Cuming County Livestock Group Donates to Vet Diagnostic Center
The Cuming County Livestock Feeders Association has announced a gift of $25,000 to support the Veterinary Diagnostic Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The planned new facility will help ensure livestock producers and others have access to the best available laboratory diagnostics, research, education and outreach services.
The gift made to the University of Nebraska Foundation supports plans to replace an aging facility that no longer meets modern laboratory standards. The new facility planned to replace it will enable the university to better serve veterinarians, livestock producers, public health officials and others in Nebraska and around the country who depend on its services.
Recognizing the state's need for a new center, the Nebraska Legislature committed to provide $41.5 million in funding through the Building a Healthier Nebraska initiative once $4.15 million is first raised from private sources. To date more than $3 million of private and other support has been raised, and the university hopes to launch the project before the conclusion of 2014.
Ron Coufal, president of the Cuming County Livestock Feeders Association, said the organization is proud to invest in a new veterinary diagnostic facility for the state. "Cuming County is the largest agriculture producing county and helps Nebraska continue its number one status in the beef industry," he said. "It is only fitting that our association help Nebraska continue that ranking in all areas of livestock production, as 86 percent of agriculture revenue in the county comes from livestock with beef being the largest contributor."
Alan Doster, professor and director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Center, said, "This investment made by the Cuming County Livestock Feeders Association will be well used and will help ensure we're able to provide a high level of service to livestock producers and veterinarians in Nebraska and across the country. We also appreciate their help in bringing attention to the need for a new state facility."
Built in 1975, the Veterinary Diagnostic Center on UNL's East Campus has become outdated. According to an accreditation review last year by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, there is a need for facility upgrades and additional space to continue its responsiveness in the development and implementation of new technologies and to address biosafety and biosecurity concerns, or the center may face loss of accreditation.
The center provides testing services to professionals and organizations across the nation and is considered a national center of excellence for testing of certain diseases in livestock, which is important for keeping them healthy.
In addition to serving livestock producers, the Veterinary Diagnostic Center provides training for large animal veterinarians, a profession currently in demand in Nebraska. The center provides these future doctors with hands-on experience by studying specimens from current, real life animal cases. University faculty instructors and researchers conduct tests and perform research in the center that impacts agriculture across the country.
The center is also a diagnostic resource for most small animal veterinarians in Nebraska who use the laboratory's services for quick turnaround and accurate testing of diseases specific to family pets.
Public health officials in Nebraska even rely on the Veterinary Diagnostic Center to help protect the health of humans through diagnostic testing of certain diseases that can transfer from animals to humans, such as rabies, West Nile, H1N1 and others. The center provides disease surveillance, develops new diagnostic testing methods, conducts infectious disease research and supports continuing education programs.
The gift from Cuming County Livestock Feeders Association also provides support to the University of Nebraska's current fundraising initiative, the Campaign for Nebraska: Unlimited Possibilities, and a top priority to increase support for agriculture and life sciences.
Support for the Veterinary Diagnostic Center initiative has also been received by numerous other generous organizations and associations including the Nebraska Cattlemen, Boone Nance Cattleman, South Central Cattlemen, Exeter Feeders and Breeders, Thayer County Livestock Feeders, Saunders County Livestock Association, Morrill County Cattlemen and Bridgeport Affiliate.
Cuming County Livestock Feeders Association will celebrate 60 years of service in 2014. Its 240 members include livestock producers, businesses, students and related industries. With support from its members and fundraising events, the association's board meets monthly to allocate funds for adult and youth education programs, scholarships, 4-H support, beef promotion and other worthy industry causes. It's an affiliate of the Nebraska Cattlemen and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Over the years many local, state and national leaders have had ties to Cuming County, with the most recent being J.D. Alexander, the past president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.
The University of Nebraska Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization raising private gifts to support the University of Nebraska for more than 75 years. In 2012, donors provided the university with $165 million for scholarships, medical and other research, academic programs, faculty and buildings. All foundation funds are donor designated. The foundation's comprehensive fundraising campaign, the Campaign for Nebraska, has raised more than $1.5 billion for the university and concludes in 2014. For more information, visit campaignfornebraska.org.
Entomology Department Recruits New Student Ambassadors
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's entomology department has recruited five new students to be the first student ambassadors for the program.
The ambassadors will help with recruitment events, prospective student visits and will be involved in a mentoring program from incoming freshman, said Lisa Silberman, recruitment coordinator for UNL's entomology department.
The students went through a selection process before being chosen. Silberman said that she felt all the candidates were articulate, well organized and had positive attitudes.
"This is our first group of ambassadors, we're really excited," Silberman said. "We really wanted to get a student viewpoint for prospective students' questions."
The new student ambassadors are:
– Kait Armitage, Papillion, Insect Science
– Justine LaViolette, St. Louis, Insect Science
– Katie O'Brien, Newman Grove, Insect Science
– Anastasia Johnson, Central City, Applied Science
– Cole Lewandowski, Litchfield, Applied Science
Nebraska BQA: Veterinarian Client Patient Relationship
Rob Eirich, UNL Extension Educator and Nebraska Director of BQA
Beef producers are committed to producing a high quality, safe and wholesome beef product. A commitment to herd health and veterinary input is critical to achieving this goal. To this end, developing a Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) is important and will benefit all aspects of cattle performance. A Veterinarian’s working understanding of cattle disease and parasites can help cattle raisers develop targeted vaccination and treatment programs. The VCPR is important to opening the door for cattle producers to get the most from their relationship with a veterinarian.
Over-the-counter (OTC) health products that can be purchased by producers, but input from their veterinarian can improve the value the beef producer receives from OTC products. Additionally, there are prescription (Rx) medications that require veterinary involvement to acquire and use and without a strong VCPR, veterinarians cannot legally write prescriptions. But beyond the legal issue, involving a veterinarian and helping them gain a good understanding of a herd can improve the value received from Rx medications.
Bottom line, today’s beef cattle producers can get the most of the vaccines and medications used in their herd health plan by developing a strong relationship with a veterinarian. A veterinarian that understands the operation, plus knows the local diseases and parasites can be a valuable asset.
For more information about Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance or to get BQA certification, contact Rob Eirich, UNL Extension Educator and Nebraska Director of BQA at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center 308.632.1230 or reirich2@unl.edu.
Nebraska State Grange Annual Meeting This Month in Grand Island
The Nebraska State Grange will hold it’s annual meeting at the Riverside Inn in Grand Island, September 13-14-15, 2013. to work on Grange Policy for the coming year.
Friday, Sept. 13.
Grangers will meet at noon for lunch together and a tour of the Nova-Tech plant in Grand Island. Nova -Tech manufactures large animal health products. Registration will begin at 7:30. PM. There will be an Ice Cream Social at 8:00 PM and committees will start going over resolutions.
Sat. Sept. 14:
The meeting will officially open at 8:30 on Saturday morning and the members will hear the annual reports from National Grange President, Ed Luttrell, of Sandy OR and State Grange President, Ted Doane, of Waverly NE.
The speaker for the noon Lunch will be Grace Boatright, Legislative Director for the National Grange. She was born and raised in Austin TX, and moved to Washington D.C. in 2010. She graduated from Concordia Lutheran University with a BBA, concentrated in finance and marketing. She is excited to advocate on behalf of rural Americans and Agriculture in the nations capital.
MC will be Kevin Cooklsey, Overseer of the NE State Grange and member of the Custer County Grange. Scholarships and Community Service awards will be presented.
In the afternoon Phyllis Tooker, Family Activities Chairman, of Ralston NE, will do a craft workshop. National Grange Representative, Grace Boatright will do a workshop on Legislative input.
At 4:30 the 5th degree obligation will be given to candidates, followed by the presentation of the 6th degree by the State Grange Officers.
The Banquet will be at 6:30 Saturday evening. The MC will be, Ted Doane, of Waverly NE, State Grange President. The Distinguished Service Award will be presented by Kevin Cooksley. The Community Citizen Award and the Program Director Awards will be given. The banquet entertainment will be Cherrie Beam-Clark, from the Nebraska Humanities Council. Her character is Mariah Monahan, done with Irish brogue and period costume, Depicting a Nebraska settler between 1845 and 1870. Based on historical fact, this is a first-person Chautauqua-style presentation.
Sunday Morning, Sept 15:
The program will consist of a Memorial Service under the direction of State Grange Chaplain, Gwenda Cogswell of Friend Ne. Nebraska Grange members who have passed on in the last year will be remembered. The Chris Ogle Family from Broken Bow, will do an Inspirational Service for the attending Grangers.
The Lecturer’s time planned by State Lecturer, Darlene Janing of Geneva, will be a “History of Grand Island’, given by Judy Humiston from the Hall County Historical Society.
The MC for the Sunday lunch will be, Jim Peterson, State Grange Steward, from Blair NE. Family Activity awards will be given by Phyllis Tooker of Ralston, Chairman. Community Citizens will be recognized.
In the afternoon, Resolution Committees will give final reports and Resolutions will be voted on by the Delegates from Nebraska Granges, to form Nebraska Grange Policy for the next year.
Other Activities:
Program Director, Darlene Janing, has planned a photo contest and a short essay contest on the subject “Patriotic Activities In My Community”. Family Activities Chairman, Phyllis Tooker has several activities planned. She will set up the “Country Store” selling items donated by Grange members and Baking Contest Entries. There will also be “Toys for Tots”, handmade toys and “Linus Blankets” to be given to children taken to hospitals or into Foster Care. Grange members will also donate handmade booties and caps to hospitals to be given to premature babies. Pop tabs will also be donated to help Ronald McDonald Houses.
Cattle & Corn Comments: Beef Marketing Margins
Darrell Mark, SDSU Economics Adjunct Professor
As consumers were heading to the grocery stores to buy their steaks and hamburgers for grilling on this Labor Day holiday, they might have thought that the prices for the beef were quite expensive and that cattle producers were making a lot of money. They would have been correct about the first part, but not the second. Retail prices have hovered near record highs for several months. In fact, in July (the most recent month for which data are available), retail beef prices averaged a record $5.357/lb. Fed cattle prices, though, only averaged $119/cwt. As a result, the spread between the retail value of beef from a carcass and the live animal was quite wide in July 2013. In fact, this live to retail price spread, was record large in July at $1,253/head. Note that this estimated spread is calculated using average carcass yields of meat and also includes the value of hide and offal products that are sold, which were also record high in July. As shown, the live to retail price spread has averaged almost $100/head, or 9%, higher in the first seven months of 2013 compared to the same time period last year.
Dissecting the live to retail price spread into margins before and after beef harvesting/processing can help identify what segments of the industry are profitable (or not profitable). [A second set of figures] shows the price spread between the same live animal value and the wholesale boxed beef cutouts that beef processors sell. In July, this live to cutout beef price spread averaged about $169/head, about $8/head higher than in July 2012 and about $16/head higher than the 5-year average. Note, though, that this is a gross processing margin and it doesn't mean that beef packers are making $169/head. From this gross spread, they have to cover all their fixed and variable costs of operating, including labor, equipment, etc. As a rough industry average (they vary by plant and company), these costs generally are close to $150/head. Thus, an "average" beef packer may have been making about $9/head in July, which is seasonally the month with the highest live to cutout processing margin. Note that the packer's gross margin averaged close to $90/head during the first four months of 2013, which would generally have been unprofitable for most all packers/processors.
The difference between the wholesale value of the beef sold by packers and the retail value is also shown {see graphs at igrow.org/livestock/profit-tips/catle-corn-comments-september-2-2013/.) This essentially is the gross margin that the retail industry has to cover its costs to market beef to consumers. In July, this cutout to retail price spread averaged a record $1085/head. From January to July 2013, this spread averaged $1031/head, almost $85/head higher than the same seven months in 2012.
