Thursday June 24 Ag News

 NEBRASKA HOG INVENTORY UNCHANGED

Nebraska inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2021, was 3.80 million head, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. This was unchanged from June 1, 2020, but up 4% from March 1, 2021.

Breeding hog inventory, at 450,000 head, was up 2% from June 1, 2020, and up 2% from last quarter.
Market hog inventory, at 3.35 million head, was down slightly from last year, but up 4% from last quarter.

The March - May 2021 Nebraska pig crop, at 2.26 million head, was up 2% from 2020. Sows farrowed during the period totaled 195,000 head, down 3% from last year. The average pigs saved per litter was 11.60 for the March - May period, compared to 11.10 last year.

Nebraska hog producers intend to farrow 200,000 sows during the June - August 2021 quarter, up 10% from the actual farrowings during the same period a year ago. Intended farrowings for September - November 2021 are 200,000 sows, up 5% from the actual farrowings during the same period a year ago.



IOWA HOG INVENTORY DOWN SLIGHTLY

On June 1, 2021, there were 24.2 million hogs and pigs on Iowa farms, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Hogs and Pigs report. Inventory is down 100,000 head from the previous year.

The March-May 2021 quarterly pig crop was 5.81 million head, down 3% from the previous quarter but 2% above last year. A total of 510,000 sows farrowed during this quarter. The average pigs saved per litter was 11.40 for the quarter.

As of June 1, producers planned to farrow 500,000 sows and gilts in the June-August 2021 quarter and 500,000 head during the September-November 2021 quarter.



United States Hog Inventory Down 2 Percent

United States inventory of all hogs and pigs on June 1, 2021 was 75.7 million head. This was down 2 percent from June 1, 2020, but up 1 percent from March 1, 2021.   Breeding inventory, at 6.23 million head, was down 2 percent from last year, but up slightly from the previous quarter.  Market hog inventory, at 69.4 million head, was down 2 percent from last year, but up 1 percent from last quarter.

The March-May 2021 pig crop, at 33.6 million head, was down 3 percent from 2020. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 3.07 million head, down 3 percent from 2020. The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 49 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs saved per litter was 10.95 for the March-May period, compared to 11.00 last year.

United States hog producers intend to have 3.11 million sows farrow during the June-August 2021 quarter, down 4 percent from the actual farrowings during the same period one year earlier, and down 5 percent from the same period two years earlier. Intended farrowings for September-November 2021, at 3.08 million sows, are down 2 percent from the same period one year earlier, and down 4 percent from the same period two years earlier.

The total number of hogs under contract owned by operations with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 49 percent of the total United States hog inventory, unchanged from the previous year.



Nebraska Welcomes Britt Weiser as Acting State Conservationist

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is pleased to announce Britt Weiser as the Acting Nebraska State Conservationist.

Craig Derickson had served as the Nebraska State Conservationist for NRCS for the past 10 years. He retired on Dec. 31, 2020, after 35 years of federal service. Upon Derickson’s retirement Jeff Vander Wilt was asked to serve as the acting Nebraska State Conservationist where he served in this role for the past six months. His appointment ended June. 18, 2021.

Weiser will serve as the Acting State Conservationist for Nebraska NRCS until August 13, 2021. After his term, Nebraska NRCS will have one more acting state conservationist until a permanent state conservationist is hired this fall.

Weiser said, “I know most of our employees and partners across Nebraska. We have a good team in place to continue our important work of helping producers improve their natural resources. I look forward to ensuring Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers are well served with our programs and technical assistance.”

Weiser has worked for NRCS for 32 years in three states – Kansas, Illinois, and joined Nebraska NRCS in 2009. For six years, he managed an area of 32 field offices in central Nebraska. Since 2015 he has served as the State Resource Conservationist, supervising the state Ecological Sciences team.

For more information about the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the programs and services it provides, visit www.ne.nrcs.usda.gov.



