Friday February 03 Ag News

 Lean Beef Recipes Spread Across State for Heart Month

February is American Heart Month, a call for individuals to focus on their cardiovascular health. Director of Nutrition Mitch Rippe says that by connecting the growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that lean beef can be part of healthy eating patterns to improve cardiovascular health, health professionals and patients are finding that eating for a healthy heart and enjoying one of their favorite foods don’t have to be odds with one another.  

“February’s Heart Month adds some spark to the winter doldrums by hosting classes and interacting with folks from across the state,” says Rippe. “With our core messaging focused on making small dietary and lifestyle changes, we also build this anticipation towards spring and all the growth it brings.”

All seventy-four active cardiac rehab facilities across Nebraska received heart health toolkits featuring 12 American Heart Association certified lean beef recipe videos from the Nebraska Beef Council to utilize with patients in their facilities. NBC is also actively conducting cooking classes and seminars with these partners to show how beef can be utilized in a heart healthy dietary pattern to drive increased fruit, vegetable and whole grain consumption, as recommended by the health professional community.  

“We’ve had great feedback from these cardiac rehab facilities,” Rippe said. “They’re excited to be providing these opportunities to their patients and the patients are excited to enjoy beef as part of a heart healthy diet.”

 Rippe added that American Heart Month is an awareness campaign that encourages individuals to commit to a healthy lifestyle and make small changes that can lead to a lifetime of heart health.  In addition, February 3 is National Wear Red Day, a signature initiative designed to help end heart disease and stroke in women through education, research fundraising, and healthy lifestyle changes.

“Physical activity can suffer when the temperatures drop and the snow piles up.  That’s where I encourage creative and strategic opportunities for activity—whether it’s a quick outdoor walk, shoveling snow, or an indoor circuit, finding consistency in those activities sets us up for continued success as we move toward the spring and summer months,” says Rippe. “While it sounds simple, we often fall short on eating enough fruits and veggies, I also like to encourage the 1-2-3 approach to eating all five servings of fruits and vegetables every day: one serving at breakfast, two with lunch, and three with dinner and snacks.”

For more information on lean beef recipes visit heart.org and nebeef.org. 



Scoular’s ‘FARM’ team gives producers voice on ag tech, sustainability, and other topics

A diverse group of forward-thinking farmers is collaborating with Scoular to identify solutions to emerging farm management challenges and to influence the company’s future producer strategies.

The group – called the Farm Advisory Roundtable Members, or FARM – consists of 15 producers from across the Scoular origination network. The producers will meet twice a year and partner with company leaders to capture opportunities within the evolving agricultural supply chain. Scoular selected producers who are innovative, influential thinkers within their local farming communities and beyond.

Last week, the producers joined Scoular leaders at the inaugural FARM meeting at Scoular’s global headquarters in Omaha. The event was hosted by Scoular’s new enterprise producer origination team, led by Melissa Norem. Topics included farming economics, technology and innovation, sustainability, regenerative agriculture and community outreach.

“FARM was created to bring the voice of the producer into dialogue with Scoular to build upon the 130-year history we have of serving our customers,” said Norem. “As the agriculture industry evolves at a pace not seen before, our FARM advisors will help Scoular define the opportunities for us to continue adding value to the unique position we hold in the supply chain.”

“FARM was a great next step for Scoular,” said Ron Bingham, Scoular Senior Vice President who leads the Grain Division. “With this group of farmer leadership, we not only validate our past investments but also bring their voices and influence into our future growth.”

FARM members are: Kyle Campbell of Asbury, Missouri; Ashley Colglazier of Grant, Nebraska; Hazen Deeds of Goodland, Kansas; Jerry Deweese of Pratt, Kansas; Frank Groeneweg of Three Forks, Montana; Michael Jeffries of Brule, Nebraska; Kyle Miller of Waverly, Illinois; Jeff O’Connor of Kankakee, Illinois; Kendal Peterson of Assaria, Kansas; Bill Rhea of Arlington, Nebraska; Troy Rieger of Forrest, Illinois; Chad Simmelink of Esbon, Kansas; Chris Soehner of Goodland, Kansas; Todd Tobin of Iuka, Kansas; and Johnnie Witt, of Underwood, Iowa.



Register now for the Midwest Soybean Gall Midge Research Update
Live Webinar: Monday, February 27th, 2023 from 1 - 4 pm CST

Join several Extension entomologists from Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, and South Dakota to get the latest updates on soybean gall midge, a new soybean pest. Join our live webinar on February 27th, 2023 from 1 - 4 pm CST to hear updates from the experts. This virtual program will feature several short presentations with plenty of time for questions and discussion. Registration is required to attend.

Click "here" to register or go to soybeangallmidge.org and follow the link.



I-29 Moo University Dairy Beef Short Course Scheduled For March 28 In Sioux Falls

The I-29 Moo University Dairy Beef Short Course is scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, 2023 as part of the pre-educational events for the Central Plains Dairy Expo. It will be held in the Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, SD in rooms 8, 9, & 10.

Registration details
A registration fee of $40/adult will include the short course, lunch, with proceedings available digitally.  College students may register for only $20. Pre-registration is requested by March 21 and limited to 130 attendees on a first come, first serve basis.  To register, visit https://go.iastate.edu/OFSVS8. 

You can also register by mailing the registration fee to Fred Hall at 400 Central Ave., NW, Suite 700, Orange City, IA 51041.  Please include your contact information and any dietary restrictions when mailing in your registration information.  For questions please contact, fredhall@iastate.edu or call (712.737.4230).  If attendees also plan on going to the Central Plains Dairy Expo | Welcome Reception you are also encouraged to register for that ahead of time at https://www.centralplainsdairy.com/registration/ .

Agenda - I-29 Moo University – 2023 Dairy Beef Short Course
9:00-9:30 am - Registration
9:30—10:15 - National attitudes by dairy producers about crossbreeding beef on dairy; Dr. Tara Felix, Penn State University
10:15– 11:00 - Carcasses and cattle biotypes: Dr. Dale Woerner, Texas Tech University
11:00—11:45 - Implant strategies for dairy sourced cattle: Dr. Alfredo DiCostanzo, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
11:45 – 12:30 - Lunch
12:30—1:15 - Perspectives and experiences on feeding dairy and dairy cross cattle; Dr. Jeremy Schefers, Milk Specialties
1:15—1:30 Liver abscess summary: Dr. Nathan Pyatt, Elanco
1:30—3:00 Panel - Roughage concentration for finishing diets: Dr. Jeremy Schefers; Dr. Nathan Pyatt; and Dr. Sheri Bierman, Cattle Nutrition Services

For more information, visit www.i-29moou.com.



University of Nebraska Board of Regents to meet Feb. 10

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will meet Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, at Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege St. in Lincoln. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. The meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed at www.nebraska.edu.

The meeting will lead off with a presentation from Sen. John Arch of La Vista, Speaker of the Nebraska Legislature.

University of Nebraska System President Ted Carter and Chris Kabourek, senior vice president and chief financial officer for the NU System, will give an update on the university’s budget planning.

The morning will also include presentations on:
·        The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Feedlot Innovation Center, which celebrated its groundbreaking in November. The presentation will be given by Mike Boehm, vice president and Harlan Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Tom Burkey, interim head of the Department of Animal Science; and Galen Erickson, Cattle Industry Professor of Animal Science.
·        Workforce and education demographics in Nebraska. The presentation will be given by Josie Schafer, director of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Center for Public Affairs Research.

