Tuesday July 30 Crop Progress + Ag News

 NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending July 28, 2024, there were 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 7% very short, 30% short, 54% adequate, and 9% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6% very short, 27% short, 58% adequate, and 9% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 3% very poor, 7% poor, 16% fair, 47% good, and 27% excellent. Corn silking was 92%, ahead of 86% last year and 83% for the five-year average. Dough was 37%, ahead of 18% last year and 20% average. Dented was 1%.

Soybean condition rated 2% very poor, 5% poor, 18% fair, 55% good, and 20% excellent. Soybeans blooming was 92%, ahead of 83% last year and 81% average. Setting pods was 55%, ahead of 45% last year and 47% average.

Winter wheat harvested was 95%, well ahead of 64% last year, and ahead of 78% average. Sorghum condition rated 0% very poor, 3% poor, 17% fair, 61% good, and 19% excellent. Sorghum headed was 36%, ahead of 28% last year, and near 32% average. Coloring was 1%, equal to both last year and average.

Oats harvested was 82%, well ahead of 53% last year, and ahead of 67% average.

Dry edible bean condition rated 9% very poor, 7% poor, 25% fair, 46% good, and 13% excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 40%, behind 54% last year and 58% average. Setting pods was 19%, near 18% last year and 17% average.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 8% very poor, 12% poor, 27% fair, 40% good, and 13% excellent.



Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

Scattered rainfall allowed Iowa farmers 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 28, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting oats for grain, cutting and baling hay, and applying fungicides.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 1 percent very short, 12 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 7 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 2 percent very short, 11 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 7 percent surplus.

Corn silking hit 85 percent this week, 2 days behind last year but 2 days ahead of the five-year average. Thirty-four percent of the corn crop has reached dough stage or beyond, 1 day ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of average. Two percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage. Corn condition was rated 77 percent good to excellent.

Eighty-three percent of soybeans were blooming, 4 days behind last year but 1 day ahead of normal. Soybeans setting pods reached 43 percent, 2 days behind last year. Soybean condition was 76 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-six percent of oats were turning color or beyond. The oat harvest for grain reached 67 percent complete, 6 days ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of the five-year average.

The State’s second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 87 percent complete, 4 days behind last year but 2 days ahead of the five-year average. The State’s third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 16 percent, 6 days behind last year but 2 days ahead of the five-year average. Hay condition rated 78 percent good to excellent.  

Pasture condition rated 71 percent good to excellent. Heat stress in livestock was reported.   



USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report

The condition of the nation's corn crop rose slightly last week, while soybean conditions fell slightly, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.  NASS also reported that the winter wheat harvest continued slightly ahead of the five-year average pace, while the spring wheat harvest kicked off slightly behind average.

CORN
-- Crop development: Corn silking was pegged at 77%, 2 percentage points behind last year's 79% but 1 point ahead of the five-year average of 76%. Corn in the dough stage was estimated at 30%, 5 points ahead of last year's 25% and 8 points ahead of the five-year average of 22%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 68% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition, back up 1 percentage point from 67% the previous week and still well ahead of last year's 55%. Nine percent of the crop was rated very poor to poor, down 1 point from 10% from the previous week and still below 15% last year.

SOYBEANS
-- Crop development: Soybeans blooming were pegged at 77%, 2 points behind last year's pace of 79% but 3 points ahead of the five-year average of 74%. Soybeans setting pods were estimated at 44%, 2 points behind last year's 46% but 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 40%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 67% of soybeans were in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 point from 68% the previous week but still above last year's rating of 52% good to excellent.

WINTER WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: Harvest moved ahead 6 percentage points to reach 82% complete nationwide as of Sunday. That was 5 points ahead of last year's 77% and 2 points ahead of the five-year average pace of 80%.

SPRING WHEAT
-- Crop development: 94% of spring wheat was headed, 2 percentage points behind last year's 96% and 2 points behind the five-year average of 96%.
-- Harvest progress: In its first spring wheat harvest report of the season, NASS estimated that just 1% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, 1 point behind last year's 2% and 2 points behind the five-year average of 3%.
-- Crop condition: NASS estimated that 74% of the crop was in good-to-excellent condition nationwide, down 3 points from 77% the previous week. That remains well ahead of last year's rating of 42% good to excellent.



