Tuesday March 03 Ag News - LENRD Feb Mtg Summary - 100 Years of NE Beef Report - Know your Numbers, Know your Options - Jan '26 Corn/Soy Crush - Ethanol Production Hits Record in '25 - and more!

Lower Elkhorn NRD Board of Directors February Meeting Recap

On Thursday, February 26, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) Board of Directors met for the monthly Board meeting. Numerous items were on the agenda, mainly regarding Water Resources, as well as monthly and Water System reports.

Directors voted to approve an amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with the Village of Pender. In 2019, Pender experienced two major floods in one calendar year. As a result, they approached the Lower Elkhorn NRD for financial assistance for flood mitigation measures, resulting in an Interlocal Agreement established in 2021. With this Agreement, the LENRD would pay for one-half the approved flood mitigation measures – new detention cells, culvert enlargement, and channel improvements – for a total of $527,671.88. The current Interlocal Agreement is set to expire later next month. Since the current agreement was established, costs have risen and the Village of Pender is needing more time to start on the project. The amended Interlocal Agreement will increase the LENRD contribution to $682,683.98 in funding, contingent on the Village of Pender receiving funding from FEMA, and a term extension of up to five years.

Next steps in the Battle Creek flood reduction discussion were also determined at the meeting. Directors gave LENRD staff direction to contact Greg Johnson with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to discuss flood mitigation options for the City of Battle Creek. Greg will be available to speak to Directors at a future Board Meeting about flood mitigation options the Corps works with.

Crop Damage Agreements for two properties near Willow Creek State Recreation Area were also approved. Directors also gave staff the approval to send cease and desist letters to producers who have not yet submitted flowmeter readings (due December 1st every year). Terms of the agreement for the Pierce County Pilot Project were terminated by directors since the producers are no longer using the special equipment from the project.

Directors heard about, and approved, the roll out of the Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) guidelines. The Nebraska Corn Board has designated $1 Million for the first year of this pilot program, with NRDs rolling it out on behalf of the State and Corn Board. The NUE Program is similar to the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act which provides financial incentives to farmers who reduce nitrogen fertilizer use. The Lower Elkhorn NRD will be prioritizing NUE Program applications by date/time received by the District. Applications received at the same date/time will be prioritized by whether they are located within a Sourcewater Protection Area, a Phase 3 Area, or a Phase 2 Area. Soil samples will be required prior to submission of the application. Applications will be due by May 15, 2026.

Directors approved an amendment to the January 22, 2026, motion on approval of the Non-Hydrologically (Non 10/50) Area Standard Variance Applications. Every applicant is permitted to submit additional information about their farm with their application. One applicant felt that their supplemental information should have helped their score and ultimately receive a variance. After conversations with the applicant, and a review of the files, staff ultimately agreed that 25 points should be added to his score based on the supplemental information. Approval of this variance added 135.44 acres to the 2025 approved variances but is still below the threshold for the year that was set by Directors.

A motion to authorize staff to purchase a pickup for Water Resources, which was previously approved in November 2025, was tabled to allow staff more time to request quotes from dealerships within the District.

The Personnel Hazardous Weather Policy was approved to be updated from the current policy which would have the LENRD Office, headquartered in Norfolk, close if Norfolk Public Schools closed. Closure due to hazardous weather will now be decided by LENRD management on a case-by-case basis.

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 March 26, 2026, at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live. 



The Nebraska Beef Report: Advancing the Beef Industry for Over 100 years

For generations of Nebraskans, the Nebraska Beef Cattle Report has been a steady presence. Not fancy. Not promotional. But dependable. 

Long before research was something you searched for online, these reports were pulled off shelves, thumbed through, marked up, and used to guide real decisions on real operations.

While formats and production systems have changed over time, the value of the Nebraska Beef Cattle Report continues to be popular with the beef industry. This annual report helps producers, consultants, university staff, and industry professionals make better decisions.

Short, easy to read and understand, and appliable to real life situations has been the goal of the Beef Cattle Reports.  Each year, new research results are released and the newest version is currently available online.

Recent University of Nebraska-Lincoln beef research projects can be viewed by categories:
    Cow-Calf Nutrition, Reproduction, and Management
    Forage, Residue, and Rangeland Management
    Growing Calf and Yearling Management
    Feedlot Nutrition and Management
    Animal Behavior, Stress, and Technology
    Beef Products and Meat Science
    Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Getting Research into Producers’ Hands While It Still Matters
The Nebraska Beef Cattle Report delivers research results quickly, while the information is still relevant to management decisions. In a production environment, where labor conditions, markets, and technologies continue to evolve, access to timely research can make a difference.

