Friday February 10 Ag News

Northeast’s Nelson selected to serve on Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee

The precision agriculture trainer at Northeast Community College has been selected to serve on a committee affiliated with a state farm advocacy organization.

Courtney Nelson joined more than 200 young farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness professionals from across the state in Kearney recently to gain valuable insights into agriculture trends, career opportunities, and knowledge on leading issues facing young farmers and ranchers in Nebraska, all while building a strong network of lifelong allies needed to thrive in agriculture.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF & R) Conference is the only conference in Nebraska that is specifically designed for young farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness professionals. This year’s conference offered local tours, innovative breakout sessions, inspiring keynote speaker, a discussion meet contest, and more.

“The YF & R Conference is a great opportunity to share ideas and network with people who may be facing the same struggles as a young farmer or rancher,” said Joe Melnick, YF & R committee chair. “Coming together at an event like this means we are developing strong leaders for the agriculture community and communities across the state.”

Nelson is one of 16 members on the 2023 YF & R Committee. She represents the northeast region of the state. In her role as precision agriculture trainer at Northeast, it is Nelson’s job to bring her classroom to communities across Northeast’s 20-county service area. She defines precision agriculture to the students as a farm-management method - a way of looking at fields and data to be very intentional with decision-making. Technology such as machinery, maps, software, and drones are among the tools that are available to help make management decisions.

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation is a grassroots, statewide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska’s economy.

For more information on Nebraska Farm Bureau’s YF&R Committee, visit nefb.org.



Congressman Flood Supports Renewed Push for Permanent Year-Round E15

U.S. Congressman Mike Flood recently joined several members of Congress to push for year-round E15 in a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In April 2022, Midwest governors wrote the EPA, seeking permission to sell gasoline containing 15% ethanol (E15) year-round. But the governors’ requests went unheard, leaving fuel retailers, fuel blenders, and biofuel producers in limbo.

“As we gear up for the summer 2023 travel season, we have the production and distribution infrastructure to meet consumer demand for this lower cost and environmentally friendly fuel option,” wrote the members of Congress. “By working swiftly to finalize the Governors’ requests, you will bring much needed certainty to our corn growers, fuel retailers, and consumers to enjoy the clean-burning, lower cost benefits of year-round E15 through the 2023 summer driving season.”



Tim Clare becomes Board of Regents chair for 2023; Rob Schafer elected vice chair

Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, representing District 1 on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, today assumed the role of chairman of the Board after serving as vice chairman in 2022.

Regent Rob Schafer of Beatrice, representing District 5, was elected vice chairman of the Board.

Clare, a partner at Rembolt Ludtke law firm in Lincoln, was elected to the Board in 2008. He served as chairman in 2013 and 2019. Clare earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his master’s and law degrees from Creighton University.

He serves on the West Haymarket Joint Public Agency and has held a wide range of civic leadership roles. Clare recently received the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce’s highest individual honor, the Roger T. Larson Community Builder Award, in recognition of his extensive civic engagement.

Schafer is a partner at Smith Schafer Davis Gaertig LLC and a livestock owner/operator. He is a staff judge advocate and lieutenant colonel in the Nebraska Air National Guard. Schafer earned his bachelor’s and law degrees from UNL. He was appointed to the Board in 2013, elected in 2014 and served as chairman in 2018.



Nebraska Ethanol Board Feb. 23 Board Meeting to Be Held in Lincoln

The Nebraska Ethanol Board will meet in Lincoln at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23. The meeting will be at Cornhusker Marriott (333 S. 13th St) in lower-level event room Arbor II. Highlights of the agenda include:
    Budget Report
    Process Control Essentials & Process Hazard Analysis Training Updates
    Fuel Retailer Update
    Nebraska Corn Board Update
    Renewable Fuels Nebraska Update
    Technical & Research Updates
    Marketing Programs
    State and Federal Legislation
    Ethanol Plant Reports

This agenda contains all items to come before the Board except those items of an emergency nature.  Nebraska Ethanol Board meetings are open to the public and also published on the public calendar.



Women in Agriculture Book Club

The Nebraska Women in Agriculture program has announced “Getting to Yes,” by Roger Fisher and William Ury, as the choice for its first 2023 book club, which will conclude with a virtual discussion at 2 p.m. Central time on March 20.

“Getting to Yes” is based on the work of the Harvard Negotiation Project, a group that deals with all levels of negotiation and conflict resolution. It offers readers a straightforward, universally applicable method for reaching mutually satisfying agreements at home, in business and with people in any situation.

