Friday November 01 Ag News

 Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center Receives Cattle

After much anticipation, the Klosterman Feedlot Innovation Center is proudly opening its gates to welcome the first cattle to be housed and fed in the new facility.  The new facility was built within the University of Nebraska - Lincoln Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension, and Education Center near Mead. 

"We are super excited to have our first commercial research trial at our own facility," said UNL Feedlot Specialist, Dr. Galen Erickson, "Being able to compare the different housing systems in terms of cattle performance, behavior, and nutrient management will be very useful, in our opinion, for the feedlot industry."

Erickson expressed great gratitude and appreciation to all the donors, Settje Agri-Services and all of the staff for making this possible. Everything is unfolding according to plan with the first group of cattle in place in the new lots and all three barns.

By fostering collaboration between the University of Nebraska and industry, the facility drives new discoveries and innovations, ultimately contributing to the robust growth of Nebraska’s agricultural sector. The KFIC embodies the commitment to collaboration and advancing agriculture. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the facility will serve as a catalyst for new discoveries, better practices, and strengthened ties statewide.

"Our dad, John Klosterman, envisioned a future in which Nebraska and UNL would lead the livestock industry in cutting edge facilities, research and education," said Meg Klosterman Kester, "This facility really is a culmination of the forward-thinking, hard work, and passion demonstrated by dad and his colleagues. He would be proud and elated to see this dream come to fruition."

 




NDA ANNOUNCES 2024-2025 NEBRASKA AG YOUTH COUNCIL MEMBERS
 
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) develops and supports the next generation of ag leaders through the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council (NAYC). NAYC is a group of college students working together to share their passion and knowledge about agriculture with young people across the state. NDA is proud to sponsor NAYC and announce the 2024-2025 Council members.

“The students who serve on NAYC are some of the best and brightest young leaders in Nebraska agriculture,” said NDA Director Sherry Vinton. “They are a dedicated group who are committed to learning as much as they can about Nebraska agriculture and sharing their knowledge and passion with others. I look forward to working with these Council members and seeing how their efforts strengthen the ag industry in Nebraska.”

NAYC members coordinate and participate in a wide range of ag-focused activities and events throughout the year. They tour various agricultural business, visit elementary schools to talk about where food comes from, and visit with high school students about career opportunities in agriculture. The primary focus of NAYC is to coordinate the annual Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI), a five-day summer conference with speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities for high school juniors and seniors.

NAYI is in its 54th year and is the longest running event of its kind in the nation. It is made possible through the donations of many generous sponsors.

Here is a list of the 2024-2025 NAYC leadership and their hometowns:
    Head Counselors: Laura Albro, Bayard; and Jenna Knake, Syracuse;
    President: Kendall Prior, Imperial;
    Secretary: Seth Wert, Hordville;
    Vice President of Communications and Social Media: Carleigh Tietz, Norfolk;
    Vice President of Alumni Relations: Caleb Burnside, Stapleton;
    Vice President of NAYI Improvement and Promotions: Levi Schiller, Scribner;
    Vice President of Youth Outreach: Brie Bruns, Pender; and
    Vice President of Sponsorship: Caleb Most, Ogallala.

Additional NAYC members and their hometowns include: Braydon Binger, Hay Springs; Morgan Bonifas, Aurora; Alex Boudreau, Minden; Alexa Carter, Rising City; Keiser Dixon, Pleasanton; Abby Hodges, Julian; Cora Hoffschneider, Waco; Emily Holz, Syracuse; Austin Kamm, Lincoln: Lynsie Lancaster, Hastings; Demi Lapaseotes, Bridgeport; Libby Macklin, Blue Hill; Carson Mau, Sutton; and Evan Svanda, Nehawka.

“Teaching young people about the value of agriculture is an important part of our work,” said Christin Kamm, NDA Director of Communications and NAYC Advisor. “These Council members have a passion for agriculture and are dedicated to connecting young people with information and opportunities in the ag industry. Agriculture has a big impact on our quality of life, and young people hold the key to creating a brighter future in Nebraska’s ag industry.”

To learn more, visit NAYC's website at https://nda.nebraska.gov/nayi/nayc.html or search for Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute on Facebook.



