Friday July 14 Ag News

 Sunset Seminars to Explore Capabilities and Impacts of Image-based Nitrogen Management

UNL’s Nebraska On-Farm Research Network is joining forces with innovative farmers, Nebraska Natural Resource Districts and Sentinel Fertigation to host events, called Sunset Seminars, at trial field sites across Nebraska.

The informal but informative events held in the evening during July and August will give growers and agronomists a chance to see how image-based nitrogen management works and how it can influence nitrogen management outcomes, all while enjoying refreshments and mingling with the UNL researchers, Sentinel team and other attendees.

Seminars are being hosted by growers working with the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network, who have trialed Sentinel Fertigation’s N-Time™ software this growing season and have experienced its impact on their farm. The seminars will be near the fields where N-Time™ is being implemented.

This trial opportunity was made possible for the farmers by an On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials Grant (CIG) from USDA NRCS. The CIG grant helps growers across Nebraska to gain hands-on experience with cutting edge technologies on their operation. Eligible producers receive compensation for recognition of their time and commitment, and to mitigate risk in implementing these trials.

“We are excited to be partnering with companies like Sentinel Fertigation to help producers get hands-on experience with new technologies,” said Laura Thompson, Nebraska On-Farm Research Network director. “Growers participating in on-farm trials are getting unbiased, robust data on how these technologies performs in their operation and will be able to quantify the profitability compared to their current management.”

N-Time™ is Sentinel’s flagship software system that analyzes field imagery to detect early signs of crop nitrogen stress and provide growers with timely fertilizer application recommendations.

N-Time™ was developed through research and proven through trials. The data collected from those on-farm pilots will be presented during the seminars by representatives from UNL, providing growers with data quantifying N-Time's impacts on Nitrogen Use Efficiency while maintaining or improving yield. Data on the effects of other nitrogen management technologies will also be discussed at certain locations.

“If a farmer is wondering how to enhance their nitrogen management practices and is curious about technologies that can help them achieve their goals, this event is for them,” said Jackson Stansell, Sentinel’s founder and CEO. “This is a tremendous opportunity to see how N-Time ™ is working on a real field, with a real farmer, in real time. All events will discuss data comparing N-Time™ recommendations with grower practices.”

In addition to UNL’s presentation, the Sentinel Team will demonstrate exactly how N-Time™ functions and how it can be implemented with advanced fertigation systems.

After the demo, host growers will have the opportunity to talk about their experiences and answer questions about using image-based fertigation technology.

Light snacks and beverages will be provided during the seminars, which will begin at 7 p.m. and last for about an hour and a half, followed by an unstructured Q&A and mingling.

The full schedule of Sunset Seminars:
    Monday, July 31 — Beaver Creek, Nebraska
    Thursday, Aug. 3 — Wood River, Nebraska (Hosted by Central Platte NRD)
    Tuesday, Aug. 8 — Bellwood, Nebraska (Hosted by Lower Platte North NRD)
    Wednesday, Aug. 9 — Stapleton, Nebraska
    Thursday, Aug. 10 — Lexington, Nebraska (Hosted by Central Platte NRD)
    Monday, Aug. 14 — Pierce, Nebraska
    Tuesday, Aug. 15 — Gibbon, Nebraska

Interested in attending a Sunset Seminar in your area? Signup online https://www.sentinelfertigation.com/sunset-seminars.

For more information about the CIG grant, or if you are interested in participating in a study, visit the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network site https://on-farm-research.unl.edu/precision-nitrogen-management.



Nebraska to Host Cellular and Molecular Biology of the Soybean Conference

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln will host SOY2023, the biennial conference on the Cellular and Molecular Biology of the Soybean Thursday, Aug. 10 to Sunday, Aug. 13 at Embassy Suites by Hilton Lincoln.

The conference brings together a diversity of STEM professionals and learners to exchange ideas, research outcomes and challenges in improving our understanding of the soybean through multipronged experimental studies with Glycine max and complementary organisms, that span the scale from the single cell to the fields. The goal is to collectively advance our knowledge of this wonderful legume feedstock that is globally valued for its quality oil and protein.

The program includes a stellar line up of speakers, along with planned series of oral sessions that cover the breadth of ongoing research areas being studied with this wonderful legume.