The book club discussion will be led by Calli Thorne, a speaker, global leadership trainer, mindset coach and multi-business entrepreneur. She grew up on her family’s farm and ranch in northwest North Dakota, where they now operate multiple enterprises, including a backgrounding feedlot, cow/calf operation and direct-to-consumer beef sales.

Thorne is a certified member of the John Maxwell Leadership Team, where she works with a variety of clients including youth, business owners and leaders, local government teams, organizations and individuals. She also offers mental health first aid certification classes, which teach others how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health challenges.

Registration is free at https://go.unl.edu/get2yes. The first 20 registrants will receive a complimentary copy of the book mailed to them.

This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2021-70027-34694



NEW Cooperative, United Farmers Cooperative look at merger

The Board of Directors of NEW Cooperative wish to announce a merger study with United Farmers Cooperative (UFC) headquartered in Red Oak. The study will provide a more in-depth review of both companies and the potential benefits for each membership if a merger were to occur.

Over the next several weeks, management from both companies will continue to meet and explore the potential value to both memberships working together as a combined organization. This process will be guided by the board of directors and staff of each cooperative.

As the work begins, we want to ensure you that any decision must first be in the best interest of both member owners and employee teams. As our organizations work through this process, additional information will be shared.

The management teams from both organizations have known each other for many years and are looking forward to spending time together during this merger study process.



Iowa Farm Bureau Names Molly Shanahan Leadership Training Manager

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) has named Molly Shanahan as its leadership training manager.  Shanahan is responsible for serving IFBF’s statewide membership by managing various leadership development programs for members and county Farm Bureaus, including the Ag Leaders Institute and Young Farmer program.  Shanahan succeeds Mary Foley Balvanz who will retire in Spring 2023 after more than 25 years of service.

“We are very excited to have Molly on staff to continue growing our leadership development programs and providing valuable training and resources that Iowa Farm Bureau members have long relied on,” said Ryan Steinfeldt, IFBF field service director. “Molly’s leadership background and experience, along with her farm roots and agriculture knowledge, allows us to continue serving our members and county Farm Bureaus with leadership development opportunities and programs.”

Prior to being named IFBF leadership development manager, Shanahan served as a talent development consultant with Farm Bureau Financial Services (FBFS), supporting leadership development programs for FBFS employees.  

“Iowa Farm Bureau has a stellar reputation for developing and growing leaders, and I’m excited to help advance our members and county Farm Bureaus through valuable leadership development programming and resources,” Shanahan said.  “With 100 county Farm Bureaus and member boards in each county, I look forward to working with our leaders to advance and grow county Farm Bureaus.”

Shanahan was raised on a family farm in eastern Iowa, where her family grows corn and soybeans and raise beef cattle.  The University of Northern Iowa graduate is also active in United Way of Central Iowa’s young professionals’ campaign, LINC.  Shanahan resides in West Des Moines with her husband and goldendoodle.  



Iowa Cattlemen Lead the Way at Cattle Convention

Representatives from the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association attended the 2023 Cattle Convention last week in New Orleans, La. Eleven resolutions and directives were enacted as interim policy for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, three of which came from Iowa.

During the Ag and Food Policy Committee, ICA shared testimony based on our newly established CRP Guiding Principles. “The Conservation Reserve Program was never created with the cattle producer in mind,” stated Bob Noble, ICA president. “The average cash rent for pasture in Iowa is $59.50 per acre. The average CRP rental rate in Iowa is $234 per acre. This is the highest average in the nation. While the payment limitations on rental rates in the 2018 Farm Bill were a step in the right direction, more could be done to help cattle producers.”

ICA proposed the following CRP amendments:
    Allow periodic non-emergency haying and grazing approved by a NRCS Management Plan with no payment reduction (Did not pass)
    Limit the penalty for landowners who remove land from extended CRP contracts (Passed)
    Target CRP for marginal land, not productive acres or entire farms and ranches (Passed)
    Limit CRP rental rates to be less than private sector pasture rental rates within the county where contract acres are located (Amended - CRP rental rates should approximate but not exceed the rental rates of the marginal land sought to be conserved)
    Allow responsible grazing as a management practice on buffer strips, headlands, and waterways (Passed)

ICA membership also brought forward actionable resolutions in the Live Cattle Marketing Committee. There was unanimous support for ICA’s proposal to establish a working group to assess the efficacy of the recently launched Cattle Contracts Library Pilot Program. Additionally, ICA worked with other state affiliates to introduce and enact Fed Cattle Pick-up Time, which promotes the adoption of an industry-wide practice for cattle to be picked up or delivered no later than seven days after the cattle are traded, unless otherwise negotiated at the time of trade.



