Mon Dec 10 Update - Conference Committee Announces Farm Bill

House and Senate Ag Committee Leaders Release Farm Bill Conference Report

House and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairmen Mike Conaway (R-Texas) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Ranking Members Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) today released the text of the bipartisan, bicameral 2018 Farm Bill conference report.

 “America’s farmers and ranchers are weathering the fifth year of severe recession, so passing a farm bill this week that strengthens the farm safety net is vitally important,” said Chairman Conaway. “I am grateful to the President, Secretary Perdue and my leadership for standing fast for the hard-working farm and ranch families that clothe and feed us. I also appreciate the members of the conference committee for bringing this process one step closer to completion.”

“The 2018 Farm Bill is our opportunity to make the American food and agriculture systems work more efficiently. I’m pleased to say we have done just that in this conference report,” said Chairman Roberts. “We started this journey nearly two years ago. Since then, the Senate Agriculture Committee has held dozens of hearings, listened to more than 90 witnesses, and received thousands of public comments. As promised, this farm bill provides much needed certainty and predictability for all producers – of all crops – across all regions across the country. I thank my counterparts in the Senate and House for coming to – and staying at – the table to reach a bipartisan, bicameral agreement for rural America.”

 “This bill is a strong start to addressing the issues our producers are facing right now, particularly our dairy farmers,” said Ranking Member Peterson. “The bill’s new provisions will offer more flexible coverage for lower cost when dairy farmers need it most, and provide producers more tools to manage their risk. It also invests $300 million in the prevention and response for animal pests and disease. More broadly, the bill invests in research, outreach to beginning & underserved producers, local and organic food production, bioenergy, and access to new markets. It also addresses broadband, farm stress and mental health issues, and the opioid epidemic in rural areas. It’s the product of strong bipartisan work in both the House and the Senate, and it’s something I’m proud to encourage folks to vote for.”

“By working across the aisle, we overcame many differences to deliver a strong, bipartisan farm bill for our farmers, families, and rural communities,” said Ranking Member Stabenow. “The 2018 Farm Bill is a good bill for our farmers and everyone who eats. Working together, we continued to expand the diversity of our agricultural economy, maintained a strong food and farm safety net, created new opportunities in our small towns and rural communities, and made significant investments in land and water conservation. Now is not the time to rest on our laurels – it’s time to get the bill across the finish line as soon as possible. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.”

Click here to read the text of the report.... https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20181210/CRPT-115hrpt1072.pdf. 

The conference report was signed by the House and Senate Farm Bill conferees and will be considered with a vote in both chambers.



Secretary Perdue Statement on Release of Farm Bill Conference Report

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today issued the following statement regarding the release of the 2018 Farm Bill conference report:

“I welcome the introduction of the Farm Bill conference committee report, and hope the Congress can approve this legislation expeditiously. This legislation maintains a strong safety net for the farm economy, invests in critical agricultural research, and will promote agriculture exports through robust trade programs. While we would have liked to see more progress on work requirements for SNAP recipients and forest management reforms, the conference agreement does include several helpful provisions and we will continue to build upon these through our authorities. As farmers prepare to make decisions about next season, I commend the leadership of the conference committee in producing a bill that can be passed before the year’s end. If Congress passes this legislation I will encourage the President to sign it.”



NMPF Commends Lawmakers for Farm Bill That Makes Significant Dairy Policy Reforms

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) thanked members of Congress, especially the bipartisan leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, for crafting a farm bill that includes much-needed reforms to help American dairy farmers. The 2018 Farm Bill reached a key milestone on Monday with the release of a long-awaited conference report.

“Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle should be commended for reaching a deal that will benefit U.S. agriculture and ensure safe, affordable food for Americans and the world,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “A new law is especially important for dairy, a sector struggling with low prices and disrupted exports. We thank lawmakers for addressing our concerns with measures that will help producers in need.”

NMPF called on the full Congress to pass the bill quickly while thanking its four principal negotiators: Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), as well as House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN).  While the bill includes a vast array of farm policy changes, improvements benefiting dairy include:
-    Higher coverage levels in a renamed Margin Protection Program (MPP) that address deficiencies in the current program’s feed-cost formula
-    Greater flexibility to allow producers of all sizes to access Tier 1 premium rates
-    Expanded access to additional risk management tools, allowing producers to participate in both MPP and the Livestock Gross Margin insurance program
-    Continued support for land and water conservation programs that assist dairy producers
-    Full funding for Farm Bill trade promotion programs, a crucial concern in an era of markets lost to tariffs
-    Nutrition provisions intended to enhance consumption of fluid milk

The law’s provisions build on improvements enacted in the Bipartisan Budget Act earlier this year, including dairy safety net reforms spearheaded by Stabenow and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), as well as risk management provisions championed by Conaway and Peterson.



Fischer Statement on Farm Bill Conference Agreement

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement today after the House and Senate Farm Bill conference committee released the text of the 2018 Farm Bill conference report:

“The Farm Bill conference report maintains key elements I fought for in the Senate bill, such as protecting crop insurance, simplifying trade promotion programs, and unleashing more broadband infrastructure in rural America. The report also includes my Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, a solution to find and close gaps in broadband connectivity across farm and ranch country. Nebraska ag producers want a clearer and more predictable guide for the future, and that’s what this bill will provide.”



Soy Growers Pleased With Stability & Support New Farm Bill Will Provide

ASA today congratulated the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and Congressional leadership on release of a conference report that reflects a broad consensus of support for the “Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.” ASA strongly supports this legislation and urges the House and Senate to approve it this week so it can be enacted before Congress adjourns for the year.

“Enactment of a new farm bill on schedule has been a top ASA priority for the last two years,” stated ASA President Davie Stephens, a soybean farmer from Clinton, Ky. “This legislation will provide the risk management tools farmers need to navigate difficult economic conditions over the next five years. It provides full funding for the Foreign Market Development program and the Market Access Program – key partnerships under which ASA and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service work to expand developing and emerging country markets.” Stephens continued, “We commend Chairmen Conaway and Roberts and Ranking Members Peterson and Stabenow for finding compromises on several contentious issues, and urge President Trump to give his endorsement so this much-needed legislation can be delivered to farmers, ranchers and all rural Americans.”

Stephens’ remarks followed release of the joint House-Senate conference report that will extend authorization and funding for a broad spectrum of programs affecting producers and consumers of food, feed, fiber and fuel, not only in the United States, but also overseas programs that aid U.S. producers. Spread across 13 titles, the farm bill provides assurances to all Americans that the federal government will continue to provide assistance, when needed, through farm income support programs, nutrition and feeding programs, and through conservation, rural development, agricultural research, energy, and international agricultural development and food aid programs. Provisions in the bill important to soybean farmers include the following:
-    Allowing producers to sign up for the county option under the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) program or the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program for 2019-2020 crops, and annually for 2021, 2022, and 2023 on a farm-by-farm and crop-by-crop basis.
-    Allows farmers to update their program yields, increasing the support they’re eligible to receive.
-     Increasing the Marketing Assistance loan rate for soybeans by 24 percent, to $6.20/bu. from $5.00/bu.
-     Establishes the Agricultural Trade and Facilitation Program, which will provide $255 million per year to fund FMD, MAP, emerging markets, and TASC. FMD is funded each year at not less than $34.5 million, and MAP is funded each year at not less than $200 million. A Priority Trust Fund will provide $3.5 million per year to programs for which requests are greater than the funds available. The Bill also allows FMD funds to be used in Cuba.
-    Reduces mandatory funding of the Energy Title significantly, but continues baseline funding for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The Biobased Market Program will be funded at $3 million per year for 5 years – the only Energy Title program to get increased funding.
-    Increases the overall acreage limit for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to 27 million from 24 million acres by FY 2023, including 8.6 million acres to be devoted to continuous practices and two million for grasslands. Limits Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) funding, and encourages States to give higher consideration to contracts that improve soil health.
-    Maintains authorization for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) at $700 million per year and directs USDA to utilize the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) “Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030” consensus report, which identifies priority research areas for developing a more efficient, resilient, sustainable, and competitive U.S. agricultural system. ASA helped fund this study.
-    Crop insurance provisions allow producers to establish a single-enterprise unit across county lines. The language also includes cover crops as a good farming practice under crop insurance and ensures that the planting of a cover crop does not impact the insurability of a subsequent crop.

“ASA applauds the improvements in Title I support programs, including giving producers the option to choose between the county ARC and PLC programs in four of the five years of the new bill. This will allow farmers to respond to increased volatility in overseas markets and prices in coming years,” Stephens said. The ASA president added that, “The increase in the soybean loan rate will benefit farmers who need to access low-interest financing for their 2019 and future crops.”



Smith Statement on Farm Bill Conference Report

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after the Farm Bill conference report was released for consideration by the House of Representatives and Senate.

“Through my Farm Bill listening sessions and travels across the Third District, Nebraska’s producers have made clear they need the certainty of a long term Farm Bill. I am pleased the conference report continues our commitment to a strong crop insurance program and creates a vaccine bank to help contain any future incidents of foot and mouth disease. I look forward to supporting the bill later this week as we move to quickly send it to President Trump for his signature.”



Nebraska Farm Bureau Urges Farm Bill Passage

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is calling on Congress to move swiftly in passing the 2018 Farm Bill as packaged by agriculture leaders in the House and Senate. The comprehensive bill would address many of the priorities previously outlined by the organization during farm bill negotiations.

“Our number one priority has been the protection of federal crop insurance. This final version delivers on that priority. We appreciate all the efforts that have gone into developing a farm bill that works for agriculture, as well as rural and urban Americans,” said Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president, Dec. 11.

In addition to providing a strong crop insurance foundation, the bill makes needed adjustments in commodity programs, specifically the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill. It also improves on federal conservation programs, funds important trade promotion programs, expands funding for broadband access in rural America, and provides permanent funding for an expanded livestock vaccine bank.

“All of these components are critical to current and future generations of Nebraska farm and ranch families,” said Nelson.

Votes on the 2018 Farm Bill could take place in both the House and Senate as early as this week.

“I want to thank the members of the Nebraska Congressional delegation for their efforts to get us to this point. Sen. Fischer, Sen. Sasse, Congressman Fortenberry, Congressman Bacon, and Congressman Smith have all played important roles in delivering the 2018 Farm Bill,” said Nelson. “Now it’s critical the House and Senate pass the 2018 Farm Bill and provide certainty to Nebraska’s farm and ranch families who continue to face a challenging agriculture economy.”



Center for Rural Affairs: Rural America has waited too long for farm bill

Congress released its compromise farm bill yesterday, Dec. 10, 2018, securing several victories for conservation, beginning farmers, and rural communities, while failing to cap payments to the largest farms or secure long-term funding for working lands conservation, according to Center for Rural Affairs Policy Manager Anna Johnson.

