Friday July 31 Ag News - Autonomus "Smart Feeding" Truck - ADM Expands Lincoln Soy Crush Plant - ISU Cyclone Cattle Feeder Days in Aug - IA Expands RFIP Program - and more!

Driving Innovation: Partnership Brings Autonomous Truck “Smart Feeding” to University of Nebraska

A recent partnership with ALA Engineering brought "smart feeding" to the Klostermann Feedlot Innovation Center (KFIC) at the University of Nebraska Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center (ENREEC) near Mead. Through collaboration with the Nebraska-based company ALA Engineering, the university integrated of autonomous feeding truck use into the feedlot. The technology aims at boosting feeding efficiency and tackling the issue of a limited workforce. 

Autonomous trucks and other upcoming technologies were demonstrated at ENREEC in conjunction with the AgTech Connect conference. Organized by The Combine, Nebraska's ag tech incubator and accelerator (based at Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln), the conference brought together founders, investors, producers and industry partners for live technology demonstrations, expert-led roundtables, keynote speakers and startup showcases. 

The conference provided the opportunity to see cutting-edge ag technology operating in a real-world setting. Attendees also had the chance to see autonomous trucks, learn about UNL’s advanced feedlot technologies, and also hear brief talks on current and emerging challenges/technology in the beef industry. 

An ongoing challenge for feedyards is delivery of consistent rations. The other challenge is finding experienced labor. ALA Engineering identified the need for more than incremental fixes to existing equipment. This led to the development of autonomous feed truck technology to enhance reliability and efficiency. 

Jacob Hansen, CEO and co-founder of ALA Engineering, said that the goal of the autonomous feed truck is to augment, not replace, skilled labor and make feedyard operations more efficient. Hansen said, "The goal is to enhance the lives of both the livestock and the operators by enabling operators to engage in higher-value tasks." 

Drawing on his family’s experience in the industry, Austin Aulick, ALA CFO and co-founder, said, "Feed trucks and finding feed truck drivers are two crucial points cattle feeders depend on, and also two things that keep them up at night." 

The partnership with ALA Engineering is pivotal in demonstrating advancements beyond traditional feedyard feeding methods. ENREEC Director Doug Zalesky noted, "At ENREEC, we are just beginning to understand the use of autonomous feeding and what it might mean for the future. Demonstrating this new technology in an educational setting is crucial because it allows for unbiased comparisons. As part of our mission, we partner with industry leaders like ALA Engineering to learn about and advance new technology.” 

Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska cattle industry professor of animal science and beef feedlot Extension specialist, noted that utilizing the autonomous trucks is a perfect tie-in with the mission of the KFIC in demonstrating technologies and innovations. Erickson said, “The facility serves as a testbed for showcasing data needed by the industry to make sound technology adoption decisions. We are working with ALA and monitoring equipment on our regular trucks to observe how they are driven and operated. We look forward to being able to evaluate technologies like autonomous feeding in the future. Another reason to test new approaches relates to student education, allowing students to learn how to use these technologies.” 

Zalesky agreed that student experience is vital to prepare students for the workforce with industry-relevant information. He said, "Early access to technology significantly enhances the students' experience." 

Zalesky noted that robotics and advanced technologies are utilized for various tasks at ENREEC and by producers, such as weed management and planting, along with technologies designed for the autonomous monitoring of animal health. 

Erickson said, “I'm excited because, just like the industry, I think this has some application for operations that want to improve efficiency and improve accuracy. But more importantly, if you have trouble finding people, this may be a solution that will help ease that burden.” 

Looking to the future, autonomous technologies are expected to have a notable impact on agriculture. Hansen noted that vision systems are making a huge impact, and over the next decade he anticipates seeing more niche solutions, like autonomous feed trucks, making big impacts. 



ADM to Expand North America Crush Capacity Amid Strong Biofuel Demand

ADM, a global leader in innovative solutions from nature, today announced a series of investments designed to expand North American oilseed crush capacity and strengthen the company's ability to meet growing demand for renewable fuels and other vegetable oil markets.

