Monday April 06 Ag News - Groundwater levels show little change in NE - LENRD March Meeting recap - NE Brand Act Changes Proposed - Red Meat Export Update - and more!

 GROUNDWATER LEVELS CONTINUE TO DECLINE AMID PERSISTENT DROUGHT CONDITIONS

Groundwater levels throughout Nebraska continued to decline in 2025 following several years of persistent drought. According to the recently released 2026 Nebraska Statewide Groundwater-Level Monitoring Report from the Conservation and Survey Division in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s School of Natural Resources, groundwater levels declined, on average, by 0.29 feet. With a few exceptions, however, these declines did not significantly impact drinking-water supplies or groundwater for irrigation.

For the new report, nearly 5,000 wells were measured in spring 2024 and spring 2025 to monitor changes in groundwater levels in Nebraska. Of these wells, 62% recorded a decline. The largest declines, exceeding 10 feet, occurred in the Nebraska Panhandle, an area that has experienced continued drought conditions for several years. Much of Nebraska experienced some level of drought for most of the preceding six years. Above-average precipitation in central Nebraska, generally along the Platte River Valley, resulted in some minor groundwater-level rises, by as much as 10 feet in localized areas.

Most of the groundwater used in Nebraska comes from the High Plains Aquifer, referred to locally as the Ogallala Aquifer. The aquifer spans eight central U.S. states from South Dakota to Texas, and approximately 90% of Nebraska lies atop it.

As a rule, variations in shallow groundwater levels and precipitation are intimately linked. Precipitation is the main source of aquifer replenishment in Nebraska. It replaces part — but not all — of the groundwater pumped for irrigation and domestic use. Hotter and drier growing seasons drive higher irrigation demands, but they also entail less precipitation and, in turn, less groundwater recharge. Both effects lead to declines in groundwater levels. Years with above-average precipitation, however, provide more water for groundwater recharge and typically require less pumping for irrigation, and potentially result in rising groundwater levels.

Nebraska’s thriving agricultural economy is heavily dependent on groundwater for irrigation. Nebraska producers draw irrigation water from more than 97,000 active irrigation wells statewide. Pumping groundwater from a vast number of wells can be detrimental to the long-term sustainable use of aquifers, but Nebraska is fortunate to have a nation-leading system of groundwater management in its 23 Natural Resources Districts. The NRDs regulate groundwater with comprehensive regional management plans that undergo periodic updates. Recent and long-term groundwater-level declines in some parts of the state constitute a persistent concern worthy of public awareness. Some wells in these areas will likely eventually go dry or need to be drilled deeper.

The annual report’s long-term change maps, which span pre-groundwater-irrigation times through 2025, verify the overall abundance of groundwater in Nebraska. Nevertheless, high-magnitude local changes in groundwater levels, from declines exceeding 130 feet to rises exceeding 120 feet, have also been apparent in successive iterations of the same map. Groundwater levels in most of Nebraska have experienced a net change of less than 20 feet since predevelopment times. Parts of Chase, Perkins, Dundy and Box Butte counties, in contrast, have experienced major, sustained declines in groundwater levels due to a combination of factors. Irrigation wells are notably dense in these counties, annual precipitation is comparatively low, and there is little or no surface-water recharge to groundwater.

The report was authored by Aaron Young, Mark Burbach, Valentina Ita, Susan Lackey, R. M. Joeckel and Jeffrey Westrop.

A free PDF of the report can be downloaded at https://go.unl.edu/groundwater. Printed copies can be purchased for $7 at the Nebraska Maps and More Store, 3310 Holdrege St., and phone orders are accepted at 402-472-3471.



Lower Elkhorn NRD Board of Directors March Meeting Recap

The Lower Elkhorn NRD Board of Directors met on Thursday, March 26th, at the office in Norfolk for the monthly Board meeting.

Directors approved four Community Forestry Incentive applications and one Forestry Incentive for Public Facilities application for Fiscal Year 2027. The Community Forestry Assistance Program was developed to provide assistance for the improvement or renovation of community green spaces on public lands – such as cities, villages, counties, and public schools. The Forestry Incentive for Public Facilities was created for privately owned but publicly available spaces – like public cemeteries and golf courses. 

An Interlocal Agreement with the City of Pierce was also approved by Directors. At the March 12th Committee Meeting Chad Anderson, Pierce City Administrator, came before the Board and presented an official request to proceed with the next steps and into the Design Phase of the North Fork Elkhorn River WFPO Plan.

The City of Pierce is moving through a phased certification process to re-certify the Pierce levee with Federal Emergency Management Agency. They have already completed Phase 1 of the levee accreditation and are ready to move onto the Preliminary Design Phase of the Project. Some Phase I findings included: the need for additional height on some portions of the levee; closure improvements; interior drainage improvements; and embankment and foundation stability. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $540,000.00 with $97,010.00 being carried over from the Plan Phase of the project. The remaining local costs, $442,990.00, will be split 50/50 with each entity contributing $221,495.00 for the project. The interlocal agreement with the City of Pierce will be in effect through June 30, 2029.

