Thursday July 25 Ag News

 New Format for Nebraska Soybean Management Field Days

The 2024 Soybean Management Field Days will take place from August 13 to August 16. This year, the Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) and Nebraska Extension introduce a new format, providing a unique opportunity for farmers to enhance their knowledge of soybean production, explore the new Soybean Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) contest and network with fellow growers.

Throughout the four-day event, attendees will be able to participate in two different formats, one occurring in the evening and the other during the day. The evening meetings, held on August 13 through August 15, will feature presentations on locally relevant topics and engage participants in interactive discussions. To conclude the week on August 16, a field day starting mid-morning will highlight the Soybean Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) contest with a plot tour and interactive discussion. Participants at both formats will also gain insights into the Nebraska Soybean Board's research, marketing and education efforts supported by checkoff dollars. University specialists and educators will lead discussions at each location.

“Keeping relevance and profitability at the forefront of the field days is important for the Nebraska Soybean Board,” said Andy Chvatal, NSB executive director. “Changing up the format to include evening sessions and the addition of the soybean TAPS competition this year provides an exciting new way for farmers to engage and learn from each other.”

Soybean Management Field Days is free to attend thanks to support from the Nebraska Soybean Board. Complimentary meal and refreshments will be provided. To help with a meal count, please pre-register two days in advance of each field day at enreec.unl.edu/soydays or by calling (402) 624-8030.

Evening programs (Registration - 5:30 p.m., Program from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.) dates and locations are:
    August 13 – Holdrege, NE (Blake Johnson farm) with information on the soybean TAPS competition, dectes stem borer and irrigation
    August 14 – Neligh, NE (Kenny Reinke farm) with information on the soybean TAPS competition, white mold and irrigation
    August 15 – Ulysses, NE (Scott Reichert farm) with an in-field tour of on-farm research plot on biological seed treatments for soybeans and discussion on the soybean TAPS competition

Morning program (Registration - 10:00 a.m., Program from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) date and location is:
    August 16 – Mead, NE (UNL Eastern NE Research, Extension & Education Center) with TAPS plots tour, discussion on participant decisions, Ag Olympics and soybean gall midge research plot tours

“Our team from Nebraska Extension looks forward to having an interactive discussion about Nebraska soybeans,” said Aaron Nygren, Nebraska Extension Water & Cropping Systems Educator. “Come join us in the evening on Tuesday to Thursday for a quick update on soybean issues or Friday for a more in-depth dive into what we’ve learned already from the inaugural soybean TAPS competition at ENREEC.”

Furthermore, University of Nebraska-Lincoln agronomists, plant disease experts and insect specialists will be available to address participants' inquiries, and attendees can bring unidentified crop problems for complimentary identification.

For additional information about the field days, including maps to the event sites, visit enreec.unl.edu/soydays, or contact the Nebraska Soybean Board at (402) 441-3240 or Nebraska Extension at (402) 624-8030.



Nebraska to be awarded $307 million by EPA, largest ever received by NDEE

Governor Jim Pillen and the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) have announced the receipt of a sizeable grant that will help accelerate the state’s realization of value-added agriculture and the bioeconomy initiative. The grant, from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) totals $307 million – the largest federal grant ever awarded to NDEE.

“Nebraska’s farmers and ranchers are among the most innovative and sustainable in the world. These federal funds will help more farmers make more money by supporting the continued implementation of best management practices, establishing mechanisms to reward those practices, and expand investment in others that will protect our environment.” said Governor Jim Pillen.

The Climate Pollution Reduction Implementation Grant will be administered by Nebraska’s ONE RED Program (Opportunity for Nebraska: Reducing Emissions and Decarbonization). In 2023, Governor Pillen endorsed the grant planning process, which enabled NDEE to develop a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) for Nebraska. Nebraska’s plan proposed high-impact, readily deployable, voluntary measures and incentives to reduce emissions and promote energy efficiency across the state. Selected measures from the PCAP formed the basis for Nebraska’s successful application for the Implementation grant the state received today.

NDEE will use the new grant funds to implement voluntary programs to bolster all sectors of Nebraska’s economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Projects may include efficiency measures to reduce energy costs, incentives for sustainable agriculture practices, and advanced livestock waste management, among others.

“This award provides exciting opportunities for our state,” said Thad Fineran, interim director for NDEE “By implementing the measures outlined in Nebraska’s priority action plan, we can reduce emissions, create high quality jobs, support rural and urban communities, and bolster our economy sustainably.”

