Monday September 29 Ag News - Fire Safety during Harvest - October is Cooperative Month - USDA makes 2nd ECAP payment - NE Farmers help expand Port of Houston - and more!

Fire Safety During Harvest Season: Essential Tips for Farmers
Amy Timmerman - NE Extension Educator

As we enter fall harvest, warm and drier-than-normal conditions are expected to persist through the first half of October, which could intensify drought across the state. With weather conditions ripe for quick-moving fires, the risk is heightened by modern farming equipment, which has become larger and more complex over the years. Today's combines — often made with synthetic materials — can easily catch fire, especially when hydraulic leaks or fuel spills come into contact with smoldering crop residue.

Recent studies have shown that most combine fires begin in the engine area, with 76.7% of incidents stemming from contact between crop residue and hot components like exhaust manifolds or turbochargers. When a fire ignites, it can spread rapidly, especially if fuel lines or hydraulic hoses rupture.

Fortunately, advancements in equipment design have improved fire safety features. For instance, newer combines have more powerful radiator fans and strategically placed air intakes to minimize the risk of flammable materials entering critical areas.

Preventing Combine Fires: Key Strategies
    Keep Equipment Clean: Regularly clean your combine, especially around the engine and exhaust areas. Use battery-powered leaf blowers or air compressors to clear debris. Power washing can also remove grease and oil that may accelerate a fire.
    Park Smart: Allow combines to cool down before parking them in sheds. If parking in the field, choose fire-resistant surfaces and consider creating firebreaks by disking areas around parked equipment.
    Monitor Engine Load: Excessive stress on engines can increase fire risk. Be aware that newer engines generate higher temperatures due to emissions standards.
    Check Bearings: Overheating bearings can cause fires. Use an infrared thermometer to monitor bearing temperatures and shut down the machine if temperatures exceed safe levels.
    Harvest Responsibly: Avoid harvesting during extreme fire weather. Be particularly cautious between 2 and 4 p.m., when conditions are often the most dangerous.

Preparation is Key
    Start harvesting from the downwind side of fields to minimize fire spread risk.
    Keep a cell phone handy for emergencies.
    Carry a 10 lb ABC fire extinguisher in the combine cab, and remember the PASS technique: Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle, Squeeze the trigger, and Sweep across the base of the fire.
    Ensure all extinguishers are regularly checked and maintained.

What to Do if a Fire Occurs
    Move the Machine: If safe, pull the combine into areas that have already been harvested.
    Turn Off the Engine: This prevents the air intake from feeding the fire.
    Call for Help: Dial 911 as soon as possible, providing clear directions for emergency services.
    Contain the Fire: If the fire is beyond control, focus on preventing it from spreading to nearby vegetation.

Final Thoughts
While proper maintenance and awareness can significantly reduce fire risks, it’s crucial to remember that fires can still occur. Stay vigilant this harvest season:
    Clean combines regularly.
    Monitor engine temperatures and bearing conditions.
    Ensure effective communication among crew members.
    Prioritize safety over equipment — no piece of machinery is worth risking a life.

By taking these precautions, we can help protect our farms, our communities, and ourselves during this critical time. Stay safe out there!



Governor Signs Proclamation for Cooperative Month

A proclamation recognizing October 2025 as Cooperative Month was signed by Governor Jim Pillen. This coincides with the annual recognition of October as National Cooperative Month by the United States Department of Agriculture. This year's national theme is "Cooperatives Build a Better World."

The proclamation signed by the Governor recognizes Nebraska's farmer-owned cooperatives and rural electric and telephone cooperatives for the important role that they play in Nebraska's economy and the necessity of cooperatives in building a better Nebraska.

Rural agricultural cooperatives serve the needs of 54,665 producer-owners. With an annual payroll of nearly $400 million, cooperatives directly employ over 5,000 Nebraskans in 372 communities across the state. They also create 12,218 jobs annually through their operations, member payments, and investments.

Last year, Nebraska's agricultural cooperatives made cash patronage and equity redemption payments totaling nearly $100 million to their members and reinvested nearly $300 million in property, plant, and equipment to serve members' needs.

Nebraska's rural electric cooperatives serve over 7,000 rural farmers and ranchers with a combined service territory of over 12,000 square miles. Rural telephone cooperatives in Nebraska serve over 9,000 telephone, television and broadband users in Nebraska.

The economic impact of cooperatives benefit all Nebraskans. Nebraska communities were supported by over $21.9 million of property tax paid by agricultural cooperatives. Nebraska's farmer-owned cooperatives, governed by their farmer owners, contributed $2.8 million to local fire departments, local school and youth organizations, local and statewide FFA and 4-H chapters, and provided numerous scholarships to help Nebraska students continue their education.