The estimated gross spreads would suggest that a majority of the profits available from beef marketing are currently being held at the retail level. A couple of factors contribute to retailers' ability to keep these profits. First, retail prices tend to be fairly "sticky" and once prices go up, they don't tend to come down very quickly (or vice versa) because consumers generally dislike extreme price variability (especially of the magnitude that ag producers deal with in the commodities markets). Second, beef packers/processors have generally been unable to push boxed beef prices much beyond $200/cwt this year for a sustained period of time. When they have, retailers tend to switch features to competing meats, which are growing in supply.
Although not evident in these three graphs, the cattle feeding industry hasn't been earning a profit this year either. In fact, losses to cattle feeding (on a strictly cash basis) have averaged nearly $160/head so far in 2013. It has improved in recent months, but the $119/cwt average fed cattle price in July still resulted in average losses for that month around $82/head.
NCGA Sets New Membership Record
Membership at the National Corn Growers Association reached a new all-time high with 40,244 on the rolls as August closed. This further builds upon the membership milestone achieved in July, when rolls surpassed 40,000 members for the first time.
"The record set last month confirms the move past the 40,000 member mark last month was not a fluke but, instead, was indicative of a trend upon which we will keep actively building," said NCGA Grower Services Action Team Chair Brandon Hunnicutt. "Whether working to promote research that increases opportunities or voicing the support of America's farmers for the Renewable Fuels Standard and farm bill in Washington, NCGA draws upon the strength of its more than 40,000 members so that, together, we can accomplish much more than we ever could acting alone."
Throughout NCGA's history, grassroots efforts have been the strength and driving force behind the organization.
"Farmers are at the heart of everything that NCGA does, with growers behind each step of a project from conception through the realization of its goals," stated Hunnicutt. "So many farmers choose to actively participate in the organization because they value giving back to their industry, putting the interests of the greatest number of farmers from across the country first in every decision they make."
NCGA has members across the contiguous United States. It is part of a federation in cooperation with grower associations and checkoff boards from 28 states, and represents more than 300,000 growers who contribute corn checkoff funds in their states
Retail Fertilizer Trends Continue Lower
As has been the case for the last several weeks, fertilizer prices are continuing to tumble, according to retailers tracked by DTN for the fourth week of August. A majority of the eight major fertilizers registered significant decreases in retail prices.
Urea and UAN32 both slid 9% compared to prices a month ago. Urea had an average price of $481/ton and UAN32 averaged $387/ton. 10-34-0 dropped 8% from last month and now has an average price of $552/ton.
UAN28 dropped 7% from a month earlier and had an average price of $344/ton. Both potash and 10-34-0 were down 6% from the prior month. Potash had an average price of $531/ton and anhydrous $685/ton.
The remaining two fertilizers had price declines that were fairly small. DAP had an average price of $565/ton and MAP $594/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.52/lb.N, anhydrous $0.42/lb.N, UAN28 $0.61/lb.N and UAN32 $0.60/lb.N.
With prices moving lower, all eight of the major fertilizers are now below year-ago prices.
UAN32 is 9% lower compared to last year, but seven of the eight fertilizers are now double digits lower in price compared to August 2012. MAP is 10% lower, DAP and UAN28 are now down 11%, 10-34-0 is 12% less expensive, potash is down 15%, anhydrous is 16% lower and urea is 21% less expensive compared to last year.
Another Year of Rationing Corn or Soybeans?
According to University of Illinois agricultural economist Darrel Good, the U.S. average corn yield was below trend value for three consecutive years from 2010 through 2012 and the U.S. average soybean yield was below trend value in both 2011 and 2012. The shortfall in corn yields resulted in declining year-ending stocks and higher prices in both the 2010-11 and 2011-12 marketing years.
"The small crop of 2012 required rationing of consumption and resulted in record high prices for the 2012-13 marketing year," Good said. "Consumption during that marketing year is currently estimated at 11.215 billion bushels, 1.312 billion bushels (10.5 percent) less than consumption in the previous year. Year-ending stocks are projected at 719 million bushels, only 6.4 percent of consumption during the year.
Good said that for soybeans the shortfall in yields in 2011 resulted in higher prices and smaller year-ending stocks for the 2011-12 marketing year than those of the previous year. The small crop of 2012 resulted in sharply higher prices, rationing of consumption, and a further draw down in year-ending stocks. Consumption for the year just ended is estimated at 3.094 billion bushels, 61 million (2 percent) less than during the previous year. Year-ending stocks are projected at 125 million bushels, only 4 percent of consumption during the year.
"While the 2013 production season got off to a rocky start due to late planting in many areas, expectations into early August were for larger crops than in 2012, increased consumption during the 2013-14 marketing year, a build-up in stocks by the end of the year, and much lower prices than during the previous year," Good said. "In the August 12 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report, the USDA forecast a record corn crop of 13.763 billion bushels, a 1.46 billion bushel increase in consumption, and year-ending stocks of 1.837 billion bushels (14.5 percent of projected consumption).The 2013-14 marketing-year average farm price was projected in a range of $4.50 to $5.30 per bushel, compared to an average near $7.00 for the previous year."
For soybeans, Good said that production was forecast at 3.255 billion bushels, 240 million larger than the 2012 crop. Consumption was forecast to increase by 82 million bushels, and year-ending stocks were projected at 220 million bushels (6.9 percent of projected consumption). The 2013-14 marketing year average farm price was projected in a range of $10.35 to $12.35 per bushel, compared to an average of $14.40 during the previous year.
"Expectations began to change in early August as hot, dry weather conditions developed across a broad swath of the production area. It appears that average precipitation across Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa in August, for example, was the lowest since records began in 1895," Good said. "The average for July and August in those three states may have been the third lowest since 1895.
"The adverse weather conditions have resulted in lower yield and production expectations for both crops, raising concerns that consumption may need to be rationed again in 2013-14," Good said. "Rationing, however, does not appear likely for corn. Assuming that the size of the market is near the USDA projection of 12.675 billion bushels and that year-ending stocks can be reduced to about 6 percent of consumption, the crop would have to be less than 12.7 billion bushels to require rationing. If harvested area is near the forecast of 89.1 million acres, the U.S. average yield would need to be less than 142.5 bushels to produce a crop less than 12.7 billion bushels.
"Some believe that the Farm Service Agency estimate of prevented planted acres points to less harvested area," he said. "If harvested area is only 88 million acres, for example, the yield would need to be less than 144.3 bushels to require rationing. The USDA's August forecast was for a yield of 154.4 bushels."
Good said that for soybeans, assuming that the size of the market is near the USDA projection of 3.176 billion bushels and that year-ending stocks can be reduced to about 4 percent of consumption, the crop would only have to be less than 3.16 billion bushels to require rationing. With harvested area of 76.4 million acres, the U.S. average yield would need to be less than 41.4 bushels per acres to produce a crop less than 3.16 billion bushels. That compares to the USDA August forecast of 42.6 bushels and the 2012 average of 39.6 bushels. Last year, August and early September rainfall was generally plentiful and the average yield of 39.6 bushels was 4.3 bushels above the September forecast.
"At this juncture, the 2013 corn crop is expected to be large enough that rationing of consumption during the year ahead will not be required," Good said. "The average farm price will likely be higher than expected a month ago, but a sharp increase in prices from current levels to discourage consumption is probably not needed. Prices during the first half of the marketing year may be relatively flat.
"There is more concern about the size of the soybean crop and prices have risen sharply over the past month," Good said. "Unlike corn prices, soybean prices are expected to unfold in more of a short-crop pattern like that of last year. Under such a pattern, prices would be expected to peak very early in the marketing year in order to discourage consumption and decline as the year progresses, particularly if the South American crop is large again in 2014," he said.
Dairy Products Production July 2013 Highlights
Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 910 million pounds, 3.0 percent above July 2012 but slightly below June 2013. Italian type cheese production totaled 393 million pounds, 6.4 percent above July 2012 and slightly above June 2013. American type cheese production totaled 360 million pounds, 1.0 percent above July 2012 but 0.9 percent below June 2013. Butter production was 134 million pounds, 0.5 percent above July 2012 but 4.6 percent below June 2013.
Dry milk powders (comparisons with July 2012)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 116 million pounds, down 17.5 percent.
Skim milk powders - 53.1 million pounds, up 42.7 percent.
Whey products (comparisons with July 2012)
Dry whey, total - 76.2 million pounds, down 4.5 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 85.8 million pounds, up 1.7 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 39.1 million pounds, up 15.4 percent.
Frozen products (comparisons with July 2012)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 77.0 million gallons, up 2.4 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 41.9 million gallons, down 4.5 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 4.19 million gallons, up 4.8 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 6.52 million gallons, up slightly.
20 chosen to serve on 2013-14 National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador team
Twenty FFA members from throughout the country have been selected to serve on the 2013-14 National Collegiate Agriculture Ambassador team by the National FFA Organization. The team includes:
FLORIDA: James Barringer and Elise Stoddard, both of New Smyma Beach
MINNESOTA: Sara Colombe of Little Falls
ARKANSAS: Ashton Dawson of Bentonville and L. Jade Halliburton of Crossett
ILLINOIS: Jacob Dickey of Gibson City, Justice Plummer of Chicago and Nicole Zeien of Belvidere
MISSOURI: Cara Fordyce of Kidder and Courtney Spencer of Aurora
NORTH CAROLINA: Beverly Hampton of Mount Ulla
PENNSYLVANIA: K. Janae Herr of Lancaster and Carolyn Lawrence of Chambersburg
IOWA: Katie Johnson of Milford
MONTANA: Karoline Rose of Bozeman
WISCONSIN: Sam Tauchen of Bonduel
CALIFORNIA: Kiah Twisselman of Santa Margarita
KANSAS: Alexis Wingerson of Smith Center
RHODE ISLAND: Lauren Woloohojian of West Greenwich
UTAH: Katherine Nye of Delta
All 20 FFA members underwent specialized training Aug. 5-9 in Greensboro, N.C., to learn how to best advocate for agriculture and agricultural education throughout the nation. Each ambassador must complete a minimum of 30 hours of presentations to businesses, schools, community groups and more. They will also facilitate seminars and workshops to audiences of all ages interested in learning more about the agriculture industry.
Together, this group of ambassadors help increase public understanding of the food, fiber and natural resources industry; promote awareness of the scientific, economical and mechanical resources needed to produce a safe and reliable food source; increase awareness of career opportunities in the agriculture industry for collegiate students and the general public and help provide growth opportunities in leadership, facilitation and the agricultural industry for the collegiate agriculture ambassador team.
Those selected as ambassadors were chosen in early July after submitting an application to the program and participating in an interview process. Each ambassador will serve a year in their role and receive a $1,000 scholarship for their efforts that can be used toward tuition and other school expenses.
The 2013-14 National Collegiate Ambassador program is sponsored by Syngenta, BASF and Cargill.
Tyson Foods Joins as Sponsor of College Aggies Online Scholarship Competition
The Animal Agriculture Alliance welcomes Tyson Foods, Inc. as the newest sponsor of its fifth annual College Aggies Online (CAO) scholarship program. CAO, an agriculture advocacy scholarship competition, will launch September 9, 2013.
“We are thrilled that Tyson Foods has come aboard as the newest supporter of one of the Alliance’s most positive and proactive initiatives,” said Alliance President and CEO Kay Johnson Smith. “There’s nothing more crucial than helping the next generation of farmers, ranchers and agriculture professionals understand the importance of sharing agriculture’s story.”
Tyson Foods has had a long history of generously contributing to programs that focus on five main areas: hunger relief, health and human services, education, community development and the military. The CAO program, which began in 2009, is designed to enable college students with an interest in agriculture to become confident, proactive and creative communicators using social media tools.
