Thursday May 27 Ag News

 Ricketts Announces “Stop 30 x 30” Town Hall in Norfolk on June 3rd

Recently, Governor Pete Ricketts announced that he will be hosting a series of “Stop 30 x 30” town halls across Nebraska.  30 x 30 is a goal set by President Joe Biden to permanently protect in its natural state 30 percent of the nation’s land and waters by 2030.

At the town halls, Gov. Ricketts and others will deliver remarks about the 30 x 30 plan, and how Nebraskans can push back on President Biden’s radical climate agenda.  Details for the Governor’s town hall in Norfolk on June 3rd are below.  Additional dates and times will be announced shortly.

Stop 30 x 30 Town Hall in Norfolk
When:  1:00-2:00PM CT on Thursday, June 3, 2021
Where:  Johnny Carson Theater, 801 Riverside Blvd., NORFOLK

More information about Governor Ricketts’ opposition to 30 x 30 can be found at www.Governor.Nebraska.gov.



AFAN Receives Grant from Nebraska Environmental Trust

AFAN announced today that it will receive $15,000 from the Nebraska Environmental Trust for the “Leopold Conservation Award Video Project” project. The Trust Board announced funding for the project at its meeting on April 8, 2021, in Lincoln. This is the 3rd and final year of funding. The project is one of the 113 projects receiving $18,350,515 in grant awards from the Nebraska Environmental Trust this year. Of these, 42 were new applications and 71 are carry-over projects.

In his book, A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold called for an ethical relationship between people and the land they own and manage. Since 2006, the Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award (LCA) has been presented to families who internalize this land ethic and are dedicated to leaving their land better than they found it. The LCA Video Project captures the landowners’ ethics in their own words, giving recipients an opportunity to share their stories. With online media becoming the primary source from which most Americans receive information, visual media is essential for not only archival purposes but for educating the general public on conservation practices occurring every day in Nebraska. Aside from actually setting foot on these operations, these videos are the next best way to experience the exceptional efforts of these agricultural families. The project involves a full day of crew time interviewing the landowner and filming their conservation practices. The video will be professionally produced first as a stand-alone piece shown during speaking engagements, conventions, the Nebraska State Fair’s Grain Bin Theater (shown year-round), and trade shows, and second to be placed on the Foundation’s YouTube channel, award partner, and sponsor websites, and other online video outlets.

The Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Environmental Trust in 1992. Using revenue from the Nebraska Lottery, the Trust has provided over $349 million in grants to over 2,400 projects across the state. Anyone – citizens, organizations, communities, farmers, and businesses – can apply for funding to protect habitat, improve water quality and establish recycling programs in Nebraska. The Nebraska Environmental Trust works to preserve, protect and restore our natural resources for future generations.



Seven College Students Begin Summer Internships Sponsored by Nebraska Corn

Seven college students are beginning internship programs supported by the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association (NeCGA). Although these internships may vary in scope, location, and duration, each is designed to provide students with an overview of Nebraska’s corn industry through real-world professional examples and experiences.

“While the Nebraska Corn Board has been offering these internships for many years, the COVID pandemic meant many of our students had to work remotely or postpone their internships last summer,” said David Bruntz, chairman of NCB and farmer from Friend. “I’m pleased our selected students will have a much more typical experience this summer. These internship opportunities are really designed to help support the future leaders of the agricultural industry. It’s always exciting to meet these students early in their professional careers and see how they develop and enhance the industry over the next several years.”

Each of the interns will work at various locations across the U.S. with key cooperator partners of NCB. Students will be based in the offices of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), U.S. Grains Council (USGC), U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), NCB, and NeCGA. Most of the internships will complete at the end of the summer but three will run throughout the entire year.

NCGA is hosting two of the interns. Chloe Higgins is majoring in economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). She is interning with the NCGA office in Washington, D.C. Danie Brandl is interning with the NCGA office in St. Louis, Missouri. Brandl is majoring in agricultural education at UNL.

“Throughout my internship experience, I would like to gain knowledge of how NCGA works and how it advocates for farmers,” said Brandl. “I would also like to gain more experience and knowledge that will help me in the agricultural industry.”

Malina Lindstrom is interning with USMEF in Denver, Colorado. Lindstrom is majoring in animal science and agricultural and environmental sciences communication at UNL.