Rocky Weber, President and General Counsel to the Nebraska Cooperative Council, stated: “‘Cooperatives Build a Better World’ is an appropriate theme for Cooperative Month in 2025. Nebraska’s agricultural cooperatives build generational assets across the state to serve their farmer-owners. These investments, employment payrolls, charitable contributions and taxes all support the rural communities that Nebraska’s agricultural cooperatives serve. The $3.1 billion in economic impact cooperatives have on Nebraska is vital to building a strong, prosperous economy. Governor Pillen’s proclamation of October 2025 as Cooperative Month is a welcome acknowledgment of how vital cooperatives are in building a better Nebraska.”



Smith Hosts Ag Trade Under Secretary, Visits with Producers about USMCA

Last Wednesday Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) hosted U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg during a visit to Nebraska. The officials toured the Preferred Popcorn headquarters in Chapman, NE, the Mars Petcare production facility in Aurora, and held a listening session on the 2026 Joint Review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement with local agriculture producers and manufacturers at Central Valley Ag in York.

"Mexico and Canada are Nebraska’s most significant agriculture export markets, and USMCA plays a vital role, ensuring our farmers and ranchers have a level playing field," said Rep. Smith. "As the Trump administration gathers stakeholder feedback, input from our producers is critical to ensure a successful review process. I thank Under Secretary Lindberg, who has been a fierce advocate for American agriculture both at home and abroad, for taking the time to hear from Nebraskans."

"Nebraska is an agricultural powerhouse, and their products are in high demand around the world," said Under Sec. Lindberg. "I’d like to thank Chairman Smith, Governor Pillen, and Director Vinton for hosting me today and showcasing some of the incredible agricultural products being made, grown, and raised in Nebraska and delivered around the globe."



Soybean Farmers Make Tangible Investment for Tangible Results at Houston Export Terminal

Soybean farmer leaders were in Houston on September 24th in order to present a ceremonial check in the amount of $275,000 to The Andersons, Inc. for their expansion project at the Port of Houston. Once completed in the first quarter of 2026, the expansion will enable the export of soybean meal from the facility.

By investing in this project, soybean farmer leaders are addressing several major priorities of the soybean industry:
• Increasing soybean meal export capacity: One of the significant developments in the U.S. soybean industry continues to be the investment in processing facilities in order to produce more soybean oil for renewable fuels. The additional production of soybean oil will result in an additional production of soybean meal. While much of this additional soybean meal will be consumed by the domestic livestock industry, it is increasingly essential to invest in additional export capacity to connect with international markets.
• Increasing resilience of the supply chain: Given the continued challenges the soybean industry has experienced with low water conditions on the Mississippi River, it is important to promote diversity of the supply chain by “spreading the eggs across more baskets”? The soybean meal that will be shipped to the facility at the Port of Houston will be transported via BNSF Railway or Union Pacific Railroad. It will not utilize the inland waterway system.
• Diversifying international markets: Given the significant challenges confronting soybean exports due to the curtailment of the Chinese market, it is imperative to pursue “base hit” marketing opportunities for soybean meal and soybeans. The identified markets for the Houston export terminal are: Middle East/North Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Asia.

In presenting the ceremonial check to officials with The Andersons, Mike Koehne, a farmer from Greensburg, Indiana, and chairman of the Soy Transportation Coalition, explained, “As stewards of the funding through the soybean checkoff program, my fellow soybean farmers and I are constantly exploring any opportunity to increase the profitability of our industry. The Andersons soybean meal and grain export facility at the Port of Houston is excellent example of an investment that will help accomplish many of our major priorities. Most soybean farmers in the U.S. are located hundreds of miles or more from our coastal regions. This geographic distance is a challenge we must overcome if we are to compete in the international marketplace. We would like to express our appreciation to The Andersons and the Port of Houston for investing in the supply chain that allows farmers like me to be successful.”

With storage capacity of 6.3 million bushels, the Houston facility supports the export of more than two million metric tons of grain annually and will include up to 22,000 metric tons for storing soybean meal for export. Additional upgrades will include a new conveyance system to seamlessly transport goods from storage to the ship loaders, as well as a new ship loading tower to increase the efficiency and speed of loading.

The Andersons projects that the primary states that will feed the soybean meal to their facility will be: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska. It is possible other states will feed into the facility as well given the expansion of soybean processing throughout the country.

Because the facility at the Port of Houston will result in greater resiliency of both international marketing and the supply chain, the following soybean farmer organizations contributed a total of $275,000 toward the project:
• United Soybean Board
• Soy Transportation Coalition
• Iowa Soybean Association
• Kansas Soybean Commission
• Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council
• Nebraska Soybean Board

The funding will be used for research, analysis, pre-engineering, and design expenses associated with the facility expansion at the Port of Houston. The Andersons, the owner of the facility, will assume the costs of the actual construction of the project.

