Pillen Appoints New Members to Nebraska Brand Committee
Governor Jim Pillen has appointed new members to Nebraska’s Brand Committee in compliance with this year’s passage of LB 1187. Central to the new law is the formation of a new committee consisting of seven representatives. Previously, the Brand Committee had five members.
Among the appointments announced Friday was one representative from northeast Nebraska. Representing District 5 will be Jordan Feller from Wisner in Cuming County. Feller will represent district 5, which includes 43 counties in eastern Nebraska in the non-inspection area. In general, district 1 covers the panhandle to Cherry County, district 2 is southwest Nebraska, district 3 is north-central Nebraska, and district 4 is south-central Nebraska.
The group now includes five cattle producers, plus the owner or operator of a feedlot and the owner of a livestock auction market. The secretary of state as well as the director of agriculture serve as ex-officio members.
Governor’s appointments and initial terms:
District 1 - Ben Holliday, 2-year term
District 2 - Jed Connealy, 3-year term
District 3 - Kraig Freeman, 4-year term
District 4 - Dr. Kip Lukasiewicz, 4-year term
District 5 - Jordan Feller, 2-year term
Registered Feedlot Owner - Larry (Doug) Sheppard, 3-year term
Livestock Auction Owner - Todd Eberle, 4-year term
The new membership requirements and the Governor’s appointments are effective as of today. The term of appointment for new Brand Committee members will be staggered starting out. Following those initial appointments, members will each serve a four-year term. Any appointments to the committee are subject to legislative confirmation.
The purpose of the Brand Committee is to protect Nebraska brand and livestock owners from the theft of livestock through established brand recording, brand inspection and livestock theft investigation.
New Nebraska Extension Resource Brings Rainfall, Soil Moisture Data Together for Farm Decisions
How much rain fell on a field — and how much moisture remains in the soil — can influence some of the most important management decisions producers make during the growing season.
Making those decisions requires timely information about field conditions, including soil water content and fertility. When soil water is limited, for example, producers may need to consider irrigation where it is available. Estimating soil water content requires information about recent rainfall and how much water a crop, such as corn or soybean, is using at its current growth stage.
To assist this decision-making process, Nebraska Extension Agricultural Climatologist Steve Hu and Nebraska Extension Irrigated Cropping Systems Extension Educator Steve Melvin have developed a new web resource for producers: Weather and Climate Information for Agricultural Decision-Making (AgWeather.unl.edu). The site provides accumulated precipitation (rainfall and snow) estimates for the previous 24, 48 and 72 hours at a resolution — or level of geographic detail — of 4 kilometers (2.48 miles). While the 4-kilometer resolution is less detailed than the ideal resolution of less than a mile, it provides producers with information they can use to estimate recent rainfall on their crops. Some historical rainfall maps of previous years are also available. In addition, the site provides examples of how to estimate rainfall totals at any location across Nebraska.
Alongside rainfall, the site has a page displaying calculated soil moisture for the previous day and previous month. The calculated soil moisture represents the amount of water in the crop rooting zone, expressed in millimeters, either for the previous day or as an average for the previous month. The maps also show how current soil moisture compares with the recent 30-year average (1991–2020), helping producers identify areas that are wetter or drier than normal.
One limitation of the soil map is its lower resolution; it describes the average soil moisture over about 30 mile distance. Understandably, soil moisture can vary substantially over short distances due to rainfall variability, topography, soil type and crop or vegetation cover. Nonetheless, the calculated soil moisture provides an indication of background soil water conditions which can be used to estimate the soil moisture at specific farm locations. This background soil moisture conditions can guide decisions for dryland crops and pasture/rangeland.
In addition, the site provides the net gain or loss of soil water at locations over the past week or month. There will be a net loss of soil water if surface evaporation (E) is greater than the rainfall received (P) over a period. The value is calculated by subtracting precipitation from surface evaporation, resulting in a positive number during a drying period (more soil water is lost, shown in yellow-orange on the map). When E is less than P (a negative number in the map), more rainwater is added to the soil than is lost through evaporation, so soil moisture content increases (highlighted in green on the map).
Combined with current soil moisture information, these data can help producers understand whether soil water conditions are improving or declining — an essential element in making management decisions throughout the growing season.
Unlike many online weather data sources, this resource is supported by Nebraska Extension faculty who can help producers interpret the information and apply it to various landscapes and cropping systems. The site will continue to be updated and improved based on producer needs, with the goal of helping users build confidence in applying weather and climate information to management decisions on their operations. Producers are encouraged to use the contact information below to suggest additional features or information that would make the site more useful to them.