Two students are interning with USGC in Washington, D.C. Patrick Baker is a political science and global studies major at UNL and Payton Schaneman graduated from UNL earlier in May with a degree in agribusiness. While Baker’s internship will end in August, Schaneman’s internship experience will last for an entire year.

“Through growing up in a rural Missouri farming community, I have been exposed to agriculture and farming for my entire life,” said Baker. “In going to college and exploring my own passions of international relations and foreign policy, I began to realize the importance of Midwestern farmers in relation to American exports. In learning about the work that the U.S. Grains Council does to connect farmers to foreign entities, I knew that I wanted to learn more and get hands-on experience with this organization.”

Two of the internships are located in Lincoln and are year-long experiences. Sophia Svanda is an agricultural and environmental sciences communication major and is returning for her second year interning with NCB. Wesley Wach is majoring in agricultural economics and works with NeCGA. Both students attend UNL and will spend the next full year assisting with the coordination of communications and promotional efforts with their respective organizations.

“In just a year, I have already learned so many things from my internship experience,” said Svanda. Through different projects assigned to me, guidance from the staff and board members, and conversations with farmers and other advocates, I’ve gained many new skills and knowledge that I didn’t have before. My time with Nebraska Corn has already given me so much, and I am certain by the time this experience is over, I will walk away fully prepared and ready to be a leader in the ag industry.”

In addition to the students gaining real-world experiences throughout the summer and helping fulfill the duties and missions of their respective organizations, the interns are also able to gain valuable insight on possible future careers.

Each intern will document their learning experiences through progress updates and social media posts. To keep up with the students throughout the summer, visit nebraskacorn.gov or follow the Nebraska Corn Board on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.



INAUGURAL EAST CAMPUS DISCOVERY DAYS AND FARMER’S MARKET KICKS OFF JUNE 12

The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is set to host the East Campus Discovery Days and Farmer’s Market, a fun, family friendly event for all ages, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 12, July 10 and Aug. 14 on East Campus.

The event is more than a farmer’s market. It will offer hands-on, science-focused experiences from various Nebraska departments, as well as a vendor fair, live music and food trucks. Campus visitors will also have the opportunity to tour the Backyard Farmer Garden; arboretum; newly renovated Dairy Store and Dinsdale Family Learning Commons; and Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement interactive digital kiosk.

“Hosting a farmer’s market on East Campus will be an incredible addition to all of the other amazing things happening on campus,” said Jessie Brophy, director of external engagement for IANR. “This new series of events presents a wonderful opportunity to connect Nebraska’s farmers and producers with our community members to provide access to locally produced, nutritious food.”

Through the market, Nebraska seeks to offer the East Campus community, neighbors and friends access to science literacy opportunities, locally produced fresh food, value-added artisans, on-campus family activities and an avenue for producers to sell their products. The market activities are free and open to the public, while food and crafts will be available for purchase.

Among the vendors attending the market are Kimmel Orchard and Vineyard, which will sell its famous apple donuts; the UNL Bee Lab, selling honey and sharing information about pollinators; and the Country Baker, bringing breads, muffins and rolls.

Other vendors include Sandhill Ben’s Gourmet Seasoning, The Chocolate Tortoise and Titania Ceramics.

The Biological Systems Engineering Department will display university robots and tractors, and offer hands-on activities for youth. Nebraska’s PGA Golf Management program will host PuttSkee, a combination putting green and arcade skeeball game.

The East Campus Discovery Days and Famer’s Market is supported by the university. For more information on the market, including a full list of vendors, visit https://discoverydays.unl.edu. For additional information, contact Brophy at jbrophy3@unl.edu or Kirstin Taylor at ktaylor21@unl.edu.



Plymouth’s West End Farm to be featured on Women in Ag Webcast

“Open for Business: A Nebraska Women in Agripreneurship Series” will feature Katie Jantzen, founder of West End Farm, during its next live webcast on June 8 at 6:30 p.m.

Produced by Nebraska Women in Agriculture, the monthly webcast series highlights the entrepreneurial spirit of women in agribusiness from across the state, offering creative insights and the stories behind what it takes to build a business.

The conversations focus on surviving business shocks such as disasters, regulatory changes and shifting family dynamics. Featured business leaders are interviewed by Brittany Fulton, extension assistant with the Nebraska Women in Agriculture program.