“Bottom line, farmers and rural America have waited too long for this bill,” Johnson said. “We are encouraged to see meaningful investment in beginning farmers, conservation, and programs that support rural vitality. At the same time, we are deeply disappointed that Congress disregarded bipartisan reforms to cap payments to the largest farms and address consolidation in agriculture.”

Conservation
Farm bill conservation programs provide support and pathways for farmers and ranchers to improve their stewardship of soil and water resources on their land.

“We are pleased that Congress has maintained the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) in the final bill, and included many policy changes to strengthen the program,” Johnson said.

Policy changes include increased support for key practices such as cover crops, resource-conserving crop rotations, and advanced grazing management.

“While we also appreciate that overall conservation title funding was maintained, we are concerned that the funding for CSP is structured such that it and other conservation programs will enter the next farm bill debate at a funding disadvantage,” Johnson said. “Future funding for conservation will remain a top priority for the Center.”

Payment rules will further farm consolidation
“We are deeply disappointed that Congress did not step up to fix provisions that drive farm consolidation and funnel taxpayer dollars to the largest operations,” Johnson said. “Sadly missing from the final bill are Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) bipartisan proposals to strengthen ‘actively engaged’ provisions, which would have closed loopholes in farm programs that allow many (loosely defined) ‘managers’ to receive payments of taxpayer dollars every year.”

Johnson said Congress chose instead to take a step in the opposite direction and expand these loopholes. The existing payment limitation of $125,000 can now be multiplied not only via spouse and immediate family members, but also by adding nephews, nieces, and first cousins.

“This will effectively allow mega farms to continue to collect unlimited payments and perpetuate misuse of taxpayer dollars,” she said. “We will continue our decades-long campaign to rein in these unlimited payments.”

Beginning farmers and rural vitality
Johnson praised the bill’s provisions for programs that support new farmers and rural vitality.

Several valuable programs for beginning, socially-disadvantaged, and veteran farmers; value-added agriculture; and local foods are combined into two new programs that will permanently preserve their functions. These are the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program, and the Local Agricultural Marketing Program.

In addition, Congress increased funding for the Conservation Reserve Program - Transition Incentive Program to $50 million. Johnson said this change will do important work to facilitate beginning, socially-disadvantaged, and veteran farmers working with retiring farmers to access land.

“We deeply appreciate that Congress has chosen to invest beginning farmers and rural communities through these programs,” she said.

Another program that stimulates rural small businesses development, the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP), was reauthorized but, unfortunately, not funded in the final bill.

“RMAP’s support for loan funding and technical assistance to rural entrepreneurs will not continue unless Congress takes separate action to restore its funding, which we encourage them to do,” Johnson said.

She said a final bright note in the bill is the restoration of the position of Undersecretary of Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Maintaining Rural Development as a Mission Area within USDA keeps rural programs on equal footing with the other functions of USDA,” Johnson said.

Overall
“Congressional action on this bill is long overdue,” Johnson said. “This compromise bill secures important victories for beginning farmers, programs that support rural vitality, and conservation. But, over the next five years, Congress will have a responsibility to keep funding strong for conservation and rural microenterprise development, and boldly address the policies and incentives that reward only the largest farms and drive farm consolidation.”



Dairy Producers from Coast to Coast Urge Congress to Quickly Approve Pro-Dairy Farm Bill

With the release of a farm bill that Congress will vote on in the coming days, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) joined its member cooperatives and state dairy associations in urging Congress to pass the new law, which includes several measures crucial to dairy during tough economic times.

“Dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own are enduring a period of prolonged economic distress,” NMPF writes in a letter to the chairs and ranking members of each congressional agriculture committee – Reps. Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Collin Peterson (D-MN), and Sens. Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “Timely reauthorization of the Farm Bill will provide effective, needed risk management tools to dairy producers across the country as we enter yet another year of uncertainty.”

The Farm Bill features several important policy reforms for dairy, including:
-    Affordable higher coverage levels in the Dairy Margin Coverage program (DMC) (renamed from the Margin Protection Program) will permit all dairy producers to insure margins above $8.00 on their Tier 1 (first five million pounds) production history.
-    The bill will reduce the cost of $5.00 margin coverage by roughly 88 percent. This aids larger producers and is critically important in states where margins fall more quickly.
-    Greater flexibility to allow producers of all sizes to access Tier 1 premium rates.
-    Expanded access to additional risk management tools, allowing producers to participate in both the DMC and the Livestock Gross Margin insurance program.
-    An option that will allow producers to receive a 25 percent discount on their premiums if they agree to lock in their coverage level for the entirety of the bill.

In addition to strong dairy-producer support, NMPF worked closely with the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) to forge an unprecedented industry consensus. The final bill includes an agreement reached between the two organizations on risk management that will help producers, cooperatives and processors to better hedge price risk.



NACD STATEMENT ON FARM BILL CONFERENCE REPORT

On Monday, Dec. 10, House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders released the text of the 2018 Farm Bill conference report. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) President Brent Van Dyke issued the following statement on the bicameral agreement:

“This is a great day for conservation on America’s private, working lands,” NACD President Brent Van Dyke said. “NACD welcomes the continued investment in the Conservation Title and appreciates the consideration given to the overall conservation delivery system. With the continued effects of a recession in the farm economy, strong agriculture policy ensures a safety-net for America’s producers. We appreciate the members of the conference committee and their staffs for their commitment to bringing this important process one step closer to completion.”

In addition to maintaining funding for the Conservation Title, NACD is pleased this farm bill keeps the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) functioning as separate programs; allows more grazing opportunities and acreage to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP); makes reasonable reforms to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) without converting the program away from its intended function; and supports forestry management by promoting reductions of hazardous fuel loads to prevent wildfires.

“The best parts of both bills are reflected in this final product—including NACD’s primary legislative priorities,” NACD President-elect Tim Palmer said. “Successful implementation of on-the-ground conservation is made possible through conservation districts and the locally-led conservation model. Investing in conservation is an investment in the nation’s future, and this agreement continues to make that a priority. We are thankful our nation’s farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners can continue to execute sustainable practices with the support of this bipartisan legislation.”

Monday night’s bill text release paves the way for both a House and Senate vote by the end of this week.



NSP Statement on Farm Bill Agreement

National Sorghum Producers welcomed news late yesterday an agreement was reached between farm bill conference committee leaders and the conference report was finalized.

"We commend the leaders of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees for their relentless effort driving this process forward to an agreement," NSP Chairman Dan Atkisson, a sorghum producer from Stockton, Kansas, said. "It cannot be overstated how important it is the farm bill makes it to the finish line this year, and we urge House and Senate members to vote yes in support of this legislation."

The new bill largely upholds legislation from the previous 2014 bill including a $3.95 reference price for sorghum producers. New additions to the 2018 farm bill include conservation language on resource conserving crop rotations and instructions to work on irrigated sorghum insurance. Lawmakers also provided loan rate increases in the new legislation, which will help the needs of sorghum growers.

"Farmers across the Sorghum Belt are wrapping up harvest and feeling the impacts of a difficult farm economy right now," NSP Vice Chairman Kody Carson, a sorghum producer from Olton, Texas, said."The new farm bill is central in providing much needed stability as we begin to refinance operations."

NSP has been actively engaged in the farm bill process and believes the new legislation maintains balanced and solid protection for America’s farmers and ranchers. NSP looks forward to working with lawmakers to ensure the needs of the sorghum industry are met through the implementation process once the bill is signed by the President. 



American Farmland Trust: 2018 Farm Bill a victory for farmland protection, environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land

American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food®, praises the 2018 Farm Bill conference report released today and expresses great appreciation for the bipartisan nature of the final bill and the tireless work of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. The 2018 Farm Bill delivers on the funding and programmatic priorities supporting AFT’s mission to save the land that sustains us by protecting farmland, promoting environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land.

"Farmers, ranchers and the many partner organizations who use USDA programs to fund innovative work around the country can breathe a sigh of relief. The 2018 Farm Bill is just steps away from becoming law,” says John Piotti, AFT president and CEO. “AFT urges members of the House and Senate to vote to pass this bill, to allow programs to move forward expeditiously.”

He continues, “We are losing farmland at a rate of three acres a minute—31 million acres between 1992 and 2012 alone. Farmland is lost when farmers and ranchers don’t have adequate risk-management tools. When they can’t find new markets or develop new products. When there’s no next generation farmer able to afford the land that an exiting farmer is selling. When there’s not enough funding to meet demand for the sale of agricultural conservation easements. This bill, while not perfect, is an important step in addressing these needs.”

The bill includes many of AFT’s priorities, including funding increases and programmatic improvements to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, and the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. With support from these programs, AFT and its partners around the country will be able to move forward in fulfilling its mission.

Protecting Farmland
ACEP is a critically important voluntary federal conservation program implemented by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service that permanently protects agricultural land and conserves wetlands. ACEP cost-shares with state and local partners to purchase agricultural conservation easements from farmers, ranchers and agricultural landowners. The program permanently protects land from sprawling development while keeping it in agricultural production. Importantly, it enables farmers and ranchers to reinvest the proceeds of the easement sale in their businesses to transition land to the next generation or to improve their stewardship.

The ACEP funding increase—AFT’s top priority for the Farm Bill—to $450 million per year, is an important gain. This funding level, a $2 billion increase over the current baseline, will allow USDA to nearly double from last year the number of applications it can fund under the new Farm Bill.

In addition, the bill makes several programmatic changes championed by AFT and its partners at state and local Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement programs and agricultural land trusts. These include:
-    Ensuring that experienced partners can use their own easement deed terms and conditions as long as they are consistent with the program’s statutory objectives.
-    A change to the cost-share requirement that will enable partners to do more projects with limited funding.
-    A waiver of adjusted gross income limits for projects of special environmental significance, enabling partners to act on opportunities to permanently protect productive, at-risk agricultural land regardless of the financial situation of the owner.
-    Allowing “buy-protect-sell" transactions, in which land trusts help young and beginning farmers and ranchers especially gain access to land, by purchasing land in fee, protecting it with an agricultural conservation easement and then selling the protected land to a farmer or rancher.

Promoting Sound Farming Practices
Voluntary conservation programs are vitally important to farmers and ranchers who want to be good stewards of their land and the shared natural resources we all enjoy. A full toolbox of well-funded conservation programs, which often leverage matching funds from farmers and ranchers themselves, is important to improve environmental outcomes and to avoid the need for more stringent regulations in the future. For this reason, AFT applauds the Farm Bill Conferees for maintaining the overall funding level for the bill’s Conservation Title.