New Grain Marketing Webinar Series Launches September 1
A new live webinar series from the Center for Agricultural Profitability and the Nebraska's Testing Ag Performance Solutions (TAPS) program aims to help Nebraska producers stay on top of grain markets.
"Marketing Tips for Corn and Soybeans" is planned to every other week at noon Central time in September and October 2026. Each edition will offer updates on where prices stand and what's driving them, along with marketing tips and strategies to help producers make the most of their plans.
Each session will include a market update on corn and soybeans, then dig into a different marketing topic, from reading balance sheets and stocks-to-use to chart analysis, crop progress data, or basis and cash sale timing. The rotating format aims to help producers build a more complete toolkit for making marketing decisions over the course of the season.
Jeff Peterson, assistant professor of practice in agricultural economics at Nebraska, leads each session.
Schedule and Registration
Subject to change
Registration is only required once. When that's submitted, you will be registered for each webinar in this series and receive reminder emails prior to each session.
Tuesday, Sept. 1, noon CT
Thursday, Sept. 17, noon CT
Tuesday, Sept. 29, noon CT
Tuesday, Oct. 13, noon CT
Tuesday, Oct. 27, noon CT
Register for the Free Marketing Tips Webinar Series - https://unl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tsDIUGCrQheLtLyrGwZJVA
Grain marketing resources developed for the TAPS program, but relevant for all producers, are available at https://cap.unl.edu/tapsmarketing.
Nebraska Farm Bureau Joins Agricultural Advisory Group
Nebraska Farm Bureau has accepted an invitation to join a newly formed agricultural advisory group convened by The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska. The group brings together representatives from agriculture and conservation to help inform the organization's work across the state.
According to The Nature Conservancy, the advisory group is intended to ensure the organization's agricultural initiatives are well-informed by the people actually farming and ranching the land, to identify opportunities for applied research, and to build partnerships that can expand the reach of conservation and stewardship programs for producers.
For Nebraska agriculture, having a seat at this table means Farm Bureau members' perspectives are represented as conservation-focused programs and research priorities take shape, rather than being developed without agricultural input. This includes areas such as soil health, water stewardship, and emerging land-use topics affecting Nebraska farms and ranches.
Nebraska Farm Bureau has not taken a position on any specific initiative through this group. Participation reflects the organization's ongoing effort to stay engaged wherever decisions affecting Nebraska producers are being made. Members can expect updates as the group's work develops.
Senator Ben Sasse to Keynote Governor’s Summit in September
Governor Jim Pillen announced that Ben Sasse, who served Nebraska as a U.S. senator from 2015-2023, will headline the 2026 Governor’s Summit on September 29, 2026 in Kearney.
“Ben Sasse is a model of courage in the face of adversity,” said Gov. Pillen. "He has served our state admirably, and he has inspired millions of people through his faith and grit. I’m incredibly grateful for his willingness to keynote this year’s Summit.”
“I love Nebraska—this incredible state and these big-hearted neighbors mean the world to me and my family,” said Ben Sasse. “I’m grateful for Governor Pillen’s invitation and eager to spend some time with the next generation of Nebraska leaders.”
A Nebraska native, Senator Sasse is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where his work focuses on higher education, innovation, technology, American history and culture, and national security. Before joining AEI, he was the president of the University of Florida, a U.S. senator, the president of Midland University, an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He also spent more than a decade advising corporate leadership teams on strategic issues.
Sen. Sasse is the author of national bestselling books Them: Why We Hate Each Other—and How to Heal (2018) and The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis—and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance (2017). He holds a PhD and two master’s degrees from Yale University; a master’s degree from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland; and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University.
The 2026 Governor’s Summit officially kicks off on Monday afternoon, Sept. 28, with a statewide 6 Regions, One Nebraska update. On Monday evening, the Nebraska Diplomats will host a reception and awards banquet.
Tuesday, Sept. 29, is the primary day of the Governor’s Summit. It features remarks from Gov. Pillen, a morning keynote from Ben Sasse, a full slate of breakout sessions, and the second annual Governor’s Youth Summit.
To register for the Diplomats Banquet and Governor’s Summit, visit govsummit.nebraska.gov. Students may sign up for the Youth Summit at govsummit.nebraska.gov/youth.