Jantzen founded West End Farm in 2017 on part of her family's farm near Plymouth. She raises 47 different types of vegetables, berries, melons and herbs, and also sells honey, jam and baked goods. West End Farm features approximately one-half acre in vegetable production, including a newly constructed high tunnel, a small berry patch and 10 honeybee hives. The main marketing venue for her crops is the farm's CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, in which customers sign up for a produce subscription and receive a weekly box of fresh vegetables all season long.

She also sells her products at the Beatrice Farmers Market and to a couple of wholesale accounts. Jantzen’s interest in local food has been influenced by a range of experiences, including growing up on a dairy farm, studying environmental science in college, managing a community gardening program for a food pantry and working on CSA farms in several states.

When not working on the farm or at her town job, Jantzen is also involved in a variety of food and agriculture organizations, including the Southeast Nebraska Food Partners food coalition, Nebraska Food Council, Nebraska Farmers Union, Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society and Women in Local Food and Farming, as well as several research projects with the Center for Rural Affairs.

The webcast is free to attend but registration is required on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture program website, https://wia.unl.edu.



 2020/2021 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report: Overall Good Quality for U.S. Corn

The quality of U.S. corn assembled for export early in the 2020/2021 marketing year was rated at U.S. grade No. 2 or better on all grade factors, with higher test weight and lower total damage and broken corn and foreign material (BCFM) than 2019/2020 export samples, according to the U.S. Grains Council’s (USGC’s) 2020/2021 Corn Export Cargo Quality Report, released this week.

“To help fulfill our mission of connecting U.S. farmers to global markets, the Council is pleased to offer this report as a service to our international customers. We hope it continues to provide valuable information about the quality of the U.S. corn crop to our trading partners,” said USGC Chairman Jim Raben, a farmer from Illinois.

“Favorable growing season conditions experienced by the 2020 U.S. crop likely benefitted the quality of the corn assembled for export early in the 2020/2021 marketing year. The quality information provided in the report is important to foreign buyers and other industry stakeholders as they make decisions about grain origination and grade while finalizing their purchase contracts and processing needs for corn for feed, food or industrial use.”

The 2020/2021 Export Cargo Report provides information about the quality of U.S. yellow commodity corn assembled for export early in the marketing year and creates value for all stakeholders for evaluating the year-to-year changes in the U.S. corn crop.

Highlights of the aggregate quality attributes of the 2020/2021 export samples included:
- Higher average test weight [57.9 pounds per bushel (lb/bu) or 74.5 kilograms per hectoliter (kg/hl)] than 2019/2020 and the five-year average, indicating overall good quality.

- Most (92.7 percent) samples at or above the limit for U.S. No. 1 grade compared to 73.1 percent of the samples in 2019/2020.

- Lower average BCFM (2.8 percent) than 2019/2020, the five-year average and the maximum limit for U.S. No. 2 grade. BCFM predictably increased from 0.8 to 2.8 percent, as the crop moved from harvest through the marketing channel to export.

- Lower average total damage at export (2.3 percent) than 2019/2020 but similar to the five-year average.

- Nearly all (96.6 percent) of the samples at or below the limit for U.S. No. 2 grade.

- Average heat damage of 0.0 percent, the same as 2019/2020 and the five-year average, indicating good management of drying and storage of corn throughout the marketing channel.

- Average 100-kernel weight (37.01 grams) higher than 2019/2020 and the five-year average, indicating heavier kernels in 2020/2021 than last year and the five-year average.

- All but one of the samples tested below the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action level for aflatoxin of 20.0 parts per billion (ppb). A total of 98.3 percent of export samples had levels of aflatoxin below the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) “Lower Conformance Limit” of 5.0 ppb in 2020/2021, a slightly higher proportion than in 2019/2020 (96.3%).

- All the samples below the 5.0 parts per million (ppm) FDA advisory level for DON, the same as 2019/2020. Of the 180 samples tested for DON in 2020/2021, 95.6% showed levels of DON below 1.5 ppm, a lower proportion than in 2019/2020 (98.3 percent).

- Of the 180 samples tested for fumonisin, 179 or 99.4 percent tested below the FDA’s strictest guidance level for fumonisin of 5.0 ppm.

The export quality report is based on 440 samples taken at the point of loading for international shipment early in the 2020/2021 marketing year.

This report and its sister report, the 2020/2021 Corn Harvest Quality Report, provide an early look at the grade factors established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as well as chemical composition and other quality characteristics not reported elsewhere.

