Weekend Ag News Round-up - April 18

 USDA grant supports ag production technology

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln project to support next-generation framework for variable-rate technology, which allows for optimal application of fertilizer and other crop inputs based on soil and crop variations in production agriculture, has received support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  

The $935,560 USDA grant comes from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.  

Variable-rate technology is key to addressing variations in soil makeup, temperature and other variables. Using variable-rate technology can help maximize yield and profit, while minimizing the agricultural inputs or footprints on the environment in agricultural production. Yeyin Shi, assistant professor and agricultural information systems engineering in UNL’s department of biological systems engineering, is leading the cyber physical systems, networking and physical processes enabling the project.

Variable rate fertilizer applications began in the late 1980s, and university research continued during that time with machinery development and field testing. The variable rate application improved the efficiency of farm inputs, maintained or improved crop yield and quality, and protected water quality. Historically, variable rate guidance was based off of triangulation from radio beacons, and GPS technology has improved significantly since then. Today, advanced technology also provides time management, digital farm records and traceability of crop production.  

Shi specializes in advanced technology and methodologies to generate, extract, manage and utilize useful data to increase efficiency, quality and sustainability in agricultural production. Shi and her team will integrate stress sensing, networking and data-driven modeling with classic plant and soil biophysical principles and well-recognized management practices, to provide a scalable framework for the real-time in-season variable-rate water and nitrogen applications.

The team plans to utilize the massive amount of data generated in daily agricultural production into a training process for model self-improving, while keeping the farmers' privacy and computational efficiency in mind.  

The new framework will be put to the test at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension, and Education Center (ENREEC) near Mead, and a commercial field at Paulman’s Farm near North Platte.  

Other Nebraska faculty participating in the grant as co-principal investigators are Yufeng Ge, Daran Rudnick, and Joe Luck in the department of biological systems engineering; Kuan Zhang in electrical and computer engineering, Laila Puntel within agronomy and horticulture, and Yuzhen Zhou from statistics.  



Promoting Beef From Nebraska Overseas
Amelia Breinig - Nebraska Department of Agriculture

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has, in the first quarter of 2021, pursued several events to promote beef from Nebraska. With the ability to travel still sidelined, NDA has partnered with allies such as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to carry out promotional and educational events.

United Tastes – Vietnam March 18, 2021 - On March 18th, the United States Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam held “United Tastes,” an in-person event highlighting U.S. agriculture and U.S. products. The event was open for media as well as invited guests in the food and beverage sector of Vietnam and kicked off a broader marketing campaign to highlight high quality U.S. food. NDA, with the help of in-country USMEF representatives, reserved a beef sponsorship spot at the event to showcase beef from Nebraska for display and taste. Approximately 40-50 people attended this event with more engaging online and via social media.

Beef from Nebraska: “Pasture to Plate” – Taiwan March 29, 2021   On March 29th, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture hosted a virtual event entitled, “Beef from Nebraska: Pasture to Plate.” The purpose of this event was to educate on and promote beef from Nebraska and connect and reconnect with local importers, retailers and restaurants in Taiwan. NDA partnered with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver, Colorado at the inception of this event and then received assistance and support from the in-country representation for USMEF as well as the Agricultural Trade Office at the American Institute of Taiwan.

During the event, USMEF provided an update for the Taiwanese market, Beef Council member Jeff Rudolph and his daughter Jessie provided remarks from a producer and feeder perspective and Dr. Chris Calkins of UNL gave a presentation to the group on quality beef from Nebraska. Finally, NDA provided more information on packers and process in Nebraska and necessary contacts for purchasing. Throughout the event there were approximately 20-25 guests that logged on.

Nebraska – Vietnam Agriculture Discussion April 6, 2021 - On April 6th, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi hosted a virtual event highlighting the agriculture relationship between Nebraska and Vietnam. This event was focused on Nebraska agriculture as a whole and consisted of government officials from Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Vietnam agriculture companies as well as buyers and importers. Pre-recorded remarks by Governor Pete Ricketts were played and U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink, a native Nebraskan, also spoke. NDA was pleased to have Beef Council Executive Director, Ann Marie Bosshamer participate to provide a perspective on beef from Nebraska to the audience. Approximately 50-60 guests logged on to this event.



