the United States and Canada combined totaled 5.95 million head on January 1, 2021, down 1 percent from the 6.00 million on January 1, 2020. Breeding sheep inventory at 4.36 million head, down 1 percent from a year ago. Market sheep and lambs totaled 1.59 million head, down 1 percent from last year.
All sheep and lambs in the United States as of January 1, 2021 totaled 5.17 million head, 1 percent below the 5.20 million head on January 1, 2020. Breeding sheep inventory at 3.78 million head, down 1 percent from a year ago. Market sheep and lambs totaled 1.39 million head, unchanged from last year.
All sheep and lambs in Canada as of January 1, 2021 totaled a780 thousand head, down 2 percent from last year's number of 796 thousand. Breeding sheep inventory at 581 thousand head, down 1 percent from last year. Market sheep and lambs totaled 199 thousand head, down 5 percent from a year ago.
Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production
Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 466 million bushels in January 2021. Total corn consumption was down 3 percent from December 2020 and down 10 percent from January 2020. January 2021 usage included 91.6 percent for alcohol and 8.4 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 3.29 million bushels, down 11 percent from December 2020 but up 22 percent from January 2020. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 416 million bushels, was down 4 percent from December 2020 and down 11 percent from January 2020. Corn consumed in January 2021 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 90.1 percent and 9.9 percent, respectively.
Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.75 million tons during January 2021, down 2 percent from December 2020 and down 10 percent from January 2020. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.04 million tons in January 2021, down 5 percent from December 2020 and down 26 percent from January 2020.
Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 282,163 tons during January 2021, down 9 percent from December 2020 and down 8 percent from January 2020. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 214,623 tons in January 2021, up 16 percent from December 2020 but down 8 percent from January 2020.
2020 Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production
As part of the Current Agricultural Industrial Reports (CAIR) program, the 2020 Annual Summary of the Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production contains data and annual totals for January through December 2020.
Total corn consumed for alcohol for 2020 was 4.92 billion bushels, down 10 percent from 2019. Corn for beverage alcohol in 2020 totaled 42.4 million bushels, up 3 percent from 2019. Corn for fuel alcohol was 4.78 billion bushels in 2020, down 10 percent from 2019.
Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 20.2 million tons during 2020, down 11 percent from 2019. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 12.4 million tons in 2020, down 21 percent from 2019. Distillers dried grain (DDG) was 3.79 million tons in 2020, down 12 percent from 2019.
Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 3.45 million tons during 2020, down 1 percent from 2019. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 2.60 million tons, down 12 percent from 2019.
Dry and wet mill carbon dioxide captured was 2.28 million tons in 2020, down 21 percent from 2019.
Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks
Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 5.90 million tons (197 million bushels) in January 2021, compared with 5.79 million tons (193 million bushels) in December 2020 and 5.66 million tons (189 million bushels) in January 2020. Crude oil produced was 2.31 billion pounds up 3 percent from December 2020 and up 7 percent from January 2020. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.59 billion pounds during January 2021 increased 1 percent from December 2020 and increased 13 percent from January 2020.
2020 Fats and Oils Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks
As part of the Current Agricultural Industrial Reports (CAIR) program, the 2020 Annual Summary of the Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks contains data and annual totals for January through December of 2020.
Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 66.2 million tons in 2020, an increase of 6 percent from 2019. Crude oil production was 25.4 billion pounds, up 5 percent from 2019.
COVID-19: Meat Worker Case Rates More Than 5 Times Lower than General Population
The latest analysis of independent data reveals that COVID-19 infection rates among meat and poultry workers are more than five times lower than in the general U.S. population, 95% lower than peak case rates in the sector from May 2020.
According to data from the Food and Environment Reporting Network (FERN), the meat and poultry sector was reported to have an average of just 4.81 new reported cases per 100,000 workers per day in February 2021, compared with 26.15 cases per 100,000 people in the general U.S. population (New York Times).
Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts commented:
"Nearly one year after the first reported COVID-19 cases in the sector, we are grateful that comprehensive measures instituted since spring 2020 continue to protect our dedicated workers. Vaccination supplies have so far been limited, but we urge the federal and state governments to rapidly expand vaccine access for the long-term protection of the 500,000 men and women who keep food on Americans’ tables and our farm economy working.”