An important Conservation Title program that makes this possible is the Regional Conservation Partnership Program-- an innovative, landscape-scale program that brings many partners together to address targeted environmental issues including farmland loss. AFT is appreciative of the $300 million of annual mandatory funding for RCPP in this bill and changes to the program that pave the way for better quantification of the environmental outcomes being achieved by farmers, ranchers and their partners. AFT specifically uses RCPP to address water quality in the Macoupin Creek Watershed in Illinois, including measuring the changes in phosphorus and sediment loss from implementing conservation cropping systems.

Keeping Farmers on the Land
Since AFT’s founding in 1980, the average age of farmers has risen from 50 to 58. More than 371 million acres of agricultural land are likely to change hands within the next two decades. Yet, the most recent Census of Agriculture in 2012 showed the number of beginning farmers decreased 20 percent compared to the five years before. This bill includes several important avenues for helping beginning farmers and ranchers access the land they need to start their operations and to promote new markets and products to help all producers remain viable into the future.

Land protected under ACEP enables senior farmers to retire with a cash infusion and then sell their land at a price that new and beginning farmers can afford.

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program is included under the umbrella of the new Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program. FOTOP is given baseline funding, amounting to $435 million over 10 years. Through BFRDP, AFT has provided technical support to state and local partners along with other agricultural service providers to become Land Access Trainers.

The Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program was also included in another umbrella program, the Local Agriculture Market Program, and given baseline funding at a level of $50 million per year. This program will provide grants to organizations working to improve local food infrastructure such as farmers markets, regional food hubs and value-added production enterprises that can improve farm viability for small- and mid-sized new and established farms alike.

Additionally, the bill contains several important provisions that will provide better information and better service to farmers and ranchers transitioning their land and operations to the next generation, including:
-    New reports on absent landowners and on farmland access, analyzing the effects of absent landowners and identifying barriers beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers face in accessing land;
-    New authority of State Agricultural Mediation Programs to address issues around land leases and family farm transitions;
-    A new Commission on Farm Transitions–Needs for 2050, to address the looming transfer of millions of acres of agricultural land and billions of dollars in agricultural assets over the next 20 years;
-    Expanded data collection around farmland ownership, tenure, transition and other issues, including a regular follow-on survey to the Census of Agriculture;
-    New authority enabling operators on heirs property land to obtain a farm number.

“The 2018 Farm Bill’s support for saving the land that sustains us through farmland protection, environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land through its programs expands AFT’s ability to help ensure a future with enough farmland farmed well to sustain our society and help all of us to maintain a livable planet for this and future generations,” says Piotti.

He continues, “AFT is best known for its No Farms No Food® call to action, but just this year, I have added No Future to that mantra. We must see farmland as critical infrastructure akin to roads and bridges if we hope to feed, fuel and clothe our society for years to come.”

“AFT appreciates the bipartisan nature of this bill and the invaluable input provided from a wide variety of agricultural, conservation and nutrition stakeholders. AFT looks forward to working with Congress, with the Administration and with our partners across the country to help translate the promise of this legislation into positive direct outcomes on farms cross the nation.”



Farm Credit Welcomes Farm Bill Conference Report, Urges Passage

President and CEO of the Farm Credit Council Todd Van Hoose released the following statement following regarding the Farm Bill conference report:

“Farm Credit is deeply grateful to Senator Roberts, Senator Stabenow, Representative Conaway and Representative Peterson for their leadership in forging a strong, bi-partisan Farm Bill that will provide certainty for U.S. farm and ranch families. This Farm Bill strengthens the safety net for our farmers and ranchers, boosts jobs in rural communities and helps deliver a safe, affordable, abundant food supply to families in the U.S. and around the world.

We urge Congress to pass this bill immediately, and we urge President Trump to sign it without delay.”



Conference Panel Approves 2018 Farm Bill

Pork producers – and all livestock farmers – are poised for a significant victory after passage by a Senate-House conference committee of a 2018 Farm Bill that includes mandatory funding for animal disease prevention and preparedness. The National Pork Producers Council now is urging lawmakers in both chambers of Congress to approve the new five-year agricultural blueprint. NPPC has been a leading voice for the animal health and disease preparedness funding.

“This is a huge win for the livestock industry,” said NPPC President Jim Heimerl, a pork producer from Johnstown, Ohio. “The ability to respond to foreign animal disease emergencies is critical to safeguarding the well-being of our animals, our economy and the safety of our food supply.”

Under the new Farm Bill, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be able to use funds for a Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine bank; for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), which provides disease surveillance and diagnostic support; and for state efforts to prepare for any foreign animal disease outbreak. Surveillance and diagnostic funding is critical to prevent the spread of diseases, such as African swine fever, for which vaccines don’t exist.

The U.S. pork industry, for example, is working with USDA on efforts to prevent African swine fever from entering the country and preparing to deal with the disease, which is spreading in Asia and Europe, should an outbreak in the United States occur.

The 2018 Farm Bill includes mandatory animal health and disease preparedness funding of $120 million for the first four years of the bill. At least $5 million per year must go to the National Animal Disease Preparedness Program in the form of state block grants, and the remaining dollars can be allocated across the vaccine bank, NAHLN and state block grants. Additionally, NAHLN is authorized for another $30 million per year for all five years of the bill. The fifth year of the bill includes another mandatory $30 million for all three programs, but at least $18 million must go toward the state block grants. The bill also authorizes appropriations for the vaccine bank and the National Animal Disease Preparedness Program for sums determined to be necessary.

In addition to the animal health and disease-preparedness provisions, the bill includes funding for the International Market Development Program, which includes the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program that support export markets for U.S. farm goods. These programs are funded at not less than $200 million and not less than $34.5 million, respectively.

“NPPC supports the Farm Bill approved today by House and Senate conferees and looks forward to its swift passage in both chambers,” Heimerl said.



NCBA to Congress: Vote "Yes" to Get 2018 Farm Bill Across the Finish Line

Today President Kevin Kester issued the following statement in response to the release of the 2018 Farm Bill conference report:

“The release of the Farm Bill conference report is encouraging news for farmers and ranchers across the country. Now it is time for Congress to get the 2018 Farm Bill across the finish line. In these uncertain times, agricultural operations and rural communities depend on the certainty the Farm Bill provides.

“NCBA was pleased to see authorization of a new Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine (FMD) bank. The FMD bank will provide critical protection to rural economies, and we look forward to working with Secretary Perdue and Congress to address future funding needs.

”We ask Members of Congress to vote 'yes' and get the bill across the finish line before Christmas.”



NFU Statement on 2018 Farm Bill Compromise

The Farm Bill conference committee conferees today released the text of a compromise Farm Bill, largely the effort of House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of the 2018 Farm Bill. If approved by both chambers within the next week and a half, the legislation will be on President Trump’s desk and awaiting approval before the end of the year.

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response to the Farm Bill compromise:
“Passage of the 2018 Farm Bill cannot come soon enough for American family farmers and ranchers, who need the certainty of the Farm Bill safety net to continue to weather the worst farm economy decline in more than thirty years. We also need the bill to continue the sustainability gains and emergence of new markets for farmers that have been supported by Farm Bill programs.

“Senate and House agriculture leaders and their staff have worked tirelessly to resolve differences in the chambers’ respective farm bills, and they’ve produced a bill that represents a critical step toward providing the relief and certainty farmers need amidst struggling markets due to oversupply and trade volatility.

“We strongly urge Congress to approve the farm bill before the end of the year.”



Statement of NCFC President Chuck Conner on the Farm Bill Conference Report

“The 2018 farm bill process has entered the home stretch with the filing of the conference report last night. Getting to this point would have been impossible without the leadership and hard work of Senators Pat Roberts and Debbie Stabenow and Representatives Mike Conaway and Collin Peterson. In a time of continued low commodity prices and disruptions in overseas markets, they recognized that America’s farmers and ranchers need the certainty of a new farm bill before the new year. We urge the full House and Senate to meet that goal by passing the conference report as soon as possible.

 “The farm bill conference report will ensure a safety net for producers, maintain the strength of the federal crop insurance program and fund important priorities in conservation, rural development, trade promotion and nutrition.

“In addition, the bill contains language strengthening the Buy American provisions of the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. This portion of the bill is needed since numerous investigations have found a troubling amount of foreign-sourced food products, particularly from China, served through the school feeding programs even when American food products are readily available and competitively priced. These provisions will help to ensure that taxpayer money is used in the way that Congress intended.”



Dangerous pesticide preemption rider scrapped from 2018 Farm Bill

The Farm Bill Conference Committee released negotiated text of the 2018 Farm Bill last night. The House version of the bill included language that would have weakened environmental and public health protections and stripped states and cities of their ability to protect their communities from toxic pesticides. This dangerous pesticide preemption rider was not included in the negotiated bill released yesterday.

In September, more than 60 local officials, in 39 communities from 15 different states across the country sent a letter to the Farm Bill conference committee urging the rejection of the pesticide preemption rider. More than 100 communities have passed policies to restrict pesticides to protect people, pollinators and the planet.

Tiffany Finck-Haynes, pesticides and pollinators program manager at Friends of the Earth, issued the following statement in response:

We are encouraged by the conference committee’s decision to prioritize public health and the environment instead of agrichemical industry profits. The dangerous pesticide preemption rider would have prevented state and local governments from protecting their communities from toxic chemicals. Thousands of people across the country, including dozens of local elected officials, spoke out against this dangerous language in the House Farm Bill. By keeping this troubling component out of the final bill, committee members stood up to preserve state and local governments’ ability to protect the public from these toxic chemicals.



NGFA issues statement on release of farm bill

In response to the Senate and House farm bill negotiators unveiling a compromise 2018 Farm Bill this week, NGFA President and CEO Randy Gordon released the following statement:

"The 2018 farm bill language unveiled by congressional negotiators this week includes several Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) reforms that the NGFA supported throughout the process, including reducing rental rates to provide a market-based disincentive to enrolling productive cropland. Too much productive farmland currently is enrolled in CRP, and reducing rental rates should help refocus the program on truly highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land. This policy change also benefits young and beginning farmers and ranchers who for too long have been forced to compete directly against the federal government to access farmland, a troubling policy when the average age of the American farmer is 58.

"While NGFA would have preferred that Congress limit the CRP acreage cap to the program's current 24 million acres - as too many whole farms and acres of prime farmland are idled while environmentally sensitive acres are left unprotected through the program's general sign-up process - the Association appreciates the conferees' adoption of a reasonable CRP limit of 27 million acres with 2 million acres of those expressly reserved for grasslands, especially in light of pressure early on from some groups to expand the CRP cap by a whopping 66 percent to 40 million acres. In implementing CRP, we also will be encouraging USDA to view this as a cap, not a minimum requirement for CRP enrollment.

"The NGFA also praises the conferees' decision not to include the Senate farm bill's provisions on permanent Conservation Reserve Easements, which we believe would have intensified what already is a rapid decline of available U.S. cropland attributable to urban encroachment, CRP and other factors. Conservation easements potentially would have removed hundreds of thousands of acres permanently from crop production each year.

