Tuesday September 14 Ag News

 Cuming County Youth Compete at 72nd Annual Norfolk Beef Expo
Melissa Nordboe, NE Extension Assistant, Cuming County

The Agri-Business Council of the Norfolk Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the annual Norfolk Beef Expo, a live market calf show and auction, every September, at the Northeast Community College Ag Complex.

This event is open to youth throughout Nebraska between the ages of 8 and 19 as of January 1. The Beef Expo is a tradition for many families and celebrated its 72nd year this year.

Cuming County 4-H members Evie Schlickbernd, Josie Ritter, Charlie Dinslage and Jack Ritter competed.

Results from Norfolk Beef Expo …
In Class 2, Division 1 Market Heifers, Evie Schlickbernd received second purple
In Class 1, Division 2 Market Heifers, Evie Schlickbernd received first purple
In Class 1, Division 2 Market Steers, Charlie Dinslage received a blue ribbon
In Class 3, Division 1 Market Steers, Josie Ritter received first purple
In Class 3, Division 2 Market Steers, Jack Ritter received first purple

Showmanship …
Intermediate Showmanship:  Josie Ritter – Champion and received a cash award.
Senior Showmanship:  Jack Ritter – Champion and received a cash award.



Cuming & Wayne Counties Again Take Top Rent Prizes
NE Farm Bureau newsletter

Cuming County takes the top prize for the highest average cash rental rates on irrigated and dryland crop ground in Nebraska for the third consecutive year. Cuming County’s average cash rents on irrigated and dryland ground were $297/acre and $250/acre, respectively. The dryland rate was up $7/acre and the irrigated rate up $5/acre compared to last year. Wayne County, another 3-year repeat champion, once again had the state’s highest average cash rent on pasture at $90/acre, $4 higher than last year. The data comes from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Rounding out the top three counties for pasture rents this year were Colfax County ($74/acre) and Stanton County ($73/acre). Cedar and Cass Counties followed for rents on irrigated ground at $293/acre and $287/acre, respectively. And Thurston and Dakota followed Cuming County for dryland with rents of $245/acre and $244/acre, respectively.

Rental rates across the state for irrigated and dryland ground appeared to be relatively stable compared to last year or maybe off some. The statewide average rent for irrigated cropland averaged $232/acre this year, $8 less than last year. Dryland rent averaged $134/acre, $15 less. The decrease is somewhat surprising given the runup in crop prices. Perhaps the surge of COVID-19 infections in the fall and winter months, typically when rental rates are negotiated, created enough uncertainty to keep rental rates somewhat flat. It could also be indicative of the “stickiness” of rental rates in general. On the other hand, average rent for pasture ground averaged $36/acre, $12/acre more than last year.



Nebraska Farm Bureau Disappointed in Agriculture Secretary Vilsack’s Opinion Piece Regarding Elimination of Stepped-Up Basis

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Nebraska Farm Bureau President Mark McHargue expressed extreme disappointment with a recent opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal where Vilsack claimed the capital gains tax provision known as “stepped-up basis” protects investors, not farmers and ranchers. Stepped-up basis is an important and long-standing federal tax provision that helps minimize capital gains tax for those who inherit property, helping limit situations where Nebraska farm and ranch families could be forced to sell part of the family farm or ranch, just to pay capital gains taxes when triggered by a death and generational transfer.

“The assertion that, ‘keeping stepped-up basis doesn’t protect farmers,’ but rather ‘protects investors’ is not only incorrect, but insults farmers and ranchers who have spent their lives working in hopes of passing a viable operation to the next generation. What the op ed trivialized as ‘investors’, are in truth the sons, daughters, and grandchildren of Nebraska’s farm and ranch families. They are the future stewards of our country and world’s food system. Few words can describe agriculture’s collective disappointment in having a piece written by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, which so publicly portrays them as little more than ‘stockholders,’” wrote McHargue.

