Monday May 24 Crop Progress + Ag News

 NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending May 23, 2021, there were 4.2 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 2% very short, 15% short, 80% adequate, and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 5% very short, 23% short, 70% adequate, and 2% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn planted was 95%, near 96% last year, but ahead of 89% for the five-year average. Emerged was 62%, behind 74% last year, but near 59% average.

Soybeans planted was 85%, near 87% last year, but ahead of 66% average. Emerged was 44%, behind 52% last year, but ahead of 28% average.

Winter wheat condition rated 2% very poor, 10% poor, 40% fair, 44% good, and 4% excellent. Winter wheat headed was 28%, ahead of 20% last year, but behind 33% average.

Sorghum planted was 28%, well behind 52% last year, and behind 35% average.

Oats condition rated 3% very poor, 8% poor, 36% fair, 48% good, and 5% excellent. Oats emerged was 94%, near 90% last year, and ahead of 88% average. Headed was 9%, near 8% both last year and average.

Dry edible beans planted was 11%, behind 16% last year, but ahead of 4% average.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3% very poor, 8% poor, 52% fair, 33% good, and 4% excellent.



Iowa Crop Progress & Condition

Persistent precipitation limited opportunities for farmers to plant corn or soybeans during the week ending May 23, 2021 according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were just 2.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week. Where possible, field activities included planting and spraying.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 3% very short, 15% short, 71% adequate and 11% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 11% very short, 29% short, 54% adequate and 6% surplus.

Planting of Iowa’s expected corn crop is nearly complete at 97%, two weeks ahead of the 5-year average. Corn emergence reached 75%, 5 days ahead of normal. Iowa’s first corn condition rating of the season showed 0% very poor, 1% poor, 21% fair, 64% good and 14% excellent.

Eighty-nine percent of the soybean crop has been planted, 15 days ahead of normal. Soybeans emerged jumped 29 percentage points during the week, to 53%, 9 days ahead of the 5-year average.  Farmers in south central and southeast Iowa still have at least 20% of their soybean crop to plant but some areas may need a few days to dry out enough to allow field work to resume.

Ninety-six percent of the oat crop has emerged and 8% of oats have headed. Iowa’s oat condition rated 62% good to excellent.

Six percent of the State’s first cutting of alfalfa hay has been completed. Iowa’s hay condition rating rose to 59% good to excellent. Pasture condition improved to 49% good to excellent. Warmer temperatures and rain have promoted good pasture and hay growth. Overall, livestock conditions are good, however, some producers reported muddy feedlots.  Some cows and calves have been turned out on grass.    



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report: Corn 90% Planted, Soybeans 75% Planted

With three-quarters of the crop seeded by the end of last week, this year's U.S. soybean planting pace remains the fastest it has been in over 12 years, according to USDA NASS' weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.  NASS estimated that 75% of the intended soybean crop was in the ground as of Sunday, May 23. That is 12 percentage points ahead of 63% last year at the same time and 21 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 54%.  Warmer weather across much of the nation's midsection last week also accelerated the soybean crop's emergence. An estimated 41% of the crop had emerged as of Sunday, 16 percentage points ahead of the average of 25%.

Corn planting also remained well ahead of average last week as it entered the homestretch. Planting moved ahead another 10 percentage points to reach 90% complete as of Sunday. That puts this year's planting pace 10 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 80%. Corn emergence continued to move further ahead of normal, reaching 64% as of Sunday, 10 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 54%. Current emergence is also slightly ahead of last year's pace of 61%.

The development of winter wheat moved closer to the average pace last week. Winter wheat heading was estimated at 67% as of Sunday, just 2 percentage points behind the five-year average of 69%.  Winter wheat condition fell again slightly last week to 47% good to excellent, down 1 percentage point from 48% the previous week. The current condition of the crop is still below last year's rating of 54% good to excellent.

Spring wheat planting remained ahead of normal last week, at 94% complete as of Sunday, 9 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 85%. Spring wheat emerged was estimated at 66%, 10 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 56%.  In its first spring wheat condition rating of the season, USDA estimated that 45% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition.