The success of Nebraska’s application was made possible by the extensive public input from a broad range of partners and stakeholders across the state, including state and local government departments, public power districts, agricultural stakeholders, subject matter experts, and Nebraska’s citizens.

"The widespread input we received across Nebraska was instrumental to the success in this highly competitive grant application process,” said Gov. Pillen. “We are grateful for the investment in our state’s agricultural and energy projects that will make an incredible impact now and for future generations.”

Over the next few weeks, NDEE will negotiate a final grant agreement and workplan with the EPA. The Department will then begin work to implement the funded incentive programs. Work will also continue under the original planning grant to develop a Comprehensive Action Plan to address emission reductions through 2050. That plan is due in August 2025.



Summit Carbon Solutions CEO Lee Blank to Keynote the ACE Conference in Omaha

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) welcomes Lee Blank, CEO of Summit Carbon Solutions, as a keynote speaker during its 37th annual conference taking place August 14-16 at the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District. Blank’s keynote will provide an update on the latest advancements in the Summit Carbon Solutions' pipeline project.

"Now, more than ever, the world is changing, and we must act decisively to seize new opportunities,” said Lee Blank, CEO of Summit Carbon Solutions. “Summit Carbon Solutions' CCS pipeline is pivotal in opening access to new markets for ethanol, such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This is our chance to lead the way and meet the growing demand for decarbonized energy solutions. We are excited to engage with industry professionals at ACE to discuss the immense potential and the positive impact this project will have on our future.”

“Several ACE-member ethanol plants are partnering with Summit to utilize proven and safe technology to capture and sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) to secure the long-term economic viability of their businesses,” said Brian Jennings, ACE CEO. “We look forward to hearing an update on this important project during our event in a few weeks.”

Spanning approximately 2,500 miles, this pipeline will connect 57 ethanol facilities across five states to an injection site in North Dakota. Here, the CO2 collected from these plants will be safely and permanently stored underground. Summit Carbon Solutions' CEO will discuss recent progress, key milestones, and the next steps as the company strives to launch the largest CO2 pipeline project in the world.

Blank’s keynote will take place during the August 15 morning general session. More event and agenda details are available at ethanol.org/events/conference.



Learn How Plant Disease Prediction Tools Can Inform Your Fungicide Needs

Crop farmers do not yet have a crystal ball for predicting the kinds of disease pressure they will face during the growing season, but they do have the National Predictive Modeling Tool Initiative, also known as NPMTI.

This multi-year project uses plant disease data and pathogen spore counts collected from farms in the Midwest to develop research-based data that will help forecast incidences of diseases and mycotoxins that affect crops grown in the United States.

Supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Risk Service, the program relies on samples of pathogen spores that are sent to designated laboratories for testing, and disease severity data from field trials in 10 states, to develop disease prediction models that are used to inform U.S. growers.

Alison Robertson, professor in plant pathology and microbiology and extension specialist at Iowa State University, will demonstrate how the tool works at the Farm Progress Show Aug. 27-29 near Boone.

She will have spore traps, as well as petri dishes with live pathogens, and also diseased plants on display in the Iowa State University exhibit. She will explain how spores are collected and counted and disease severity is measured.

Secondly, show attendees will learn how this information is used for predicting the likelihood of disease issues such as tar spot, grey leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight.

Applying fungicide
If plant diseases are expected, farmers can respond by applying fungicide. If no disease is predicted, farmers can skip applying fungicide and save time and money.

“Our goal is to develop disease prediction tools that enable farmers to farm more sustainably, by predicting the kinds of diseases they will face, and giving them more clarity on whether a fungicide is going to be necessary,” she said.

The information is currently available for tar spot. There is an app available called the “Tarspotter,” which uses GPS coordinates to determine if weather has been favorable for the development of tar spot during the growing season, in a specific field. Models in the app use temperature, dewpoint, humidity and precipitation to predict favorable conditions for corn growing regions. Farmers can use the app on their cell phones.

The app will soon be available for other diseases of corn such as gray leaf spot, northern corn leaf blight, southern rust, Curvularia leaf spot and vomitoxin. Additional apps are in development for disease prediction in wheat, cotton and pulses.

“These apps can help tell you if your field is at risk for a disease, and if it’s at risk, then you can apply a fungicide. But if there’s no risk of disease, then that $20-30 per acre on a fungicide application is unnecessary,” she said.