Nebraska Farm Bureau is actively opposing proposals at the federal level that would lead to tax hikes on Nebraska family farms, ranches, and businesses, including proposals to eliminate the stepped-up basis provisions.

“The lack of real details from the Biden administration, and those in Congress who support efforts to eliminate stepped-up basis, has only created fear and unease across the country. Eliminating stepped-up basis threatens family businesses across the spectrum,” wrote McHargue. “While we did not always agree on every issue, we expect the Secretary of Agriculture to stand up for our industry. That confidence has taken a tremendous hit following the piece in the Wall Street Journal opinion editorial. Please know that we will use each and every tool at our disposal to defeat this misguided and partisan attack on a vitally important long-standing piece of our nation’s tax code.”



Bacon Slams Incomplete, Partisan, and Unvetted Budget Reconciliation Package Pushed Through by House Dems

Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) issued the following statement after Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee pushed through a $66 billion incomplete, partisan, and unvetted budget reconciliation package.

“It is disappointing that House Democrats passed this bill which includes pet projects and doesn’t dedicate a dime to programs such as the commodity safety net, crop insurance, rural broadband, or disaster assistance. The AG Dems didn’t accept a single GOP amendment in over 10.5 hours of deliberations. They didn’t seek our input nor want our support. It is clear they are in full support of Speaker Pelosi’s $3.5T spending spree and $3T tax increases, which leave America’s farmers and ranchers in the dust and will cripple our economy.

“The HAC has a long history of bipartisanship, but there was no evidence of it this past week. Democrats should’ve looked to how the Republican Committee Leadership reached both sides of the aisle for the 2018 Farm Bill by hosting more than 100 public events to better understand the needs of our farmers and ranchers.”



WINDROW GRAZING
– Ben Beckman, NE Extension

With feed cost being a top expense for many producers, one cost reducing option to consider is windrow grazing. Let’s look at the advantages and challenges of implementing this practice in your operation.

Windrow grazing occupies a gray area between haying and grazing forages. When done correctly, it provides the best of both worlds, allowing harvest to occur at the optimal time for yield and quality, while eliminating the cost and labor of baling, storing, and feeding hay.   Properly cured, windrows can be grazed through the fall and winter, maintaining quality similar to stored round bales.

With less than 25% of precipitation in Nebraska occurring between October and March, fall harvesting forages face less pressure from weather.  While windrow grazing can be practiced successfully state wide, central and western Nebraska may see better results due to an overall cooler and drier climate.

Along with climate, construction of the windrow will also aid in success. Thinner stemmed grass species fit best for this system including cool season grains like oats, triticale, barley, and wheat, and warm season annuals like foxtail millet and sudangrass.  A high, dense windrow is less susceptible to weathering loss. If forage yields are less than 1.5 tons/acre, consider raking two windrows together.   Swath rows parallel to prevailing winds to keep blowing to a minimum and cut high to leave stubble the windrow can sit on, keeping it off of the ground.

When it comes time to use, portion off a section of field with temporary fence running perpendicular to the windrow.  Start with providing one week’s worth of feed, then adjust the allotment to provide more or less as necessary.  Even under snow, a well-built windrow will be easily accessed by cattle.

While best suited for the climate of central and western Nebraska, windrow grazing can be practiced statewide.  To be successful, harvest in the fall for reduced weathering, build a dense windrow, and limit feed with temporary fence.   



Nebraska Beef Council September Board Meeting

The Nebraska Beef Council Board of Directors will have a virtual meeting at the NBC office in Kearney, NE located at 1319 Central Ave. on Monday September 27, 2021 beginning at 12:00 p.m. CDT. The NBC Board of Directors will review a draft of the FY 2021-2022 Marketing Plan. For more information, please contact Pam Esslinger at pam@nebeef.org.  



Updated Study Shows the Value of Red Meat Exports to U.S. Corn Farmers

A recent study by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) indicates that U.S. beef and pork exports added 41 cents per bushel to the value of corn in 2020. That’s 11.5% of the average annual price of $3.52/bushel, and the overall value of red meat exports was $5.8 billion.