Meat Institute members have implemented multi-layered COVID-19 prevention measures that meet or exceed public health guidance and which independent research confirms significantly reduce COVID-19 transmission.
The University of Nebraska Medical Center found that the combination of universal masking and physical barriers reduced cases significantly in 62% of meat facilities studied. An analysis published in the Lancet in June 2020 found that distancing of 3 feet and using facemasks each reduce transmission by about 80%, and using eye protection reduces transmission by about 65%.
Key measures implemented in facilities include:
Using entry screening measures and controls;
Using face coverings and other personal protective equipment;
Increasing physical distancing and reduced gathering points through measures such as altered traffic patterns, additional break/eating spaces, staggered shifts and breaks;
Installing physical barriers in food production and other spaces (e.g., break rooms, cafeterias) where physical distancing is not feasible;
Increasing sanitation and disinfection practices, additional cleaning staff;
Enhancing air sanitation and ventilation;
Training and education materials on COVID-19 symptoms and prevention, often in multiple languages; and
Increasing flexibility in leave policies.
Meat Institute members are committed to continuing these proven measures and providing their support to vaccinate frontline meat and poultry workers quickly and safely. Many can even assist in vaccine distribution for all Americans.
USDA Extends Application Deadline for the Quality Loss Adjustment Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline from March 5 to April 9 for agricultural producers to apply for the Quality Loss Adjustment (QLA) Program because of recent winter storms and some clarifications to program rules. This program assists producers who suffered crop quality losses due to qualifying 2018 and 2019 natural disasters.
“Because of recent winter storms and some program updates, we want to provide five additional weeks for producers to apply for the program,” said Zach Ducheneaux, Administrator of the Farm Service Agency (FSA). “I want to make sure eligible producers have the opportunity to apply and to work with our team members to help with any questions. We recently clarified policy to ensure producers who sold grain to the feed market due to quality issues are adequately compensated.”
About the Program
The QLA program assists producers whose eligible crops suffered quality losses due to qualifying drought, excessive moisture, flooding, hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, typhoons, volcanic activity, or wildfires.
Eligible crops include those for which federal crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage is available, except for grazed crops and value loss crops, such as honey, maple sap, aquaculture, floriculture, mushrooms, ginseng root, ornamental nursery, Christmas trees, and turfgrass sod. Additionally, crops that were sold or fed to livestock or that are in storage may be eligible.
Assistance is available in counties that received a Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or Secretarial Disaster Designation, or for drought, a county rated by the U.S. Drought monitor as having a D3 (extreme drought) or higher. Producers in counties that did not receive a qualifying declaration or designation may still apply but must also provide supporting documentation.
FSA will issue payments once the application period ends. If the total amount of calculated QLA payments exceeds available program funding, payments will be prorated.
More Information
FSA began accepting applications on January 6 and has received more than 8,100 applications so far.
To apply, contact your local USDA Service Center. Additional information is also available at farmers.gov/quality-loss. Producers can also obtain one-on-one support with applications by calling 877-508-8364.
Saturday's Role in Cattle Slaughter
David P. Anderson, Extension Economist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
The number of cattle processed on Saturdays is an interesting set of data. Saturday slaughter might be thought of as a catch-up day or as a shock absorber for holiday shortened weeks. It has likely emerged as an important part of adjusting to Covid19. On the past, market analysts have used Saturday slaughter as an indicator of capacity utilization.
Looking back at the data over the last 30 years highlights that Saturday slaughter is highly cyclical and seasonal. As you might expect, it increases and contracts with cattle numbers reflecting the long-term cattle cycle, but it also moves with seasonal fed cattle supplies through the year.
So far, in 2021, 10.1 percent of weekly average cattle slaughter has been on Saturdays. That is up from the 5.7 percent of weekly slaughter over the same period in 2020. One might wonder if Saturday slaughter made up a larger percent of weekly slaughter following the pandemic. Only in the April-May period of 2020, what we might think of as the adjustment period, did Saturday slaughter make up a larger portion of weekly slaughter than in 2019, 9.8 percent in 2020 compared to 8.9 in 2019. Throughout the rest of 2020, Saturday cattle processing was a smaller percent of weekly cattle slaughter than the year before.