TESTING HAY
- Ben Beckman, NE Extension Educator

While we as producers do all we can in season to store up quality hay, nutrient value in hay can change drastically from year to year.  Even in the same field cut at a similar time, annual swings of 5% crude protein content and 10% TDN are not uncommon.  With crop residues like cornstalk bales, we may have a smaller swing in nutrient differences, but a drop from 5% CP to 3% can have a big impact on supplement strategies and need. When it comes time to feed this winter, knowing what quality hay you have can mean the difference between over or underfeeding hay and/or supplement. Ultimately, differences can affect the bottom line as well as have negative consequences for herd health and fertility.

Testing hay isn’t hard, it just takes a bit of time and planning.  The first step is to get a quality hay probe.  Next, divide your hay into lots, bales that were harvested from the same field under similar conditions.  

Sample 15-20 bales per lot, using the probe on the side that will capture the most layers.  For round bales, sample from the rounded side; for squares, sample the shorter front or back end.  Mix these samples from a lot together in a bucket and take out a quart sized Ziploc bag worth.  Label the final sample with the hay type, lot number, and producer name and address and store in a cool, dry place until you can send it to your lab of choice for analysis.  To avoid your sample sitting in the mail, ship during the first part of the week so the lab can begin processing before the weekend shutdown.

Testing hay can take a bit of time, but accurately knowing the value of forages this winter can save money and help when it’s time to make decisions about providing supplemental feed.  If you haven’t done so yet, now’s the time to test before winter sets in.



ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Team webinar on November 12 Explains the New Tool For Dairy Producers From DRMS

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

DecisiveDry, part of the DRMS HerdHQ web-based suite of products, is an effective management tool to determine if a cow should be dry treated.  It uses Selective Dry Cow Therapy strategy to help lower dry treatment costs and reduce the use of antibiotics.  Greg Palas will walk you through the steps that will help determine which cows are eligible for SDCT and which should be treated.

Greg Palas is the manager of support services at DRMS at Iowa State University.

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

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.



2024 Forage Webinar Series Continues on December 10

The I-29 Moo University and the Northern Plains Forage Association have joined forces to continue the 2024 Forage Webinar Series with a fast-paced evening program on Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 7 to 9 p.m.

The program will feature six presenters with only ten-to-twenty-minutes to outline the most important bullet points of their topics concerning forage production.

Presenters are nationally recognized leaders on their topics.

Madelynn Wuestenberg is an Agricultural Climatologist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, dedicated to enhancing climate resilience in Iowa’s agriculture and food systems.

In her role, which began in January 2024, Wuestenberg engages with farmers, landowners, and industry members on climate-related challenges, delivering research-based insights and actionable solutions.

A native of Slater, Iowa, Madelynn’s deep connection to agriculture comes from her family’s farming background. She earned a Bachelor of Science in 2022 and a Master’s in Agricultural Meteorology in 2023, both from ISU. Her graduate research focused on assessing the environmental impacts of climate change using advanced agroecosystem models.

Amber Friedrichsen, editor of Hay & Forage Grower, will give an overview of alfalfa growing conditions, harvest conditions, and forage test results so far this year.

Friedrichsen grew up on a farm in eastern Iowa and graduated from ISU in 2023 with degrees in agricultural communications and agronomy. While in college, Friedrichsen served as the editorial intern for Hay & Forage Grower for two summers and was an associate editor before assuming her current position.

Deb Sumac is a Supervisory Research Geneticist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service. She focuses on the diseases and pathogens of alfalfa with collaborations to develop a reference genome sequence for alfalfa and universal DNA markers for alfalfa breeding.

Sumac will discuss disease pressure in alfalfa.

Scott Newell is the Alfalfa Outreach Specialist with UW-Madison Extension. He will discuss the potential effects of 2024 weather conditions on 2025 alfalfa production, as well as the possible ramifications of the 2025 weather forecast on alfalfa.

An ISU agronomy graduate, Newell did his graduate work in alfalfa genetics at UC Davis under Dr. Charlie Brummer. Eager to be back in the Midwest, Newell supports alfalfa outreach and education nationally, specifically in the Upper Midwest. He is focused on improving alfalfa competitiveness to ensure it remains a key part of the U.S. agriculture landscape and dairy ration, providing all the benefits of a perennial legume to a diversified rotational system.

Everett Thomas has worked as an agronomist in Northern New York for over fifty years, first for Cornell University and then for 27 years at the William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute in Chazy, NY. While at Miner Institute, his responsibilities included crop production for its herd of 350 Holstein dairy cows. He was also involved in applied research and teaching an undergraduate course in forages.