The disease triangle
Robertson reminds farmers that just because a particular pathogen is found in the spore traps does not necessarily mean there will be a disease during the growing season.Tar spot and gray leaf spot.

“You need to have the right climate, a susceptible hybrid, plus the pathogen, to get the disease,” she said. “This is the ‘disease triangle,’ and each side must be present in order to have disease.”

The NPMTI project was established in 2020, and operates under the auspices of USDA-ARS. It is funded by a congressional appropriation. Each year that additional data are entered, the model and the tool become even stronger.

Similar trials are being conducted across the country, making the tool useful for those who farm anywhere in the United States.

In addition to the live disease specimens, Robertson plans to show what plant disease looks like, and she will be working alongside a team of graduate students and specialists who can answer common questions.

“I’m looking forward to being at the show and interacting with producers and anyone else who is interested in what these tools can do,” she said. “We need to get the word out that this national predictive model exists and is improving, so farmers can have the tools they need to manage crop diseases more effectively, efficiently and sustainably.”

The Iowa State University exhibit space can be found at the corner of 7th Street and Central Avenue.

Robertson can be reached at alisonr@iastate.edu or 515-294-6708.



Enjoy a Weekend of Iowa Barnstorming September 14-15

If you are looking for something different to do on a September weekend, consider taking a self-guided tour of Iowa’s historic barns.

The Iowa Barn Foundation is holding its annual All-State Tour on Saturday and Sunday, September 14-15, featuring a record 92 barns across the state that will be available for visiting inside and out from 9-5 both days. Iowa is proud to host the largest barn tour the country!

The fall tour highlights barns that have received a restoration grant from the foundation and those that have received an Award of Distinction or Preservation Award for restoration funded by the owner. Many of the owners will be on hand to share their memories and regard for the structures and answer your questions.

Stops on the 2024 fall tour include barns near Sergeant Bluff, Pisgah, Harlan, Manning, Holstein and a round barn near Le Mars.  

The Foundation is especially excited to have a record eleven round barns included in the tour this year. Of the approximately 200,000 barns built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, only 250 were round - including some octagonal and multi-sided.

There are a record eleven round barns on the fall tour this year, six of which are on the fall tour for the very first time this year. These barns feature some of the most amazing design and architecture you will find in any building in the state of Iowa.

The self-guided fall tour is free and open to the public, made possible by member donors. An online tour guide can be found on at iowabarnfoundation.org/barn-tours. Member donors receive the foundation’s spring and fall magazines in their mailboxes filled with barn photos and stories as well as a printed guide to our spring and fall barn tours. Learn more about membership at iowabarnfoundation.org/product/membership. Questions can be emailed to iowabarnfoundation@gmail.com.

As a volunteer-led non-profit, the Iowa Barn Foundation’s goal is to maximize member donations to provide restoration grants to save the state’s historic barns. Since being founded in 1997, the foundation has given out $2.3 million dollars in grants to help save nearly 300 barns. Member donors receive our spring and fall magazines in their mailboxes filled with barn photos and stories as well as a printed guide to our spring and fall barn tours.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 7/19/2024

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending July 19, ethanol production tapered 1.0% to 1.10 million b/d, equivalent to 45.99 million gallons daily. Output was 0.1% more than the same week last year and 7.0% above the five-year average for the week. The four-week average ethanol production rate rose 1.2% to 1.08 million b/d, which is equivalent to an annualized rate of 16.60 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks scaled 2.4% to a 9-week high of 23.7 million barrels. Stocks were 2.1% more than the same week last year and 4.0% above the five-year average. Inventories built across all regions except the Rocky Mountains (PADD 4).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, rebounded 7.7% to a 37-week high of 9.46 million b/d (145.36 bg annualized). Demand was 5.8% more than a year ago and 3.1% above the five-year average.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol also recovered, gaining 3.7% to 918,000 b/d, equivalent to 14.11 bg annualized. Net inputs were 0.5% more than year-ago levels and 0.9% above the five-year average.

Ethanol exports were estimated at 57,000 b/d (2.4 million gallons/day), 33.7% less than the prior week and the lowest volume in over a year. There were zero imports of ethanol recorded for the 44th consecutive week.



Retail Fertilizer Price Declines Slow in Third Week of July

Average retail prices for most fertilizers continued to decline in the third week of July 2024, according to sellers surveyed by DTN. But for the first time in five weeks, no fertilizer price saw a significant move, which DTN designates as 5% or more.