HAY HELPS RURAL NEBRASKANS EXPLORE CLEAN ENERGY OPTIONS

Making the switch to clean energy is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. John Hay, a Nebraska Extension educator who conducts workshops on solar energy, helps individuals make the decision that best suits their home, farm, ranch or business.

“Success isn’t always choosing to install solar,” he said. “Success is doing a good analysis of the resources to make the best decision.”

Since 2007, Hay has conducted workshops through Nebraska Extension to educate farmers, homeowners and rural business owners on the process of installing clean energy technology. During the in-person and online workshops, participants learn to run cost-analysis models, which evaluate installation, energy usage options, return value and more. Following each workshop, attendees can work one-on-one with educators such as Hay, where they walk through their models. The entire process is tailored to the individual.

“Solar energy may be worth a different price in the summer vs. winter, or in one part of the day vs. another,” Hay said. “Depending on state laws, it could be different on how much you generate in a day, week or month. This is why modeling is important.”

The models lay out everything one needs to know about installing clean energy technology on a property.

“We try to be very realistic,” Hay said. “Farms that have more consistent use have the best chance to gain value,” such as those in an animal facility with fans, feeders, water and lights. “With solar, you can use most of that electricity on site, no matter how policies change. With irrigation systems, you may only get a portion of the value because you only use those a few months a year.”

The workshops focus on more than monetary value, however. Michael Kocher, who installed solar technology on his property after attending an in-person workshop, said he values the benefits to the environment, too.

“There’s value in being environmentally friendly,” he said. “How do you put a value on contributing to reducing greenhouse gasses? John talked about the different ‘values’ that are less tangible than

Hay, who teaches energy science courses at Nebraska, became interested in renewable energy because people would ask him if wind turbines or solar panels were a “good deal.”

“I wanted to provide them with a good answer, so I started to learn more to help them make their own decisions,” he said. “I befriended an installer and began helping install systems. I’ve helped install a dozen, and then I’ve done a ton of modeling with economic analysis. That’s been the key piece of our education.”

Hay capitalizes on his experience during the in-person workshops, in which participants build solar arrays.

Whatever the venue, Hay said he enjoys sharing his interest with those trying to make their lives and communities better — however their decisions play out. For example, some attendees come interested in agrivoltaics: combining solar arrays and crop production in the same space.

“One farmer wanted to put solar up at a feed lot and use it as shade, but it wasn’t feasible for his operation,” said Hay, emphasizing that installing solar technology isn’t the point of the workshops. “The focus is on good decisions — decisions with data.”

John Phillips, owner of Branched Oak Marina near Raymond, Nebraska, attended one of the hands-on workshops because he was curious about using solar to power the marina buildings, one of which houses a restaurant.

“We went through a couple projects — the economy of solar and the science of it,” he said. “But at my age, the payback was going to be too long.”

Phillips’ decision not to install didn’t discourage Hay.

“In the workshop, we explore what fits your goals,” Hay said. “We identify motivations and help you make those decisions easier.”

The process proved beneficial for Ron Rose, a renewable energy consultant for the Nebraska Public Power District. He was drawn to the workshop because he thought it would make him better at his job.

Rose learned a lot in the workshop and even drew on what he learned to install solar panels on his wife’s chiropractic office in Aurora. Shade on one side of the building presented an issue, but Hay and Rose worked through it together. The panels generate enough power for the office, and Rose and his wife sell excess power to the utility company.

While the workshops are based out of the university, Hay’s efforts, combined with a cohort from Ohio State University, are felt nationwide. For some workshops, he has partnered with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

“During our last online workshop, we had 140 people from 17 states attend,” Hay said.

However, as the workshops become more widespread, Hay is continuing to focus on the unique wants and needs of individuals and what they deem a successful and valuable experience.

“Success is an initial evaluation of your goals and your motivations for solar and renewables,” he said. “It’s very personal.”

For more information on the renewable energy workshops, including schedules and registration options, visit https://cropwatch.unl.edu/bioenergy.