Reports in this series of quality reports – 10 in all - use a consistent and transparent methodology to allow for insightful comparisons across time.

The Council rolled out the preliminary results from the export quality report in a series of webinars for customers in Latin America and the Caribbean in early May and a joint virtual crop quality seminar between potential buyers, end-users and Council staff from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan last week. More rollout events are planned in Mexico and other markets around the world in the coming months to help establish clear expectations with buyers and end-users regarding the quality of corn this marketing year.

“The Council is dedicated to the furtherance of global food security and mutual economic benefit and offers this report to promote continuous trade expansion,” Raben said. “By providing this reliable and timely report on the quality of U.S. corn destined for export, buyers can make well-informed decisions and have confidence in the capacity and reliability of the U.S. corn market.”



 China's Nine Consecutive U.S. Corn Buys Show Feed Demand Recovery, Stock Building

China’s most recent purchase of U.S. corn on May 20 marked its ninth consecutive business day of marketing year 2021/2022 corn buying, adding to 22.996 million metric tons (MMT) of U.S corn (905.31 million bushels) already sold in the 2020/2021 marketing year, 59 percent of which has been shipped.

China’s purchase of 10.744 MMT of corn (422.97 million bushels) for 2021/2022 – more than three months before the new marketing year even begins – sets a historic pace for U.S. export sales. Mexico, the second-highest U.S. corn purchaser, had also bought more than 1.808 MMT of corn (71.18 million bushels) for the new marketing year as of May 20.

Some of China’s recent purchases of U.S. corn will likely go into the country’s state reserves, but much will go directly to the feed and livestock industry.
 
“No one knows how much of China’s corn imports are going into official state reserves, but the amount going into reserves may be just for annual replenishment rather than for rebuilding depleted reserves,” said Bryan Lohmar, U.S. Grains Council (USGC) director in China.

“Private stocks held by end users, however, are growing, prompted by the depletion of the temporary reserves built up in the early part of the last decade and sold off at auctions held every summer since 2016.”

With these temporary reserves depleted, private end users are more exposed to supply shocks and, therefore, may be increasing their own private stocks and pipelines.

“The concern over depleted temporary reserves and greater exposure to supply shocks may be affecting official reserve decisions, too, so they may also be growing. We just don’t know.”

Corn feed demand in China has also increased due to the expansion of poultry production and the Chinese government's aim to modernize its pork production. U.S. corn imports have been going directly to feed mills to support this demand.

“Higher corn inclusion in feed rations is associated with the larger, more modern, production facilities that are rapidly expanding at the expense of more rudimentary, village-level production that was hit hard by the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak,” Lohmar said.

While stock replenishment suggests some corn demand is short term and will not continue in future years, a large amount of wheat and rice going into feed rations could indicate that feed grain demand growth is real.

“USDA estimates 40 MMT of wheat (1.47 billion bushels) used for feed - far greater than any future year, and estimates at least 9 MMT of rice used for feed, also far greater than previous years,” Lohmar said. “Industry estimates are even greater. But these two food grains are even more sensitive than corn, so many expect that large substitution of wheat and rice into feed rations to replace corn will not last for more than one or two years, providing more opportunity for corn demand growth even as corn stocks rebuilding is satiated.

“Since things like recycled food waste – which may well have been a significant component of feed in village-level operations – is a clear vector for ASF, it is strictly outlawed and even village-level producers have strong incentives not to use it. This is generating expanded inclusion of corn in feed rations and will cause corn demand to grow as swine inventories recover from the ASF outbreak.”

The United States has also shipped 5.8 million metric tons (228.33 million bushels) of sorghum to China as of May 20, with another 937,400 metric tons (36.9 million bushels) in outstanding sales.

According to the Council’s grains in all forms (GIAF) portal, supplied with information obtained by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s (USDA FAS’s) Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS), the country shows total shipments of 96.9 million gallons of U.S. ethanol (2.31 million barrels) between September 2020 and March 2021.

In addition, U.S. barley can now be exported to China following the approval of a phytosanitary protocol by both countries, a market development achievement years in the making finally accomplished with the boost of the U.S.-China Phase One deal signed in 2020. Chinese brewers are also showing increased interest in U.S. barley malt.

Due to the in-country investment and the reputation the Council has forged over nearly four decades of relationship building in China, the Council has been at the forefront of helping lead the modernization and industrialization of the swine industry, the creation of a dairy technical training center and resolved countless trade servicing issues in the country.