Sorghum was 33% planted, 4 percentage points behind average. Cotton planting was 49% complete, 3 percentage points behind the five-year average. Rice was 95% planted, and 76% of the crop had emerged. Rice condition was rated 71% good to excellent, down from 74% good to excellent the previous week.  Oats were 96% planted as of Sunday, emergence was at 83% and heading was at 24%. Oats were rated 53% in good-to-excellent condition, up from 49% the previous week.



Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance

Nebraska Extension and Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance will be offering Beef Quality Assurance Certification.  The date and location is:
  - Monday, June 14th, 2021
     10:00am – 12:00pm
     Wayne County Expo Building
     301 Pheasant Run
     Wayne, NE 68787

Jesse Fulton, Director of Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) will be presenting the latest on the Nebraska BQA program and certifying producers in BQA and BQA Transportation (BQAT). The BQA program educates beef producers on animal health best management practices, proper stockmanship, and proper animal welfare guidelines. Beef cattle producers, who are committed to producing a quality, wholesome and safe beef product for consumers, are encouraged to attend to stay up to date on BQA practices.

All producers are invited to attend. BQA certification is valid for three years. If your last BQA training occurred prior to 2018, your BQA certification could be expired. Beef producers are encouraged to attend to keep their BQA certification current. The BQA certification fee for these events is waived for those wanting to become BQA certified/recertified.

For more information contact Ben Beckman, Nebraska Beef Extension Educator, at 402.254.6821 or ben.beckman@unl.edu.



Calkins wins award for distinguished service from ASTM International

Chris Calkins, professor of animal science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has received the R.C. Suiter Distinguished Service Award from ASTM International, formerly known as the American Society of Testing and Materials. He is the second recipient of the award in the past 20 years.  

ASTM develops standards that are often used by the government to satisfy regulations, including the marketing standards that the USDA uses to guarantee tender beef.  

Calkins received the award for his long history of service to ASTM Committee F10 on Livestock, Meat, and Poultry Evaluation Systems. Calkins has been a member of the committee since its founding in 2001 and hosted one of the committee’s first meetings in the Nebraska East Student Union. Over the years, he has served in various committee executive offices and on all subcommittees. He has shared advice and opinions that were instrumental in establishing ASTM guidelines for the livestock, meat and poultry industry and helped shape the committee.  

“Influential individuals like Chris made our F10 Committee legitimate,” said Bryice Wilke, chairman of the F10 committee and an agricultural marketer with the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration of the USDA. “His drive and abilities have truly been an asset to our committee.”



EVALUATE FORAGE STATUS ON MEMORIAL DAY
– Jerry Volesky, NE Extension
 
Memorial Day is a good time to examine the status of hay and forage programs for the year.
Many hay and forage jobs should be completed, or at least started, by Memorial Day.  For example, all perennial grasses or legumes should be planted by now.  If you still have planting to do, it would be better to wait until mid-August.
 
Spraying for musk thistle needs to occur before Memorial Day.  Plants that have started to bolt and grow tall usually are not completely killed by spraying.  Also the waxy cuticles or layers on the leaves gets thicker as summer progresses, making herbicide absorption less likely.  Digging may be your best option now.
 
For high quality hay, your alfalfa should have been cut already.  Later cutting might give hay that’s good enough for many livestock, but there is little chance of getting dairy quality hay any more this cutting.
 
The end of May also marks the general time for the start of planting season for summer annual grasses.  Soil temperatures of 60 degrees or warmer are best for Sudangrass, forage sorghums, and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids. Millets, though, prefer even warmer soil temperatures.
 
Memorial Day is a good time to estimate if your pastures will have enough moisture to produce the growth needed by your livestock this year.  If drought has caused reduced growth, adjust animal numbers now before it's too late.  Summer rains are not likely to allow you to catch up completely.  And if growth is abundant, maybe you can cut some for hay instead or stockpile it for winter grazing.
 
Follow through with this Memorial Day evaluation and many hay and forage problems will be solved, or at least foreseen.