Legislative Update: Special Session
    
Last week Governor Pillen officially called the special session with a limited focus on addressing property taxes. Over the course of 3 days, 81 bills and 24 constitutional amendments were introduced. Hearings began Monday for a group of early introduced bills. LB1, LB2 and LB3 were introduced on behalf of the Governor and outline various exemptions to be repealed, transfer of funds and other funding mechanisms.  
NeCGA Opposes Transfer Proposal
Within LB3, Governor Pillen is proposing to transfer $300,000 per year from the Nebraska corn checkoff program – a proposal that the Nebraska Corn Growers Association and other ag groups are strongly opposing. Chris Grams, NeCGA president, will be testifying on Tuesday against this provision and we encourage growers to also submit their opposition to the transfer.



Rough First Quarter for Nebraska's GDP
NeFB Newsletter

Nebraska’s real gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter, $144.9 billion in inflation adjusted dollars, shrank 3.1% compared to the fourth quarter of last year according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The decline follows a growth of 5.2% in 2023, sixth-highest in the nation. Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia experienced GDP growth in the first quarter. Nebraska was joined by Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota with declines between 3-4%. Missouri was the only state in the Plains region to see growth, 1.6%.

Agriculture’s struggles were a leading reason for the decline in Nebraska’s GDP. Agriculture’s contribution to the state’s GDP in the first quarter was - 4.43 percent (Figure 4). Clearly, declining incomes in agriculture is being reflected in the state’s overall economic performance. Positive contributions from the finance, construction, wholesale and retail trade sectors were positive and helped mitigate agriculture’s struggles.

There are positives for Nebraska’s economy despite the first quarter doldrums. Personal income in the quarter grew 3.1%. The unemployment rate is still low. And job openings continue to increase. The latest Leading Economic Indicator from the Bureau of Business Research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln rose 0.26%, suggesting the economy will see modest growth late in the year. Increases in manufacturing hours and strong demand for food products were the leading positive contributors to the index. Business expectations were positive too. Businesses expect to increase sales and employment over the next six months. All signs that the state will see economic growth to finish out the year.



NE Corn Board to Meet

The Nebraska Corn Board will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at Wayne State College (1111 Main St.) in Wayne, Neb.

The meeting is open to the public, providing the opportunity for public comment. The board will conduct regular board business.

A copy of the agenda is available by writing to the Nebraska Corn Board, 245 Fallbrook Blvd. Suite 204, Lincoln, NE 68521, sending an email to renee.tichota@nebraska.gov or by calling 402-471-2676.



NeCGA is Expanding the Team

The Nebraska Corn Growers Association is seeking a director of public policy to join our team-oriented office. The successful candidate for this full-time position will be an energetic self-starter who will lead our state and federal policy advocacy efforts on behalf of the state’s largest corn organization. Additional responsibilities include monitoring, communicating and drafting responses to regulations and proposed rules that affect Nebraska corn farmers and are in line with our policies. This position will also engage with members and local associations.

Ideal candidates would have an agriculture background with a bachelor’s degree in a related field and 3+ years of post-graduate experience and the ability to work independently and with fellow teammates. State and national travel will be part of the job. Competitive salary based on experience and benefits package available.

Submit a cover letter and resume to Brenda Zanga (bzanga@necga.org) by August 23, 2024.



I-29 Moo University webinar On August 22 To focus On Advances in Colostrum Management For Dairy Farms

The I-29 Moo University Dairy Webinar Series continues Thursday, August 22 from 12 noon to 1 p.m. CDT.

In this webinar Dr. Sandra Godden will review the basic tenants of a successful colostrum management program, as well as discuss recent advancements. Topics discussed will include but not be limited to, harvesting high quality colostrum and quality testing on farm, strategies to reduce bacterial contamination including heat-treating colostrum, proper storage to maintain quality, managing colostrum inventory during seasonal changes, and benefits of extended feeding of colostrum or transition milk.

Dr. Godden points out, “While U.S. dairy farms have made impressive gains in colostrum management in recent decades, additional opportunities exist on a majority of farms”.