Winter Storm Uri’s Impact on Livestock Agriculture in Texas
Economic impacts of winter storm Uri are still being pulled together. It appears that cattle death losses in feedyards and dairies were light. It helped that the storm front did not drop a lot of moisture ahead of the cold. Cow losses have been reported and it’s likely that newborn calves were hit hard during the storm. Data from USDA indicates about 15 percent of calves are born in the western region of the US in February. Additional feed costs and lost efficiency will likely be a large source of economic losses. The animal used their feed energy to stay warm rather than gain weight. The well-publicized electric grid problems forced reduced steam flaking and more reliance on dry ground corn. Steer live weights in the Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico region dropped from 1,361 pounds for the week before the storm to 1,251 pounds per head for the week of the storm. Milk production was reduced and there were reports of limited milk dumping.
South Texas sustained some large losses in the citrus industry due to freezing temperatures extending into the Rio Grande Valley. The severity of freeze damage to the trees won’t be clear for some time but, certainly will include losses to this year’s crop and part of next year’s, as well.
Optimism in Beef Industry Fueled by Strong Demand with Higher Prices Anticipated
Despite pandemic disruptions, consumer demand for beef at home and around the globe remained strong in 2020, a trend that will continue in 2021 and beyond, especially as foodservice operations begin to fully reopen. The strong demand, combined with expected higher cattle prices, signal an optimistic future for the beef industry, according to CattleFax, which presented an outlook session during the virtual 2021 Cattle Industry Convention Winter Reboot on Feb. 24.
According to CattleFax CEO Randy Blach, cattle numbers will continue to contract in 2021, and producers will gain leverage on packers and retailers and margin distribution will be more equitable. Packing capacity is expected to increase slowly with the addition of more small-scale plants, and U.S. meat exports will continue to grow. Overall, profitability is expected to improve significantly for cow/calf producers.
Lost incomes due to unemployment were replaced by government transfer benefits and household wealth increased more than $620 billion in 2020, according to Blach. In 2020, total meat sales volume at retail was up 10 percent and total dollar sales at retail up 18 percent, with beef’s share of the increase in spending accounting for 45 percent or $5.7 billion. Consumers also saved at record levels during the pandemic resulting in U.S. household net worth rising $5 trillion, which bodes well for beef demand going forward.
As beef demand reached record highs in 2020, cattle producers didn’t capture much of the margin with the bottleneck created due to plant closures as a result of COVID-19. According to Blach, the margin exists, and redistribution will lead to improving prices in the second half of 2021 and into 2022 and 2023. “The bottom line is that things are on the mend, with producers gradually recapturing margin,” he said. “A one percent shift in margin will result in $6 per hundredweight increase on fed price.”
Kevin Good, vice president of industry relations and analysis at CattleFax, reported that 1.2 million head of cattle were liquidated in 2019-2020 after a 6.3 million head expansion between 2014 and 2018. Even with fewer cattle in the system, beef production still increased. Mild liquidation is anticipated in 2021 due to drought conditions and higher feed costs, said Good, and he estimates a U.S. beef cow inventory of just under 31 million head in 2022.
Good says 2021 is a tale of two halves. “There are more cattle in the system early in 2021 with big supplies on feed and heavy weights, however the second part of the year will transition to tighter calf crops and tighter slaughter,” he said. In 2021, total slaughter is expected to be up 700,000 head to 33.5 million head, average carcass weights 4 pounds lighter and beef production up 500 million pounds from 2020 to 27.6 billion pounds.
Per capita beef consumption is expected to grow slightly to 58.6 pounds per person in 2021, up from 58.5 pounds in 2020, although per capita red meat and poultry consumption is expected to decrease to 218.7 pounds per person from 221.7 pounds per person in 2020. “Over the last 20 years, beef market share increased from 40 to 48 percent, up 2 percent in 2020,” said Good. “Improvements in genetics, quality and consistency have created a better product from five or ten years ago and have helped increase demand, taking market share away from pork and poultry.”
Good forecasts the average 2021 fed steer price at $119 per hundredweight, up from $109 per hundredweight in 2020, with a range of $110-$128 per hundredweight throughout the year. All cattle classes are expected to trade higher than a year ago, and prices are expected to improve over the next three to four years. The 800-lb. steer price is expected to average $145 per hundredweight with a range of $135-$160 per hundredweight, and the 550-lb. steer price is expected to average $168 per hundredweight, with a range of $160-$180 per hundredweight. Finally, Good forecasts utility cows at an average of $64 per hundredweight with a range of $52-$74 per hundredweight.