Record Low Veal and Lamb and Mutton Production in May

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.30 billion pounds in May, up 14 percent from the 3.76 billion pounds produced in May 2020.

Beef production, at 2.21 billion pounds, was 19 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.70 million head, up 18 percent from May 2020. The average live weight was down 7 pounds from the previous year, at 1,360 pounds.

Veal production totaled 3.7 million pounds, 29 percent below May a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 25,500 head, down 21 percent from May 2020. The average live weight was down 26 pounds from last year, at 248 pounds.

Pork production totaled 2.07 billion pounds, up 10 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 9.65 million head, up 12 percent from May 2020. The average live weight was down 6 pounds from the previous year, at 288 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 11.0 million pounds, was down 13 percent from May 2020. Sheep slaughter totaled 181,300 head, 7 percent below last year. The average live weight was 121 pounds, down 8 pounds from May a year ago.

Commercial Red Meat Prod. by State May 2021
                            (million lbs.  -  % May '20)
Nebraska .........:     624.2            135       
Iowa ................:     639.1            105       
Kansas .............:     476.3            113       

January to May 2021 commercial red meat production was 23.2 billion pounds, up 5 percent from 2020. Accumulated beef production was up 8 percent from last year, veal was down 19 percent, pork was up 3 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was up 2 percent.



2021 Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Carcass Challenge Winners Announced

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Carcass Challenge program is a yearly effort to showcase Iowa’s beef cattle genetics in the only statewide fed-beef competition. The 2021 program completed with an awards banquet held in early June.

Steer sponsors donated 74 700-pound steers in November, which were delivered to Lauritsen Cattle Company in Exira to be fed out to 1,400 pounds in the 180- to 200-day time period. The top 10 percent of individuals were recognized based on the Retail Value Per Day on Feed (RVDoF), with a top cash prize of $5,000. The RVDoF formula is a dollar value that accounts for hot carcass weight, percent retail product, carcass price and days on feed, balancing the important factors that ultimately drive profitability.             

The champion steer for the 2021 ICA Carcass Challenge with an RVDoF of $6.21 was awarded to steer 53, donated by Mosher Angus, Lauritsen Cattle Company and Mark Segebart, and the steer was bred by Mosher Angus.  

Second place, with an RVDoF of $6.15, was awarded to steer 55, donated by Bruce and Peyton River and Cobett Waterers, and bred by Bruce and Peyton River.

The third-place steer, with an RVDoF of $6.11, was steer 11, donated by Brandon Reynolds, Summit Veterinary Services, Russell Livestock and the Warren County Cattlemen, and bred by Brandon and Beth Reynolds.

Fourth place, with an RVDoF of $5.92, was given to steer 65, donated by the Spring Valley Ranch – Matt & Cassie Winters, and Farmers Union Coop, and bred by Matt Winters.

The fifth-place steer, with an RVDoF of $5.91, was steer 46, donated and bred by Lubben White Oak Farms.

Sixth place, with an RVDoF of $5.90, went to steer 43, donated and bred by Johnson Family Farms.

Seventh place, with an RVDoF of $5.80, went to steer 44, donated by Larsen Angus and Kennedy Cattle Company, and bred by Dale Larsen.             

The award for largest ribeye, with a ribeye area of 16.29 square inches, was steer 43, donated and bred by Johnson Family Farms.

The high marbling award winner was steer 4, donated by American State Bank, and bred by Trent Rehder, with a marbling score of 698.

The Chef’s Choice award was developed with the goal of identifying the most economically efficient steer and to determine the genetic potential of individual animals to produce the safest, most nutritional and most desirable food product possible. This year’s winner of the Chef’s Choice award was steer 71, donated by the Woodhill Farms, Cherne Angus and Hosch Farms, and bred by Cherne Angus.

The highest average daily gain was figured for the time the steers were on test, from November 17, 2020 to May 7, 2021. This year’s winner with an average daily gain of 5.31 pounds per day was steer 24, donated by Custom Precast and bred by Jason Kurt.