The Board will elect a vice chair for 2023. Regent Tim Clare of Lincoln, who served as vice chair in 2022, will assume the chairmanship for 2023.

Items for the Board’s consideration include:
·        The awarding of the title of Regent Emeritus to Jim Pillen, who resigned his District 3 seat on the Board last month to become Governor of Nebraska. (Addendum XII-A-2)
·        Amendments to the collective bargaining agreement between the Board and the University of Nebraska at Kearney Education Association for the 2023-25 biennium. Under the agreement, eligible UNK faculty will receive 3 percent salary increases each year of the biennium. (Addendum XII-B-3)

 

IPPA announces new Program Encouraging Pork to Food Pantries

The Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) has announced that it will support county pork producer organizations in Iowa in their efforts to make pork donations to local food pantries.

The Pork in the Pantry program will reimburse county pork groups that make pork product donations to food pantries in the same county.

“Our local communities are important to all of us,” says IPPA President Trish Cook. “Our industry creates local jobs and supports local businesses. But, there are other people in our communities that are facing economic challenges, and we want to support them with the great food that we produce.”

IPPA’s Pork in the Pantry program, developed with input from its promotions committee, will reimburse up to $1000 for each county pork group that buys and delivers pork products to their county food pantries. This can be either through one large donation, or several smaller donations during the eligibility timeframe. This year, that runs through April 8.

Guidelines and requirements for the program can be found at www.iowapork.org/pork-in-the-pantry-program/.  



Iowans Choose Beef Over Meat Substitutes

Beef continues to lead with strong demand and a competitive advantage over beef substitutes, accounting for more than 99.03% of the consumer preference. When evaluating the protein market as a whole, animal proteins take an even larger slice of the meat demand pie accounting for 99.33% of the protein market share. This data is derived from NielsenIQ, Answers in Demand. The story doesn't end there. Continue reading to learn more about what Iowan's preferences towards beef.

Every year, the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) conducts a state survey to see what Iowans' attitudes are toward beef and beef production. It also shows what Iowa beef trends are compared to trends on a national level. The results help IBIC make informed decisions on how to best influence consumers in Iowa.

 Important statistics from the survey:
    79% of consumers in Iowa eat beef weekly
    39% of Iowans claim to have knowledge of the beef industry versus 27% nationally
    85% of consumers in Iowa have a positive perception of beef compared to 71% nationally
    91% of Iowans believe beef is great tasting and is good for many types of meals
    73% of consumers in Iowa believe beef is safe to eat versus 62% nationally
    71% of Iowans recognize the Iowa Beef Checkoff brand or logo

This year’s key findings: Your checkoff is working Weekly beef consumption is strong in Iowa. Iowa consumers have positive views of beef and production. Consumer trust levels in the Iowa beef industry are strong.

Beef Marketshare Soars Over Meat Substitutes
The Consumer Beef Tracker, a continuous online survey conducted by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor of the Beef Checkoff, indicated over two-thirds of consumers are non-restrictive eaters, or non-vegetarian, and almost a fifth are semi-vegetarian or flexitarian, which means they mostly follow a vegetarian diet but still enjoy meat sometimes. The small remainder of consumers are vegetarian or vegan-vegetarian and remains steady over time.
beef-industry-trust.png

Meat alternatives appear to be added to their diets for variety. Most consumers aren’t directly replacing meat with substitutes either. When they are intentionally ordering or making a meal without meat, it is usually a meal that doesn’t need to contain meat. Over half of consumers are eating bean, lentil, rice, grain-based dishes or salads while thirty percent are eating plant-based protein patties or “meat-like” crumbles instead of meat.

Customer Buying Considerations
Iowa consumers are considering taste and source of protein most. When asked what are the top 3 factors considered most when deciding to have a meal with beef, chicken, pork, fish, meat alternatives or some other source of protein, 46% of consumers selected taste. This is followed closely by respondents prioritizing great sources of protein, safety and value for the money.

This is predicated on the fact that consumers show a strong level of trust towards Iowans and beef production. Consumers acknowledge that cattle health is a top priority for producers, that producers care about the environment and the idea that cattle are given room to roam.

IBIC will continue to support producers by communicating on the topics consumers have questions about. By communicating the care, integrity and pride producers take in raising beef, we can continue to build upon consumer’s positive perceptions of beef producers and beef production in Iowa. To learn more visit iabeef.org.  



2023 Beef Quality Assurance Award Winners Announced

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor of the Beef Checkoff, announced the winners of the 2023 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards, sponsored by Cargill. The National BQA Awards, funded in part by the Beef Checkoff, annually recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers, and educators.

“The 2023 winners exemplify high-quality animal care and handling principles as part of their day-to-day operations and are continually improving through BQA,” said Josh White, senior executive director of producer education and sustainability at NCBA. “As good stewards of the cattle industry, they also encourage others to implement BQA principles.”

The 2023 BQA Award winners are:

2023 BQA Cow-Calf Award
Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch, Nebraska
Located on the western edge of the Nebraska Sandhills since 1888, the family behind the Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch has passed down its forward-thinking mindset for generations. The ranch is now owned and operated by the family’s fourth and fifth generations, Blaine Wilson and his daughter Jaclyn. The Wilson family has transformed its operation of more than 800 head of Red Angus and composite cattle into a quintessential example of proper conservation and environmental management. The ranch adheres to strict stewardship principles focused on pasture rotation, facilitated by computer programming and mapping. The ranch also uses year-round grazing management to ensure they are continuing to improve the land in the fragile Sandhills.

2023 BQA – Dairy FARM Award
Temme Agribusiness, Nebraska
The Temme family dairy operation started in 1956 with its first milking parlor and 65 cows. Through multiple upgrades and barn additions focused on enhancing cow comfort, the herd has grown to 850 today. Since its inception, the operation has also fed cattle, bought feeders to raise for beef and raised Holsteins as herd replacements. Throughout the years, continuous improvement has driven the business to seek more ways to utilize and develop the workforce's talent, which has helped provide the best possible animal care. As they hired more employees, Temme Agribusiness established a system of training them in BQA and FARM Animal Care guidelines to produce quality milk and beef.

2023 BQA Feedyard Award
Darr Feedlot, Nebraska
Founded in 1982 as a 2,500-head custom feedlot by local beef producers, Darr Feedlot has grown extensively over the years, now operating two main yards with a current feeding capacity of 48,000 head. The team at Darr Feedlot recognizes its responsibility to protect and promote the integrity of the beef industry and meets that challenge head-on by advocating for the adoption and implementation of the BQA program. From the basics of training employees on the significance of health management to developing facility designs, BQA principles are at the core of daily operations. Darr Feedlot not only executes BQA practices in their operation but also encourages their customer cattle suppliers to do the same.

2023 BQA Marketer Award
Fresno Livestock Commission, California
Owned and operated by father-daughter pair Phil and Cindy Tews since 1990, Fresno Livestock caters to the small, everyday grower selling ten or fewer calves per year. With a passion for advocacy, Cindy takes a hands-on approach to implement BQA at Fresno Livestock. Located within a county that has one million people, Fresno Livestock Commission also has the notable opportunity to educate and engage with a diverse population. Cindy and her staff spend untold hours visiting with buyers and sellers alike. They help facilitate relationships with veterinarians, haulers and even provide a BQA-certified crew for hire during branding, vaccinating, shipping and other activities.