Another very important aspect to the Beef Report is related to student training. Most projects are written and led by graduate students- an excellent experience for these young researchers. 

While statistics can be confusing, these approaches are really what makes the recommendations repeatable or reliable, versus fictional. Research-based decisions are critical for the industry, as well as a longstanding tradition.

A Legacy That Continues to Evolve
Nebraska beef producers face constant change, including shifts in markets, weather, technology, and production systems. Throughout that change, the Nebraska Beef Cattle Report has remained a steady resource. It has evolved in format and scope, while staying grounded in its core purpose of providing practical, unbiased, research-based information that producers can trust.

The Beef Reports can be found at: https://beef.unl.edu/research/unl-beef-cattle-research-reports/ 

Click on the “2026 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report” to view the latest research, or you can view older reports dating all the way back to the 1960’s.



Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri File Brief in Support of Effort to Stop California from Imposing Labeling Requirements on Critical Farming Inputs

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers Monday led a 15-State coalition that filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court to support uniform labeling requirements for critical farming inputs, ensuring farmers have access to glyphosate, one of the safest, most environmentally friendly, and most widely used herbicides on the market. 

The case concerns the labeling requirements set by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. For decades, relying on the best-available science, the federal government has repeatedly concluded that glyphosate is “not likely to be carcinogenic to humans.” But some courts have issued rulings that require manufacturers to include a warning label on glyphosate-containing products, suggesting they are carcinogenic or face massive legal liability. This litigation risk threatens to drive manufacturers from the market and deprive Nebraska’s farmers of an essential tool for controlling weeds and maintaining high crop yields. 

“The law makes it clear that it is the federal government—and not California—that decides what sort of warning label must appear on glyphosate-containing products,” said Attorney General Hilgers. “Individual States can decide how to regulate glyphosate’s use within their borders, but what they cannot do is impose their policy views on other States via labeling mandates.”

Nebraska’s brief explains that without a uniform nationwide standard, States like California could impose labeling requirements that would increase costs, disrupt supply chains, and ultimately threaten access to glyphosate entirely. It also emphasizes the importance of agriculture to Nebraska’s economy and outlines the harms that would flow if Nebraska’s farmers were forced to use other, often more toxic, herbicides.

Joining Nebraska on the brief were the Attorneys General of Iowa, Missouri, Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah.




“Know Your Numbers, Know Your Options” Financial Management Course: Live Sessions Available in March

Nebraska Women in Agriculture, in collaboration with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability, is excited to announce a hybrid offering of Know Your Numbers, Know Your Options course in March 2026.

This four-part financial management course is designed to help farmers and ranchers better understand their current financial position and evaluate how major decisions, such as large purchases, new leases, or changes in production, can impact the bottom line.

Participants will complete the course through self-paced online modules featuring pre-recorded videos, guided assignments, and hands-on work with the financial statements of a case study farm. To enhance the learning experience, live Zoom discussions will be held Tuesdays from Noon–1 p.m. CT on March 10, 17, 24, and 31. These interactive sessions provide an opportunity to ask questions, discuss concepts, and connect with instructors and fellow producers. Participants who want to engage in the Zoom discussions are encouraged to register no later than March 6.

By the end of the course, participants will be better equipped to use financial records to guide decision-making and confidently discuss their operation’s financial position with family members, business partners, and lenders.

The course fee is $160 per participant. Participants seeking to qualify for USDA FSA Borrower Training or Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Tax Credit training may register for $300 per participant.

Register online at: https://cap.unl.edu/know26 



Checkoff Launches ‘Dairy Does More’ To Spark Growth, Reignite Relevance

The dairy checkoff has unveiled Dairy Does More, a national marketing communications platform to help grow demand by reshaping how consumers think about dairy foods.

Developed by Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), the initiative brings to life the Undeniably Dairy brand in a contemporary way and reflects a long-term strategy to strengthen dairy’s role in modern lifestyles.

“This is about reigniting relevance for dairy and unlocking new growth by helping consumers see our products in a whole new light,” said Aris Georgiadis, senior vice president of marketing communications for DMI. “Most people already love dairy for its taste. Now we’re showing them all the other benefits dairy provides and why it deserves a bigger role in their everyday lives.”

At its core, Dairy Does More aims to disrupt what Georgiadis describes as consumer “tunnel vision,” or the narrow ways people sometimes think about food categories.

“Consumers often put food into fixed boxes,” Georgiadis said. “Milk is for kids. Yogurt is for breakfast. Cheese is for dinner. Our job is to break that pattern and expand how people see dairy. If they only think of milk as something for kids, how do we broaden their horizons? If yogurt is only for breakfast, how do we help them see it as a snack, a recovery food or something that pairs with meals?”