The sponsors of the 2021 program included Elanco, Lauritsen Cattle Company, Gregory Feedlots, the CUP Lab, Producers Livestock, Stuart Veterinary Service and Shawn Nicholsen, Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity, Allflex, Rueters Equipment and the Audubon County Cattlemen.             

The 2022 ICA Carcass Challenge recruitment will begin soon. For more information regarding the program, contact Jennifer Carrico at jennifer@iacattlemen.org.



Senate Passes Bill To Help Ag Producers Be Part of Climate Solution

Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Growing Climate Solutions Act (GCSA) by a vote of 92 to 8. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, is an original cosponsor of the legislation, which would create a certification program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enable farmers and ranchers to more easily enter into carbon credit markets voluntarily. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“Nebraska ag producers are good stewards of our land and resources. They also want to be a part of the climate solution. I am a cosponsor of the bill the Senate passed today. It would enable farmers and ranchers to voluntarily participate in carbon markets so they can build on the great work they are already doing,” said Senator Fischer.

The GCSA would create a certification process at USDA to help solve technical entry barriers to farmer and rancher participation in carbon credit markets.

USDA would certify third party liaisons to help producers monetize sustainable practices. These liaisons would help producers voluntarily enter carbon credit markets and provide information on practices that capture carbon, reduce emissions, improve soil health, and make operations more sustainable.



Farm Bureau Applauds Senate Passage of Growing Climate Solutions Act

The American Farm Bureau Federation applauds the U.S. Senate for passing the Growing Climate Solutions Act. The act has 55 cosponsors, which makes it the first major piece of bipartisan legislation that would help farmers, ranchers and forest landowners reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build climate resilience through voluntary, market-driven programs. The Growing Climate Solutions Act passed by a vote of 92-8.

“We appreciate lawmakers putting aside their differences to work on bipartisan solutions to the challenges facing farmers and ranchers,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “The Growing Climate Solutions Act acknowledges the potential of climate-smart farming while ensuring farmers would be respected as partners who can build on our strong foundation of environmental stewardship.”

The Growing Climate Solutions Act is supported by more than 75 agriculture, food, forestry and environmental groups that are part of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA). The alliance advocates for responsible policies that build on voluntary, incentive-based programs, market-driven opportunities and science-based approaches.

This legislation would provide clarity and guidance for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners interested in voluntary participation in private carbon credit markets. With a growing number of ecosystem service providers, producers seek a trusted source for reliable information. The Growing Climate Solutions Act would create a certification program at USDA to help solve technical entry barriers. Landowner participation and the adoption of practices have been slowed by a lack of access to reliable information about private carbon markets, as well as too few qualified technical assistance providers and credit protocol verifiers.

“The Growing Climate Solutions Act demonstrates how far we’ve come in climate policy over the past decade,” President Duvall said. “Farm Bureau has worked tirelessly through the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance and directly with lawmakers to help them understand the importance of working with America’s farmers and ranchers to ensure climate policy remains voluntary and market-driven. We encourage members of the House to follow the Senate’s lead and work in a bipartisan manner to create responsible policy that protects the environment and protects the farmers and ranchers who rely on clean air and water to feed the nation.”

The House is currently working on its version of the Growing Climate Solutions Act.



Growing Climate Solutions Act Will Help Farmers Mitigate Climate Crisis

The U.S. Senate today overwhelmingly passed the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which aims to help farmers and ranchers participate in carbon markets. To achieve that end, the bipartisan legislation would establish a certification program for third-party technical service providers as well as create an advisory committee focused on ensuring that such a program meets the needs of farmers, forest landowners, and carbon market participants. A companion bill was introduced in the House in April, but has yet to be taken to a vote.

