Friday September 04 Ag News - AgCeptional Conf in West Point Nov 20 - NE Hay & Forage Hotline - Pasture & Range Mgt Webinar Series - Ethanol Exports Steady - and more!

AgCeptional Conference Set for Nov. 20 in West Point

Agricultural producers, rural community members, and others working in agriculture and related industries are invited to attend the 2026 AgCeptional Conference on Friday, Nov. 20, at the Nielsen Community Center, 200 Anna Stalp Ave., in West Point, Nebraska. 

The conference will bring participants together for a full day of learning, networking and connection, featuring a keynote presentation, three workshop sessions and opportunities to engage with other participants from across Nebraska and the surrounding region. 

Registration and networking will begin at 8 a.m., with the conference opening at 9 a.m. The morning opening session will include the presentation of the Spotlight Award, recognizing an individual who has made a meaningful contribution to agriculture and community, followed by the keynote presentation from Lauren Bondy. 

Bondy is a transformational keynote speaker, retreat host and community facilitator who helps people stop shrinking and start showing up fully and unapologetically. Her presentation will address the challenges many rural leaders face today, including burnout, the pressure to prove their worth and questions about whether their work, voice and story still matter. Through relatable storytelling and practical action steps, Bondy helps audiences reconnect with clarity, confidence and purpose. 

Following the opening session, attendees will have three opportunities to choose from a variety of educational workshops. The conference offers 12 total workshop options, allowing participants to select sessions that best fit their interests and needs.   

The AgCeptional Conference will conclude with a Shop Small Kickoff beginning at 3:30 p.m., giving attendees an opportunity to support local businesses and continue connecting with others following the conference. 

AgCeptional Conference 
Date: Friday, Nov. 20, 2026 
Location: Nielsen Community Center, 200 Anna Stalp Ave., West Point, NE 68788 
Registration: $45 through Nov. 1; $60 beginning Nov. 2; $30 for high school and college students 

Organizations interested in sending students, clients or employees can request a custom promotional code to simplify registration. Individuals can register themselves using the organization’s code, and following the conference, the organization will receive an invoice for all registrations made using the code. 

Businesses and organizations are also invited to support the conference through sponsorship opportunities. The sponsorship deadline is Oct. 26, 2026. 

Additional conference information, workshop details and registration information are available on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website https://wia.unl.edu/agceptional/.  

All attendees are welcome to participate regardless of race, gender, or any other protected status. 



Nebraska Hay and Forage Hotline Connects Producers Following Wildfires

As Nebraska communities continue to recover from recent wildfires and widespread drought continues, livestock producers may face challenges finding adequate hay and forage. The Nebraska Hay and Forage Hotline can help connect producers who need hay with those who have hay available for sale.

The hotline is a free service available to both buyers and sellers. Producers with hay available can create a listing, while those in need of hay can search current listings and connect directly with sellers.

Available hay listings can be viewed through the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at https://nda.nebraska.gov/promotion/hay.

The hotline can be especially valuable following a wildfire, when pasture and forage resources may have been damaged or livestock may need to be relocated. Available listings may include different types of hay and forage from producers across the state.

Producers with hay to sell are encouraged to submit a listing, and those in need of hay are encouraged to check the hotline for available supplies. Because listings change as hay is sold and new supplies become available, producers should check the hotline regularly.



Webinar Series to Focus on Range and Pasture Management

Nebraska Extension will host a six-part webinar series this fall to help landowners and livestock producers better understand how to identify, grow and manage grasses in pastures and rangelands.

The Knowing, Growing and Grazing Grass webinar series will run Monday and Thursday evenings, Oct. 12 through Oct. 29 from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. CT (6:30 to 7:45 p.m. MT). Two optional sessions will also be held on Oct. 20 and 27. The course is limited to 30 participants.

“This series will give producers a solid foundation in range and pasture management,” said Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension educator and program coordinator. “Whether it’s plant identification, understanding stocking rates or using drought insurance tools, participants will leave with practical, usable information.” Throughout the course, the impacts of drought will be discussed.

Topics covered in the series will include:
    Plant identification and learning to recognize desirable grass species
    Management practices to improve forage production and plant vigor
    Understanding and calculating stocking rates
    Using tools like USDA Web Soil Survey and Rangeland Analysis Platform to estimate forage production
    Developing grazing plans and managing drought risk through Pasture, Rangeland and Forage (PRF) insurance

Participants are invited to submit plant photos for identification. All webinars will be interactive and recorded for later viewing.

The registration fee is $100 per person and includes a copy of "Grassland Plants of South Dakota and the Northern Great Plains" and a printed resource notebook featuring Nebraska Extension NebGuides and Circulars. Materials will be mailed ahead of the course.

Registration is due by Oct. 1 to ensure materials arrive in time. To register, visit: https://go.unl.edu/knowing_grass.

A computer and internet connection are required to participate.

For more information, contact Aaron Berger at 308-235-3122 or aberger2@unl.edu. 