“These investments reflect ADM's continued focus on targeted growth opportunities in areas where long-term demand trends are creating new opportunities for farmers and customers,” said Gary McGuigan, president of ADM’s North America Ag Services and Oilseeds business. “Strong demand – supported by biofuels policy in the U.S. – is driving opportunities for farmers and the broader American agricultural sector. By choosing to build on our existing footprint and adopting individualized enhancement plans for each facility, we’re ensuring that we are investing wisely and preserving flexibility while ultimately delivering a meaningful increase in capacity across our North American network.”

ADM expects to expand capacity by making targeted improvements to existing operations, allowing the company to increase throughput while building on established infrastructure. The company will initially focus efforts with investments at four U.S. production facilities:
    In Frankfort, Indiana, work will focus on storage improvements and optimization as well as multiple equipment upgrades. Work is expected to be completed in late 2028.
    In Deerfield, Missouri, investments will focus on unlocking capacity within conveying, flaking, extraction, and utility systems. Work is expected to be completed in late 2028 or early 2029.
    The company’s crush plant in Lincoln, Nebraska, will receive meal storage enhancements as well as debottlenecking improvements designed to eliminate current restraints. Work is expected to be completed in late 2028.
    The Spiritwood, North Dakota, facility operated through the Green Bison joint venture with Marathon Petroleum Corporation will benefit from operational optimization and select equipment improvements. Work is expected to be completed in mid-2028.

These investments are designed to unlock approximately 700,000 metric tons of additional annual crush capacity across the four facilities, equating to more than 25 million bushels of new demand for American farmers.

In addition, the company is actively evaluating several other North America crush locations for similar future investments.

These projects follow on other recent investments to enhance ADM’s U.S. footprint, including upgrades at its Clinton, Iowa, corn facility and capacity expansions at its elevator in Optima, Oklahoma.

“These investments will help connect more American farmers to growing domestic and global markets while strengthening the infrastructure that supports U.S. agriculture,” McGuigan added. “We're proud to continue investing alongside the farmers, communities and colleagues who make these operations successful.”



Nebraska Recovery Roundup: Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund

As many are recovering from the worst wildfire disaster in Nebraska’s history, it is awe inspiring to witness the ways people from the across the state, country, and the globe are banding together and showing their support for producers in the Beef State. The Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund (NCDRF) has received more than $2.2 million from more than 2,570 donors across Nebraska, 48 states, and five countries. To every individual, family, business, and organization that gave — thank you. Your support is helping Nebraska’s beef cattle producers recover, rebuild, and move forward after the devastating wildfires.

What to Know About Applying for Relief
The NCDRF will close for donations and relief applications on Tuesday, Sep. 1, 2026. 100% of the donations will be distributed to impacted producers and membership in NC is not required for applicants to receive relief. Once the fund is closed, applications will be reviewed by a committee convened by the NCDRF and eligibility of expenses will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Funds are not distributed until the applications period closes and all applications are reviewed.

Funds will only be distributed to producers who experienced property loss or damage in areas where a fire was reported through the Nebraska Emergency Management Association (NEMA) Watch Center. As of July 28, 2026, the following counties have been reported through the NEMA Watch Center:
    Arthur County (Morrill, Vasa fires)
    Blain County (Road 203 Fire)
    Buffalo County (Elm Creek & Odessa fires)
    Cherry County (Ashby, Anderson Bridge fires)
    Custer County (Pressey Fire)
    Dawes County (Ash Pole, Clay Creek fires)
    Dawson County (Cottonwood Fire)
    Fillmore County
    Frontier County (Cottonwood Fire)
    Gage County
    Garden County (Morrill, Minor fires)
    Grant County (Ashby, Minor fires)
    Holt County (Peterson Fire)
    Jefferson County
    Keith County (Morrill Fire)
    Lincoln County
    McPherson County (Daly Fire)
    Morrill County (Morrill Fire)
    Nemaha County (Peru Fire)
    Richardson County
    Saline County
    Seward County
    Sheridan County (Ashby Fire)
    Sioux County (South Fork, Log Road fires)
    Thomas County (Road 203 Fire)

Applicants may submit documentation for agriculture-related expenses not paid for by insurance or other governmental sources related to fencing, pens, agricultural structure repair, feed, livestock removal, or other necessary agricultural-related costs directly related to rebuilding from the natural disaster. Applicants must demonstrate expenses and losses incurred were related to agriculture production and directly caused by recent wildfires in the state of Nebraska.