“Tyson Foods is proud to provide this sponsorship of the College Aggies Online program and to support students across the country as they share the importance of agriculture in feeding the world and give back to their communities,” said Annetta Young, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Tyson Foods.
This fall’s competition will include new, creative assignments, increased participant interaction with issue experts, and a more comprehensive internship and career database. Both individuals and collegiate agriculture clubs can compete in CAO, and challenges range from writing blogs and engaging with stakeholders using social media, to hosting a campus-wide “Meet your Meat” event. Participants will also be encouraged to actively participate in their communities at large by completing assignments focused on giving back, like hosting food and clothing drives and volunteering at soup kitchens.
“When evaluating our goals for the CAO program, we really wanted to encourage participants not only to communicate with their peers about agriculture, but also to get involved in their local communities and focus on issues of greater significance, like hunger,” said Johnson Smith. “We can’t wait to see the impact the clubs and students, who are already passionate about agriculture, will have in discussing agriculture with their communities at large.”
This week, Alliance staff member Morgan Hawley will complete a three week, 31-college tour promoting the CAO program nationwide. Last spring, approximately 980 students from more than 75 universities participated in CAO.
The final points will be tallied in November 2013 and the club with the most points will receive a $5,000.00 scholarship, national recognition and a trip for two representatives to Washington, D.C. for the Alliance’s annual Stakeholders Summit. The first place individual will win a $2,500.00 scholarship and a trip to D.C. Scholarships and recognition will also be awarded to the runner-up in the club and the second and third placing individuals. Additionally, club and individual winners will also be invited to tour the Tyson Foods headquarters and processing facilities in Springdale, Arkansas.
Other 2013 sponsors include Lallemand Animal Nutrition and the National Pork Board.
Cover Crop Management in Corn and Soybean Cropping Systems
In recent years, interest in adding cover crops to corn and soybean cropping systems has increased as their potential benefits have become more widely recognized. According to Andy Heggenstaller, DuPont Pioneer agronomy research manager, cover crops offer opportunities for improving soil quality and crop production efficiency, but they can also add new management challenges and risks.
Cover crops are best viewed as a long-term investment in soil productivity. The specific benefits of a cover crop depend on the species and growing environment. Selecting the right cover crop for your farming operation begins by identifying the specific functions you want the cover crop to provide. The primary benefits of cover crops in corn and soybean cropping systems include reduced soil compaction, soil nutrient retention and prevention of soil erosion. The most commonly used cover crops fall into one of three broad groups, including grasses, legumes and brassica. These groups are based on species, potential benefits and management considerations.
Research studies on cover crop effects on grain crop yields have reported a range of responses, depending on environment, cover crop species and management. Yield effects can also differ between corn and soybeans. Generally, legume cover crops and grass-legume mixtures are more likely to have a positive effect on corn yield than grasses alone. While this difference is not universal, it is likely to hold true across a range of locations and management scenarios. Additionally, regional differences in corn yield response to cover crops highlight the importance of soil and climatic factors. Cover crops are more likely to have a positive effect on corn yield in southern and eastern locations than in northern locations.
Getting the greatest benefit out of cover crops requires management intensity similar to corn and soybeans. Selecting the right cover crop for your farming operation begins by identifying a management goal, such as increasing soil organic matter or improving spring weed suppression. Start out by testing a cover crop on a single field, and expand as you gain management experience.
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Tuesday September 3 Crop Progress and Condition + Ag News
NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION
For the week ending September 1, 2013, temperatures well above normal combined with limited rainfall to further reduce soil moisture supplies and stress dryland crops and pasture, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Pockets of rain occurred during the week, but no wide spread rainfall was received. Over half the corn crop has reached the dent stage, more than a third of the grain sorghum was turning color and the first fields of soybeans were dropping leaves. Statewide, producers had 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 22 percent very short, 42 short, 36 adequate, and 0 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 32 percent very short, 42 short, 26 adequate, and 0 surplus.
Field Crops Report:
All corn condition rated 6 percent very poor, 8 poor, 22 fair, 45 good, and 19 excellent. Irrigated corn conditions rated 82 percent good or excellent, compared to 75 average. Dryland corn conditions rated 39 percent good or excellent, compared to 58 average. Corn in dough was 93 percent, behind 100 last year but near 95 average. Corn dented was 51 percent, behind 91 last year and 70 average. Corn mature was 1 percent, behind 34 last year and 9 average.
Soybean conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 23 fair, 52 good, and 14 excellent. Ninety-eight percent of the crop was setting pods, near 99 last year and equal to 98 average. Soybeans dropping leaves were 4 percent, behind 6 last year but ahead of 2 average.
Sorghum conditions rated 11 percent very poor, 19 poor, 30 fair, 37 good, and 3 excellent. Sorghum heading was 97 percent, ahead of 87 last year but near 96 average. Sorghum turning color was 34 percent, ahead of 27 last year but behind 39 average.
Alfalfa conditions were 7 percent very poor, 13 poor, 29 fair, 44 good, and 7 excellent. The third cutting of alfalfa was 85 percent complete, behind 98 last year but near 87 average. The fourth cutting of alfalfa was 6 percent complete, behind 43 last year and 18 average.
Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Stock water supplies rated 5 percent very short, 20 short, 74 adequate, and 1 surplus. Pasture and range condition was 16 percent very poor, 22 poor, 33 fair, 28 good, and 1 excellent.
Access the National publication for Crop Progress and Condition tables at: http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProg//2010s/2013/CropProg-09-01-2013.txt.
Access the High Plains Region Climate Center for Temperature and Precipitation Maps at: http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/maps/current/index.php?action=update_region&state=NE®ion=HPRCC.
Access the U.S. Drought Monitor at: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_state.htm?NE,HP.
Iowa Crop Progress and Condition
Above average temperatures prevailed across Iowa during the week ending September 1, 2013, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Although most of the State received little or no rainfall, parts of western Iowa experienced beneficial rain.
While hot temperatures allowed crops to mature, crop conditions deteriorated last week in response to the heat and lack of moisture. Statewide there was an average of 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork. A total of 22 percent of topsoil and 26 percent of subsoil was in the adequate and surplus moisture categories, declining 6 and 8 percentage points from last week, respectively. Topsoil moisture levels rated 44 percent very short, 34 percent short, 22 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 35 percent very short, 39 percent short, 26 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus.
Ninety-four percent of the corn crop reached the milk stage, 4 percentage points behind normal. Seventy-three percent of the crop reached the dough stage, trailing the normal 88 percent. Thirty-three percent of the crop has reached the dent stage, 12 days behind normal. A small portion of the earliest planted corn was mature. Corn condition declined from the previous week, and was rated at 8 percent very poor, 17 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 33 percent good and 6 percent excellent.
Ninety-three percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, behind last year’s 99 percent and the normal 98 percent. Some of the earliest planted soybeans have begun turning color. Soybean condition also declined from last week and was rated 8 percent very poor, 16 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 34 percent good and 5 percent excellent.
The warm and mostly dry conditions allowed the harvest of third cutting alfalfa to reach 77 percent compete, above the normal 72 percent, but still well behind last year’s 98 percent. Pasture condition continued to deteriorate, and was rated 24 percent very poor, 28 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 14 percent good and 1 percent excellent.
IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
Provided by Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
It was a hot and dry week across Iowa. A few lucky areas receivedsubstantial rainfall while no rain fell over much of southeast Iowa and portions of north central and northeast Iowa. This was the hottest week of the year with temperatures averaging 11.7 degrees above normal. A hotter week was last recorded during the first week of July 2012. Actual temperatures peaked at 104 degrees at Des Moines and Fort Madison on Friday (30th) while the heat index reached 108 degrees at Iowa City on Wednesday (28th) afternoon. Slightly cooler air finally arrived on Saturday (31st) with Sheldon reporting a morning low of 57 degrees while afternoon highs in the nineties were confined to the southern one-half of Iowa. There were only two periods of rain during the week. A narrow area of thunderstorms formed late Friday (30th) into Saturday (31st) morning from the Newton-Marshalltown area northeastward to Dubuque with a maximum report of 2.46 inches of rain at Lock & Dam 11 at Dubuque. A larger area of thunderstorms brought rain to much of the southwest one-half of Iowa late Saturday (31st) into Sunday (1st) morning. A few locations received more than an inch of rain with Sheldon reporting the most with 1.72 inches. The statewide average rainfall was 0.28 inches while normal for the week is 0.90 inches. High winds and some hail accompanied the rain in far northwest Iowa along with reports of winds flattening corn in Dallas County in central Iowa.
Corn, Soybean Condition Ratings Drop
As expected, corn and soybean ratings fell moderately in the week ended Sept. 1, according to USDA's weekly Crop Progress and Condition reports. The week was highlighted with very high temps and little in the way of precipitation in many areas of the Corn Belt.
Soybean condition ratings fell to 15% poor to very poor and 31% only fair, compared to 13% and 29% last week. Ninety-two percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, compared to 84% last week and a 5-year average of 96%.
Corn condition ratings fell to 16% poor to very poor and 28% only fair, compared to 14% and 27% last week. Four percent of the corn crop is mature, compared to a 5-year 17% average. Forty-two percent of the nation's corn is in the dent stage, compared to 23% last week and a 61% 5-year average.