“Considering everything that happened in 2020, it is encouraging to see how red meat exports continued to show a strong return for U.S. corn farmers,” said NCGA Market Development Action Team (MDAT) Chair and Iowa farmer Bob Hemesath. “The animal ag industry is our largest customer. It’s important to continue to partner with USMEF and expand and grow these markets.”

Key findings from the study, which utilizes 2020 export data, include:
    Beef and pork exports used 530.5 million bushels of corn. At an average annual price of $3.52/bushel, beef and pork exports accounted for $1.87 billion in market value to the corn industry.
    Beef and pork exports also used 3.03 million tons of distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS) at an annual average price of $154.59/ton, generating $468 million in market value for ethanol mills’ co-products.

“The corn industry provides critical support for USMEF's eff­orts to expand global demand for U.S. red meat,” said USMEF Senior Vice President of Industry Relations John Hinners. “This study helps quantify the return on that investment.”



Global Farmer Network Board Adds Two Directors

The board of directors of the Global Farmer Network is growing with the addition of farmer members from Iowa and the United Kingdom.

Mark Heckman grows corn and soybeans and raises cattle and hogs in a family partnership that places a strong focus on soil health, carbon sequestration and sustainability. Heckman Farms uses technology that supports the sustainable use of hog and cattle manure while maintaining water quality standards. It’s all about doing more with less.  

Mark is an advisor for the US Grains Council and past-president of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. Off the farm, Mark is a Senior Regulatory Consultant for EcoEngineers of Des Moines.

Paul Temple farms in the north of England in the United Kingdom. The farm practices conservation agriculture on a mixed beef and arable family farm. Paul grows wheat for seed, barley, oilseed rape, vining peas and beans, recently adding grass leys back into the arable rotation.

On the beef side they utilize a wide range of environmental grasses with suckler cattle, rearing calves that are either fattened or sold as stores. Additionally, the farm is in a high level environmental scheme with educational access.

The organization, founded in the year 2000 as Truth About Trade and Technology, changed its name in January of 2016 to better reflect the mission and makeup of the organization. The group’s goal is to insert the farmer’s voice into the global food conversation, advocating for the use of technology and free trade.

Board Chairman Reg Clause: “We’ve recently been moving the board into a more active role in the projects of the network. Adding Mark and Paul to our board of directors will help us strategically move our mission forward. We’re pleased to have them join us.”



Yum! Brands Release Cage-Free Policy

Yum! Brands, the world's largest restaurant company, with close to 50,000 locations globally across its KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and The Habit Burger Grill brands, has released a global policy to transition to 100% cage-free eggs and egg products in the majority of its locations by 2026, and globally by 2030.

The fast-food corporation also agreed to provide annual progress reporting to ensure transparency.

Company officials say the goal is to benefit millions of hens in its global supply chain, and follow public cage-free campaigns.



Insights on the Economics of Soil Health on 100 Farms

The Soil Health Institute (SHI), the non-profit charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils, will release its comprehensive report on the Economics of Soil Health on 100 Farms in a webinar on Thursday, September 30 at 12 p.m. ET, thanks to the generous support of Cargill.

Using data collected and analyzed across 100 farms in nine states, Dr. Wayne Honeycutt, SHI’s President & CEO, will share key findings that can only be gleaned at such a scale.

KEY FINDINGS:
    A total of 100 farmers were interviewed representing 194,003 acres of cropland across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Tennessee.
    These farmers were using no-till on 85% of their cropland and cover crops on 53% of their cropland, well above the national average of 37% for no-till and 5% for cover crops. Those farmers using no-till had been doing so for an average of 19 years, and those who grew cover crops had been doing so for an average of nine years.
    Sixty-seven percent of the farmers interviewed reported increased yield from using a soil health management system. Two percent reported decreased corn yield.
    It cost an average of $24.00/acre less to grow corn and $16.57/acre less to grow soybean using a soil health management system.
    Soil health management systems increased net income for 85% of farmers growing corn and 88% growing soybean.
    Based on standardized prices, the soil health management system increased net income for these 100 farmers by an average of $51.60/acre for corn and $44.89/acre for soybean.
    Farmers also reported additional benefits of their soil health management system, such as increased resilience to extreme weather and increased access to their fields.