Dr. Godden is a 1993 graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph. After working for two years as an associate veterinarian in mixed practice in Eastern Ontario, she returned to Guelph to complete a DVSc degree specializing in dairy production medicine.  From 1998 to present she has been a member of the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota where she is involved with professional DVM student teaching, applied research and outreach activities in dairy production medicine.  Sandra is a Past President of both the National Mastitis Council and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. Her major academic interests currently include applied research in mastitis control, colostrum and calf health management.

There is no fee to participate in the webinar; however, registration is required at least one hour before the webinar. Register online at: https://go.iastate.edu/COLOSTRUM24

For more information, contact: in Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230; in Minnesota, Jim Salfer, 320-203-6093; or in South Dakota, Patricia Villamediana, 605-688-4116.



Seed Laboratory Offers Cover Crop Seed Testing Services

One of the most important factors that can determine the success of a cover crop is the quality of the seed itself.

Farmers and the seed industry need to know what they’re putting into the planter will germinate, and that the seed is pure.

Terry Basol, a field agronomist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, encourages those who plant or sell cover crop seed to take advantage of the testing services offered by the Seed Laboratory at Iowa State University.

The lab provides a wide array of seed testing services, including those required by federal cover crop programs, and for selling cover crop seed.

Samples can be submitted in bags issued by the lab, or in quart-size plastic bags, with the type of seed and date of harvest clearly marked. The lab will send out up to 10 sample bags free of charge upon request.

Kim North, a seed analyst at the lab, said the harvest date is important because recently harvested seeds – those harvested within the past 6-9 months, require a prechilling period to break the seed’s dormancy.

When information is missing, the lab contacts whoever sent the seed, and the testing process can be delayed by several days. The prechilling process itself takes five days or more to complete.

The Seed Lab provides a Cover Crop submission form for producers to complete on their website, which includes the test options, the date of harvest and the contact information.

Costs for testing vary depending on the type and quantity of tests the producer wants. Basol said the cost is minimal compared to the peace of mind in knowing the seed will perform.

“When you get results from the lab, you know everything was evaluated according to a standardized process,” he said. “A lot of farmers rely on word of mouth for their cover crop seeds, but the test helps provide some certainty.”

Basol said farmers who are planning to save and replant cover crop seed that they’re harvesting should double-check to make sure it’s not patented and/or licensed, as this would cause them to be in violation of patent rights and seed agreements of the seed company, and risk a patent infringement lawsuit. Although many cover crops can legally be replanted, it’s important to check with the supplier or seed company to be certain.

Information about how to package seed samples and send them to the lab is available on the Seed Lab Website. Seed can be mailed to the lab, or dropped off in person during business hours, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. The lab also has a drop box, available for 24-7 delivery.

For more information, the Seed Lab can be reached at 515-294-6826 or email seedlab@iastate.edu.



Agriculture Recovery Center to be in Sioux County, July 30

State, federal and local agencies, in conjunction with farming industry groups, will host a one-day Agriculture Recovery Center in Sioux County on Tuesday, July 30, noon to 8 p.m., to help Iowans recover from flooding and storm damage.

The walk-through event, designed as a resource fair, will provide information on addressing agricultural or rural needs that are not covered by standard programs offered by FEMA or the state of Iowa. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Iowa Insurance Division and other government agencies are working with industry organizations such as Iowa Pork Producers, Iowa Soybean and Iowa Cattlemen to ensure unmet needs are identified and resources are shared.

This event on Tuesday, July 30, from noon to 8 p.m., will be held at:
Sioux County
Dordt University – Agriculture Stewardship Building
3648 US-75,
Sioux Center, Iowa 51250                                                     

Download the Iowa Disaster Agriculture Resource Guide here: https://www.iowa.gov/resources-0/agricultural-resources

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 833-285-7448. For Spanish, press 2. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.



USDA Extending Comment Period for the Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets Proposed Rule

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is extending the deadline for comments on the proposed rule, Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets (89 Fed. Reg. 53886), for an additional 15 days, from Aug. 27 to Sept. 11, 2024. Comments may be submitted anonymously at www.regulations.gov. USDA will publish a notice of the extension in the Federal Register.

The Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets proposed rule would define unfair practices as conduct that harms market participants and conduct that harms the market. Combined, these comprehensively define the contours of “unfair practices” under the P&S Act.

