Wednesday July 03 Ag News

Midwest corn crop: Reflections after the flood
Alfredo DiCostanzo, Nebraska Extension Beef Systems Educator

Last week, I had the opportunity to travel to the Sioux Falls area for a nutrition conference. Although I did not go to areas most affected by recent floods, driving past many fields and pastures where the water was receding or had receded led to some reflections.

Understanding that it is premature to talk about the 2024 corn crop and how recent rains and flooding in Nebraska and contiguous states affected it, a few considerations are worth sharing.

The latest corn crop report, published on June 24 indicated that 99% to 100% of the corn in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota had emerged. Corn conditions were deemed good to excellent for 77% to 82% of the acres surveyed in these states.

All this likely changed from rainfall occurring during June 20 to the morning of June 22. During that time, records from an area covering Marshall, MN west to Chamberlain, SD, south to O’Neil, NE, and east to Storm Lake, IA reported from a minimum of 2” in Marshall, MN to record rainfall 3-day totals from 10” to 15” centered between Larchwood, IA and Worthing, SD. Another area of heavy rainfall also occurred near Worthington, MN. Rainfall recorded during this 3-day period also exceeded 6” in a much broader area from Windom, MN to Mitchell, SD, south to north of Yankton, SD, and east toward Spencer, IA.

Although it is too early to tell how many crop acres are or will be affected, the surface area represented by locations above where rainfall exceeded 6” in a 3-day period is 12,800 square miles or 8 million acres. Clearly, not all these acres are dedicated to crops nor are crop acres contained within this area suffering a total crop loss. However, between late planting resulting from rain delays and water standing in the field, the effect of flooding (from total water cover to washouts) will not be insignificant.

Using aerial photographs (National Weather Service) of a 1,600 square mile area south and east of Sioux Falls, SD before and after flooding, I determined that approximately 18% of that area is affected to the point of total crop loss. This area also represents the most intensively affected area; thus, it would not be correct to extrapolate this figure to the larger area where 3-day rainfall exceeded 6”.

Applying a simple correction factor of 50% to this observation (9% of the crop acres planted may become a total loss) would indicate that there is an expectation that 9 million acres are affected by flooding. A similar estimate was generated from observations of corn acres not planted because of the Midwest floods of 2019. That year, it was estimated that 11 million acres of corn were not planted.

What effect will this reduction in corn supply have on market prices is a premature question. No two production years or resulting economic conditions are alike. The effect of prevent-planting on the 2019 corn crop resulted in a reduction in corn acres harvested; yet corn grain price did not seem to reflect this effect.

Although the impact of flooding on the 2024 corn crop will not be fully known until later this year, reading how the market and corn use responded in 2019 provides hope that economic conditions may not change dramatically.

Yet, while driving southeast of Sioux Falls, I could not help but reflect on the resiliency of the human spirit. Reports of property and even human loss are emerging. But so are reports of the kindness and brave spirit of people in rural America.

A good friend and leading cattle feeder in Southwest Minnesota reported of the efforts to help families and businesses to safety and to prepare for cleanup and rebuilding of their homes and businesses. He explained that his family and many volunteers

have converged in the town of Rock Valley, IA to help clean out basements, provide water, food and shelter to a small American town hoping to recover some day from the devastation of the floods. He described a well-organized and efficiently managed cleanup and recovery process complete with a command center, sign-in and -out procedures, and strict rules and regulations; the America I remember and cherish.

If I would have had the opportunity to travel close to Spencer, IA or Mankato, MN, the report from individuals helping those communities would be the same: a reflection on the kindness of the American people and their respect for human life and property.

Americans do not need government directives or policies to demonstrate love and respect for one another; those are qualities they find in their love for God, Family, and Country.



BIOSECURITY MEASURES HELP PROTECT LIVESTOCK DURING FAIRS, SHOWS, RODEOS

County fairs, livestock competitions, and rodeos, let people see, experience, and celebrate agriculture on a different level. Since many agricultural events take place during the summer, now is the perfect time for the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) to remind livestock owners to protect their animals and to keep them healthy, especially livestock participating in shows and competitions.

“Livestock diseases can be spread by contact with sick animals and their equipment, just like people can spread illness to each other when gathered in a group and by touching shared surfaces,” said State Veterinarian Roger Dudley. “By practicing strict biosecurity measures, livestock owners can help protect their animals from diseases and also help keep Nebraska’s livestock industry healthy.”

Before the show
    Monitor your animal’s health. If your animal is sick, do not attend the show.
    Clean and disinfect your show equipment and trailer before going to the show.

During the show
    Monitor your animals for heat stress and any signs of illness.
    Do not share equipment or tools with other exhibitors.
    When watering your animals using a community hose, do not allow your animal to drink directly from the hose or dip the community hose in your bucket.

