Monday October 13 Ag News - CVA Approves Equity Redemption - LENRD Opens for New Irrigated Acres in '26) - Jaydn Smith Joins NeFB - CHS Annual Meeting - and more!

CVA Returns $4.9 Million to Member-Owner Through Equity Redemptions

The Central Valley Ag (CVA) Board of Directors approved Revolving Fund Credit equity redemptions of $4.9 million dollars for equity earned in 2013. Year Earned redemption payments and the amount redeemed is based upon the performance of the cooperative.

Redeemed equity may be qualified or non-qualified, which will be indicated on the check stub. Qualified revolving equity will be nontaxable in the 2025 tax year, while non-qualified will be taxable. CVA is grateful for the loyalty of its member-owners and is appreciative of the opportunity to share its success.

“As a cooperative, we are proud to fulfill our commitment to returning value to our member-owners,” said Nic McCarthy, CEO of CVA, “By distributing equity, we not only honor the contributions of our members but also strengthen our cooperative’s foundation for future growth and shared success. Your trust and investment continue to drive us forward, ensuring the long- term prosperity of both our members and the communities we serve.”

As an owner of CVA, a member’s business is returned in the form of cash patronage or reinvested into the cooperative as equity. That equity is then used to strengthen and improve the co-op’s ability to serve its members. When the cooperative performs well, the board may vote to issue equity redemptions, providing cash back as a return on the member’s investment in the cooperative.

When combined with the expected patronage for the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2025, which is set to be paid out in November 2025, CVA will have returned more than $170 million to its patrons over the past 10 years. The investments made on behalf of its members, along with their continued utilization, have proven successful. CVA values the ongoing support and business of its member-owners.



Lower Elkhorn NRD Application Period for New Irrigated Acres Opens October 15th

At a Special Board Meeting on Thursday, October 9th, Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) Directors voted to approve a recommendation from the variance ad-hoc committee to once again open an application period for new irrigated acres in the District. Landowners can submit an application from Wednesday, October 15th through Monday, November 17th for a fee of $100 per application.

An Ad-Hoc Variance Committee has been meeting twice a month since April to evaluate and strategize the Standard Variance process in the District. Committee members brought their recommendation to the rest of the Board to discuss what was crafted. 

In the Hydrologically Connected Area, Directors approved the motion to allow up to 400 acre-feet of new depletions, and up to 3,750 new irrigated acres in the Non-hydrologically Connected area in the Lower Elkhorn District. Up to 350 new irrigated acres may also be allowed in the Quantity Management Subareas.

This motion also authorized approval and use of Conditions for Approval Policy, dated October 9, 2025, and the weighting of scores on the scoresheets utilized to process standard variances. The map of geographically eligible locations remains the same as 2024 and will be available on our website and in our office.

To learn more about the 12 responsibilities of Nebraska’s NRDs and how your local District can work with you and your community to protect your natural resources, visit www.lenrd.org and sign up for our monthly emails. The next Board of Directors meeting will be on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live. 



Jaydn Smith Joins NEFB Public Policy Team 

Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) welcomed Jaydn Smith to the Public Policy Team as NEFB’s director of environmental and regulatory affairs. We are excited to have Jaydn on board working in this critical space. 

Jaydn grew up on his family’s farm near Chapman, Nebraska, but ultimately found his passion for ag policy in Washington, D.C., where he served in many capacities with Congressman Don Bacon, most recently as his Legislative Director and Senior Agricultural Policy Advisor. His experience has given him a strong understanding of how policy decisions directly impact farmers and ranchers.  

In his new role, Jaydn will focus on the many environmental and regulatory challenges facing Nebraska agriculture. He will lead our efforts to engage on issues such as water quality, natural resources, climate policy, as well as other federal and state regulatory actions that impact on the daily lives of our members.  

“I have had the great pleasure of working with Jaydn throughout his tenure in Congressman Bacon’s office, and it doesn’t take long to see both his deep knowledge of agricultural issues and his genuine passion for serving farm and ranch families,” said Jordan Dux, senior director of national affairs. “I am beyond thrilled to welcome Jaydn to the Farm Bureau family, and I know he will be a tremendous asset to our organization.” 

Jaydn’s first day in the Lincoln office was Monday, October 6.  



Soil Compaction School to Be Held at Iowa State Field Extension Education Laboratory near Boone

Soil compaction caused by farm machinery and field traffic will be discussed at an upcoming Soil Compaction School event on Nov. 14. The event will cover methods to minimize compaction and mitigate any soil compaction that may have already occurred.