Trade continues to be a hot topic, with U.S. beef prices competitive for Asian markets. According to Good, exports in 2021 are expected to increase by 5% primarily to Asian markets like Japan, South Korea and China, with declining imports from Australia and New Zealand. Although only 120 million pounds of beef were exported to China in 2020, that market is expected to grow to more than 300 million pounds per year over the next few years.
“The U.S. is the largest beef producer on the planet, producing 75 percent of all high-quality fed beef in the world, and our product is different from competitors,” said Blach. “As the global population increases at a rate of 83 million people per year, U.S. agriculture is poised to play a key role with increasing exports.”
Mike Murphy, CattleFax vice president of research and risk management services, estimates that there will be 181 million planted acres of corn and soybeans in 2021, the largest ever combined acres for those two commodities. “That number is likely to be even higher, and in some regards it needs to be larger to balance the demand and build back supply,” said Murphy. Although corn should be able to balance supply and demand, soybeans will have a tighter supply globally, with a smaller crop expected from South America.
As China rebuilds its pork industry following their battle with African Swine Fever, they are looking for higher quality feed ingredients, such as corn and soybeans, according to Murphy. The U.S. has the supply available to provide the estimated 700 million bushels of corn that China is expected to accept.
Spot prices for soybeans are expected to be $13.50-$16.50 per bushel for the remainder of 2021. “As soybean prices drive higher, soybeans will have a greater influence on the value of corn, bringing corn prices with it,” said Murphy. He noted, however, than any scares from Mother Nature this spring and summer will have concerning impacts.
All session panelists agreed that weather will be a major factor impacting the beef industry, and agriculture as a whole in 2021. Although the La Niña weather pattern has leveled off, it will be making a return with warm and dry conditions over most of the United States into the summer, according to Dr. Art Douglas, professor emeritus at Creighton University. Douglas indicated that the southwest U.S. will be warmer than normal, and the western half of the country will be relatively dry. In addition, dry conditions in the Rockies will eventually extend into the central corn belt, causing concerns for corn and soybean growers. “The Pacific jet stream is positioned far north from normal preventing moisture from reaching the continent,” said Douglas. “The only significant moisture will be in the Ohio Valley and along the Canadian border from northeast North Dakota into Minnesota.”
Blach concluded the session with an overall positive outlook, expecting beef demand to remain solid, foodservice markets improving significantly and beef and cattle prices trending higher through 2024. He also noted that plant-based protein alternatives will continue to grow market share, but gains will be slow. Blach indicated that increased consumer interest in sustainability, food safety protocols, animal care and traceability creates opportunities for producers to differentiate their products if they choose.
“Consumers are voting with their pocketbooks and buying beef,” said Blach. “The industry should take note, stay focused on quality, continue delivering what the consumer desires and tell their great story.”
Embracing the Positives in Sustainable Cattle Production
Cattlemen and women are the original climate heroes, preserving natural resources for generations, while producing safe, affordable and abundant protein for the world to enjoy. In a presentation during the 2021 Cattle Industry Convention Winter Reboot on Feb. 24, speakers discussed how cattle production contributes positively to society.
Dr. Myriah Johnson, senior director of beef sustainability research for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), started the session posing a question often seen in media headlines: “How do we feed the planet in 2050?”. Johnson explained the desire that exists to feed people in a way that is sustainable for generations in the future, and how beef plays a critical role in that sustainable food system.
“The fundamental value proposition of beef to the food system is the transformation of lower value resources, such as grasses and plant byproducts, to higher value protein full of micronutrients, which nourishes people,” Johnson said.
Although people often have different definitions of sustainability, responses generally fall into three major pillars including economic viability, environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Science-based evidence demonstrates how cattle management efforts are making positive contributions to all three pillars.
Johnson provided an overview of the economic and social benefits of the beef industry including its impact on local, regional and national economies, tax contributions, job creation, rural development and food security, among others. According to a forthcoming report on the Economic Contributions of the U.S. Beef Industry, more than 27 billion pounds of beef are produced annually, providing 144 billion, 3-ounce servings of beef. In addition, U.S. beef production and processing contributes $167 billion in gross sales and supports a labor force of more than 721,400 workers. “It matters that the beef industry exists, and research shows its impact on communities,” Johnson said.