After the show
    When returning from a show, isolate your show animals from other animals at your farm and watch for signs of illness. Do not allow nose-to-nose contact between these sets of animals.
    Consult a veterinarian if your animal becomes ill.
    Don’t share supplies like buckets, feed pans, etc. between isolated animals and other animals. All equipment should be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and allowed to dry after use in the isolation area.
    Clean and disinfect equipment, clothing, shoes, show box and contents, and vehicles/trailers that were used at the show.                                 

To help prevent the spread of diseases, Nebraska has import restrictions for livestock coming into the state from states that have confirmed reportable disease cases. If you are considering moving an animal into Nebraska, please visit https://nda.nebraska.gov/animal/imports/import-requirements.html or call 402-471-2351 to learn more about any importation orders that are currently in place.

Individuals from Nebraska transporting animals to exhibitions in other states should contact the destination state to learn about their import requirements before transporting animals.

Individuals or practitioners who suspect or have concerns about livestock diseases should contact NDA at 402-471-2351.



4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Field Day - July 11th at ENREEC

You are invited to the 4th annual Nebraska 4Rs Nutrient Stewardship Field Day on July 11, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead.

The event will feature a keynote speech from Dr. Richard Ferguson on “ The Future of Nitrogen Management in Nebraska”.

Other topics include:
    Performance of Pivot Bio Proven 40,
    Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers
    Updated Web-based UNL Nitrogen Recommendation Tool.

There will also be a drone demonstration for improving nitrogen management.

Attendees can earn 4.5 CEUs in nutrient management.

The field day is free, but registration is required.

For a complete agenda and registration information, visit: https://agronomy.unl.edu/4rs-nutrient-stewardship-field-day.



HUSKER PROJECTS ADVANCE STUDY OF SOIL MOISTURE, HYDROLOGY

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is now home to a neutron monitor, a sophisticated device that provides a crucial service by enabling correct real-time soil moisture and hydrology readings in Nebraska and nationwide. The monitor is only the third such device in the United States, and the only one located outside the East Coast.

The soil moisture corrections the device enables are needed because solar activity can disrupt the function of another device — cosmic ray neutron sensors. Across Nebraska, those upright metal devices stand in fields like little robots on sentry duty. The sensors capture and count neutrons reflecting off the Earth's surface after coming from outer space.

Real-time readings from the sensors are converted to soil moisture data and are important for making agricultural decisions and monitoring long-term climate change.

But when solar flares reach high levels, the resulting electromagnetic interference causes errors in the sensors’ soil moisture readings.

The powerful burst in solar activity during May 10-11 this year provided an example. The solar storm — the strongest since 2003 — not only affected soil moisture sensors; it also disrupted ag producers’ GPS access right as they were set to begin spring planting. Those producers depend on GPS technology for tasks such as equipment navigation, automated row shutoffs and variable rate input applications.

“Such large events create nice auroras that we can view from Nebraska, but they can also have huge consequences for our modern life,” said Trenton Franz, professor of hydrogeophysics and associate director of research for the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Through Zoom or in-person sessions, Franz regularly trains scientists abroad in the use of cosmic ray neutron sensors and the overall science.

To correct the university’s soil moisture data, Franz and his university colleagues previously turned to help from a neutron monitor in Switzerland. The monitor measures the intensity of high-energy neutrons produced in the atmosphere by cosmic rays. The resulting information enables correction of sensors’ soil moisture readings.

Franz and his team realized that having such a device closer to home would ensure the best accuracy.

“When these solar flares happen, they may not hit Earth everywhere the same,” Franz said. “So, if we're using a detector in Switzerland to correct our data in the U.S., it may not be ideal.”

This spring, Franz and his colleagues installed a neutron monitor at the university’s Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead. The device features an updated design that’s smaller, with efficient electronics geared for hydrology. Funding for the monitor was provided by grants totaling $686,873 from the National Science Foundation, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey.

Data from the device “will be sent in real time and used by the space weather and hydrological communities,” said Franz, who also is a fellow with the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute.

Such technology “is something the physics community has used for a long time to monitor cosmic rays,” Franz said. “And so we in the hydrology community want a more localized detector, to better correct our sensors.”

Darin Desilets, a New Mexico-based technologist who has collaborated with Franz on previous projects, designed the new monitor and oversaw the installation at ENREEC. Desilets is founder of Hydroinnova LLC, which specializes in such technology. Sophia Becker, a doctoral student working with Franz, is using the device as part of her dissertation in coordination with the U.S. Geological Survey.

In addition, Franz and his collaborators at other institutions are beginning a new interdisciplinary collaboration by which hydrologists and space weather scientists discuss joint goals to advance the study of cosmic radiation. The effort will kick off in October with a planning conference organized by Franz and partners with financial support from the National Science Foundation. The Nebraska Union will host the event.

