Monday June 17 Ag News

 Nebraska Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Advocate for Action on the Farm Bill in DC

Securing the next Farm Bill is essential for creating a sustainable future for agriculture and is at the forefront of producers’ minds across the country. Movement on the Farm Bill was one of the key messages Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Committee members shared with the Nebraska congressional delegation during their annual fly-in to Washington, D.C.

Enhancing federal crop insurance remains a top priority for NEFB members and ensuring that it is not tied to climate focused practices is crucial for the long-term success of operations and the integrity of the program. NEFB commends the House Agriculture Committee for passing a bipartisan bill out of committee, but YF&R members called for both the full House and the Senate to take up the legislation.

YF&R committee members that participated in the visit to Washington, D.C. included:
    Grant Jones, Chase County
    Courtney Nelson, Madison County
    Daniel Hasart, Cherry County

“Having the Farm Bill pass out of the House Ag Committee is a huge step in the right direction,” said Daniel Hasart, YF&R committee member and cattle rancher from Cherry County. “It is important that the Farm Bill includes a legislative fix to California’s Proposition 12 and Massachusetts's Question 3 to ensure that one state or locality cannot control how we produce livestock and meat products for the rest of the country and world.

As domestic workforce availability continues to be a challenge, the H-2A program became increasingly essential in agriculture. Just under 4,000 H-2A positions were used in Nebraska alone in FY2023, however, this growth does not convey how needlessly complex and expensive the program has become. Between six straight years of exponential wage growth, agency regulation overreach, and persistent congressional inaction, many agriculture operations- including many small and medium sized operations- are struggling to operate through the program.

“We need Congress to pass legislation that pauses the Adverse Effect Wage Rate for the H-2A program at 2023 levels,” said Grant Jones, a YF&R committee member, row crop farmer, and cattle rancher from Chase County. “Supporting the Farm Operations Act and freezing the wage rate will allow farmers and ranchers to pay their employees without risking financial upset of their operation.”

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) allowed reduced tax rates for many farm and ranch businesses. The law, which includes many important tax provisions, is set to expire in 2025 which would drastically increase taxes if let lapse.

“Not extending the TCJA would be detrimental to my operation,” said Courtney Nelson, Madison County YF&R Committee member and row crop farmer. “From unpredictable markets to weather disasters, agriculture operates in a world of uncertainty. We need a tax code that provides certainty and will allow me to continue to operate and grow my farm and ranch.”

The YF&R committee connects young farmers and ranchers from across Nebraska to develop their leadership skills, engage with their peers, advocate for policy, and serve as the next generation of agricultural leaders.

“When young producers sit across the table from their senators and congressmen, they are reminding policymakers that agriculture is thriving, innovative, and sustainable for generations to come,” said Audrey Schipporeit, director of generational engagement at NEFB. “Amplifying young producer voices encourages more young people to advocate for the future of agriculture.”

In addition to meeting with all five of Nebraska’s congressional delegates, the group also met with officials from the House Agriculture Committee, the EPA, Chief Economist with USDA, and the Chief Economist for the Senate Ag Committee.



Storm-damaged Pivot Survey

Nebraska Extension is conducting a study to learn more about how pivots are damaged in storms and how to reduce the likelihood of damage in the future. Almost every year, some pivots are damaged in Nebraska, causing high dollar losses, a great deal of extra work, and most of the time, crop loss for delayed irrigation. In fact, this year we have already seen above average losses. The losses have greatly increased the costs to insure pivots.

With these facts in mind, we have decided to ask for producers’ assistance in putting together a data set, to help us examine elements that may contribute to increasing or decreasing pivot damage. Our hope is to discover factors like: which direction should a pivot be parked to be the least likely to be damaged; do tire options or span length have an effect; if the machine is irrigating, is it less likely to get damaged, etc.

So, please help us by completing the survey if you or your neighbors have had any pivots damaged by storms in the past few years. We are looking for information about pivots that were damaged by storms, as well as those that were not damaged but in proximity to those that were damaged.

