Monday October 05 Ag News - Rain Impact on Soybean Quality - Neligh Couple Chosen for Young Leader Program - Ag Ed Instructors Receive Teacher Retention Awards - Hilgers on Corteva Case - E15 Sales Rise in Iowa - and more!

Late Season Rain Impacts to Soybean Seed Quality
Dylan Mangel - NE Extension Plant Pathologist

Excessive rainfall on mature crops can lead to harvest complications and reduced seed quality. In soybeans, these problems can include lodging, shattering, purple seed stain and even seed decay. Once fields dry out, harvest as soon as conditions allow and monitor seed quality closely. Before hauling, check for sprouting, disease, splits and foreign material that could result in discounts at the elevator.

Pod Shattering
Pre-harvest pod shattering can occur when dry pods are rewetted. Harvest pod shattering occurs when grain moisture content is less than 13%. As soybean moisture decreases, shatter and harvest losses increase. 

When assessing harvest shatter losses, approximately four soybean seeds per square foot equal one bushel per acre of loss.

Plant Lodging
Excessive moisture can support saprophytic fungi that break down plant tissue. Under these conditions, fungal activity can contribute. In low areas of fields and along waterways, lodging can occur when water rapidly enters and leaves the field. Lodged plants in contact with the soil or covered with mud, silt and debris are more likely to experience seed deterioration and reduced seed quality.

Sprouting in the Pod
In-pod sprouting occurs in a two-step process. First, seeds swell to a size large enough to break open the pod. This is observed when the pods mature but frequent rains, continuous drizzle or foggy days cause water to be soaked up by the pod wall, wetting the seed. The seed then swells and breaks open the pod. Once pods are opened, more water can reach the seed. If air temperatures are above 50°F and seed moisture increases above 50%, germination will start. 

Purple Seed Stain
Infected seeds may appear healthy or have pink to purple spots that range in size from specks to large blotches extending from the hilum and may cover the entire surface. Yield is not affected by the seed phase of the disease, but crop value could be decreased if the seed is downgraded because of discoloration. Seeds with a very high percentage of discoloration have lower oil content and higher protein content compared with healthy seed. Germination and seedling emergence are lower in purple seed stain-infected seeds than in healthy seeds. However, this disease is primarily an issue in food-grade soybean or soybean grown for seed.

Diaporthe Seed Decay
Affected seeds are cracked, shriveled and often associated with fungal mycelium (white cottony filamentous growth) in the pod. Seeds may appear to be covered in a chalky, white mold as well. If planted, infected seeds may fail to emerge due to seedling blight caused by this fungus. Fields with excessive moisture are most likely to have pods containing fungal growth (Figure 4).
Dried seed pods, one closed and one open, revealing a shriveled seed inside on a dark surface.

Virus Infected Seed
You may see other seed symptoms that resemble purple seed stain but are not caused by fungi or exacerbated by moisture. These include viruses such as Soybean Mosaic Virus (Figure 5) and Bean Pod Mottle Virus. These were not common issues in Nebraska in 2026.
Round seeds with beige and black patterns, scattered on a dark textured surface.

What Elevators are Looking For
Elevators may use different evaluation methods depending on their location, standards and procedures, so it is important to check with your local elevator. In general, elevators will be watching for split seeds and may apply discounts if they are over a certain percentage in a load. Since splitting can be associated with in-pod sprouting, be sure to check fields before harvest for this issue. 

Foreign material is another concern that elevators may evaluate in each load. Depending on the amount present, foreign material may also result in discounts. Foreign material can include stems, leaves and other plant debris. If sclerotia are present in the sample, they may also contribute to the percentage of foreign material in the load. 

Purple seed stain is generally not a major issue, but if a truckload contains a high percentage of seeds affected by this disease, there is a chance the load could be rejected. 

Before sending soybean to the elevator, take time to know what is in the trailer and call your local elevator to ask what it will be looking for when evaluating seed quality. This is especially important when hauling soybean from fields where wet conditions have delayed harvest or where sprouting, disease or lodging may have affected seed quality. 