2023 BQA Educator Award
Dr. Tom Noffsinger, Nebraska
As a long-standing industry leader and one of the first “Train the Trainers” in the state of Nebraska, Dr. Tom Noffsinger, DVM, has a well-established history with BQA. Dr. Noffsinger acts as a veterinary consultant for the company he founded in 2009, Professional Animal Consultation (PAC). In his role, Dr. Noffsinger works with other employed consulting vets to push the BQA message and demonstrate how adopting BQA's best management practices help producers' bottom lines. Throughout his practicing and consulting career, Dr. Noffsinger works to explain the “whys” of veterinary medicine and how the “why” can influence beef quality.

Award winners are selected by a committee comprised of BQA certified representatives from universities, state beef councils, sponsors and affiliated groups, who assess nominations based on their demonstrated commitment to BQA practices, their service as leaders in the beef industry and their dedication to promoting the BQA message to grow consumer confidence. For more information about each of the award winners, visit https://www.bqa.org/about/bqa-awards.



Cattlemen's Beef Board Elects New Officers at 2023 Winter Meetings

Cattle producers Jimmy Taylor, Andy Bishop and Ryan Moorhouse are the new leaders of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB). This officer team is responsible for guiding the national Beef Checkoff throughout 2023.

Taylor, Bishop and Moorhouse were elected by their fellow Beef Board members during their Winter Meetings, held during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. Taylor, the 2022 vice chair, will now serve as the CBB’s chair, while Bishop will transition from his role as the 2022 secretary-treasurer to become the 2023 vice chair. Moorhouse is the newest member of the officer team, taking on Bishop’s former responsibilities as secretary-treasurer.

Chair Jimmy Taylor and his wife Tracy run a commercial Angus herd near Cheyenne, Oklahoma consisting of approximately 600 females on 12,000 acres. Their ranching efforts have earned them the 2011 Certified Angus Beef Commitment to Excellence Award and the 2013 Oklahoma Angus Association Commercial Breeder of the Year. The use of artificial insemination, proper nutrition, genomics and other new technologies play a large role in obtaining the operation’s goal: to create a good eating experience for the consumer. Taylor has also served on several local and state boards.

“As 2023 gets underway, demand for beef continues to be strong, both domestically and internationally,” Taylor said. “However, ongoing drought and economic uncertainty continue to challenge our industry. As the new chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, I’m looking forward to working with our dedicated members and contractors to develop plans and initiatives designed to advance our industry and build upon the momentum generated during 2022.”

Vice Chair Andy Bishop and his wife Meagan are raising their four children on their registered Angus seed stock operation, Fairfield Farm, near Cox’s Creek, Kentucky. Bishop began his career teaching agriculture to students and eventually moved into the field of agriculture lending in 2007. Bishop is the former chair of the Kentucky Beef Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Young Cattlemen’s Conference. Bishop also served as a member of the Long Range Planning Task Force and as president of the NCBA Young Producers Council and the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Young Producers group.

Moorhouse grew up on his family ranch, a cow/calf and stocker operation in North Central Texas. After graduating from Texas A & M University, he went to work for Continental Grain Cattle Feeding (now Five Rivers). He is currently the general manager for Hartley Feeders, a Five Rivers Cattle Feeding operation. Moorhouse also operates his own stocker operation back home on part of the family ranch. Moorhouse and his wife, Colette, have two sons and reside in Amarillo, Texas.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to have experienced producer leaders like Jimmy, Andy and Ryan to guide the CBB throughout the next year,” said Greg Hanes, CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “These gentlemen understand the challenges and opportunities currently facing the beef industry, and each has a unique perspective to share. I’m confident their leadership will help the CBB and the Beef Checkoff achieve new levels of success in 2023.”

To learn more about the Beef Checkoff and its programs, including promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety, visit DrivingDemandForBeef.com.



South Dakota Cattleman Becomes New NCBA President

Todd Wilkinson, a South Dakota native, cow-calf producer and cattle feeder became the new NCBA president during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention, held this week in New Orleans. Wilkinson, along with his son, operates Wilkinson Livestock in De Smet, South Dakota. He has also practiced law for almost four decades and specializes in business transactions, estate planning and probate, real estate matters and agricultural law.
 
“If you run into me across the country, one thing that I will say time and again is if you’re going to be in the industry don't just talk the talk, you need to walk the walk. My philosophy going into this next year is that I'm going to put on boxing gloves and I'm going to be swinging for the industry,” Wilkinson said. “I'm going to bring the same level of passion that I bring for my own family and business to this organization. I think it’s important to fight back and protect this industry from the people who want to put us out of business. I also think this is something that will unite cattle producers in the future.”
 
The 2023 NCBA officer team, approved by the NCBA board of directors, took office at the end of this year’s convention. Mark Eisele of Wyoming was named president-elect and Buck Wehrbein of Nebraska was elected vice president. Brad Hastings of Texas was named NCBA treasurer. Virginia cattleman Gene Copenhaver was elected chair of the NCBA Policy Division. Tim Schwab of Indiana was elected policy vice chair. Clark Price of North Dakota and Dan Gattis of Texas were elected as chair and vice chair of the NCBA Federation division, respectively.
 
Wilkinson’s focus during his time as president will be pushing back on issues that threaten the livelihoods of cattlemen and women across the country, while bringing people together to stand as a united front.
 
“Aside from the cost of doing business being a challenge for us right now, I’m looking down the road at the regulatory environment that could pose a real threat,” he said. “We have to unite on these big issues and some common themes. If we don’t, we are going to get squished.”
 
Wilkinson will make sure NCBA works to protect its members from regulatory attacks under Waters of the United States, the Endangered Species Act and emissions reporting, to name a few. The Farm Bill will be a large focus for NCBA in the coming year as the organization works to secure reauthorization of animal health provisions, expanding the accessibility and funding of risk management and disaster relief programs while protecting voluntary conservation programs. Tax issues are also top of mind in the coming year and Wilkinson’s expertise in this area was critical to backing down harmful tax proposals from the Biden administration last year.
 
“Part of the reason that I'm doing this is to make sure that this industry is here for my grandchildren and their grandchildren. I want them to have the opportunity to come back on this piece of ground and run cattle 100 years from now. I'm passionate about NCBA and I won't back up an inch on my commitment to this organization. As long as I am walking this earth, I want to make things a little bit better and NCBA is one of those ways that I think I can do that,” Wilkinson said.



USDA Deputy Secretary Shares Updates at Cattle Industry Convention

Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) welcomed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel H. Bronaugh to the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show.

“We appreciate the working relationship NCBA has with Deputy Secretary Bronaugh, especially as our focus turns to reauthorization of critical components of the Farm Bill like animal health, voluntary conservation, and risk management programs,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “NCBA will continue building relationships with USDA leadership so we can work together on addressing the issues facing the cattle industry.”

As a part of the third general session of the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh spoke on a wide variety of topics including rural broadband access, foreign animal disease, international trade, and sustainability. Deputy Secretary Bronaugh discussed the implementation of broadband improvements across rural America under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Additionally, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh highlighted USDA’s foreign animal disease response strategy and the importance of the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB), the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP), and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). Finally, the Deputy Secretary reaffirmed the critical role of USDA in opening new markets for U.S. beef exports and countering non-science based, subjective trade barriers that hamper the sale of American beef worldwide.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in this year’s Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show to highlight the important work we’re doing at USDA to support hardworking farmers and ranchers across the country,” said Deputy Secretary Bronaugh. “From creating more, new, and better markets that allow producers to increase their bottom line, to mitigating the spread of foreign animal disease, to deploying every tool in our toolbox to enhance competition in agricultural markets, to investing in the rural communities many farmers and ranchers call home, USDA is committed to ensuring farmers and ranchers have every opportunity to succeed.”  
 