Dr. Jason Sawyer, associate professor and research scientist with the King Ranch® Institute for Ranch Management, focused on beef’s role in the environmental pillar of sustainability. Sawyer suggested the industry focus on the term “climate neutral” which means implementing systems that have minimal effect on projected global temperature change.
According to Sawyer there is a lot of confusion about methane and its actual impact on the environment. “Methane is a natural result of ruminant digestion and can’t be eliminated without forsaking the critical capacity to upcycle human inedible feedstuffs,” he said.
There is 600 times more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than methane and unlike methane, which disappears from the atmosphere in 8-12 years, carbon dioxide doesn’t break down.
“Overall, the U.S. beef industry’s contribution to atmospheric methane is very small, but even annual reductions of .5 or 1.5 percent in methane emissions can help lead the industry to climate neutrality in the near future,” Sawyer said.
Although often overlooked, the beef industry has positive environmental impacts when it comes to land-based carbon removal. Carbon uptake through grazing lands can help offset non-methane emissions currently attributed to beef production according to Sawyer. If the warming potential of methane is properly accounted for, and current levels of carbon uptake are included in the greenhouse gas profile of beef systems, U.S. beef producers might already be approaching climate neutral production.
Both speakers discussed the benefits of grazing to the social and economic pillars of sustainability in addition to environmental. “Cattle don’t just use the land, they help protect ecosystems, soil health and wildlife in addition to protecting public safety by reducing fire risk,” Johnson said. “And, if cattle weren’t grazing on federal lands, more expensive mechanical management would be required.”
Johnson summarized the session and said, “Beef is good for people, the planet and profit, and it is the complete package across all three pillars of sustainability.”
Sawyer agreed and added, “Beef sustainability is a complex subject, but there is a lot to be excited about. Production of beef is not degrading the planet, but rather improving the planet while feeding the world.”
Southeast Asia DDGS Demand Grows In 2020, Accounts For 1/3 Of Total Global Sales
In the 2020 calendar year, more than one out of every three metric tons of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) leaving the United States headed for ports in Southeast Asia and Oceania, illustrating how increased marketing efforts in the region by U.S. Grains Council (USGC) have paid off despite the emergence of both African Swine Fever (ASF) and COVID-19.
“The Council has been working on the ground here in Southeast Asia and Oceania for over a decade, expanding DDGS sales by providing technical expertise and connecting grain buyers and end-users with U.S. suppliers,” said Manuel Sanchez, USGC regional director for Southeast Asia. “As a result, U.S. DDGS demand in this dynamic region has increased significantly across all major markets in Southeast Asia.
“Today, U.S. DDGS is one of the most widely used feedstuffs in animal feed diets across Southeast Asia. The nutritional value makes it an excellent source of energy and protein and a great source of amino acids and phosphorus compared to most other feed ingredients.”
Despite the region experiencing major market-disrupting phytosanitary events in 2017 with the closing of the Vietnam market due to a quarantine pest finding and the 2019 near-closure of the market in Thailand due to the same insect occurrence, the Council was able to bring together industry stakeholders to ultimately resolve these issues and maintain the overall trajectory of U.S. DDGS into Southeast Asia.
Accelerating significantly over the past three years, U.S. DDGS purchases have increased from 2.60 million metric tons (337.19 million bushels in corn equivalent) in the 2016 calendar year to 3.83 million metric tons (497 million bushes in corn equivalent) in the 2020 calendar year, a jump from 23 percent of total worldwide DDGS exports to 35 percent.
Five of the 10 largest DDGS export markets are now in Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and New Zealand. Mexico, South Korea, Turkey, Japan and Canada round out the top 10.
In 2020, Vietnam was the largest importer of U.S. DDGS in Southeast Asia, buying 1.29 million metric tons (167.3 million bushels in corn equivalent). Indonesia followed with imports of 940,891 metric tons (122 million bushels in corn equivalent), while Thailand imported 840,446 metric tons (108.9 million bushels in corn equivalent), and the Philippines and New Zealand followed with 283,805 metric tons (36.8 million bushels in corn equivalent) and 261,413 metric tons (33.9 million bushels in corn equivalent), respectively.