Heifer Development
Connor Biehler, Beef Systems Asst. Extension Educator

Developing replacement heifers is a long and costly process that can potentially become even more expensive if heifers must be culled from the herd for various reasons. This makes it vital to ensure any work put into developing heifers provides them with longevity to remain productive in the herd for years to come. Often, producers have invested so much in heifers through parturition of their first calf, they decide to backoff on development post-calving, setting them up for failure to get bred again. Since heifers are still growing at this stage themselves, it is paramount to not get behind on meeting nutrient requirements through the lactational phase. On the other end of the spectrum, heifers should not be over fed to the point of over-depositing fat in their mammary system, as this will later impair milk production. Developing heifers to maintain an average daily gain of ~1-1.5 pounds should be adequate to allow proper growth without wasting feed and adding too much condition.  

If purchasing heifers, attempt to learn their vaccination history. If this information is unavailable be sure to administer a modified live viral vaccination no less than 30 days prior to breeding or go the safer route by using a “killed” vaccine. The response to an adequate vaccination protocol is enhanced in cattle that are in appropriate body condition and on a sufficient mineral program. The postpartum interval to first estrus is longer in first-calf heifers than mature cows. Setting heifers up to calve a few weeks before the rest of the older cow herd reduces the risk of reproductive failure leading up to their second breeding season.

After the heifers have calved, do not take your foot off the gas, and let them coast through lactation, continue to provide them with the necessities that will allow them to remain successful. Take care of heifers in breed back phase – if not all the hard work and monetary value associated with developing heifers is washed away if she cannot get bred and must be culled. You do not want to have to play “catch up” to add condition as this is costly and negatively impacts the next generation.

For more information on Nebraska Beef Extension or selection of heifer development reach me at my office (402)624-8007 or follow my twitter page @BigRedBeefTalk for more information on Nebraska Beef Extension.



The Economic Viability of Winter Wheat
NE Extension Webinar: Thursday, April 22, noon CDT
With: Cody Creech, Dryland Systems Cropping Specialist, Nebraska Extension; Dave Petersen, Area Claims Manager, Rural Community Insurance Services; and Cory Walters, Associate Professor and Grain Economist, UNL Agricultural Economics.

Wheat is just emerging from dormancy and growers are getting their first look at how the crop faired through the winter months. Wheat fields planted behind fallow emerged in the fall and have established well. Depleted soil water and dry conditions has slowed wheat emergence in fields that have been continuously cropped.

Register at farm.unl.edu/webinars.



Free Farm and Ag Law Clinics Set for May

Free legal and financial clinics are being offered for farmers and ranchers across the state in May 2021. The clinics are one-on-one meetings with an agricultural law attorney and an agricultural financial counselor. These are not group sessions, and they are confidential.

The attorney and financial advisor specialize in legal and financial issues related to farming and ranching, including financial and business planning, transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, debt structure and cash flow, agricultural disaster programs, and other relevant matters. Here is an opportunity to obtain an independent, outside perspective on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch.

COVID-19: For the time being, the clinics are being conducted as conference calls or as Zoom meetings. It is therefore possible to attend a clinic from any location in the state. In-person clinics are expected to resume in the near future, at which time locations will be announced.

Clinic Dates
    Wednesday, May 5
    Wednesday, May 12
    Wednesday, May 19
    Wednesday, May 26

To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258. Funding for this work is provided by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, and Legal Aid of Nebraska.



Beef Improvement Federation Meeting Set for June 22-25

For the first time in two years, the Beef Improvement Federation’s annual meeting and research symposium will be held in person. Dan Loy, Iowa Beef Center director and beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, said Iowa State University faculty and staff are excited to host this year’s event, set for June 22-25 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

Beef event graphic.“We’ve been working for nearly two years on the program, speakers, tours and logistics of this great event,” Loy said. “Especially because COVID forced the in-person aspect to be withdrawn in 2020, we know people are ready to gather for timely and useful information from experts and to learn about the Iowa beef industry through tours.”

The symposium features two-and-a-half days of educational programming and a full day of tours, with a special young producer symposium during the first afternoon.