Prior to her appointment at USDA, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh served as the 16th Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from 2018 to 2021. She also worked as Virginia State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) from 2015 until 2018. Deputy Secretary Bronaugh took office on May 17, 2021.



USDA Dairy Products December 2022 Production Highlights

Total cheese output (excluding cottage cheese) was 1.20 billion pounds, 2.2 percent above December 2021 and 4.2 percent above November 2022. Italian type cheese production totaled 514 million pounds, 3.0 percent above December 2021 and 5.1 percent above November 2022. American type cheese production totaled 482 million pounds, 2.6 percent above December 2021 and 4.1 percent above November 2022. Butter production was 187 million pounds, 3.9 percent above December 2021 and 9.4 percent above November 2022.

Dry milk products (comparisons in percentage with December 2021)
Nonfat dry milk, human - 179 million pounds, up 6.7 percent.
Skim milk powder - 48.9 million pounds, up 0.7 percent.

Whey products (comparisons in percentage with December 2021)
Dry whey, total - 76.0 million pounds, down 0.1 percent.
Lactose, human and animal - 97.0 million pounds, down 6.6 percent.
Whey protein concentrate, total - 43.3 million pounds, down 7.8 percent.

Frozen products (comparisons in percentage with December 2021)
Ice cream, regular (hard) - 52.2 million gallons, down 0.2 percent.
Ice cream, lowfat (total) - 25.0 million gallons, down 13.0 percent.
Sherbet (hard) - 1.87 million gallons, up 2.0 percent.
Frozen yogurt (total) - 3.73 million gallons, down 1.6 percent.



NMPF, IDFA Pleased New USDA School Meal Proposal Keeps Low-Fat Flavored Milk in Schools, Call for Expanded Dairy Options

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) today expressed optimism for USDA’s proposed updates to school meal nutrition standards, specifically USDA’s plans to maintain low-fat flavored milk for students. NMPF and IDFA continued to call on USDA officials to expand milk and dairy options in schools to ensure children have access to the nutrients they need each day, consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

“Children having access to the healthful foods they need to grow and focus in school is a key priority for dairy farmers,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF President and CEO. “Milk is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in kids ages 2-18, and 1% flavored milk is a nutrient-dense, low-fat option students will actually choose to drink. We are pleased USDA is maintaining low-fat flavored milk in schools, providing children with an additional, and favored, choice to access the 13 essential nutrients milk provides, including three of the four nutrients of public health concern. But we question why USDA would propose school meal options that could limit a child’s access to these nutrients and we urge instead that they expand access to dairy options. Providing low-fat flavored milk will increase students’ intake of nutrients vital for their growth and development.”

“The most recent Dietary Guidelines report is clear: children are not receiving enough essential nutrients for growth, development, healthy immune function, and overall wellness,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO. “Healthy milk and dairy options in school meals offer the most important opportunity of the day for children to get the critical nutrients they need. For years, parents and nutrition professionals have agreed that milk and dairy products must remain key building blocks in school meals. While we are pleased that this proposed rule continues to make dairy central to child nutrition, we are concerned with USDA’s ongoing efforts to propose limitations to milk and dairy in school meals, which run counter to the Dietary Guidelines and the mandate of America’s parents.”

NMPF and IDFA are carefully reviewing other provisions set forth in the proposed rule, including the weekly added sugars and sodium limits, to assess their impact on students’ ability to benefit from nutrient-dense dairy food. NMPF and IDFA will submit formal comments as requested by USDA.

NMPF and IDFA also expressed gratitude to Representatives Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Mark Pocan (D-WI) who have worked for years to restore and maintain nutritious school milk options.

“We are grateful to Chairman Thompson and Reps. Courtney, Stefanik and Pocan for their leadership and advocacy for dairy as a way to ensure that schoolchildren have access to the healthy, nutrient-dense milk options they will consume,” Mulhern said.

“We are grateful to Chairman Thompson and Representatives Courtney, Stefanik, and Pocan for their consistent legislative efforts to get milk’s 13 essential nutrients to as many school children as possible,” said Dykes. “Offering low-fat flavored milk and other milk options increases school meal participation, reduces food waste, and ensures children and adolescents are learning and growing.”



2022 Census of Agriculture due next week Feb. 6

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reminds our nation’s farmers and ranchers that the deadline to respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture is Feb. 6. Producers can respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail.

Last month, NASS mailed the Census of Agriculture questionnaires to every known ag producer in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Conducted just once every five years, the ag census provides a complete account of the nation’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Responding to the Census of Agriculture is required by federal law under Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113. The same law requires NASS to keep all individual operations’ information confidential, use the data for statistical purposes only, and publish the data in aggregate form to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation.

“By participating in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, producers show the value and importance of American agriculture,” said NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer. “This nation owes a lot to our farmers and ranchers for providing safe and abundant food, feed, fiber, and more. To tell this story, we need to hear from all of our farmers and ranchers, no matter how big or small their part of agriculture. If you have already responded, thank you. If not, I encourage you to respond today.”

The Census of Agriculture remains the only source of uniform, comprehensive, and impartial agriculture data for every state, county, and U.S. territory. U.S. farm operations of all sizes, urban and rural, which produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $1,000 or more of agricultural products in 2022, are included as well as Puerto Rico farm operations which produced and sold, or normally would have sold, $500 or more of agricultural products in the ag census year.

“It is important that every producer respond to the 2022 Census of Agriculture so that they are represented and reflected in these influential data,” said Hamer. “These statistics will directly impact producers for years. Without their input, our hardworking ag producers risk being underserved.”

Producers who have submitted their completed ag censuses may disregard any additional ag census letters and forms. Whether producers responded online or by mail, they can verify their reports were received by going to agcounts.usda.gov, entering their survey codes, and checking the submitted date under the status column of the My Surveys tab. The status update is not always immediate. The update can take a few minutes up to several days, especially if the questionnaire was returned by mail.

NASS will release the results of the ag census in 2024. Visit nass.usda.gov/agcensus, for more information.



College Conference on Cooperatives In-person and Virtual

Each February, Farmers Union hosts the College Conference on Cooperatives to educate, motivate, and inspire the next generation of leaders. The event takes place Feb. 16-19 in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.

Over the course of this three-day conference, participants will hear from experts in the field, participate in interactive learning activities and workshops, and tour co-ops in the Twin Cities. The event attracts students from across the country and is beneficial to those new to co-ops as well as those with some previous co-op education.

Registration is now open for a limited number of in-person attendees.

If you can't make it to the Twin Cities, register to view the Feb. 17 programming virtually via Zoom free of charge.

Register at https://bit.ly/3jzK0HI to attend in-person.

Attend virtually by registering at https://bit.ly/3HyHObF.

Thursday February 02 Ag News

 Northeast NE Cattlemen Meeting
Monday, February 13, 2023
6:00 p.m. social
7:00 p.m.. Prime Rib Dinner
Geno’s Steakhouse, 208 Douglas – Wayne
$45/person
Joel Bruns (402) 922-0112
Sean Christensen (402) 203-8631


Cuming Co Feeder Banquet
March 25 @ 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Nielsen Center, West Point


Burt Co Cattlemen Ladies Night
March 25 - 6:00 p.m.
Tekamah City Auditorium (1315 K St, Tekamah, NE  68061)


Washington Co Cattlemen Banquet
April 1, 2023 - 6:00 pm
Two Rivers arena.   Washington Co Fairgrounds


Elkhorn Valley Cattlemen (EVCA) Banquet
Stanton Co Fairground
April 1 - 6:00 p.m.