NCBA Opposes Any Effort that Weakens Food Safety
National Cattlemen's Beef Association strongly supports increasing competition in the cattle markets and creating more opportunities for small and regional beef processors. We also support eliminating unnecessary regulations that make it harder for those businesses to compete. However, weakening federal meat inspection and food safety standards, as President Trump has suggested, is not the answer.
For generations, cattle producers have invested in building consumer confidence in American beef and creating the gold standard of food safety systems. Putting that trust at risk in pursuit of a short-term political solution would be a serious mistake. Beef sold to American consumers should continue to meet rigorous, science-based food safety and inspection standards, regardless of the size of the processor.
In just the past week, cattle producers have faced government intervention aimed at increasing foreign beef imports at prices below current levels. Now we are faced with another proposal aimed at changing how beef is processed. Constant government interference creates uncertainty for producers making long-term decisions about their businesses and the future of the cattle herd.
If the Administration wants to help cattle producers, it should focus on reducing legitimate regulatory burdens, lowering fuel and fertilizer prices, protecting the U.S. cattle herd from foreign animal disease, and expanding opportunities for mid-size and regional cattle processors.
America’s farmers and ranchers know how to produce safe, high-quality beef. American consumers trust the beef we produce. Washington needs to stop trying to manage the cattle business and let the market work.
U.S. dairy industry accelerates push to boost milk protein levels
The U.S. dairy industry is accelerating efforts to increase protein levels in the nation’s milk supply to align with global demand trends and keep pace with key export market competitors. While butterfat levels in U.S. milk have risen sharply over the last decade, gains in protein content have been comparatively modest. However, that dynamic is beginning to change as milk component pricing formulas and other incentives have shifted the economic premium from butterfat to protein.
A new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange shows U.S. milk protein production began outpacing butterfat last August, when protein values surpassed butterfat for the first time in recent years. The report notes that a more balanced composition of butterfat and protein will help keep the U.S. competitive with the world’s other leading dairy exporters in addition to supporting domestic cheesemakers.
“In the U.S., butterfat gains have doubled protein growth over the past decade, driven largely by demand to fill underserved domestic butterfat markets,” said Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist with CoBank. “The dairy industry has successfully met that challenge, and U.S. butter exports are now historically high. At the same time, higher butterfat yields in milk have led to some significant challenges for cheddar and American-style cheesemakers, who rely on a more balanced ratio of butterfat and protein for optimal cheese quality and production yields.”
Despite recent progress in growing protein content in milk and restoring the ratio preferred by cheesemakers, the U.S. still trails its key export market competitors in overall milk protein levels. The European Union, New Zealand and the U.S. account for two-thirds of global dairy exports, and both the EU and New Zealand have increased protein at a faster pace than butterfat — more closely matching global trends in dairy product and ingredient demand.
Although cheesemaking formulas vary by variety, a protein-to-fat ratio above 0.80 is generally preferred for cheese production. While some cheese types always require added milk protein solids, those additions have become standard for nearly all U.S. cheesemakers as the protein-to-fat ratio tumbled from 0.83 to 0.77 over the past decade.
In contrast, New Zealand and the EU have maintained far more stable ratios. While New Zealand’s ratio has varied slightly, it began and ended the period from 2015 to 2025 at 0.77, and the EU protein-to-fat ratio has held steady between 0.83 and 0.84 over the same period.
For U.S. dairy farmers and processors, butterfat and protein are the most economically important milk components. The solids underpin production of the most widely traded dairy products and ingredients — including cheese, butter, whey and milk powders — and drive farm income, processor yields, domestic sales and global trade.
Protein production is rising, but still catching up
Global demand for protein continues to grow, but increasing protein levels in U.S. milk has proven more challenging than increasing butterfat. Protein gains rely almost entirely on animal genetics, making progress slower. Even so, U.S. dairy farmers have made meaningful strides.
While the U.S. still has a lower protein content than New Zealand and the EU, its growth trajectory has been faster. From 2015 to 2025, American dairy farmers improved protein production by 7.4%, with two-thirds of those gains taking place in the last five years. By comparison, New Zealand and the EU saw slower growth — 2.1% in the first half of the decade and 1.7% and 1.5%, respectively, in the second half.
Abbi Groves, agricultural commodities economist with CoBank, said the renewed emphasis on protein content through pricing formulas and dairy breed association initiatives supports continued momentum, but progress will take time.
“Fully restoring the protein-to-fat ratio of 0.83 from a decade ago will require years of sustained higher protein growth. And until protein production gains catch up to butterfat, the U.S. will need to find more domestic and international outlets for its growing butterfat supply.”
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