Connor Baldwin, Groundwater Management Area Specialist, gave the Board an update on producers who have not yet completed Management Area Reporting and/or Nitrogen Certification. Both the Annual report and Nitrogen Certification are required for producers in the Phase 2 and Phase 3 areas. Annual Reports are submitted on January 15th every year for both dryland and irrigated fields, while Nitrogen Certification only needs to be renewed once every four years. Annual Reports can be filled out in the office with Connor and numerous opportunities for Nitrogen Certification Training are offered each year.

Directors agreed that staff may begin issuing Notices of Violation to farm operators who have failed to submit annual field reports and obtain Nitrogen Certification as required by the LENRD Groundwater Management Area Rules and Regulations.

Conversations regarding flood mitigation options for the City of Battle Creek will resume next month. Curt Becker, Assistant General Manager, informed Directors that a representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers plans to attend the April 9th Committee Meeting to discuss flood mitigation possibilities for Battle Creek.

Brian Bruckner, General Manager, provided an update regarding the final report of the Nebraska Water Task Force. Bruckner was one of 20 members throughout the state who served on the Governor’s task force beginning in June 2025. He also sat on the Water Conservation and Quality and Nitrate Legacy and Drinking Water Access Subcommittees. Key recommendations from the Task Force focus on educational materials for residents and producers; increased engagements with producers; improved Nitrogen management; and increased statewide water measurement through voluntary efforts and cost share opportunities.

The Lower Elkhorn NRD is already working hard to achieve these measures. The requirement for flowmeters on all high-capacity wells in the District has been in place since 2019 and assistance for domestic well testing and Reverse Osmosis systems is also available for residents. With continued support from producers and District residents, the Lower Elkhorn NRD remains committed to work tirelessly to protect and conserve our precious groundwater.

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 Thursday, April 23rd, at the LENRD office in Norfolk at 7:30 p.m. and on Facebook Live. 



Bill to Change Livestock Brand Act Advances
Nebraska Farm Bureau 

Since the start of the legislative session, Nebraska Farm Bureau’s priority in the negotiations around the broader brand issue has been to ensure the continuation of the Nebraska Brand Committee with adequate funding and to protect the integrity of the brand inspection program. In addition, Farm Bureau also worked to ensure the cattle feeding sector continues to be a part of the overall brand program, after legislation was introduced last session to exempt feedlots from brand inspection.

Last week, senators gave first round approval to LB 1187, legislation to make changes to Nebraska’s Livestock Brand Act. Sen. Barry DeKay of Niobrara (District 40) introduced legislation to help ensure the financial solvency of Nebraska’s Brand Committee by allowing the Committee to increase fees to support operations. However, the measure ultimately has become the vessel to address broader issues that have surfaced around the Nebraska Brand Committee and brand inspection program. These issues led to the introduction of another brand-related bill (LB 1258) this session to move Nebraska to a statewide voluntary brand inspection system, which Nebraska Farm Bureau actively opposed.

Nebraska Farm Bureau supported the original “fee only” version of LB 1187 and opposed advancing the bill to the floor with additional structural changes. During an Agriculture Committee hearing held prior to the Committee advancing the bill to General File, Nebraska Farm Bureau opposed AM 2503, which would have significantly altered the underlying bill.

On Wednesday, senators took up LB 1187 on first round debate, where the body adopted an amendment offered by Sen. Mike Jacobson (AM3037). The Jacobson amendment was a product of considerable negotiations with stakeholders, including the Nebraska Farm Bureau, following the Agriculture Committee’s decision to advance the bill, despite considerable opposition to the Committee’s proposal to make broader structural changes to the Brand Committee and the inspection program.  

Upon adoption, the Jacobson amendment (AM 3037) effectively became the bill. The amendment includes numerous provisions, and among the more notable changes are provisions to:
·       Establish five districts across the state where each district would have a cow-calf representative on the Brand Committee. In addition, the Brand Committee would add a livestock auction market representative and a cattle feeder from within the brand inspection area. Nebraska Farm Bureau advocated for ensuring strong cow-calf representation on the Committee.
·       Allow the Brand Committee to adjust the inspection fee up to $1.50 per head, a change from the current $1.10 maximum. Nebraska Farm Bureau advocated for the additional fee authority for the Brand Committee.
·       Fees for registered feedlots would be adjusted to 25% of the brand inspection fee. Nebraska Farm Bureau advocated for the fee to be set at 35% of the brand inspection.
·       Feedlots which currently have no mandatory audit requirements would be subject to no less than two audits per year. Nebraska Farm Bureau advocated for two full audits.