Edge of Field Bioreactor Workshop To Be Held March 2 in Ames

Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Story County, City of Ames and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, is hosting a bioreactor and saturated buffer workshop on Thursday, March 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Ames Water Treatment Plant to discuss the new batch and build project kicking off in Story County. The free event is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal.

Saturated buffers and bioreactors have been prioritized by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship as some of the most cost-effective methods to improve water quality. These practices can be located within existing filter strips and are designed to work with the drainage system of the field. In Story County there is a new program with financial and technical assistance available offering 100% cost share for these practices to be installed.

Iowa Learning Farms is a conservation program with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Attendees will learn more about how these practices work through the demonstration of the Conservation On The Edge trailer. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig will share updates on water quality efforts in the state and opportunities for farmers and landowners to get involved. Sara Carmichael, watershed coordinator for Story County; Megan Volkens, environmental specialist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship; and Dustin Albrecht, environmental specialist for City of Ames, will provide information and technical assistance to help decide if a bioreactor or saturated buffer could work on your land and discuss possible funding opportunities to assist with installation. Weather permitting, there will be an optional tour of current bioreactor and saturated buffers installations in Story County.

The workshop will be at the Ames Water Treatment Plant, 1800 E 13th St., Ames. The event is free and open to farmers and landowners, though reservations are required to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu. Attendees will be entered in a drawing that evening for ISU Prairie Strips honey.

Iowa Learning Farms field days and workshops are supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. For more information about Iowa Learning Farms, visit www.iowalearningfarms.org.



2022 Was Another Record Year for U.S. Farm Exports

The American agricultural sector posted its best export year ever in 2022 with international sales of U.S. farm and food products reaching $196 billion, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today. Final 2022 trade data released earlier this week by the Commerce Department shows that U.S. agricultural exports increased 11 percent, or $19.5 billion, from the previous record set in 2021.

“This second consecutive year of record-setting agricultural exports, coupled with a record $160.5 billion in net farm income in 2022, demonstrates the success of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to create new and better markets for America’s agricultural producers and businesses,” Vilsack said. “We’re strengthening relationships with our trading partners and holding those partners accountable for their commitments. We’re making historic investments in infrastructure to strengthen supply chains and prevent market disruptions. We’re knocking down trade barriers that hamper U.S. producers’ access to key markets. And we’re continuing to invest in export market development programs, partnering with industry to bring high-quality, cost-competitive U.S. products to consumers around the world.”

The value of sales increased in all of the United States’ top 10 agricultural export markets – China, Mexico, Canada, Japan, the European Union, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Colombia and Vietnam, with sales in seven of the 10 markets (China, Mexico, Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines and Colombia) setting new records.

“While we remain committed to our established customer base around the world, we are also setting our sights on new growth opportunities in places like Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Overall, there were 30 markets where U.S. exports exceeded $1 billion in 2022 – an increase from 27 markets in 2021 – demonstrating the broad global appeal of American-grown products,” Vilsack noted.

The top commodities exported by the United States in 2022 were soybeans, corn, beef, dairy, cotton and tree nuts, which together comprised more than half of U.S. agricultural export value. International sales of many U.S. products – including soybeans, cotton, dairy, beef, ethanol, poultry, soybean meal, distilled spirits and distillers’ grains – reached record values.

“At the end of the day, agricultural trade is all about opportunities – for America’s farmers and ranchers, for our rural communities, for the U.S. economy and for our global customers. We extend our gratitude to the Americans across the agricultural industry who create and support those opportunities by growing, processing, selling and shipping our farm and food products to the world,” Vilsack said.



 
2022 Ag Trade Includes Wins and Losses

2022 was a record year for U.S. agricultural trade, topping $196 billion. Despite an 11% increase from 2021, it wasn’t all good news for America’s farmers and ranchers. While export values increased, overall export volume decreased by 6%. Imports of agricultural goods also increased by $28 billion, creating a trade deficit for 2022. American Farm Bureau Federation economists analyzed the trade numbers in their latest Market Intel report.

Cotton, soybeans, poultry meat, beef and tree nuts experienced export volume growth. Hay, coarse grains, fresh vegetables and wheat declined in export volume and value in 2022. Drought conditions in the U.S. limited production of many crops. A volatile global market contributed to rising costs for wheat.