Reasons for the uptick in U.S. DDGS purchases vary by country. With Council assistance, grain importers in Vietnam shifted in early 2020 from purchasing containers to ordering bulk vessels to secure feed ingredients. In Indonesia, the Council expanded engagement to reach more broiler and layer producers spread over the country's extensive network of islands and, as a result, participants began DDGS trials and increased inclusion levels that increased demand.
Phytosanitary hurdles in Thailand notwithstanding, Council staff members are working on targeted technical education and trade servicing programs focused on inclusion of DDGS in shrimp, fin fish and marine species. Regional staff and consultants are also targeting the Philippines’ swine and poultry sectors as well as New Zealand’s dairy industry to increase DDGS interest.
“There is still plenty of room for growth as animal protein consumption continues to expand in the region,” Sanchez said. “We have recently begun focusing our market development efforts in both the aquaculture and dairy sectors in Southeast Asia - the next significant demand growth opportunities for U.S. DDGS.”
More than 50 countries imported U.S. DDGS in 2019/2020, and total U.S. DDGS exports were more than 10.5 million metric tons overall.
U.S. Ethanol Exports Accelerate for a Record-High January; U.S. DDGS Exports Expand
Ann Lewis, Renewable Fuels Assoc. Senior Analyst
American shippers rallied at the start of the year with ethanol exports surging 48% ahead of December volumes to 164.6 million gallons (mg). This marks a record-high for January exports. Three-quarters of shipments were destined for just five countries, with spikes in purchases by India and China sufficient to supplant Canada as our largest customers. India imported nearly ten times its December offtake, buying a record 53.2 mg. China boosted its imports by 81% to 22.7 mg—more U.S. ethanol imported by the country than in 2020 alone and its largest draw since Feb. 2018. Shipments crossing the border to Canada scaled back 19% to an eight-month low of 18.5 mg. Brazil more than doubled its imports of U.S. ethanol to 17.5 mg. The Philippines boosted its imports of U.S. ethanol by 147% to 13.5 mg, the largest volume since Oct. 2018. Other larger markets included Colombia (10.0 mg, up 43%), South Korea (9.9 mg, down 23%), and Nigeria (8.9 mg, up from near-zero).
January was the first time in eight months that the U.S. did not log foreign ethanol imports.
U.S. exports of dried distillers grains (DDGS)—the animal feed co-product generated by dry-mill ethanol plants—shifted 9% higher in January to 916,541 metric tons (mt) although coming in 6% below year-ago levels. U.S. DDGS exports to Mexico perked up 18% to a ten-month high of 183,181 mt. However, shipments slowed to South Korea (105,770 mt, -11%), Indonesia (88,493 mt, -11%), and Vietnam (87,731 mt, -14%). Other larger trade partners were Ireland (44,791 mt), Japan (41,999 mt), and Canada (40,827 mt).
DMC’s January Payout Exceeds Annual Premium Costs
NMPF
The margin in January for the Dairy Margin Coverage program, the main federal dairy safety-net initiative, was $7.14 per cwt, down from $8.78 per cwt in December. That generated a payment of $2.36 per cwt for $9.50 per cwt coverage for January – which, by itself, was already more than enough to repay the full cost of signing up for the program at the maximum coverage level for the entire year.
The January all-milk price dropped another dollar from December to $17.50 per cwt. Meanwhile, the remaining $0.64 per cwt monthly drop in the margin was generated almost entirely by increases in corn and soybean meal costs. The one-month increase in the margin’s feed cost was the highest for the DMC as well as for its predecessor, the Margin Protection Program, which was initiated in 2014.
With current futures prices indicating that the all-milk price won’t rise above January’s level for several months and that corn will keep rising and soybean meal will not get much cheaper over the same period, the program is expected to generate substantial payments in 2021.
January Dairy Report
DMI/NMPF
Dairy cooperatives are once again leading efforts to curb milk production growth early this year, as they revive base plans imposed in 2020 to deal with output that grew by nearly 3 percent during last year’s fourth quarter. That’s removed some volatility from markets, with cheese and milk prices settling at relatively stable, but also relatively low, levels as domestic commercial use of milk in all products drop to nearly flat levels of growth and increases in exports also slow.