Thomas is president of Oak Point Agronomics and involved in forage crop consulting in the U.S. and internationally. He’s writer/editor for the Miner Institute Farm Report and is the author of almost 700 technical and popular press articles including about 200 articles for Hoard’s Dairyman.

Thomas will discuss weather influences on alfalfa-grass seeding rates and, on the yield and quality of forage grasses

Jason Johnson, Ph.D., is an associate professor and Extension economist in the Department of Agricultural Economics. Johnson is also a Registered Investment Advisor regulated by the Texas State Securities Board, CRD# 141350. His educational programming focuses on all economic aspects of crop and livestock production blending traditional risk management strategies with more specific recommendations for family financial planning.

Johnson will discuss the economics of forage storage structures.

There is no fee to attend the webinar, but participants must register at least one hour prior to the webinar at https://go.iastate.edu/FORAGE2024.

For more information, contact: in Iowa, Fred M. Hall, 712-737-4230; in Minnesota, Jim Salfer, 320-203-6093; in Nebraska, Ben Beckman, 402.254.6821; or in South Dakota, Sara Bauder, 605-955-7378



Year-end beef quality assurance certification trainings offered in northwest Iowa

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host four year-end Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification trainings in northwest Iowa.

These trainings feature significant changes in the beef industry and best management practices to provide  sustainable, high-quality beef to consumers, and Iowa State University extension beef specialist Beth Doran said new developments such as EID traceability, biosecurity, and animal health will be featured.

“Producers and ag-business professionals who attended an in-person training three years ago have been receiving notice from their packer that their certificate is expiring, and they need to recertify,” Doran said. “Most major packers and most local livestock auctions require a feedlot producer to have a current certificate.”  

To certify or recertify, producers can attend one of the following in-person trainings. All sessions are free of charge, but preregistration is requested four days in advance of the training you plan to attend.
    Nov. 26 – 10 a.m. - noon.  ISU Extension and Outreach Cherokee County Office, 209 Centennial Drive, Cherokee. RSVP to 712-225-6196.
    Dec. 5 – 1-3 p.m.  ISU Extension and Outreach Plymouth County Office (Le Mars Convention Center Lower Level), 251 12th St. SE, Le Mars.  RSVP to 712-546-7835.  Hosted in conjunction with the morning Kent Nutrition Meeting.
    Dec. 9 – 1-3 p.m.  ISU Extension and Outreach O’Brien County Office, 340 2nd St. SE, Primghar. RSVP to 712-957-5045.
    Dec. 16 – 10 a.m. - noon.  ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County Office, 400 Central Ave. NW, Suite 700, Orange City. RSVP to 712-737-4230.   

Producers unable to attend an in-person training may complete their training online at https://www.bqa.org/.

The Iowa BQA program is funded by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and Beef Checkoff, and the education is delivered as a joint effort in conjunction with the Iowa Beef Center and ISU Extension and Outreach.

For more information, contact Doran at 712-737-4230 or email doranb@iastate.edu.



Coutu Leads Beginning Farmer Center, Serves as CALT Counsel

Kristiana Coutu is the new director of the Beginning Farmer Center and counsel for the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State University. She joined Iowa State in September.

She brings years of experience working with farmers and agricultural organizations across the country, including lending for the farm credit system, practicing as a certified public accountant, practicing law and engaging in policy work.

As a farmer herself, Coutu understands first-hand the challenges that farmers face.

“We are so fortunate to have Kristiana join Iowa State. Not only has she practiced agricultural law for many years, but she has also been a CPA, an agricultural lender and a farmer,” said Kristine Tidgren, director for the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State. “Her understanding of taxes and the law will be invaluable as we seek to expand the Beginning Farmer Center and the resources our centers provide.”

As director of the Beginning Farmer Center, Coutu guides the center’s activities, which focus on providing educational resources and programming for new farmers and their professional advisors. As counsel for the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, she provides legal analysis and educational materials for producers, policymakers and industry stakeholders.

“I look forward to working with producers and ag professionals and helping them meet their goals through our centers' education and resources. Expanding the Beginning Farmer Center is an opportunity to provide additional support for beginning farmers, something I am very passionate about,” Coutu said. “The Beginning Farmer Center and the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation are well respected across the country, and I am delighted to be part of both."

Coutu was the fourth generation to operate her family’s dairy farm in Connecticut. While the original dairy farm is no longer operating, she continues to farm with her husband, Chris, on their diversified small farm in Michigan.