View the webinar https://youtu.be/KTbgyItoNfI to provide background information and an overview of the proposed rule.



USDA Extends Comment Period for Sweeping Packers and Stockyards Rule by Only 15 Days

Monday, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Senior Director of Government Affairs Tanner Beymer released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Agriculture extending the 60-day comment period for their latest Packers and Stockyards proposed rule, "Fair and Competitive Livestock and Poultry Markets," by only 15 days:

"Cattle markets are immensely complicated and USDA is planning to make sweeping changes to those markets with only 75 days of public input. While today's extension is welcome, it is not nearly enough time to properly solicit public comment and review a rule that will have such an overarching impact on the cattle industry. The proposed rule is already a direct attack on producer profitability and now USDA is running down the clock to prevent meaningful input from cattle producers."



ACE 2024 Conference to Feature Targeted Tracks on Carbon, Leadership & Management and Technology

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) 37th annual conference coming up August 14-16 in Omaha offers a variety of breakout sessions covering the latest in technology updates, strategic planning advice, and ways to make ethanol plants more profitable while reducing carbon emissions. The breakout sessions will be held concurrently in three rounds on the afternoon of Thursday, August 15, following the morning general session panels.

This year’s breakouts are split into three tracks: Carbon, Leadership & Management and Technology. Breakout sessions include:

Carbon Track – Developments to Lower Carbon Intensity (CI)

Navigating CCS from Permitting to Pathway Verification
    Experts will explore the federal and state incentives to encourage adoption of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies and the strategies to successfully navigate the environmental permitting process.

Leveraging and Quantifying Farm-Level CI Reductions
    This session will highlight companies working to help farmers implement climate-smart farming practices that could eventually reap financial benefits for the producer and ultimately help decarbonize the ethanol production supply chain.

Technology Innovations to Lower Your CI Score
    This session will highlight specific cutting-edge, carbon-reducing technologies available to the ethanol industry, as well as how to leverage the metrics and models to determine the best CI reduction strategies based on facility specific advantages and challenges.

Leadership & Management Track – Techniques for Improving Operational Efficiency

Golden Opportunities to Create New Markets and Revenue Streams
    This panel will feature some innovative companies, from those developing new technologies for green methanol and hydrogen production, to advancements in the established distillers grains and animal feed market.

The New Normal for Managing Forecasts and Cashflow
    In this presentation, learn about the three steps needed for effective forecasting and cash flow management and how to increase the accuracy of plans made.

Workforce Evolution: Succession Planning, Board Member Training, Employee Retention
    This session will cover all things dealing with today’s and tomorrow’s workforce, diving into how to hire and retain good employees, navigating generational differences and transitions of leadership, as well as board training and planning.
 
Technology Track – Enhancements for Optimizing Producer Operations

Getting the Most Out of Your Corn Oil Yield
    How much corn oil gets recovered is a product of good operating conditions, equipment efficiency and proper enzyme application. While facilities have come a long way in increasing corn oil yields, there is still room for improvement, and this session will highlight systems and technology in place to enhance oil recovery.

Targeting Solutions to Maximize Efficiency, Conserve Resources
    This panel will showcase case studies that present targeted solutions to fouling and explore the optimization of ethanol production through an integrated tank cleaning strategy.

What All Plants Need to Know About Fiber Ethanol
    Consulting firms will speak about the important considerations plants must know about coproducing corn starch ethanol and fiber ethanol.

To register for the event and learn more about these sessions and others, visit ethanol.org/events/conference.



USGC Members Arrive in Utah for 64th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting

U.S. Grains Council (USGC) members are gathered in Salt Lake City, UT for the organization’s 64th Board of Delegates Meeting, held July 29-31.

USGC Chairman Brent Boydston welcomed attendees with a summary of the Council’s work over the past year and a preview of the meeting’s upcoming content.

“My theme this year, Growing the Future, reflects both the opportunities and challenges of the current environment,” Boydston said. “At this meeting, we gather to discuss issues facing our industry and explore future demand for feed grains and ethanol around the world.”

