Thursday March 11 Ag News

 NDA ENCOURAGES PESTICIDE APPLICATORS AND SPECIALTY CROP GROWERS TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT SENSITIVE CROPS

Nebraska’s diverse geography, soil and climate support traditional crops, like corn and soybeans, as well as specialty crops, like fruits and vegetables. Specialty crops can be sensitive to pesticides used on neighboring farms, though, which is why the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) encourages growers and pesticide applicators to work together to protect sensitive commercial specialty crops and pollinators from pesticides. Pesticides include all categories of pest control products such as herbicides, insecticides and fungicides.

“Nebraska farm and ranch families do what they can to diversify and grow their agriculture businesses,” said NDA Director Steve Wellman. “At NDA we’re working to support traditional and specialty crop producers in Nebraska, encouraging growers and pesticide applicators to communicate with one another throughout the planting and growing season to raise awareness of local specialty crops and beehives.”

DriftWatch™ and BeeCheck™ are online mapping services from FieldWatch™ designed for reporting field locations of commercial specialty crops, organic crops and beehives. Farmers and other pesticide applicators can review the map to see where specialty crops are located. Included in the FeildWatch™ registry are commercial apiary sites, vineyards, orchards, fruit and vegetable grow sites, nursery and Christmas tree production sites and certified organic and transitional organic crops.

Online mapping services help satisfy requirements concerning restricted use pesticide (RUP) dicamba products. Pesticide applicators planning to use RUP dicamba products are required to complete online training and locate specialty crops in the area before using RUP dicamba products.
 
In Nebraska, over 1,000 growers have registered a total of 2,170 specialty crop and apiary sites on FieldWatch™. Those sites are currently found in 80 of Nebraska’s 93 counties and contain more than 113,000 acres of specialty crops.

NDA monitors the FieldWatch™ registries for the state. Registration is voluntary, free, easy to use and secure. Pesticide applicators can view maps, sign up for free email alerts and get the free FieldCheck™ app, or receive direct data feeds or downloads. In addition, applicators registered in FieldCheck™ can take advantage of another new feature this year – SeedFieldCheck. SeedFieldCheck allows seed companies, in near real-time, the ability to show locations of detasseling operations which helps ag applicators stay in compliance with label directions for worker safety.

Information about FieldCheck™, DriftWatch™ and BeeCheck™ can be found at https://nda.nebraska.gov/pesticide/fieldwatch.html or by calling Craig Romary, NDA Program Specialist, at 402-471-2351.                                              



Grassland Conservation Survey

Nebraska Extension is reaching out for your input in a study about ranchers and their preferences for grassland conservation programs. If you have already completed this survey, thank you for your participation.

If you have not yet participated, the survey closes March 30th and we would appreciate hearing from you! The survey, a partnership among Nebraska Extension, Nebraska Cattlemen's, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and the University of Nebraska, is a targeted effort to get feedback directly from the ranchers in the state.

The information you provide will be kept confidential and will only be used for the research purposes of this project. Your feedback allows for grassland conservation programs that enhance ranching livelihoods and Nebraska’s natural resources. This web survey is short and should only take about 10-15 minutes to complete. To access the survey online, please go to: go.unl.edu/grasslands.



Senators Reintroduce Legislation to Repeal Death Tax

Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) Wednesday joined Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) in reintroducing legislation to permanently repeal the federal estate tax, commonly known as the death tax.

"It's important that the federal estate tax is repealed once and for all and we don't make it harder for farms and businesses to stay in the family," said Hoeven. "Estate planning and ensuring the future operations of a farm or small business are difficult enough, and the death tax only makes these decisions more challenging."

In addition to Hoeven, Thune, McConnell and Crapo, the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2021 is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Rick Scott (F-Fla.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).

This bill is supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Cattleman's Beef Association, NFIB, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Family Business Coalition, the Family Business Estate Tax Coalition, the Policy and Taxation Group, the Associated General Contractors of America, the National Taxpayers Union and others.



DNR Investigates Complaints in Western Iowa Livestock Disposal

In an investigation this week, Iowa DNR staff found improper animal disposal and stockpiled paunch manure, along with manure runoff entering Keg Creek, in Pottawattamie County.

DNR staff responded to six complaints against the Feedlot Service Company, a small cattle feedlot about three miles southeast of Neola, owned by Fred Roane. Roane stockpiles and land applies paunch manure, the partially digested stomach contents of slaughtered animals.