Plenary speakers include Julia Bailey-Serres, Ganesh Kishore and María Eugenia.

Bailey-Serres is a distinguished professor of genetics and MacArthur Foundation chair at the University of California, Riverside. She studies mechanisms that safeguard yields of rice and other crops in unpredictable environments. As director of UC Riverside’s Center for Plant Cell Biology and the Plants3D NSF-NRT program, she cultivates undergraduate research experiences and graduate student entrepreneurship.

Kishore is a co-founder and co-managing partner at Spruce Capital Partners and MLS Capital Fund II. He has a distinguished track record of accomplishments in biotechnology research, development and business. While at Monsanto Company, he made major contributions to the discovery and development of Roundup Ready® technology and a manufacturing process for the biochemical synthesis of the nonnutritive sweetener, aspartame.

Zanetti is a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology at the Universidad Nacional de La Plata in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Her main interest is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the root nodule symbiosis established between legume plants and nitrogen fixing rhizobium bacteria.

Poster abstract submissions are due Friday, July 21. Submit poster abstracts when registering for the conference. One or two poster abstracts will be selected by the respective oral session chairs for an opportunity to present research outcomes.

Nebraska’s conference organizing committee includes: Katarzyna Glowacka, assistant professor of biochemistry; Marc Libault, associate professor of agronomy and horticulture; and Toshihiro Obata, associate professor of biochemistry.

“We hope to see you in Lincoln, Nebraska, next month, and gain an appreciation of our state’s tour book slogan ‘Not-At-All-What-You-Thought,’” said Thomas Clemente, Eugene W. Price Distinguished Professor of Biotechnology.

Additional information on travel to Lincoln, hotel reservations, speakers and registration can be found on the conference website https://soy2023.unl.edu/.

The inaugural biennial conference on the Cellular and Molecular Biology of the Soybean was held 36 years ago — Soy1986 — at Iowa State University, with USDA-ARS soybean geneticist, Randy Shoemaker, serving as the host.



USDA TO SURVEY COUNTY SMALL GRAINS ACREAGE

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will survey producers in 32 states, including Nebraska, for its 2023 County Agricultural Production Survey (CAPS) for small grains.

The survey will collect information on total acres planted and harvested, and yield and production of small grains crops down to the county level. CAPS will provide the data needed to estimate acreage and production of selected crops such as barley, oats, and wheat in the United States.

“The data provided will help federal and state programs support the farmer,” said Nicholas Streff, Director of the NASS Northern Plains Regional Field Office. “I hope every producer understands the importance of these data and will take the time to respond, if they receive this survey. Producers can lose out when there are no data to determine accurate rates for loans, disaster payments, crop insurance price elections, and more. Without data, agencies such as USDA’s Risk Management Agency and Farm Service Agency do not have information on which to base the programs that serve those same producers.”

Farmers are encouraged to respond online at agcounts.usda.gov, by mail or fax. Nebraska producers who do not respond in the next few weeks may be emailed a reminder or contacted for an interview to complete the survey.

NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents and publishes only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified, as required by federal law.

The CAPS data will be published in NASS’s Quick Stats database (quickstats.nass.usda.gov) at 3pm EDT on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Northern Plains Regional Field Office at (800) 582-6443.



Iowa Corn Announces Election Results for Board of Directors

Today Iowa Corn announced the Board of Directors election results for the Iowa Corn Growers Association® (ICGA) and Iowa Corn Promotion Board® (ICPB).

Those elected as ICGA directors will continue to bring grassroots policy issues forward and be the collective voice for nearly 7,000 corn-farmer members lobbying on agricultural issues at the state and federal level. These individuals include:
District 2: Aarika Schwarck
District 3: Mark Mueller*
District 4: Laura Foell, Schaller, Sac County
District 9: Dan Keitzer*
     *For those re-elected

Since 1978, Iowa corn farmers have elected their peers to serve on the Iowa Corn Promotion Board to oversee the investment of funds generated by the Iowa corn checkoff. ICPB directors will continue to promote a thriving Iowa corn industry through research into new and value-added corn uses, domestic and foreign market development and providing education about corn and corn products. These individuals include:
District 1: Chad Harms*, O'Brien County
District 3: Jason Orr
District 6: Mikayla Colehour
District 7: Jeff Thomsen, Cumberland, Cass County
     *For those re-elected

Both ICGA and ICPB are tasked with creating opportunities for long-term Iowa corn grower profitability. Elected directors will begin to serve their districts on September 1, 2023.