The conference officially kicked off with an address from Utah Senior Advisor of Community Outreach and Intergovernmental Affairs Matt Mower and an inspirational speech from motivational speaker Matt Booth. Staff from the Council’s ethanol department participated in a panel discussion on non-road applications of biofuels and Council leadership discussed future opportunities as a result of incoming funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s regional agricultural promotion program (RAPP).

“We are ready, willing and able to do the hard work it takes to keep established markets open, open new markets and keep trade going strong as we head into a bright future beyond today, this year and for years to come,” said Ryan LeGrand, USGC president and CEO.

In the afternoon, attendees spent time in one or more of seven Advisory Team (A-Team) meetings. Each A-Team has a specific focus: Asia, ethanol, innovation and sustainability, Middle East/Africa/South Asia, trade policy, value-added and Western Hemisphere. These meetings allowed members to offer input and set priorities to determine the Council’s course of action over the coming year.

On Tuesday, programming will feature an outlook on global sorghum markets; the latest on the Council’s corn sustainability assurance protocol (CSAP); news on geopolitical developments affecting the international grain industry; a panel on U.S. barley quality and versatility; and an in-depth look at factors affecting U.S. agriculture trade with Mexico.

The meeting will conclude on Wednesday with the election of members to the 2024/2025 Board of Directors and the appointment of new A-Team leaders.



RFA Urges Flex Fuel Vehicles for California Emissions Goals

In comments to the California Air Resources Board in response to a late June workshop on potential amendments to the state’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, the Renewable Fuels Association urged CARB to require that all new vehicles with internal combustion engines sold within the state be flex-fuel capable, to achieve California’s carbon emissions goals.

“With the substantial portion of legacy vehicles that will still be on the road after 2035 when new ZEV [zero-emission vehicle] requirements take full effect, and with the twenty percent allowance for PHEVs [plug-in hybrid electric vehicles] under those rules, it is critical to maximize greenhouse gas reductions in both the legacy fleet and new PHEVs sold after 2035,” wrote RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman.

Citing new independent research, Richman said that expanding and sustaining the benefits of E85 utilization in California through a flex fuel requirement represents a unique opportunity for maximizing greenhouse gas benefits while lowering costs to the consumer under the state’s Advanced Clean Cars program. Click here for the June 2024 study, Future Scenarios for E85 in the U.S.

Additionally, based on E85prices.com data, E85 in California sold for an average discount of $1.81 per gallon compared to regular gasoline in 2023. As a result, RFA estimates that California consumers saved $94 million in 2023 by utilizing E85, adjusted for fuel economy. Moreover, if all the 1.3 million flex fuel vehicles (FFVs) on the road in California today were running on E85, greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by 2.7 million metric tons per year.

“Since our January comments, the availability of E85 has continued to increase, with an estimated 500 retail fueling stations now offering E85 according to discussions with E85 fuel retailers,” Richman wrote. “For this growth to continue, it is important for the market to be confident of future E85 demand growth potential; a FFV requirement will provide that market signal.”




USDA Announces Changes to Enhanced Coverage Option Insurance Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced changes to the Enhanced Coverage Option (ECO) beginning with the 2025 crop year. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding coverage options to additional crops as well as increasing premium support to make the policy more affordable for producers.

“The Risk Management Agency is continually responding to producer needs and adapting our insurance coverage options to give producers more choices when it comes to managing their risks,” said RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger. “This expansion is part of RMA’s larger effort to provide more options for specialty crop producers.”

ECO is currently approved for 36 crops and RMA is expanding coverage options to almonds, apples, blueberries, grapes, and walnuts for the 2025 crop year and to citrus crops where the Supplemental Coverage Option is currently available in California and Arizona for the 2026 crop year.

Additionally, RMA is increasing premium support for all crops covered by ECO to 65% to make the policy more affordable.

ECO provides additional area-based coverage for a portion of a producer’s underlying crop insurance policy deductible. ECO can be purchased as an endorsement to Yield Protection, Revenue Protection, Revenue Protection with the Harvest Price Exclusion or Actual Production History. ECO offers producers a choice of 90 or 95% trigger levels. Trigger is the percentage of expected yield or revenue at which a loss becomes payable.

ECO coverage is unaffected by participation in USDA’s Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) Agriculture Risk Coverage program for the same crop, on the same acres. Producers may select ECO regardless of FSA farm program election.