Nebraska couple chosen for 2027 Corteva AgriScience Young Leader Program
 
The Nebraska Soybean Association has selected Ethan and Bailey Mosel to represent Nebraska in the American Soybean Association/Corteva AgriScience Young Leader Program. The Mosel’s will participate in the program’s two-part training. “For more than 40 years, the Young Leader program has identified and prepared soybean farmers to lead the industry,” said NSA President and former Young Leader Lucas Miller. “The program has significantly strengthened our soybean advocacy, and several current NSA directors are graduates.”
 
Ethan and Bailey farm organic corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa near Neligh, Nebraska, with their young daughter and extended family. Ethan earned a degree in Mechanized Systems Management from the University of Nebraska. Bailey earned a Nursing degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and is employed at the local critical access hospital. Both are associate members on the county fair board. They hope to carry their family farming legacy forward for their children.
 
Founded in 1984, the Young Leader Program is the American Soybean Association’s longest-running leadership initiative. It prepares innovative, engaged growers to lead in agriculture and represent the voice of American farmers. Participants attend two training sessions, with the second held in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic trade show.



Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation Awards $23,500 Through Blezek Teacher Retention Award

Twenty early-career agricultural education teachers will receive a combined $23,500 from the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation to support their continued work in classrooms and FFA programs across Nebraska. The funding is provided through the Dr. Allen G. and Kay L. Blezek Teacher Retention Award, which supports agricultural educators during their first five years in the profession.

“Early-career teachers are doing much more than teaching classes. They’re building FFA programs, developing relationships with families and communities, and helping students see a future for themselves in agriculture,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation. “We want talented educators to see a future for themselves here, too. This award helps ease some of the financial pressure that can come with those first years in the profession while recognizing the impact they’re already making.”

Teachers are eligible for increasing award amounts as they progress through their first five years of teaching. The funds can help recipients continue their education, address outstanding student loans, and meet other needs as they establish their careers in agricultural education.

The 2026 recipients are Che Balcom, Banner County; Danie Brandl, Platte County; Erica Brown, Banner County; Kiley Codner, Hall County; Jadyn Fleischman, Washington County; Kate Holcomb, Custer County; Toriann Holly, Jefferson County; Emily Kammerer, Lincoln County; Kylie Kinley, Nuckolls County; Jenna Knake, Otoe County; Rylie Krause, York County; Trevor Mann, Lincoln County; Lexi Meister, Cuming County; Erin Oldemeyer, Lancaster County; Mai Lee Olsen, Banner County; Anna Ready, Colfax County; Megan Skibinski, Valley County; Andra Smith, Blaine County; Kelsey Steinkraus, Chase County; and Payden Woodruff, Hall County.

The teacher retention award is a longtime program of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and was renamed in recognition of an estate gift from Dr. Allen Blezek. Blezek spent his career advancing agricultural education in Nebraska. He was an agricultural education teacher, served as the first director of the Nebraska LEAD program, and was a founding member of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation board of directors.



Nebraska, FTC Secure Pesticide Price Protections in Corteva Antitrust Case

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers settled crop protection litigation against Corteva, Inc. for $35 million. Nebraska, in partnership with the Federal Trade Commission and 11 other attorneys general, sued Corteva in 2022, alleging its crop protection loyalty programs violated federal and state antitrust law by blocking farmer access to cheaper generics and increasing the price farmers paid for crop protection products containing acetochlor, oxamyl, and rimsulfuron as the active ingredient. 

Under the terms of the settlement, Corteva Inc. will dismantle these programs for 10 years and:
    Prohibits Corteva from implementing any loyalty programs that condition loyalty payments on distributors purchasing greater than 50% of the distributor’s crop protection requirements for any active ingredient where Corteva’s patent has expired.
    Requires Corteva to provide the Federal Trade Commission and States with annual reports showing their compliance with the settlement for 10 years. 
    Requires Corteva to design and maintain an antitrust compliance program for 10 years. 