The Dairy Margin Coverage program margin dropped below the maximum $9.50 per cwt coverage level to deliver a final monthly payment for 2020 of $0.72 per cwt in December, bringing the average payments for the maximum coverage level during all of 2020 to $0.73 per cwt. Payouts under the program, the main federal safety net for dairy producers, are expected for most of this year.
With year-end data now reported, the annual average U.S. all-milk price for 2020 was $18.30 per cwt, 30 cents below 2019. But with the uncharacteristically high level of direct CFAP payments and payment disparities due to the high level of Class III milk depooled from federal orders last year, the all-milk price is less reflective of average farmer revenues than typical. Also, the number of licensed U.S. dairies declined to 31,657 in 2020, a decrease of 7.5 percent from the previous year. That is slower than the loss rate in 2019 but still above historical averages.
CWT Assisted Sales in February Total 14.2 Million Pounds of Dairy Exports
Cooperatives Working Together assisted member cooperatives in securing 64 contracts with sales of 5.2 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 3.9 million pounds of butter, 3.5 million pounds of whole milk powder, 1 million pounds of anhydrous milkfat (AMF) and 1.2 pounds of cream cheese. The product is going to customers in Asia, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Oceania. The product will be shipped during the months of February through August 2021.
These transactions bring the 2021 total of the CWT-assisted product sales contracts to 8.117 million pounds of cheese, 7.277 million pounds of butter, 6.495 million pounds of whole milk powder, 2.013 million pounds of AMF, and 3.530 million pounds of cream cheese. These contracts will move the equivalent of 368.4 million pounds of milk on a milkfat basis overseas in 2021.
Assisting CWT member cooperatives to gain and maintain world market share through the Export Assistance program, in the long-term expands the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively impacts all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.
Registration is now open for the 2021 Global Conference on Sustainable Beef!
The 2021 Global Conference on Sustainable Beef, to be held April 14, 2021 (April 15 in New Zealand and Australia) will provide an exciting world-wide virtual platform to launch the vital and significant GRSB Global Goals to be implemented over the next ten years. The development and adoption of these goals is important in demonstrating the beef value chain’s commitment and progress in achieving more sustainable global practices.
The upcoming Global Conference offers a format that will allow participants to build their own itinerary from live and on-demand content. The Live Sessions will be repeated with a Q & A session so that all GRSB members and others interested in beef sustainability may participate at the time most convenient to them, allowing true global participation. To see the agenda for the conference as well as to register, please click on the following link: www.grsbeef.org.
NFU Concludes 119th Anniversary Convention
Delegates Adopt Policy, Special Orders of Business to Guide Organization
The National Farmers Union (NFU) 119th Anniversary Convention concluded today following the enactment of policy positions and priorities that support American farm and ranch families and strengthen rural communities.
For the first time in the organization’s history, the event was held entirely online – a fact that did not go unnoticed by the more than 500 family farmers and ranchers who attended. Before policy consideration, delegates to the convention approved a proclamation, written by NFU honorary historian Tom Giessel, acknowledging the unusual circumstances and highlighting “our collective sense of place.”
Delegates also adopted an amendment to the organization's bylaws that will require delegates to future national conventions to be actively engaged in farming or ranching. Furthermore, they finalized the NFU Policy Book and several special orders of business which will guide its government affairs priorities over the course of the next year, especially as they relate to pandemic recovery, competition in agricultural markets, and climate change.
“Between the pandemic, natural disasters, and deep political division, the last year has tested all of us,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “But tough times are something this organization and its members know well – and every time we encounter a stumbling block, we respond quickly and constructively to find solutions, which is the essence of our grassroots policy-making process. Whatever difficulties we may be facing, Farmers Union members come together to reflect on how our food system can better serve farmers, consumers, rural communities, and the environment.”
Convention attendees heard remarks from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator John Boozman, Representative David Scott, and Representative Glenn Thompson. NFU President Rob Larew delivered his first State of the Farmers Union address as well, offering a reflection on an eventful first year in office and hopes for the organization’s future.
Additionally, over the past several weeks, participants have had the opportunity to attend a series of ten educational sessions on variety of subjects, including rural mental health, diversity and inclusion in agriculture education, climate-focused economic development, and Farmers Union history. Videos of those webinars and this week’s sessions are available online here.