“It’s encouraging to see the value of America’s agriculture exports increase, but America’s farmers and ranchers still face challenges from the weather and competition from other countries,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “The 2022 agricultural trade deficit demonstrates that there is more to be done by the Administration. The enforcement of current trade agreements and pursuit of new trading partners will enable America’s farmers to meet the growing needs of families here at home and abroad.”

In 2022, U.S. exports remained concentrated in the top six markets, led by China, Mexico and Canada. Export value to China had the largest major market year-over-year increase, at 16%. Despite that, U.S. market share in the Chinese market remained almost unchanged.



RFA Thanks Senators for Seeking End to Brazil Ethanol Tariff

The Renewable Fuels Association today thanked a bipartisan group of 10 U.S. Senators for urging President Biden to address Brazil’s punitive tariff on U.S. ethanol in meetings today with Brazil President Lula da Silva. As of the beginning of this month, the tariff on American ethanol is 16 percent, rising to 18 percent in 2024; Brazil had removed the tariff in March 2022 to help moderate fuel prices.

“We appreciate the efforts of these senators to remind the White House of the vital importance of free and fair trade,” RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper said. “We hope the Biden administration will work with President Lula da Silva and his administration to restore an open market and reciprocal ethanol trade between our nations. As the world’s leaders in the production and use of low-carbon ethanol, we must set an example of free trade and open markets for other nations to follow.”

The letter was signed by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Thune (R-SD), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Roger Marshall (R-KS).

“Brazil’s import tariff will have detrimental effects on American agriculture and ethanol producers,” the Senators wrote. “Currently, U.S. biofuel production supports 555,000 jobs across the country and the U.S. ethanol industry produces roughly 16 billion gallons of clean, renewable fuel annually that helps reduce prices at the pump across the country.”



RFA Comments: Proposed 2023-2025 Volumes Create ‘Firm Foundation’ for RFS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed renewable volume obligations for 2023-2025 will bolster the Renewable Fuel Standard and provide for sustainable growth in low-carbon renewable liquid fuels, the Renewable Fuels Association said in formal comments submitted to the agency today.

“Moving forward, expanding the use of low-carbon renewable fuels like ethanol is the most immediate and effective strategy for meeting the Administration’s carbon reduction goals,” wrote RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper, who noted that under the RFS, renewable fuels like ethanol have already resulted in the avoidance of more than 1.2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. “Once finalized, the 2023-2025 RVOs will further enhance the energy security, carbon reduction, and economic benefits that have already been realized under the RFS program.”

For 2023, EPA proposes to maintain an implied conventional renewable fuel requirement of 15 billion gallons, along with an additional 250-million-gallon supplemental standard for 2023 that would complete EPA’s compliance with a 2017 court decision. The implied conventional requirement was proposed at 15.25 billion gallons for 2024 and 2025. According to RFA’s comments, “these volumes will drive continued adoption of technologies that reduce carbon intensity, as well as greater investment in the infrastructure needed to expand distribution and consumption of fuels with higher renewable fuel content, like E15 and E85.”

RFA’s comments also voiced strong support for EPA’s policy on small refinery exemptions, stating the agency’s approach matches “the spirit and intent of the law,” complies with recent court decisions, and brings much-needed certainty and long-term clarity to the RFS program.

Finally, RFA encouraged EPA to re-evaluate growth opportunities for advanced biofuels such as biomass-based diesel and ensure that its final approach to renewable electricity RINs, or “eRINs”, honors the RFS program’s statutory intent, and is consistent with RIN generation provisions for all other renewable fuel pathways. RFA also asked the agency to revisit some of the problematic conclusions in its Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis.

In the end, however, EPA is moving in the right direction on the Renewable Fuel Standard. “The RFS has been a tremendous success,” Cooper wrote. “It has bolstered energy security by reducing demand for petroleum imports; it has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by replacing petroleum with low-carbon, renewable alternatives; it has lowered fuel prices for American consumers; and it has created jobs and spurred economic development across the country.”



ACE Comments Urge EPA to Maximize on Opportunity to Increase Renewable Fuel Volumes for 2023-2025

Today, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed multi-year Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for the 2023-2025 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) compliance years. ACE CEO Brian Jennings highlighted areas of support in the proposal, while detailing how to adjust the rule to maximize this significant new phase of the RFS to ensure the overall goal of the program is left intact — to increase the percentage of renewable fuels consumed in the U.S.