Dairy Does More launched nationally March 2 with a new tagline, “So Many Reasons for Dairy,” that will be supported by three 30-second digital video spots, social media activations and in-market programs. State and regional checkoff teams will have opportunities to leverage campaign elements in their social and marketplace programs.

The creative tone is bold, fun, lighthearted and informed, reinforcing dairy’s role as both a trusted nutrition source and a joyful part of everyday life.

The goal is to have consumers see dairy’s familiar benefits paired with the unexpected, highlighting dairy’s versatility, functionality and emotional appeal while giving consumers new reasons to enjoy it throughout the day.

“We’re showing young athletes there’s more to dairy beyond protein, showing parents there are incredible mind-boosting benefits beyond calcium and engaging teenage foodies by talking about nutrition in a way that feels authentic to them,” Georgiadis said. “By pairing an obvious benefit with a surprise benefit, we can disrupt that tunnel vision and inspire new behaviors.”

A key objective of Dairy Does More is to increase dairy use by adding new consumption occasions. Despite dairy’s strong presence in American diets, most consumers still fall short of the recommended three daily servings. This goal carries strong appeal to farmers.

“This campaign is about building value for farmers and importers by strengthening dairy’s place in consumers’ lives,” said Marilyn Hershey, Pennsylvania dairy farmer and chair of DMI. “When people understand all that dairy does for their health, performance and everyday enjoyment, they’re more likely to choose dairy more often. That demand ultimately supports farm families across the country.”

“We want to be an undeniable and delicious part of people’s lives,” Georgiadis said. “We are the dairy experts, but we never want to be preachy or arrogant. Our role is to be a trusted, joyful voice that makes dairy nutrition approachable and enjoyable.” 



Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production

Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 505 million bushels in January 2026. Total corn consumption was down 5 percent from December 2025 and down 2 percent from January 2025. January 2026 usage included 93.3 percent for alcohol and 6.7 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 3.47 million bushels, up 10 percent from December 2025 and up 22 percent from January 2025. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 461 million bushels, was down 4 percent from December 2025 and down 1 percent from January 2025. Corn consumed in January 2026 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 91.8 percent and 8.2 percent, respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.78 million tons during January 2026, down 8 percent from December 2025 and down 4 percent from January 2025. Distillers wet grains
(DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.34 million tons in January 2026, up 1 percent from December 2025 and up 6 percent from January 2025.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 251,479 tons during January 2026, down 5 percent from December 2025 and down 1 percent from January 2025. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 193,748 tons in January 2026, up 3 percent from December 2025 but down 5 percent from January 2025.

Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks
Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 6.84 million tons (228 million bushels) in January 2026, compared with 6.90 million tons (230 million bushels) in December 2025 and 6.38 million tons (213 million bushels) in January 2025. Crude oil produced was 2.63 billion pounds, down 1 percent from December 2025 but up 4 percent from January 2025. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.82 billion pounds during January 2026 decreased 5 percent from December 2025 but increased 6 percent from January 2025.



U.S. Ethanol Production Set a Record in 2025, New Data Show

Data released Friday by the Energy Information Administration show that U.S. ethanol production rose to a record 16.49 billion gallons (bg) in 2025, in response to stronger domestic consumption and record-shattering exports.

“The EIA data show that consumers and fuel suppliers in the United States and overseas are eager to use more American-made ethanol,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “We appreciate the Trump administration’s efforts over the last year to open international markets to cleaner, lower-cost U.S. ethanol. Now it’s time for Congress to unleash ethanol’s potential in our own market by passing commonsense legislation allowing nationwide, year-round sale of E15.”

The U.S. ethanol blend rate (i.e., the national average ethanol content in gasoline) jumped to a record 10.51 percent, moving further past the fictional 10-percent “blend wall.” Domestic usage of ethanol increased to 14.34 bg, up nearly 100 million gallons (mg) from 2024.

This reflects continued expansion in sales of E15, a blend containing 15 percent ethanol, despite anachronistic seasonal restrictions in parts of the country. It also demonstrates the potential for more rapid growth if Congress passes E15 legislation.



RFA: Middle East Uncertainty Shows Need for Year-Round E15

As the events in the Middle East have led to a spike in oil prices and the expectation of higher gasoline prices for American drivers, the Renewable Fuels Association renews its urgent call for Congress to pass legislation to allow the nationwide year-round sale of the lower-cost, American-made E15, a blend with 15 percent ethanol.

