Thursday July 11 Ag News - House Passes Modified Farm Bill

Smith Votes for Revised House Farm Bill

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) made the following statement after voting in favor of a revised version of the House Farm Bill - H.R. 2642, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act of 2013.  The bill passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 216 – 208.

“While this is not the process I would have preferred, today’s vote is a step in the right direction toward enacting longer-term farm policy.

“I am especially disappointed we are sending a bill to a conference committee between the House and Senate without reforms to the nutrition title.  The end-result of this strategy could be fewer savings than would have been achieved had we passed the original version of the House bill. 

“While this is neither a perfect bill nor the approach I would have taken, I remain committed to a long-term Farm Bill, and I am encouraged the process is moving ahead.  I welcome more debate, and I look forward to the bill moving to conference.”



Iowa Soybean Association not in favor of partial Farm Bill vote

Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) farmers and leaders were clear in their discussions with Congressional leaders in Washington, D.C., this week: “We don’t want to see the Farm Bill split.”

But, earlier today, in a party-line vote of 216-208, the House of Representatives passed a stripped-down version of the 2013 Farm Bill, containing only farm programs. The “split” cuts the nutrition title from the bill, instead of striking a balance among agriculture, conservation and nutrition.

 “We wanted a bill that meets the needs of farmers and consumers. Farmers work to raise food to feed people, so the nutrition element made sense to us,” said Ray Gaesser, a farmer from Corning who serves on the ISA board of directors and as vice-president of the American Soybean Association.  “A unified bill would have had a better chance of passing and helping all Americans, both rural and urban, be successful in the future.”

Gaesser added that soybean groups are concerned that part of today’s vote will repeal the 1949 “permanent” ag law, which reverts back to parity prices established around 1914. “Adjusted for inflation, this would cause government support prices to rise substantially,” said Gaesser. “This really holds a club over people’s heads to get a new Farm Bill passed soon. There is still more work to be done.”

U.S. farmers face the expiration of farm bill programs on Sept. 30.



With House Passage of Partial Farm Bill, ASA Looks for Cooperation in Conference  

Earlier today, in a party-line vote of 216-208, the House of Representatives passed a stripped down version of the 2013 Farm Bill, containing only farm programs. American Soybean Association (ASA) President Danny Murphy, a soybean farmer from Canton, Miss., issued the following statement on the vote:

“ASA is relieved that we will finally see a conference on the farm bill. However today's approval by the House on a partial bill will mean nothing if we can't get a bill back from conference that both chambers will pass. In that sense, there is still much work to be done.

“ASA is opposed to the replacement of permanent law by whatever legislation may result from this process.  If only Title 1 of a new farm bill is made permanent, other titles – including conservation, research, energy and trade – would risk not being reauthorized when the bill expires after five years, since Title 1 would remain in place. Also, we are very concerned that Title 1 of a new bill could include provisions that would distort plantings and production in years of low prices, and that it would be extremely difficult to change these provisions if the legislation were made permanent.

“ASA now calls on both the House and Senate to work in a bipartisan manner to craft a conference bill that has the ability to pass both the House and Senate and be signed by the President before September 30 when existing authorities for important risk management, trade expansion, conservation, bio-energy, and agricultural research authorities all expire.”



Statement by NCBA President Scott George on House Passage of Farm Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives in a 216 to 208 vote passed the 2013 Farm Bill (H.R. 2642) today. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Scott George, a beef and dairy producer from Cody, Wyo., issued the following statement on the passage of the legislation:

“First, we thank House Agriculture Committee Chairman Lucas of Oklahoma, who in this very difficult environment produced a farm bill that passed out of the House and continues the process toward providing farmers and ranchers the certainty they need. Passage of a 2013 Farm Bill is the top priority for NCBA, and today the House took the unprecedented step in separating the nutrition title from the farm bill, and passing a bill that only encompasses agriculture. This step is a major departure from the usual business of agricultural policy, but I am pleased that cattlemen and women are one step closer toward final legislation which not only provides certainty for producers, but also incorporates priorities important to the cattle industry.

“We are very pleased that this legislation includes disaster programs for our producers, which will extend disaster assistance for five years and retroactively covers losses in 2012 and 2013. The legislation authorizes conservation programs important to cattle producers as a tool to leverage private dollars with some federal support to further protect the land and natural resources. It contains language to prevent the United States Department of Agriculture from moving forward on the proposed GIPSA rule from the 2008 Farm Bill.

“There are also important amendments included in the legislation which rein in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These amendments provide regulatory relief to cattle producers, prevent EPA from releasing producers’ personal information to third parties such as environmental activist groups and prohibit EPA from regulating forest roads under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

“NCBA appreciates the efforts of Chairman Frank Lucas, Ranking Member Collin Peterson of Minnesota and their committee members who worked in a bipartisan fashion to pass a bill out of the Agriculture Committee. We will continue to work with the House and Senate conferees to ensure the final bill meets the priorities of America’s cattle industry.”



ACE statement on House passage of Farm Bill

Brian Jennings, Executive Vice President of the American Coalition for Ethanol issued the following statement after the House passed their version of the Farm Bill today...  “Now that the U.S. House has adopted its version of the Farm Bill, ACE will be working to encourage the House-Senate conference committee to finalize legislation that mirrors the Senate Bill.  The Senate version contains support for important Energy Title initiatives, particularly mandatory funding for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). These REAP funds provide vital cost-share assistance to help petroleum marketers make upgrades or install new equipment at retail stations, ensuring consumers have access to renewable and affordable fuels such as ethanol.  We are hopeful Congress enacts a multi-year, comprehensive farm bill that resembles the Senate legislation before the September 30th  deadline,” said Jennings.



Reax to Split Farm Bill in House from National Milk Producers Federation
Jerry Kozak, President and CEO

“The farm bill passed today by the House of Representatives is seriously flawed, in that it contains the Goodlatte-Scott dairy amendment, as well as a repeal of permanent agricultural law.  Neither of these measures serves the best long-term interests of dairy farmers. The Senate, by contrast, overwhelmingly passed the complete Dairy Security Act, which the National Milk Producers Federation and nearly all dairy farmers enthusiastically supported.

“Nevertheless, today’s action means that there is still hope that a new farm bill can be passed in 2013. Without any progress toward a Senate-House conference committee, we were looking at yet another one-year extension of current programs, which is unacceptable. Today’s vote means that agricultural leaders now can work on improving the House bill and developing better dairy policy than what exists now, and what is contained in this House bill.

“The bill today is not the end of the process, but rather a means to a better end that we will continue working with lawmakers to achieve. NMPF appreciates all the efforts put forth by Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) to try to move a 5-year farm bill through the House of Representatives by bipartisan means last month. We are committed to working with these two champions for agriculture through the conference process in the coming weeks. We urge the conference committee to include the Dairy Security Act.”



FARM BILL PROGRESS IS BITTERSWEET
John Wilson, Senior Vice President, Dairy Farmers of America

“While today’s progress toward a Farm Bill is welcome, it is unfortunate that this movement comes with a bill that does not contain the Dairy Security Act (DSA). H.R. 2642, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, falls short on many fronts.

“It is truly disappointing that this omission was the only way to move this bill forward through a divided House of Representatives. Given that the Farm Bill affects not only the rural economy, but the nation’s economy as a whole, it is unfortunate that bi-partisan support has been so difficult to achieve.

“However, we remain hopeful that conference negotiations with the Senate bill, which does contain the DSA, will yield a dairy program we can embrace.

“The development of this Farm Bill and specifically reforms in dairy programs has required extraordinary patience, negotiation and perseverance by Congressional Agricultural Committee leaders, dairy farmers and others in agriculture. We urge party leadership in both the House and Senate to quickly name conferees and bring this bill to finalization.”



NAWG Statement on House Passage of Farm Bill Measure Without Nutrition Title

A statement from National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President Bing Von Bergen, a wheat farmer from Moccasin, Mont.:

"I was pleased to see the House approve moments ago farm, conservation, research, trade promotion and energy measures as part of a revised farm bill product. Splitting the agriculture and nutrition portions of the traditional farm law is a concern of ours. At the same time, we are pleased the House can now move to a conference process with the Senate and work toward a product that can be approved by both chambers and President Obama before the current farm bill extension expires.

"The situation this legislation is in is no one's ideal scenario. However, we have faith our ag leaders will continue their diligent efforts to get in place the safety net our farmers and all consumers need, and we stand ready to help them do so."



Revised FARRM Act Passes House of Representatives

National Sorghum Producers Chairman Terry Swanson released the following statement in response to the House of Representatives’ passage of the split version of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013:  “While the road leading to this point in the farm bill process is unconventional, National Sorghum Producers supports the revised bill that was before Congress today and thanks the Members of the House of Representatives for passing the bill. We stand behind the leadership of Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas and his decision to move forward in this way as a means to getting a bill to conference committee that will ultimately result in a comprehensive, five-year farm bill.”



National Grange statement on the passing of the House Farm Bill
 
National Grange Legislative Director Grace Boatright issued the following statement Thursday afternoon:  "The Grange is happy that the House finally passed a Farm Bill, although we have very mixed thoughts about splitting it from the Nutrition Title. This is a giant step in the right direction but we're still a long way from getting a full five-year Farm Bill. We believe the Senate will not be very receptive to a Farm Bill without a Nutrition Title, which includes food stamps, WIC, and school lunch programs. But more pressing is the issue of time. There are less than three weeks until Congress takes its August recess, making it increasingly more difficult for members to settle this issue before the September 30 deadline. The clock is ticking and the Grange hopes that our legislators on the Hill will be able to reach some sort of agreement soon. If they don't, American agriculture will continue to struggle."



NEBRASKA CROP PRODUCTION REPORT

Based on July 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2013 winter wheat crop is forecast at 41.76 million bushels, down 8 percent from the June 1 forecast due to fewer acres estimated for harvest, down 22 percent from last year, and the smallest production since 1944, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Average yield is forecast at 36 bushels per acre, up 1 bushel from last month but down 5 bushels from last year and the lowest since 2006.

Acreage to be harvested for grain is estimated at 1.16 million acres, down 11 percent from June 1 and also 11 percent below last year.  This would be 80 percent of the planted acres, well below last year’s 94 percent harvested and the smallest percentage since 1992.

Oat production is forecast at 2.52 million bushels, more than twice last year’s output and the largest since 2005.  Acreage for harvest, at 40,000 acres, is more than double 2012.  Yield, at 63 bushels per acre, is forecast to be 6 bushels above a year ago.


 
IOWA OAT PRODUCTION DOWN 20 PERCENT

Oat production in Iowa is forecast at 3.0 million bushels, down 20 percent from 3.8 million bushels in 2012.  The expected yield is 60.0 bushels per acre, down 5 bushels per acre from last year. Acres harvested for grain are expected to total 50,000 acres this year, down 14 percent from 58,000 acres last year.

National  oat  production  is  forecast  at  74.5  million  bushels  for  2013,  up  16  percent  from 64.0 million bushels  in 2012.   The expected yield at  the national  level  is 62.3 bushels per acre, up 1 bushel per acre from last year. Acres harvested for grain are expected to  total 1.20 million acres this year, up 14 percent from 1.05 acres last year.



USDA:  Winter Wheat Production Up 2 Percent from June
Winter wheat production is forecast at 1.54 billion bushels, up 2 percent from the June 1 forecast but down 6 percent from 2012. Based on July 1 conditions, the United States yield is forecast at 47.8 bushels per acre, up 1.7 bushels from last month and up 0.6 bushel from last year. If realized, this will equal the United States record high yield established in 1999. The area expected to be harvested for grain or seed totals 32.3 million acres, unchanged from the Acreage report released on June 28, 2013 but down 7 percent from last year.

Hard Red Winter production, at 793 million bushels, is up 1 percent from last month. Soft Red Winter, at 539 million bushels, is up 6 percent from June. White Winter, at 211 million bushels, is down 3 percent from last month. Of the White Winter production, 11.9 million bushels are Hard White and 200 million bushels are Soft White.

Durum wheat production is forecast at 57.5 million bushels, down 30 percent from 2012. The United States yield is forecast at 38.3 bushels per acre, down 0.7 bushel from last year. Expected area to be harvested for grain totals 1.50 million acres, unchanged from the Acreage report released June 28, 2013 but down 29 percent from last year.

Other spring wheat production is forecast at 513 million bushels, down 5 percent from last year. Area harvested for grain is expected to total 12.0 million acres, unchanged from the Acreage report released June 28, 2013 but down 1 percent from last year. The United States yield is forecast at 42.9 bushels per acre, 2.1 bushels below 2012. Of the total production, 476 million bushels are Hard Red Spring wheat, down 6 percent from last year.



USDA World Ag Supply and Demand Report - July 11, 2013

COARSE GRAINS: 
Projected 2013/14 U.S. feed grain supplies are lowered this month with reduced beginning stocks for corn and sorghum and lower forecast harvested areas for corn and sorghum from the Acreage report.  Corn beginning stocks for 2013/14 are projected 40 million bushels lower.  Corn production for 2013/14 is lowered 55 million bushels with the lower harvested area and the projected yield unchanged at 156.5 bushels per acre.  Projected production remains just below 14 billion bushels and would be 858 million above the record in 2009/10.  Corn supplies for 2013/14 are lowered 90 million bushels as a 5-million-bushel increase in imports only partly offsets the lower beginning stocks and production.