Webinar on using irrigation strategies, technology to improve profitability

Nebraska Extension will present a webinar on irrigation practices that can help increase profit and productivity on Thursday at noon.

With irrigation season soon to be here, it’s important for producers to consider irrigation strategies and technology that can make a positive impact on their operation. The webinar will share results from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s TAPS program related to the optimal amount of water that should applied during the growing season. It will also include a discussion about sensors and weather data, as well as the economics of using some of the latest technology.

The webinar will be presented by Matt Stockton, an agricultural economics specialist, Daran Rudnick, an agricultural water management specialist, and Chuck Burr, a water and cropping systems educator.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Testing Ag Performance Solutions (UNL-TAPS) hosts interactive real-life farm management competitions that evaluate profitability and input-use efficiency.

The webinar is part of a weekly series produced by the Farm and Ranch Management team in the Department of Agricultural Economics. Registration is free at https://farm.unl.edu/webinars.



Wheat Disease Update
Nathan Mueller - NE Extension Educator

The wheat crop condition was good to excellent in the majority of fields surveyed this week in south central and southwest Nebraska. Growth stage ranged from boot to heads starting to emerge. Stripe rust was confirmed from the surveys and reports in four additional counties, bringing the total number of counties with confirmed stripe rust to 15, including Merrick, Butler, Seward, and Landcaster counties. Leaf rust was reported in Seward county.  Both diseases were at trace to low levels. Low to moderate levels of fungal leaf spot diseases and low levels of wheat streak mosaic virus were observed in some of the surveyed fields, but the majority of fields had only trace levels of disease. All fields surveyed were wet, indicating recent rainfall.

Wetness increases the risk for disease development. In addition to foliar diseases (fungal leaf spots and rusts), the risk for Fusarium head blight (scab) can increase significantly if moderate to heavy rainfall frequently occurs before and after heading. For fields that have not been sprayed, are nearing heading, and have trace to low levels of fungal foliar diseases, it is recommended to wait until full heading to early flowering and then apply a fungicide that has good efficacy on scab. Such a fungicide will also effectively control fungal leaf spot and rust diseases. Fungicides with good efficacy on scab are Prosaro, Caramba, Miravis Ace and Proline. A good resource for monitoring the risk of scab in your area is the Fusarium Risk Tool. Read a recent blog post on protecting wheat from Fusarium head blight.



EPA Deviated from Typical Procedures in Its 2018 Dicamba Pesticide Registration Decision
Office of Inspector General

The EPA’s Scientific Integrity Policy affirms that the The EPA needs to Agency’s ability to pursue its mission to protect document and follow human health and the environment depends upon established procedures the integrity of the science on which the EPA relies. to ensure scientifically Per the policy, the EPA’s scientists and managers sound decisions are expected to represent the Agency’s scientific regarding pesticides. activities clearly, accurately, honestly, objectively, thoroughly, without political or other interference, and in a timely manner, consistent with their official responsibilities. Additionally, federal and EPA requirements include documenting the formulation and execution of policies and decisions. For pesticide registration decisions, the OCSPP’s Office of Pesticide Programs must review registrations and document its decisions.

We found that the EPA’s 2018 decision to extend registrations for three dicamba pesticide products varied from typical operating procedures. Namely, the EPA did not conduct the required internal peer reviews of scientific documents created to support the dicamba decision. While division-level management review is part of the typical operating procedure, interviewees said that senior leaders in the OCSPP’s immediate office were more involved in the dicamba decision than in other pesticide registration decisions. This led to senior-level changes to or omissions from scientific documents. For instance, these documents excluded some conclusions initially assessed by staff scientists to address stakeholder risks. We also found that staff felt constrained or muted in sharing their concerns on the dicamba registrations. The EPA’s actions on the dicamba registrations left the decision legally vulnerable, resulting in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals vacating the 2018 registrations for violating FIFRA by substantially understating some risks and failing to acknowledge others entirely.