The ceremonial $275,000 check was presented to The Andersons by a group of soybean farmer leaders at a luncheon at Port Houston’s headquarters. The group also received a tour of the export terminal and an update on the expansion project.

“We sincerely appreciate the opportunity to work with soybean farmers on this important investment,” said Matt Dvorak, Houston business manager at The Andersons. “As domestic soybean crush increases, we are identifying new opportunities for the export of soybean meal via our Houston facility. We look forward to working with the Soy Transportation Coalition and the broader soybean farmer community on this project, which will help connect U.S. soybean meal with international customers."



USDA Issues Second Economic Assistance Payment to Agricultural Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year. Of the authorized $10 billion in ECAP assistance, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has already provided over $8 billion in payments to eligible producers to mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins made the announcement yesterday at the Ag Outlook Forum in Kansas City.

“Initial ECAP payments were factored by 85% to ensure that total program payments did not exceed $10 billion in available funding. Since additional funds remain, FSA is issuing a second payment,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Brooke Appleton. “As producers continue to face market volatility, these payments along with the entire suite of supplemental disaster assistance programs, will help producers navigate market uncertainty, pay down debt for the 2024 crop year, and secure financing for the next crop year.”

Payments will automatically be made to eligible producers with approved ECAP applications who received an initial payment. Any application approved after Sept. 25, 2025, will receive one lump sum payment. Authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025, these economic relief payments are based on planted and prevented planted crop acres for eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year.

ECAP Payments
FSA is issuing a second payment ECAP equal to 14% of the gross ECAP payment to eligible producers, making the final payment factor 99%.

ECAP assistance is calculated using a flat payment rate for the eligible commodity multiplied by the eligible reported acres. Payments are based on acreage and not production. For acres reported as prevented planted, ECAP assistance is calculated at 50%.

Additional USDA Supplemental Disaster Assistance
In addition to the over $8 billion in ECAP payments, USDA has issued more than $1 billion in Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP) assistance to livestock producers impacted by drought and federally managed lands wildfires in 2023 and 2024 with an additional $1 billion in expected payments for livestock producers impacted by floods and non-federally managed land wildfires in 2023 and 2024 (ELRP 2023/2023 FW). Livestock producers have until Oct. 31, 2025, to apply for (ELRP 2023/2023 FW) assistance. Producers have also received over $5.4 billion through Stage 1 of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program for indemnified crop losses in 2023 and 2024. SDRP Stage 2 assistance for uncovered, quality, and shallow losses will be announced soon.

USDA’s disaster recovery programs complement recently announced state block grant agreements in Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia totaling $958 million in assistance to help agricultural producers with disaster recovery needs. USDA is working with 14 states on block grant agreements.

More Information
FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.



USDA Cold Storage August 2025 Highlights

Total red meat supplies in freezers on August 31, 2025 were down 2 percent from the previous month and down 7 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were down 1 percent from the previous month but up 2 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were down 3 percent from the previous month and down 13 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 25 percent from last month and down 8 percent from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies on August 31, 2025 were down slightly from the previous month and down slightly from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 2 percent from the previous month but up 4 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 3 percent from last month but down 8 percent from August 31, 2024.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on August 31, 2025 were down 1 percent from the previous month but up 2 percent from August 31, 2024. Butter stocks were down 8 percent from last month and down 6 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen fruit stocks on August 31, 2025 were up 3 percent from last month but down 5 percent from a year ago. Total frozen vegetable stocks were up 20 percent from last month but down 2 percent from a year ago.



NFU Statement on USDA and DOJ Action to Support Family Farmers in the Marketplace 

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew today released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Justice (DOJ) announcing a new initiative to scrutinize competitive conditions in the agricultural marketplace. 

“American agriculture is at a breaking point. Rising input costs are hitting family farmers and ranchers hard, and corporate consolidation is a major cause. When just a handful of companies control the markets for seed, fertilizer and other farm supplies, they can raise prices at will. This leaves farmers squeezed between skyrocketing costs and low prices for their products. That is unsustainable for farm families, rural communities and consumers.

“We commend the USDA and DOJ for hearing NFU’s call to action and stepping up to confront these challenges. We look forward to working together to ease the economic burden in farm country and ensure fairness for our farmers.” 




Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Launches Position Paper on Beef’s Role in Sustainable, Nutritious Diets

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) has released a new comprehensive position paper discussing the role of beef in sustainable, nutritious diets.

Developed through collaboration between GRSB members and independent experts in nutrition, sustainability, and development, the paper positions sustainable beef as a cornerstone of resilient and inclusive food systems by underscoring its role in human nutrition, livelihoods, environmental stewardship, and the economy.