International Grains Council Trims 2020-21 Production Forecast

The International Grains Council on Thursday cut its forecasts for grain harvest this year thanks to slightly lower levels of corn crops than expected.  The intergovernmental body said grains production in the 2020-21 season would total 2.22 billion metric tons, 6 million tons less than it forecast last month.  For the 2021-22 season, the IGC raised its forecasts for grains harvest by 5 million tons to a record 2.292 billion tons.

The IGC said corn, wheat, and rice consumption would be higher than previous forecasts, while soybean consumption would be a million tons lower.

The IGC said grains markets would be tight this year, forecasting stocks to drop by 17 million tons. For the 2021-22 season, the council expects stocks levels to drop a further 5 million tons, despite record crop production levels.

Surging corn prices in recent months have driven expectations that livestock farmers might switch to cheaper sources of animal feed such as wheat.



Scott Stump Named New FFA Chief Executive Officer

The National FFA Organization and the National FFA Foundation named Scott Stump the new chief executive officer of both organizations, effective Monday, June 21.

Stump, who lives on a small ranch in Stoneham, Colorado, with his wife, Denise and three children, Brady, Ross and Emma, has a background rich in agricultural education, career and technical education and FFA. He received his bachelor’s in agricultural education from Purdue University and his MBA from Western Governor’s University.

“It is with great anticipation that I return to National FFA in this leadership role,” said Stump, CEO of the National FFA Organization. “I know from personal experience as a student and as a parent the positive difference FFA makes in the lives of students across this nation. I look forward to working with FFA’s talented national staff, committed board members, state and local leaders and supporters to advance and expand our collective impact.”

National FFA Advisor and Board Chair Dr. James Woodard shared the news with state FFA and agricultural education leaders and National FFA staff earlier today.

“The opportunity to select Scott Stump as the new CEO is exciting for the National FFA Board of Directors. Scott is a leader with credibility, vision and passion for the agricultural education profession,” Woodard said. “The process for selecting Scott was both inclusive and transparent. The respondents of the survey provided great insight into the needs of the organization. I want to professionally thank all who provided input to the selection process. “

After an extensive search process, the Joint Governance Committee of the National FFA Board of Directors and National FFA Board of Trustees selected and approved Stump as CEO.

“On behalf of the National FFA Foundation Board of Trustees, we are both humbled and excited to welcome Mr. Scott Stump to our team. Scott brings decades of experience to the table, having been a part of FFA and agricultural education at nearly every level –including student member, classroom teacher, state staff and national staff,” said Ronnie Simmons, chair of the National FFA Foundation Board of the Trustees.“With a Smith-Hughes style philosophy of agricultural education, Scott’s ideals and beliefs are built on a strong foundation giving him the capacity to lead and influence others. It is evident that these beliefs are the driving force behind his vision that agricultural education will continue to be the difference-maker in the lives of students across the nation.”

Stump began his career as an agriculture teacher in Manchester, Indiana, where he taught for two years. He then worked for the National FFA Organization, where he managed the national officer team and the National FFA Convention& Expo. From 2007 through 2014, he served as the assistant provost and state director for career and technical education with the Colorado Community College System. During his CCCStenure, Stump also served as state FFA advisor, agriculture program director and interim president of Northeastern Junior College during the institution’s presidential search process. In 2015, Stump was named COO of learning solutions provider Vivayic, Inc. In July 2018, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the assistant secretary of career, technical and adult education for the U.S. Department of Education, where he served until January. He currently serves as senior advisor with Advance CTE, where he leads and contributes to major initiatives and projects, including Advances CTE’s Postsecondary CTE Leaders Fellowship Program and Advancing the Framework. He also supports their federal advocacy, state policy and technical assistance efforts.



Senate EPW Committee Passes Bipartisan Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021
ASA Newsletter

On Wednesday, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee unanimously approved (20-0) the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021. This bipartisan 5-year authorization bill would replace the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, which expires Sep. 30, 2021.

 The bill contains various transportation infrastructure-related components, including:
    Authorization of $303.5 billion in spending over the next five years – an increase of 34% compared to the FAST Act.
    Providing states with 90% of overall highway funding through the same formula funding structure as the FAST Act, allowing states to prioritize projects as they see fit.
    Creating a rural transportation grant program to provide competitive grants to expand surface transportation infrastructure in rural areas.
    Addressing carbon reduction goals, including by providing $6.4 billion for states to reduce transportation emissions and authorizing $2.5 billion for infrastructure grants to EV charging and alternative fueling.
    Expanding the 2015 FAST Act pilot program for state departments of transportation to explore alternatives to the gas tax for funding the Highway Trust Fund to include local/county governments and metropolitan planning organizations.