Applications must be completed and have all required documentation to be considered. Documentation can include copies of receipts for purchases of supplies, invoices for repairs, photos of the damage, and more. Please include losses of livestock, fence - miles or feet, land damage – specify grazing, crop, or haying loss, veterinary costs, feed costs/feed loss, and more in the description of impacts and loss to operation. If you need additional space to list damages, please include your additional list with the application.

For any questions, please contact the Nebraska Cattlemen office at (402) 475-2333 or email disasterrelief@necattlemen.org.



Register soon for Cyclone Cattle Feeder Days

Cattle feeders face constant change, risk and challenges. The Cyclone Cattle Feeders Days will help reduce some of the questions feeders have. The four programs, provided by Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University are designed to help answer questions feeders have on market volatility, new technologies to improve productivity, and current research topics. Programs are scheduled for Aug. 24-27 and will be held in four locations in Iowa.

Market volatility has always been a challenge in the cattle feeding industry, but with the current high prices for fed cattle the amount of risk from the time of purchase to finish can be several thousand dollars. Cody Weitzenkamp, market advisor for Balance4Ward will provide a market outlook as well as discuss strategies to help alleviate market volatiles and protect investments.

Manure is an inherent by-product of cattle feeding, so feeders need to optimize the amount and value of manure to benefit the cropping component of the operation. Dr. Dan Andersen, ISU Extension engineering specialist, will share strategies on managing the value of manure in different systems.

Dr. Aimee Lutz, ISU Extension feedlot specialist and director of the Iowa Beef Center, will share an overview of some of the opportunities to incorporate new and current technologies into cattle feeding operations. She will also discuss steps to consider when exploring new technologies and how they can benefit your operation.

Two researchers from the ISU animal science department, Dr. Stephanie Hansen and Dr. Nathan Smerchek, along with their graduate students, have kept the ISU Beef Nutrition Farm full and busy on new research projects. They will share results from several of their recent research projects including feeding Experior and vitamin and mineral supplementation impact on carcass quality, and how cattle feeders can benefit from ongoing research.

Rounding out the program will be David Trowbridge from Gregory Feedyards in Tabor, IA.  David has tested and incorporated multiple new technologies into his feedyard in southwest Iowa including the ability to evaluate individual feed and water intakes and daily weights, and he will share both the benefits he has seen from them as well as discuss how he decided to add or not add them to his feedyard.

The same program will be held at all four locations, starting at 10 a.m. and concluding at 3 p.m.
    Monday, Aug. 24 – Swan Lake Education Center, 22676 Swan Lake Trail Drive, Carroll
    Tuesday, Aug. 25 – Jones County Extension Youth Development Center, 800 N Maple Street, Monticello
    Wednesday, Aug. 26 – Public Safety Center, 432 Main, Osage
    Thursday, Aug. 27 – Sioux County Extension and Outreach Office, 400 Central Avenue NW, Suite 700, Orange City

Registration is $20 per person and is due by Aug. 17 through the hosting county extension office.

Each program will include a complimentary meal and time to interact with speakers and program sponsors: Balance4Ward, C-Lock, Elanco Animal Health, Merck Animal Health, Iowa Beef Checkoff, Performance Livestock Analytics and the Carroll, Jones, Mitchell and Sioux County Cattlemen’s Associations.

See additional information, including a complete agenda and registration, on the Iowa Beef Center website.

For more information, contact Wertz-Lutz at aimeewl@iastate.edu, Russ Euken, reuken@iastate.edu, or Denise Schwab at dschwab@iastate.edu.



Iowa Expands Access to Ethanol and Biodiesel with Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program

This week, Iowa's cost-share Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program (RFIP) awarded $1,426,732 in grants to 24 applicants to expand access to higher ethanol blends at retail sites. The program also awarded $604,212 in grants to 14 applicants to support biodiesel infrastructure projects.