You can access the survey with this link https://go.unl.edu/stormdamagedpivots.

If you have any questions, contact Steve Melvin, extension educator, at (308) 946-3843.



HPAI Detected in Several Iowa Dairies
 
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on Saturday June 15th announced they have detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a herd of dairy cattle in Sioux County, Iowa. This after the announcement Friday of two other cases of HPAI.... One case is in a Plymouth County dairy and the other is in a Sioux County dairy.

About HPAI
HPAI is a viral disease that affects both wild and domestic bird populations as well as lactating dairy cattle. HPAI can travel in wild birds without those birds appearing sick, but is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys. With supportive care, dairy cattle recover with little to no mortality associated with the disease.

Heightened Biosecurity  
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is strongly encouraging Iowa poultry producers and dairy farmers to bolster their biosecurity practices and protocols to protect their flocks and herds. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has biosecurity recommendations for dairy herds to utilize. In addition, the Department has numerous other biosecurity resources for poultry producers and livestock farms to reference on its website. Farmers or farm workers who interact regularly with both dairy and poultry or who interact frequently with other farm workers in poultry or dairy, should take extra precautions to limit possible transmissions.

Suspected Cases in Dairy
If dairy producers suspect cases of HPAI, they should contact their herd veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

Clinical signs of HPAI in dairy may include:
    Decrease in food consumption with a simultaneous decrease in rumination
    Clear nasal discharge
    Drop in milk production
    Tacky or loose feces
    Lethargy
    Dehydration
    Fever
    Thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk

Food Safety
There is no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products. Pasteurization has continually proven to successfully inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk. It also remains safe to enjoy poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always properly handle and cook eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F.

Public Health
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to believe the threat to the general public remains low. Any questions related to public health should be directed to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services at alex.murphy@hhs.iowa.gov.

List of Confirmed Cases
As HPAI detections are confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, those cases are added to tracking websites located on the USDA APHIS website.



ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Team webinar on June 19 to focus on mitigating heat stress for employees on the dairy farm

The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team monthly webinar series continues Wednesday, June 19, from 12 noon to 1 p.m.

Cody Volkmann will discuss how dairy producers can mitigate heat stress for their employees. He will define heat stress, how it is measured, and offer techniques to prevent heat stress.

Cody Volkmann is a Certified Safety Professional with 13 years of safety and health experience. He grew up on a family farm in northwest Iowa and received his B.S. from Iowa State University in Agriculture Systems Technology and Industrial Systems Technology and a Master of Business Administration. After graduation from ISU, he worked for an industrial service company providing services to ethanol, biodiesel, grain handling and other industrial facilities. He is currently an Occupational Safety Specialist with the College of Engineering and Environmental Health and Safety Department at ISU.

Producers, dairy consultants, and industry representatives are encouraged to attend the free webinar from 12 noon to 1 p.m. on June 19 by registering at least one hour prior to the webinar at https://go.iastate.edu/employheat.

For more information, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Specialist in your area: in Northwest Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230 or fredhall@iastate.edu; in Northeast Iowa, Jennifer Bentley, 563-382-2949 or jbentley@iastate.edu; in East Central Iowa, Larry Tranel, 563-583-6496 or tranel@iastate.edu; in Ames, Dr. Gail Carpenter, 515-294-9085 or ajcarpen@iastate.edu.




NEW Cooperative Foundation Donates to Local 4-H Clubs

The NEW Cooperative Foundation continues their commitment to supporting local 4-H youth. Recently, the Foundation donated $94,520 to 35 county extension and outreach offices, which will support 4,929 individual 4-H members.  

The contribution from the Foundation pays for half of each 4-H member’s dues in NEW Cooperative’s trade territory counties, which includes the following 35 counties: Calhoun, Carroll, Cherokee, Crawford, Greene, Franklin, Hamilton, Humboldt, Kossuth, Monona, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sac, Webster, Woodbury, Wright, Hancock, Cerro Gordo, Emmet, Dickinson, Palo Alto, Clay, Cass, Warren, Montgomery, Adams, Union, Clarke, Lucas, Fremont, Page, Taylor, Ringgold, Decatur, and Wayne.