"On balance, NGFA believes the conservation provisions in the compromise farm bill will help keep good quality land in production that can be farmed sustainably using prudent and sustainable conservation practices.

"The farm bill also includes an important provision for grain handlers regarding domestic official grain inspections by providing dozens of grain elevators whose non-use of service/open season exception agreements were revoked by USDA in 2017. Under the farm bill language, these elevators will have the option to restore the previous arrangement with their non-incumbent domestic official inspection provider by notifying USDA of the change. NGFA appreciates the leadership of Reps. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., and Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., to address and clarify Congress's intent in the U.S. Grain Standards Act Reauthorization.

"The NGFA thanks Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.; House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas; and Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn.; and their staffs for their hard work and dedication to completing a farm bill. The certainty that a farm bill will provide to our industry's farmer-customers, including preserving a strong federal crop insurance program, is extremely important, and the NGFA looks forward to working with lawmakers to support the bill's passage in Congress."

Congress is expected to vote on the farm bill this week.

Monday December 10 Ag News

HENG-MOSS NAMED AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND NATURAL RESOURCES DEAN AT NEBRASKA

Tiffany Heng-Moss, who has served as interim dean of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources since July 2017, has been named permanent dean of the college.

Mike Boehm, Harlan Vice Chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, made the announcement Dec. 10. Heng-Moss will formally begin the appointment, which is pending Board of Regents approval, in early 2019.

“Tiffany has done a tremendous job in leading CASNR’s efforts of preparing the next generation of leaders and problem solvers,” Boehm said. “Tiffany is a nationally recognized teacher and scholar, and an amazingly collaborative innovator. I am confident in her abilities to build upon the college’s momentum and am very excited that she has accepted this key leadership role.”

Now in its 146th year, the college is working to link curricular, co-curricular and experiential learning to prepare students for careers addressing global challenges. The college is focused on preparing students to engage in a globalized world. IANR has developed a number of new partnerships around the world to expand international programming with the shared goal of preparing students as leaders for a future in which demands on food, energy and water systems will challenge sustainability.

“I am truly honored to be named dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources,” Heng-Moss said. “The goal of the college is to foster an inclusive environment that empowers our students to be difference makers on campus, across the state and around the globe. I look forward to continuing to partner with those within CASNR and the broader university community to make this a reality.”

In 2018, Nebraska was named one of the top 50 universities in the world for agriculture and forestry in the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings. This was the second year in a row Nebraska appeared in the ranking.

As an administrator within the college, Heng-Moss has led the development of IANR’s graduate education framework, graduate attributes and a smart enrollment growth framework. Prior to her administrative role, Heng-Moss developed and taught both graduate and undergraduate courses in the Department of Entomology. She also provided leadership for the development and implementation of the insect science bachelor’s degree program. Her research focused primarily on insect science and pest-management strategies. She has authored or co-authored more than 90 refereed teaching and research articles.

Heng-Moss is a prior recipient of the University of Nebraska’s Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award, which recognizes faculty members who have demonstrated meritorious and sustained records of excellence in creativity and teaching.

Heng-Moss holds a bachelor’s degree in horticulture, and master’s and doctoral degrees in entomology from Nebraska.

To learn more about CASNR, visit https://casnr.unl.edu.



Collegiate Farm Bureau Leaders Receive Ron Hanson Scholarship

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation awarded the first ever Ron Hanson Collegiate Leader Scholarship to two students pursuing a degree from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and are members of the Collegiate Farm Bureau at the university.

Emily Frenzen, a Nance County Farm Bureau member from Fullerton, and Jacob Rosse, a Custer County Farm Bureau member from Gothenburg, received the two $1,500 scholarships.

“Dr. Ron Hanson, professor emeritus at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, established the scholarship to reward students who prioritize leadership building activities while on campus,” said Megahn Schafer, executive director of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation. “A longtime Farm Bureau member, Dr. Hanson recognizes the power of grassroots volunteers, and he wants to encourage the next generation of leaders to step up, make their voices heard, and serve their communities. There aren’t two more deserving students for this inaugural honor than Emily and Jacob,” said Schafer.

Applicants were judged based on their involvement with Collegiate Farm Bureau, volunteer and leadership activities, and their goals for the future.

Frenzen is pursuing a degree in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communication. She is heavily involved in many volunteer organizations across campus including Collegiate Farm Bureau, Husker Food Connection, Agriculture Communicators of Tomorrow Club, and Chi Omega sorority. She is also an Ag Pen Pal with second grade students in Crete. Upon graduation she would like to share the story of agriculture by working in a communications role for a voluntary organization like Farm Bureau.

Rosse, an Agronomy major at the university, plans to return to the family farm in Gothenburg after graduation. He is vice president of programming for the UNL Chapter of Collegiate Farm Bureau and is also a part of the Agronomy Club on campus. After graduation he plans to return to the family farm and run his own crop consulting firm. He is excited to strengthen Nebraska agriculture by using the latest farming techniques and thinking progressively.



How to Prepare Your Dairy for the Winter Season
Dawn Klabenes, NE Dairy Extension Intern

Whether we are ready or not, winter comes a variety of challenges for dairy farmers and it can be a hard season. To prepare for those hardships, here are some things to keep in mind to make the cold season easier to get through.

Extra Energy!
As temperatures decrease and snow piles up, cold stress also sets in. It’s important to ensure that there is enough feed on hand for your cattle. With lower temperatures, an animal’s nutrition requirements go up. Meeting up with your nutritionist to tweak the ration to fit the cows’ needs will prove to be beneficial. Make sure you are prepared to provide all the energy your cows need to thrive.

Calf Care
Calves are going to need a little bit more TLC during the winter, so investing in calf jackets to keep them insulated will help. As I said in the last point, they need extra milk and feed to keep their body temperatures regulated, so remember to fulfill their needs. Lining up some hay bales along the huts will provide some extra protection from the wind, and facing the hutches out of the wind plays a big role in keeping them warm as well. Remember that southern winds are usually warmer than winds from the north, so facing the huts toward the south will be beneficial, and your calves will appreciate it!

Equipment Check-up!
To prevent delays from equipment failing due to the harsh temps, remember to prepare your equipment to help your winter days run more smoothly. Testing and servicing your generator might be the difference between keeping the milking on schedule and having no power to keep things moo-ving. Also, look at your waterers to make sure they are working properly to prevent your cows being stuck without water. Checking the heaters in your barn to make sure they’re working correctly will help keep you and your cows more comfortable.

Bundle Up!
Lastly, make sure you and your employees have the proper winter attire (winter boots, gloves, coats, etc.) that will help you all push through the fierce weather. If you are comfortable and haven’t lost all feeling in your toes yet, it will be easier for you to withstand the cold longer so that you can ensure all the animals are getting the proper care needed.



EPA and USDA Encourage Use of Market-based and Other Collaborative Approaches to Address Excess Nutrients

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a letter to state co-regulators that encourages increased engagement and a reinvigoration of state, tribal, and federal efforts to reduce excess nutrients in waterways, with a focus on market-based and other collaborative approaches.

“Thanks to the hard work of states, tribes, and stakeholders, EPA and USDA have made significant progress reducing excess nutrients in some watersheds. Now is the time to build on that success and leverage the market-based and other collaborative approaches that we know can lead to meaningful results across the country,” said EPA Office of Water Assistant Administrator David Ross.

EPA and USDA are committed to working with states, tribes, and stakeholders to identify watersheds and basins where market-based approaches can supplement traditional regulatory programs to promote meaningful reductions in excess nutrients and improved water quality. This could include providing technical and financial support and participating in problem solving at the local level to explore approaches including water quality credit trading, public-private partnerships, pay-for success, supply chain programs, and more.

“Voluntary conservation works,” said USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation mission area Bill Northey. “Across the country, farmers are leading the way toward improved water quality by taking steps to decrease sedimentation and nutrient runoff from agricultural lands. But we know more can be done, and continue to look for partners to pursue innovative, market-based, and voluntary approaches that lead to cleaner water and a healthier agricultural sector.”

This renewed effort is part of a larger inter-Agency collaboration to better coordinate and focus federal resources on some of the nation’s most challenging water resource concerns, including addressing excess nutrients in waterways.

For more information visit https://www.epa.gov/nutrient-policy-data/inter-agency-engagement-nutrient-reduction.



Biodiesel Stakeholders Ask Congress for Long-Term Extension of the Biodiesel Tax Incentive

Today, the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) and more than 50 member companies and affiliated organizations delivered a letter to House and Senate leaders, urging them to enact a multiyear extension of the biodiesel and renewable diesel tax incentive before Congress adjourns for the year. In February 2018, Congress retroactively extended the tax incentive for 2017, leaving it expired for this year and beyond. The letter welcomes a recent proposal for a seven-year extension of the tax incentive.

In the letter, the biodiesel industry stakeholders state, “We believe that a multiyear extension of the tax incentive would help the biodiesel industry achieve substantial growth over the next several years, creating significant new employment opportunities, an important market for agricultural products and renewable feedstocks, as well as opportunities for rural economic growth.”

The U.S. biodiesel and renewable diesel market has grown from about 100 million gallons in 2005, when the incentive was first implemented, to nearly 2.9 billion gallons in 2016.

Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs with the National Biodiesel Board, added, “The biodiesel industry has long advocated for a multiyear extension of the tax incentive. Congress can provide the certainty and predictability for producers and feedstock providers that will help us achieve our potential. Because the incentive is currently expired, it is urgent that Congress act before the end of the year.”



Farm Bureau Encourages House to Advance Tax Extenders

The House may soon consider legislation that would extend several expired tax provisions, including Farm Bureau-supported credits that promote the production of biodiesel and support the sustainability of short line railroads. The measure may be attached to an end-of-the-year legislative package or another bill Congress is looking to finalize before the end of the month.

Tax credits for biodiesel, renewable biodiesel and second-generation biofuel, along with the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property tax credit, expired on Dec. 31, 2017. These cleaner-burning renewable fuels provide expanded markets for farm commodities.

“Tax incentives that encourage further development and use of renewable fuels and renewable energy benefit our nation and aid the agriculture sector.  The certainty of a multi-year extension will provide the biodiesel industry with the stability it needs for long-term planning and strategic investment,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said in a recent letter to House members.

The tax credit for short line railroads, which farmers and ranchers depend on to deliver their products to market and to supply them with the inputs they need to run their businesses, also expired at the end of last year.

“Tax incentives for track maintenance help to upgrade and continue local rail service that connects rail customers to the national main line rail network. Permanent extension of the credit is warranted because rail transportation remains important in providing a strong rural economy now and into the future,” Duvall wrote.

Farm Bureau is asking House lawmakers to approve the biodiesel and short line railroad extenders with the goal of passing them into law before the end of this session of Congress.