DNR staff found paunch manure and animal parts--including hides, tails, hooves, bellies, hearts and other parts--spread on two fields totaling about 160 acres. Bacteria and excess nutrients from improper animal disposal can endanger human and animal health when disease-causing organisms enter soil or groundwater.

Roane indicated he has a license from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to land apply paunch manure. However, paunch manure does not include dead animal parts. DNR is working with IDALS to clarify land application requirements.

At the feedlot, investigators collected water samples for laboratory analysis in two places where stockpile runoff entered Keg Creek.

DNR is working with Roane to excavate and remove dead animal parts from both fields. Also, DNR staff directed Roane to stop runoff from reaching the creek. The DNR will continue to monitor the site and consider appropriate enforcement actions.



The World Pork Expo Set for June 9-11, 2021 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds

The 2021 World Pork Expo will take place at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. Professionals in the pork industry can expect three days of networking, education, and innovation from June 9-11.

“We’re more than thrilled to be hosting World Pork Expo this year,” said NPPC President Jen Sorenson, communications director for Iowa Select Farms in West Des Moines, Iowa. “We look forward to connecting with our fellow producers, business partners and others who contribute to our nation’s essential pork production system.”

NPPC will continue to monitor developments in COVID-19 guidelines (local, state, federal) for the World Pork Expo to ensure the health and safety of all participants. NPPC will provide guidance to exhibitors and attendees.

“A safe event is our number one priority,” said Sorenson. “We will implement appropriate precautionary measures to ensure a great experience for all World Pork Expo participants.”

Registration information will soon be available online for those who plan to attend the 2021 World Pork Expo, June 9-11.

World Pork Expo, the world's largest pork-specific trade show, is brought to you by NPPC. On behalf of its members, NPPC develops and defends export markets, fights for reasonable legislation and regulation, and protects your livelihood. For more information about World Pork Expo, visit www.worldpork.org. For more information about NPPC, visit www.nppc.org.



Soy Checkoff Research Shows Strong Trust in U.S. Farmers

The United Soybean Board released the results of a consumer survey, shedding light on the needs and perceptions of people nationwide about their food supply. Farmers’ dependability in regard to nourishing the world has not gone unnoticed. U.S. farmers rank as the most trusted members of the supply chain when it comes to ensuring its safety, taking the top spot in 78% of consumer responses.

“As the organization representing soy — the second largest crop grown on U.S. soil, one of the only widely available complete plant proteins and the most widely used edible oil in the country — we knew it was vital to understand the values of the very people who purchase the products our farmers grow,” said Mace Thornton, USB vice president of communications and marketing strategy. “The results not only reinforced the importance of current sustainability strategies our farmer-leaders put in place, but also revealed some key perceptions and desires among consumers that will help guide the way we communicate and engage on the benefits of sustainable U.S.-grown soy.”

Here are some key takeaways:
    The vast majority of consumers, 79%, have a very/somewhat positive view of U.S. farmers who grow crops, including soybeans.
    Consumers are united in their support for domestic agriculture, with 70% saying it’s somewhat/very important to purchase food made with U.S.-grown crops.
    Soy is seen as healthy (60%) or neutral (26%) by most consumers, but less than half (44%) are aware that the soybeans used to make their favorite products are grown sustainably.
        The good news is that education seems to be valuable, as two-thirds (66%) of consumers felt more positive about soy protein and soybean oil as an ingredient in many food products after reading about the sustainability of soybeans.

With heightened demand for both nutritious and sustainable ingredients, paired with a growing interest in plant-based proteins, it seems to already be resonating with consumers that soy protein is unique from most other plant-based protein sources. What sets it apart is its high-quality “complete” protein, comparable to the protein found in meat, poultry and seafood. The soy checkoff continues to focus on ensuring that all forms of U.S. protein, whether animal- or plant-based, remain the preferred global choice to meet future demand and nutritional requirements of a growing population.

The way in which food is grown also makes an impact on food-purchasing decisions. The conversation about soy sustainability is an area of opportunity, as consumers are less familiar with it but rank it high in importance. This makes it a key area for the checkoff to educate, with high potential for positive impacts on consumer perceptions.

“This data made clear just how essential it will be to increase awareness that U.S. soybeans are sustainably grown,” noted David Iverson, USB Sustainability Target Area coordinator and soybean farmer from South Dakota. “We have successfully reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 38% per metric ton since 1980 but recognize that our contribution cannot stop there. We employ new production practices to continuously advance sustainability efforts, with a goal of growing 70% more food by 2050 to feed our rising population, expected to increase by 2 billion people over the next 30 years.”