The Jacobson amendment passed with 39 yes, 1 no vote and 7 present not voting. LB 1187 as amended with the Jacobson amendment advanced to Select File (second round debate) with 36 yes, 4 no votes and 7 present not voting. 



Consumers Still Demand Beef
NeFB Economic Tidbits

Consumer demand for beef continues to grow and is reaching record levels. An index created by the Livestock Marketing Information Center (LMIC) to gauge beef demand clocked in at 138 last year, the highest on record and a 10-point jump over 2024. The index is a function of price elasticity for beef, retail prices, per capita beef consumption, and the Consumer Price Index. The index’s baseline is 2000. The higher the index compared to 2000, the stronger the beef demand compared to that year. According to Tyler Cozzens, Director of LMIC, a 10-point jump has only occurred two other times in the last 25 years, from 2003 to 2004, and from 2019 to 2020. Cozzens also noted the index has increased 30 points, or 27%, since 2019.

Consumers keep buying beef despite higher prices. Between February 2025 and February 2026, beef prices rose 14.4%. The question is whether consumer buying will remain robust if the economy falters. Research by Glenn Tonsor and Justin Bina found that “financial sentiment may be even more influential on meat demand than income itself. To para phrase, income stability (ideally growth) is likely necessary but not itself sufficient for meat demand support if the public is highly concerned about their finances.” In other words, consumer sentiment regarding their finances weighs heavily into beef purchasing decisions. Surveys have shown consumers are increasingly pessimistic about the economy. Waning consumer sentiment could mean a slowdown in beef demand, although consumers’ beef demand has seemed unaffected by economic concerns thus far. Either way, beef demand bears close watching.



February Pork Exports Above Year-Ago; Another Big Month for Beef Variety Meat

February exports of U.S. pork were slightly higher year-over-year, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). While beef exports trended lower, due in large part to continued lack of access to China, shipments of beef variety meat posted another strong increase. February was a robust month for per-head export value, with pork exports equating to more than $67 per head slaughtered and beef exports reaching nearly $423 per head of fed slaughter. Exports of U.S. lamb muscle cuts trended higher, reaching the largest volume since May.

Pork exports continue to build momentum in Latin America and Asia
February pork exports totaled 242,511 metric tons (mt), up 1% from a year ago, with export value also edging 1% higher to $678.8 million. While leading market Mexico posted another excellent performance in February, shipments to Japan increased significantly from last year’s low total and exports also trended higher year-over-year to South Korea, Central America, the Dominican Republic and Taiwan.

“It is gratifying to see demand for U.S. pork continue to expand in our Western Hemisphere markets,” said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “But the rebound in Japan really stands out to me, given the strong economic headwinds and intense competition in this important market. To build on this recent momentum in Japan, it is critical that we continue to differentiate U.S. pork and demonstrate its advantages to Japanese importers and consumers.”

For January through February, U.S. pork exports were 2% above last year’s pace in both volume (493,372 mt) and value ($1.37 billion). Export value is slightly ahead of the record pace established in 2024.

Variety meat exports remain a bright spot for U.S. beef
February beef exports totaled 85,066 mt, down 13% year-over-year, while value fell 10% to $722.7 million. Much of this gap was due to China’s lockout of U.S. beef, though February shipments were also below last year to Korea, Japan and Canada. Exports increased year-over-year to Mexico, Taiwan, the Caribbean and South America, while demand was steady in the Middle East and Central America. Excluding China, February exports were 4% higher in value and just 1% below last year’s volume.

The February totals included 24,081 mt of beef variety meat, up 12% from a year ago, while the value of these shipments soared 40% to $106 million.

“Beef variety meat exports continue to trend higher, especially on the value side, and that makes such an important contribution to the value of every animal,” Halstrom said. “Where U.S. beef has access, muscle cut demand has held up well and provides a great complement to our robust domestic market. But for beef variety meats, export markets are really the whole ball game, so it’s great to see these products achieve broad-based growth.”

Through the first two months of 2026, beef and beef variety meat exports were 12% below last year’s pace in volume (177,624 mt) and 6% lower in value ($1.5 billion). Excluding China from these results, exports increased 2% to 175,915 mt, while value was 10% higher at $1.49 billion.

January-February exports of beef variety meat increased 9% from a year ago to 51,592 mt, while export value climbed 43% to $232 million.

Lamb muscle cut exports largest in nine months
February exports of U.S. lamb muscle cuts totaled 326 mt, up 52% from a year ago and the largest since May. Export value increased 31% to $1.47 million. Shipments increased year-over-year to the Caribbean and Central America, but trended lower to Mexico.

January-February lamb exports were 20% above last year in volume (564 mt) and 13% higher in value ($2.91 million). Growth was driven primarily by the Caribbean and Central America, but shipments also edged higher to Taiwan and Japan.