This month’s changes to corn use for 2012/13 and 2013/14 largely reflect the lateness of the 2013 crop and expectations for extremely tight supplies later this summer and into early fall.  Feed and residual disappearance for 2012/13 is raised 50 million bushels as early harvest of new-crop corn is expected to be sharply reduced from last year.  A 10-million-bushel increase in projected imports for 2012/13 also reflects the tight supply situation expected for old-crop corn during the summer quarter.  Imports for 2013/14 are raised because the tight supply situation is expected to continue into September.  Feed and residual use for 2013/14 is lowered 50 million bushels with tighter beginning stocks and lower production, and also on the lack of early new-crop usage which tends to boost indicated disappearance during the September-December quarter of the new marketing year.  Projected exports for 2013/14 are lowered 50 million bushels as tight supplies of corn in early September are expected to limit early season shipments.  With lower projected use in 2013/14, ending stocks are raised 10 million bushels and remain just under 2 billion bushels.  The projected 2013/14 season-average farm price for corn is unchanged at $4.40 to $5.20 per bushel.  The 2013/14 other feed grain farm price projections are also unchanged.

Global coarse grain supplies for 2013/14 are projected 3.6 million tons lower with 2.9 million tons of the decline resulting from the tighter supply situation for corn and sorghum in the United States.  Foreign coarse grain supply and use changes this month are relatively small in the aggregate.  Corn beginning stocks for 2013/14 are lowered for Brazil with higher 2012/13 exports and for Indonesia with lower 2012/13 production.  China corn production for 2013/14 is lowered 1.0 million tons on lower indicated area.  European Union corn production is increased 1.8 million tons when adjusted for this month’s inclusion of Croatia, however, last month’s 27-member union is lowered 0.4 million tons.  Barley production is raised 0.5 million tons for Canada and 0.2 million tons for Kazakhstan, both on higher reported area.  European Union barley production is raised 0.5 million tons with the addition of Croatia accounting for less than half the increase.

Global 2013/14 coarse grain trade is mostly unchanged this month with exports down slightly on the reduction for U.S. corn.  Global corn consumption is down 2.6 million tons with half of the reduction in the United States.  Corn consumption is also lowered for Indonesia.  Global corn ending stocks for 2013/14 are projected at 151.0 million tons, down 0.9 million, with reductions for Brazil and China.  World corn stocks are expected to be the highest since 2001/02.

OILSEEDS: 
U.S. oilseed production for 2013/14 is projected at 100.9 million tons, up 0.2 million from last month, with increased soybean production mostly offset by reductions for other oilseeds.  Soybean production is projected at 3.42 billion bushels, up 30 million due to increased harvested area.  Harvested area, estimated at 76.9 million acres in the June 28 Acreage report, is 0.7 million above the June projection.  The soybean yield is projected at 44.5 bushels per acre, unchanged from last month.  Soybean supplies are 30 million bushels above last month’s forecast reflecting the production change.  With projections for exports and crush unchanged, 2013/14 soybean ending stocks are raised 30 million bushels to 295 million.  U.S. soybean supply and use projections for 2012/13 are unchanged.

The 2013/14 U.S. season-average soybean price is forecast at $9.75 to $11.75 per bushel, unchanged from last month.  Product prices are also unchanged, with soybean meal prices forecast at $290 to $330 per short ton and soybean oil prices forecast at 47 to 51 cents per pound.

Global oilseed production for 2013/14 is projected at 492.9 million tons, up 2.1 million from last month.  Higher forecasts for soybeans, rapeseed, cottonseed, and peanuts are only partly offset by reductions for sunflowerseed.  Global soybean production is projected at 285.9 million tons, up 0.6 million with gains for the United States, China, and Canada only partly offset by reductions for Argentina and Russia.  Argentina soybean production is reduced due to a lower harvested area estimate for both 2012/13 and 2013/14.  Rapeseed production for Canada is projected at 15 million tons, up 0.5 million based on increased area consistent with the latest survey results reported by Statistics Canada.  Other changes include increased rapeseed production for China and Russia, reduced sunflowerseed production for Ukraine, and increased cottonseed production for India.

WHEAT: 
Projected U.S. wheat supplies for 2013/14 are raised slightly this month with lower beginning stocks more than offset by higher production, both based on the latest survey-based estimates and forecasts.  Beginning stocks are reduced 27 million bushels as indicated by the June 1 stocks estimate reported in the June 28 Grain Stocks.  Production is forecast up 34 million bushels with lower forecast harvested area from the June 28 Acreage report more than offset by higher yields.  Production is raised 11 million bushels for Hard Red Winter and 30 million bushels for Soft Red Winter (SRW) wheat.  White Winter wheat is forecast down 7 million bushels.  For durum, a reduction in area is only partly offset by a higher yield with production forecast down 5 million bushels.  For other spring wheat, a reduction in area is more than offset by a higher yield forecast in today’s Crop Production report, adding 4 million bushels to this month’s production forecast.  July survey-based yield forecasts for durum and other spring wheat are up 1.6 bushels per acre from last month’s trend based projections.

Total U.S. wheat use for 2013/14 is raised 89 million bushels as lower expected domestic use is more than offset by higher projected exports.  Projected feed and residual disappearance is lowered 10 million bushels with stronger export demand, especially for SRW wheat.  Exports are projected 100 million bushels higher reflecting strong sales, particularly to China.  Ending stocks are projected down 83 million bushels.  At 576 million tons, stocks are expected to remain well above the 60-year low of 306 million in 2007/08.  The projected range for the 2013/14 season-average farm price is raised 20 cents on both ends to $6.45 to $7.75 per bushel.  At the $7.20-per-bushel midpoint, this would be down from the record $7.77 per bushel reported for 2012/13.

Global wheat supplies for 2013/14 are lowered 3.5 million tons reflecting lower projected beginning stocks as world production rises 1.9 million tons.  Higher 2012/13 feed use in China accounts for most of the reduction in beginning stocks with smaller increases in domestic consumption for Pakistan, Russia, and Iran adding to the decline in 2012/13 global carryout.  World production for 2013/14 is raised with increases for Australia, the European Union, and the United States offsetting a reduction for Kazakhstan.  Australia production is raised 1.0 million acres reflecting the latest government estimates for area and a slightly higher yield outlook as early season conditions have been especially favorable in the country’s southern and eastern growing areas.  Production for the European Union is raised 1.2 million tons, however, the addition of Croatia accounts for most of the increase.  Higher production prospects for Romania, Hungary, United Kingdom, and several smaller countries outweigh reductions for France, Ireland, and Spain.  Production is lowered 0.5 million tons for Kazakhstan with lower planted area reported by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Global wheat consumption for 2013/14 is raised 5.4 million tons mostly reflecting higher expected feeding in China.  Wheat consumption is also raised for India, Pakistan, Iran, and Japan, offsetting reductions for the European Union and the United States.  Global wheat trade is raised with a 5.0-million-ton increase in China imports.  A 0.5-million-ton increase in imports for Iran is offset by the same size reduction for the European Union.  World exports are raised 5.0 million tons with increases for Australia, the European Union, and the United States.  Exports are lowered for India and Kazakhstan.  World ending stocks for 2013/14 are projected 8.9 million tons lower.  At 172.4 million tons, stocks would be the lowest since 2008/09, but well above the 128.8 million in 2007/08.

LIVESTOCK, POULTRY, AND DAIRY: 
The forecast for 2013 red meat and poultry production is reduced from last month on lower beef, pork and turkey production.  Beef production is lowered as steer and heifer slaughter in the second quarter was lower than expected.  The lower second-quarter slaughter more than offsets higher forecast slaughter in the second half of the year.  The pork production forecast is reduced, largely on a reduction in fourth-quarter slaughter.  USDA’s Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report indicated that despite a record number of pigs per litter in March-May, the pig crop for that period was only fractionally above year-earlier.  Turkey production is lowered as hatchery data points toward sharper declines in second-half production.  The broiler production forecast is unchanged.  Egg production is raised on higher table and hatching egg production.  For 2014, the red meat and poultry production forecast is higher based on larger pork production.  Pork production increases are driven primarily by gains in pigs per liter as producers have indicated intentions to only gradually expand farrowings in the second half of 2013.   

Beef and pork exports for 2013 and 2014 are unchanged.  The beef import forecast is lowered for 2013 and 2014 due largely to expected tight supplies in Oceania.  Pork imports are raised slightly for 2013 and 2014.  Broiler and turkey exports for 2013 are raised on the current strength of trade.  Forecasts for 2014 are unchanged. 

The cattle price forecast for 2013 is lowered from last month as prices have weakened recently.  The 2014 price forecast is lowered for the first half of the year.  Hog prices are raised as demand strength carries from 2013 into 2014, but price gains will be limited by higher production.  Broiler prices are higher as strong demand is expected to support prices in 2014.  Turkey prices are down slightly for 2013 while 2014 is unchanged.  Egg prices are raised for 2013 on relatively strong demand.

The 2013 milk production forecast is raised from last month based on growth in milk production to date.  The milk production forecast for 2014 is unchanged from last month.  Despite weaker forecast milk prices, forage supplies and feeding margins will likely continue to support modest gains in milk production.

The fat-basis import forecast for 2013 is unchanged, but lowered on a skim-solid basis reflecting slower-than-expected imports of milk protein concentrates.  The 2013 fat-basis export forecast is higher on continued robust exports of cheese.  Skim-solid exports for 2013 are higher as nonfat dry milk (NDM) shipments are expected to remain strong.  The United States has gained in export markets typically served by the European Union which has experienced a slowdown in production.  Export forecasts for 2014 are unchanged.

Fat and skim-solid basis ending stock forecasts for 2013 are raised as stocks of butter and cheese have remained large.  Ending stock forecasts for 2014 are raised as well. 

Cheese and butter prices are forecast lower for 2013 on larger supplies.  Prices for 2014 are lowered as the larger carry-in stocks overhang the market.  The 2013 NDM price forecast is raised from last month on strong export demand, but the forecast for 2014 is unchanged.  The whey price forecasts for both 2013 and 2014 are unchanged from last month.  The Class III price forecasts are lowered from last month in line with lower product prices.  The Class IV price forecast is unchanged for 2013 as lower butter prices are largely offset by higher NDM prices.  However, the Class IV price is lowered for 2014, reflecting lower butter prices.  The 2013 all milk price is forecast at $19.50 to $19.80 and the price for 2014 is $18.70 to $19.70 per cwt.



Rabo AgriFinance Adds O’Rourke to Nebraska Team

Rabo AgriFinance is pleased to announce the addition of Larry O’Rourke to its agriculture financing team. O’Rourke has joined the company as a senior relationship manager, delivering the resources of Rabo AgriFinance to farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses throughout eastern Nebraska.

Rabo AgriFinance is a provider of capital and financial solutions to U.S. agricultural producers and agri-businesses. O’Rourke will provide additional financial expertise to the Nebraska team of Rabo AgriFinance experts.

“Rabo AgriFinance has experienced tremendous growth in the United States over the past decade. Adding Larry to the team enhances our services as we seek to become the premier agriculture lender throughout Nebraska and the country,” said Senior Vice President and Plains Territory Managing Director Van Dewey. “We look to Larry to focus on providing the right growth strategies for Rabo AgriFinance clients through sound financial and risk management strategies.”

O’Rourke comes to Rabo AgriFinance with 15 years of agriculture banking experience eight of those years serving as a lender and relationship manager. In addition to his banking experience, O’Rourke has farmed full-time for 25 years and continues to grow crops and raise cattle on his family’s farm in Southwest Iowa.

O’Rourke joins the Rabo AgriFinance network of relationship managers, crop insurance and risk management specialists who understand the unique needs of Midwest agriculture, including cow-calf and stocker calf operations and row crops.

“At Rabo AgriFinance, we take pride in our industry knowledge and the superior service that results from that intelligence,” said Dewey. “Larry comes from this region, and through his time as a producer and agriculture lender understands the complexities of agriculture finance and risk management.”

In his new role, O’Rourke will be responsible for marketing loans and related financial services to premier agriculture producers. He can be reached at the Rabo AgriFinance Kearney office, located at 4011 7th Ave., Kearney, or by phone at (314)317-8000. O’Rourke will move to the company’s new Omaha office upon its completion this summer.

Rabo AgriFinance is a large-capacity lender with the ability and expertise to handle large-sized operations and all complexities of credit. A global team of analysts provide a competitive edge with insights on industry trends. And a comprehensive portfolio of services includes the right tools for producers to prepare for and take advantage of market opportunities. Whether it’s financial lending, crop insurance or risk management support, Rabo AgriFinance experts guide customers on paths toward greater success.  