E15 on Track to become Iowa’s Top-Selling Fuel in 2026

Iowa fuel terminals distributed more than 46 million gallons of E15 during August, the second highest amount on record, according to monthly fuel tax data released by the Iowa Department of Revenue. Based on Iowa Renewable Fuels Association projections, E15 is on track to eclipse E10 as the No. 1 selling fuel in Iowa in 2026.

“It will be close, but E15 is on track to become Iowa’s top-selling fuel for 2026,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw. “With 46 million gallons in August, Iowa drivers are sending a clear message: they want E15. As more Iowa retailers have given drivers the chance to buy E15, the numbers are impossible to ignore.”

August E15 sales were just behind the record 48 million gallons sold in May, continuing a strong year of growth for the ethanol blend. The sales numbers demonstrate the growing demand from Iowa drivers for E15 when it is available year-round.

E15 typically saves consumers 15 cents or more per gallon compared to E10, while supporting demand for Iowa-grown corn and strengthening America’s domestic fuel supply.

“Iowa has shown what happens when drivers have a choice,” Shaw added. “They choose E15, they save money, and they support American-made fuel. Drivers across the country deserve that same freedom.”

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association will continue advocating for year-round, nationwide E15 access so drivers across the country can benefit from greater fuel choice, savings at the pump and increased demand for American-grown renewable fuels.



July U.S. Ethanol and DDGS Exports Maintain a Steady Pace

U.S. ethanol exports inched down 3% to 199.5 mg in July as sizable swings among key markets largely offset one another. Canada remained the leading destination, despite shipments declining 5% to 74.4 mg. It accounted for 37% of total U.S. ethanol exports and 61% of denatured fuel ethanol exports. Exports to the European Union dropped 18% to 50.4 mg, with most shipments entering through the Netherlands. The EU remained the principal destination for undenatured fuel ethanol. Exports to Vietnam expanded sixfold to a record-high of 18.6 mg. Exports to the United Kingdom declined 14% to 12.8 mg. Exports to South Korea nearly doubled to 11.5 mg, and India received 10.8 mg—the first substantial volume shipped there in four months. Together, these six markets accounted for 9 out of every 10 gallons shipped in July. Other significant destinations included Mexico (6.6 mg), the Philippines (5.3 mg), Colombia (4.8 mg), Guatemala (1.7 mg), and Peru (1.5 mg). Brazil remained essentially absent from the market for the fourth straight month. Through July U.S. ethanol exports totaled 1.41 billion gallons, running 13% ahead of the same period last year.

U.S. ethanol imports remained negligible in July at 1,262 gallons, bringing year-to-date imports to less than 500,000 gallons.

U.S. exports of dried distillers grains (DDGS), the animal feed coproduct generated by dry-mill ethanol plants, were effectively unchanged from June at 1.10 million metric tons (mt), as shifts among major markets offset one another. Mexico remained the largest destination, despite a 17% decline in shipments to 191,715 mt. Exports to Indonesia fell 13% to 145,696 mt, while shipments to South Korea increased 24% to 137,325 mt. Vietnam imported 124,934 mt, down 7%; Canada imported 62,622 mt, up 8%; and Colombia imported 62,026 mt, up 22%. Another 28 countries purchased the remaining third of U.S. DDGS exports. Through July, U.S. DDGS exports totaled 7.27 million mt, 13% above the same period in 2025.



Productive but Priced Out: Why Input Prices Matter for US Corn Competitiveness

The National Corn Growers Association Thursday released the second installment of a series related to the prices U.S. farmers pay for crop inputs compared to Brazilian farmers. This report explores further the impact of input prices on U.S. corn competitiveness in a global market.  
 
“U.S. farmers are the most productive, and efficient, producers of corn in the world,” says Krista Swanson, NCGA’s chief economist. “But the advantages that should be gained from producing more output with fewer inputs are minimized, and sometimes erased, due to the difference in pricing structures.”
 
As the report notes, from an economic perspective, producing more output with fewer inputs should create a durable competitive advantage. However, this has not proven to be true in recent years. Increasingly, higher input costs are undermining some of the advantages U.S. growers have earned through superior productivity and efficiency.
 
“Looking at per-bushel or per-acre costs does not tell a complete story,” says Swanson. “That’s why we spent months digging into input costs for U.S. and Brazilian farmers on a per-unit basis. And we found that U.S. farmers are put at a disadvantage when it comes to paying for the same or similar inputs to grow a crop.” 



USDA Dairy Products July 2026 Production Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.26 billion pounds, 2.1 percent above July 2025 and 2.3 percent above June 2026. Italian type cheese production totaled 551 million pounds, 4.1 percent above July 2025 and 5.5 percent above June 2026. American type cheese production totaled 480 million pounds, 1.1 percent below July 2025 and 0.6 percent below June 2026. Butter production was 189 million pounds, 5.5 percent above July 2025 but 9.0 percent below June 2026.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with July 2025)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 165 million pounds, up 26.6 percent.
Skim milk powder - 22.0 million pounds, down 50.3 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with July 2025)
Dry whey, total - 80.2 million pounds, up 17.3 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 93.0 million pounds, down 4.2 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 41.1 million pounds, down 2.2 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with July 2025)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 69.3 million gallons, down 0.3 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 37.9 million gallons, down slightly.
Sherbet (hard) - 1.51 million gallons, down 13.4 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 3.38 million gallons, up 1.5 percent.