The bill will now advance to the Senate floor, where negotiations related to a larger infrastructure package remain ongoing among Senate Republicans and the Biden Administration. Congress now has until Sep. 30 to reauthorize baseline funding for U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) surface transportation programs.



Beef Checkoff-Funded Packer Trade Group Attempts to Derail Effort to Address Food Crisis

Last Thursday R-CALF USA announced a drive to encourage 200 members of Congress to join a bipartisan and bicameral letter authored by U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) and U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) that calls attention to the food crisis in America. The letter urges the U.S. Attorney General and Congress to work together to reform the nation’s cattle and beef markets. It explains that consumers are paying an unnecessary, over-inflated price for beef in the store while the nation’s cattle ranchers and farmers are on the verge of going broke.

This week, R-CALF USA obtained a document circulated in Congress by the North American Meat Institute (NAMI), which claims to be the leading voice for the meat and poultry industry. According to R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard, the NAMI document attempts to dissuade members of Congress from joining the joint Rounds/Smith letter. R-CALF USA is now circulating its rebuttal to the NAMI document.

Bullard says NAMI received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the national beef checkoff program during the past four years and is now lobbying against the interests of both cattle producers and consumers who desire meaningful reforms in the cattle and beef markets. He says the NAMI document is an attempt to deceive Congress into believing everything is just fine in the cattle and beef markets.

But Bullard says the opposite, that the market is completely dysfunctional, marked by consumers paying record-high prices for beef at the store while cattle producers are receiving seriously depressed prices – the same prices they received over a decade ago. He said the spread between retail beef prices and the price of cattle have never been greater, meaning consumers on one end of the food chain and producers on the other are being exploited.

The NAMI document claims cattle prices are responding to normal supply and demand signals. Bullard says that is completely false as evidenced by upward trending beef prices and downward trending cattle prices since 2017.

“If cattle prices were responding to supply/demand signals, the exceptional beef demand for the past several years along with the record exports would have driven cattle prices upward. Instead, cattle prices have been driven down and consumer beef prices have been driven up,” he said.   

The NAMI document points out that because cattle producers received COVID-19 subsidies from the government, their income was higher in 2020 than any time since 2016. But Bullard said cattle prices have been seriously depressed since 2014 and the 2020 government subsidies did not come close to restoring the income lost from the dysfunctional cattle market.

“Cattle producers lost in excess of $600 per head in 2020 compared to 2014, yet retail beef prices increased significantly during that period. The COVID payments did not make up that loss even though consumers were paying more than enough for beef to have done so.

“The cattle and beef markets are broken and the NAMI is trying to fool Congress into complacency so they don’t do anything about it,” Bullard concluded.  




2020 Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-Related Injuries and Fatalities
Purdue University Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

The following are highlights from the 2020 findings:
• No fewer than 64 fatal and non-fatal cases involving agricultural confined spaces were documented in 2020, representing a 4.5% decrease over 2019
• There were no fewer than 35 grain related entrapments in 2020 representing a 7.9% decrease over 2019, with the balance of grain related incidents involving entanglements and falls
• Three incidents involved more than 1 victim
• Three incidents involved manure storage pits or lagoons
• Eight additional grain dust explosions resulting in nine non-fatal injuries were documented1
• Three female cases were documented in 2020, two of which involved falls from storage structures
• 50% (32) of 2020 cases were fatal compared to 61% historically
• Illinois reported the most cases in 2020 (17), which was more than double the next two highest reporting states, Minnesota and North Dakota
• Illinois also reported the most grain-entrapment cases in 2020 (10). Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois have historically recorded the most grain entrapment cases
• Six cases in 2020 involved a youth under the age of 21, none of which involved grain entrapment and one involved manure handling or storage
• OSHA Regions 5 and 7 have historically accounted for nearly 70% of all documented agricultural confined space-related incidents
• The number of agricultural confined space-related fatalities documented exceeded the number of reported mining-related fatalities in 2020 (35 versus 29)

Read the full report here:  https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/grainsafety/pdf/2020_Confined_Space_Summary.pdf.  