“Though we’ve all confronted unexpected challenges since our last convention, there are reasons to feel optimistic about the future,” said Larew. “Most obviously, covid-19 vaccine means that the end of the pandemic is in sight, giving us hope that we will be able to convene in person for our next convention. Beyond that, there is also ample evidence that legislators and consumers are getting behind our priorities, such as leveraging agriculture to mitigate climate change and reining in rampant corporate consolidation across the economy. So while this convention provides an important platform to discuss the hardships we’re experiencing, it’s also an opportunity to celebrate our shared passion for farming and look towards a stronger and more resilient future.”
In order to provide the national organization a set of priorities for the coming year, 216 Farmers Union delegates approved four special orders of business:
-Family Farming and Moving Forward from Covid-19
-Family Farming and Issues Facing the Livestock and Dairy Industries
-Family Farming and Climate Change
-Family Farming and Biofuels
Full text of the adopted policy manual will be available soon at www.nfu.org.
USDA Reopens the Comment Period on the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order’s Proposed Rule
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is providing an additional 30 days for public comment on the proposed rule that would amend the Lamb Promotion, Research, and Information Order under the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996.
AMS is reopening the comment period to encourage additional input on a topic identified during the initial comment period. AMS received a request for flexibility in the remittance of collected assessments by lower-volume or seasonal market agencies. Such flexibilities could allow small market agencies that fall below a specific threshold to remit assessments on a quarterly or annual basis, as opposed to the required monthly basis. The proposed rule will not increase assessment rates.
Reopening the comment period provides interested persons an additional opportunity to comment on the proposal. Comments are solicited from all stakeholders, notably those who would be impacted by the proposed amendments.
The reopening of comments was published in the Federal Register on Feb. 22, 2021. The public can provide comments until March 24, 2021, at www.Regulations.gov. For more information contact Jason Julian, Agricultural Marketing Specialist, at jason.julian@usda.gov or (202) 731-2149.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight to 22 boards. The oversight ensures fiscal accountability and program integrity and is paid for by industry assessments.
Operation Weed Eradication Adds New Coalition Member
AGCO Corporation (NYSE: AGCO), a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and solutions, announced today that Raven Industries (NASDAQ:RAVN) has joined AGCO and BASF as the newest Operation Weed Eradication coalition member to support farmers in their weed control efforts. Operation Weed Eradication is an industry-wide mission to enlist tough-minded farmers and industry leaders to take the approach that the last weed standing is the strongest, most capable and the most genetically resistant weed on the farm.
Raven Applied Technology delivers impactful technology to farmers and custom applicators around the world. Deeply committed to feeding a growing world population, Raven develops precision agriculture products that promote environmental stewardship, allowing farmers to grow more with less.
“Raven is committed to raising the bar to improve farm productivity,” said Dominic Walkes, Raven Applied Technology director of strategic initiatives. “For more than 40 years, Raven has been leading the way in sprayer efficacy, and our participation in the Operation Weed Eradication coalition reflects our ongoing commitment to helping growers improve yields and solve challenges for their ag operations.”
Operation Weed Eradication takes a balanced approach of utilizing cultural practices such as tillage and cover crops, chemical control such as layering residuals and using herbicides with multiple sites of action, and eradication diligence such as managing weeds around field edges to help growers eradicate Palmer amaranth and waterhemp from their fields.
“As we continue to build upon the efforts to drive an eradication mindset toward on-farm pigweed, the Operation Weed Eradication coalition welcomes the opportunity to add Raven as a coalition member, which will only make this industrywide initiative stronger,” said Nick Fassler, BASF technical marketing group manager. “Palmer amaranth and waterhemp are incredibly difficult weeds to control, so it is imperative that we continue to work with farmers and others in the industry to combat these weeds using multiple approaches.”
AGCO, a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural equipment, was the first company to join the Operation Weed Eradication coalition.
“We are excited to have Raven join the Operation Weed Eradication coalition,” said David Webster, AGCO director of marketing for application equipment. “Adding industry members to the coalition continues to drive the initiative to eliminate these hard-to-control weed species. Our technology and systems, available through AGCO’s RoGator® and TerraGator® platforms, are geared to give farmers, retailers and professional applicators the agronomic advantage.”
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Ag News Roundup - Week ending March 5
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