Iowa State Wins Second Place in Dairy Research New Product Competition

The Dairy Research Institute®, established under the leadership of America’s dairy farmers, announced the winners of its second annual New Product Competition. This year’s competition challenged undergraduate and graduate student teams to develop a new dairy-based product for the morning meal occasion. The first-, second- and third-place winners were recognized during a ceremony at the 2013 American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) Joint Annual Meeting in Indianapolis on July 9, 2013. The winning entries leveraged essential consumer marketplace trends by highlighting the importance of overall convenience, functional health benefits and diverse flavor options to help overcome the breakfast barrier.

“Recent consumer research conducted by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® indicates approximately 42 million people skip breakfast during a typical morning, primarily due to a busy schedule, or lack of time or interest in currently available breakfast options,” said Bill Graves, senior vice president, Dairy Research Institute. “The innovative products submitted by the top three winners take advantage of this tremendous opportunity for dairy and dairy-based foods within the morning meal market. These products feature the latest trends in product development and leverage dairy’s valuable nutrition profile while delivering a delicious breakfast option that meets consumers’ morning convenience needs and flavor preferences.”

In addition to developing a concept and formula for their new product submissions, student teams also identified the requirements to manufacture and market their dairy-based breakfast products. The judging panel — composed of experts from the dairy industry, dairy producers, media and members of the Dairy Research Institute — selected the winners based on the merits of a final report, presentation and the product itself.

“We have the best and brightest students gaining practical experience with dairy products and ingredients through the New Product Competition,” said Stephen Maddox, a California dairy producer and judge for the Dairy Research Institute New Product Competition. “It is exciting for the dairy industry that these future food scientists will take the skills developed through this competition into the marketplace. I look forward to seeing the innovative dairy foods and beverages they develop throughout their careers.”

Winners of the 2013 New Product Competition are:
First place: Mooofins, Pennsylvania State University
Mooofins are a dairy-based, quiche-like muffin developed for adults seeking a high-protein, on-the-go breakfast item. Flavors — including blueberry sausage, maple bacon Cheddar and bell pepper mushroom — build on the rich dairy notes, meeting an important consumer need for favorite tastes in dairy products.1 Mooofins are an excellent source of protein (15 g per serving) and an excellent source of calcium (250 mg per serving). They are packed with dairy, including cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, whey and nonfat dried milk, which all together make up 70 percent of total ingredients used in the formulation. Yogurt and whey protein concentrate replace eggs in the formulation to maintain a moist, delicate and fluffy product that consumers are sure to love.

Second place: DayBreakers, Iowa State University
DayBreakers put an American twist on gulabjamun, a fried Indian food providing a sweet morning option that is easy to prepare. Similar in appearance and flavor to French toast sticks, DayBreakers are an excellent source of dairy protein, containing 17 g of protein per serving, and are an excellent source of calcium, as well, with 310 mg per serving. Developed for the adult population trying to consume more protein in their diets, DayBreakers include milk protein concentrate with 80 percent protein (MPC 80) as well as nonfat dried milk (NFDM). DayBreakers are formulated gluten-free to appeal to the millions of Americans on a gluten-restricted diet.

Third place: Whey-Go, Ohio State University
A microwavable, easy-to-eat product made of a hearty egg, bacon and cheese scramble inside a crispy waffle crust, Whey-Go meets the needs of adults looking for a convenient breakfast option to satisfy their morning hunger. The combination of morning favorites is 51 percent dairy ingredients, including fat-free milk, low-fat American and Swiss cheeses, whey protein and unsalted butter. Whey-Go is an excellent source of protein with 23 g per serving, which includes 14 g of dairy protein from the fat-free milk, low-fat cheeses and whey protein isolate. Each serving also is an excellent source of calcium, providing 50 percent of the Daily Value, or 500 mg.

Three additional teams were selected as finalists:
-  Early Qurd (University of Wisconsin-Madison) — A tart cherry- and vanilla-flavored low-fat soft cheese, building on the popularity of Greek yogurt.
-  Miss Muffet Bars (Louisiana State) — A ready-to-eat, blueberry-flavored, creamy cottage cheese- and whey protein-filled bar coated in dark chocolate.
-  Pleion (University of Wisconsin-Madison) — A Greek yogurt-based bar wrapped in a thin layer of chocolate and coated with lightly salted granola.

The winning teams will receive a combined $16,000 in cash prizes, including $8,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place and $3,000 for third place.

The U.S. Dairy Export Council also will highlight the competition and winners at the 2013 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting and Food Expo, July 14-16 in Chicago.

This fall, the Dairy Research Institute plans to announce guidelines for the 2013-2014 competition, which will focus on meeting the needs of the large segment of aging Baby Boomers. In its inaugural year, the Dairy Research Institute New Product Competition tasked students with developing an innovative dairy beverage that leveraged Innovation Center consumer research on milk’s competitive beverage set.

To learn more about the Dairy Research Institute New Product Competition, including eligibility guidelines and judging criteria, visit USDairy.com/NewProductCompetition.



USDA EXTENDS ACREAGE REPORTING DEADLINE FOR FSA TO AUG. 2, 2013
Risk Management Deadline Remains Unchanged

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia today announced an extension of the FSA acreage reporting deadline. Farmers and landowners have an additional 18 calendar days to submit their annual report of acreage to their local FSA county office with the deadline extended from Monday, July 15, 2013, to Friday, Aug. 2, 2013. Only the FSA reporting deadline has been extended. The acreage reporting requirement for crop insurance has not changed and remains July 15.

“We want to ensure our producers maintain their program benefits by filing their reports accurately and in a timely manner for all crops and land uses, including prevented and failed acreage,” said Administrator Garcia.

Accurate acreage reports are necessary to determine and maintain eligibility for various programs, such as the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program (DCP); the Average Crop Revenue Election Program (ACRE); the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP); and the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistant Program (NAP).

Acreage reports for FSA are considered timely this year when filed at the county office by the new applicable final crop reporting deadline of Aug. 2, 2013. Producers should contact their county FSA office if they are uncertain about reporting deadlines.

While FSA is able to extend its deadline, Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator Brandon Willis emphasized today that RMA’s acreage reporting date remains July 15, 2013, for most spring planted crops in the country. Farmers are reminded to report any loss within 72 hours of discovery to their insurance company. Farmers must report prevented planting acreage to their insurance company, in writing, within 15 calendar days after the final planting date. Losses must be reported and an insurance adjuster must view and release the crop before the crop is destroyed. Farmers are also reminded to contact their insurance agent if they have any questions about coverage, prevented planting, or for reporting and processing a claim.

Crop insurance is sold and delivered solely through private crop insurance agents. Contact a local crop insurance agent for more information about the program. A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers or on the RMA web site at www.rma.usda.gov/tools/agents/.

Producers also should visit their USDA Service Center to complete acreage reporting for FSA. For questions on this or any FSA program, producers should contact their FSA county office or seek information online at www.fsa.usda.gov.



CHS reports fiscal 2013 nine-month earnings of $869.6 million

CHS Inc., the nation's leading farmer-owned cooperative and a global energy, grains and foods company, today reported earnings of $869.6 million through the third quarter of fiscal 2013.

The earnings attributable to CHS of $869.6 million for the period (Sept. 1, 2012 – May 31, 2013) represent a decline of about 3 percent from the $899.7 million reported for the first three quarters of fiscal 2012. Revenues for nine months were $33.5 billion, up 13 percent from $29.6 billion for the same period a year ago, reflecting increased year-to-date average prices and grain sales volumes.

Earnings for the third quarter (March 1 – May 31, 2013) were $250.8 million, down from $405.1 million for the same period in fiscal 2012. The decline was largely attributed to delayed spring planting in many areas which affected crop inputs movement, lower grain exports resulting from a reduced 2012 U.S. harvest and scheduled maintenance at the CHS Laurel, Mont., refinery. Revenues for the quarter were $11.9 billion, compared with $11.0 billion for the same three-month period in fiscal 2012.

Year-to-date, Energy segment earnings decreased slightly due to lower margins in  refined fuels partially offset by strong performance in propane, lubricants and transportation operations. Earnings for the CHS Ag segment declined through the third quarter primarily due to lower margins resulting from reduced grain exports and the late spring planting season which affected the company's wholesale crop nutrients businesses. Earnings also declined for CHS local Country Operations retail businesses as the late, wet spring reduced fertilizer movement.

CHS reports results for its business services operations and its two food processing-related joint ventures under the Corporate and Other category which recorded improved profitability through the third quarter of fiscal 2013. Earnings increased largely due to improved performance by the company's Business Solutions area, as well as its ownership in Ventura Foods, LLC, the company's packaged food joint venture, and Horizon Milling, a wheat milling joint venture.



Tractor & Combine Sales Up During June

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers reports that the sale of all tractors in the U.S. for June, 2013, were up 9% compared to the same month last year.  For the month, two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) were up 6% from last year, while 40 & under 100 HP were up 6%. Sales of 2-wheel drive 100+ HP were up 28%, while 4-wheel drive tractors were up 6%.  Combine sales were up 30% for the month.

For the six months in 2013, a total of 104,332 tractors were sold which compares to 93,377 sold thru June, 2012, representing an 12% increase year to date.  Two-wheel drive smaller tractors (under 40 HP) are up 11% over last year, while 40 & under 100 HP are up 5%. Sales of 2-wheel drive 100+ HP are up 27%, while 4-wheel drive tractors are up 13%.  Sales of combines for the first six months totaled 4,590, an increase of 47% over the same period in 2012.



Farmers, Handlers Reminded to Take Stewardship Precautions With Treated Seed

The North American Export Grain Association is reminding farmers to take precautions necessary to avoid mixing treated seed with commodity grain supplies. U.S. law prohibits the intentional addition of treated seed to commodities, and seed stewardship guidelines are in place to prevent their accidental introduction. Maintaining the stellar U.S. reputation for appropriately managing treated seeds and other crop protection products is vital to the overall satisfaction of customers in the U.S. and export destinations. A guide for the management of treated seed is available free to farmers and others at http://seed-treatment-guide.com/.



Meat Expert Praises New Names

Will the new names for familiar pork cuts revealed in April make it easier for consumers to take advantage of pork’s great taste and value? Yes, said Craig Watkins, meat and seafood director for Remke Markets and Biggs supermarkets.

“Purchasing meat can be confusing for consumers, and I think the new pork names are the right move,” said Watkins. “While many consumers mainly buy pork based on its general appearance and color, the specific name is critical to shoppers who have a recipe and are looking for a specific pork cut in the ingredient list.”

Watkins said the name changes are especially useful for younger consumers who may be unfamiliar with cooking.

“When people hear about a porterhouse pork chop (formerly the bone-in pork loin), they can relate it to a porterhouse steak. Not only does this suggest that cut is good for grilling, but it’s tender and high-quality,” said Watkins.

Pork sales currently make up 11 percent of Remke and Biggs’ meat sales, second to beef at 14 percent and ground beef (another 14 percent), but ahead of chicken.

“Pork sales have increased from a year ago at this time when they were less than 10 percent. Pork offers great value, and we’ve been featuring pork on our front-page ads in 2013,” Watkins said.

The new meat cut names have been a feature of the summer “Chop Swap!” advertising campaign. As of July 10, more than 102,000 $1-off coupons for fresh pork have been issued. National radio ads will continue to run through July 21 and the online ad with coupon offer will end on July 31.



USGC Urges Regulatory Harmonization in T-TIP Negotiations

Participating in a U.S.-EU stakeholder event as part of the initiation of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) negotiations, the U.S. Grains Council urged that regulatory harmonization be a top priority in the agricultural sector.

A growing global population of 9 billion people by mid-century will require a doubling of the current level of food production. This will pose enormous food security challenges for consumers – as well as production challenges for producers around the world. Producers must increase productivity and continue to do so on a sustainable basis. Given the many other increasing pressures on land and water resources, agriculture will clearly have to grow more with less. The wider deployment of modern farming practices, including agricultural biotechnology is essential.

Countries must also work together to remove regulatory impediments to the timely review and approval of genetically modified events. The EU regulatory system is increasingly slow and is resulting in an ever increasing backlog of events. It lacks a workable low level presence policy to address events under review but not yet approved, and it requires a redundant risk assessment on stacked events of which the components were previously approved. Thus, the ability to respond to market conditions and opportunities to export U.S. feed grains to the EU continues to be severely constrained and unpredictable at best. Increased trade disruptions reduce U.S. feed grain exports and result in increased costs for our customers.

The Council believes it is important that these regulatory challenges be addressed as an integral part of the T-TIP negotiations. The United States and the European Union, two of the largest global economies, are seeking a systematic approach to expanding trade. Because T-TIP has been conceived as an ambitious, comprehensive, and high-standard trade and investment agreement, negotiators should seek to develop regulatory convergence and harmonization on biotechnology regulations and other sanitary and phytosanitary measures in order to expand trade and enhance global food security.



South African Team Surveys HRW Crop in Kansas

A South African trade team is visiting Kansas this week to obtain a firsthand glimpse of the 2013 hard red winter (HRW) crop. The team arrived in Kansas on July 6 and has spent the week visiting with wheat farmers, researchers, inspectors, traders and baking experts.

USW collaborated with Kansas Wheat to organize the team, which included two representatives from Premier Foods, who markets a number of the country's top flour and corn meal brands, and one member of the OLAM trading group. USW Regional Program/Information Systems Coordinator Domenique De Oliveira, based in the USW Cape Town Office, accompanied the team.