ACE supports EPA proposing:
    An “effective” conventional biofuel requirement of 15.25 billion gallons for 2023 through 2025;
    To restore the final 250-million-gallon remedy as a supplemental requirement for 2023;
    The multi-year nature of the Set rule because it provides market participants certainty to plan for the future;
    No Small Refinery Exemptions (SREs) for 2023 through 2025; and
    To update its antiquated greenhouse gas (GHG) model assumptions and methodology in the future.

ACE objects to EPA:
    Suggesting it may retroactively waive blending levels established by this rulemaking;
    Proposing an “alternative approach” to reduce conventional biofuel blending for 2024 and 2025 and expressing doubt about the ability for higher blends of corn-starch ethanol to play a primary role in helping fulfill the residual or implied conventional biofuel targets of the RFS; and
    Breaking precedent by giving Tesla and other vehicle manufacturers the ability to generate eRINs when all other RINs are generated by the producer of the renewable fuel.

ACE encourages EPA to:
    Revisit its overly conservative ethanol blending projections evidenced by data from the EIA indicating the concentration of ethanol in U.S. gasoline set a record level of 10.5% during the summer of 2022;
    Ensure any increase to advanced volumes be accompanied by a corresponding increase in total renewable fuel in the final rule;
    Adopt GREET for its lifecycle modeling, consistent with what Congress required of Treasury in the Inflation Reduction Act 45Z clean fuel production tax credit;
    Require stronger traceability and verification standards to avoid fraud and abuse of eRINs;
    Prioritize approving corn kernel fiber pathway registrations in 2023; and
    Take swift action on a plan by several governors to enable year-round access to E15 in their states.

“Ethanol can and should be an even bigger part of the solution to climate change, and we are encouraged by statements from you and USDA Secretary Vilsack that biofuels and agriculture will have a seat at the table as the Biden administration determines how to achieve the ambitious goal of net-zero carbon emissions in the U.S. by midcentury,” Jennings wrote. “We are particularly encouraged by new funding provided to USDA through the IRA to scale the deployment of climate-smart farming practices and demonstrate the link those practices have on reducing GHG emissions from products such as biofuels.”

In the comments, Jennings shares details on ACE’s USDA-funded project, in partnership with lop land-grant scientists and Sandia National Lab, to document and validate the benefits of climate smart practices on the carbon intensity of corn ethanol. “EPA’s proposal rightfully notes climate-smart agriculture practices can measurably reduce corn ethanol’s carbon intensity,” Jennings adds.



Clean Fuels Urges EPA to Either Raise RFS Multiyear Volumes or Only Finalize 2023 Volumes

Today, Clean Fuels Alliance America filed formal comments on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Renewable Fuel Standards for 2023–2025 and Other Changes. After sending signals supporting growth for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels in June 2022, EPA reverted to the pattern of flatlined volumes common in previous years. Clean Fuels asks the agency to significantly increase the volumes for biomass-based diesel and other advanced biofuels over the next three years, based on the factors that EPA is required to consider, such as the commercial development of these fuels, the positive impact on the economy, the benefits for consumers, and the significant environmental benefits.

“The clean fuels industry today meets a significant portion of the nation’s demand for heavy duty on-road fuels, helping to lower diesel fuel prices that impact the costs of all consumer goods,” said Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs with Clean Fuels. “The industry is investing to double production, based on signals from the administration in the SAF Grand Challenge and pledge to cut carbon emissions in half. Flatlined volumes for the RFS threaten to undermine our industry’s investments as well as derail the administration’s goals for domestic energy security, jobs, economic opportunities, and environmental gains.”

The Energy Information Administration recently projected that domestic renewable diesel capacity could more than double through 2025 to 5.9 billion gallons. EPA’s data show that more than 3.6 billion gallons of advanced biomass-based diesel was generated for the RFS program in 2022, an increase of more than 500 million gallons over 2021. The growth is supported by investments of nearly $5 billion by oilseed processors to increase availability of vegetable oils and meal for domestic use. But EPA proposed to keep RFS biomass-based diesel requirements below 3 billion gallons through 2025.

“In finalizing the overdue rules for 2021 and 2022, Administrator Regan committed to increase availability of homegrown fuels, put the RFS program back on track, and deliver certainty and stability,” Kovarik added. “December’s proposed volumes for biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuels contradict this sentiment.”