Corn Dough - Selected States
[These 18 States planted 92% of the 2012 corn acreage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Week ending :
:-----------------------------------------:
State :September 1, : August 25, :September 1, : 2008-2012
: 2012 : 2013 : 2013 : Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Colorado .......: 94 68 87 84
Illinois .......: 99 88 93 94
Indiana ........: 99 77 91 91
Iowa ...........: 98 46 73 88
Kansas .........: 100 87 94 96
Kentucky .......: 99 72 85 92
Michigan .......: 89 65 79 84
Minnesota ......: 100 44 68 84
Missouri .......: 100 85 94 94
Nebraska .......: 100 82 93 95
North Carolina .: 100 100 100 99
North Dakota ...: 97 58 71 75
Ohio ...........: 95 80 91 87
Pennsylvania ...: 89 75 89 81
South Dakota ...: 94 79 90 87
Tennessee ......: 100 95 97 99
Texas ..........: 95 89 91 95
Wisconsin ......: 88 40 61 77
18 States ......: 97 70 84 89
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corn Dented - Selected States
[These 18 States planted 92% of the 2012 corn acreage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Week ending :
:-----------------------------------------:
State :September 1, : August 25, :September 1, : 2008-2012
: 2012 : 2013 : 2013 : Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Colorado .......: 61 17 33 41
Illinois .......: 94 29 46 69
Indiana ........: 83 22 47 58
Iowa ...........: 89 9 33 64
Kansas .........: 89 37 56 78
Kentucky .......: 92 48 66 80
Michigan .......: 58 14 29 47
Minnesota ......: 86 5 22 51
Missouri .......: 97 49 68 79
Nebraska .......: 91 29 51 70
North Carolina .: 96 93 97 95
North Dakota ...: 77 5 16 37
Ohio ...........: 70 22 43 52
Pennsylvania ...: 57 46 49 47
South Dakota ...: 78 18 41 49
Tennessee ......: 99 79 91 94
Texas ..........: 87 71 79 83
Wisconsin ......: 58 5 20 39
18 States ......: 84 23 42 61
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corn Mature - Selected States
[These 18 States planted 92% of the 2012 corn acreage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Week ending :
:-----------------------------------------:
State :September 1, : August 25, :September 1, : 2008-2012
: 2012 : 2013 : 2013 : Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Colorado .......: 9 (NA) 1 5
Illinois .......: 60 (NA) - 26
Indiana ........: 30 (NA) 3 14
Iowa ...........: 47 (NA) 2 16
Kansas .........: 60 (NA) 4 33
Kentucky .......: 77 (NA) 22 46
Michigan .......: 11 (NA) - 8
Minnesota ......: 14 (NA) - 5
Missouri .......: 82 (NA) 15 38
Nebraska .......: 34 (NA) 1 9
North Carolina .: 87 (NA) 87 82
North Dakota ...: 20 (NA) - 6
Ohio ...........: 12 (NA) - 7
Pennsylvania ...: 15 (NA) 5 10
South Dakota ...: 16 (NA) 1 5
Tennessee ......: 84 (NA) 27 56
Texas ..........: 72 (NA) 62 66
Wisconsin ......: 9 (NA) - 4
18 States ......: 38 (NA) 4 17
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corn Condition - Selected States: Week Ending September 1, 2013
[National crop conditions for selected States are weighted based on 2012planted acreage]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
State : Very poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Colorado .......: 14 12 28 40 6
Illinois .......: 3 11 29 46 11
Indiana ........: 2 6 26 46 20
Iowa ...........: 8 17 36 33 6
Kansas .........: 13 17 31 32 7
Kentucky .......: 1 2 10 43 44
Michigan .......: 3 8 24 45 20
Minnesota ......: 4 10 33 45 8
Missouri .......: 8 19 34 34 5
Nebraska .......: 6 8 22 45 19
North Carolina .: 1 4 17 59 19
North Dakota ...: 5 16 38 35 6
Ohio ...........: 1 4 17 48 30
Pennsylvania ...: 1 1 10 38 50
South Dakota ...: 3 11 25 46 15
Tennessee ......: - 2 11 48 39
Texas ..........: 1 10 35 41 13
Wisconsin ......: 7 17 31 34 11
18 States ......: 5 11 28 42 14
Previous week ..: 4 10 27 44 15
Previous year ..: 26 26 26 19 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soybeans Setting Pods - Selected States
[These 18 States planted 95% of the 2012 soybean acreage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Week ending :
:-----------------------------------------:
State :September 1, : August 25, :September 1, : 2008-2012
: 2012 : 2013 : 2013 : Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Arkansas .......: 100 89 95 96
Illinois .......: 99 83 91 97
Indiana ........: 99 88 95 95
Iowa ...........: 99 83 93 98
Kansas .........: 85 72 83 88
Kentucky .......: 91 66 80 91
Louisiana ......: 100 97 99 100
Michigan .......: 100 93 96 98
Minnesota ......: 100 85 94 98
Mississippi ....: 100 95 99 100
Missouri .......: 93 65 79 85
Nebraska .......: 99 94 98 98
North Carolina .: 90 54 67 84
North Dakota ...: 100 93 98 100
Ohio ...........: 100 92 97 98
South Dakota ...: 100 91 97 98
Tennessee ......: 99 77 90 96
Wisconsin ......: 100 75 87 97
18 States ......: 98 84 92 96
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soybean Condition - Selected States: Week Ending September 1, 2013
[National crop conditions for selected States are weighted based on 2012 planted acreage]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
State : Very poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Arkansas .......: 3 10 35 36 16
Illinois .......: 2 11 35 45 7
Indiana ........: 2 8 28 45 17
Iowa ...........: 8 16 37 34 5
Kansas .........: 2 9 33 49 7
Kentucky .......: 1 2 13 53 31
Louisiana ......: - 3 21 54 22
Michigan .......: 3 8 29 45 15
Minnesota ......: 3 11 34 45 7
Mississippi ....: 1 4 21 52 22
Missouri .......: 8 19 34 34 5
Nebraska .......: 3 8 23 52 14
North Carolina .: 2 9 33 50 6
North Dakota ...: 6 17 38 36 3
Ohio ...........: 1 6 21 54 18
South Dakota ...: 3 13 27 47 10
Tennessee ......: - 5 13 55 27
Wisconsin ......: 7 16 31 35 11
18 States ......: 4 11 31 43 11
Previous week ..: 3 10 29 46 12
Previous year ..: 16 21 33 26 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bale Feeder Choice Can Reduce Waste and Save Money
Steve Tonn, UNL Extension Educator, Washington County
Winter feeding time is a ways off but now might be the time to think about how you can reduce hay feeding losses and input costs. Management of input costs is a key business concern and can mean the difference between operational profit or loss. Winter feed represents the largest single cost on a cow-calf operation. Therefore when looking to reduce the cost of production, it is very important to take a long and hard look at winter feed costs, especially when hay is selling in the $150 - $250/ton range. When it comes to hay waste, using the right type of bale feeder can make significant cost savings difference.
An Oklahoma State University study examined four bale feeder designs: a conventional open bottom steel ring, a sheeted bottom steel ring, a polyethylene pipe ring and a modified cone feeder with a sheeted bottom. The research conducted by Dr. Dave Lalman, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension beef cattle specialist and other scientists with OSU’s Division of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources indicates that using a cone-style feeder or modified cone feeder with a sheeted bottom should reduce hay waste to approximately five to six percent of the original bale weight. Researchers found that open bottom hay feeders can waste as much as 21 percent of the original bale weight.
The scientists discovered that differences in hay feeder design did not restrict dry matter intake by the cattle, but can significantly affect the amount of feed wasted and subsequently the amount of hay fed. A study at Michigan State University compared feed wastage among different types of round bale feeders. Ring and ring/cone type feeders were the most efficient, resulting in an average of only 4.5 percent waste, while trailer type feeders had 11.4 percent waste. Cradle type feeders were the least efficient with 14.6 percent of the hay wasted. These results support the concept that feeder choice is important.
When considering buying a bale feeder, university researchers have the following suggestions regarding hay feeder design that may help reduce feed losses:
1. Provide enough distance between the outside of the feeder and the feed. Feeders, which allow cows to be able to comfortably keep their heads within the feeder perimeter, reduce feed costs.
2. Avoid bars or dividers between feeding stations. Design features, which allow more access to the hay by reducing a cow’s inclination to push or butt another cow to get access to the hay, will reduce hay losses.
3. Provide a comfortable feeding height. Cows prefer to eat with their ears lower than the top of their shoulders similar to how they eat grazing. Cows that reach over the top of the feeder to get hay also tend to waste more.
4. Use a hay saver panel. Feeders designed to sit on the ground will benefit from having a solid panel at the bottom to keep hay inside the feeder.
5. Slanted bar designs encourage animals to keep their heads in the feeder opening by providing some constraint.
So if you are planning to replace or add hay feeders before winter feeding starts, take a close look at the design of the feeder before you buy. Paying more for the correct design can save you money in the long run and reduce your cost of production.
UNL "Raising Our H2O IQ" at Husker Harvest Days
Those attending Husker Harvest Days Sept. 10-12 can immerse themselves in all things water with University of Nebraska research and extension experts.
"Raising Our H2O IQ" is the theme for University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources exhibits at this year's show near Grand Island, where UNL's commitment to annually changing exhibit themes keyed toward bringing the public the latest relevant IANR research and extension programming continues.
"We are focusing on groundbreaking research and initiatives that are rapidly earning IANR a national and global reputation as a leader in critically important water research," said Ronnie Green, NU vice president and IANR Harlan vice chancellor.
The University of Nebraska and IANR are focused on many areas of research and programming that have water use, quantity and quality at their core. No single issue is more important to Nebraskans and globally than water.
"Our commitment in this field is evidenced most strongly by establishing the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska a few years ago," Green said.
"In a state where the vast majority of our annual water use supports our agricultural economy and which is the number one state for irrigated agriculture in the nation, IANR's focus will continue to be on helping Nebraska, the nation and the world understand more about how to improve efficiency, quality and availability of this precious resource," Green said.
This is the sixth year IANR's teaching, research and extension exhibits are focused on a specific area of importance that is relevant to all Nebraskans and visitors to the red Husker exhibit building on the south side of the showground at Lot 321. There, and in the next-door white tent, show goers will see many ways IANR and UNL Extension are working to raise our H2O IQ.
Key exhibit areas focus on hydrology; how tillage and residue removal affect water balance in crop fields; variable rate irrigation as the next evolution in precision agriculture technology for center pivot irrigation systems; transpiration as the key to maximizing yield per gallon on water applied to crops; water efficient residential landscapes; the Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Network that works hand-in-hand with hundreds of Nebraska irrigators; UNL's respected and often-referenced drought planning experts from the National Drought Mitigation Center; and helping to meet global food security needs via the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute.
Outreach education also will be prominent within each of the individual exhibits.
UNL staff at a central information booth will provide assistance in answering questions on a variety of extension and research-related topics, provide copies of helpful NebGuides, and direct those needing further help to extension experts in their local area.
The red Husker building is also the place to learn about the latest opportunities for students at UNL's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis. College representatives will be available throughout the show to answer questions from potential students. Those interested in the Nebraska LEAD (Leadership Education Action Development) program can also visit with a LEAD representative.
The large white tent just east of the red Husker building will feature the Market Journal team and also be filled with information and activities on water and agriculture-related careers.
IANR has been part of Husker Harvest Days since the first show in 1978.
"We like bringing the campus to Husker Harvest Days and seeing all the people that stop in to see us each year," Green said. "People stop to see what's new, ask us questions and share what they see as Nebraska's main challenges and opportunities. We are the people's land-grant university."
UNMC booth to give away iPad minis, provide information, Sept 12 during Husker Harvest Days
University of Nebraska Medical Center health professionals who specialize in ear, nose and throat issues, will staff a booth during Husker Harvest Days on Thursday, Sept. 12, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the hospitality tent.
Three physicians, a physician assistant and a nurse from the UNMC Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, will provide information and answer questions about ear, nose and throat health issues for children and adults. Anyone who stops by the booth can register to win one of two iPad mini computers that will be given away.
Dwight Jones, M.D., chair of the department who owns a ranch south of Broken Bow, said some of the most common ailments for those who live in rural areas, particularly farmers and ranchers, are chronic sinus disease and late summer and fall allergies.
Dr. Jones said chronic sinus disease caused by nasal allergies causes continual runny and stuffy noses. He said if the allergies are treated with medication, oftentimes the sinus disease will clear up. But if it doesn’t, it can be treated with sinus therapy.
“Years ago, most chronic sinus problems had to be treated with surgery in the operating room,” Dr. Jones said. “But now, thanks to many new techniques, it can be done in the office, which really helps eliminate recovery time, lost work and certainly pain is much less.”
For some who suffer from ragweed allergies, he said a relatively new treatment -- sublingual drops or drops under the tongue for allergens – can eliminate allergy shots or over-the-counter medications.
“The drops are beneficial. They go under the tongue to eliminate and desensitize people to allergens,” Dr. Jones said. “You don’t have to go in to see your physician once every two to four weeks. You can do it at home, and they’ve actually found out they’ve been proven to be very effective.”
He said for those with seasonal allergies, he recommends getting tested to determine the most appropriate therapy.
Beef Checkoff Advertising Sizzles
The beef checkoff advertising program drove consumers to the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” (BIWFD) Facebook page, which now boasts over 750,000 fans. That’s much more than pork (186,000 fans); Incredible Edible Egg (455,000 fans); Got Milk (72,000 fans) and Perdue Chicken (196,000 fans). Those numbers started back on Oct. 1, 2012, with 535,739 total “likes” or fans. Currently, the beef checkoff’s consumer-facing page has 753,540 total likes, so since the beginning of the fiscal year the BIWFD Facebook page has increased its community by 217,801 likes.
- This summer, the beef checkoff online video commercials will run over 20 million times on popular online video channels such as hulu.com.
- This summer, the beef checkoff radio spots will run online over 40 million times, on popular streaming radio sites, such as Pandora.com.