The most desirable and robust information on how soil health affects profitability comes from real-world, on-farm data. This study involved interviewing farmers who have successfully implemented a soil health management system to obtain information on their management practices, yield, and other production experiences. To evaluate their economics, SHI’s Agricultural Economist used partial budget analysis to compare expenses and returns in a soil health management system compared to a conventional management system.

“Several management practices that improve soil health also increase carbon storage in soils, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce nutrient runoff and leaching,” explained Dr. Honeycutt. “However, investing in new management practices is also a business decision for farmers. Until now, there hasn’t been such a comprehensive study that provides the economic information farmers need when deciding whether to adopt soil health practices. By closing this knowledge gap in the nine states where 71% of the corn and 67% of the soybean are grown in the U.S., we can scale up these benefits for farmers and the environment.”

Given the current adoption rates of no-till (37%) and cover crops (5%) in the U.S., the study indicates that many other farmers may improve their profitability by adopting soil health management systems.

Interested parties can register for the webinar at https://soilhealthinstitute.org/economics/ or by visiting the link: https://soilhealthinstitute-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9b2n2zxxSgu-XHFbLdQKnA.

All who register will be provided a fact sheet summarizing the results.



Minnesota Federal Court Denies Packers’ Motion to Dismiss Cattle Antitrust Cases

Today, the Federal District Court for the District of Minnesota issued an order substantially denying the motion by the nation’s four largest beef packers (Defendants) to dismiss the class-action antitrust lawsuit originally filed in April 2019 by R-CALF USA though its counsels Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law LLP, along with Cafferty Clobes Meriwether & Sprengel LLP.

In today’s ruling, Judge John R. Tunheim found that Plaintiffs (including R-CALF USA) have plausibly plead that Defendants conspired to suppress the price of fed cattle and increase the price of beef.

R-CALF USA’s antitrust action alleges the Big 4 violated the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 by engaging in a price-fixing conspiracy. It also alleges the Big 4 violated the Packers and Stockyards Act as well as the Commodity Exchange Act.

As a result of today’s order, the cattle antitrust case will now proceed to discovery so that Plaintiffs may test their claims. A public version of the order will be available at a later date.



NCBA Slams PCRM Complaint

NCBA, working as a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, recently developed a campaign to transparently share the beef industry’s science-based sustainability story and connect consumers with facts about how their beef is raised. Part of this campaign included very successful ads in Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post.
 
The campaign reached millions of consumers and inspired curious readers to learn more. Unsurprisingly, the campaign also led to mudslinging from animal activist groups who must grasp at straws because they know that less than 5% of the U.S. population claim to be vegetarian.
 
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) recently petitioned both USDA and the Federal Trade Commission, suggesting our ads downplayed cattle’s role in the environment. PCRM masquerades as medical authorities, despite the fact that fewer than 10% of PCRM’s members are actually physicians. PCRM, which acts as a front for animal rights extremists, has zero expertise in sustainability. Their sole aim is to pedal plant-based diets. More than that, PCRM has been linked with PETA and even with groups that the FBI has designated as domestic terrorists.
 
PCRM’s questionable reputation aside, the facts and science are on beef’s side. Just as the ads cited, beef cattle only account for 2% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., according to the EPA.1 And according to USDA and the UN FAO, the U.S. has produced the most sustainable beef in the world for decades and has reduced emissions per pound of beef by 40% since the 1960s.2,3 All of this information is scientifically vetted and publicly available.
 
PCRM’s attack on these ads conflates global data with U.S. numbers and ignores the growing body of evidence that beef is not only an important part of a sustainable food system in the U.S., but also nourishes the land it’s raised on through carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat preservation and more.4
 
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s critiques are not only baseless and inaccurate but also try to scare media from sharing important stories and suppress information that consumers deserve to know. NCBA stands by this campaign and will not be silenced by animal extremists who pretend to be doctors.