A proponent of aggressive climate action, National Farmers Union (NFU) endorsed the bill when it was first introduced last year. Upon its passage, NFU President Rob Larew expressed his encouragement and urged the House to take up the bill:

“The urgent threat of climate change – and the need for immediate, action to mitigate and adapt – is irrefutable. Last year, our country saw both its most active hurricane season and its most active wildfire season, and the years ahead are expected to be even more catastrophic.

“It will be no small task to curtail this existential threat – but by leveraging the full potential of every sector, including agriculture, we have the ability to protect our planet. The Growing Climate Solutions Act is a small but important piece of that puzzle. This legislation will facilitate farmers’ participation in carbon markets, granting them greater access to the financial incentives they need to invest in climate-smart agricultural practices. We commend the Senate for working across the aisle to pass this bill and encourage the House to follow suit.”



Center for Rural Affairs applauds Senate for passing Growing Climate Solutions Act  

The Center for Rural Affairs applauds the U.S. Senate for passing the Growing Climate Solutions Act. The legislation was passed today on a 92-8 vote.

“Carbon payment programs offer a financial opportunity for farmers voluntarily implementing important conservation on their farms,” said Kayla Bergman, senior policy associate for the Center. “While there has been growing excitement for these programs, we are now at a point where setting standard protocols is necessary.”

Bergman commends the bipartisan leadership on this bill, including Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) for joining Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Mike Braun (R-IN), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sheldon Whitehouse, (D-RI), and 47 of their colleagues in cosponsorship of this legislation.

“The large group of bipartisan legislators sponsoring this bill, including senators from our heartland states, demonstrates broad support for giving America’s farmers a role in ongoing efforts to address climate change,” Bergman said.

The Growing Climate Solutions Act will establish a certification program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture for private parties who work with producers to receive payments for carbon sequestration.

By developing baseline standards for carbon markets, Bergman said the legislation would help this tool become more effective.

“Carbon markets have tremendous potential, but current versions vary widely in design and structure,” Bergman said. “We all want carbon markets to work. Developing a framework that includes basic standards and requirements is a critical step toward making this happen.”

The companion bill was referred to the U.S. House of Representatives’ Agriculture Committee in April. It will need to pass through that committee and then go to the floor for a vote for the legislation to move forward.  



Soy Growers Applaud Senate Passage of Growing Climate Solutions Act

The Senate has passed the Growing Climate Solutions Act, and soy growers are pleased! The bipartisan bill designed to better manage and support carbon markets would make it easier for farmers and others to navigate the carbon market industry.

Kevin Scott, American Soybean Association (ASA) president and soybean farmer from Valley Springs, South Dakota, said, “Soy growers are dedicated to finding ways to improve our natural resources and protect our climate. Many have expressed interest in participating in voluntary environmental credit markets, but the market landscape is evolving quickly and lacks uniform standards. This “moving target” makes it hard for individual farmers to determine which options are best for their operation. Senate passage of the GCSA is a positive step toward ensuring these markets will be transparent and accessible to farmers, allowing them to make informed contributions to climate solutions.”

GCSA establishes a program at USDA to certify technical assistance providers and third-party verifiers for the environmental credit markets and allocates funding for the next four years. The bill also includes protections to ensure farmers participating in carbon markets benefit from reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and supporting climate-friendly practices.

ASA along with other ag groups has been supportive of this bill and sees this as a positive step toward climate solutions that consider farmers and allow them to be a key part of those solutions.



NMPF Statement on Senate Passage of Growing Climate Solutions Act
President and CEO Jim Mulhern

“NMPF commends the United States Senate for passing the bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act by an overwhelming margin.

“This important legislation will enable USDA to informally endorse technical service providers that help farmers implement stewardship practices that can generate carbon and other environmental credits. The Growing Climate Solutions Act will encourage more farmers to participate in environmental markets, a crucial part of dairy’s Net Zero Initiative that helps dairy farmers of all sizes across the country meet our industry’s 2050 environmental stewardship goals.

“NMPF is grateful to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) for their bipartisan leadership in getting this measure through the Senate.”