Cattlemen Urge Action to Reduce Trade Barriers in Japan

Today National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Kevin Kester urged the Trump Administration to move quickly to tear down trade barriers for U.S. beef in Japan. Speaking at a public hearing on the potential economic impact of a U.S.-Japan bilateral trade agreement, Kester noted that reducing tariff and non-tariff trade barriers would benefit Japanese consumers and U.S. cattle producers. Japan is the top export market for U.S. beef, accounting for nearly $2 billion in sales in 2017. However, U.S. beef exports face tariffs as high as 50 percent under some circumstances.

“NCBA strongly supports prioritizing and expediting negotiations for a U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement,” Kester said in his comments. “The U.S. beef industry is at risk of losing significant market share in Japan unless immediate action is taken to level the playing field.”

A number of key U.S. competitors have negotiated agreements that provide their producers with preferential access to the Japanese market. For example, under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Australian beef exporters will enjoy a tariff reduction of 27.5 percent in the first year of the agreement for fresh and frozen products. In most cases, the countries who are part of CPTPP will see their tariff rates for beef exports decline to 9 percent over the next 15 years. In addition to CPTPP, Japan is moving ahead with a trade agreement that will give European Union beef producers similar terms to those negotiated in CPTPP.

“NCBA supported the negotiated compromise under Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) because it reduced the massive tariff applied to U.S. beef, diminished the likelihood of triggering snap back tariffs, and established strong, objective, and predictable sanitary and phytosanitary standards and other rules-based trade standards,” Kester added. “We expect nothing less under a U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement.”



USW President Urges USTR to Help Protect Wheat Exports to Japan Through Trade Negotiations

When the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) enters into force Dec. 31, 2018, Japan will grant preferential access to wheat export countries that are in the agreement. This has the potential to slash sales to a crucial market for U.S. wheat farmers. That is why U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) President Vince Peterson today urged the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to seek a rapid solution to this vulnerability through trade negotiations with Japan.

Testifying Dec. 10 at a USTR public hearing and through written testimony, Peterson thanked the Trump Administration for making negotiations with Japan a priority and explained the risk to wheat export sales without a quick U.S.-Japan agreement.

The CPTPP will grant preferential access to Canadian and Australian wheat exports, he said, by reducing the effective tariff on their wheat. Eventually, this reduction will be about $70 per metric ton, or 45 percent below the current effective tariff applied to U.S. wheat. Because Japan has no obligation to change this tariff reduction schedule, Peterson said it will likely shut most U.S. wheat exports out of the Japanese market and undo decades of market development work.

“U.S. Wheat Associates has had an office in Tokyo for more than 60 years,” he said. “We have invested countless hours and millions of hard-earned farmer dollars and federal export market development program funds building this market. During that time, the Japanese milling industry has become an indispensable partner for U.S. wheat farmers.”

Peterson added that over the last five marketing years, Japan is the largest, most reliable and valuable market for U.S. wheat and consistently returns almost $1 billion per year to U.S. wheat farmers and the grain trade.

“All that is at risk without a U.S.-Japan agreement that quickly ends the preference Canada and Australia gain as members with Japan of the CPTPP,” Peterson said. “We thank you for understanding the plight of these farmers, who already face severe trade disruptions in other markets.”

Looking ahead, Peterson added, “U.S. wheat farmers and Japan’s flour milling industry hope that we can maintain provisional equivalence for U.S. wheat imports while our two countries conduct ongoing, good faith negotiations. And we urge the Administration to act quickly to save our market in Japan.”



Registration now open for 2019 Animal Agriculture Alliance Summit, “A Seat At The Table”

Registration is open for the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2019 Stakeholders Summit, themed A Seat At The Table. The event, now in its 18th year, will be held May 8-9 at the InterContinental At The Plaza Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. Early registration discounts are available through February 1 (pending availability). To register, visit https://www.animalagalliance.org/summit.

The conversation surrounding animal agriculture has been going on for much too long without engagement between key stakeholders in restaurant, retail and foodservice companies, farms and ranches, government agencies, agribusinesses, and agriculture and food associations. The annual Stakeholders Summit brings top thought leaders in the industry together to discuss hot-button issues and out-of-the-box ideas.

“Consumers are asking more questions about environmental stewardship, nutrition and animal welfare today than ever before,” said Kay Johnson Smith, Alliance president and CEO. “At the 2019 Summit, food industry stakeholders will learn how to address these concerns and gain the supportive network and tools they need for success in their business.”

Be sure to check the Summit website for the most up-to-date Summit information. You can also follow the hashtags #AAA19 for periodic updates about the event. For general questions about the Summit please contact summit@animalagalliance.org or call (703) 562-5160.

Get involved:
Show your support for the Alliance’s outreach efforts by becoming an official Summit sponsor today! For 2019 sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.animalagalliance.org/summit. For more information, contact Allyson Jones-Brimmer at ajonesbrimmer@animalagalliance.org.

Thank you to our 2019 Summit sponsors: Watt Global Media, Farm Journal Media, Meatingplace, National Provisioner, American Feed Industry Association, National Pork Producers Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Smithfield, National Biodiesel Board, Summit Livestock Facilities, United Egg Producers, Cobb-Vantress, Inc., Council for Biotechnology Information, Protect the Harvest, BPI Technology, Inc., National Chicken Council, Live Oak Bank, North Carolina Farm Bureau, Food Industry Environmental Network, Kansas Farm Bureau and Kansas Soybean.

The Alliance also thanks the following members for their continued support of Summit and other Alliance programs: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Merck Animal Health, Charleston|Orwig, Diamond V, Zoetis, Alltech, Inc., Aviagen Group, Bayer Animal Health, Dairy Farmers of America, Genus PLC - PIC/ABS, Hendrix Genetics, Hy-Line North America LLC, Iowa Soybean Association, Midwest Dairy, National Pork Board, Nutrien, National Turkey Federation, Provimi North America, Inc. and Seaboard Foods LLC.

 

Culver's Raises Over $2 Million for 'Thank You Farmers' Fund

Wisconsin-based Culver's restaurant chain announced it has contributed over $2 million to the National FFA Foundation since the start of its 'Thank You Farmers' initiative six years ago. The franchise says the program has connected with people across the nation in its goal to thank family farmers who have made Culver's the business it is today.

"Every day we're inspired by the passion and intelligence of our country's agricultural students," said Jessie Kreke, Culver's senior marketing manager. "Through the Thank You Farmers Project, we're able to support them and ensure the agricultural industry has bright future leaders."

During 2018, Culver's restaurants in 24 states donated over $465,000 to agricultural education initiatives in schools and organizations like FFA.

Of the total amount donated through the project, about 75 percent has come from guests supporting local fundraising at Culver's restaurants. The remain was contributed by the company in the form of sponsorships.

Next year, the food chain plans to continue to fundraise for initiatives and organizations like FFA that work toward solutions for feeding our growing population.

Friday December 7 Ag News

Ag Estate Planning Workshop January 16

Nebraska Extension in Cuming County is hosting an Estate Planning Workshop for Ag for landowners, ranchers, and farmers on Wednesday, January 16. It will be at the Nielsen Community Center in West Point from 2 to 5 p.m. The event is designed to help anyone thinking about how they should proceed with plans to retire, exit, or transfer the farm or ranch business.

The event is free. Register by contacting Nebraska Extension in Cuming County at 402-372-6006 or stop by the office.  Registration is requested to ensure proper handouts for participants.

Speakers for this workshop will be Allan Vyhnalek, Extension Educator working in farm succession/transfer, and Brandon Dirkschneider, certified financial planner and certified farm/ranch transition coordinator.

Workshop topics include the importance of having a plan, proper family communications, proper family negotiations, needed end of life documentation, estate planning options using wills, trusts, and/or other business entities.  A feature of this program will be to provide information about how insurance products can be used with estate planning.

Reactions from past participants can be summarized into one comment: Most participants wished that they had attended this workshop years earlier. Retiring or passing the farm to the next generation is difficult to think about and is an admission of your own impending demise; however, it is a necessary step and with good planning can be made as painless as possible.

For more information about the program, please contact Allan Vyhnalek, Extension Educator, at 402-472-1771 or e-mail avyhnalek2@unl.edu. For registration questions contact Nebraska Extension in Cuming County at 402-372-6006 or cuming-county@unl.edu. Share this flyer to share meeting information with a friend.



Resistance Management Webinar Series Starts in January
Amy Timmerman - NE Extension Educator

Managing resistant pests is an increasing issue throughout crop production in Nebraska and the entire U.S. Staying updated on current strategies to manage resistant pests is critical. A new Nebraska Extension resource, the “Resistance Management Webinar Series,” will provide the most current research about resistant pests and management strategies.

Live presentations will be offered on three Mondays in January and February from 7 to 8 p.m. CST. Recordings will be available for up to seven days after the live presentation.

A total of three continuing education hours in integrated pest management will be available for certified crop advisors.

Schedule
January 14 – “Strategies for Managing Palmer Amaranth with Multiple Resistance: The Most Troublesome Weed in U.S. Agriculture” presented by Professor Jason Norsworthy of the University of Arkansas

January 28 – “Principles of Fungicide Resistance: Frogeye Leaf Spot of Soybean” presented by Professor Carl Bradley of the University of Kentucky

February 11 – “Moving Forward with Bt Resistance by Looking at the History of Western Corn Rootworm” presented by Dalton Ludwick, a post-doctoral associate at USDA-ARS at Virgina Tech University

To register to participate in one or all three presentations please go to https://go.unl.edu/2019_rmws. Webinar recordings will be available up to seven days afterward to allow flexibility in scheduling.

Questions regarding the webinar series can be directed to Amy Timmerman (atimmerman2@unl.edu) at the Holt County Extension Office 402-336-2760.



Costco Commits to Restricting Use of Medically Important Antibiotics
"As You Sow" press release

Following engagement with As You Sow, Costco Wholesale updated today their animal welfare standards to include a policy on the responsible use of antibiotics, establishing a commitment to restrict the use of medically important antibiotics in the company’s meat and poultry supply chains to therapeutic use only, under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Among others, this commitment covers the operator of the company’s new chicken processing facility currently under construction in Nebraska. Notably, Costco will adopt methods to assess compliance with this policy.

As You Sow filed a shareholder proposal with Costco this summer, highlighting the harmful impacts of using medically important antibiotics in raising animals for meat. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) consider antibiotic resistance one of the biggest threats to public health today. It has been estimated that antibiotic-resistant infections will cause as many as 300 million premature deaths and up to $100 trillion in global economic damage by 2050.

“We are particularly encouraged by the company’s plans to create mechanisms through which they will be able to verify supplier compliance with their antibiotics policy,” Christy Spees, environmental health program manager at As You Sow, said. “This is a significant undertaking, and one that we hope will cause a ripple of change in the meat industry and set a standard for other retail chains.”