Prices for seven of the eight major fertilizers were slightly lower than last month. DAP had an average price of $756 per ton, MAP $821/ton, potash $503/ton, urea $506/ton, anhydrous $696/ton, UAN28 $339/ton and UAN32 $377/ton. The price of one fertilizer, 10-34-0, was unchanged from last month. The starter fertilizer's price remained at $642/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.55/lb.N, anhydrous $0.42/lb.N, UAN28 $0.61/lb.N and UAN32 $0.59/lb.N.

All fertilizers except one are lower compared to one year ago. MAP is 1% more expensive looking back to last year. Anhydrous is 2% less expensive, DAP is 6% lower, 10-34-0 is 11% less expensive, UAN28 is 12% lower, urea is 15% lower, potash is 17% less expensive and UAN32 is 18% lower in price compared to a year prior.



Clean Fuels Applauds Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter Urging Timely Rules on Production Tax Incentive
 
Today, Clean Fuels Alliance America applauded a bipartisan, bicameral letter signed by 16 Senators and 36 Representatives, urging Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to publish proposed rules for the §45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit and safe harbor guidance by September 1, 2024, and complete the final rulemaking no later than November 1, 2024.

“Lack of regulatory certainty is already putting thriving businesses at risk as fuel producers are unable to make important business decisions regarding their fuel,” the letter states. “Capital investment remains uncommitted, threatening certain projects and expansion plans, including the administration’s stated goals to support new markets like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and low-carbon transportation fuels.”

Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Thune (R-SD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Reps. Brad Finstad (R-MN), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Nikki Budzinski (D-IL) led the letter.

Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs for Clean Fuels, added, “Clean Fuels applauds the bipartisan effort of Senators and Representatives to call for timely action from Treasury. Biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel producers are already annually producing nearly 5 billion gallons of advanced biofuels that could qualify for this credit. They need policy certainty immediately to make the transition to the producer credit and maintain growth in the industry.”



Growth Energy Welcomes Bipartisan Push for Swift Action on 45Z

Growth Energy today praised a bipartisan letter from 52 House and Senate lawmakers, led by Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), calling for “effective, timely, and scientific implementation” of the Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. A clear market signal, they write, will unlock critical investments and unleash the “innovation and ingenuity of America’s farmers and biofuel producers.”

“America’s biofuel producers and our farm partners stand ready to fast-track new investments in low-carbon fuels, but we need regulatory certainty to move forward,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “We applaud Senator Ernst and all our rural champions in Congress for reminding the Treasury that swift implementation of 45Z based on the best available science is the key to unlocking exponential growth in rural America through the enhanced production of biofuels. We urge the administration to maximize the impact of the 45Z credit by signaling to the market that Treasury intends to follow Congress’ intent by recognizing and rewarding the full suite of carbon-smart practices happening at the plant and on the farm.”

Passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the 45Z tax credit is intended to incentivize production of low-carbon fuels in transportation on the ground and in the air. If implemented properly, Growth Energy’s own research demonstrates that the credit would add $21.2 billion to the U.S. economy, generate nearly $13.4 billion in household income, support more than 192,000 jobs across all sectors of the national economy, and provide farmers with a 10 percent premium price on low-carbon corn used at an ethanol plant.



NCBA and PLC Praise Passage of House Interior Appropriations Bill

Wednesday, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) issued statements following the House passage of H.R. 8998, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025:

“This Interior appropriations bill protects the rights of public lands grazing permittees, reels in overreaching BLM regulations, addresses Endangered Species Act challenges, defends local communities against Presidential land grabs under the Antiquities Act, and recognizes the important role of ranchers—America’s original conservationists—in the stewardship of our nation’s public lands,” said Public Lands Council President and grazing permittee Mark Roeber. “The Public Lands Council is very thankful for the work of key partners on the House appropriations Committee, House Natural Resources Committee, and Western Caucus for crafting this legislation that supports our western ranchers.”
 
“Whether you’re a cattle producer on public lands or private lands, overregulation from the federal government is a serious challenge,” said NCBA President Mark Eisele, a Wyoming rancher. “The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is extremely pleased with this Interior appropriations package that supports American agriculture, protects farms and ranches from burdensome rules, and protects the rights of public lands ranchers, who represent an important part of the cattle industry and a driving force in rural economies. We appreciate the House passing this critical bill and we urge the Senate to back this legislation and send it to the President’s desk.”