"Once again, the events in the Middle East and the spike in oil prices demonstrates this country’s overreliance on foreign sources for our energy,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. "We need to take every action we can to insulate our nation from these geopolitically induced price spikes at the pump, and an easy solution is to increase our use of domestically produced ethanol. Congress must pass legislation to allow year-round E15, as President Trump has called them to do. This action has bipartisan and bicameral support, and American consumers demand it."

Recent polling of 2,000 registered voters by Morning Consult indicates:
    78 percent are very or somewhat concerned about gas price fluctuations.
    78 percent believe renewable fuels like ethanol are important to energy independence.
    73 percent believe it is very or somewhat important for their fuel to be made in America.

In 2025, the U.S. imported 314 million barrels of oil from OPEC countries. If E15 were adopted nationally, Cooper said, the additional ethanol would displace half of this volume.



Ag Coalition Offers Reforms on WTO, Urges Continued Engagement
 
The U.S. Agriculture Coalition for WTO Reform, of which NPPC is a member, sent to the Trump administration a list of recommendations for improvements to the international trade body.
 
Talks on reforming the 30-year-old World Trade Organization began in earnest during President Trump’s first term, and the United States submitted suggested reforms in December 2025. The president has been critical of some aspects of the WTO.
 
In separate letters sent last week to Luke Lindberg, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, and to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s deputy, Joseph Barloon, and chief agricultural negotiator, Julie Callahan, the coalition noted that the WTO’s trade rules are “extremely important to U.S. agriculture” and said continued engagement of the U.S. government with the organization would bolster the administration’s export objectives. 
 
Alignment between U.S. bilateral and multilateral agreements and WTO rules, such as commitments on agricultural subsidies, sanitary-phytosanitary measures, and other nontariff barriers, the coalition wrote, plays an important role in securing export opportunities for U.S. farmers.
 
Currently made up of 164 member countries, the WTO deals with the rules of trade between nations. Its goal is to ensure trade flows as smoothly and predictably as possible. 



USDA Announces March 2026 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for March 2026, which are effective March 1, 2026. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.        

Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans       
FSA offers farm operating, ownership and emergency loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation.  

Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for March 2026 are as follows:        
    Farm Operating Loans (Direct): 4.750%  
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct): 5.875%  
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct, Joint Financing): 3.875%  
    Farm Ownership Loans (Down Payment): 1.875%
    Emergency Loan (Amount of Actual Loss): 3.750%   

FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders. To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.  

Commodity and Storage Facility Loans      
Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.  
    Commodity Loans (less than one year disbursed): 4.500%       
     Farm Storage Facility Loans:  
    Three-year loan terms: 3.625%  
    Five-year loan terms: 3.750%  
    Seven-year loan terms: 4.000%  
    Ten-year loan terms: 4.250% 
    Twelve-year loan terms: 4.375%  
    Sugar Storage Facility Loans (15 years): 4.625% 

More Information
To learn more about FSA programs, producers can contact their local USDA Service Center. 



2025 Beef Trade Review
Will Secor, Extension Livestock Economist, University of Georgia

2025 was a significant trade year for the beef sector. Trade headlines were often dominated by New World Screwworm updates with its impact on live cattle imports from Mexico. However, beef exports and imports were also noteworthy.

U.S. beef exports dropped significantly last year. Beef exports in quantity terms dropped for the third consecutive year. Around 865 thousand metric tons of beef (excluding variety meats) were exported in 2025. This was the lowest quantity exported since 2016 and a decline of around 13% year-over-year. Beef export values also declined in 2025 (down roughly 12% year-over-year). This has been the lowest level since 2020.

Many major trading partners saw year-over-year declines, including Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, and Canada. The top-five trading partners accounted for roughly 75% of all export quantity. The most significant drop in export destinations came from China. Exports to China dropped by over 65% in both value and quantity terms.

In contrast to exports, imports reached their highest recorded levels in 2025. The record imports of 2025 smashed the record set just last year. Beef import quantity and values were up around 24% and 18%, respectively. Notable value increases were seen across nearly all beef suppliers to the U.S. The top-five import supply countries to the U.S. (Australia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and New Zealand) accounted for over 80% of all beef imports in quantity terms. Other South American countries also saw large increases and were in the top-10, including Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

For 2026, the USDA projects imports to increase and exports to decrease on a volume basis. This reflects the broader supply and demand fundamentals in the beef industry. Imports are expected to rise by a little over 3% this year compared to 2025. Exports are projected to drop by over 5% for the same time period. In addition to trade volume, the 2026 trade value will be interesting to track as the impact of potential changes in trade policy and commodity values unfold over the remainder of 2026.