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According to new beef checkoff market research data, the vast majority of the Millennials polled (82%) – the new generation of consumers that the industry needs to reach – believe that beef can be a “part of a well-balanced diet” after exposure to the “Above All Else” campaign.
USMEF, Texas Beef Council Train Middle East Chefs on Underutilized Cuts
Chefs representing a spectrum of food service venues ranging from leading hotels and restaurants to airline catering and culinary institutes participated in two workshops in Dubai and Abu Dhabi recently to learn more about underutilized cuts of U.S. beef and their application in a variety of foodservice settings.
More than 100 participants, including 74 chefs and 34 representatives of beef importers in the region, gathered for sessions organized by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, and funded by the Texas Beef Council with the cooperation of the U.S. Consulate General’s Office of Agricultural Affairs Dubai and the Emirates Culinary Guild.
The stars of the event were a number of U.S. beef cuts that were introduced to many of the chefs: hanging tender, short blade, tri tip, chuck, silver side, flank and rump. Divided into groups and tasked with developing innovative recipe ideas using each of the cuts as the key ingredient, the chefs created a variety of dishes that served as the centerpieces for the day’s lunch.
The Middle East is the fourth-largest region for U.S. beef exports through the first half of 2013, purchasing 165.4 million pounds of product valued at $142.6 million, even though the Saudi Arabian market has remained closed to U.S. beef for the past year.
Some Optimistic News on the Farm Bill?
The Agriculture Secretary and several U.S. senators expect the Farm Bill to be finalized before the deadline of the end of September. With the August congressional recess almost over, many in agriculture are keenly focused on the path forward for the farm bill, including Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, reports the U.S. National Chicken Council. The current farm bill extension expires at the end of the month.
"There is not going to be another extension. You can't reward continued failure by taking folks off the hook," Secretary Vilsack said. "There are differences and those differences can be worked out. There are many benefits to this new farm bill. There is no reason not to get this done."
Secretary Vilsack pointed out a number of implications with continued inaction on the farm bill. One of those looming challenges is an ongoing trade dispute with Brazil.
He says Brazil won a case with the World Trade Organization which means that they can retaliate, if they so desire, against American goods and services to the tune of perhaps $850 million a year. That will impact and affect American agriculture and American jobs. The passage of a farm bill that changes the way we support cotton farmers will go a long way to ending Brazil’s ability to retaliate. This is one impact of inaction from Congress in getting the farm bill done.
"A second impact would be a longer term problem of permanent law, 1940s law, coming back into play that would create serious distortion in the market. That will really stall the momentum we’ve seen in agriculture in the last few years," Secretary Vilsack added.
In addition, Senator Charles Grassley told reporters last week that he remains hopeful a new five-year farm bill will be passed in Congress ahead of the deadline on September 30, although there will be just nine working days once lawmakers return to Washington.
STUDY ESTIMATES COST FOR NEW CONSERVATION PRACTICE
A new report that calculates the cost of establishing strips of prairie amid row crops suggests that it may be one of the most cost-effective and low-effort conservation practices available to farmers and landowners in the Midwest.
The innovative practice, which has been studied by Iowa State researchers for several years, converts one tenth of a row-cropped field to perennial prairie, resulting in more than a 90 percent reduction in soil and nutrient runoff from the entire field. According to the new economic study, the average cost to treat runoff from an acre of corn or soybeans is just $24 to $35 per year.
A new publication from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture summarizes the results of this economic study, led by John Tyndall, a member of the STRIPs research team (Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairies) and assistant professor in Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Iowa State University. The STRIPs team has been conducting its research at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Jasper County.
Previous STRIPs research recommends that prairie conservation strips be planted along the contour of a slope or waterway or in areas of low crop productivity to maximize their effectiveness. The current study outlines the total yearly cost of the practice spread out over a 15-year land management regime. This includes the cost of land conversion and maintenance, and the opportunity cost of lost revenue or rent from acreage taken out of crop production.
The study finds that the cost of establishing and maintaining a prairie strip is minimal. It is the annual opportunity cost of foregone land rent or crop value that makes up the bulk—upwards of 90 percent—of the total cost of the conservation practice. “For most farmers, this is the hang-up,” Tyndall says. “An incremental amount of land is taken out of production.”
Costs are calculated based on a range of Iowa-specific crop and land values. Land rent is used to approximate the lost revenue. Thus, the cost of treating runoff with prairie strips on farmland with low Corn Suitability Rating (CSR) comes to about $24 per year; for high CSR land the cost increases to $35 per year.
“However,” Tyndall says, “in Iowa rental rates or foregone crop revenues can scale considerably higher than those reflected in the average range used here.” In 2012, the highest recorded land rent would have brought the cost of planting prairie strips upwards of $60 per year per acre of treated crops.
This is where programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program or Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) come in. The study suggests that payments made to the farmer or landowner from a CRP contract would reduce their annual out-of-pocket expenses to an average of $3 to $5 per year for every crop acre treated by prairie strips.
Jeri Neal, leader of the Leopold Center’s Ecology Initiative, says this research develops existing knowledge about prairie conservation strips as the STRIPs team moves from experimental research to trials on farms. “Transparency about costs helps farmers make more informed land management decisions.”
Given that converting just ten percent of a field into prairie can effectively manage over 90 percent of off-field concerns such as sedimentation and nutrient transport, this represents a highly efficient best management practice on farmland. “It is exciting research,” says Neal, “made stronger by practical considerations of costs.”
The publication, “The Cost of Prairie Conservation Strips,” can be found on the Leopold Center website at: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/alpha (listed by title). More information about the STRIPs project is at: www.prairiestrips.org.
IA DNR Investigating Manure Release in Lyon County
The Iowa DNR is investigating a manure release to an unnamed tributary of the Rock River on Friday.
A neighbor reported the release to the DNR on Thursday, when he discovered manure flowing through his farm pond. The manure came from a solids settling basin at a 4,000-head open lot cattle facility owned by John Fluit Jr.
Fluit pumped the manure from the basin and improperly applied about 12 loads of manure, each at 2,500 to 4,000 gallons, to a corn field. The manure flowed off the field into a creek, which then ran for a mile before entering the neighbor's pond, and then through the pond's outlet back into the creek.
On Thursday, the manure was pumped from the pond and returned to Fluit's facility for treatment. The DNR is onsite investigating on Friday and has not found any dead fish. The DNR observed live fish in the stream Thursday, but found ammonia levels to be at 20 parts per million upstream of the pond.
USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for September 2013
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for September 2013. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for September 2013 is 0.125 percent, unchanged from 0.125 percent in August 2013.
The interest rate for commodity and marketing assistance loans disbursed during September 2013 is 1.125 percent, unchanged from 1.125 percent in August 2013.
Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for September 2013 are as follows, 2.000 percent with seven-year loan terms, unchanged from 2.000 percent in August 2013; 2.625 percent with 10-year loan terms, unchanged from 2.625 percent in August 2013 and; 2.875 percent with 12-year loan terms, up from 2.750 percent in August 2013.
RMA removes normal weather provision from prevented plant policy
The federal Risk Management Agency on Aug. 26 clarified its one-in-four rule involving the approval of acres for prevented plant crop insurance coverage. The agency eliminated the “normal weather” provision, meaning farmers can collect prevented plant insurance, as long as they’ve planted in one of four previous years, regardless of weather situation in the year they planted.
The provision has been a sticking point for some farmers trying to collect prevented plant insurance for their 2013 crops, as RMA had classified 2012 as an “abnormally dry” year, thereby disqualifying it for inclusion in the one-in-four rule.
The agency also announced Aug. 26 that if a crop is ineligible because of the one-in-four rule, it must be planted and harvested for two years in a row for a future crop to get back into the program. In addition, the agency will remove a provision that disqualified land for prevented plant insurance if marsh vegetation, such as a single cattail, was found on it.
The changes are especially significant for prairie pothole states such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota and Iowa for 2014 and succeeding years.
“The goal is to make federal crop insurance policy more objective and to provide clarity for the producers facing prevented planting losses,” RMA Administrator Brandon Willis said.
Willis says the ruling improves program integrity and includes some clear guidance for implementing it, and should make farmers and insurance companies happy.
Abnormally dry
The new provision requires that in order for acreage to be eligible for payments, it “must have been planted and harvested (or incurred an insurable loss other than for excess moisture) in one out of the last four years, regardless of whether one of those years was abnormally dry.
“However, once the producer is unable to plant and harvest on certain acreage in one of the four most recent crop years, the producer will need to demonstrate the land is farmable by planting and harvesting (or incurring an insurable loss other than for excess moisture) two years in a row,” the RMA says.
The new special provision “creates a more objective means for determining acreage eligible for prevented planting than the current rule,” Willis said. It comes in advance of a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, which is expected to be released in the next several weeks, and is expected to eliminate ambiguities, Willis said.
Willis said the statement was developed in response to recommendations by crop insurance companies, the USDA Office of Inspector General, and producers in the Prairie Pothole regions.
Farmers should contact their crop insurance agents for details, Willis said.
CWT Assists with 3.0 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 15 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms USA and Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) to sell 1.261 million pounds (572 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese and 1.764 million pounds (800 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The product will be delivered August 2013 through February 2014.
Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 86.498 million pounds of cheese, 67.204 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 35 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 2.312 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.
Brazil 2013-14 Soybean Plantings May Rise 5% to Record High
Brazil's soybean plantings next crop year are expected to rise 5% to a record 29 million hectares as growers take advantage of attractive global and domestic prices and a depreciating local currency and shift acreage from corn, the International Grains Council said Tuesday.
Brazil is projected to be the world's largest exporter of soybeans in the current year that ends Sept. 30, and its future supplies are crucial for meeting rising global demand, including that of China, the world's largest importer.
International and domestic Brazilian price trends favor increased soybean plantings at the expense of corn, the council said in its latest report.
The ratio of U.S. new crop soybeans to corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade has increased significantly and in late August stood at close to 2.8 compared with 2.6 a month earlier and 2.2 a year ago, the IGC said.
The U.S. soybean harvest is due to commence in a few weeks, and higher prices will encourage growers in Brazil to expand acreage, the council said. Brazil's soybean plantings typically begin in October.
Brazil's corn plantings are delayed in southern regions due to cold weather, and in some areas, domestic prices barely cover the cost of production, and these could be key factors in encouraging growers to shift to soybeans, it said.
This shift in crop acreage is most likely in the states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, the IGC said.
Colorado BioDiesel Plant to be Sold
The former San Juan Bioenergy oilseed crush facility in southwestern Colorado will be sold by Maas Companies of Rochester, Minn., at a lender-ordered auction onsite in Dove Creek, Colo., Oct. 8, via onsite and internet-based bidding.
The five-year-old plant was originally a local cooperative targeting biodiesel production from sunflower oil but was never purchased due to the economy. The integrated biodiesel plant is designed to process food-grade vegetable oils into biodiesel, plus can produce animal feed, renewable heat, electricity and wood pellets. It operated until 2011.
The auction includes 70-plus lots of equipment, two buildings and ancillary equipment in either bulk lots or as an entirety. The real estate is in a long-term lease with Dolores County Development Corporation in the Weber Industrial Park.
"The lender-owned auction offers the plant at a significant savings over the approximate $2.5 million dollars invested to design and build the facility," said Tyler Maas, sales and marketing director in a news release Friday.
Open houses will be held Sept. 19, Oct. 7, and Oct. 8.
Make the Most of Data This Fall with Precision Ag Tools
Understanding what worked this past growing season and what didn’t is vital in planning for next year. To help turn data into management decisions for the next season, DuPont Pioneer experts are available to help growers analyze their harvest data with Pioneer® Field360™ services.