Coutu received her juris doctor degree from Michigan State University College of Law and her bachelor’s in business management from the University of Connecticut. She also has a master’s in taxation from Grand Valley State University and is completing a Master of Law degree in agricultural and food law at the University of Arkansas School of Law.

She can be reached at kcoutu@iastate.edu or 515-357-6680.



Naig Announces Iowa Organic Advisory Council, Appoints Members

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced the formation of the Iowa Organic Advisory Council within the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and appointed seven Iowans to serve on it.

A similar Organic Advisory Council existed previously in Iowa Code but was eliminated during the 2024 legislative session following recommendations made by the Boards and Commissions Review Committee. Secretary Naig chose to establish this advisory council within the Department to obtain stakeholder feedback and input.

“Stakeholder groups like the Iowa Organic Advisory Council provide our team with industry perspectives, feedback and input that helps us better serve our state’s organic farmers and their customers,” said Secretary Naig. “Iowa's diverse agriculture includes many production methods serving a broad array of consumers, and we want to ensure that our department is responsive and helping all of our state’s farmers be successful.”

Department staff from the Agricultural Diversification and Market Development Bureau will provide updates to the advisory council on the Department’s Organic Program. Council members will also provide the Department with feedback and industry perspectives on the program and other market and production trends.

The committee will include seven members, including two individuals representing livestock or dairy production who are certified organic, two certified organic crop producers, an individual involved in retail, an individual representing a certified organic processing or handling operation, and an individual involved in education.

Tim Daley - Cedar Falls
Dr. Kathleen Delate - Ames
Edwin Hershberger - Kalona
Roger Lansink - Odebolt
Emily Peters - Mason City
James Petersen - Knoxville
Sue Wheeler - Norway

The advisory council will meet once per year with additional meetings as needed. Each council member will serve a two-year term and can be eligible for re-appointment. The seven members, appointed by Secretary Naig, are listed in alphabetical order by last name:




Harvest Prices for 2024 Crop Insurance

The average daily close of the December corn futures contract was $4.16 during October, while the November soybean contract was $10 per bushel.

The averages are an important piece of price discovery that underpins many crop insurance policies, which use the higher of either the harvest price or the spring projected price to calculate indemnity payments. The projected prices are an average of the new-crop futures contracts' closes during February. They came in at $4.66 per bushel for corn and $11.55 per bushel for soybeans.

DTN Lead Analyst Rhett Montgomery said 2024 represents a return to some semblance of normalcy regarding fall guarantees being lower than spring guarantees for both corn and soybeans.

"The deterioration of prices was also much less extreme in 2024 compared to last year where we saw over a dollar per bushel difference in guarantees for corn insurance versus 50 cents in 2024," Montgomery said. "As a result, revenue protection from 70% up to 85% is unlikely to trigger a payment this year without a reported yield loss."

Breakeven prices per the USDA crop budgets for 2024 are estimated to be $4.78 on corn and $11.70 on soybeans, Montgomery said.



2023 Irrigation and Water Management data now available

There were 212,714 farms with 53.1 million irrigated acres, which included 81 million acre-feet of water applied in the United States, according to the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey results, published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). In 2018, the irrigation survey results showed that there were 231,474 farms with 55.9 million irrigated acres, which included 83.4 million acre-feet of water. The results show that the number of farms irrigating, the amount of land irrigated, and the total water used for irrigation decreased between 2018 and 2023.

“The 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey, conducted every five years, expands on the data collected in the 2022 Census of Agriculture,” said NASS Administrator Joseph L. Parsons. “This report offers detailed, comprehensive, up-to-date information specific to the agriculture industry’s use, management, and investment of water supplies and irrigation systems.”

Data highlights from the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey include:
• The total amount of water used in 2023 was 81 million acre-feet, down 2.8% from 2018.
• The average acre-feet applied per acre was 1.5, which was the same as the 2018 irrigation survey. (An acre-foot is the amount of water required to cover one acre to a depth of one foot.)
• The largest portion of irrigated farmland acres in the United States was dedicated to cropland – including grain and oilseed crops, vegetables, nursery and greenhouse, and hay crops.
• Farmers irrigated 49.6 million acres of harvested cropland acres in the open in 2023.
• Ground water from on-farm wells accounted for 54% of irrigation water applied to acres in the open; the average well depth in 2023 was 241 feet.
• The irrigation results show 12.6 million more irrigated acres with sprinkler systems than gravity irrigation.
• Five states accounted for around one-half of the irrigated acres, and more than half of all water applied – Arkansas, California, Idaho, Nebraska, and Texas.
• Equipment, in general, is one of the leading irrigation expenditures with farmers and ranchers spending $3 billion on irrigation equipment, facilities, land improvements and computer technology in 2023; energy costs for pumping well and surface water amounted to $3.3 billion.
• Irrigated area of horticulture under protection was 1.7 billion square feet in 2023. This compares with 1.5 billion square feet in 2018.
• Irrigated horticulture grown in the open was 598,980 acres in 2023. This compares with 581,936 acres in 2018.