Boone Nance Cattlemen Banquet
April 1 - 6:00 social
Boone Co Fairgrounds, Albion



Fischer, Wyden, Grassley, Tester Reintroduce Cattle Market Reform Bill

U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) today introduced the bipartisan Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2023.

The legislation would restore transparency and accountability in the cattle market by establishing regional cash minimums and equipping producers with more market information, including permanently authorizing a cattle contract library.

“I continue to hear from Nebraska family farmers and ranchers about the need for robust price discovery and transparency in our cattle markets. Support for our bill is stronger than ever, with a long list of cosponsors representing a diverse set of agricultural communities from across the country. I look forward to working with them all to build on the strong momentum we had last year,” said Senator Fischer, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

"Family farmers and ranchers in Oregon are working hard to make a living and produce quality meat to feed families across America and the world. Yet, right now the system is working against them and is rigged in favor of big corporations. The cattle market desperately needs reform to level the playing field and give family farmers and ranchers a fair shot,” said Senator Wyden.

“Iowa cattle producers have struggled to receive a fair price for years – long before the massive market distortions cattle producers have endured most recently. It’s past time for Congress to stand with independent cattle producers and put an end to the cozy relationship between large meat packers and big cattle feedlots. I’m glad to again partner with Senators Fischer, Tester, Wyden and all of my colleagues to build on last year’s successes to advance our Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act,” said Senator Grassley, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

“As a third generation farmer, I know people in Washington don’t understand the challenges Montana ranchers face. Right now, just four big packers control north of 80 percent of the beef industry, and that means those four companies can get together tomorrow and decide what they’re charging consumers and paying producers. I know this isn’t right and will take on these massive corporations and anyone back in Washington to make sure Montana families and ranchers get what they need,” said Senator Tester.

“We strongly support Sen. Fischer, the other sponsors, and the Senate Ag Committee for reintroducing this critical legislation. Nebraska livestock producers depend on markets that are healthy and function properly. When markets are not healthy, the folks who do the work, invest the capital, take the risk and drive our state’s economy get the short end of the stick. That is not only not fair to our livestock producers, it hurts our rural communities or our state. We thank Sen. Fischer and the Senate Agriculture Committee for their support for the ‘Cattle price discovery and Transparency Act’. We will continue to work with Sen. Fischer until this bill becomes law,” said Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen.

“Senator Fischer’s continuous work to address the complex price discovery and market transparency issues facing the beef cattle industry is greatly appreciated by Nebraska Cattlemen. We are grateful for her commitment to serve Nebraska’s cattle producers,” said Nebraska Cattlemen President Steve Hanson.

“The farm and ranch member families of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation once again stand firmly behind Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer’s efforts to provide more price discovery and transparency to the cattle marketplace. Nebraska is ‘The Beef State’ and Sen. Fischer’s tireless leadership trying to address the many challenges surrounding how cattle are marketed in the United States is vital to the economic future of our state. Now is the time to move this legislation through Congress and onto President Biden’s desk,” said Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation President Mark McHargue.

"USCA applauds Senators Fischer, Tester, Grassley, and Wyden for their commitment to U.S. cattle market reform. Restoring fair and competitive market practices is a goal that USCA shares with these champions for competition – and the producers in their states. This bill gives producers access to valuable information that can help them make better - and more profitable - marketing decisions. We welcome the reintroduction of the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act in the 118th Session of Congress and look forward to advancing this bill to the President's desk,” said U.S. Cattlemen’s Association President Justin Tupper.

“We must preserve and promote the cash market as a competitive option for ranchers. The reintroduction of the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act is another important step in Farmers Union’s efforts to seek more transparency and fairness in cattle markets. I want to thank Senator Fischer and the cosponsors for keeping up this fight,” said National Farmers Union President Rob Larew.

In addition to Sens. Fischer, Wyden, Grassley, and Tester, the legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Sherrod Brown (R-Ohio), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), John Kennedy (R-La.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).

11 of the cosponsors are members of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Background:
Sens. Fischer, Wyden, Grassley, and Tester introduced the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act last year. In June, the Senate Agriculture Committee approved the legislation, which passed by voice vote.

The Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2023 will:
    Require the Secretary of Agriculture to establish 5-7 regions encompassing the entire continental U.S. and then establish minimum levels of fed cattle purchases made through approved pricing mechanisms. Approved pricing mechanisms are fed cattle purchases made through negotiated cash, negotiated grid, at a stockyard, and through trading systems that multiple buyers and sellers regularly can make and accept bids. These pricing mechanisms will ensure robust price discovery and are transparent.

    Establish a maximum penalty for covered packers of $90,000 for mandatory minimum violations. Covered packers are defined as those packers that during the immediately preceding five years have slaughtered five percent or more of the number of fed cattle nationally.

    Create a publicly available library of marketing contracts, mandating box beef reporting to ensure transparency, expediting the reporting of cattle carcass weights, and requiring a packer to report the number of cattle scheduled to be delivered for slaughter each day for the next 14 days. The contract library would be permanently authorized and specify key details about the contents that must be included in the library like the duration of the contract and provisions in the contract that may impact price such as schedules, premiums and discounts, and transportation arrangements.



Fischer Discusses Mexico’s Misguided, Unscientific Effort to Ban Genetically Modified Corn

At a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing Wednesday, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) questioned a senior official from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) about ongoing negotiations to push back against Mexico’s proposed ban on genetically modified corn.

Sen. Fischer has been raising concerns about this issue for months. In December, Sen. Fischer led a letter to USDA and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) opposing Mexico’s ban and urging the Biden administration to consider all options available to hold Mexico to their trade commitments, including possible enforcement under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

During the hearing, Sen. Fischer also urged USDA’s Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor to advocate for market access provisions, especially for agriculture, to be included under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), an economic initiative launched by President Biden on May 23, 2022.



Governor Pillen Temporarily Waives Regulations for Truckers Hauling Critically Needed Fuels

Today, Governor Jim Pillen issued Executive Order 23-03 to provide emergency relief in response to regional fuel shortages. The order temporarily allows drivers to work extended hours to haul gasoline or gasoline blends, diesel, fuel oil, ethanol, propane, and biodiesel.

The Governor’s order will help reduce delays at petroleum product terminals, facilitating timely delivery of fuels to consumers. It is effective immediately and will remain in effect through February 28, 2023.



Registration Open for 2023 Eastern Nebraska Soil Health Conference

Registration is open for the 2023 Eastern Nebraska Soil Health Conference, formerly known as the Nebraska Cover Crop Conference. The event will take place on Thursday, February 9, at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead.

This annual conference features speakers who will share their experiences with a variety of soil health practices. Topics will include cover crops, diversifying crop rotations, biochar and other regenerative practices.

The conference will take place from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., with check-in starting at 8:30 a.m. All sessions will be held at the August N. Christenson Center at 1071 County Road G in Ithaca.