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture is recognized by the CDC and WHO as a significant contributor to the problem of antibiotic resistance. Retailers have significant purchasing power to influence industry standards, and we believe that Costco’s policy will help move the meat industry towards practices that will better protect consumers from this public health crisis.



Beef Genetics Researchers Seek to Understand Technology Utilization: Survey Respondents Sought

Beef cattle producers have a wide range of selection tools available for use in selection of breeding stock. These range from visual appraisal to EPD (expected progeny differences) and selection indexes that leverage genomic technologies. Adoption of new technologies by the beef industry has dramatically changed beef cattle selection strategies and opportunities. Beef genetics and genomic tools continue to evolve at a rapid rate.

To aid the development of new selection tools and their adoption by producers, researchers seek to understand current attitudes and perceptions of industry stakeholders. Producers and industry participants are encouraged to take part in an online survey to help inform the development of a new beef cattle selection decision support tool. This work is part of the activities funded through a recent USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Critical Agriculture Research and Extension grant (2018-68008-27888) awarded to research and extension faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Kansas State University, USDA-ARS US Meat Animal Research Center and a leading genetic evaluation software developer, Theta Solutions, LLC.

“Bull purchasing decisions need to account for differing marketing goals and environmental constraints to improve profitability and sustainability, but these are unique to each herd as producer-specific production goals and inputs vary considerably,” says Dr. Matt Spangler, project director and University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor.

Industry research suggests that current bull purchasing decisions do not appear to use all relevant information available. Spangler adds, “Our team of leading beef genetic researchers and extension specialists aims to develop and provide software that enables beef producers to make more profitable genetic selection decisions, integrating additive and non-additive genetic effects, available resources, and firm-level economics.”

The online survey of industry stakeholders will explore their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of current and envisioned beef genetic selection tools. Survey responses will be anonymous and summarized to help develop new selection tools and training programs. The survey is accessible until December 31, 2018, at: https://kstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aXJA9F3EyMfmSpf. 



FEEDING ALFALFA AS A PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist

               Feeding more protein than cattle need can get expensive.  Alfalfa can be an inexpensive protein source, especially if you feed just enough alfalfa to provide the protein your animals need.

               Cattle often need extra protein when their winter diet is based on corn stalks, prairie hay, straw, or winter range.  The protein supplement you chose is important, both in its effectiveness and its cost.  Many cheap protein sources contain mostly urea and other forms of non-protein nitrogen.  These supplements often are not used very effectively when cattle are eating mostly low energy winter forages.

               Supplements containing mostly all-natural protein may be better. All-natural protein feeds the microbes in the rumen so they can digest more fiber from your forage.  And many times the cheapest natural source of protein is alfalfa, especially when hay price is reasonable.

               Keep costs down further by determining how much extra protein your cows actually need.  Both a forage test for protein and a close estimate of how much your cows are actually eating are needed to be accurate.  Then you can work with a local extension educator, a nutritionist, or use your own skills to calculate how much more protein is needed.

               Many winter forage diets need between one-half and one pound of extra protein per day.  Since the forage test of your alfalfa will tell you how much protein it contains, you can calculate how much alfalfa to feed each day, or every other day, to keep cows healthy and productive.  This could come from as little 2 pounds of hay when feeding high protein alfalfa to cows needing just a little extra protein to as much as 8 to 10 pounds when using low quality alfalfa to cows after calving.

               It may not sound like a big difference, but when you feed just two or three pounds each day per cow, the savings add up fast.



Marketing Beef Is Focus of Feedlot Forum

Beef producers are in a new era of marketing with more changes rapidly coming. This new era will be the focus of Feedlot Forum 2019, set for Jan. 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the Terrace View Event Center in Sioux Center.

Tom Brink, CEO of the Red Angus Association of America and founder of Top Dollar Angus, Inc., is a morning session keynote speaker. He will visit about feeder calf verification and the importance of traceability to the beef industry.

Restaurant and culinary trends are changing menus offered to patrons. Jessica Dunker, president and CEO of the Iowa Restaurant Association, will share how changes in patron palates dictate the types of foods prepared and sold in fast food, family and upscale restaurants.

Chad Hart, associate professor of economics and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach economist, will lead off the afternoon with a discussion on the trade tariffs' impact on ag commodity prices, including beef. Hart and the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development just completed an analysis of the impact of tariffs on soybean prices. Hart is also versed in the effect of tariffs on meats and beef by-products.

Rounding out the afternoon is Andrew Gottschalk, senior vice president for R.J. O’Brien and Associates. Currently, U.S. livestock producers have record meat supplies. Gottschalk will project how these supplies and export demand will affect cattle outlook and potential prices for beef.

Other short presentations include the roles of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and Iowa Beef Industry Council and an update on Beef Quality Assurance and Beef Quality Assurance Transportation. This year’s forum also features 25 agri-business sponsors displaying the latest products, technology and services available to beef producers.

Feedlot Forum 2019 is a collaborative effort of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Iowa Beef Center, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and three county cattlemen’s associations – Lyon, Plymouth and Sioux.

“Previous Feedlot Forums have reached producers from 25 counties and seven states. Participants value the information presented by national speakers,” said Beth Doran, extension beef specialist with Iowa State University.

Registration for Feedlot Forum 2019 is $25 per person with a discounted price of $10 for students. All registrations are due January 10 to the Sioux County Extension Office, 400 Central Ave. NW, Suite 700, Orange City IA 51041. For more information, a flyer is available online. You also can contact Doran at 712-737-4230 or doranb@iastate.edu.



Joe Heinrich re-elected Iowa Farm Bureau vice president

Joe Heinrich of Maquoketa was re-elected vice president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) for a two-year term at the organization’s 100th annual meeting in Des Moines.  Heinrich has served as IFBF vice president since 2011.

Heinrich, a Jackson County farmer, farms with his family, including his wife Shelley and a nephew.  Together, they have a diversified farming operation including corn, soybeans, oats, and hay.  They also have a beef cow-calf herd and a dairy operation.  Heinrich was first elected to the IFBF board in 2004, representing District 6, prior to his service as vice president.  Before his election to the state board, Heinrich served as Jackson County president, vice president, voting delegate, young farmer chair, and served on the state internal study committee.

IFBF delegates also elected Randy Brincks of Winneshiek County as District 1 director and Matt Schuiteman of Sioux County as District 3 director.  Mark Buskohl of Grundy County was re-elected as the District 5 director.  Brincks succeeds Carlton Kjos of Winneshiek County, who retired after serving as an IFBF district director since 2006, and Schuiteman succeeds Phil Sundblad of Buena Vista county who retired after serving as an IFBF district director since 2000.  The directors were elected to serve a three-year term.      

Brincks farms with his wife, Mary, on their family farm near Ossian, and will represent 11 counties in northeast Iowa.  Brincks grows corn, soybeans, and alfalfa and also finish beef cattle and farrow-to-finish feeder pigs.

Brincks has been an active member of the Winneshiek County Farm Bureau holding all positions on the county board of directors, chaired numerous county committees, and is a graduate of the IFBF Ag Leaders Institute.  Additionally, Brincks has served as president of the Upper Iowa Co-op and is a member of the Quality Pork Marketing Group, Winneshiek County Pork Producers, and serves on the 4H County Youth Committee board.  The Brincks have a daughter and four sons.            

Schuiteman and his wife, Minde, farm with Matt’s parents just east of Sioux Center, and he will represent 12 counties in northwest Iowa.  The Schuitemans grow corn and alfalfa and have used cover crops on the farm since 2005.  The Schuitemans also farrow and finish sows, custom feed isowean pigs, and have a cow-calf herd of registered Shorthorn and Shorthorn plus cattle.

Schuiteman has served in many leadership positions within the Sioux County Farm Bureau and IFBF including: holding county board member positions, chairman of the IFBF Young Farmer Advisory Committee, IFBF Legacy Planning Committee, IFBF Internal Study Committee, and is a graduate of the Ag Leaders Institute.  Additionally, Schuiteman is a graduate of the Leadership Iowa program, current chairman of the Sioux County 4-H Committee, and past president and current member of the Sioux Center FFA Alumni chapter.  The Schuitemans have seven children.

Mark Buskohl was re-elected to represent District 5, comprised of 11 counties in central Iowa.  He was first elected to the state board in 2012.  Prior to serving as District 5 director, Buskohl held various leadership positions within the Grundy County Farm Bureau including county president, vice president, voting delegate, AFBF voting delegate, internal study member, and served on various state committees.  Buskohl and his wife Nancy run a diversified farm consisting of a cow/calf herd, cattle feedlot, hog finishing, flock of sheep, corn, soybeans, and hay.

Nine delegates were elected to represent Iowa at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Convention in New Orleans, January 11-16.  They include: IFBF President Craig Hill of Warren County; IFBF Vice President Joe Heinrich of Jackson County; Will Frazee of Montgomery County; Neil Shaffer of Howard County; Jason Russell of Linn County; Gary Langbein of Sac County; Rebecca Dostal of Tama County; and Rachel Fishback of Washington County.

Brian Feldpausch of Grundy County and Bryan Reed of Monroe County were elected to the IFBF internal study committee.  The internal study committee serves as a liaison between the county Farm Bureau voting delegates and the state board of directors.



Baudler of Adair County earns Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Leadership Award

Beth Baudler’s passion for agriculture and commitment to sharing that passion has earned her Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) prestigious Young Farmer Leadership Award, presented during the IFBF 100th annual meeting in Des Moines on Dec. 3-5.

In addition to managing her own cow-calf herd and sheep flock in Adair County, Baudler also helps on her family farm where they grow hay, oats, corn and soybeans. She has an off-farm job as a cattle specialist, working with other farmers to formulate feed rations and select appropriate supplements for their livestock. She also instructs the Animal Breeding and Genetics course at Southwestern Community College in Creston and is responsible for giving the students real-life experiences with swine breeding and genetics.

Baudler serves as secretary of the Adair County Farm Bureau board. She is a 2016 IFBF Ag Leaders graduate, a year-long program that focuses on developing individual leadership skills and understanding of agricultural issues impacting today’s farmers. Working with her county Farm Bureau, Baudler spearheaded “Ag Adventure,” an interactive 10-station experience held at her county fair and a local Fourth of July celebration. She was able to secure buy-in from local businesses and recruit more than 90 volunteers to assist with the events. Through this experience, more than 600 people learned about various agricultural topics from livestock and crops to farm safety and conservation. Because of the success of this initiative, Baudler was able to secure grants and volunteers to bring ag education to six Adair County preschools. Plans are underway to expand this effort into kindergarten and third grade classes for the 2018-19 school year.