RFA Revives Annual ‘Ethanol Days of Summer’ Contest

As fuel demand continues to increase and more consumers are returning to the roads this summer, the Renewable Fuels Association is again sponsoring the “Ethanol Days of Summer” contest, which begins Memorial Day. The contest encourages consumers to submit pump prices for flex fuels like E85 and ethanol blends like E15 to the popular E85prices.com website or through its mobile app. Simply submitting your fuel prices this summer enters you in a random weekly drawing for a $100 fuel gift card.
 
To enter, contest participants must have or create an account on E85prices.com or on the E85Prices.com app, where they can submit pricing for a chance to win. Pricing on the crowd-sourced website is updated routinely and gives consumers instant access to fuel prices that nearby drivers have reported. Winners will be chosen weekly until Labor Day and users can submit prices for multiple stations each day. No purchase is necessary to participate, and more information can be found at EthanolRFA.org/summer-contest.
 
More than 5,100 stations are now selling E85 across more than 2,700 cities, and roughly 2,100 stations in 30 states offer E15. Among other information, E85prices.com contains a nationwide map of E85 and E15 stations and historical pricing, along with a public forum to allow consumers to pose questions and have discussions. An ethanol savings calculator is also featured, allowing users to see how much money they can save by using higher ethanol blends.
 
“We are excited to bring back our summer contest as more drivers return to the open road. This contest has been popular with existing users of higher blends and recruiting new consumers,” said RFA Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White. “Ethanol lowers the price that consumers pay at the pump, lowers the amount of carbon in their fuel and their greenhouse gas emissions. We have more stations offering higher blends each week and we want consumers to find those stations and have some fun doing it.”
 
In 2019, the last year RFA held the contest, more than 4,000 new users registered at E85prices.com, with 98 different contest winners who collectively received $5,000 in free fuel.



Numerous Health Benefits Found in Summer-Favorite Watermelon

No summer barbecue is complete without fresh watermelon. As the nation moves towards the summer grilling season, you may want to consider how watermelon's fruit chemistry can affect your overall health. Researchers in the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) recently identified over 1,500 small molecules of diverse chemical characters in the fruit, known as phytochemicals. They concluded that eating watermelon is an excellent way to increase your intake of antioxidants, non-protein amino acids and lycopene. This means that every time you eat watermelon, you’ll be improving the health of your cells, organs and nervous system.

The research specifically finds that the antioxidants in watermelon can help your body fight free radicals and slow down cell damage. The fruit's non-protein amino acids will also help to repair your body tissue, break down food from other meals, and even regulate your blood pressure.

"Watermelon could be part of the refreshing and healthy fruit options on your summer picnic table," said USDA-ARS scientist Larry Parnell. "The fruit has gone through many years of evolution, domestication, and selection for desirable qualities—mainly those associated with flesh color, texture and nutrient and sugar content. But our research continues to find that the fruit contains a wide range of nutrients that improve your overall health."

Most Americans purchase the sweet dessert watermelon species, Citrullus lanatus, at their local grocery store or farmer's market.  This species is among the most important vegetable crops grown and consumed throughout the world, with over 100 million tons in annual global production.  The fruit also has more lycopene than a raw tomato, which is linked to healthy eyes, overall heart health and protection against certain cancers. Other nutrients, like carotenoids, flavonoids, carbohydrates and alkaloids, are also found in the flesh, seed, and rind.

"I worked with Dr. Parnell and the team to develop a pioneering concept of using big data and computational biology to identify and catalog all of the phytochemicals that exist in edible fruit," said ARS researcher Amnon Levi. "The research to identify the metabolic pathways and genome sequence of genes involved in the production of beneficial phytochemicals could be highly useful for plant scientists and breeders aiming to improve nutrient content in fruits and vegetables."

The watermelon's phytochemicals are human-cell-protecting compounds found in fruit, vegetables, grains and beans. All of these nutrients can contribute to your overall health in numerous ways.

Watermelon was introduced to Europe via Moorish Spain in the 10th century. Since then, watermelon has been cultivated successfully in warmer Mediterranean regions before being brought to the Americas by European colonists during the 16th century. Today, watermelon is grown in 44 U.S. states, while major production is centered in California, Florida, Georgia and Texas.

Fruits and vegetables are a part of a healthy, balanced diet, with the recommendation being 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit and 2 to 3 cups of vegetables per day.