“Because our software is compatible with most manufacturers’ equipment, growers can have their harvest data analyzed by our sales professionals,” says Justin Heath, DuPont Pioneer new services manager. “The analyses will help growers turn data into information they can use for next season’s management decisions.”
After taking the data card to a Pioneer sales professional, growers will receive yield summaries and harvest maps in a quick and timely manner via Pioneer Field360 Select software. Because this program provides field-level information anytime, anywhere through a web browser, growers are able to refer back to the summaries throughout the next season when making vital decisions.
By using as-planted maps and harvest data, sales professionals are able to provide growers with hybrid comparisons and performance data field-by-field and soil type-by-soil type to help growers understand what products succeeded and what didn’t.
“With this information, growers are also able to see how soil types, fungicide application timing, hybrid selection and many more items impacted their overall crop performance,” Heath explains. “It allows them to determine a field’s ideal combination for the following year.”
A single season’s field summary is good, but multiple seasons of data are better. Subscribing to Pioneer Field360 Select software in subsequent years allows sales professionals to combine historical data and perform multiyear analysis. These analyses provide even more information to help growers and sales professionals make the best management decisions, such as hybrid and variety selections and positioning, as well as seeding rate decisions on a field-by-field basis.
“Understanding information at the field level and soil type level is becoming critical in ag today,” Heath reports. “By utilizing agricultural analysis tools like Pioneer Field360 services, growers are able to have their sales professional review and summarize their information for them. They are also able to view their information anytime, anywhere.”
With so much data at growers’ fingertips, Pioneer sales professionals can help them maximize it so they can use it to make important management decisions for the next growing season.
To learn more about Pioneer Field360 services, visit pioneer.com/360 or contact a local Pioneer sales professional.
For the week ending September 1, 2013, temperatures well above normal combined with limited rainfall to further reduce soil moisture supplies and stress dryland crops and pasture, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Pockets of rain occurred during the week, but no wide spread rainfall was received. Over half the corn crop has reached the dent stage, more than a third of the grain sorghum was turning color and the first fields of soybeans were dropping leaves. Statewide, producers had 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 22 percent very short, 42 short, 36 adequate, and 0 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 32 percent very short, 42 short, 26 adequate, and 0 surplus.
Field Crops Report:
All corn condition rated 6 percent very poor, 8 poor, 22 fair, 45 good, and 19 excellent. Irrigated corn conditions rated 82 percent good or excellent, compared to 75 average. Dryland corn conditions rated 39 percent good or excellent, compared to 58 average. Corn in dough was 93 percent, behind 100 last year but near 95 average. Corn dented was 51 percent, behind 91 last year and 70 average. Corn mature was 1 percent, behind 34 last year and 9 average.
Soybean conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 23 fair, 52 good, and 14 excellent. Ninety-eight percent of the crop was setting pods, near 99 last year and equal to 98 average. Soybeans dropping leaves were 4 percent, behind 6 last year but ahead of 2 average.
Sorghum conditions rated 11 percent very poor, 19 poor, 30 fair, 37 good, and 3 excellent. Sorghum heading was 97 percent, ahead of 87 last year but near 96 average. Sorghum turning color was 34 percent, ahead of 27 last year but behind 39 average.
Alfalfa conditions were 7 percent very poor, 13 poor, 29 fair, 44 good, and 7 excellent. The third cutting of alfalfa was 85 percent complete, behind 98 last year but near 87 average. The fourth cutting of alfalfa was 6 percent complete, behind 43 last year and 18 average.
Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Stock water supplies rated 5 percent very short, 20 short, 74 adequate, and 1 surplus. Pasture and range condition was 16 percent very poor, 22 poor, 33 fair, 28 good, and 1 excellent.
Access the National publication for Crop Progress and Condition tables at: http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProg//2010s/2013/CropProg-09-01-2013.txt.
Access the High Plains Region Climate Center for Temperature and Precipitation Maps at: http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/maps/current/index.php?action=update_region&state=NE®ion=HPRCC.
Access the U.S. Drought Monitor at: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/DM_state.htm?NE,HP.
Iowa Crop Progress and Condition
Above average temperatures prevailed across Iowa during the week ending September 1, 2013, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Although most of the State received little or no rainfall, parts of western Iowa experienced beneficial rain.
While hot temperatures allowed crops to mature, crop conditions deteriorated last week in response to the heat and lack of moisture. Statewide there was an average of 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork. A total of 22 percent of topsoil and 26 percent of subsoil was in the adequate and surplus moisture categories, declining 6 and 8 percentage points from last week, respectively. Topsoil moisture levels rated 44 percent very short, 34 percent short, 22 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 35 percent very short, 39 percent short, 26 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus.
Ninety-four percent of the corn crop reached the milk stage, 4 percentage points behind normal. Seventy-three percent of the crop reached the dough stage, trailing the normal 88 percent. Thirty-three percent of the crop has reached the dent stage, 12 days behind normal. A small portion of the earliest planted corn was mature. Corn condition declined from the previous week, and was rated at 8 percent very poor, 17 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 33 percent good and 6 percent excellent.
Ninety-three percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, behind last year’s 99 percent and the normal 98 percent. Some of the earliest planted soybeans have begun turning color. Soybean condition also declined from last week and was rated 8 percent very poor, 16 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 34 percent good and 5 percent excellent.
The warm and mostly dry conditions allowed the harvest of third cutting alfalfa to reach 77 percent compete, above the normal 72 percent, but still well behind last year’s 98 percent. Pasture condition continued to deteriorate, and was rated 24 percent very poor, 28 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 14 percent good and 1 percent excellent.
IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
Provided by Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
It was a hot and dry week across Iowa. A few lucky areas receivedsubstantial rainfall while no rain fell over much of southeast Iowa and portions of north central and northeast Iowa. This was the hottest week of the year with temperatures averaging 11.7 degrees above normal. A hotter week was last recorded during the first week of July 2012. Actual temperatures peaked at 104 degrees at Des Moines and Fort Madison on Friday (30th) while the heat index reached 108 degrees at Iowa City on Wednesday (28th) afternoon. Slightly cooler air finally arrived on Saturday (31st) with Sheldon reporting a morning low of 57 degrees while afternoon highs in the nineties were confined to the southern one-half of Iowa. There were only two periods of rain during the week. A narrow area of thunderstorms formed late Friday (30th) into Saturday (31st) morning from the Newton-Marshalltown area northeastward to Dubuque with a maximum report of 2.46 inches of rain at Lock & Dam 11 at Dubuque. A larger area of thunderstorms brought rain to much of the southwest one-half of Iowa late Saturday (31st) into Sunday (1st) morning. A few locations received more than an inch of rain with Sheldon reporting the most with 1.72 inches. The statewide average rainfall was 0.28 inches while normal for the week is 0.90 inches. High winds and some hail accompanied the rain in far northwest Iowa along with reports of winds flattening corn in Dallas County in central Iowa.
Corn, Soybean Condition Ratings Drop
As expected, corn and soybean ratings fell moderately in the week ended Sept. 1, according to USDA's weekly Crop Progress and Condition reports. The week was highlighted with very high temps and little in the way of precipitation in many areas of the Corn Belt.
Soybean condition ratings fell to 15% poor to very poor and 31% only fair, compared to 13% and 29% last week. Ninety-two percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, compared to 84% last week and a 5-year average of 96%.
Corn condition ratings fell to 16% poor to very poor and 28% only fair, compared to 14% and 27% last week. Four percent of the corn crop is mature, compared to a 5-year 17% average. Forty-two percent of the nation's corn is in the dent stage, compared to 23% last week and a 61% 5-year average.
Corn Dough - Selected States
[These 18 States planted 92% of the 2012 corn acreage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Week ending :
:-----------------------------------------:
State :September 1, : August 25, :September 1, : 2008-2012
: 2012 : 2013 : 2013 : Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Colorado .......: 94 68 87 84
Illinois .......: 99 88 93 94
Indiana ........: 99 77 91 91
Iowa ...........: 98 46 73 88
Kansas .........: 100 87 94 96
Kentucky .......: 99 72 85 92
Michigan .......: 89 65 79 84
Minnesota ......: 100 44 68 84
Missouri .......: 100 85 94 94
Nebraska .......: 100 82 93 95
North Carolina .: 100 100 100 99
North Dakota ...: 97 58 71 75
Ohio ...........: 95 80 91 87
Pennsylvania ...: 89 75 89 81
South Dakota ...: 94 79 90 87
Tennessee ......: 100 95 97 99
Texas ..........: 95 89 91 95
Wisconsin ......: 88 40 61 77
18 States ......: 97 70 84 89
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corn Dented - Selected States
[These 18 States planted 92% of the 2012 corn acreage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Week ending :
:-----------------------------------------:
State :September 1, : August 25, :September 1, : 2008-2012
: 2012 : 2013 : 2013 : Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Colorado .......: 61 17 33 41
Illinois .......: 94 29 46 69
Indiana ........: 83 22 47 58
Iowa ...........: 89 9 33 64
Kansas .........: 89 37 56 78
Kentucky .......: 92 48 66 80
Michigan .......: 58 14 29 47
Minnesota ......: 86 5 22 51
Missouri .......: 97 49 68 79
Nebraska .......: 91 29 51 70
North Carolina .: 96 93 97 95
North Dakota ...: 77 5 16 37
Ohio ...........: 70 22 43 52
Pennsylvania ...: 57 46 49 47
South Dakota ...: 78 18 41 49
Tennessee ......: 99 79 91 94
Texas ..........: 87 71 79 83
Wisconsin ......: 58 5 20 39
18 States ......: 84 23 42 61
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corn Mature - Selected States
[These 18 States planted 92% of the 2012 corn acreage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Week ending :
:-----------------------------------------:
State :September 1, : August 25, :September 1, : 2008-2012
: 2012 : 2013 : 2013 : Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Colorado .......: 9 (NA) 1 5
Illinois .......: 60 (NA) - 26
Indiana ........: 30 (NA) 3 14
Iowa ...........: 47 (NA) 2 16
Kansas .........: 60 (NA) 4 33
Kentucky .......: 77 (NA) 22 46
Michigan .......: 11 (NA) - 8
Minnesota ......: 14 (NA) - 5
Missouri .......: 82 (NA) 15 38
Nebraska .......: 34 (NA) 1 9
North Carolina .: 87 (NA) 87 82
North Dakota ...: 20 (NA) - 6
Ohio ...........: 12 (NA) - 7
Pennsylvania ...: 15 (NA) 5 10
South Dakota ...: 16 (NA) 1 5
Tennessee ......: 84 (NA) 27 56
Texas ..........: 72 (NA) 62 66
Wisconsin ......: 9 (NA) - 4
18 States ......: 38 (NA) 4 17
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Corn Condition - Selected States: Week Ending September 1, 2013
[National crop conditions for selected States are weighted based on 2012planted acreage]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
State : Very poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Colorado .......: 14 12 28 40 6
Illinois .......: 3 11 29 46 11
Indiana ........: 2 6 26 46 20
Iowa ...........: 8 17 36 33 6
Kansas .........: 13 17 31 32 7
Kentucky .......: 1 2 10 43 44
Michigan .......: 3 8 24 45 20
Minnesota ......: 4 10 33 45 8
Missouri .......: 8 19 34 34 5
Nebraska .......: 6 8 22 45 19
North Carolina .: 1 4 17 59 19
North Dakota ...: 5 16 38 35 6
Ohio ...........: 1 4 17 48 30
Pennsylvania ...: 1 1 10 38 50
South Dakota ...: 3 11 25 46 15
Tennessee ......: - 2 11 48 39
Texas ..........: 1 10 35 41 13
Wisconsin ......: 7 17 31 34 11
18 States ......: 5 11 28 42 14
Previous week ..: 4 10 27 44 15
Previous year ..: 26 26 26 19 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soybeans Setting Pods - Selected States
[These 18 States planted 95% of the 2012 soybean acreage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Week ending :
:-----------------------------------------:
State :September 1, : August 25, :September 1, : 2008-2012
: 2012 : 2013 : 2013 : Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Arkansas .......: 100 89 95 96
Illinois .......: 99 83 91 97
Indiana ........: 99 88 95 95
Iowa ...........: 99 83 93 98
Kansas .........: 85 72 83 88
Kentucky .......: 91 66 80 91
Louisiana ......: 100 97 99 100
Michigan .......: 100 93 96 98
Minnesota ......: 100 85 94 98
Mississippi ....: 100 95 99 100
Missouri .......: 93 65 79 85
Nebraska .......: 99 94 98 98
North Carolina .: 90 54 67 84
North Dakota ...: 100 93 98 100
Ohio ...........: 100 92 97 98
South Dakota ...: 100 91 97 98
Tennessee ......: 99 77 90 96
Wisconsin ......: 100 75 87 97
18 States ......: 98 84 92 96
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soybean Condition - Selected States: Week Ending September 1, 2013
[National crop conditions for selected States are weighted based on 2012 planted acreage]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
State : Very poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
: percent
Arkansas .......: 3 10 35 36 16
Illinois .......: 2 11 35 45 7
Indiana ........: 2 8 28 45 17
Iowa ...........: 8 16 37 34 5
Kansas .........: 2 9 33 49 7
Kentucky .......: 1 2 13 53 31
Louisiana ......: - 3 21 54 22
Michigan .......: 3 8 29 45 15
Minnesota ......: 3 11 34 45 7
Mississippi ....: 1 4 21 52 22
Missouri .......: 8 19 34 34 5
Nebraska .......: 3 8 23 52 14
North Carolina .: 2 9 33 50 6
North Dakota ...: 6 17 38 36 3
Ohio ...........: 1 6 21 54 18
South Dakota ...: 3 13 27 47 10
Tennessee ......: - 5 13 55 27
Wisconsin ......: 7 16 31 35 11
18 States ......: 4 11 31 43 11
Previous week ..: 3 10 29 46 12
Previous year ..: 16 21 33 26 4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bale Feeder Choice Can Reduce Waste and Save Money
Steve Tonn, UNL Extension Educator, Washington County
Winter feeding time is a ways off but now might be the time to think about how you can reduce hay feeding losses and input costs. Management of input costs is a key business concern and can mean the difference between operational profit or loss. Winter feed represents the largest single cost on a cow-calf operation. Therefore when looking to reduce the cost of production, it is very important to take a long and hard look at winter feed costs, especially when hay is selling in the $150 - $250/ton range. When it comes to hay waste, using the right type of bale feeder can make significant cost savings difference.