Baudler provides leadership to other projects that focus on connecting with non-farming audiences. She is an advisor for Speak Out for Agriculture (SOFA), mentoring teens who have planned to engage more than 100 inner-city youth in Chicago as well as Sioux Falls, SD in agricultural activities. She also is the administrator of the “Who’s Your Iowa Farmer?” Facebook page, which shares positive farming messages that are viewed more than 20,000 times per week.

Baudler volunteers in various roles for the Iowa State Fair and Adair County Fair, serves as a board member of Empowering Adair County Foundation and often looks for opportunities to talk with others about agriculture, whether on the radio or at an ag breakfast event.

“Beth is extremely deserving of this award,” says IFBF Regional Manager Beth Irlbeck. “When she is not working on her own farm or at her off-farm job, she is out there sharing what farming in Iowa looks like today. She’s an asset to the Adair County Farm Bureau and the community as a whole.”

The Young Farmer Leadership Award is in honor of past IFBF President Bob Joslin, who was well known for his support and encouragement of young farmers. It is designated for farmers under the age of 35 who demonstrate outstanding leadership in Farm Bureau, agriculture and their community.

As the Young Farmer Leadership Award recipient, Baudler receives a $1,500 Home and Workshop certificate from award-sponsor John Deere, a 90-day no-payment and no-interest John Deere Financial Certificate up to $5,000, a $750 gift card to FAST STOP or local FS Cooperative from GROWMARK. Baudler also will have expenses paid to the 2019 American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Convention in New Orleans and 2019 GROWMARK annual meeting in Chicago.



Bailey Family of Ringgold County Presented Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Achievement Award

Ryan and Alle Bailey of Ringgold County have been named Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) 2018 Young Farmer Achievement Award winners at this year’s IFBF “Century Strong” 100th annual meeting in Des Moines, Dec. 3-5.  This award honors Iowa farmers between the ages of 18 and 35 who demonstrate outstanding management ability on their family farms and have a positive presence in both Farm Bureau activities and their local community.

As fifth generation farmers raising grain and cattle, the Baileys agree there’s no better place to grow up than on an Iowa farm. Because Ryan says legacy is very important to him, he and Alle have continuously worked to improve their family farm by converting old buildings on their land into areas where their cattle can have access to feed, seek comfort during inclement weather and have a designated place to give individual attention to cattle that need it. By working with nutritionists, veterinarians and with the use of genetics, the Baileys have seen health improvements within their livestock, creating a greater efficiency in getting cattle to market.

On the crop side, the Baileys run their own retail seed business. They offer drone crop scouting and agronomic solutions for their clients. On their own farm, they use precision ag to apply fertilizer where it is needed in the exact amount that is needed. They’ve also planted 50 acres of cover crops with a goal to increase these acres for cattle grazing. Their other goals include increasing their cattle herd size, finding ways to implement additional water quality practices and adopting new technologies for record-keeping.

“Knowing you’re creating a food supply for the world, it brings intense meaning, and that’s what really drives my passion,” says Alle.

The two are active with the Ringgold County Farm Bureau and IFBF Young Farmer program. They are also active within the cattle industry, serving various positions with the Iowa Beef Industry Council, county cattlemen and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. In their community, they are involved in their church and civic groups.

As winner of the Young Farmer Achievement Award, the Baileys will have the option to lease a John Deere G-Series Skid Steer/Compact Track Loader (one year/1500 hours), 5-7 Series Tractor/Loader combo (1 year/300 hours) or take home a 590E Gator (valued at $9,500). They also receive a 90-day no payment, no interest (NPNI) John Deere Financial Certificate up to $5,000, and an all-expense paid trip to the 2019 GROWMARK annual meeting in Chicago. In January, the Baileys will travel to New Orleans where they will represent Iowa in the national Young Farmer Achievement Award competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Convention.

Kipp Fehr of Palo Alto County is the second-place finalist for the Young Farmer Achievement Award. Since high school, Fehr has grown his farm over time, acquiring land through beginning farmer loans and rental agreements. To continue expanding his farm, Fehr custom sprays other farms in the county and works at a local Case IH dealer. In 2013, he began using strip tillage, a minimum tillage method, to reduce soil erosion.  He hopes to continue to improve his land and farm’s bottom line with cover crops. In addition to serving on his county Farm Bureau board, Fehr has been involved in Farm Bureau policy and lobbying trips. He will be receiving parts on Site Bin (valued at $3,000), a 90-day NPNI John Deere Financial Certificate (up to $5,000) and a $500 gift card to Fast Stop or local FS Cooperative from GROWMARK.

The third-place finalists for this award are Sherwin and Kristin Plate of Mahaska County. They will receive a John Deere 23-foot safe, a 90-day NPNI John Deere Financial Certificate (up to $5,000), a $1,000 Granger gift certificate and Yeti cooler from Farm Bureau Financial Services. After serving four years in the United States Army, Sherwin came home to the family farm where he and Kristen and their three young children grow grain and raise hogs. The Plates also grow their own cover crop seed which they plant on 750 acres of their no-till corn and soybeans. Sherwin serves on the county Farm Bureau board, and Kristen is a recent IFBF Ag Leader graduate. They are both active with their local church.



Ringgold County farmer wins Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Discussion Meet

Alle Bailey of Diagonal has been selected as the winner of Iowa Farm Bureau Federation’s (IFBF) Young Farmer Discussion Meet, held Dec. 4, during IFBF’s 100th annual meeting in Des Moines.

The winner of the Young Farmer Discussion Meet goes on to represent Iowa in the Young Farmer and Rancher National Discussion Meet during the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Annual Convention in New Orleans on Jan. 11-16. Since Alle and her husband, Ryan, will be competing for the Young Farmer Achievement Award at AFBF, Alicia Heun of Greene County will be the alternate representing Iowa during the national discussion meet competition.

The Young Farmer Discussion Meet is a unique competition in which participants are scored based on their ability to engage in a “cooperative” discussion on challenges affecting agriculture, such as how to correct fictitious information about modern farming practices or attract younger generations into the agricultural workforce. Throughout the discussion, the young farmers are awarded points in their ability to identify the problem, seek solutions and listen to others’ viewpoints—skills that are pertinent to gaining consumer trust in today’s world. 

The eight contestants who participate in the semi-final rounds during the annual meeting earned their slots by competing at the IFBF Young Farmer Conference held in January of this year. Throughout the year, these young farmers work with various IFBF staff members who provide both highlights and background information on discussion topics and public speaking coaching. Four of the eight go on to compete in the final round where a state winner is selected and named during the IFBF Young Farmer Award Ceremony.

As the top finalist of the Iowa competition, Alle received a John Deere x380 riding lawn mower, a 90-day no-payment and no-interest (NPNI) John Deere Financial Certificate up to $5,000 and expenses paid for the 2019 AFBF Annual Convention, 2019 GROWMARK Annual Meeting in Chicago and 2019 IFBF Young Farmer Conference.



Soy Checkoff Sets Strong Course for Future with New Leadership and Continued Focus

United Soybean Board (USB) farmer-leaders elected Keith Tapp, fifth generation soybean farmer from Sebree, Kentucky as chair at the annual meeting December 5, 2018. In addition, 16 directors, appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue in October, were sworn in by the USDA.

“Our soy checkoff has proven itself by developing new products and markets for U.S. soy for decades,” said Tapp. “Our job is to continue this progress through wise and strategic investments, which is more important now than ever.”

USB leadership is tasked with guiding the activity of the national soy checkoff in accordance with the strategy outlined by the entire board. USB continues to focus on three priority areas for investment: meal, oil and sustainability.

At the annual board meeting, USB also elected nine directors to serve alongside Tapp on the Executive Committee.
- Jim Carroll, Vice Chair – Arkansas
- John Dodson, Secretary – Tennessee
- Dan Farney, Treasurer – Illinois
- Gregg Fujan – Nebraska
- Tom Oswald - Iowa
- Woody Green – South Carolina
- David Iverson – South Dakota
- Meagan Kaiser – Missouri
- Mark Seib – Indiana

Three farmer-leaders were also elected to serve on the Strategic Management Committee: Rochelle Krusemark, Minnesota; Ralph Lott II, New York; Doug Winter, Illinois. 



ASA Board Elects 2019 Governing Committee

A new group of leaders is set to tackle soybean policy issues in the coming year. The American Soybean Association (ASA) Board of Directors elected its governing committee this week during the annual winter board meeting in St. Louis, and new board members immediately began their terms.

Davie Stephens of Clinton, Ky., will serve as 2019 ASA president. Stephens has been an ASA national director since 2012, serving as secretary and most recently vice president. He also represented his fellow state farmers on the Kentucky Soybean Association board from 2006-14, holding positions as treasurer, secretary, vice-president and president. Stephens farms more than 5,000 acres in Kentucky and Tennessee. In addition to soybeans, he grows corn and raises chickens.

Stephens replaces John Heisdorffer, Iowa, as president, and Heisdorffer moves to the role of ASA chairman. Former chairman Ron Moore, Ill., rotates off the nine-member governing committee.

Ryan Findlay, CEO of ASA, said of the changes, “Davie will transition smoothly into this role, as he has been intrinsically involved in ASA’s heavy trade advocacy this past year, among other issues. And for those leaders stepping down from the board or resuming other posts, we cannot thank them enough for all they have done during this past year. John Heisdorffer showed true leadership as our president, speaking on behalf of the nation’s soybean farmers in a time of increased media attention and anxiety. We know Davie will provide continuity in that remarkable level of dedication and service to the soy industry.”

The ASA board also elected Bill Gordon, Minn., to serve as vice president, a position that places him in line to serve as the association’s president in 2020. Gordon is a fourth-generation farmer who grows soybeans and corn across two-thousand acres, including 250 acres of buffer strips and wetlands. He is owner of Lindquist Tax and Accounting and owner/partner of CRG Management Company, a full-service business including farm analysis and planning.

In addition, the ASA board voted to elect Bret Davis, Ohio, as secretary and Brad Kremer, Wis., as treasurer; Kevin Scott, SD, Joe Steinkamp, In., Brad Doyle, Ark., and Ronnie Russell, Mo., were elected as at-large members of the governing committee.

New members of the ASA board are Daryl Cates, Ill., David Droste, Ill., and Christopher Hill, Minn. Member terms begin immediately upon election each December meeting.



U.S. Beef Exports Still Red-Hot; Pork Exports Slightly Below Year-Ago Level; Lamb Exports Trend Higher

U.S. beef exports remained on a record-shattering value pace in October, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). October pork exports trended seasonally higher compared to recent months but were still below the results posted in October 2017. Lamb export volume in October more than doubled year-over-year, while value increased nearly 50 percent.

October beef exports totaled 117,838 metric tons (mt), up 6 percent from a year ago, valued at $727.4 million – up 10 percent and the second-highest monthly total on record. For January through October, beef exports totaled 1.13 million mt, up 9 percent year-over-year, while value was up 17 percent to $6.92 billion. For beef muscle cuts only, exports increased 12 percent in volume (867,714 mt) and 19 percent in value ($6.19 billion).