“We have two communities that haven't worked closely together historically — the physics community working with space weather using the neutron monitors, and the hydrology and atmospheric science community working with low-energy neutron detectors for soil moisture,” Franz said. “The goal for the conference is to bring together these two groups of disciplines and think about what we might do with a future generation of combined low- and high-energy neutron detectors.”

It takes solar wind two to three days to reach Earth, and creating a more complete global monitoring network would help space weather scientists better predict which areas on the planet might be affected in regard to aviation, communications systems and other needs, Franz said.

The conference will aim to produce a white paper pointing to future scientific infrastructure needs and creating funding possibilities from interested federal agencies.

The disruptions from electromagnetic interference also have national security implications, Franz said. The most intense geomagnetic storm yet recorded was the Carrington Event of September 1859. The extraordinary event enabled auroras as far south as the Caribbean and triggered electrical surges that caused telegraph equipment to burst into flames.

A similar event in May 1967 disrupted operation of the Air Force’s early warning radars, leading to concern that the Soviet Union may have taken action toward war. The Air Force’s space weather forecasters calmed matters by explaining that the cause was actually a solar flare of exceptional strength.

Future solar events of that general scale are inevitable, Franz said, “so, in terms of national security, it's important to know in those situations if this is an attack or just a natural event that’s knocking out our system.”



Organic Transition Academy scheduled for Aug. 2-3 in Lincoln area

A new training to help producers explore the transition and economics of certified organic production is set for Aug. 2 and 3 in the Lincoln area, hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs, Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society, Transition to Organic Partnership Program, and the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

The free event is for producers, farmers, or ranchers who have thought about starting a certified organic operation but don’t know where or how to start.

A bus tour of four farms will take place on Friday, Aug. 2, starting in Milford at 9 a.m. and concluding with a community dinner in Milford at 5:30 p.m. Then, on Saturday, Aug. 3, sessions will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Ithaca. Lunch will be provided both days.

“Organic farming offers significant environmental and economic benefits, but making the transition can be challenging,” said Jenna Sutterfield, local foods associate with the Center. “This training offers information on markets, resources, and personal experience from local farmers. Between the farm tours, engaging sessions, and capstone panel of local producers, we hope this event will make those first transitional steps easier with support from the community.”

The Organic Transition Academy will feature expert speakers and farmers from the northern Great Plains region who will help producers navigate the marketing of organic products, organic certification, business planning, and transition strategies for organic production.

Stipends are available to help with travel and lodging costs.

To register, visit cfra.org/OrganicTransitionAcademy2024. For questions, contact Sutterfield at 531.335.1840 or jennas@cfra.org.



Smithfield Foods Delivers 34,000 Pounds of Protein to Support Disaster Relief in Northwest Iowa

Smithfield Foods delivered 34,000 pounds of protein to Rock Valley, Iowa, to provide free, restaurant-quality hot meals to victims, first responders and volunteers impacted by severe flooding across Northwest Iowa.

As a local employer with more than 600 employees in nearby Sioux Center and Orange City, Iowa, Smithfield delivered the protein donation today to Mercy Chefs, a Portsmouth, Virginia-based nonprofit that deploys to disaster zones across America. Donated food items included loins, ribs and pork chops, and will provide over 140,000 servings of protein.

“Recent catastrophic flooding has left many of our Northwest Iowa neighbors without basic necessities like electricity, drinking water and food,” said Jonathan Toms, senior community development manager for Smithfield Foods. “By partnering with Mercy Chefs, we’re able to provide support and hope for our neighbors in critical times of need as the community continues to recover from storm damage.”

Beginning today, Mercy Chefs' mobile kitchen and smoker will be serving restaurant-quality meals in Rock Valley, Iowa, to anyone in the community in need. The team will also distribute meals to those unable to make it to the base of operations. To donate or find out how to volunteer locally, visit mercychefs.com/donate-iowa-flooding-response.

“As we respond to the heartbreaking disaster in Iowa, we are incredibly grateful to Smithfield Foods for standing with us,” said Chef Gary LeBlanc, founder and CEO of Mercy Chefs. “Their support enables us to provide thousands of high-quality, chef-prepared meals to those suffering through this crisis."

Smithfield’s hunger relief program, Helping Hungry Homes®, has provided hundreds of millions of servings of protein all 50 U.S. states, as well as in Poland, Romania and Mexico, since 2008. Smithfield donated nearly 28 million servings of protein to food banks, disaster relief efforts and community outreach programs across the U.S. in 2023 and has pledged to donate 200 million servings of protein by 2025.



ISU Extension extension hosts farmland leasing meetings

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is set to host Farmland Leasing Meetings across six locations in Northwest Iowa in early August. These workshops aim to provide valuable information to agriculture property owners, tenants, ag business representatives, and lenders.