Recommendations and Planned Agency Corrective Actions
We recommend that the assistant administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (1) implement a procedure requiring senior managers or policy makers to document changes or alterations to scientific opinions, analyses, and conclusions in interim and final pesticide registration decisions and their basis for such changes or alterations; (2) require an assistant administrator-level verification statement that Scientific Integrity Policy requirements were reviewed and adhered to during pesticide registration decisions that involve the immediate office; and (3) annually conduct and document training for all staff and senior managers and policy makers to affirm the office’s commitment to the Scientific Integrity Policy and principles and to promote a culture of scientific integrity. Two recommendations are resolved with corrective actions pending, and one recommendation is unresolved.

Read the full report here:  https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2021-05/documents/_epaoig20210524-21-e-0146.pdf.  



State and National Collaboration Strengthens the Efforts for Water Quality, Soil Health and Sustainability

Last week, the Water Quality Working Group—comprised of state and national corn staff—convened virtually for their bi-annual meeting.

During round table discussions, participants shared policies and regulations affecting their state, as well as local programs impacting agriculture, conservation, nutrients, and water quality.  The group also received updates on issues surrounding constructed wetlands, online watershed analysis, cover crop and prevented planting legislation, the future of Navigable Waters Protection Rule, and the new administration’s infrastructure and climate package.
 
“We have a dynamic and proactive group,” said NCGA Director of Stewardship and Sustainability Rachel Orf.  “Every member is committed to sharing their knowledge and resources so we can stay apprised of water quality and sustainability issues that directly impact our corn growers.”

This meeting of the Water Quality Working Group brought together state corn staff representing Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin as well as staff from the National Corn Growers Association.

Some members plan to come together in July to participate in NCGA’s Action Team meetings that will be held in New Orleans; they hope to meet in person again this fall for the second of their 2021 meetings.



Digging Into the Cattle On Feed Report
David P. Anderson, Extension Economist, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

USDA released its May Cattle on Feed report on May 21st. Placements, marketings, and cattle on feed were reported up 127.2, 132.8, and 104.7 percent, respectively. Placements and cattle on feed were higher than the average of the pre-report estimates, but it might not be worth much worry given the difficult comparisons to last year and the effects of rising feed costs and drought. It will likely lead to a little pressure on the board.

A couple of things jump out when digging deeper into the report. While the number of cattle on feed were up 4.7 percent over a year ago, they were down 0.7 percent from 2019. The decline in the number on feed from April 1 to May 1 was a little larger than average. Overall, supplies of fed cattle remain plentiful.

While placements were up 27.2 percent from a year ago, they were 1.1 percent smaller than 2019. Looking longer term, placements during the first four months this year are 1.9 percent smaller than in 2019. Placements this early in the year largely reflect calves born last year and the 2020 estimated calf crop was 1.3 percent smaller than in 2019. The January 1, 2021 estimated number of feeder cattle outside feedyards was also slightly smaller than in 2020.

Light weight placements were greater than a year ago, but what portion represent a comparison to last year and what were due to drought? Compared to 2019, lightweight placements were up, but heavier placements were down. So, drought forced placements are probably responsible for some of the increased lighter placements in the report.

On balance, the report indicates plenty of cattle available in coming months. Taking a step back suggests that supplies are declining as indicated by the last several cattle inventory reports.



USDA Cold Storage April 2021 Highlights

Total red meat supplies in freezers on April 30, 2021 were down 3 percent from the previous month and down 17 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were down 6 percent from the previous month and down 5 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 1 percent from the previous month but down 26 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 3 percent from last month and down 58 percent from last year.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on April 30, 2021 were down 1 percent from the previous month and down 2 percent from April 30, 2020.  Butter stocks were up 8 percent from last month and up 3 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen poultry supplies on April 30, 2021 were down slightly from the previous month and down 20 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 2 percent from the previous month and down 22 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 3 percent from last month but down 13 percent from April 30, 2020.

Total frozen fruit stocks on April 30, 2021 were down 10 percent from last month and down 22 percent from a year ago.  Total frozen vegetable stocks were down 7 percent from last month and down
slightly from a year ago.