An Oklahoma State University study examined four bale feeder designs: a conventional open bottom steel ring, a sheeted bottom steel ring, a polyethylene pipe ring and a modified cone feeder with a sheeted bottom. The research conducted by Dr. Dave Lalman, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension beef cattle specialist and other scientists with OSU’s Division of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources indicates that using a cone-style feeder or modified cone feeder with a sheeted bottom should reduce hay waste to approximately five to six percent of the original bale weight. Researchers found that open bottom hay feeders can waste as much as 21 percent of the original bale weight.
The scientists discovered that differences in hay feeder design did not restrict dry matter intake by the cattle, but can significantly affect the amount of feed wasted and subsequently the amount of hay fed. A study at Michigan State University compared feed wastage among different types of round bale feeders. Ring and ring/cone type feeders were the most efficient, resulting in an average of only 4.5 percent waste, while trailer type feeders had 11.4 percent waste. Cradle type feeders were the least efficient with 14.6 percent of the hay wasted. These results support the concept that feeder choice is important.
When considering buying a bale feeder, university researchers have the following suggestions regarding hay feeder design that may help reduce feed losses:
1. Provide enough distance between the outside of the feeder and the feed. Feeders, which allow cows to be able to comfortably keep their heads within the feeder perimeter, reduce feed costs.
2. Avoid bars or dividers between feeding stations. Design features, which allow more access to the hay by reducing a cow’s inclination to push or butt another cow to get access to the hay, will reduce hay losses.
3. Provide a comfortable feeding height. Cows prefer to eat with their ears lower than the top of their shoulders similar to how they eat grazing. Cows that reach over the top of the feeder to get hay also tend to waste more.
4. Use a hay saver panel. Feeders designed to sit on the ground will benefit from having a solid panel at the bottom to keep hay inside the feeder.
5. Slanted bar designs encourage animals to keep their heads in the feeder opening by providing some constraint.
So if you are planning to replace or add hay feeders before winter feeding starts, take a close look at the design of the feeder before you buy. Paying more for the correct design can save you money in the long run and reduce your cost of production.
UNL "Raising Our H2O IQ" at Husker Harvest Days
Those attending Husker Harvest Days Sept. 10-12 can immerse themselves in all things water with University of Nebraska research and extension experts.
"Raising Our H2O IQ" is the theme for University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources exhibits at this year's show near Grand Island, where UNL's commitment to annually changing exhibit themes keyed toward bringing the public the latest relevant IANR research and extension programming continues.
"We are focusing on groundbreaking research and initiatives that are rapidly earning IANR a national and global reputation as a leader in critically important water research," said Ronnie Green, NU vice president and IANR Harlan vice chancellor.
The University of Nebraska and IANR are focused on many areas of research and programming that have water use, quantity and quality at their core. No single issue is more important to Nebraskans and globally than water.
"Our commitment in this field is evidenced most strongly by establishing the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska a few years ago," Green said.
"In a state where the vast majority of our annual water use supports our agricultural economy and which is the number one state for irrigated agriculture in the nation, IANR's focus will continue to be on helping Nebraska, the nation and the world understand more about how to improve efficiency, quality and availability of this precious resource," Green said.
This is the sixth year IANR's teaching, research and extension exhibits are focused on a specific area of importance that is relevant to all Nebraskans and visitors to the red Husker exhibit building on the south side of the showground at Lot 321. There, and in the next-door white tent, show goers will see many ways IANR and UNL Extension are working to raise our H2O IQ.
Key exhibit areas focus on hydrology; how tillage and residue removal affect water balance in crop fields; variable rate irrigation as the next evolution in precision agriculture technology for center pivot irrigation systems; transpiration as the key to maximizing yield per gallon on water applied to crops; water efficient residential landscapes; the Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Network that works hand-in-hand with hundreds of Nebraska irrigators; UNL's respected and often-referenced drought planning experts from the National Drought Mitigation Center; and helping to meet global food security needs via the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute.
Outreach education also will be prominent within each of the individual exhibits.
UNL staff at a central information booth will provide assistance in answering questions on a variety of extension and research-related topics, provide copies of helpful NebGuides, and direct those needing further help to extension experts in their local area.
The red Husker building is also the place to learn about the latest opportunities for students at UNL's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture at Curtis. College representatives will be available throughout the show to answer questions from potential students. Those interested in the Nebraska LEAD (Leadership Education Action Development) program can also visit with a LEAD representative.
The large white tent just east of the red Husker building will feature the Market Journal team and also be filled with information and activities on water and agriculture-related careers.
IANR has been part of Husker Harvest Days since the first show in 1978.
"We like bringing the campus to Husker Harvest Days and seeing all the people that stop in to see us each year," Green said. "People stop to see what's new, ask us questions and share what they see as Nebraska's main challenges and opportunities. We are the people's land-grant university."
UNMC booth to give away iPad minis, provide information, Sept 12 during Husker Harvest Days
University of Nebraska Medical Center health professionals who specialize in ear, nose and throat issues, will staff a booth during Husker Harvest Days on Thursday, Sept. 12, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the hospitality tent.
Three physicians, a physician assistant and a nurse from the UNMC Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, will provide information and answer questions about ear, nose and throat health issues for children and adults. Anyone who stops by the booth can register to win one of two iPad mini computers that will be given away.
Dwight Jones, M.D., chair of the department who owns a ranch south of Broken Bow, said some of the most common ailments for those who live in rural areas, particularly farmers and ranchers, are chronic sinus disease and late summer and fall allergies.
Dr. Jones said chronic sinus disease caused by nasal allergies causes continual runny and stuffy noses. He said if the allergies are treated with medication, oftentimes the sinus disease will clear up. But if it doesn’t, it can be treated with sinus therapy.
“Years ago, most chronic sinus problems had to be treated with surgery in the operating room,” Dr. Jones said. “But now, thanks to many new techniques, it can be done in the office, which really helps eliminate recovery time, lost work and certainly pain is much less.”
For some who suffer from ragweed allergies, he said a relatively new treatment -- sublingual drops or drops under the tongue for allergens – can eliminate allergy shots or over-the-counter medications.
“The drops are beneficial. They go under the tongue to eliminate and desensitize people to allergens,” Dr. Jones said. “You don’t have to go in to see your physician once every two to four weeks. You can do it at home, and they’ve actually found out they’ve been proven to be very effective.”
He said for those with seasonal allergies, he recommends getting tested to determine the most appropriate therapy.
Beef Checkoff Advertising Sizzles
The beef checkoff advertising program drove consumers to the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” (BIWFD) Facebook page, which now boasts over 750,000 fans. That’s much more than pork (186,000 fans); Incredible Edible Egg (455,000 fans); Got Milk (72,000 fans) and Perdue Chicken (196,000 fans). Those numbers started back on Oct. 1, 2012, with 535,739 total “likes” or fans. Currently, the beef checkoff’s consumer-facing page has 753,540 total likes, so since the beginning of the fiscal year the BIWFD Facebook page has increased its community by 217,801 likes.
- This summer, the beef checkoff online video commercials will run over 20 million times on popular online video channels such as hulu.com.
- This summer, the beef checkoff radio spots will run online over 40 million times, on popular streaming radio sites, such as Pandora.com.
-
According to new beef checkoff market research data, the vast majority of the Millennials polled (82%) – the new generation of consumers that the industry needs to reach – believe that beef can be a “part of a well-balanced diet” after exposure to the “Above All Else” campaign.
USMEF, Texas Beef Council Train Middle East Chefs on Underutilized Cuts
Chefs representing a spectrum of food service venues ranging from leading hotels and restaurants to airline catering and culinary institutes participated in two workshops in Dubai and Abu Dhabi recently to learn more about underutilized cuts of U.S. beef and their application in a variety of foodservice settings.
More than 100 participants, including 74 chefs and 34 representatives of beef importers in the region, gathered for sessions organized by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, and funded by the Texas Beef Council with the cooperation of the U.S. Consulate General’s Office of Agricultural Affairs Dubai and the Emirates Culinary Guild.
The stars of the event were a number of U.S. beef cuts that were introduced to many of the chefs: hanging tender, short blade, tri tip, chuck, silver side, flank and rump. Divided into groups and tasked with developing innovative recipe ideas using each of the cuts as the key ingredient, the chefs created a variety of dishes that served as the centerpieces for the day’s lunch.
The Middle East is the fourth-largest region for U.S. beef exports through the first half of 2013, purchasing 165.4 million pounds of product valued at $142.6 million, even though the Saudi Arabian market has remained closed to U.S. beef for the past year.
Some Optimistic News on the Farm Bill?
The Agriculture Secretary and several U.S. senators expect the Farm Bill to be finalized before the deadline of the end of September. With the August congressional recess almost over, many in agriculture are keenly focused on the path forward for the farm bill, including Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, reports the U.S. National Chicken Council. The current farm bill extension expires at the end of the month.