“This week’s settlement reflects my office’s ongoing commitment to tackling affordability for Nebraskans. Lowering the costs of stable crop protection products and increasing generic entry means farmers and consumers will benefit from competitive pricing and will keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets,” said Attorney General Mike Hilgers. “We are pleased to settle this litigation with Corteva and look forward to seeing the benefits that only robust and fair competition can provide.” 

Nebraska expects to receive over $10 million of the $35 million settlement.  

The settlement resolves the litigation against Corteva, Inc. The Federal Trade Commission, Nebraska, and the 11 other attorneys general continue to litigate against Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Syngenta Corporation, and Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, for similar allegations. 



Free Farm and Ag Law Clinics Set for Fall 2026

Free legal and financial clinics are being offered for farmers and ranchers across the state this fall. The clinics are one-on-one in-person meetings with an agricultural law attorney and an agricultural financial counselor. These are not group sessions, and they are confidential.

The attorney and financial advisor specialize in legal and financial issues related to farming and ranching, including financial and business planning, transition planning, farm loan programs, debtor/creditor law, debt structure and cash flow, agricultural disaster programs, and other relevant matters. Here is an opportunity to obtain an independent, outside perspective on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch.

Clinic Dates
    Wednesday, Oct. 14 — Valentine
    Tuesday, Oct. 20 — North Platte
    Tuesday, Oct. 27 — Norfolk

    Tuesday, Nov. 3 — Fairbury
    Tuesday, Nov. 10 — Ord
    Tuesday, Nov. 17 — Mullen

To sign up for a free clinic or to get more information, call the Nebraska Rural Response Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

Funding for this work is provided by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and Legal Aid of Nebraska.



United Farm and Ranch Management (UFARM) Rebrands as Peoples Company

United Farm and Ranch Management (UFARM), a nearly 100-year-old name in farmland and ranch management, has rebranded as Peoples Company effective October 2, 2026. The transition from UFARM to Peoples Company follows Iowa-based Peoples Company’s acquisition of UFARM in January 2025.

Headquartered in Lincoln with offices in Kearney and Norfolk, UFARM added 15 team members and more than 90,000 acres of farm and ranch land under management to Peoples Company when the two firms joined forces. The team specializes in the management of farmland, ranches, and recreational properties, along with real estate and appraisal services, and manages land across five states: Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and South Dakota. Under the Peoples Company brand, that same team will continue serving landowners throughout the region.

“The integration with Peoples Company has been seamless, and our team has fully embraced the opportunities that come with it,” said Chris Scow, Managing Broker at Peoples Company and formerly Managing Broker and Operations Manager of UFARM. “Bringing UFARM fully under the Peoples Company name is a natural next step in a partnership that was built to provide continuity for our clients and our people. Our clients are already seeing the benefits, and I could not be more excited about what the future holds for this team.”

“The marketing Peoples Company brings to the table is innovative and cutting-edge — unlike anything I had seen before I joined this team,” said Mike Waller, Senior Land Manager at Peoples Company. “Having those tools and that reach behind us allows me and the rest of the team to serve our clients at an even higher level than we could before.”

Peoples Company is an industry leader in integrated land management, brokerage, appraisal, capital markets, and energy solutions with offices across the nation. The acquisition and rebrand of UFARM strengthened the company’s land management footprint across the Great Plains, building on its 2025 acquisition of farm management accounts from Midwest Land Company in Wayne, Neb., the 2024 purchase of Lallman, Paulson & Brettmann, Inc. in Fremont, Neb., and its 2020 acquisition of Omaha-based Mid-Continent Properties, Inc.

“For nearly 100 years, landowners have trusted the UFARM team to improve farm productivity and increase the value of their land, and that legacy of stewardship and trusted advisement carries forward under the Peoples Company name,” said Steve Bruere, President of Peoples Company. “Chris, Mike, and the entire team have set the standard for client-focused land management in the region. We’re proud to carry their legacy forward while expanding the opportunities available to their clients across the country.”



NEBFARMPAC & NFU PAC Endorses Denise Powell for CD2

NEBFARMPAC, Nebraska Farmers Union’s PAC, and NFU PAC, National Farmers Union’s PAC announced their enthusiastic and unanimous endorsement of Denise Powell for Congress in the Second Congressional District in the General Election. Nebraska Congressional District 2 encompasses Douglas and Saunders counties as well as portions of western Sarpy County. 