1    EPA. 2021. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2019. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. 
2    USDA-NASS Quick Stats Tools. Available at: https://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/results/3AC161F7-F361-3A66-9B6C-2E1220FEBF52?pivot=short_desc  
3    U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. FAOSTAT Database – Food and agricultural data. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home
4    Taylor, DT, et al. 2019. National and State Economic Values of Cattle Ranching and Farming Based Ecosystem Services in the U.S. University of Wyoming Extension B-1338. 



New Book Gives Kids Glimpse of a ‘Barn at Night’

A new children’s book is now available for families searching for a captivating agriculture story to share. “Barn at Night,” featuring lyrical poetry and glowing watercolors, is now available from Feeding Minds Press, the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s publishing venture.

“In ‘Barn at Night,’ readers discover the certain magic of a farm in the quiet predawn hours,” said Foundation for Agriculture executive director Daniel Meloy. “It is our hope that this book will illustrate the dedication of farmers and ranchers in caring for their animals, day in and day out, long before the rest of the world springs to life.”

This heartwarming yet true-to-life tale, written by Michelle Houts and illustrated by Jen Betton, invites readers along as a father and daughter go out to the barn on a cold winter night and are welcomed with an enchanting scene. The pair discover who is awake, who is asleep, and who is just making their first appearance in the barn.

To complement the book, Feeding Minds Press has created several engaging companion resources, including an activity kit, an in-depth video from the book’s illustrator showing her creative process, and a blog post from the book’s author explaining her inspiration for the book. A full educator’s guide is available or a sample lesson plan can be viewed here.

“Barn at Night” is the fourth printed title from Feeding Minds Press, which published “Right This Very Minute” in January 2019, “Chuck’s Ice Cream Wish” in March 2020, and “My Family’s Soybean Farm” in January 2021. Feeding Minds Press also offers several free printable books that focus on careers in agriculture. The book is available for purchase directly from Feeding Minds Press, as well as on Amazon and Barnes & Noble online.



Duties on Indian Organic Soy Likely to Create Shift in Organic Trade

The Department of Commerce has finished their countervailing duty (CVD) investigation into organic soybean meal from India and the first memorandum, released at the end of August, gives insights into what the final decision will be in January 2022, says Mercaris in its Monthly Organic Update released today. Mercaris, who has followed this process since the petition was filed in March 2021, says the CVD implications for a number of Indian organic soybean meal producers could reshape the U.S. organic industry in the future.

“The DOC’s decision found India’s policies and subsidies result in organic soybean meal from India materially injuring industries within the United States and outlines CVD implications for the future,” says Ryan Koory, Vice President of Economics for Mercaris. “In addition to the CVDs for all Indian producers, there were 13 companies investigated by the DOC that failed to comply with information requests. They were assessed a punitive adverse facts available CVD of 266.37%.”

Another decision on anti-dumping duties (ADD) is expected next month which could result in an additional 158% tariff.  Koory noted that the DOC’s overall findings suggest a large number of Indian organic soybean meal producers will likely face a CVD of 266.37% by the middle of 2022, with the potential for an additional anti-dumping duty (ADD) of 158% this fall.

“If these two duty rates go into effect by the middle of 2022, importers of Indian soybean meal will face a tariff rate as high as 424.37% and no less than 165.5%,” adds Koory. “To emphasize how significant this decision is, we estimate that 43% of total U.S. organic soy supplies for 2020/21 came from Indian organic soybean meal.”

While not all Indian suppliers will face the 424.37% rate, Koory says the lesser rate of 165.5% will likely be enough to significantly change the trade relationship between the U.S. and India and ultimately reshape U.S. organic soy supplies. Mercaris expects whatever the change in duties, it will likely be the most significant factor impacting the U.S. organic soybean market over 2021/22 and beyond.