"There is not going to be another extension. You can't reward continued failure by taking folks off the hook," Secretary Vilsack said. "There are differences and those differences can be worked out. There are many benefits to this new farm bill. There is no reason not to get this done."
Secretary Vilsack pointed out a number of implications with continued inaction on the farm bill. One of those looming challenges is an ongoing trade dispute with Brazil.
He says Brazil won a case with the World Trade Organization which means that they can retaliate, if they so desire, against American goods and services to the tune of perhaps $850 million a year. That will impact and affect American agriculture and American jobs. The passage of a farm bill that changes the way we support cotton farmers will go a long way to ending Brazil’s ability to retaliate. This is one impact of inaction from Congress in getting the farm bill done.
"A second impact would be a longer term problem of permanent law, 1940s law, coming back into play that would create serious distortion in the market. That will really stall the momentum we’ve seen in agriculture in the last few years," Secretary Vilsack added.
In addition, Senator Charles Grassley told reporters last week that he remains hopeful a new five-year farm bill will be passed in Congress ahead of the deadline on September 30, although there will be just nine working days once lawmakers return to Washington.
STUDY ESTIMATES COST FOR NEW CONSERVATION PRACTICE
A new report that calculates the cost of establishing strips of prairie amid row crops suggests that it may be one of the most cost-effective and low-effort conservation practices available to farmers and landowners in the Midwest.
The innovative practice, which has been studied by Iowa State researchers for several years, converts one tenth of a row-cropped field to perennial prairie, resulting in more than a 90 percent reduction in soil and nutrient runoff from the entire field. According to the new economic study, the average cost to treat runoff from an acre of corn or soybeans is just $24 to $35 per year.
A new publication from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture summarizes the results of this economic study, led by John Tyndall, a member of the STRIPs research team (Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairies) and assistant professor in Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Iowa State University. The STRIPs team has been conducting its research at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Jasper County.
Previous STRIPs research recommends that prairie conservation strips be planted along the contour of a slope or waterway or in areas of low crop productivity to maximize their effectiveness. The current study outlines the total yearly cost of the practice spread out over a 15-year land management regime. This includes the cost of land conversion and maintenance, and the opportunity cost of lost revenue or rent from acreage taken out of crop production.
The study finds that the cost of establishing and maintaining a prairie strip is minimal. It is the annual opportunity cost of foregone land rent or crop value that makes up the bulk—upwards of 90 percent—of the total cost of the conservation practice. “For most farmers, this is the hang-up,” Tyndall says. “An incremental amount of land is taken out of production.”
Costs are calculated based on a range of Iowa-specific crop and land values. Land rent is used to approximate the lost revenue. Thus, the cost of treating runoff with prairie strips on farmland with low Corn Suitability Rating (CSR) comes to about $24 per year; for high CSR land the cost increases to $35 per year.
“However,” Tyndall says, “in Iowa rental rates or foregone crop revenues can scale considerably higher than those reflected in the average range used here.” In 2012, the highest recorded land rent would have brought the cost of planting prairie strips upwards of $60 per year per acre of treated crops.
This is where programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentive Program or Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) come in. The study suggests that payments made to the farmer or landowner from a CRP contract would reduce their annual out-of-pocket expenses to an average of $3 to $5 per year for every crop acre treated by prairie strips.
Jeri Neal, leader of the Leopold Center’s Ecology Initiative, says this research develops existing knowledge about prairie conservation strips as the STRIPs team moves from experimental research to trials on farms. “Transparency about costs helps farmers make more informed land management decisions.”
Given that converting just ten percent of a field into prairie can effectively manage over 90 percent of off-field concerns such as sedimentation and nutrient transport, this represents a highly efficient best management practice on farmland. “It is exciting research,” says Neal, “made stronger by practical considerations of costs.”
The publication, “The Cost of Prairie Conservation Strips,” can be found on the Leopold Center website at: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/alpha (listed by title). More information about the STRIPs project is at: www.prairiestrips.org.
IA DNR Investigating Manure Release in Lyon County
The Iowa DNR is investigating a manure release to an unnamed tributary of the Rock River on Friday.
A neighbor reported the release to the DNR on Thursday, when he discovered manure flowing through his farm pond. The manure came from a solids settling basin at a 4,000-head open lot cattle facility owned by John Fluit Jr.
Fluit pumped the manure from the basin and improperly applied about 12 loads of manure, each at 2,500 to 4,000 gallons, to a corn field. The manure flowed off the field into a creek, which then ran for a mile before entering the neighbor's pond, and then through the pond's outlet back into the creek.
On Thursday, the manure was pumped from the pond and returned to Fluit's facility for treatment. The DNR is onsite investigating on Friday and has not found any dead fish. The DNR observed live fish in the stream Thursday, but found ammonia levels to be at 20 parts per million upstream of the pond.
USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for September 2013
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for September 2013. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for September 2013 is 0.125 percent, unchanged from 0.125 percent in August 2013.
The interest rate for commodity and marketing assistance loans disbursed during September 2013 is 1.125 percent, unchanged from 1.125 percent in August 2013.
Interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for September 2013 are as follows, 2.000 percent with seven-year loan terms, unchanged from 2.000 percent in August 2013; 2.625 percent with 10-year loan terms, unchanged from 2.625 percent in August 2013 and; 2.875 percent with 12-year loan terms, up from 2.750 percent in August 2013.
RMA removes normal weather provision from prevented plant policy
The federal Risk Management Agency on Aug. 26 clarified its one-in-four rule involving the approval of acres for prevented plant crop insurance coverage. The agency eliminated the “normal weather” provision, meaning farmers can collect prevented plant insurance, as long as they’ve planted in one of four previous years, regardless of weather situation in the year they planted.
The provision has been a sticking point for some farmers trying to collect prevented plant insurance for their 2013 crops, as RMA had classified 2012 as an “abnormally dry” year, thereby disqualifying it for inclusion in the one-in-four rule.
The agency also announced Aug. 26 that if a crop is ineligible because of the one-in-four rule, it must be planted and harvested for two years in a row for a future crop to get back into the program. In addition, the agency will remove a provision that disqualified land for prevented plant insurance if marsh vegetation, such as a single cattail, was found on it.
The changes are especially significant for prairie pothole states such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota and Iowa for 2014 and succeeding years.
“The goal is to make federal crop insurance policy more objective and to provide clarity for the producers facing prevented planting losses,” RMA Administrator Brandon Willis said.
Willis says the ruling improves program integrity and includes some clear guidance for implementing it, and should make farmers and insurance companies happy.
Abnormally dry
The new provision requires that in order for acreage to be eligible for payments, it “must have been planted and harvested (or incurred an insurable loss other than for excess moisture) in one out of the last four years, regardless of whether one of those years was abnormally dry.
“However, once the producer is unable to plant and harvest on certain acreage in one of the four most recent crop years, the producer will need to demonstrate the land is farmable by planting and harvesting (or incurring an insurable loss other than for excess moisture) two years in a row,” the RMA says.
The new special provision “creates a more objective means for determining acreage eligible for prevented planting than the current rule,” Willis said. It comes in advance of a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General, which is expected to be released in the next several weeks, and is expected to eliminate ambiguities, Willis said.
Willis said the statement was developed in response to recommendations by crop insurance companies, the USDA Office of Inspector General, and producers in the Prairie Pothole regions.
Farmers should contact their crop insurance agents for details, Willis said.
CWT Assists with 3.0 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 15 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms USA and Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) to sell 1.261 million pounds (572 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese and 1.764 million pounds (800 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The product will be delivered August 2013 through February 2014.
Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 86.498 million pounds of cheese, 67.204 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 35 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 2.312 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.
Brazil 2013-14 Soybean Plantings May Rise 5% to Record High
Brazil's soybean plantings next crop year are expected to rise 5% to a record 29 million hectares as growers take advantage of attractive global and domestic prices and a depreciating local currency and shift acreage from corn, the International Grains Council said Tuesday.
Brazil is projected to be the world's largest exporter of soybeans in the current year that ends Sept. 30, and its future supplies are crucial for meeting rising global demand, including that of China, the world's largest importer.
International and domestic Brazilian price trends favor increased soybean plantings at the expense of corn, the council said in its latest report.
The ratio of U.S. new crop soybeans to corn futures on the Chicago Board of Trade has increased significantly and in late August stood at close to 2.8 compared with 2.6 a month earlier and 2.2 a year ago, the IGC said.
The U.S. soybean harvest is due to commence in a few weeks, and higher prices will encourage growers in Brazil to expand acreage, the council said. Brazil's soybean plantings typically begin in October.
Brazil's corn plantings are delayed in southern regions due to cold weather, and in some areas, domestic prices barely cover the cost of production, and these could be key factors in encouraging growers to shift to soybeans, it said.
This shift in crop acreage is most likely in the states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, the IGC said.
Colorado BioDiesel Plant to be Sold
The former San Juan Bioenergy oilseed crush facility in southwestern Colorado will be sold by Maas Companies of Rochester, Minn., at a lender-ordered auction onsite in Dove Creek, Colo., Oct. 8, via onsite and internet-based bidding.
The five-year-old plant was originally a local cooperative targeting biodiesel production from sunflower oil but was never purchased due to the economy. The integrated biodiesel plant is designed to process food-grade vegetable oils into biodiesel, plus can produce animal feed, renewable heat, electricity and wood pellets. It operated until 2011.
The auction includes 70-plus lots of equipment, two buildings and ancillary equipment in either bulk lots or as an entirety. The real estate is in a long-term lease with Dolores County Development Corporation in the Weber Industrial Park.
"The lender-owned auction offers the plant at a significant savings over the approximate $2.5 million dollars invested to design and build the facility," said Tyler Maas, sales and marketing director in a news release Friday.
Open houses will be held Sept. 19, Oct. 7, and Oct. 8.
Make the Most of Data This Fall with Precision Ag Tools
Understanding what worked this past growing season and what didn’t is vital in planning for next year. To help turn data into management decisions for the next season, DuPont Pioneer experts are available to help growers analyze their harvest data with Pioneer® Field360™ services.
“Because our software is compatible with most manufacturers’ equipment, growers can have their harvest data analyzed by our sales professionals,” says Justin Heath, DuPont Pioneer new services manager. “The analyses will help growers turn data into information they can use for next season’s management decisions.”
After taking the data card to a Pioneer sales professional, growers will receive yield summaries and harvest maps in a quick and timely manner via Pioneer Field360 Select software. Because this program provides field-level information anytime, anywhere through a web browser, growers are able to refer back to the summaries throughout the next season when making vital decisions.
By using as-planted maps and harvest data, sales professionals are able to provide growers with hybrid comparisons and performance data field-by-field and soil type-by-soil type to help growers understand what products succeeded and what didn’t.
“With this information, growers are also able to see how soil types, fungicide application timing, hybrid selection and many more items impacted their overall crop performance,” Heath explains. “It allows them to determine a field’s ideal combination for the following year.”
A single season’s field summary is good, but multiple seasons of data are better. Subscribing to Pioneer Field360 Select software in subsequent years allows sales professionals to combine historical data and perform multiyear analysis. These analyses provide even more information to help growers and sales professionals make the best management decisions, such as hybrid and variety selections and positioning, as well as seeding rate decisions on a field-by-field basis.
“Understanding information at the field level and soil type level is becoming critical in ag today,” Heath reports. “By utilizing agricultural analysis tools like Pioneer Field360 services, growers are able to have their sales professional review and summarize their information for them. They are also able to view their information anytime, anywhere.”
With so much data at growers’ fingertips, Pioneer sales professionals can help them maximize it so they can use it to make important management decisions for the next growing season.
To learn more about Pioneer Field360 services, visit pioneer.com/360 or contact a local Pioneer sales professional.
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