“The continued strong interest in RFIP demonstrates the momentum behind expanding consumer access to higher biofuel blends across Iowa,” said IRFA Marketing Director Lisa Coffelt, who serves on the Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Board. “These investments help retailers upgrade their infrastructure while giving more Iowans the opportunity to choose cleaner-burning, lower-cost renewable fuels.”

To qualify for the program, retailers receiving funding for ethanol infrastructure must offer E15 or higher ethanol blends. Retailers receiving funding for biodiesel infrastructure must offer biodiesel blends of B11 or higher, with B5 permitted during the colder months.

To date, the program has granted over $67 million to help fund infrastructure across Iowa, allowing retailers to add necessary equipment to their stations to offer higher blends of renewable fuels. 

RFIB consists of voting members appointed by the Governor of the State of Iowa. 



USGBC Talk International Trade Policy, Commodity Demand

The second day of the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council's (USGBC's) 66th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting featured expert speakers about global trade policy developments and a panel discussion with local brewing industry leaders.

The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council's (USGBC's) 66th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting, held this week in Milwaukee, WI, continued Thursday with a slate of industry experts and policymakers highlighting crucial topics in agricultural exports to Canada, Mexico and Southeast Asia.

Thursday kicked off with commodity sector meetings, where growers and agribusiness leaders gathered to discuss the latest developments in their industries. 

Thursday also featured two general sessions, with the morning's focused on commodity utilization and demand. A panel of local brewers shared their perspective on the future of barley and malt and International Bunker Industry Association Chair Adrian Tolson shared insights into industry integration of sustainable marine fuel (SMF).

"The quality of U.S. malt is the most consistent I've experienced because of the amount of hands involved in getting it to me with the most care," said Kevin Wright, Third Space Brewing co-founder and brew master.

"You're getting a quality, consistent product that will deliver on the specifications you put forward. That's the huge advantage of U.S. malt."

Later, AGON Partner Kenneth Smith Ramos and PAA Senior Partner Dan Pfeffer dived deep into the U.S. agricultural sector's trade relationship with Mexico and Canada and what to expect in the coming years.

Finally, USGBC Regional Director for Southeast Asia & Oceania Caleb Wurth presented trade policy news from his region affecting demand for U.S. agricultural goods.

The conference will conclude Friday with the Council's Board of Delegates meeting that will include financial, A-Team and sector reports and elections for open positions on the Council's board of directors.

Follow along on social media using the hashtag #Grains26.



Beef Quality Assurance Spanish Resources Available

The Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program provides best practices around cattle handling, facility management, cattle transportation, good record keeping and protecting herd health, which result in better outcomes for cattle and producers. Now, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, announces the release of many BQA resources in Spanish. Spanish BQA program materials are available at https://www.bqa.org/resources/recursos. 

“For more than 30 years, BQA has provided producers and the cattle industry the science-based information and tools we need to assure cattle well-being, beef quality and safety,” said NCBA President Gene Copenhaver. “Producers asked for these translated materials, and I’m glad we now have them available.”

The dedicated Spanish page of the BQA website features the following Spanish materials:
    BQA Certification
    BQA Transportation Spanish Certification online modules for both farmer/rancher and professional drivers
    Spanish National BQA Manual
    Spanish BQA Field Guide
    A Spanish playlist on the BQA YouTube page with helpful training resources
    BQA training materials available for Spanish-speaking trainers, or for anyone interested in hosting a BQA training fully in Spanish
    Forms and checklists

“’The Right Way is the Only Way,’ and these resources help us extend that message to everyone involved in making the U.S. cattle industry the best it can be,” Copenhaver said. 

For those interested in accessing materials or becoming BQA certified, in English or Spanish, visit www.bqa.org. This project was funded in part by a grant from the National Institute for Food and Agriculture Veterinary Services Grant Program awarded to NCBA, providing educational and teaching resources in Spanish to veterinarians and producers.