“Clean Fuels asks that EPA increase the D4 BBD volumes by 500 million gallons year over year and increase the D5 advanced volumes by 1 billion RINs year over year as supported through the data,” writes Kovarik. “If EPA is unable to significantly raise the volumes across the three years, we respectively request that the agency only finalize 2023 requirements as directed by the Consent Decree. Finalizing a ‘no growth’ scenario as proposed will have devastating consequences on the investments being made.”

Recently, Clean Fuels published a new study, “Economic Impact of Biodiesel on the U.S. Economy 2022,” conducted by LMC International. The study finds that based on 2021 market data, the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry produced 3.1 billion gallons and generated $23.2 billion in economic activity, while supporting 75,200 jobs paying $3.6 billion in annual wages in the United States. For every 100-million-gallon increase in domestic clean fuel production, the direct, indirect and induced economic activity increases by $1.09 billion and U.S. jobs grow by 3,185. The largest economic and employment benefits occurred in the farming, oilseed processing, and fuel production sectors.

The study further calculates that producing 6 billion gallons of clean fuels in the United States would increase overall economic activity from the current $23.2 billion to $61.6 billion and support 187,003 jobs earning $8.8 billion in wages. The construction of additional capacity would increase economic activity by an added $4.3 billion and support an additional 144,500 related temporary jobs earning $5.8 billion in wages.



SHIC Awarded USDA NIFA Grant to Investigate ASFV Survival in Soybean Products

The Swine Health Information Center received a $650,000 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant for research designed to reduce the risk of imported feed ingredients, specifically soybean products, from spreading African swine fever virus in the domestic swine herd. This four-year project will define the stability of ASFV in soybean products commonly imported into the US for complete feed diets as well as improve diagnostic capabilities and surveillance tools for the detection of ASFV in contaminated soybean products and complete feed.

SHIC works diligently to provide tools and resources to help prevent the introduction of ASFV into the US. This critical task includes biosecurity research on feed as a common input onto swine farms. Feed biosecurity is an important aspect of overall agricultural biosecurity as it is known that contaminated feed and ingredients can serve as a source for introduction and spread of transboundary diseases. Soybean products, widely used in complete pig feeds, are globally traded and serve as a potential risk if imported from ASFV endemic countries or regions.

USDA NIFA awarded the grant to SHIC where Associate Director Dr. Megan Niederwerder will serve as project director. This work will benefit pork producers, better equipping them to address foreign animal disease vectors. SHIC has awarded the US Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate a funded Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to complete the research objectives.

This project will include standard operating procedures for in vitro diagnostic assays, including quantitative PCR to detect ASFV genome and end-point virus titration to quantify infectious ASFV, as well as an in vivo swine bioassay. Resulting outputs include the rate of ASFV genome and titer decay as well as inactivation at different time by temperature points. Outcomes of this project will be presented at national and international conferences and will be published in peer-reviewed manuscripts. Project objectives will help define the relative risk of various soybean products that are used in swine diets. Adoption of feed risk mitigation strategies recommended based on the data generated in this project will help enhance the US border security against ASFV entering the country.

This work is supported by A1181 Agricultural Biosecurity grant no. 2022-67015-38576/project accession no. 1029316 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.



Innovar Ag Expands InnoSolve PKMe Globally

Innovar Ag today announced InnoSolve PKMe, a recently introduced cost-effective, broad-spectrum efficiency product for Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potash and Micronutrients, is set to expand global supply due to excellent results and additional manufacturing capability at its Illinois based production location. This expansion will allow Fertilizer Manufacturers, Distributors, Dealers and Farmers to provide a proven efficiency solution which is profitable for the entire chain.
 
“We are pleasantly surprised with the fast adoption observed for InnoSolve PKMe in the 8 initial launch countries. Partners are currently seeing the terrific commercial and agronomic benefits firsthand,” says Andrew Semple, Chief Executive Officer at Innovar Ag, LLC. “We feel that with our expanded manufacturing capabilities, plus the demand received for InnoSolve PKMe from the Global Market, we can offer consistent supply of this quality product starting in the 2023 season,” Semple added.
 
InnoSolve PKMe helps nutrients that are being added to soil, as well as any existing nutrients already in the soil, to be efficiently available for crop uptake.
           Nitrogen
           Phosphorus
           Potash
           Minor Elements such as Fe, Mg, Mn, Ca, Zn

Carrie Garcia, Managing Director states, “Innovar Ag is currently adding partners in additional countries with a goal to reach 70 countries supplied by 2025. Innovar’s current core product distribution, which is currently serving 34 countries, will help InnoSolve PKMe to springboard expansion quickly, starting in 2023."