“These team members are well recognized in the South African milling industry for their evaluations of imported wheat quality,” said USW Regional Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa Ed Wiese. “The information gained from this farm to inspection visit will be very useful in their discussions for future purchases of U.S. wheat.”

South Africa is the largest wheat producer in Sub-Saharan Africa, but imports between 1.2 and 1.7 million metric tons of wheat each year. Importers annually assess the quality and price of local and world wheat crops and purchase accordingly from multiple origins.

Wednesday July 10 Ag News

Stockpile Extra Summer Growth for Winter Pasture
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist 

Pastures that received abundant rain this past spring look in pretty good shape. It might be wise to find the best way to take advantage of this blessing.

When you get abundant rain and warm, sunny weather, your pastures may produce more growth than needed for your current summer stocking rates. Options to use the extra growth are needed.

Sometimes we cut and bale extra growth as hay. This is a good plan if you need the hay. Other times we simply let cattle graze what they want and leave the excess in the field. Rebuilding surface litter that was burned up by last year's drought can be healthy for the pasture.

How about another option? Try stockpiling, or saving some extra pasture growth for grazing during the winter.

There are lots of advantages to winter grazing. Less hay needs to be fed next winter. Thus, you will not need to make as much hay this summer. And stockpiling in summer and fall followed by winter grazing is one of the best methods to improve the health of your grasslands.

If you have some run down, poor condition, low producing pastures, these often are the best candidates for winter grazing. Grasses that need invigorating will be strengthened by not grazing them during the growing season. Your winter grazing will clean off much of the frozen growth during winter. Cattle even eat some plants like yucca and ragweed during winter that they won't hardly touch during summer. Sure, you'll need some protein supplements, but cattle do a pretty good job of picking high quality plant parts to eat while winter grazing.

Extra growth is an opportunity to both reduce winter feed costs and improve pasture condition. Get it by winter grazing.



Agricultural Economics Alumni Advice to Students: Internships

            Alumni of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Department of Agricultural Economics recommended today's students "aggressively pursue internships," according to a survey.

            The department surveyed 2,899 alumni and received 789 responses.

            The alumni answered the question "What advice would you give our students that wanted to follow your career choice?"

            The most common answer was "work internships."

            "The advice from many of the respondents was for students to aggressively pursue internships, to serve as many as possible, in as many fields with as many different types of companies as they can," said Larry Van Tassell, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics.  "In fact, many expressed internships were beneficial enough that students should work for free, if necessary."

            Many responders said that internships helped with networking.

            "Relationships developed during internships were not only valuable in landing the first job for many alumni, but formed associations that remained just as strong and important many years later," Van Tassell said.

            Other advice included encouraging students to intern outside of Nebraska and to get work experience before returning to family farms.

            Of the respondents that graduated after 2000, 44 percent did not serve an internship, 26 percent served one internship and 29 percent served at least two internships.

            "Internships are becoming increasingly popular; a significantly greater number of internships are utilized by students graduating after 2000, as any time period before," Van Tassell said.

            Alumni also advised students to participate in extracurricular activities and to take leadership roles in these activities.

            Of those graduating since 2000, 75 percent of alumni participated in at least one club or organization, with 14 percent participating in more than three. Fewer than 50 percent of alumni served in a leadership capacity. Nearly all of the respondents that participated in more than three clubs or organizations held leadership positions in three or more of those organizations.

            "A number of respondents lamented they did not take advantage of campus activities and clubs, but instead chose to spend their time working on their family operations they intended to return to," Van Tassell said.  "They felt they forfeited opportunities to network and develop relationships that they could have drawn on throughout their careers."



USDA Announces Export Promotion Allocations for Fiscal Year 2013

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) awarded fiscal year 2013 funding to more than 70 U.S. agricultural organizations to help expand commercial export markets for their goods. USDA remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. Today's announcement is one part of the Department's efforts to strengthen the rural economy.

Under the Market Access Program (MAP), FAS will provide $172.7 million to 70 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives. MAP participants contribute an average 171-percent match for generic marketing and promotion activities and a dollar-for-dollar match for promotion of branded products by small businesses and cooperatives. Under the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), FAS will allocate $25.4 million to 26 trade organizations that represent U.S. agricultural producers. The organizations, which contribute an average 183-percent cost share, will conduct activities that help maintain or increase demand for U.S. agricultural commodities overseas.

"Through MAP, FMD and other market development programs, USDA helps U.S. agricultural organizations, representing thousands of producers and businesses, open and expand international markets for U.S. agricultural exports," said Vilsack. "Ultimately, these efforts are helping achieve President Obama's National Export Initiative goal of doubling all U.S. exports by the end of 2014."

USDA's international market development programs have had a significant and positive impact on U.S. agricultural exports. An independent study released in 2010 found that for every $1 expended by government and industry on market development, U.S. food and agricultural exports increase by $35. The past four years represent the strongest period for U.S. agricultural exports in the history of the United States. Farm exports in fiscal year 2012 reached $135.8 billion and supported 1 million jobs here at home. Exports of U.S. farm goods in fiscal year 2013 are projected to total $139.5 billion, which would set a new record. Agricultural exports support more than one million jobs and drive economic opportunity in rural America.

USDA has made a concerted effort to deliver results for the American people, even as USDA implements sequestration – the across-the-board budget reductions mandated under terms of the Budget Control Act. For example, more than $10 million was cut from this year's allocations due to sequestration. USDA has also already undertaken historic efforts since 2009 to save more than $828 million in taxpayer funds through targeted, common-sense budget reductions. These reductions have put USDA in a better position to carry out its mission, while implementing sequester budget reductions in a fair manner that causes as little disruption as possible.



House Republicans Consider Splitting Farm Bill

Nearly a month after suffering an embarrassing defeat, House Republican leaders are considering a new strategy to try to win support for the massive, five-year farm bill: splitting it into two separate measures, one for farm programs and one for food stamps. According to the Associated Press, it's an attempt to gather support from conservatives who voted against the $100 billion-a-year farm bill, and critics say it could lead to bigger cuts in both farm subsidies and the domestic food aid.

Republicans discussed the strategy in a Tuesday caucus meeting, with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., saying for the first time that he would go along with a split bill if leaders could deliver the votes. Republicans were assessing support for the idea, and a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said no decisions had been made on how to revive the bill.

The House rejected the farm bill in June by a vote of 234-195 after some in the GOP complained that the legislation did not cut enough from food stamps. Democrats said the 3 percent cut in food stamps was too much.

The idea is that the farm portion of the bill could pass without the food stamp provisions. By splitting the two, Republicans might be able to make bigger cuts in food stamp programs and pass that bill with conservative support.

However, conservative groups, farm groups and nutrition groups all expressed concerns with the strategy.

Farm groups and anti-hunger groups have warned that separating the farm and nutrition programs after decades of linking them would be a major mistake. Rural lawmakers have added money for food stamps to the farm bill, which sets policy for agricultural subsidies and other farm programs, to gather urban votes for the measure.

The Democratic-led Senate, which overwhelmingly passed a farm bill with smaller cuts to food stamps, would be reluctant to go along with a split bill or further cuts to the programs. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said that she believes splitting the bill would be a major mistake.

Spending on food stamps has doubled in the last five years to almost $80 billion a year and the number of members in both parties who make agriculture a priority has dwindled. Still, separating the two bills could create bigger problems as members may not have an incentive to vote for either piece of legislation.



Farmers Union Stands Strong: Do Not Split the Farm Bill

Iowa Farmers Union (IFU) President Whitney Davis issued the following statement after the National Farmers Union Board of Directors voted unanimously Tuesday to maintain its long-time position on keeping farm programs and nutrition assistance together in a single, comprehensive farm bill:

"Farmers Union members have always believed that if you eat, you're involved in agriculture. Taking nutrition programs out of the 2013 farm bill makes no sense and would be a disservice to farmers, ranchers, rural residents and consumers.

"The bill needs to remain intact. The safety net programs for the people growing the country's food and the American families who want to access that food should not be set up as opposing interests. Consumers rely on farmers being able to provide a reliable and safe food supply, and farmers do best when families can afford to buy food, even during hard economic times. A comprehensive, unified farm and food bill bridges the urban-rural divide and keeps consumers and urban members of Congress in touch with the interests of rural Iowa and the people producing our food.

"We also need to maintain the existing permanent law as an incentive for Congress to do its job and periodically engage in farm and food policy to ensure that our agriculture and food systems are operating as intended and serving the American people. This Congress has clearly demonstrated the need for a strong incentive to drive timely legislative action on the farm bill. Without the permanent law in place, I see even more dysfunction and delay the next time the farm bill comes up for consideration.

"We encourage all members of Congress to work together to pass a bipartisan, comprehensive bill. Lawmakers in Washington have managed that balancing act for decades, not making it happen now would be an unprecedented failure."



Integrated Pest Management Publications in Field, Around the World

Iowa farmers and crop advisors are scouting corn and soybean fields with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field guides in hand. The guides outline integrated pest management information -- how to protect crops based on data from specific fields, using both preventative and curative tactics to manage insects, diseases and weeds. They place an emphasis on scouting and thorough record keeping -- and they are in high demand.

"Crop scouting is a cornerstone of integrated pest management," said Daren Mueller, extension plant pathologist with the Iowa State University Integrated Pest Management program. "Scouting entails accurately estimating crop plant health, recognizing growth stage, and identifying crop injury and associated causes -- the field guides improve scouting accuracy."

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, in conjunction with Iowa Soybean Association, created the first weather-resistant pocket guide, the Soybean Field Guide, with high quality images and descriptions of disease, insect and other disorders so it could easily go to the field. The guide serves as a reference for farmers and crop advisors scouting fields and assists them in accurately diagnosing crop problems.

The Soybean Field Guide was first sold through the ISU Extension online store on Feb. 22, 2008. In five years, that single publication has become part of a growing Integrated Pest Management publication series that now includes five field guides, three compendiums and twelve scouting cards. More than one million copies (1,094,000+) of the publications have been printed -- 53 percent (581,000) by Iowa State University and 47 percent (513,000) printed upon request and distributed by outside entities such as agribusiness, academic institutions and commodity groups.

The extension online store has distributed the publications to all 99 Iowa counties, 375 Iowa cities, and 49 U.S. states (Rhode Island is the only state with no publication orders). The popularity of the guides has expanded well beyond Iowa -- nearly 28 percent are delivered outside of Iowa and guides have been distributed internationally to 23 countries on five continents. The Soybean Field Guide has been adapted for use in Canada by Canadian soybean experts.

Iowa State IPM team members authoring the publications are Extension faculty, researchers, specialists and other staff. "The publications are the result of the work of more than 25 authors," Mueller said. "This group of scientists is dedicated to integrated pest management education. We have a broad portfolio of activities and products to support our educational efforts -- this series of publications is only one part."

The team plans to add more publications, including: Alfalfa Field Guide, Corn Field Guide 2nd Edition, Hail and Nutrient Deficiency Scouting Cards, and an update to Corn Diseases.

To learn more about the ISU Extension Integrated Pest Management educational offerings visit www.aep.iastate.edu/feel/; to order field guides visit the Extension online store https://store.extension.iastate.edu/ and click on the Integrated Pest Management publications image.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 7/05/2013

According to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 881,000 barrels per day (b/d) — or 37.00 million gallons daily. That is up 18,000 b/d from the week before. The four-week average for ethanol production stood at 875,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 13.41 billion gallons.

Stocks of ethanol stood at 15.7 million barrels. That is a 1.8% increase from last week.

Imports of ethanol were 25,000 b/d, up from last week.

Gasoline demand for the week averaged 390.6 million gallons daily, the highest since August 2012. Notably, net refiner/blender input of ethanol reached a record 896,000 b/d, proving that U.S. refiners and blenders have the capability to consume at least 13.74 billion gallons of ethanol annually.

Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 9.47%.

On the co-products side, ethanol producers were using 13.358 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol and 98,322 metric tons of livestock feed, 87,655 metric tons of which were distillers grains. The rest is comprised of corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal. Additionally, ethanol producers were providing 4.59 million pounds of corn oil daily.



Brazil Ethanol Output DN 6%; Exports Up in Late June

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, the ethanol lobby group commonly known as UNICA, said Wednesday that 1.28 billion liters, or 338 million gallons, of fuel ethanol was produced by millers in the south-central region of the South American country during the second half of June, down 6% from the same period a year earlier.

Meantime, 2.24 billion liters, or 591 million gallons, of ethanol was sold in June, up about 13% from the first half of June while down 33.5% from the same period a year earlier. Of those sales, 124 million gallons, or 20%, of total sales went to the export market, up 26% from a year earlier.



Beef Front and Center for 'Workout in the Park'

The beef checkoff recently participated in the SELF Magazine "Workout in the Park" event in Chicago’s Grant Park. More than 3,700 participted consisted primarily of millennial-aged folks, with a perfect blend between the fitness-crazed and those simply interested in living a more healthful lifestyle.

The event included two stages running back-to-back fitness classes throughout the day. “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” sponsored the high-energy 2Fly class, featuring hip hop hits from the 90s.