“Soil compaction can significantly impact crop yields, as it can push soil particles together, reducing soil infiltration capacities and increasing resistance to crop root penetration and development,” said Kapil Arora, field agricultural engineer with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “This, in turn, impacts moisture and nutrient availability to crop plants for growth and development, even under favorable weather conditions. Ten to 20 percent yield loss has been reported under unfavorable weather conditions.”

The Soil Compaction School event will begin with check-in at 8:30 a.m. at the Field Extension Education Laboratory, located at 1928 240th St., Boone, and the program will start at 9 a.m. In case of inclement weather, the school will be held at the same location and time on Nov. 17.

Demonstrations of field equipment, including wheeled and track tractors, will take place in the afternoon at the field next to the Soil Machine Dynamics Laboratory. Equipment will be driven over a specially constructed soil "lasagna" to demonstrate the amount of compaction caused by different tires and tire inflation pressures, noted Tekeste, associate professor and director of the SDML. Soil pressure sensors buried at different depths will also be used to measure tire inflation pressure response.

The event is sponsored, in part, by the Iowa Pork Producers Association, the Iowa Corn Growers Association, CNH Industrial and Elder Corporation. The event qualifies for six professional development hours and six soil and water certified crop advisor credits. Credits have been applied for.

A complimentary lunch will be served at noon to all registered participants. Participants are asked to register online by Nov. 10 https://www.extension.iastate.edu/ag/event_details/a0OUO00000Fcp0r2AB/Soil%20Compaction%20School. Registration is required and is limited to 50 participants.



CHS and MKC mutually agree to end grain marketing venture

CHS Inc. and Mid-Kansas Cooperative (MKC) have mutually agreed to start the process to end their grain marketing joint venture.

“For the past two years, CHS has worked closely with MKC to bring a joint grain marketing venture called Producer Ag to fruition,” said John Griffith, executive vice president, CHS ag business and CHS Hedging. “While CHS will no longer continue forward with the grain purchasing venture, I want to thank MKC for the opportunity for our cooperatives to work together in this way. Our ongoing relationship with MKC is strong and reflects our commitment to strengthening the cooperative system.”

CHS and MKC have a long history of collaborating in the region. The two cooperatives will continue joint ownership of three grain rail terminals in Kansas.

“We appreciate the dedication, cooperation and hard work that went into building our grain marketing relationship,” said Brad Stedman, president and CEO, MKC. “We are confident in our continued work with CHS and look forward to serving our respective customers and owners in the Southern Plains.”

Once the grain marketing joint venture has ended, both companies will continue to independently operate across the region, including owning and operating assets and grain marketing operations.



2025 CHS Annual Meeting registration is open

Register now to attend the 2025 CHS Annual Meeting, Dec. 4-5, in Minneapolis, Minn. CHS members will be able to participate in a full day of education sessions; gain business updates; interact with other cooperative leaders, CHS Board and management; and engage in CHS governance.

Find the full meeting agenda, including education sessions, at the registration site https://cvent.me/y4Gzzl. General sessions will be available in person or virtually; education sessions and regional caucuses will be available in person only. Register by Nov. 9 to secure a hotel room.

Education sessions will run from 9 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. on Dec. 4, followed by the opening general session at 4:30 p.m. and a welcome reception. Regional caucuses will begin at 8 a.m. on Dec. 5 and the general session and business meeting will reconvene at 9:30 a.m., concluding about 11 a.m.

Information related to voting delegate registration was emailed and mailed to voting-eligible CHS members on Oct. 9. 



ASA Statement on Canceled U.S.-China Meeting and Rising Trade Tensions

The American Soybean Association Friday expressed concern following reports that President Trump has canceled his planned meeting with Chinese President Xi amid escalating trade tensions over rare earth mineral restrictions. ASA President Caleb Ragland, a soybean farmer from Magnolia, KY, issued the following statement:

“ASA is extremely disappointed that the planned meeting at the end of the month between President Trump and Chinese President Xi is canceled as of right now due to the recent actions of the Chinese government to further restrict access to rare earth minerals. ASA was hopeful that these upcoming talks between the United States and China would lead to a deal that would restore U.S. soybean exports to China, traditionally soybean farmers’ largest export by far. Trade wars are harmful to everyone, and these latest developments are deeply disappointing at a moment when soybean farmers are facing an ever-growing financial crisis. ASA hopes that talks can be put back on track to restore markets and trade relationships.”