“NEW Cooperative takes great pride in supporting its area youth 4-H programs. We strongly feel that 4-H helps youth build the necessary foundation to become future leaders in our local communities,” stated Gary Moritz, NEW Cooperative Communication Director.  



House Appropriations Fiscal 2025 Ag Funding Bill Debated
National Pork Producers Council

Last week the House Appropriations Committee’s agriculture subcommittee considered a fiscal 2025 funding bill for USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies.
 
Among NPPC priority agricultural issues addressed in the nearly $26 billion spending legislation are ones that would:
    Fund programs related to preparing for and preventing FADs, including for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, the National Veterinary Stockpile, and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank.
    Block a series of USDA regulations, including the “Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity under the Packers and Stockyards Act” (PSA), which increases the risk of frivolous litigation.
    Fund the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program, both of which promote U.S. agricultural exports.

NPPC backs funding in the agriculture appropriations legislation for programs that support farmers, including ones that improve preparation for and prevention of FADs and that help promote U.S. exports. It also supports efforts to repeal a series of PSA rules that would negatively affect producers buying and selling livestock — including increasing the risk of litigation, resulting in chilling effects on competitive opportunities.
 
The annual agriculture appropriations law funds federal programs that support farmers, including farm loans, agricultural research, and ones related to preventing and preparing for FADs.
 


 China bans US meat exports from major West Coast logistics facility, disrupting shipping

China has banned meat exports from a West Coast cold storage facility near the Port of Oakland after traces of the feed additive ractopamine were found in beef shipments, creating disruption at an important trade gateway to Asia.

The country suspended exports out of Cool Port Oakland on May 27, Agriculture Department records show. The ban occurred the same day China also restricted shipments from a JBS plant in Greeley, Colorado.

A spokesperson for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a statement to Agriculture Dive that the restrictions were placed after China’s customs detected the feed additive ractopamine, which is banned in more than 150 countries, within shipments of frozen beef products from both facilities. The agency is conducting an investigation.

The ban on Cool Port Oakland has disrupted operations for meat exporters as far away as the Midwest who depend on the facility to transfer their freight from rail to ocean before it ships out of Oakland’s port to the final destination in Asia.

“China’s suspension of this cold storage facility has caused disruption for beef, pork and poultry exports,” Joe Schuele of the U.S. Meat Export Federation said in an email to Agriculture Dive. “Exporters must now utilize other facilities in the Bay Area.”

Schuele said the suspension has also created uncertainty about how shipments already en route to China will be handled. “U.S. companies have had to adjust their shipping plans accordingly,” he said.

Around 44% of U.S. beef exports and 21% of pork exports moved through the Port of Oakland in the first quarter, Schuele said. The Port of Oakland is often the last U.S. port of call for container ships before they set sail for Asia, allowing refrigerated cargo to arrive fresher to overseas markets.

Cool Port Oakland, a 280,000-square-foot storage facility owned by California-based logistics companies Lineage Logistics and Dreisbach Enterprises, opened in 2018 to capitalize on growing meat trade with Asia. The storage depot has significantly expanded the port’s ability to handle chilled and frozen goods, and Oakland was able to grow its share of U.S. reefer shipments last year as competitors lost ground.

Lineage Logistics and Dreisbach Enterprises did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Port of Oakland referred questions to the logistics companies, but said the port was “watching the situation closely.”

Ractopamine is banned in at least 160 countries, including China and the European Union, over concerns that the growth hormone harms animal welfare and presents cardiovascular risks to humans. Earlier this year, a group of environmental and animal rights groups sued the Food and Drug Administration as it ramps up a legal fight to push the agency to restrict or ban ractopamine use in the U.S.