The 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey followed up with approximately 35,000 producers who indicated in the 2022 Census of Agriculture that they irrigated or had irrigation equipment. Producers provided information on water sources and amount of water used; acres irrigated by type of system; irrigation use by crop; and system investments and energy costs.

“The 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey data provide valuable information that producers, farm organizations, businesses, state departments of agriculture, elected representatives and legislative bodies at all levels of government can use to make agriculture water use more efficient,” said Parsons. “From comparing water use by application methods or appraising water use trends to developing improved technologies or federal programs, these data are crucial to the industry.”



National Drought Summary for October 29, 2024
droughtmonitor.unl.edu

The dry pattern that has been impacting much of the country has continued into this current period. The wettest areas were along the coast in the Pacific Northwest, with some locations recording over 2 inches of rain for the week. Other areas receiving some precipitation were in the Four Corners region, the Midwest and parts of the South, but many of these totals were minimal and did little to impact the drought conditions. The Southern Plains and South were the warmest regions, with departures of 10-12 degrees above normal this week. Almost the entire country was warmer than normal, with only areas of the Northeast and Pacific Northwest having near to slightly below normal temperatures. As the month is ending, many locations will be at or near record dryness across the country. For the Lower 48 states, there has not been this much drought shown on the U.S. Drought Monitor since December 2022. Areas of the Southeast that were impacted by significant precipitation associated with landfalling hurricanes have dried out rapidly, with some locations recording zero precipitation since the hurricanes. Some precipitation development at the end of the current period could help ease conditions into the next week, but that will be determined on the next map.

Midwest
Temperatures were near normal in the eastern portion of the region while the southern and western areas were 4-8 degrees above normal for the week. Some rain fell from northern Missouri into southeast Iowa and northern Illinois, but this rain did little to improve the drought that is established over the area. The region saw widespread degradation this week with moderate and severe drought expanding over lower Michigan, and severe drought expanding over northwest Ohio, northern Indiana, and northern Illinois. Moderate drought pushed south in Illinois and Indiana while abnormally dry conditions expanded across almost all of Kentucky. In southwest Missouri, severe and extreme drought expanded along with a push of moderate drought to the east. Severe drought also expanded along with moderate drought in western and northwest Missouri. In Iowa, moderate and severe drought expanded in the west and eastern portions of the state. In Wisconsin, moderate drought expanded in the central portions of the state and severe drought expanded in the northwest. Moderate drought expanded in northern Minnesota and severe drought expanded in both the southwest and southeast areas of the state.

High Plains
Dryness again dominated the region with only areas of far southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas, northeast Wyoming and northwest South Dakota recording any significant precipitation. Coupled with the dryness, temperatures have been unseasonably warm for the region with most all areas 4-8 degrees above normal for the week. Drought expanded and intensified across the region this week with severe and extreme drought expanding over western North Dakota, and moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions expanding over the southeast. Severe and extreme drought expanded over much of western and southern South Dakota and also over western and northern Nebraska. Eastern Nebraska saw both moderate and severe drought expand. In Kansas, severe and extreme drought expanded over the southeast while severe drought expanded over the northeast and western portions of the state. Moderate drought also expanded in western Kansas. In northeast Colorado, moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions expanded, with both moderate and severe drought expanding in southeast Colorado. Southeast Wyoming saw expansion of moderate, severe, and extreme drought while eastern Montana had severe and extreme drought expand to the west.

Looking Ahead
Over the next 5-7 days, it is anticipated that the dry pattern will break over much of the Plains, Midwest and into the South, with widespread precipitation from north Texas to Wisconsin. The Western portions of the country will also be in a more active pattern, with the coastal areas, the Great Basin, and part of the Rocky Mountains seeing some precipitation. Temperatures will continue to be warmer than normal out in front of the precipitation, with the eastern Midwest, South, and East all anticipated to be warmer than normal, including departures of 13-15 degrees above normal in the Ohio River basin. Cooler- than-normal temperatures will settle in over the West, with departures of 10-13 degrees below normal over much of Nevada.