Presenters and topics include:
    Moving forward requires looking backwards: Benefits of re-diversifying crop rotations in the Midwest - Marshall McDaniel, Iowa State University
    Interseeding cover crops into early-season corn and soybean - Farmer panel with Chad Dane (Clay County) and Jay Goertzen (York County) moderated by Jenny Rees, Nebraska Extension Educator
    Practical tips for selecting and grazing forage cover crops - Mary Drewnoski, UNL Beef Systems Specialist
    Nebraska farmer perspectives on diverse crop rotations and intensification - Farmer panel with Angela Knuth (Saunders County), Garret Ruskamp (Cuming County), Kyle Riesen (Jefferson County), and Haldon Fugate (Gage County) moderated by Nathan Mueller, Nebraska Extension Educator
    Emerging topics in soil health
        (1.)  Biochar and its potential as a soil amendment – Britt Fossum, UNL Graduate Student
        (2) Opportunities for the perennial grain Kernza® - What it is and how it is grown - Roberta Rebesquini, UNL Graduate Student
        (3.) What’s new in the cover crop industry - Davis Behle, Green Cover Seed

Pre-registration is required by February 4 and can be done at https://enrec.unl.edu/nebraska-cover-crop-conference/. There is no fee to attend, and CCA credits are applied for and pending.

The event is sponsored by Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Soybean Board.

For more information, contact Nebraska Extension Educators: Katja Koehler-Cole at 402-504-1016 or kkoehlercole2@unl.edu; Nathan Mueller at 402-821-2151 or nathan.mueller@unl.edu; Aaron Nygren at 402-624-8030 or anygren2@unl.edu; Todd Whitney at 308-995-4222 or todd.whitney@unl.edu; and Caro Córdova at 402-472-6292 or ccordova4@unl.edu.



Head of the UNL Department of Animal Science Applications Open

The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln invites nominations and applications for the position of Head of the Department of Animal Science. IANR is seeking an innovative, dynamic, and collaborative person who will provide intellectual and strategic leadership for 46 faculty and 43 staff members, and 80 graduate and 320 undergraduate students in the department. We are looking for a strong leader who will help us meet our commitment to discovery, training, instruction, and outreach in key areas of animal biology that impacts food, equine, and companion animals and reflects a contemporary view of agri-food systems. The successful department head will be one who puts the success of the team and department above their individual accomplishments in the role. They must be one who appreciates interdisciplinary, experiential, and systems-based learning. The incumbent will be committed to meeting the grand challenges related to sustainability of beef, dairy, swine, and poultry systems for high-quality animal-sourced foods to meet the increasing demand by a growing population of consumers. The successful candidate will be committed to excellence throughout the discovery-to-practice continuum for genetics, reproduction, physiology, nutrition, meats, animal wellbeing, and precision management. The incumbent will be a collaborative and inspiring department head who will hold fast to the university’s core values of accountability, diversity, integrity, respect, and social responsibility.

Recognizing that diversity enhances creativity, innovation, impact, and belongingness, IANR and the Department of Animal Science are committed to creating research, learning, Extension programming, and work environments that are inclusive of all forms of diversity. Every person and every interaction are treated as important to our collective wellbeing and our ability to deliver on our mission.

The department head will be appointed to a five-year renewable term, subject to satisfactory annual reviews and a formal reappointment review.  Find more information here: https://ianr.unl.edu/head-department-animal-science.  



CattleFax Forecasts Producer Profitability in 2023 with Potential Drought Relief for the West

The popular CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans, shared expert market and weather analysis today.

Prices and profitability will again favor cattle producers in 2023. The cattle industry is entering 2023 with the smallest cattle supply since 2015 as drought caused the industry to dig deeper into the supply of feeder cattle and calves. While the exact path to drought relief is unknown, improvements are also expected to translate to moderating feed costs, especially in the second half of 2023. Combined with increased cattle prices, cattle producers, especially the cow-calf operator, will continue to see an improvement in margins for the next several years, according to CattleFax.

Meteorologist Matt Makens said the latest forecast for La Niña has only a 14% probability of existence this spring and down further by the summer, which means a pattern change comes our way this year. A neutral phase will take control of the pattern as La Niña weakens and may last several months before giving El Niño a chance to grow this summer and into the fall.

Makens said putting this latest La Niña episode in the review mirror suggests improving drought conditions, more favorable growing seasons and healthier soils.

“I’m not trying to imply that doing away with La Niña fixes everything. An El Niño can cause drought across the northern states. There is no win-win for everyone in any weather pattern,” Makens added. “But moisture conditions should improve for the West in the second half of this year.”

Kevin Good, vice president of industry relations and analysis at CattleFax, reported that U.S. beef cow cattle inventories have already fallen 1.5 million head from cycle highs. The 2023 beef cow herd is expected to be down about another million head to nearly 29.2 million.

“Drought affected nearly half of the beef cow herd over the last year, exacerbating the liquidation in 2022. Drought improvement and higher cattle prices should drastically slow beef cow culling through 2023,” Good said.

Feeder cattle and calf supplies outside of feedyards will be 400,000 to 450,000 head smaller than 2022 at 25.1 million. After being full for most of the past three years, cattle on feed inventories are expected to begin 2023 at 300,000 to 400,000 head below last year, at 14.3 million head, and remain smaller. Commercial fed slaughter in 2023 is forecast to decline by 750,000 to 800,000 to 25.6 million head.

“With drought forced placement and culling, beef production was record large in 2022 at 28.3 billion pounds. Expect production to drop over the next several years – declining 4% to 5% in 2023 to 27 billion pounds,” Good said. “The decline in production in 2023 will lead to a 2.2-pound decline in net beef supply to 57 pounds per person.”

Good forecast the average 2023 fed steer price at $158/cwt., up $13/cwt. from 2022, with a range of $150 to $172/cwt. throughout the year. All cattle classes are expected to trade higher, and prices are expected to continue to trend upward. The 800-lb. steer price is expected to average $195/cwt. with a range of $175 to $215/cwt., and the 550-lb. steer price is expected to average $225/cwt., with a range of $200 to $245/cwt. Finally, Good forecast utility cows at an average of $100/cwt. with a range of $75 to $115/cwt., and bred cows at an average of $2,100/cwt. with a range of $1,900 to $2,300 for load lots of quality, running-age cows.

When looking at domestic beef demand, the U.S. economy will be a driving factor going in 2023. CattleFax said inflation, rising interest rates and general economic uncertainty will continue to impact consumer purchasing decisions as many look to limit spending. Inflation reached a 40-year high in 2022, triggering the U.S. Federal Reserve to raise interest rates seven times last year with intentions for further rate increases until inflation falls. Through the Federal Reserve hopes to accomplish a “soft landing” and avoid recession, the U.S. economy is expected to slow in 2023 with most economists calling for a mild recession in the second half of the year.

Good noted that though beef demand has softened, it remains historically strong, and consumers have shown willingness to continue to buy beef in a new and higher range. He expects the 2023 USDA All-Fresh Retail Beef prices to average $7.35/pound, up 4 cents from 2022.

He also said wholesale demand will appear to be softer, as prices will not go up at the same rate of inflation despite tighter supplies. The cutout value should move higher to average $270/cwt. for 2023.

Global protein demand has continued to rise around the world and tighter global protein supplies should broadly support prices in 2023. After more than 20% of growth across the last two years, U.S. beef exports are expected to moderate, declining 3% in 2023 to 3.5 billion pounds. Japan and South Korea remain the top U.S. beef export destinations with stable exports in 2022. Meanwhile, Chinese demand has continued to grow with tonnage up 20% last year, likely with continued room to grow.