Growth Energy Applauds Senate Passage of Growing Climate Solutions Act

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor applauded today’s Senate passage of the Growing Climate Solutions Act, legislation that would break down barriers for farmers and foresters interested in participating in carbon markets.

“Farmers have already been making big investments in new technology to reduce their carbon emissions,” said Skor. “As reducing greenhouse gas emissions is top of mind for the biofuels industry, we are working with our ag partners to use sustainable farming practices to reduce emissions throughout the entire production lifecycle. The Growing Climate Solutions Act will rightly reward farmers nationwide for their efforts to reduce emissions.  

“Our industry truly is from nature and for nature. We thank Senators Stabenow and Braun for their leadership in passing this legislation.”



State agriculture officials celebrate bipartisan passage of the Growing Climate Solutions Act by the U.S. Senate

Today, state departments of agriculture celebrate the bipartisan passage of the Growing Climate Solutions Act. National Association of State Departments of Agriculture CEO Dr. Barb Glenn offered the following praise for the act:
 
“Through its voluntary structure and focus on supporting farmers, The Growing Climate Solutions Act enables all agricultural producers to further embrace climate smart practices with new educational resources and economic certainty. State departments of agriculture ardently work to ensure the prosperity of agriculture and welcome the opportunity to assist farmers seeking to enter the carbon market.
 
NASDA commends the U.S. Senate for holding to their commitment to act on climate policy and thanks Senator Stabenow, Senator Braun, and Senator Boozman for leading the development of the Growing Climate Solutions Act in a strong bi-partisan fashion.”
 
Background:
NASDA serves as a founding member of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance and advocates for incentive and science-based climate solutions for agriculture. In 2019, NASDA members unanimously acknowledged the necessity of adapting to a changing climate to protect our nation’s natural resources and build a more resilient food system. Read more about NASDA’s work on climate at NASDA.org/climate-resiliency.



Soybean Farmers Applaud Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework

Soybean farmers are pleased to see a strong bipartisan approach to investing in America’s infrastructure and are supportive of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework agreed upon by senators and endorsed by President Biden. The plan to overhaul the country’s transportation, water and broadband infrastructure would put into motion President Biden’s Build Back Better vision and invest resources proposed in his American Jobs Plan.

“ASA has long championed many of the investments in this package, including ports, waterways, highways and bridges, and broadband. We are thankful to see these issues prioritized and that the plan avoids tax provisions that would negatively impact farmers and their families, such as drastic changes to stepped-up basis,” said Kevin Scott, ASA president and soybean farmer from South Dakota.

While details of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework must still be developed, ASA looks forward to working with both the White House and Congress to advance infrastructure investment without imposing a tax burden on farmers.



Scientists Serve Up Vaccine Cocktail for Protecting Cattle from Disease

Scientists with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have developed a new experimental vaccine to protect cattle from the bacterium that causes Johne’s disease, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP).

Johne’s disease, also known as paratuberculosis, is a chronic intestinal disorder that can cause diarrhea, weight loss, poor health and sometimes death in afflicted cattle. In the United States, Johne’s disease is most prevalent in dairy herds, costing the industry more than $220 million annually in losses. The disease also affects other ruminant animals, including sheep, goats and deer.

Rather than use the cells of live but weakened or dead MAP, as has been done with past commercial vaccine formulations, ARS microbiologists Judy Stabel and John Bannantine set their sights on four proteins from the bacterium, which they discovered from prior research to sequence and characterize its genome (or, genetic makeup).

In preliminary trials, vaccinating mice with the proteins reduced bacterial colonization of the rodents’ intestinal walls and bacterial shedding in feces, a major route by which other hosts become infected. Cattle, for example, can become infected while grazing pasture where MAP-contaminated manure is located. Calves ingesting colostrum from an infected dam is another route of infection, noted Stabel, who along with Bannantine, is with the ARS National Animal Disease Center’s Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research Unit in Ames, Iowa.    