Each session will cover topics such as farmland ownership and tenure, cash rental rates and land values, improving leasing arrangements, determining fair rent, Iowa law for terminating leases, and the legal aspects of farmland leasing.

Attendees will receive updates on agriculture markets and new Iowa agriculture laws, along with resources from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

“These meetings are designed for both ag property owners and tenants,” said Gary Wright, farm management specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.

“We will focus greatly on landowner and tenant information such as rental rates and land values. Successful ag decision-makers will want to gain the most current and accurate information as they finalize 2024 and look towards the 2025 crop year.”

The upcoming workshop schedule is as follows:
Aug. 1, 9 a.m. – ISU Extension and Outreach Pocahontas County Office, Pocahontas; Register at 712-335-3103.
Aug. 5, 1 p.m. – ISU Extension and Outreach Plymouth County Office, Le Mars; Register at 712-546-7835.
Aug. 6, 9 a.m. – ISU Extension and Outreach Clay County Office, Spencer; Register at 712-262-2264.
Aug. 7, 9 a.m. – Northwest Iowa Community College, Sheldon; Register at 712-957-5045.
Aug. 14, 4 p.m. – ISU Extension and Outreach Monona County Office, Onawa; Register at 712-423-2175.
Aug. 22, 9 a.m. – ISU Extension and Outreach Dickinson County Office, Spirit Lake; Preregister at 712-336-3488.

Each meeting will last approximately 2 ½ hours. Registrants will receive a leasing arrangement book and access to research-based resources from ISU Extension and Outreach. The depth of topics covered will vary to meet participants’ needs, but attending one meeting is sufficient.

A registration fee of $20 per individual or $30 per couple applies for those who register at least two days prior to the workshop date. Late registrations incur an additional $5 fee.

“We encourage individuals to call in and register so that we can have adequate space and materials prepared,” Wright said. “We do not want to turn anyone away or run short on leasing books.”

For more information on land leasing and the upcoming workshops, contact Gary Wright at 712-223-1574 or gdwright@iastate.edu.



IRFA Statement on Letter Urging Withdrawal of Heavy Duty Truck Emission Rule

Tuesday, Representative Randy Feenstra and Senator Mike Crapo submitted a letter urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdrawal the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standard for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3 rule, originally published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024. Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) Executive Director Monte Shaw made the following statement:

“As this rule ignores cost-effective emission reductions, like biodiesel, in favor of a federal mandate for technology that is either unproven or nonexistent in this space, IRFA members applaud Rep. Feenstra for leading this effort. Nearly everything Americans touch and taste on a daily basis has spent time on a truck. We cannot afford to mess that up.”



Farmers Face Season-Defining Stretch in Coming Weeks

The window to determine crop yield this season is opening. As crops make the shift from vegetation to reproduction, farmers have the opportunity to tip the scales at harvest with the right foliar application. Mike Powell, Senior Brand Manager of BioScience at Helena Products Group, urges farmers to keep an eye on growth stage to produce late-season gains with proven plant extract technology.

“Due to the weather we experienced during planting, a lot of farmers are now dealing with crops at different stages,” says Powell. “We have to find a way to get them back on track because once they hit reproduction, everything needs to be firing on all cylinders. With a foliar application of our plant extracts during the early to mid-reproductive stage, crops can utilize their resources more effectively and focus on growing yield.”

Powell recommends applying Fullscale®, a biological source of three, unique plant extracts in an ammonia-free 3-0-3 NPK solution with zinc EDTA, manganese EDTA and molybdenum. Data from multiple years of use shows Fullscale increases yield in corn by 7.5 bushels, soybeans by 4.1 bushels, wheat by 6 bushels, and cotton lint by 91 pounds per acre on average over the grower standard.

The plant extracts in Fullscale were carefully selected based on their proven ability to consistently perform at high levels year after year in a variety of growing conditions. They strengthen the crop’s ability to move nutrients and sugars throughout the plant during pollination. This increase in efficiency enables the crop to shift its valuable energy to yield production.

 “In soybeans, for example, an increase in nutrient flow during reproductive stages greatly benefits flowering and seed production with increased quantity, size and pod retention,” says Powell. “By meeting crop demand at the right time, soybeans retain more flowers, hold more pods, and are more efficient at filling them.”

A key distinction between Fullscale and other plant extracts on the market is Helena’s ENC® Formulation Technology. This exclusive technology further improves nutrient uptake, minimizes spray application problems, and enhances tank mix compatibility. It helps Fullscale fit easily into mid-season pesticide applications going out now, allowing farmers to protect crops while satisfying hunger without an extra trip across the field.

Fullscale is available for use in soybeans, corn, cotton and cereal crops.