General sessions are set for Wednesday and Thursday mornings, and panel discussions on a variety of beef production and genetic improvement topics begin late each morning and continue through those afternoons.

Following the second full day’s sessions, participants will attend an evening social and dinner at the Hansen Agriculture Student Learning Center on the Iowa State campus in Ames.

“We’re looking forward to hosting the group and showing them the facility,” Loy said. “It will be a great ending to the day’s events.”

Registration is open and hotel information is now available on the symposium website https://beefimprovement.org/symposium.
    Early registration (May 14 deadline) is $345; $125 for students.
    Full registration (May 15 and after) is $395; $145 for students.

Tours: $45, East Tour capacity is 52; West Tour capacity is 40.



ASA, Ag and Conservation Orgs to NRCS: Protect Mechanical Harvesting of Cover Crops

Last Thursday, the American Soybean Association and other agricultural and conservation organizations commented on the Natural Resources Conservation Services’ (NRCS) proposed revisions to the Cover Crop Conservation Practice Standard code 340. NRCS is proposing to stop allowing mechanical harvesting of a cover crop for forage while still allowing for grazing without providing any conservation-based reason for this change.

In the comments, the groups argue that NRCS no longer allowing mechanical harvesting of cover crops will slow cover crop adoption, cause grower confusion over the connection between cover crops and crop insurance, increase costs for growers and lead to confusion over what is considered a cover crop. Cover crops are a critical working lands conservation practice, and significant progress has been made in recent years in cover crop adoption. The comments highlighted the group's concern that NRCS’ proposed change will slow that momentum.



Statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the Nomination of Robert Bonnie to Serve as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation

“I am grateful to President Biden for announcing his intent to nominate Robert Bonnie to serve as Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation with the Department of Agriculture. Robert currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor for Climate at USDA. He led the USDA Transition Team for the President-Elect and Vice President-Elect. And he served in the Obama-Biden Administration as Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment as well as my Senior Advisor for the Environment and Climate. He is one of the nation’s foremost authorities and leaders on working lands approaches to conservation and incentive-based climate and conservation practices for farmers, ranchers, foresters and landowners. Under Robert’s steady hand, America’s farmers, ranchers, producers and landowners will see renewed focus on building and maintaining markets at home and abroad and preparing our food and agricultural community to lead the world in climate-smart agricultural practices. Robert will be committed to working with U.S. farmers and landowners to help feed Americans and the world and make climate smart practices work for them in a market-oriented way—a way that creates new streams of income, a cleaner energy future and a biobased manufacturing revolution.”

Background:
Prior to joining USDA, Bonnie was at Duke University, first as a Rubenstein Fellow and later as an Executive in Residence at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions working on conservation and environmental issues in rural America. In 2020, he also worked with the Bipartisan Policy Center on its Farm and Forest Carbon Solutions Initiative.

Previously, Bonnie was vice president for land conservation for the Environmental Defense Fund where he focused on developing incentives to reward farmers, ranchers and forest owners for stewardship activities on private lands. At EDF, he helped develop the Safe Harbor program and other incentive-based approaches to endangered species conservation. Bonnie has master’s degrees in forestry and environmental management from Duke University. He grew up on a farm in Kentucky and now lives in Virginia.



 Soy Growers Support Bonnie Nomination for FPAC

ASA is pleased with President Biden’s announcement that he will nominate Robert Bonnie to oversee USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) mission area as Under Secretary.

FPAC is significant to agriculture and includes the Farm Service Agency, which manages commodity programs and the Conservation Reserve Program; the Risk Management Agency, which administers crop insurance; and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, which manages conservation programs other than CRP.

Kevin Scott, soybean farmer from Valley Springs, South Dakota, and ASA President said, “Bonnie has a solid background, having overseen NRCS under the Obama Administration and most recently serving as Secretary Vilsack’s chief climate adviser. We have appreciated his public service in support of agriculture, and we respect Bonnie’s accessibility and responsiveness to us as farmers. Just recently, he joined ASA virtually for a conversation during our March board meetings, and we’ve consistently seen this willingness on his part to connect with farmers. We look forward to working with him in this new role after his confirmation.”