Encouraged by the results with mice, the researchers scaled-up their efforts, using standard laboratory procedures to produce the four proteins and combine them into a single, recombinant vaccine “cocktail” that could be administered to calves at doses of 200 or 400 micrograms.  

Throughout, the researchers strived to avoid shortcomings of past vaccine formulations that had been developed, including a tendency to trigger blemishes at the site of injection and interference with the accuracy of serological tests used to detect not only MAP, but also another closely related bacterial species that causes bovine tuberculosis.

Trials with dairy calves, detailed in the April 2021 issue of the journal Vaccine, indicate the vaccine cocktail did not disappoint. In addition to rendering the young animals immune to the disease over the course of a year of monitoring, the formulation showed little to no cross-reactivity with serological tests for both Johne’s disease and bovine tuberculosis. Administering the vaccine cocktail also did not trigger blemishes at the injection site, Stabel reported—a potential benefit for animals raised for their meat and hides.

The researchers note the need for additional efficacy trials and welcome collaboration with an industry partner to explore the patented vaccine cocktail’s commercial potential further.  



Third Case of Rare Swine Flu Variant Found in Manitoba

A third case of a rare swine flu variant has been identified in southern Manitoba. The variant Influenza H3N2 was detected earlier this month. The person experienced mild symptoms and was initially tested for COVID-19.That test came back negative, but further testing discovered the swine flu variant.

The province says the case appears to be isolated and there is no increased risk to people or the food supply chain. Two other cases of different swine flu variants were identified in people in southern Manitoba in April.

The variants Influenza A H1N2 and A H1N1 also were detected after people were tested for COVID-19 after experiencing mild flu symptoms. Both of the people had had direct or indirect exposure to pigs.

The province says the three cases are unrelated. There have been 29 cases globally of the H1N2 variant since 2005 when reporting became mandatory. The only other Canadian case was identified in Alberta last year.

The H1N1 variant is also rarely seen in humans. Manitoba's case is the second in Canada following one identified in Ontario in 2012. There were two cases in the United States earlier this year.

All the people have since recovered.



National Checkoff Petition Drive Nearing Deadline

Led by the South Dakota Livestock Auction Markets Association and Steve Stratford of Kansas-based Stratford Angus, the National Beef Checkoff Petition Committee (Petition Committee) is nearing the deadline for obtaining signed petitions for a beef checkoff referendum from 10 percent of the nation’s cattle owners.

Launched on July 2, 2020, in the wake of the economy-disrupting COVID-19 pandemic, the Petition Committee was given until July 2, 2021 to obtained signed petitions calling for referendum from 88,269 cattle producers.

Due to near nation-wide pandemic-related restrictions, the year-long petition drive was principally relegated to an online electronic-based petition located at www.checkoffvote.com, which has gained considerable momentum during the past few weeks gathering about one hundred new petition signers each day. Presently, the number of electronic signatures is at 16,779.

Thousands of hard-copy petitions have also been mailed in and organizers say thousands more are in the hands of volunteers throughout the nation who have yet to send the signed petitions they have gathered to the Petition Committee.

“We’re grateful for the many, many volunteer petition carriers from nearly every state who despite the pandemic have been gathering untold numbers of signed petitions for this effort,” said Karina Jones, R-CALF USA Field Director who is leading R-CALF USA’s grassroots efforts within the Petition Committee. The grassroots committee has committed to meeting 2-3 times monthly via conference call meetings, to share ideas and develop the campaign.

“We expect to receive all their signed petitions in the mail very shortly,” she added.

Jones said the Petition Committee had reached out to all known state cattlemen’s groups, the National Farmers Union, American Farm Bureau Federation, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association urging them to circulate the petition among their respective memberships and she is awaiting delivery of any petitions they have gathered.

In addition, she said the petition was circulated through several farm and ranch publications, affording subscribers of those publications the opportunity to have their voices heard.