Seasonal Checklists Provide Ventilation Maintenance Guidelines

Properly functioning ventilation systems are vital to today’s pork production facilities, and following a regular process for maintaining their operation can pay big economic dividends. Two new ventilation checklists from the Iowa Pork Industry Center offer a seasonal approach to checking the various components in an easy-to-use checklist format.

Brett Ramirez, agriculture and biosystems engineer with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, originally developed the checklists for use in ventilation workshops. He said the checklists, one for summer and one for winter, are intended to help guide and remind the person in charge of maintenance and/or ventilation management of necessary tasks and inspections. Mark Storlie, swine specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, assisted with the checklists.

"These tasks are important steps in getting the barn and its ventilation system ready for upcoming changes in weather," Ramirez said. "The categories on the checklists are similar, although the items to be checked will be different depending on the season."

Typically, the summer checklist would be used around April to prepare for cooling season, and the winter checklist would be used around October for heating season.

The idea behind these checklists is simple, Ramirez said. Having a printed checklist that stays in the barn can be a useful tool to facilitate maintenance and ensure the proper equipment and components of the barn are being inspected.

"Some of the tasks and checkpoints listed might not be intuitive for everyone, so having a detailed list with place for notes is an excellent guide," he said. "Laminating a printed copy to keep in the barn also allows a person to mark what they found, and then easily clear it for the next year."

Ramirez cautioned producers that because each barn, each system and other contributing factors may be different, not all recommendations listed might be appropriate for every location.

These two-page pdf publications are available at no charge on the Extension store. Look for Summer Ventilation Checklist AE3553A https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/16839 and Winter Ventilation Checklist AE3553B https://store.extension.iastate.edu/Product/16840.



Judge Signs Order Extending Implementation for Massachusetts Question 3
 
Last week, the National Pork Producers Council and various New England-based state restaurant associations, together with the state of Massachusetts, asked the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts to extend the current stay on implementation of Question 3 (Q3) until August 23, 2023. On Monday, a federal judge granted the motion and extended the injunction against the implementation of Massachusetts Q3 until August 23, 2023.
 
Massachusetts officials have been slow to prepare for Q3 implementation. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s May 11 decision on California Proposition 12, Massachusetts was free to impose production standards on pork being sold in the Massachusetts’ marketplace. Other issues raised in NPPC’s Q3 challenge last summer, such as restrictions on the transshipment of pork products through Massachusetts to other New England states (as well as export), were still left to be worked out.
 
This extended implementation allows the coalition and Massachusetts to continue discussions on implementation to ensure a smooth transition – including the transshipment and exports of pork through Massachusetts – so pork can continue to reach other New England states as well as provide guidance to the industry and supply chain.
 
It is important to note that this "Status Report and Joint Motion to Extend Stay" does not change Q3, the rules, or what it means to be compliant. It simply extends the existing enforcement stay for a few more weeks.



USDA Announces Amendments to the U.S. Standards for Soybeans

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is removing “Soybeans of Other Colors” as an official grade-determining factor under the U.S. Standards for Soybeans. USDA established the soybean standards under the U.S. Grain Standard Standards Act to help market soybeans and historically included “Soybeans of Other Colors” (SBOC) as a grading factor for determining soybean quality.

USDA received numerous requests from representatives of U.S. soybean producers and grain traders to remove SBOC as a grade-determining factor for describing the quality of yellow soybeans (e.g., U.S. No 1, U.S. No. 2 etc.). In response, on March 31, 2023, USDA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register, inviting public comment on the proposal to remove SBOC as a grade-determining factor. USDA received 14 comments in total, and all were in favor of the change to the standards.

This change is effective September 1, 2023. SBOC will remain available for informational purposes only upon request.

The final rule was published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2023.



NGFA supports USDA final rule to remove ‘Soybeans of Other Colors’

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) commended the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today for issuing final rules to remove “Soybeans of Other Colors” (SBOC) as a grading factor for determining soybean quality.