NEBFARMPAC Secretary and NFU PAC Board Member President John Hansen said “Denise Powell will bring new energy, ideas, and a commitment to stand up for the quality of life, health care needs, and economic well-being of all Nebraska families, urban and rural alike.” 

NEBFARMPAC President Vern Jantzen of Plymouth said, “My farm in Jefferson County is just a few miles from the Homestead Monument northwest of Beatrice. That monument reminds us to appreciate the courage it took for struggling families to pursue new and better opportunities for themselves and their children. It took courage to load up your family and a few of your possessions into wagons pulled by horses or oxen and follow the Oregon and Mormon Trails westward through our state. Some of those pioneer families saw the potential in Nebraska soils and water, put down roots, homesteaded, and grew our diverse agriculture into the largest single industry in the state and the third largest agriculture producing state in the nation. Despite our proud history and the size of our family-owned businesses, too many farm and ranch families today like many of their city cousins are struggling to pay their bills, raise their children, cover ever rising health care costs, and put food on the table. Rural and urban voters alike need to vote with their pocketbook interests and vote for change. We believe Denise Powell represents that badly needed change.” 

“Farmers Union’s PACs at the state and national levels support candidates that support family farm and ranch agriculture. When agriculture does better, we all do better. Our organizations put building blocks in place that build better futures. Our organization has organized far more cooperatives than any other organization in the nation, and Nebraska. We deeply believe in the importance of working together with your neighbors, treating people with dignity and respect, economic fairness, and protecting our soil and water resources for future generations. When Congress cannot pass an updated and improved Farm Bill for three years in the middle of the worst farm crisis since the 1980s, they are simply not doing their job. They failed our farmers, ranchers, rural communities, nation, and our future. It is time for a change. We ask voters to join us in supporting Denise Powell for Congress in CD2,” said John Hansen, NEBFARMPAC Secretary and NFU PAC Board Member.



E15 Sales Keep Climbing in Iowa

Iowa fuel terminals distributed a record amount of E15 in September, more than 47 million gallons, according to monthly fuel tax data from the Iowa Department of Revenue. E15 sales are on track to overtake E10 as Iowa’s top-selling fuel in 2026 according to Iowa Renewable Fuels Association projections.

“September was another record month for E15, and Iowa drivers are making their preference clear,” said Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw. “More than 47 million gallons in one month shows what happens when drivers have access to E15. They choose it.”

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 is setting the pace for E15, and the rest of the country should take notice,” Shaw said. “The demand is here, the fuel is here and consumers are ready for it. Now we need to make sure every driver who wants E15 has the opportunity to choose it.”

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.



CME GROUP PROPOSES CHANGE TO LIVE CATTLE / FEEDER CATTLE FUTURES PRICE LIMITS CALCULATIONS

CME Group issued a Special Executive Report on Wednesday, September 30 that, pending CFTC approval, will lead to a change in the calculation of daily price limits for CME Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle futures.

The proposed changes would implement a bi-annual reset of CME Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle futures daily price limits, replacing the current annual re-set.  Updated price limits would take effect on the first trading day of June and the first trading day of December each year.  

The process used to set daily trading limits would involve collecting daily settlement prices for the nearest June/December CME Live Cattle contract over 45 consecutive trading days before and including the last trading day in April/November, calculating an average price, and then multiplying the average price by 3.0% (instead of the current 3.5%).  

CME Feeder Cattle futures daily price limits would also reset on the first trading day of June and first trading day of December at a level equal to 1.25 times the daily price limit for CME Live Cattle futures. 



USTR Seeks Public Comment on the 2027 Joint Review of USMCA

Friday, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced a public consultation process in advance of the 2027 joint review of the Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA). As directed by Congress, USTR is seeking public comments on the operation of the USMCA. In addition, USTR will convene a public hearing. Details regarding the date and location of the public hearing will be published to USTR’s website (www.ustr.gov).

The deadline for submission of comments is January 12, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. EST.