She said the Petition Committee also reached out to the national beef checkoff’s Cattlemen’s Beef Board (CBB) asking them to either share their list of 83,000 cattle producers that receive the CBB’s beef checkoff funded newsletter but that the CBB declined to offer any assistance in ensuring that as many cattle producers as possible could have the opportunity to sign the petition.

The committee wants to remind everyone that all signatures must be collected online at www.checkoffvote.com or on the hard copy petition by July 2, 2021. Mail in the completed hard copy petitions as soon as possible so they can promptly be forwarded to the USDA by the end of July.



MORE THAN 25 ORGANIZATIONS FILE AMICUS BRIEF TO RELEASE WISCONSIN ORDER HALTING $4 BILLION IN LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR BIPOC FARMERS

On behalf of the Rural Coalition, the Intertribal Agriculture Council, the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Land Loss Prevention Project and 23 additional farm, rural, environmental, health and civil rights groups, the Southern Poverty Law Center filed an amicus brief yesterday asking a federal court in Wisconsin to allow the distribution of $4 billion in loan forgiveness set aside by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to correct decades of injustice, systemic racism and admitted discriminatory behavior by the federal government.

The assistance package was part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) signed into law by President Joe Biden in March. On June 10, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) subverting the will of Congress and stopping relief to over 17,000 Black, Indigenous and other farmers of color who have suffered historic, systemic and ongoing discrimination in USDA lending programs.

“Debt relief is something that minority farmers desperately need as they try to recover from the damage that COVID-19 has disproportionately inflicted on their businesses and families,” said Keisha Stokes-Hough, senior supervising attorney for the Economic Justice Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center. “Congress granted this relief because farmers of color have borne the brunt of the economic downturn due to systemic and current discrimination. As a result, farmers of color are at the greatest risk of failure. The American Rescue Plan is an important first step in addressing decades of lending and aid discrimination in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the will of Congress must not be subverted.”

The USDA has a decades-long track record of discriminating against Black, Indigenous and other farmers of color. For example, USDA distributed $9.2 billion in aid to farmers in 2020 under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Less than 3% of that relief went to a category of producers defined by the USDA as being underserved by federal farm programs and which includes farmers of color. With this loan forgiveness plan, Congress directed the USDA to provide relief to socially disadvantaged farmers. The groups supporting the brief say delaying the distribution of these funds puts more BIPOC farmers in danger of going out of business or falling even further behind their white counterparts. The brief includes statements from BIPOC farmers who will experience irreparable harm from this delay in federal support.

Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued a preliminary injunction to further delay the relief to BIPOC provided by Congress in the ARPA. This decision and the additional lawsuits that are continuing to be filed only seek to further put our producers of color further in financial peril, take them off their lands, and inhibit their centuries long struggle for equity in agriculture. Our representative organizations will be exploring further action to protect our BIPOC producers’ rights, as well as their equity and inclusion to receive the relief they have long been denied.

More than 200 groups have signed a statement in support of immediately distributing the relief, saying that this landmark piece of legislation is desperately needed to correct ongoing systemic discrimination and to restore the rights of BIPOC farmers to pursue landownership and agriculture on an equal playing field.

Organizations joining the Rural Coalition, the Intertribal Agriculture Council and the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Land Loss Prevention Project on the brief include:
    NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council)
    Rural Advancement Fund of the National Sharecroppers Fund
    National Latino Farmers and Ranchers Trade Association
    American Indian Mothers, Inc.
    Arkansas Land and Farm Development Corporation
    Cottage House Incorporation
    Family Farm Defenders
    Kansas Black Farmers Association
    Land Stewardship Project
    National Young Farmers Coalition
    Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project, Inc.
    Operation Spring Plant, Inc.
    Texas Coalition of Rural Landowners
    World Farmers
    Farm Aid
    The Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor (HEAL) Food Alliance
    National Family Farm Coalition
    The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
    The Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA
    California Farm Link
    Community Farm Alliance
    Women, Food and Agriculture Network
    Steward Holdings