Mike Murphy, CattleFax vice president of research and risk management services, said National Dec. 1 on-farm hay stock were down 9% from a year-ago at 71.9 million tons with hay prices averaging $216/ton in 2022.

“Last year was the smallest U.S. hay production year since 1959,” Murphy said. “Hay prices will likely continue to be high in the first part of 2023, but we expect weather patterns to improve pasture conditions as early as this spring which should help stabilize and soften hay prices throughout 2023.”

CattleFax said corn stocks-to-use are just under 9% and will continue to support the market above $6/bu., and provide resistance near $7.50/bu. into the summer with a yearly average price of $6.50/bu. expected.

Blach concluded the session with an overall positive outlook, expecting improvements in the weather pattern and a tighter supply to distribute more money though all sectors of the cattle industry.



2022 Ends with No DMC Payments; 2023 May Be Different
NMPF

The December Dairy Margin Coverage margin was $9.76/cwt, down $1.13/cwt from the month before but still above the $9.50/cwt threshold for federal payments at the highest insurance level. Much of this decline was contributed by a $0.90/cwt fall in the U.S. average all-milk price, to $24.70/cwt. The DMC December feed cost rose $0.23/cwt from November, on higher corn and soybean meal prices.

The DMC margin fell below the highest coverage level of $9.50/cwt during just two months of 2022, as record high feed costs were generally topped by record high milk prices. This year’s outlook is very different, with the DMC margin currently projected to fall below $9.50/cwt every month until sometime next fall and to average around $8.00/cwt for the year.

CWT Supports 138.2 Million Pounds of Dairy Exports in 2022
Year-end tallies indicate that Cooperatives Working Together (CWT)-assisted sales rose in 2022, as the program did its part in supporting a record year for U.S. dairy exports.

Member cooperatives in 2022 secured 695 contracts, adding 98.0 million pounds of American-type cheeses, 657,000 pounds of butter, 30.7 million pounds of whole milk powder and 8.8 million pounds of cream cheese to CWT-assisted sales. In milk equivalent, this is equal to 1.212 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. On a product volume basis, this is equal to 138.2 million pounds – up 6% (+7.9 million pounds) from 2021. Product destinations include Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, Middle East-North Africa, Oceania, and South America.

CWT provides a means to move domestic dairy products to overseas markets by helping to overcome U.S. dairy’s trade disadvantages supporting dairy-product exports critical to the viability of dairy farmers and their cooperatives across the country. Whether or not a cooperative is actively engaged in exporting cheese, butter, anhydrous milkfat, cream cheese, or whole milk powder, moving products into world markets is essential.



USDA Announces February 2023 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for February 2023, which are effective Feb. 1, 2023. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.

Operating, Ownership and Emergency Loans
FSA offers farm ownership and operating loans with favorable interest rates and terms to help eligible agricultural producers, whether multi-generational, long-time, or new to the industry, obtain financing needed to start, expand or maintain a family agricultural operation. FSA also offers emergency loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought, flooding, other natural disasters or quarantine.  For many loan options, FSA sets aside funding for underserved producers, including veterans, beginning, women, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and Hispanic farmers and ranchers

Interest rates for Operating and Ownership loans for February 2023 are as follows:
    Farm Operating Loans (Direct): 4.750%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct): 4.750%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Direct, Joint Financing): 2.750%
    Farm Ownership Loans (Down Payment): 1.500%
    Emergency Loan (Amount of Actual Loss): 3.750 %

FSA also offers guaranteed loans through commercial lenders at rates set by those lenders.

To access an interactive online, step-by-step guide through the farm loan process, visit the Loan Assistance Tool on farmers.gov.

Commodity and Storage Facility Loans
Additionally, FSA provides low-interest financing to producers to build or upgrade on-farm storage facilities and purchase handling equipment and loans that provide interim financing to help producers meet cash flow needs without having to sell their commodities when market prices are low.  Funds for these loans are provided through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and are administered by FSA.
    Commodity Loans (less than one year disbursed): 5.750%
    Farm Storage Facility Loans:
        Three-year loan terms: 4.000%
        Five-year loan terms: 3.750%
        Seven-year loan terms: 3.750%
        Ten-year loan terms: 3.625%
        Twelve-year loan terms: 3.750%
    Sugar Storage Facility Loans (15 years): 3.875%

Pandemic and Disaster Support
FSA broadened the use of the Disaster Set Aside (DSA), normally used in the wake of natural disasters, to allow farmers with USDA farm loans who are affected by COVID-19, and are determined eligible, to have their next payment set aside. Because of the pandemic’s continued impacts, producers can apply for a second DSA for COVID-19 or a second DSA for a natural disaster for producers with an initial DSA for COVID-19. The set-aside payment’s due date is moved to the final maturity date of the loan or extended up to 12 months in the case of an annual operating loan. Any principal set-aside will continue to accrue interest until it is repaid. Use of the expanded DSA program can help to improve a borrower’s cashflow in the current production cycle.

FSA also reminds rural communities, farmers and ranchers, families and small businesses affected by the year’s winter storms, drought, hurricanes and other natural disasters that USDA has programs that provide assistance. USDA staff in the regional, state and county offices are prepared to deliver a variety of program flexibilities and other assistance to agricultural producers and impacted communities. Many programs are available without an official disaster designation, including several risk management and disaster recovery options.

Inflation Reduction Act Assistance for Distressed Producers
On Aug. 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law. It is a historic, once-in-a-generation investment and opportunity for the agricultural communities that USDA serves. Section 22006 of the IRA provided $3.1 billion for USDA to provide relief for distressed borrowers with certain FSA direct and guaranteed loans and to expedite assistance for those whose agricultural operations are at financial risk. USDA has allocated up to $1.3 billion for initial steps to help these distressed borrowers. This includes both automatic and case-by-case assistance. For more information producers can contact their local USDA Service Center or visit farmers.gov/inflation-reduction-investments/assistance.

Wednesday February 01 Ag News

 APPLY NOW TO ATTEND 2023 NEBRASKA AG YOUTH INSTITUTE

The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is currently accepting applications for its biggest youth outreach event - the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute (NAYI). NAYI brings together hundreds of high school juniors and seniors for one week every year to learn more about Nebraska agriculture, network with ag leaders and discover the many careers available in agriculture.

NAYI will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus July 10-14, 2023. Applications for NAYI are available at www.nda.nebraska.gov/nayi and must be submitted online. Students selected to attend NAYI do so free of charge due to generous donations from numerous agricultural businesses, commodity groups and industry organizations. Current high school juniors and seniors interested in attending have until April 15, 2023, to apply. This year’s theme is “For the Future.”

“NAYI is a long-standing tradition in Nebraska agriculture and a one-of-a-kind opportunity for high school students to connect with peers from around the state,” said NDA Director Sherry Vinton. “This week-long event is a creative and fun way for a new generation of ag enthusiasts to learn more about Nebraska agriculture and the many careers available in the industry. If you know high school juniors or seniors with an interest in learning about agriculture, be sure to encourage them to apply to NAYI before the April 15 deadline.”

NAYI is in its 52nd year, making it the longest running agricultural youth program of its kind in the nation. Approximately 200 students attend every year. NAYI features motivational speakers, discussions on agricultural issues, career development, networking opportunities, leadership activities, a farm management game, a formal banquet and awards presentation, and a dance. NDA selects students to attend NAYI based on their leadership skills, interests and involvement in agriculture.