The “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” tent was positioned near the main stage, where participants chose from several lifestyles -- Strong, Extraordinary, Simply Great and Balanced -- for which they then learned where to download, pin, share and find recipe collections to meet their specfic needs. They also received the new Beef’s Big 10 infographic and an athletic tank top.

“Our new consumer advertising campaign reaches out to consumers with messages about beef choices like T-Bone, Sirloin and Flank steaks that they know and love. It communicates that beef will give them what they want and need -- a nutrition powerhouse with great flavor,” says Cevin Jones, chairman of the checkoff’s Domestic Consumer Preference Committee and a producer from Eden, Idaho. “This event reached health-conscious consumers on their ‘own turf’ with a message that resonated: 'Beef will give them the essential nutrients their body needs to be at their best.' What a great way to extend our consumer marketing campaign.”

A strong drive to the checkoff’s social media platforms led participants to the recently relaunched BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com and Pinterest page, as well as Facebook and Twitter. As a result, social media conversations around the event generated more than 2.8 million impressions, with high engagement. (e.g. littlemisslocal: Beef is what's for dinner #onlyinchicago #workoutinthepark http://t.co/LaFjZ6EssR&nb sp;)

More than 1,000 “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner.” athletic tanks were distributed to people who visited the beef tent to talk to checkoff representatives and to pick up beef recipes and nutrition information. In addition, local media and registered dietitians stopped by the tent to complete the lifestyle assessment, get recipes and learn about beef’s essential nutrients.

“From people who live and breathe exercise to those who wanted to learn more about staying active and healthy, we were able to reach not only the people in the park that day but extend that message via our social media platforms,” says Jones. “It’s just one more way our checkoff is reminding consumers that beef is for living life how you want to live it.”



Zoetis and The Roslin Institute collaborate to control Salmonella

Zoetis Inc., formerly the animal health business unit of Pfizer Inc., and The Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, today announced a collaboration for research of Salmonella in cattle.

The Roslin Institute has received funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to support collaborative research with Zoetis that will bring valuable industry knowledge and input into its academic research program. For three years, the BBSRC will contribute 80 percent of funding for the study — close to $1 million — and Zoetis will not only provide the remaining 20 percent of funding but also provide in-kind services via research materials and expertise.

Researchers at The Roslin Institute and Zoetis will jointly investigate how Salmonella enters and persists within the bovine lymphatic system and can lead to contamination of beef for human consumption. The team of researchers from The Roslin Institute — which is incorporated within the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies — includes Professor Mark Stevens, PhD, chair of microbial pathogenesis; Professor John Hopkins, PhD, chair of veterinary immunology; and Jayne Hope, PhD, a leading researcher on bovine immunity and mycobacteria. They are collaborating with Charles Cornell, MS, technical lead for the Cattle Food Safety Vaccine franchise, Veterinary Medicine Research and Development at Zoetis. The BBSRC grant also provides funding for a postdoctoral researcher and a research technician for three years.

The Roslin Institute research team will work with Zoetis to help develop and implement solutions to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in meat.

“Salmonella infections in cattle are significant for two reasons,” Professor Stevens said. “It can cause gastroenteritis and abortion in the animals, thereby harming their productivity and welfare, and contamination of beef and the farm environment can lead to infections in people.

Cattle are a significant source of human Salmonella infections, he added. Although the animal’s lymphatic system normally helps fight infection, some types of Salmonella have adapted to evade the immune system and survive in lymph nodes.

“A key gap in our knowledge is how Salmonella enters the lymphatic system in the first place and then persists within it, constraining our ability to design strategies to control infection,” Professor Stevens continued. “We will examine the role of host and bacterial factors in this process and use the results of our research study to identify new and better targets that could help us control Salmonella infections in cattle.”

Funding from the BBSRC allows The Roslin Institute to work strategically with Zoetis on important Salmonella research in cattle, which impacts animal and human health and safety of the food supply across the globe, said Michelle Haven, DVM, PhD, senior vice president, Corporate Development, Alliances and Solutions at Zoetis.

“Salmonella remains a health concern worldwide and is estimated to cause about 94 million cases of foodborne disease in humans and 155,000 deaths1 each year,” Dr. Haven said. “This study is fundamental for developing intervention strategies. We’re excited and committed to being at the forefront of these discoveries, working closely with our academic and industry partners, to identify issues and solutions for safe food now and in the future as we work together to feed the world’s growing population.”

Professor Stevens added that Zoetis is an ideal partner for Salmonella research.

“Zoetis will provide a link between our basic research and commercialization,” he said. “This study will add value to future studies at The Roslin Institute of other infectious diseases of food-producing animals.”

Zoetis has been an industry partner on a variety of research programs with the BBSRC since 2008 to help advance understanding of critical animal diseases and develop new solutions for those who raise food animals.



R-CALF USA: COOL Litigation Supported by Producer Checkoff Dollars

At least three of the eight plaintiffs that filed a lawsuit filed this week against the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) final country of origin labeling (COOL) rule have already directly received and/or are attempting to directly receive producer checkoff dollars.

According to a recent report by the USDA Office of Inspector General, Plaintiff National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) receives 82.5 percent of its funding directly from the Beef Checkoff Program. According to the website of the Beef Checkoff Program, in 2012, Plaintiff North American Meat Association (NAMA) requested a $390,000 Beef Checkoff Program contract. And, Plaintiff National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is a recipient of Pork Checkoff dollars.

Although federal law prohibits producer checkoff dollars from being used to influence public policy, R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard said that is exactly what is going on in this COOL lawsuit.

"Either directly or indirectly, producer checkoff dollars are helping the meatpacker-lobby to fight against the widely popular COOL law that U.S. livestock producer and U.S. consumers successfully passed in 2002," said Bullard.

According to Bullard, producer checkoff dollars flowing to the NCBA and NPPC are the equivalent of "soft money" contributions in election campaigns.

"Although the NCBA may not be directly paying their COOL litigation expenses with checkoff funds, the checkoff funds allow it to offset a large portion of its organization's administrative expenses, which allows it to devote its more limited non-checkoff money toward fighting COOL and other initiatives the multinational meatpackers do not like," said Bullard.

Bullard, referring to the COOL lawsuit as the meatpacker-lobby lawsuit, said the only reason it was filed was to help meatpackers exploit consumers by allowing them to source cheaper livestock from foreign countries while selling the resulting meat to unsuspecting consumers at the same price that domestic meat commands.

"The reason the NCBA and NPPC are fighting to help the meatpackers exploit consumers by attacking COOL is because they both have meatpackers seated on their governing boards, making them meatpacker trade groups rather than producer trade groups," Bullard commented.

"The meatpackers and their allies do not want U.S. farmers and ranchers to compete with their foreign counterparts in either Canada or Mexico," Bullard said adding, "By not allowing consumers to know where their meat was produced, meatpackers can undermine competition and unilaterally decide from what country to source their livestock. After all, without COOL consumers cannot initiate any competitive demand signals for livestock from the United States or from any other country. That privilege is bestowed exclusively on the meatpacker when COOL is not available.

"There can be no clearer example of deep-rooted government corruption than when, as here, you have an organization - the NCBA - that receives a super majority of its funding from a federal program and is nevertheless allowed to sue the federal government to stop a program that is widely supported by both U.S. consumers and U.S. producers.

"This is utterly outrageous and we hope our federal court system will recognize the despicable, self-serving motives of the NCBA and the rest of the plaintiffs in this case," concluded Bullard.



Only Days Remain to Enter NCGA's 2013 Yield Contest

The National Corn Growers Association reminds those interested in the 2013 National Corn Yield Contest that only days remain to file entry forms and take part in the popular competition.  The online entry format makes entry quick and simple, but growers wishing to take part must file entry forms by the July 12 deadline.

"While many of us planted later than usual, the National Corn Yield Contest is proceeding right along schedule," said NCGA Production and Stewardship Action Team Chair Dean Taylor. "This means that the window to participate in the contest is quickly closing. I strongly encourage anyone interested in being a part of the competition or just looking for a new way to explore different techniques to use the easy online form and become a part of the contest.  Also, I encourage non-members in particular to explore the many benefits that NCGA members enjoy and consider joining both the association and entering the contest."

The online entry software allows growers to enter the contest and join NCGA and their state association. The web-based system simplifies data submission, allows users to view their submissions at any time and will allow for quick, efficient use of contest data. 

Seed representatives and entrants are welcome to enter through this new platform. Current members should have their NCGA membership ID ready. Non-members wishing to participate can quickly fill out the online membership profile and enter immediately following completion of this form.

For nearly a half century, NCGA's National Corn Yield Contest has provided corn growers the opportunity to compete with their colleagues to grow the most corn per acre, helping feed and fuel the world. This has given participants not only the recognition they deserved, but the opportunity to learn from their peers.

Winners receive national recognition in publications such as the NCYC Yield Guide, as well as trips or other awards from participating sponsoring seed, chemical and crop protection companies. In San Antonio, Texas, during the 2014 Commodity Classic, state winners will be recognized at the NCYC Breakfast and national winners will receive awards at the NCGA Awards Banquet.



Corn Fungicide Decision Guide

DuPont Pioneer and university research across 475 on-farm trials shows corn yield increases an average of 7 bu/A in response to a foliar fungicide application. The average yield response is generally greater in fields with large amounts of residue on the soil surface, such as corn-following-corn, and no-till or strip-till. Later-maturing fields can also be at greater risk to foliar disease and are more likely to benefit from a fungicide application.

DuPont Pioneer experts recommend scouting for foliar diseases in corn just before tassel emergence. Consider the following factors when planning an application of foliar fungicide.

Previous Crop— Many foliar pathogens survive in corn residue. The risk of foliar diseases, such as gray leaf spot and northern leaf blight, increases when corn is planted into a field that was corn the previous year.

Weather Conditions— Rainy and/or humid weather is most favorable to foliar diseases. In growing seasons when these conditions prevail, the risk for disease development increases.

History of Disease— Some field locations may have a history of greater foliar disease severity. Fields in river bottoms, low areas or surrounded by trees may be more prone to foliar corn diseases.

Hybrid Resistance— If the disease resistance rating is a 6 or greater, a fungicide application may not provide a yield benefit. For susceptible products with disease rating less than 4, spray if disease symptoms are present on the third leaf below the ear or above on 50 percent of the plants examined.

For intermediate products with disease rating of 5, determine if disease symptoms are present on the third leaf below the ear or above on 50 percent of the plants examined. Also consider the above factors, spraying if the field is in an area with history of foliar disease, a corn-on-corn planting, contains 35 percent or more surface residue, and weather is warm and humid.



CWT Assists Exports, Moves Forward with Contribution Increase

In June, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) received 95 requests from member cooperatives to assist with exports of cheese and butter. After careful analysis of each request, CWT accepted 37 of those requests, based on the level of assistance that was economically justified.

This resulted in members selling 7.72 million pounds of cheese, and 665,796 pounds of 82% milkfat content butter to countries in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

For the first six month of 2013, CWT has assisted 10 member cooperatives in selling 66.9 million pounds of Cheddar, Gouda, and Monterey Jack cheese, as well as 52.4 million pounds of 82% butter, 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat, and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder. All of the product will be delivered in 2013.

Year-to-date, the milk equivalent on a milkfat basis of CWT-assisted exports was 1.76 billion pounds.

In other CWT news, the CWT Committee voted on June 11th to increase the dairy producer contribution to CWT from 2¢ to 4¢ per hundredweight, effective July 1, 2013. New membership agreements have been sent to CWT’s current members and are also available on the CWT website – www.cwt.coop – under the Membership tab.



USDA, Interior and Defense Departments Partner to Benefit Agricultural Lands, Wildlife Habitat and Military Readiness

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and Defense Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Installations and Environment John Conger announced today a federal, local and private collaboration that will preserve agricultural lands, assist with military readiness and restore and protect wildlife habitat.

Through the Sentinel Landscapes partnership, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Department of the Interior (Interior) and Department of Defense (DoD) will work together in overlapping priority areas near military installations to help farmers and ranchers make improvements to the land that benefit their operation, enhance wildlife habitat, and enable DoD's training missions to continue.

"This is a great example of a federal, local and private collaboration working together to achieve greater results for the American people – in this case by enhancing conservation efforts while ensuring our national defense," Vilsack said. "As a result of this partnership between Federal agencies and private partners, producers will have greater certainty with regard to the environment, we'll protect habitat for at-risk species, and our Armed Forces will retain access to important training opportunities."

"Today's announcement is a win-win for the American people and for the land and wildlife we cherish," Jewell said. "We are taking an important step in addressing one of the greatest threats to wildlife in America today, loss of habitat, while helping to ensure the preservation of working landscapes and our military readiness."

"The Department of Defense is committed to working together with other federal agencies to ensure we sustain a world-class training environment at military installations across the country," Conger said. "This arrangement benefits our service members and is an innovative, efficient use of taxpayer resources. It has the added benefits of protecting important habitats for imperiled wildlife species and working lands in rural communities that surround military installations. I look forward to our applying this model at other locations across the country."