Operating at the intersection of environmental and nutritional wellness, the farmer-leaders of the soy checkoff recognize their responsibility and opportunity to make a positive impact for the future of food.  



Brazil Raises 2020-2021 Soybean Forecast to Record 135.1M Tons

Brazilian crop agency Conab raised its forecasts for soybean and corn production for the 2020-2021 growing season as productivity and the area planted with both crops increased.

Brazilian farmers will produce 135.1 million metric tons of soybeans this season, a record, the agency said Thursday. In February, the agency forecast a crop of 133.8 million tons. Brazil produced 124.8 million tons of soybeans in 2019-2020.

After scanty rains early in the growing season, more precipitation starting in December and through January helped the development of the crop, Conab said. Rains in February and March are slowing harvesting work, delaying planting of the second corn crop, the agency said.

Conab raised its estimate for the area planted with soybeans by 0.5% from its February report, and raised its forecast for productivity by the same amount.

The agency forecast a total corn crop of 108.1 million metric tons, up from its February forecast of 105.5 million tons and from the 102.5 million tons produced in 2019-2020. Conab raised its estimate for area planted by 2.1% from February and increased its forecast for productivity by 0.3%.



Take Action Program Offers Farmers Herbicide Resistance Management Tools

#Plant21 is just around the corner for many, and already in progress for some, and the excitement for a new start seems even more palpable this year after a trying 2020. While many are eager to get the planters rolling, setting your fields up for success, this year starts with strong weed control. NCGA supports the Take Action program to provide farmers with a variety of resources that make management planning easier before, during and after the growing season.

“Weed management has only grown in complexity in the past few years, and it will continue to do so,” says Gary Prescher, NCGA Production Technology Access Action team member and farmer from Delavan, Minn. “With so many considerations farmers must make each season it is important for NCGA to provide tools that make some of those decisions easier.”

One such tool is the popular Herbicide Classification chart, recently updated for 2021, which breaks down herbicides labeled for corn and soybean production by site of action. Understanding and rotating sites of action in your herbicide program is critical for preventing or managing the threat of herbicide resistance.

A recent webinar from the Take Action program featuring Travis Legleiter, Assistant Extension Professor of Weed Science Research and Education at the University of Kentucky, covers important considerations for selecting proper nozzles under a variety of conditions. Nozzle selection is important for the best possible coverage

You can also access a variety of important weed control resources on-the-go thanks to the Take Action mobile app.

Take Action is a farmer-focused information platform designed to help farmers and their advisors manage herbicide, fungicide and insect resistance. The goal is to encourage the adoption of management practices that lessen the impact of resistant pests and preserve current and future crop protection technology.



RFA: EPA Should Shelve Proposal to Extend RFS Compliance Deadlines

In comments submitted today to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Renewable Fuels Association opposed a proposal to extend the deadlines for demonstrating compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard for 2019 and 2020.

“This proposal is unnecessary, and the timelines are excessive,” wrote RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “All that the extensions would do is to compound problems that the EPA itself created under the last administration: the massive and unjustified increase in small refinery exemptions and the failure to finalize the 2021 renewable volume obligations by the statutory deadline.”

Cooper pointed out that it is reasonable to assume refiners and other obligated parties were already preparing to meet the March 31 regulatory compliance deadline when the EPA’s proposal was issued in January. Those refiners that did not prepare for compliance should not be rewarded for their bad behavior, Cooper said.

He also noted that if compliance credits had been needed to meet RFS obligations, they could have been acquired at low cost. Referring to the proposed 2019 extension, he observed, “If refiners did not use a sufficient volume of biofuels at that time and did not own enough renewable identification numbers (RINs) to cover the differential, they could have bought RINs at historically low prices during most of the period since then. In fact, RIN prices were considerably lower in March 2020 than they are in March 2021.”

The RFA called on the EPA to reject the proposed extensions and re-establish integrity in its implementation of the RFS.



Mexico Office Hosts Busy Week Of Virtual Corn Quality Rollouts

Through a series of seven virtual seminars held over the course of a week, the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) Mexico office engaged 210 customers on new crop U.S. corn quality.

Attendees at the seminars, held in mid-January, included representatives from buyers’ groups and corn commodity associations eager to hear highlights from the Council’s most recent 2020/2021 Corn Harvest Quality Report, an analysis based on 601 samples collected from inbound, farm-originating trucks at harvest.