“GRSB was formed to address the sustainability challenges that face the beef sector, whether they are social, environmental or economic. We brought together a diverse group of people to contribute to this paper, as we realised there was a need for a nuanced perspective on the role of beef in sustainable and nutritious diets,” said Ruaraidh Petre, executive director of GRSB.

The release of this position paper is an important milestone for advancing the global conversation on sustainable food systems.

“While there has been a move to consider environmental impact in dietary guidelines, a true systems perspective is too often missed. The interactions between the health of the land we use to produce food on, the people who eat it and the livelihoods of those who produce it are numerous and complex,” Petre said. “Different types of land support various types of food production as well as different habitat that can maintain biodiversity. Finding a balance between these things will enable us to feed a growing population and contribute to the sustainable development goals without unduly prescriptive dietary guidelines.”

The full position paper is available for download here https://indd.adobe.com/view/f99c0c52-f2ca-4fef-a88b-770c69beb592. 



GreenLight Biosciences Launches Norroa, the First RNA-Based Treatment for Varroa Mites, Offering New Hope Amid Record Bee Losses

GreenLight Biosciences ("the Company" or "GreenLight Bio") today announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) registration of NorroaTM , the first-ever nature-based treatment specifically designed to combat varroamites, the leading threat to honey bee colonies. This groundbreaking innovation provides beekeepers with a powerful new tool proven to protect these pollinators, which are critical to U.S. agriculture.

The registration comes at a challenging time for pollinators and the broader agricultural ecosystem. Recently analyzed data from the Honey Bee Health Coalition reveals staggering honey bee colony losses, with 1.7 million colonies lost and commercial beekeepers sustaining an average loss of 62% between June 2024 and March 2025. Underscored by USDA researchers, this alarming trend is related to the declining efficacy of existing miticides as varroa mites have developed resistance to chemical treatments once considered reliable. As mites are less controlled, they bring high virus loads into colonies, leading to loss. Experts warn of ripple effects that could disrupt food production, drive up farmer costs, and threaten the survival of commercial beekeeping operations. Entomologists at Washington State University project colony losses could rise to 70% in 2025 without substantive action.

"The EPA registration of Norroa marks a pivotal moment in protecting honey bee colonies that are essential to our food system," said Andrey Zarur, Chief Executive Officer, GreenLight Bio. "We commend Administrator Zeldin and his team for their diligent work in conducting a thorough review of this cutting-edge, American-made technology that brings important innovation to U.S. beekeepers. By harnessing the precision of our proprietary technologies, we're providing beekeepers with an environmentally conscious solution that specifically and effectively targets one of the most devastating threats to honey bee health. Norroa is safe for the bees and preserves the beneficial biodiversity and ecosystem balance of the surrounding area, aligning with sustainable agricultural practices."

Norroa's active ingredient, vadescana, leverages RNA interference (RNAi), a natural biological process that precisely targets varroa mites and ultimately stops their

reproduction. It is part of the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee's (IRAC) Group 35, offering beekeepers a brand-new mode of action in the fight against these mites. The nucleic acids in the product are found in nature, and vadescana breaks down quickly in the environment.

"As a fifth-generation beekeeper, I've seen firsthand how varroa mites can devastate colonies and jeopardize livelihoods. It is the number one enemy for all beekeepers," said Jason Miller, President, Miller Honey Farms." Norroa offers a genuinely effective and environmentally responsible option to protect our bees, which is critical for the health of our operations and the future of our nation's food supply."

Rigorous, replicated field trials conducted across multiple U.S. regions demonstrated extended mite control of up to 18 weeks, resulting in improved overall colony health. Researchers confirmed Norroa's performance against varroa mites and its safety for honey bees, humans, other insects, and the environment. As the first truly targeted mite control product ever developed, when Norroa is applied with low mite levels, it maintains them longer than anything else on the market. This results in healthier, stronger bees, and if timed right, can lead to more colonies surviving over the winter, which field data supports.

"Beekeepers have been urgently seeking alternatives as existing miticides lose their potency," said Mark Singleton, Chief Commercial Officer and General Manager at

GreenLight Bio." Norroa represents a breakthrough in honey bee protection from varroa mites, offering beekeepers an effective and easy-to-use tool that keeps mite populations down for up to 18 weeks, which is substantially longer than the existing products on the market. Norroa can be applied at any temperature, provided it's safe to open the hive, and has no negative impacts on brood, workers, or queens. Beekeepers have very few products available to them to control these destructive mites. We are proud to be bringing another tool to the fight against varroa."

Varroa mites, which can double their population every 30 days, have evolved resistance to many chemical treatments, leaving beekeepers with few reliable options and intensifying the search for innovative approaches. Without significant intervention, experts warn of dire consequences for U.S. agriculture, which relies on honey bee pollination for more than 100 crops valued at an estimated $20 billion annually.