A result of collaboration through the White House Rural Council, the federal agencies will kick off this partnership through a pilot Sentinel Landscape in the South Puget Sound region of Washington State. Home to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, an important troop training facility, this region has some of the last remaining native prairie habitat in the state.

Once covering 150,000 acres, only three percent of the original native prairie habitat remains due to development. Several of the at-risk species in this area include Taylor's checkerspot butterfly, the streaked horned lark, and the Mazama pocket gopher. A rare native plant, the golden Indian paintbrush, is already listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act.

DoD, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and partner organizations will invest more than $12.6 million to restore and protect more than 2,600 acres of this important prairie habitat on both public and private lands, allowing training activities at the Joint Base to move forward with more flexibility.

Many NRCS conservation and DoD programs ease pressures that development puts on wildlife habitat, including DoD's Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration program. Left unaddressed, this decreasing habitat could otherwise restrict testing and training on military installations, areas to which many species flee when displaced by development.

The creation of long-term or permanent easements will protect nearby agricultural and private lands from development and help preserve farms and rural culture. Wildlife habitat can be created and managed to benefit species as well as agricultural production and military readiness.

Building on the successes of USDA's Working Lands for Wildlife, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide regulatory predictability under the Endangered Species Act to ranchers who implement conservation practices in the pilot landscape, and is pursuing the possibility of granting ecosystem credits to DoD from the federal conservation investments.

With interagency and private collaboration, these Sentinel Landscapes will help preserve the land's natural character while benefitting national defense, local economies and the conservation of natural resources.

The departments are reviewing additional sites for the partnership to collaborate in the future and will continue to capitalize on the USDA, Interior, DoD and local partners' overlying priorities and programs.

Tuesday July 9 Ag News

UNL Extension hosts Herbicide Resistant Weed Mgt Field Days

One of the most daunting challenges to weed management is the continual evolution of weed species with resistance to one or more modes of action. Learn about herbicide resistance and the need for integrated weed management programs to delay the evolution and/or spread of herbicide-resistant weeds at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln Extension's Herbicide-Resistant Weed Management Field Days. The program will be held twice... once on August 6th on the southwest corner of David City and the other is on August 7th just east of Fremont.  There is no parking available at the Fremont field site, so you are asked to park in the Tractor Supply parking lot (across from Walmart) and shuttle busses will transport you 1.5 miles to the field day site. 

Programs at both sites will be similar, except where local challenges are addressed, including Glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed at David City and Glyphosate-resistant waterhemp at Fremont.

FIELD DAY SCHEDULE
9 a.m. Registration
9:20 a.m. Welcome
9:30 a.m. Field Study Tours
12 p.m. Lunch
12:15 p.m. Keynote Speaker
1:30 p.m. Adjourn

FIELD STUDIES ON THE TOUR
Glyphosate Dose Response - See how resistant weeds respond to increasing rates of glyphosate.
Management Systems - Study various herbicide programs and their effectiveness in controlling a glyphosate-resistant weed population.
Liberty Link Soybean - See how Liberty Link Systems can be used to sustainably manage weeds.
Dicamba-Resistant Soybean (Fremont) - View demonstrations of how dicamba-resistant soybean can provide another postemergence tool for weed management
Carrier Rate - See the impact of carrier rate on several herbicides. This stop will also address the importance of effective herbicide applications to manage the development of weed resistance.

The event is free but preregistration is required by Friday, August 2, so plans can be made for the complimentary meal, teaching resources, and tour logistics.  For more information, to register, or to print off a registration form to send in, go online to http://agronomy.unl.edu/weedresistmgt or contact your local UNL Extension office. 



2012 Irrigated Corn, Soybean Yields Second Best Ever; Dryland Worst in 30 Years

            Nebraska irrigated corn and soybean yields reached their second-highest averages in history in drought-plagued 2012, but yields for their dryland counterparts were at their lowest averages in about 30 years.

            The U.S. Department of Agriculture – National Agriculture Statistics Service reported state average yields of corn and soybeans of 190 bushels per acre and 59 bushels per acre, respectively, under irrigation – second only to 2009 for corn and 2011 for soybean.

            Under dryland conditions, average yields were 61 bushels per acre for corn and 25 bushels per acre for soybean, lowest since 1983 for the former and '84 for the latter.

            "The low dryland yields were not surprising given that the rainfall during the crop growing season did not exceed 10 inches at most locations, which is about half of the rain amount in a typical year," said Patricio Grassini, research associate professor in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's agronomy and horticulture department..

            The 2012 irrigated corn yield average was 10 bushels above the 2011 yield and five bushels above the 2005-11 average. Highest county level averages were reported in south central Nebraska, ranging from 205 to 220, according to NASS.

            It was a very different story for dryland corn. That 59 bushel/acre average was 74 bushels below the 2011 average and 68 bushels below the 2005-11 average. 

            The highest county-level average dryland corn yields, in the range of 80 to 100 bushels/acre were reported in counties on the east central and east south edges of the state and in two counties in south central Nebraska.

            Nebraska statewide irrigated soybean yield in 2012 of 60.7 bushels/acre was only 0.4 bushel below the 2011 irrigated soybean average and 2 bushels above the past seven-year average (2005-2011). The highest county-level average irrigated soybean yields, in the range of 66 to 70 bushels, were reported for counties in south central Nebraska.

            For dryland soybean, the statewide average yield of 25 bushels/acre was 23 bushels below the 2011 average, and 20 bushels below the past seven-year average (2005-2011). The highest county-level average dryland soybean yields, in the range of 32 to 38 bu/ac, were reported for counties in the east central and east south edges of the state and for two counties in south central Nebraska.

            For more information, see CropWatch, UNL Extension's crop-production newsletter, at cropwatch.unl.edu.



Smith Introduces Rural Postal Services Act

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) introduced H.R. 2615, the Securing Access to Rural Postal Services Act along with Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-NC).  The bill would ensure rural service is not inappropriately targeted by capping rural closures and consolidations at 5 percent of total closures and consolidations in any given year.

“In rural America, the post office is the center of the community and provides an important link to the rest of the nation,” said Smith.  “Closing smaller retail locations will not solve the Postal Service’s serious financial problems, and given the importance of universal service, rural post offices should not be disproportionately targeted.  This bill is a commonsense solution which would help the Postal Service uphold its mission to serve all Americans while it addresses its long-term fiscal challenges.”

In 2011, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced it was considering the closure or consolidation of 3,652 postal facilities, 90 of which were located in Nebraska.  It was estimated closing all of these post offices would have saved the Postal Service about 4 percent of USPS’s $5 billion shortfall in 2011.

In addition to closure caps for rural facilities, the Securing Access to Rural Postal Services Act would set guidelines for closing or consolidating any post office to ensure those affected by such changes would maintain access to the Postal Service.

Under the bill, USPS would be required to provide 60 days’ notice of their intention to close or consolidate, and must survey affected customers to determine preferences for alternative access to postal services.  If USPS is unable to provide access through the alternative preferred by survey participants or the preferred option is cost prohibitive, USPS would be required to provide access to postal services through different means and give written explanation for why the preferred option was not possible.

Smith and McIntyre co-chair the bipartisan Congressional Rural Caucus which provides a forum to find workable solutions to the unique issues facing rural Americans.



State Land in Iowa Open to Emergency Haying and Grazing

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will open up state land to haying and grazing to help farmers impacted by severe weather conditions.  "This has been one of the most challenging weather patterns Iowa farmers have ever had to face and we want to be able to provide some additional options to our livestock producers," said DNR Deputy Director Bruce Trautman.

Most state lands in Iowa do not have proper fencing for cattle so farmers wanting to use the land for grazing would be responsible for setting up temporary electric fencing and watering tanks, making haying more likely to be the most viable option.

Haying and grazing can start after July 15 when the primary nesting season for upland birds has been completed.  Land available is primarily the upland grassland areas however there are some additional opportunities for "flash grazing" in northeast Iowa and other limited opportunities on land not currently being leased to farmers.

"The DNR is working very closely with the Iowa Governor's Office and all of our stakeholders to make emergency livestock forage available and to make sure that we are helping those who need assistance the most," said Trautman.

Farmers interested in this opportunity should contact the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at 515-281-5918.



No Interest Loans Available for Conservation in Iowa

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has $865,000 of available through a no-interest revolving loan fund to help farmers install conservation practices.

The funding is available through all local Soil and Water Conservation District Offices, which are located with the USDA office in each county. Loans made under this program can be used to fund conservation practices that protect soil and water resources. Examples include terraces, water and sediment control basins, grade stabilization structures and waterways.

"Farmers understand the importance of keeping the soil on the farm and out of our lakes and rivers and the no-interest loans will help them put additional practices on the ground," Northey said. "Local Soil and Water Conservation District offices are there to work with farmers as they make conservation decisions and find programs that can help get the work done."

In response to request from farmers, the maximum no-interest loan available has been increased to $20,000 with a ten year term. Loan funds can also now be used in conjunction with other programs, including REAP and cost share assistance.

Applications will be accepted and funded on a first come first serve basis through Dec. 1. To apply, contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District office or apply online at www.iowaagriculture.gov.



UPDATE:  ISU Extension Offering Farmland Leasing Meetings in July and August

Farm tenants and land owners are invited to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach farmland leasing meetings during July and August. The 3-hour workshops are designed to assist landowners, tenants and other agri-business professionals with current issues related to farmland ownership, management and leasing agreements.  Each workshop attendee will receive a set of beneficial materials regarding farm leasing arrangements and farmland ownership. Resources on farmland surveys and leasing arrangements also are provided.

Topics covered include:
-    Iowa Cash Rental Rate Survey and Land Values Survey
-    Comparison of different types of leases
-    Lease termination
-    Impacts of yields and prices
-    Calculating a fair cash rent
-    Use of spreadsheets to compare leases
-    Issues unique to this year’s production and an outlook for 2014.
-    Available Internet resources

Here are some of the meetings being planned in Western Iowa...

Farm Leasing Arrangements Meeting
Date/Time:  7/26/2013 - 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Location:  Montgomery County Extension    
Address:  400 Bridge St. Suite 2, Red Oak  IA  51566    
Contact:  Stephanie Langner, 712-623-2592 or slangner@iastate.edu    
Registration:  Yes
Registration Fee:  $15.00

Farmland Leasing Meeting
Date/Time:  7/30/2013  6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Description:  This workshop will feature facilitated discussions, training material, and an informational booklet. Melissa O'Rourke, Farm Management Field Specialist with ISU Extension, will facilitate this workshop. Registration fee is $20.00 per person if pre-registered, $25 at the door. Please preregister by July 26th.
Contact:  Mary Sechler, 712-225-6196 or sechler@iastate.edu    
Location:  Western Iowa Tech Community College, 200 Victory Dr, Cherokee  IA  51012

Farmland Leasing and Land Value Meeting
Date/Time:  8/1/2013  6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Description:  Melissa O'Rourke, Extension Farm Management Field Specialist will present the latest information on farmland leasing and the land values in Northwest Iowa at this education event. Contact the Plymouth County Extension Office at 712-546-7835 for information or to register for this site. The registration fee is $20/person if you pre-register and $25 if you register at the door.
Contact:  Janelle Johnson, 712-546-7835 or janelle@iastate.edu    
Location:  Plymouth County Extension Office,  251 12th St. SE, Le Mars  IA  51031    
Registration:  Yes
Registration Fee:  $20.00    
Registration Deadline:  7/31/2013

The leasing meetings being held across Iowa are facilitated by farm management specialists with ISU Extension and Outreach. A listing of county extension offices hosting the meetings is available on the ISU Extension and Outreach calendar (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/ShowList.asp?Month=7&Year=2013&Category=13|Financial+Management+%26+Strategic+Planning&County=All+Counties&CountiesScope=) – check both months for a complete list of meeting dates, locations and links to more information.  Locations will be added as they become available, or contact your county extension office to find the nearest meeting location.



Eight U.S. and Canadian Meat and Livestock Organizations Challenge USDA Country-of-Origin Labeling Rule in U.S. District Court

            Eight organizations representing the U.S. and Canadian meat and livestock industries filed suit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia to block implementation of a mandatory country-of-origin labeling (“COOL”) rule finalized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in May 2013.

            In their complaint, the meat and livestock organizations explained that the final rule violates the United States Constitution by compelling speech in the form of costly and detailed labels on meat products that do not directly advance a government interest.  In addition, the organizations explained that the 2013 regulation exceeds the scope of the statutory mandate, because the statute does not permit the kind of detailed and onerous labeling requirements the final rule puts in place, and that the rule is arbitrary and capricious, because it imposes vast burdens on the industry with little to no countervailing benefit.

           Plaintiffs include the American Association of Meat Processors, American Meat Institute, Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Canadian Pork Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council, North American Meat Association, and Southwest Meat Association.

            In the complaint, the organizations explained that the new and complex country-of-origin labels required for meat and poultry sold at retail constitute “compelled speech.”  Under the U.S. Constitution, commercial speech may be compelled only where it serves a substantial government interest—for example, if the compelled speech is aimed at preventing the spread of a contagious disease.  Because these labels offer no food safety or public health benefit, yet impose costs the government modestly estimates at $192 million, the government cannot require them.