“NGFA appreciates the efforts of USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Moffit and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Deputy Administrator Arthur Neal as well as the leadership of the American Soybean Association (ASA) and the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) to address this issue that has been impacting the U.S. soybean market over the past two years,” NGFA President and CEO Mike Seyfert said. “The amount of seed coat variation resulting in U.S. soybeans has increased over this period and, as a result, more soybeans have been downgraded on account of SBOC. USDA recognizes the importance of consistent and widely recognized grade standards to the marketability of our agricultural products. The final rule published today will help fulfill the intent of U.S. official grade determining factors and factor limits.”

In comments submitted May 1 supporting the proposed amendments to the U.S. Standards for Soybeans, NGFA and 42 other agricultural groups noted: “The continued inclusion of SBOC in the soybean grade standard…[is] contrary to the objectives of the U.S. Grains Standards Act.”

Representatives of U.S. soybean producers and grain traders requested that USDA remove SBOC as a grade-determining factor for describing the quality of soybeans (e.g., U.S. No 1 Yellow Soybeans, U.S. No. 2 Yellow Soybeans, etc.).

The amendments supported by the NGFA and other agricultural representatives remove SBOC as a grade-determining factor but keep it in the standards as part of the definition of Yellow Soybeans.

Importantly, at the request of the Grain Inspection Advisory Committee, the Federal Grain Inspection Service conducted a study that found no significant differences in official protein or oil content in SBOC.



EPA’s Denial of Refinery Exemptions Protects Integrity of RFS

Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) denied 26 refinery exemption petitions. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) applauds this decision for upholding the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“Thank you, President Biden and EPA Administrator Michael Regan, for your decision to protect the integrity of the RFS and the continuity of providing home-grown, cleaner and affordable fuels options for consumers at the pump,” stated Iowa Renewable Fuels Association executive director Monte Shaw.



RFA Applauds EPA Decision to Deny Small Refinery Exemption Petitions

The Renewable Fuels Association today thanked the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its action to deny 26 petitions from oil refiners seeking exemptions from the Renewable Fuel Standard. This includes 11 each for 2021 and 2022, and one each for 2023 and the years 2016-2018. Only two requests remain pending, for 2018.

“We thank President Biden and EPA Administrator Michael Regan for continuing to make good on their promises to restore integrity and certainty to the RFS program,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Under their leadership, the RFS is finally working as intended to drive increased production and use of low-carbon renewable fuels. Today’s action is consistent with the Tenth Circuit Court’s landmark decision and honors the administration’s longstanding commitment to implementing the RFS in a way that is fair, transparent, and focused on growth. As a result of today’s announcement, drivers will enjoy greater access to cleaner, American-made, lower-cost renewable fuels.”

Cooper noted that EPA’s decision to deny the petitions today is compliant with a watershed January 2020 decision by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in the Renewable Fuels Association et al. v. EPA case. Based on the Tenth Circuit decision, EPA in June 2022 finalized the denial of 69 pending small refinery exemption petitions, ensuring that all refiners are held accountable and equally obligated to blend lower-carbon, lower-cost biofuels. In November, RFA and allies filed a motion to intervene in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in support of EPA’s decision to deny these petitions.



Growth Energy Statement on EPA’s Latest Denial of Small Refinery Exemptions

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) latest denial of small refinery exemption (SREs) under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS):
 
"We appreciate the EPA standing by its commitment to protect the integrity of the RFS. Nearly two decades of data prove that the supposed ‘cost’ to refiners is an accounting fiction, and EPA’s decision reflects those facts. We look forward to working with EPA to ensure the RFS continues to promote lower-cost, lower-carbon fuel options at the pump."



ACE Welcomes EPA’s Denial of RFS Waiver Petitions

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings issued the following statement after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated its small refinery exemption (SRE) dashboard today, denying 26 pending requests from refiners seeking exemptions from biofuel blending requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) for compliance years 2016-2018 and 2021-2023:
 
“ACE members are grateful the Biden EPA is fulfilling its commitment to apply the law with respect to Small Refinery Exemptions, consistent with the Agency’s previous actions in April and June of 2022 and the Tenth Circuit Court’s ruling that small refinery exemptions may only be granted when a small refinery’s hardship is caused by the RFS program itself. Upholding the RFS in this way helps the program serve as an effective tool to maximize the use of cleaner biofuels available here and now.”