Exports accounted for 13 percent of total beef production in October, which was steady with last year, and 11.6 percent for muscle cuts only (down slightly). For January through October, exports accounted for 13.5 percent of total production and 11.1 percent for muscle cuts – up from 12.8 percent and 10.2 percent, respectively, last year. Beef export value equated to $317.53 per head of fed slaughter in October, up 5 percent from a year ago. For January through October, the per-head average was up 15 percent to $320.50.

“Demand for U.S. beef continues to climb in nearly every region of the world, with annual records already falling in some markets,” said Dan Halstrom, USMEF president and CEO. “Per-head export value will also easily set a new record in 2018, which illustrates the strong returns exports are delivering for cattle producers and for the entire supply chain.”

October pork export volume was 207,725 mt, the largest since May but still 2 percent lower year-over-year, reflecting smaller variety meat exports. Export value ($536.5 million) was also the largest since May but still down 5 percent from a year ago. For January through October, pork exports were 1 percent above last year’s record pace at 2.02 million mt, while value was also up 1 percent to $5.33 billion. For pork muscle cuts only, January-October exports increased 5 percent from a year ago in volume (1.63 million mt), valued at $4.43 billion (up 2 percent).

October exports accounted for 23.6 percent of total pork production, down from 25.4 percent a year ago. For muscle cuts only, the percentage exported was 20.7 percent – down from 21.6 percent in October 2017. For January through October, pork exports accounted for 25.8 percent of total production, down from 26.4 percent last year, but the percentage of muscle cuts exported increased from 22 to 22.5 percent. Export value per head slaughtered was down 10 percent from a year ago in October to $46.07. The January-October average was $51.74, down 2 percent.

“Despite some very significant obstacles, global demand dynamics for U.S. pork remain strong,” Halstrom said. “We are hopeful that the events of the past week – the signing of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the return of trade negotiations between the U.S. and China – represent progress toward elimination of retaliatory duties imposed by key trading partners. If we can put that situation behind us, U.S. pork is well-positioned to regain the momentum displayed early in the year.”

Halstrom added that upcoming trade negotiations with Japan are critical for the U.S. pork and beef industries, as all major competitors in the Japanese market will soon benefit from significant tariff reductions. USMEF, along with producers, exporters and other industry organizations submitted comments to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) underscoring the importance and urgency of these negotiations and will convey these points again in USTR’s Dec. 10 public hearing.

New value records for U.S. beef in Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines
Beef exports to South Korea, which had already set a new annual value record through September, remained on a torrid pace as October exports reached 20,171 mt (up 17 percent from a year ago) valued at $153.1 million (up 25 percent). January-October exports were up 35 percent in volume (200,666 mt) and 47 percent in value ($1.44 billion). These results included a 21 percent increase in chilled beef exports to 44,440 mt, valued at $431 million (up 31 percent). While Korea’s imports from Australia and New Zealand have also edged higher in 2018, U.S. beef’s market share has increased sharply, jumping from 49 to 53 percent.

October beef exports to leading market Japan were up 12 percent from a year ago in volume (26,954 mt) and 13 percent higher in value ($166.8 million). For January through October, exports to Japan were up 7 percent from a year ago in volume (279,825 mt) while value increased 10 percent to $1.76 billion. Chilled beef exports to Japan were down 1 percent to 123,712 mt, but value increased 8 percent to $990 million.

For January through October, other highlights for U.S. beef exports include:
-    Beef exports to Taiwan were up 34 percent from a year ago in volume (49,135 mt), while value reached $455.3 million – up 36 percent and already easily surpassing last year’s annual record of $409.7 million. Chilled exports to Taiwan were up 30 percent in volume (19,878 mt) and 35 percent in value ($249 million), as the United States captured more than 75 percent of Taiwan’s chilled beef market – the highest market share of any Asian destination.
-    Exports to the Philippines soared 29 percent in volume to 14,751 mt and reached $72.4 million in value – up 35 percent and setting a new annual record. Solid growth in Vietnam also helped push beef exports to the ASEAN region 14 percent ahead of last year’s pace in volume (39,719 mt) and 26 percent higher in value ($218.1 million).
-    Exports to Mexico were up 1 percent from a year ago in volume (199,003 mt) and 8 percent higher in value ($879.2 million). Beef muscle cut exports to Mexico have shown particularly strong momentum in 2018, increasing 8 percent in volume (118,177 mt) and 11 percent in value ($691.6 million).
-    Although October volume trended lower, January-October exports to China/Hong Kong were still 4 percent ahead of last year’s pace in volume (102,545 mt) and 24 percent higher in value ($823.5 million). This included exports to China of 5,677 mt valued at $48.6 million.
-    Growth in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas contributed to a 9 percent increase in the Caribbean region as exports reached 21,455 mt. Value was up 4 percent to $135.4 million.
-    Led by strong growth in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, El Salvador and Nicaragua, beef exports to Central America increased 18 percent year-over-year in volume (11,923 mt) and 14 percent in value ($64.6 million).

New record for U.S. pork in Korea; growth in Japan, ASEAN also bolster October exports
Pork exports to South Korea continued to gain momentum in October, increasing 27 percent from a year ago in volume (19,588 mt) and 17 percent in value ($49.2 million). January-October exports to Korea increased 41 percent in volume (191,610 mt) and 44 percent in value ($538.4 million) – already topping the annual records set in 2011. Even as imports from all main suppliers have expanded this year, U.S. share of Korea’s pork imports has increased significantly, rising from 36 to 39 percent.

October pork exports to leading value market Japan totaled 35,134 mt, up 8 percent from a year ago, while export value climbed 9 percent to $146.6 million. This pushed January-October exports 2 percent ahead of last year’s pace in volume (330,480 mt) and 3 percent higher in value ($1.36 billion). This included a slight decrease in chilled pork volume (176,118 mt) while value was up 2 percent to $849 million. U.S. share of Japan’s pork imports held close to 35 percent, down slightly from last year. But Japan imported a record volume of ground seasoned pork from the European Union in October and U.S. share in that category has dropped from 71 to 65 percent in 2018. Unfortunately this trend is likely to continue with upcoming implementation of the Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which will reduce tariffs on all pork and phase the import duty on ground seasoned pork to zero over the next six years.

Led by strong growth in the Philippines and Vietnam, October pork exports to the ASEAN region increased 91 percent in volume (9,009 mt) and 59 percent in value ($22 million). January-October exports increased 46 percent in volume (58,415 mt) and 33 percent in value ($145.5 million). This was fueled in part by a surge in pork variety meat exports to the region, which more than doubled in both volume (24,090 mt, up 149 percent) and value ($39 million, up 126 percent).

Other January-October results for U.S. pork exports include:
-    Pork exports to South America, led by strong growth in Colombia and Peru and a rebound in exports to Chile, reached 106,444 mt – up 25 percent and already surpassing last year’s annual record. Export value was up 19 percent to $259.9 million.
-    Although October results slowed from a year ago, January-October exports to Central America still increased 17 percent in volume (66,428 mt) and 13 percent in value ($156.6 million). Exports increased to leading markets Honduras and Guatemala and were sharply higher to Panama, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
-    Exports to the Dominican Republic have already exceeded annual records in both volume (36,022 mt, up 36 percent) and value ($78.4 million, up 29 percent).
-    Exports to Australia were up 10 percent to 61,994 mt, with value climbing 8 percent to $178.8 million. Australia is a critical market for U.S. hams, especially with retaliatory duties in place in Mexico and China.
-    Despite a fifth straight month in which pork shipments were below year-ago levels, exports to leading volume market Mexico were still steady with last year’s record pace at 656,284 mt. But export value, pressured by the retaliatory duties first imposed in June, declined by 9 percent to $1.12 billion.
-    Exports to China/Hong Kong declined 27 percent from a year ago to 302,151 mt, with value dropping 16 percent to $730 million. China/Hong Kong is the largest destination for pork variety meat exports, which were down 28 percent in volume (194,472 mt) and 15 percent in value ($512.4 million).

Lamb exports solid in October
October exports of U.S. lamb more than doubled from a year ago to 1,161 mt (up 107 percent). Export value was also strong, climbing 48 percent to $1.96 million. Lamb muscle cut exports were 207 mt in October, up 20 percent from a year ago, valued at $1.13 million (up 27 percent).

Through the first 10 months of the year, lamb exports were 69 percent ahead of last year’s pace in volume (10,371 mt) and 19 percent higher in value ($19 million). While the increase is mainly attributable to stronger variety meat demand in Mexico, muscle cut exports were sharply higher to the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan and the Philippines.



National Pork Industry Foundation to Award $2,500 Scholarships

The National Pork Producers Council is pleased to announce the 2019 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship, which is sponsored by CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation and is managed and administered by the National Pork Producers Council.

The scholarship program was introduced in 1990 by CME Group and NPPC to celebrate the 25th anniversary of CME Hog Futures. The scholarship was renamed in 2006 to honor the passing of NPPC Board of Director Lois Britt. Britt, a lifetime supporter of agriculture, spent 34 years with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, finishing out her career for 15 years with Smithfield Hog Production doing Public and Government Relations. She was inducted into the NPPC Pork Industry Hall of Fame, the N.C. Pork Council Hall of Fame and awarded the N.C. 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award as some of her many achievements.

Ten $2,500 scholarships are awarded to students annually who intend to pursue a career in the pork industry with hopes that they may emerge as future pork industry leaders themselves.

To be eligible, applicants must:
1.Be a current undergraduate student in a two-year swine program or four-year college of agriculture and U.S. citizen. High school students are not eligible.
2.Write a brief letter indicating what role the applicant sees themselves playing in the pork industry after graduation.
3.Submit an essay of 750 words or less describing an issue the applicant sees confronting the pork industry today or in the future, including offering their solutions.
4.Obtain two letters of reference from current or former professors or industry professionals.
5.Prepare a cover sheet with the following information:
   a. Name of Applicant
   b. Name of School
   c. Year in School
   d. Contact Information (home & school mailing address, telephone number & e-mail address)

Please submit the items listed above online or via e-mail to the address listed below. All entries must be sent by JANUARY 4, 2019 to be accepted.
Online Submissions: www.nppc.org/programs/scholarships
E-mail Submissions: info@nppc.org

Essays will be judged on the basis of clarity and expression, persuasiveness, originality and relevance of topic. Winners will be announced at the National Pork Industry Forum in Orlando, FL March 6 - 8, 2019. NPPC and CME Group reserve the right to publish any or all parts the essays submitted. Please contact Rebecca Casey, NPPC Director of Industry Resource Development, with questions about the scholarship at (515) 645.9659 or caseyr@nppc.org.