University of Missouri releases 2026 Baseline Update for U.S. Agricultural Markets

The University of Missouri Food & Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) has released the 2026 Baseline Update for U.S. Agricultural Markets.

Crop returns, through a combination of continued soft crop prices and elevated production costs, remain under pressure. Crop prices strengthen modestly in 2026/27, but prices remain well below recent peaks. In contrast, we continue to see record cattle prices and project a cautious turn in the cattle cycle in 2027. Increased reference prices incorporated in the 2025 “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) result in increased government program payments beginning in the fall of 2026 (FY2027) while payments on an expansion of up to 30 million base acres from OBBBA appear beginning in the fall of 2027 (FY2028). Additional details on farm income and government costs will be published in September 2026.

Some key highlights include:

• The West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price is projected by S&P at $82.63, falling to $74.76 in 2028 and remaining below $80 for the remainder of the 5-year outlook. Natural gas prices, a key driver of fertilizer prices are projected at $3.76 per million btu for 2027 and rise, remaining above $4.15 per million btu, for the remainder of the outlook.

• Marketing year average (MYA) corn prices rise to $4.57 in 2026/27 and fall only modestly to a projected $4.35 in 2031/32. Record corn production led to record corn exports in 2025/26, reaching 3,400 million bushels and remains above 3,000 million bushels while domestic use for ethanol remains flat.

• Soybean acreage rebounded in 2026/27, rising 5.4 million acres to 86.8 million. Strong crush demand supported by domestic biofuel policy and a favorable soybean-to-corn price ratio holds soybean acreage above 87 million acres throughout the projection period. Soybean prices rise in MY 2026/27 to $11.66 per bushel on a sharp increase in domestic crush demand, prices fall as growth in crush slows.

• Intensifying conflict in the Black Sea, with increasing attacks on shipping and port facilities in Ukraine and Russia, slow exports from both countries resulting in expanding ending stocks for corn and wheat. With the two countries accounting for roughly 30% of global wheat exports, slowing trade from the region has supported global wheat prices in 2026. The gradual de-stocking is assumed to begin in the 2027/28 marketing year. U.S. wheat prices peak in 2027/28 at $6.74 per bushel before falling over the remaining projection period

• Projected prices for rice, sorghum, and barley also rise in 2026/27 as many crop prices rise from the low prices of 2025/26. While prices have increased, they remain well below the prices observed from 2020 through 2023. Rice prices have risen on lower acreage in 2026/27 tightens supplies. Sorghum experiences price increases both through rising corn prices and a higher sorghum-to-corn price ratio on a resumption of trade with China.

• A rebound in cotton prices leads to an increase in cotton area in 2026/27, rising 13.9 cents per pound to 76.4 cents. While a substantial year-over-year increase, cash margins remain tight and production holds steady near 16 m illion bales over the 5-year outlook.

• In contrast to the crops sector, cow-calf returns peak in 2026 at historical highs. Tight beef supplies from reduced cattle numbers and resilient consumer demand have resulted in surging cattle and beef prices. Prices for 5-area direct steers are projected to peak at a record $247 per cwt in 2027. The reopening of live animal trade and a turn, if tepid, in the cattle cycle begins to pull down cattle prices in the projection period.

• Hog and chicken prices fall modestly in 2026, due to strong production, reducing profitability and subsequent production growth. Both sectors show modest price increases over the outlook.

• Despite rising retail meat prices, per-capita disappearance of beef, pork and poultry is projected to reach a record of 228.7 pounds in 2026, with further increases projected for 2027 and beyond as supply expands and prices
moderate.

• U.S. milk production has increased sharply in 2026, putting pressure on milk and product prices with the all-milk price projected to fall $0.63 to $20.55 per cwt. Strong exports have absorbed some of the increase in production, but milk output increases in several other key regions have kept pressure on international dairy product prices. With record high calf prices, the expanding breeding of dairy cows with beef-breeds has created an important revenue stream for some dairies but also raised the price of replacement dairy heifers.

• Consumer food price inflation continues to exceed the long-run average with the annual rate projected at 2.9% in 2026 before falling to 2.2% in 2027. Elevated prices for beef, fruits and vegetables, non-alcoholic beverages, and sugar and sweets continue to push inflation higher in 2026. However, easing price growth in most categories and continued decreases in egg prices contribute to lowering food at home inflation from 2.5% in 2026 to 1.4% in 2027, below the long-run average. Food away from home inflation eases in 2027 though continues to run above 3% throughout the projection period, largely reflecting elevated employment costs forecasted by S&P Global.