          “All livestock and meat processed at federally inspected establishments in the United States and sold in interstate commerce are subject to the same health and safety requirements, as prescribed by the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act,” the complaint states.   “Those products are also graded for quality according to a system administered by AMS [Agricultural Marketing Service] without variation based on where an animal was born or raised.  In short, beef is beef, whether the steer or heifer was born in Montana, Manitoba, or Mazatlán.  The same goes for hogs, chickens, and other livestock.”

            The organizations also explain in their complaint that in addition to violating the Constitution, the new rule also violates the Agriculture Marketing Act because it exceeds the authority granted to USDA in the 2008 Farm Bill.  While Congress mandated COOL, the statute does not permit labels that detail where animals were born, raised and slaughtered -- yet that is what USDA will now require.  

            Finally, the meat and livestock organizations explain that the COOL rule is arbitrary and capricious.  The rule will fundamentally alter the meat industry and pick winners and losers in the marketplace with no benefit to anyone—and at great harm to many meat companies, especially those located along U.S.-Mexico or U.S.-Canada borders whose companies depend upon a steady supply of livestock that may have been born in another country.  For example, some Texas-based companies that rely on Mexican-born, but U.S.-raised and -slaughtered cattle will incur dramatic segregation costs that place their businesses at serious risk.  Companies along the U.S.-Canadian border will face the same issue.  And because retailers must implement the new labeling requirement, they, too, will face onerous segregation burdens in ensuring that meat from animals with multiple countries of origin is not packaged together.

          USDA proposed the new rule in March after the World Trade Organization (WTO) panel ruled in response to a complaint by Canada and Mexico that the existing country- of- origin labeling requirements violated the United States’ WTO obligations.  In a highly illogical move, USDA made COOL requirements even more complex and discriminatory against foreign meat and livestock, and Canada and Mexico have already made clear that the new rule does nothing to ease the concerns that prompted their original complaint.

          In fact, retail organizations have conveyed that the cost of segregating, tracking, and labeling meat according to these complex new rules will force them to reject meat sourced from Canada or Mexico and stock only meat with the designation “Born, Raised, and Slaughtered in the United States.”  Specifically, the complaint notes that new labels will need to be larger, and many grocers will have to acquire new weighing and labeling machines to handle the complex sorting of packages for each possible label.  Canadian cattle and hog producers have made clear that they will have to accept steep discounts to make up for the downstream production costs faced by processors and retailers, according to the complaint.

            “Sorting and tracking livestock and labeling meat by the various ‘routes’ that livestock may take on the way to market is needlessly complex with no measurable benefits,” said AMI Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and General Counsel Mark Dopp.  “Shoes, for example, may say ‘Made in the USA.’  They do not say ‘Leather from cattle born in Canada, harvested in the USA, tanned in South Korea and processed in the USA, yet that is the sort of labeling that we are now being forced to apply.”

            “Congress mandated country-of-origin labeling for meat and poultry -- not lifetime itinerary labeling,”  Dopp concluded.  “Segregating and tracking animals according to the countries where production steps occurred and detailing that information on a label may be a bureaucrat’s paperwork fantasy, but the labels that result will serve only to confuse consumers, raise the prices they pay, and put some producers and meat and poultry companies out of business in the process.  Everyone loses under this rule.”



Heart-Check Mark Continues to Drive Beef Sales

Following the success of the 2011 American Heart Association (AHA) Food Certification Program pilot test with two grocery chains, the beef checkoff has collaborated with retailers to capitalize on the program’s ability to drive incremental beef sales and build customer loyalty. The results from that initial pilot are used to compel other retailers to display the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Mark on-pack. Now retailers are seeing firsthand the impact of the program and the benefits of promoting beef's role in a healthy diet and helping nutrition-conscious shoppers make healthy choices in the meat case.

Hundreds of stores across the U.S. currently display the Heart-Check mark on certified beef items in the meat case and have signed up through the beef checkoff to participate in the American Heart Association Food Certification Program. Two such retailers include California-based Save Mart Supermarkets and Texas-based H-E-B.

Save Mart Supermarkets, which owns and operates 226 stores in Northern California and Northern Nevada under the Save Mart, S-Mart Foods, Lucky, Maxx Value Foods, and FoodMaxx banners, was an early adopter of the American Heart Association Food Certification Program for beef. In 2012, the chain rolled out four of the certified beef items -- Top Sirloin Petite Roast, Top Sirloin Filet, Top Sirloin Kabob and Top Sirloin Strips -- and in February, Save Mart implemented a promotion to increase shopper awareness of the cuts and generate demand for beef with their shoppers. With support from the beef checkoff, the retail chain held nearly 120 cooking and tasting demos of the Top Sirloin Stir Fry in their top 50 highest beef volume stores. Month-long featuring of the cuts, special pricing, in-store radio, on-pack labels and point-of-sale also supported the promotion.

The certified Top Sirloin Stir Fry item that was featured in the demos experienced a 19 percent increase in sales during the promotional period. In addition, overall sales for American Heart Association-certified cuts continued to grow another 2 percent the month post-promotion, with Top Sirloin Stir Fry sales seeing an additional 4 percent growth.

H-E-B is another retail chain that’s seen success in working with the checkoff on the American Heart Association Food Certification Program. H-E-B introduced five of the certified cuts in January and is currently working with the beef checkoff on a promotion around the Top Sirloin Filet which will make the product available in 300 of its locations, up from the 100 stores that previously sold the cut merchandised with the Heart-Check Mark. The promotion is running now through July 9 and again July 24-Aug. 6 and includes weekly featuring of the Top Sirloin Filet and an offer for customers to receive a free salad with their purchase of two packages of the AHA-certified Top Sirloin Filet.

The stores will also conduct demonstrations that will feature the filets prepared with the package recipe rub, served over the free salad mix with a light dressing. The beef checkoff created and provided labels, case dividers, recipes for demo and artwork for ads to support the program.

“The reinforcement to consumers that beef offers not only a delicious eating experience but one the American Heart Association has specifically identified as ‘heart-healthy’  is positive news for the checkoff,” says Jeanne Harland, a beef producer from Illinois and chairman of the checkoff's Nutrition and Health Subcommittee. “We are definitely seeing the American Heart Association-certified beef cuts gaining awareness among consumers and retailers are recognizing the value they bring in the meat case. It’s exciting to literally see our checkoff dollars at work in the meat case, providing return on investment to producers, but also providing that visible affirmation to consumers that they are making a nutritious purchase for mealtime. Beef can do a heart good!”



Farm, Consumer and Rural Organizations Urge Rejection of Smithfield Takeover

A coalition of farm, rural and consumer organizations delivered a letter to the members of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States urging them to recommend that the Obama administration reject the proposed Shuanghui International Holdings, Ltd. acquisition of Smithfield Foods. The letter details the significant risks of a Shuanghui takeover of Smithfield to food security, consumer food prices, food safety, farm and rural economies in the United States and national security.

“The White House should reject the sale of America’s food supply,” said Tim Gibbons with the Missouri Rural Crisis Center. “This proposed acquisition is a prime example of how expanded corporate consolidation in agriculture has gone too far, resulting in lack of markets for independent producers, and damaging effects on our rural economies and country. The Smithfield purchase turns over American farms to a consolidated, globalized meatpacking industry that leaves rural communities to clean up the waste while China gets the meat.”

Shuanghui’s purchase of Smithfield would transfer ownership of a company that controls more than a quarter of American pork production and buys or contracts a quarter of U.S. hogs. The proposed deal is expected to shift Smithfield pork production towards exports to feed the Chinese market, which would likely significantly increase retail pork prices for American consumers. It would make many U.S. hog producers dependent on a foreign firm for hog contracts and prices.

“U.S. farmers already sell livestock on a concentrated market where they often cannot get fair contract terms or receive fair prices and this cross-border takeover will worsen the conditions farmers face,” said Ben Burkett, Mississippi farmer and President of the National Family Farm Coalition.

The letter also demonstrates the risks the takeover could pose to U.S. food safety. First, the Chinese firm operates in one of the most notoriously lax food safety systems in the world, and the management culture clashes between Shuanghui and Smithfield could weaken the safety at Smithfield’s U.S. plants. Second, Shuanghui would eventually want to export pork products to the United States, which would expose U.S. consumers to the host of food safety scandals that plague the Chinese food system.

“As recently as 2011, Shuanghui managers were sentenced to prison for allowing illegal veterinary drugs into the pork supply in China and we don’t want to expose American consumers to such indifferent food safety standards,” said Food & Water Watch executive director Wenonah Hauter. “If Shuanghui eventually exported bacon, sausage or ham to the United States under the well-known Smithfield brands like Armour or Gwaltney, American consumers would not even know, because processed pork is exempt from country of origin labeling.”

The letter was delivered to the Cabinet Secretaries that make up the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States on the eve of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee oversight hearing into the proposed acquisition of Smithfield. It was signed by Campaign for Contract Agriculture Reform, Coalition for a Prosperous America, Center for Rural Affairs, Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias, Food & Water Watch, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, Land Stewardship Project, Missouri’s Best Beef Co-Operative, Missouri Farmers Union, Missouri Rural Crisis Center, National Family Farm Coalition, National Farmers Union, Nebraska Farmers Union, Organization for Competitive Markets, Rural Advancement Foundation International—USA, R-CALF USA and Western Organization of Resource Councils.



Cow Prices Impacted by U.S. and World Weather
Tim Petry, Livestock Economist, North Dakota State University Extension Service

Cow prices, while historically strong, have been below last year's record high levels for much of 2013. There are several reasons for the lower prices. Total cow slaughter was up 3.4% in the first half of 2013 compared to the previous year. In 2012, the meat industry was utilizing less trim from slaughter steers and heifers due to the lean fine textured beef media event. So, prices for 90% lean wholesale boneless beef from cows were record high in the first half of 2012. Higher beef imports in the first part of 2013 from drought impacted New Zealand also tempered cow prices.

So far this year beef cow slaughter was up just under 3.4% while dairy cow slaughter was up over 3.4%. Beef cow slaughter actually declined about 10% in January and February but then increased about 12% compared to last year since then. The lingering drought in the Western U.S., above average calving losses due to severe spring snow storms in the Northern Plains, and record high hay prices likely contributed to the higher beef cow slaughter.

Dairy cow slaughter has been above last year's levels for most of 2013. High feed costs and the closing of a Canadian cow slaughter plan have contributed to the higher slaughter. Through June 22, imports of cows from Canada totaled 147,785 head compared to 72,374 for the same period last year.

Through April, U.S. beef imports were 3.4% above 2012 due to a 35% increase in shipments of beef from drought impacted New Zealand. Australia is usually the leading beef supplier, but New Zealand is leading the way in 2013. Beef imports from all other countries including Australia were actually down 6% with Australian imports down almost 10%. Rains in New Zealand in late April and into May reduced dairy herd liquidation and beef exports there. May beef imports from New Zealand fell below last year and lead to total beef imports from all countries through May at 1% below 2012.

Cow prices in the second half of 2013 will continue to be impacted by weather and its effect on pasture and range conditions and hay supplies and prices. Moisture conditions are much better than last year in the Eastern half of the U.S., but the West remains very dry. For the week ending July 6, 49% of U.S. pastures and ranges were rated good and excellent compared to just 21% last year.  Twenty seven percent of pastures and ranges were poor and very poor compared to 50% last year.

USDA-NASS reported average U.S. alfalfa hay prices for June at $220 per ton, down from $221 in May but up from the $201 last year in June. Other hay prices for June were reported at $147, down from $154 in May and $162 in April but higher than the $133 in June 2012. Other hay in June ranged from a low price of $84/ton in North Dakota to a high of $230 in both Colorado and Washington.

If Mother Nature cooperates, the potential for both lower cow slaughter and beef imports in the second half of 2013 exists. That could support cow prices at higher levels than last year. However, an expansion of drought and continued high cow slaughter and high hay prices would pressure prices.



Pork Producers Can See Promised Land

Pork producers can see the "promised land" of lower feed costs, which will provide an extended period of profitability. According to Purdue University Extension economist Chris Hurt, those lower costs are not here yet but could be just weeks away as prospects for U.S. corn and soybean production have improved in recent days. Producers can see prospects for $2.00-per-bushel lower cash corn prices by harvest and $130-per-ton lower soybean meal prices in the July to October futures spread. While they see the market's anticipation of lower feed costs on the near-horizon, they recognize that there are still unknowns about acreage, weather for the remainder of the growing season, and early frost. But today's signals suggest they should begin to get the celebration under way.

"Feed-cost reductions, if realized, will be of record magnitude," said Hurt. "Estimated total costs for farrow-to-finish hog production will drop from $69 per live hundredweight in the second quarter of 2013 to about $56 in the final quarter of 2013. The $13 drop is the largest on record."

Hurt explained that the 2012 drought created extreme problems for pork producers and gave them little ability to avoid large losses. Much of the feed price rise occurred in about three weeks from mid-June to early July 2012. This gave pork producers almost no time to adjust their breeding programs and meant that all the pigs "in process" were going to consume very expensive feed and result in losses. In addition, they had little economic incentive to cut back on their breeding herds. This was because the time from breeding to market approaches one year and meant that sows bred in the summer of 2012 would have pigs marketed in the spring and summer of 2013 when the outlook called for a return to profitability.