U.S., Mexican Dairy Leaders Deepen Partnership as USMCA Talks Continue

Dairy leaders from the United States and Mexico concluded the 2026 U.S.-Mexico Binational Dairy Summit today with a renewed commitment to strengthening collaboration between the two countries' dairy sectors, reaffirming shared priorities on trade, innovation and the future of dairy farming against the backdrop of U.S.-Mexico negotiations related to the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

Held July 29-31 in Querétaro, Mexico, the event brought together dairy industry leaders from the National Milk Producers Federation, the U.S. Dairy Export Council and leading Mexican dairy organizations to discuss issues affecting producers, processors and consumers in both countries.

Participants reaffirmed key principles as part of the eighth annual dairy binational event, supporting policies that promote dairy sector growth and competitiveness in both countries and encouraging continued dialogue and cooperation on issues of mutual interest. The organizations also adopted a new shared principle recognizing the importance of supporting the next generation of dairy farmers in both countries through the exchange of information and experience while creating new opportunities to collaborate on issues critical to the future of the dairy sector.

"The dairy trade relationship between the United States and Mexico is a true success story as our industries have grown in parallel for over three decades" Gregg Doud, president and CEO of NMPF, said. “Central to that success is an open dialogue. We look forward to continuing work together to address shared challenges and develop our markets together.”

"Strong industry partnerships complement strong trade relationships," Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC, said. "Our continued collaboration helps ensure dairy producers and processors in both countries are well positioned to meet growing demand and strengthen the dairy sector in the United States and Mexico. We appreciate Mexico hosting this important event and we look forward to maintaining this critical relationship to support our farmers on both sides of the border."

The organizations agreed to expand collaboration in the months ahead, with particular attention to supporting young dairy farmers, promoting dairy's nutritional benefits and maintaining open communication as the USMCA review process advances.

The summit followed the third round of U.S.-Mexico negotiations related to the USMCA, in which NMPF and USDEC participated as advisors to U.S. trade negotiators, underscoring the importance of continued industry engagement as the two governments work to strengthen the bilateral trading relationship.



Corteva to Bring Enclosa Herbicide to Soybean Farmers

Corteva continues to expand farmer and retailer access to new soybean herbicide options with the launch of Enclosa™ herbicide. The new herbicide will provide the first-ever combination of a proprietary encapsulated acetochlor (Group 15) and cloransulam (Group 2) to deliver exceptional weed control with up to four weeks of residual activity. Enclosa herbicide has been granted approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is now in the process of receiving state approvals.

“Corteva is at the forefront of soybean herbicide innovation,” said Drake Robards, Portfolio Marketing Lead, Soybean Herbicides, Corteva. “In the past few years, we’ve expanded our soybean herbicide portfolio to better meet the needs of farmers, maximize yield potential and optimize management decisions. The launch of Enclosa herbicide is the latest advancement that will give farmers an additional option for flexible and convenient control.” 

With the launch of Enversa™ herbicide in 2025, farmers experienced how the proprietary encapsulated acetochlor from Corteva moves quickly off plant tissue to drive to the soil, establishing a residual barrier against weeds. Building on the success of Enversa herbicide, Enclosa herbicide will feature a combination of encapsulated acetochlor and cloransulam in a convenient premix to provide farmers with residual and systemic control of more than 36 tough broadleaf weeds and grasses in pre- and post-emergence applications. 

“Multiple modes of action are more important than ever to effectively manage weeds and mitigate the spread of herbicide resistance,” Robards said. “We’ve seen the power encapsulated acetochlor brings to the tank. The addition of cloransulam will enable farmers to tackle tough weeds and reduce the threat of resistance.”

Enclosa herbicide will offer a wide application window to fit a variety of geographical herbicide programs and help farmers overcome challenging weather conditions. Flexibility goes beyond application timing, as the new herbicide will be a strong tank-mix partner for products containing metribuzin or sulfentrazone in pre-emergence herbicide systems and glyphosate or glufosinate in post-emergence programs. Enclosa herbicide also will be an excellent complement to Enlist One® herbicide, a benefit for farmers who plant Enlist E3® soybeans. Additionally, the new soybean herbicide will come in an easy-to-use liquid premix, delivering convenience at the tank.

Initial sales of Enclosa™ herbicide are anticipated later this year for use in the 2027 growing season. To learn more about Enclosa herbicide, talk with your local Corteva representative or visit Corteva.us/Enclosa.