“We specifically presented the seminars in the same week for two main reasons: we wanted to market the 'fresh off the press' aspect of the report’s findings, and it is helpful to compare similar questions coming out of the report all in the same week,” said Heidi Bringenberg, USGC assistant director in Mexico.

Seven U.S. corn farmers and corn checkoff staff joined the Council team sharing this information, including Bob Hemesath and Mark Mueller from the Iowa Corn Growers Association; Terry Vinduska and Greg Krissek from the Kansas Corn Commission; Laura Knoth and Monty Parrish from the Kentucky Corn Promotion Council; and Jim O’Connor from the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council.

They presented details from the recent report and provided perspectives from their respective operations, including how they make planting decisions and where they market their grain, to prospective buyers and end-users in Northern, Southern and Southeastern Mexico, including Nuevo Leon, Sonora, Querétaro, Guadalajara, Veracruz and Mérida.

“We are very pleased at the turnout, participation levels and interest in quality for this 2020 crop,” Bringenberg said. “Since the quality expectations in the report were widely positive with fewer incidents of broken corn and foreign material expected, our customers were very happy to receive this news.”

Mexico was the top importer of U.S. feed grains in all forms (GIAF) for the 2019/2020 marketing year, at more than 23.7 million metric tons (equivalent to 936.2 million bushels) bought, valued at $6.65 billion. Mexico is the top international purchaser of U.S. corn, U.S. distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and U.S. barley and barley products products, the second-largest international buyer of U.S. sorghum and the seventh-largest international buyer of U.S. ethanol.

The harvest quality report is a companion to the 2020/2021 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report, due out in April, which will be based on samples taken at the point of loading for international shipment early in the 2020/2021 marketing year.

Together, the reports provide reliable information on U.S. corn quality from the farm to the customer based on transparent and consistent methodology. They each give an early view of grading factors established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), moisture content and other characteristics not reported elsewhere. Since they are done year after year, both reports identify any noticeable changes occurring between these time periods.

“These events have proved helpful in creating a bond between Mexican grain consumers and U.S. producers and have helped in reassuring the Council’s position as a reliable source of information,” Bringenberg said.



Farmers Need Support to Mitigate Climate Change, Farmers Union Member Tells Senate Ag Committee

Like nearly all American farmers and ranchers, Clay Pope has experienced more frequent and severe weather extremes in recent years as a result of climate change.

But with the support of voluntary, incentive-based government programs, the Oklahoma Farmers Union member and sixth-generation rancher has made his family’s operation more resilient to unpredictable precipitation patterns and wild temperature swings, as he told the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry during a hearing today. The expansion of these programs and the development of new ones could help farmers facing similar difficulties.

No part of the country has been spared the effects of climate change, but the symptoms vary drastically depending on the region. For Pope, it has meant “ice storms, changes in rainfall patterns, milder overall winters, record wildfires and, most recently, a historic cold snap that broke all previous records.” It’s hard to deny that “something is going on.”

To adapt to these challenges, he and his family have shifted to production methods that “minimize soil disturbance, maintain residue cover on the soil, keep something growing on the land as much as possible, and incorporate livestock into the system,” Pope told the committee. By building soil health, these practices have not only prepared his farm to bounce back more quickly from flooding, drought, freezes, and heat, but it has also cut their input expenditures, increased yields, and reduced soil erosion. “Our investment in soil health has helped us better prepare our farm for climate change in a way that has helped both our productivity and the environment.”

These kinds of adjustments often require a significant amount of time, money, and expertise, which is why Pope didn’t make them alone; he received “technical assistance and financial help from an Environmental Quality Incentive Program contract…NRCS, the local conservation district and…the Conservation Stewardship Program.” In order to assist other farmers like him, Pope urged the committee to “build on the UDSA’s voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs that allow for produce choice and flexibility.”

On top of expanding these programs, legislators can bolster climate mitigation efforts with market-based solutions like carbon markets and biofuels production. In his testimony, Pope outlined recommendations for how to best implement these mechanisms in a way that “will strengthen producers’ bottom lines and provide major public goods through reduced greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner water, and a more stable and abundant food supply.”

Pope’s concerns for the climate do not make him an outlier; indeed, they are shared by National Farmers Union’s (NFU) nearly 200,000 family farmer and rancher members, who just last week called for immediate action from the federal government to address this crisis. “Having experienced the consequences of climate change firsthand, farmers understand better than anyone just how serious it is,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “They’re eager to step up and do their part to protect the planet – but it won’t be easy. They need all the support they can get, which is why we’re asking legislators to pursue every single solution available.”