"The drought put pork producers in a bind," Hurt said. "It resulted in large losses from mid-2012 to mid-2013. Their best alternative was to keep breeding and hope for more normal crop production in 2013 and for lower feed prices. That hope is now much closer to reality and means the outlook for the next 12 months is the polar opposite of the past 12 months," he said.

Compared to the last 12 months, Hurt said that corn prices are expected to be nearly $2.00 per bushel lower in the coming 12 months. Soybean meal prices are expected to be about $100 per ton lower on average. The combination of these two factors reduce estimated total costs by about $13 per live hundredweight. Hog prices are expected to be somewhat higher in the next 12 months as well.

"The bottom line is that losses of $21 per head during the last 12 months will give way to projected profits of $16 per head in the 12 months spanning the last half of 2013 and the first half of 2014," Hurt said.

In the June Hogs and Pigs report from USDA, producers who were surveyed in early June were keeping any expansion plans on hold, waiting to see if crop production would be restored in 2013. "The size of the spring pig crop was unchanged from the previous year reflecting a status-quo attitude in the industry," Hurt said. "Summer farrowing intentions were also unchanged and fall farrowing intentions were up slightly."

Hurt added that given the increasing realization of better crop production, pork producers are expected to begin some modest expansion late this summer and especially in the fall. The industry is expected to be profitable at least through next summer.This expansion may be in the 1 to 3 percent range over the coming year.

"In the longer run, producers will want to examine the yet-to-be-answered question of where feed prices will settle," Hurt said. "Corn prices under $5.50 per bushel could stimulate some expansion. The farther below $5.50 they go, the greater the expansion stimulus will be.

"Many analysts, including me, believe markets are entering a period in which grain and oilseed supplies will catch up to demand growth," Hurt said. "This means a period of increasing crop inventories, reduced feed prices, and reduced feed price volatility. All in all, a more favorable financial period for animal producers is expected. It should also be a period of increased animal production and recovering per capita consumption by our domestic and foreign meat customers," he said.

Hurt concluded that the last six years have been an unusual period for the pork industry in that feed costs have often been the biggest single driver of the financial outlook. "If crop production returns to more normal levels, feed costs will be less important and the industry will see the primary drivers shift to pork supplies, domestic meat demand, and exports," he said. "Pork producers can see the new era from current forward prices, and in another 30 to 60 days they may have the opportunity to cross over into that promised land."



Updated FARM Program Animal Care Manual Available to Dairy Producers
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has released a newly-revised animal care reference manual, containing the guidelines that comprise the core of the National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) Program. The new manual can be found online at www.nationaldairyfarm.com.

The FARM Program was created four years ago to establish a national, voluntary dairy animal care program to bring consistency and uniformity to the practices used on America’s dairy farms. The original reference manual was used to guide animal care practices on farms that have enrolled in the program since 2009; this new manual will now be provided to those both currently enrolled, and those who will become part of the program going forward.

“This new manual reflects the continuous improvement process that is a hallmark of the FARM program,” said Jim Mulhern, Chief Operating Officer of NMPF. “It contains important revisions from the first manual, and it reflects both evolving management practices on the farm, as well as expectations for animal care from the entire dairy value chain.”

A variety of industry stakeholders provided input into the revision process, Mulhern said, and the end result includes findings from the third-party verification process that began in 2011. Among the improvements in the new manual is the overall checklist used to evaluate farms has been streamlined from 77 questions to 48, “simplifying the process for farmers, and more effectively capturing the pertinent information that animal care experts believe is relevant to proper dairy animal care,” Mulhern said.

In addition to the streamlined on-farm evaluation process, key areas of change in the areas of medical procedures, animal observations and housing include:

Medical Procedures:
·         A guideline on horn disbudding was added: Calves are disbudded at eight weeks of age or earlier and with appropriate use of analgesics and/or anesthetics.
·         Language was added to identify some best practices for disbudding, castration and extra teat removal.
·         Information is provided on proper branding techniques, as some states require this for animal ID.
·         Language was added encouraging the elimination of routine tail docking by 2022.

Animal Observations:
·         The hygiene guideline remains the same based on data collected by the FARM program. The locomotion guideline was changed to only score milking and dry cows. Two other guidelines were added to document practices in place to improve lameness.
·         The body condition score guideline was reduced to 1 percent of all animals in all pens from 10 percent because the FARM data showed that almost 98 percent of the farms in the program met this guideline. A second guideline was added to document practices are in place to improve an animal with poor condition.
·         The hock and knee lesion guideline was changed to score only the milking and dry cows. All experts agreed and the FARM data showed that this is the most high risk group on the farm for this type of injury.
·         A body abrasion section was added to allow for the collection of data on other body abrasions, besides knees and hocks, looking at all the animals on the farm. The FARM program will review the data collected after three years and decide if a guideline for body abrasions needs to be developed. The scoring system will target animals with an obvious swelling, lacerations or severe lesions of the skin.

Housing:
·         The housing section was streamlined to remove the separate section on housing types and creating guidelines that can be utilized for all systems by referring to lying areas.

Other areas such as feed and water have also been streamlined in this manner to make the evaluation more effective.

To order hard copies of the FARM Animal Care Reference Manual or the FARM Quick Reference User Guide, fill out the order form that can be found on the FARM website. The new guidelines will be implemented in the on-farm evaluation process later this summer.

The National Dairy FARM program currently has participant farms producing 70% of the nation’s milk supply, through 52 cooperatives and proprietary processors. More than 8,000 on-farm evaluations have been completed.



CWT Assists with 1.8 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted seven requests for export assistance from Bongards Creameries, Dairy Farmers of America and Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association to sell 833,347 pounds (378 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese and 992,080 pounds (450 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, the Middle East and Central America. The product will be delivered July through December 2013.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 67.757 million pounds of cheese, 53.385 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 32 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.790 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by helping to maintain inventories of cheese and butter at desirable levels. In the long-term, CWT’s Export Assistance program helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the farm milk that produces them.

CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.



Colombian Importer Buys U.S. Corn for the First Time in Two Years

Last week, a large Colombian importer, with the guidance of the U.S. Grains Council, of which the National Corn Growers Association is a founding member, networked with U.S. grains exporters in Texas, Alabama and Louisiana resulting in the purchase of more than 787,000 bushels of U.S. corn. This was the importer's first purchase of U.S. corn in more than two years. With seven plants in Colombia, this importer is the largest animal feed manufacturer in Colombia and, thus, the relationship could lead to an important increase in U.S. corn exports to the country.

In 2008, U.S. corn imports accounted for 80 percent of the Colombian corn market. The delay in ratification of the U.S.-Colombian Free Trade Agreement contributed to a decline in U.S. market share. By 2011, U.S. corn accounted for only 21 percent of that market.

NCGA, along with a variety of other organizations, pushed vigorously for passage of the FTA and, in late 2011, this important trade agreement was ratified by the U.S. Congress.

For the past few years, the Colombian importer purchased grain from other South American countries but, as the quality and supply reliability were did not meet his expectations, he now can return to purchasing U.S. corn without paying tariffs in place prior to FTA implementation. As the FTA implementation continues, NCGA expects that more stories of increased market access benefitting U.S. corn farmers will arise.

"This purchase clearly illustrates both why NCGA's work in promoting trade agreements benefits U.S. corn farmers and the effectiveness of its work in collaboration with the U.S. Grains Council," said NCGA Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team Chair Jim Zimmerman, a farmer from Wisconsin. "Together, NCGA and USGC can affect real change by promoting policies that open markets and building the relationships that capitalize on said policies. While this work may seem ephemeral, the impact on corn demand has very concrete benefits for farmers."



NE-based Pentair To Be Featured On 'American Farmer'

Pentair is pleased to announce that the company and the Hypro® line of products will be highlighted in the nationally-televised series "American Farmer." The eight-minute video includes interviews with Hypro and University of Nebraska-North Platte experts and details the importance of Pentair's Hypro spray tips for weed control plans. 

"American Farmer" reaches over 500,000 viewers and educates viewers across the United States on the advancements of agriculture and farming.  In this segment, farmers will learn about the innovative technology behind the benefits of Hypro spray tips. It features a variety of visual examples and details about the on-target and on-technology relationship for spray efficacy, drift control, droplet size, drift minimization, optimal application and more. 

The segment is scheduled to air on RFD-TV on the following days:
-    July 30, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. EDT
-    August 20, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. EDT
-    Additional air dates will be communicated in the near future

You can also view the complete segment by going to http://vimeo.com/69581730 or view it on the Hypro Web-Site at www.hyprospraytips.com.

The segment features historical background and product design objectives by Pentair's Product Manager for Global Spray Technology, Gene Schellhorn and Vice President of Global Agriculture, Dave Huml.

The piece also features a testimonial from Greg Kruger, weed scientist at the University of Nebraska, conveying the importance of precision spray technology as it relates to efficiency and environmental stewardship. Pentair partners with the University of Nebraska's West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte, Nebraska for testing and validating spray tips.



New Technology Improves Yield Measurement Accuracy, Resulting in Improved Decision-Making

Yield monitors are meant to give you information you can use to make sound decisions on hybrids and field management zones, but they often lack the accuracy needed to make the best decisions.

That’s according to Doug Sauder, Project Manager for Precision Planting. “Our new YieldSense™ system changes that,” he says. “It changes the way grain flow is measured, with a sensor and paddle that eliminate the variations of current yield monitor technology. Current systems tend to over-report yield at low flow rates and under-report at high flow rates. So, on average, they can be close. But that isn’t good enough when you are making decisions on variable rate crop plans or hybrid selection.”

In addition, Sauder says, YieldSense needs no calibration to maintain its accuracy. Sauder notes. “Load after load, pass after pass, you get yield data you can trust. Our testing has shown that even the most diligent calibration program doesn’t improve accuracy over multiple loads. We have developed a system that locks in accuracy without calibration.”

Testing by Precision Planting reveals that, while reported field totals from current systems may be within a few percent of elevator measurement, they’re off by 4% or more on about half of individual loads. “That’s not good enough to make critical decisions about hybrids and yield management zones,” says Sauder. “YieldSense achieves that accuracy, or better, 9 times out of 10, without calibration.”

YieldSense works with the 20/20 SeedSense® monitor. It includes a new flow sensor, elevator chain and paddle. Adding the FieldView™ app to an iPad delivers high-definition mapping.

YieldSense works with corn, soybeans and wheat. It is compatible with John Deere 50/60/70/S Series combines, and requires a CAN-based moisture sensor for operation.



Mosaic Launches CropNutrition.com

Recent research is definitive: As much as 60 percent of yield depends on soil fertility. Unfortunately, the science behind this imperative aspect of farming isn’t always so clear, confusing even the most veteran agriculture professionals. A new initiative from The Mosaic Company aims to better explain the various scientific aspects vital to achieving maximum yield.

Mosaic’s CropNutrition initiative is an integrated campaign designed to inform growers and retailers about key issues and trends affecting soil fertility. By using various vehicles to spread this message, Mosaic hopes to spread awareness of the fact that, for many farmers, the key to higher yield is right under their feet.

At the center of this program is CropNutrition.com, an educational digital hub that serves as a one-stop soil fertility resource for ag retailers, growers and industry experts looking to better understand the yield-sensitive scientific aspects of soil.

“What we know about fertility’s impact on yield is changing,” says Dr. Kyle Freeman, Manager of New Product Development for The Mosaic Company. “With so much attention paid to driving higher yields, the constant flow of new, highly scientific studies and information can be overwhelming for farmers and retailers. CropNutrition.com will take that information and not only make it easier to understand, but also applicable to real farm land.”

CropNutrition.com combines the best research and soil fertility resources from The Mosaic Company’s previous crop nutrition resource (Back-to-Basics.net) with new information from Mosaic’s global network of research partners. Additionally, research findings and insights from The Mosaic Company’s top agronomists provide timely, useful information on soil fertility.

CropNutrition.com delivers crop nutrition expertise in various ways, including dynamic videos, timely and topical blog posts, an Agronomy Resource Center, an interactive periodic table of essential crop nutrients and an extensive, searchable library.

Understanding that a crop’s success starts at the foundational level, The Mosaic Company has a team of top agronomists focused on helping farmers and retailers understand the impact a balanced approach to crop nutrition can have on yield. The CropNutrition initiative will provide numerous vehicles for The Mosaic Company to share the expertise and agronomic knowledge needed to understand the soil better, grow crops that are stronger, and harvest yields that are higher.    

“The goal of the CropNutrition initiative is simple — to give retailers and growers information on soil fertility, including the important role macronutrients and micronutrients play in driving yield increases, found right at their fingertips,” Dr. Freeman says. “While technological advancements in seed genetics and precision agriculture have made next-level yields possible, many have not made necessary adjustments to their approach to crop nutrition, which, ultimately, limits yield potential. The Mosaic Company is committed to expanding knowledge and providing resources to help retailers and their customers take yields to the next level.”