The 6-10 day outlooks show that the best chance for above-normal temperatures is over the East while much of the West has the best chance for below-normal temperatures centered on the Southwest. The greatest chance for above-normal precipitation is over the southern Rocky Mountains with above normal chances in the Plains and into the Midwest while the greatest chance for below-normal precipitation is over northern California and much of the West.



NCLA Sues to Stop USDA’s Illegal, Unnecessary Rule Mandating Electronic Eartags for Cattle and Bison

Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America, et al. v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Secretary Thomas Vilsack, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Administrator Michael Watson

Washington, DC (October 31, 2024) – The New Civil Liberties Alliance has filed a Complaint against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) unlawful new rule requiring electronically readable (EID) eartags for certain cattle and bison transported across state lines, rather than long-used visual tags. Representing ranchers, farmers, and livestock producers who move cattle across state lines, NCLA urges the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota to halt this illegal attempt to eliminate an already-in-place efficient means of cattle identification.

In 2013, APHIS promulgated a final rule regulating traceability for interstate livestock movements, a regulation that permitted several forms of “official identification” for certain cattle and bison moving across state lines, including both visual-only and electronically readable eartags and providing producers with flexibility to choose among options. Over the past decade, the agency advanced and abandoned less formal measures for mandating radio frequency identification (RFID) eartags. In May 2024, however, APHIS issued its new rule to end the use of visual-only eartags as a form of official identification for certain cattle and bison moving between states, requiring visually readable EID eartags in their place. This illegal move was also unnecessary, as the existing Animal Disease Traceability framework is already proven effective.

The Animal Health Protection Act does not give USDA and APHIS the power to mandate EID eartags. Courts certainly do not have to defer to the agencies’ interpretation of the Act after NCLA’s recent Supreme Court victory in Relentless Inc. v. Department of Commerce, which overturned Chevron deference. The new rule is also arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act, since the agencies fail to reasonably explain how the EID Final Rule “is necessary to prevent the introduction or dissemination of any pest or disease of livestock.” APHIS violated the Regulatory Flexibility Act as well, failing to calculate the new rule’s true cost to producers—and consumers.

APHIS’s rule imposes punishing new financial and practical burdens, particularly on smaller and independent cattle producers. NCLA represents ranchers Rick and Theresa Fox and Kenny and Roxie Fox of South Dakota and Tracy and Donna Hunt of Wyoming, as well as R-CALF USA, South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, and the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance in an effort to stop these injustices.



FARM Program Releases Environmental Stewardship Version 3

The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program released today Environmental Stewardship (ES) Version 3 supporting the dairy community’s efforts to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050. FARM ES Version 3 gives dairy farmers a scientifically robust tool with more advanced features to assess the impact of potential practice or technology changes.

The update is critical as dairy farmers, cooperatives and processors continue to seek ways to advance their sustainability efforts in ways that make business sense.

“Environmental Stewardship Version 3 is a significant step forward in supporting dairy’s sustainability journey,” said Nicole Ayache, National Milk Producers Federation’s chief sustainability officer. “This new version yet again demonstrates dairy’s leadership, showcasing our commitment to providing farmers with the best available science and insights as they pursue continued innovation and operational efficiencies.”

Version 3 incorporates the Ruminant Farm System (RuFaS) model, a whole-farm model that simulates dairy farm production and environmental impact. The RuFaS team is comprised of researchers and software engineers from across the country with deep expertise in their respective fields, including experts from Dairy Management Inc. The process-based RuFaS model follows the biological, physical and chemical flows on the farm enabling more granular environmental foot-printing and scenario analysis.

FARM ES Version 3 offers farmers an advanced, more refined output compared to previous versions of the program, including estimates of carbon sequestration and the ability to analyze the environmental and milk productivity impacts of various practices and technologies. Version 3 also contains optional data inputs, such as details on reproductive programs, culling information and cropping practices, for more tailored results.

A key focus for the rest of the year will be to collect farmer, FARM evaluator and other stakeholder feedback to further refine Version 3. Feedback forms are available online for farmers and evaluators to provide suggestions. FARM also plans to host stakeholder webinars to foster discussion about the new platform.

To learn more, visit nationaldairyfarm.com.