NAYI is coordinated by the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council, which is comprised of 21 college-aged students selected by NDA for their passion and interest in the ag industry. The Council’s purpose is to provide young Nebraskans with a better understanding of agriculture, including agricultural opportunities available to today’s youth.



Bill would expand economic development efforts to rural communities

Continuing a trend that began during the COVID-19 pandemic, Center for Rural Affairs Policy Director Johnathan Hladik said more people are choosing to relocate to smaller communities, a wave that could open the door to reversing Nebraska's rural population decline.

On Tuesday, Hladik joined representatives from several economic development organizations to testify in support of Legislative Bill (LB) 515 during a public hearing before the Nebraska Legislature’s Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee.
 
“Anyone listening to the national news knows that remote work opportunities, frustration with some of our urban schools, and persistent crime are some of the reasons a growing number of Americans are again looking to leave the urban centers,” Hladik said.

But, during the pandemic, he said many of those relocating settled in suburban communities, mainly because rural communities didn’t have necessities such as available housing and high speed internet readily available. Getting infrastructure in place requires a focus on economic development, and Hladik believes LB 515 could change that trend.

Introduced by Sen. Lynne Walz, the bill would establish the Rural Economic Development Initiative Act, a grant program to help economic development organizations expand services in rural areas. Funds would be prioritized for counties with a population less than 55,000 and communities designated as second class cities or villages.

“We think a coordinated economic development effort can help ensure our rural communities are ready for the next wave of relocation,” Hladik said.

Through discussions with the Greater Fremont Economic Council, Walz said she learned there’s a desire for economic development groups to have a greater outreach into smaller towns, but oftentimes they lack the funding to hire someone.

Her bill would provide grant funding to individual counties or economic development non-profit corporations operating within a county to hire up to one additional full-time employee for five years. That person would be required to provide services to one or more communities.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to put people in place to implement programs that will enhance economic development, enhance housing, health care, broadband and more across our state,” Walz said.

The senator estimates the $15 million designated in the bill would allow 50 communities to receive funding.

Hladik believes LB 515 is a proposal that will pay for itself, as there will be a staff person who can devote time to seeking out grant funding through new programs created by the federal Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Those programs, he said, have created at least 43 competitive grant opportunities for which counties are eligible to apply.

“Somewhere in the U.S., counties are going to receive this money and we want those counties to be located here in Nebraska,” Hladik said. “We have to consider how we can provide the help and support that some of our rural counties are going to need to succeed. We think LB 515 is a step in that direction.”



 Fischer Announces Senate Committee Assignments for 118th Congress

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) today announced her committee assignments for the 118th Congress. Sen. Fischer will be joining the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, which helps shape the federal government’s spending policies.

“My positions on the Armed Services, Ag, and Commerce Committees have helped secure critical resources for families and communities across Nebraska. Joining the Appropriations Committee will make Nebraska even more of a powerhouse in the Senate.

“This new position will ensure Nebraskans have a stronger voice at the table when it comes to reining in irresponsible spending and fighting President Biden’s radical agenda.

“The people of our great state deserve responsible federal spending that invests in our military, takes care of our veterans, and helps family farmers continue to feed and fuel the world.

“I am committed to using all these committee assignments to continue delivering for Nebraskans every single day,” said Senator Fischer.

Sen. Fischer will continue to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and the Senate Agriculture Committee. Senator Fischer also retained her membership on the Senate Rules Committee, where she will be Ranking Member.

Subcommittee assignments will be determined by the individual committees and released to the public at a later date.



Ricketts Announces Senate Committee Assignments

Today, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) announced his committee assignments for the 118th Congress with the following statement:

“Nebraska’s farmers, ranchers and small business owners are desperate for relief after two years of Democrat overregulation, and I’m eager to advocate aggressively on their behalf at the Committee on the Environment and Public Works. I also look forward to continuing the work I started as Governor representing our state’s interests on the global stage at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I’m especially honored by the unique opportunity to fight for older Americans on the Special Committee on Aging at a time when our nation’s seniors face ever-growing challenges keeping up with rising costs, attacks on their retirement savings, and unacceptable uses of technology for fraud and identity theft. I look forward to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make the most of each of these assignments to ensure I’m a voice for all Nebraskans.”

BACKGROUND
U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) is responsible for legislation and oversight of the natural and built environment and for studying matters concerning environmental protection and resource conservation and utilization. The Committee touches on issues like

U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is instrumental in developing, influencing, and overseeing U.S. foreign policy. The committee considers, debates, and reports important treaties and legislation, and holds jurisdiction over all diplomatic nominations.

U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging serves as a focal point in the Senate for discussion and debate on all matters relating to older Americans. Often, the Committee will submit its findings and recommendations for legislation to the Senate. In addition, the Committee publishes educational materials to assist older adults and operates a toll-free fraud hotline, that offers support to families victimized by con artists and track national trends.



Unverferth Announces Purchase of Orthman Manufacturing Inc.

Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc. is excited to announce the purchase of Orthman Manufacturing’s agricultural product lineup and the two manufacturing locations based in Lexington, NE.  Manufacturing personnel and various support people will be offered employment with the new ownership.

Unverferth Manufacturing has a well-known reputation for building upon the several businesses it has acquired over the last 75 years.  With that growth comes a commitment to the employees through industry-leading wages, health care and other benefits along with positive impacts on local communities.  Unverferth Mfg. saw a natural fit with the culture, the people and the innovative, well-built products at Orthman Manufacturing.  Major equipment and facility investments have been made at the Lexington locations over the past several years that present great opportunities for increased production.

John McCoy, Orthman preceding owner and company president, stated “I have the utmost confidence that Unverferth Manufacturing will continue growing the Orthman name and most importantly take care of the respective employees. The culture and innovative drive at Orthman is very similar to that of Unverferth Manufacturing”. McCoy retains ownership of the Orthman Conveying Systems business and is excited about the prospect of expanding that venture in the years to come.

Larry Unverferth, company president, remarked “Orthman’s founder, Henry Orthman, was much like my father in that they both began with small ideas and grew those ideas into world-class companies to help farmers become more efficient.  Unverferth Manufacturing is looking forward to expanding upon the current workforce by building on the brand’s presence in the farming community and expanding product offerings in the months and years ahead”.

Unverferth Manufacturing operates three additional manufacturing facilities including the corporate headquarters in Kalida, OH, a Delphos, OH location, and one in Shell Rock, IA.  The company also has eight sales and service branch facilities strategically located across North America.
 

 

 

Webinar: 2023 Crop Insurance Update from USDA

A leader with the Risk Management Agency for the United States Department of Agriculture will give an update on RMA and crop insurance topics during the Feb. 8 conservation webinar with Iowa Learning Farms.

Pamela Stahlke, director of the RMA St. Paul Regional Office, will speak at 12 p.m. Central time.

Pamela Stahlke.Stahlke is a long-standing USDA-RMA leader who serves farmers in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Her group plays a key role in the agency’s mission of providing effective, market-based risk management tools and information for stakeholders including farmers, agricultural experts, insurance agents and Approved Insurance Providers, as well as providing ongoing improvement of and education regarding crop insurance policies.

Iowa Learning Farms is an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach conservation and water quality education program.

In the webinar, “Climate-Smart Agriculture and Crop Insurance – A 2023 Update,” Stahlke will discuss the role of the RMA office and what is new and updated in crop insurance for 2023.

She will also highlight climate-smart agriculture initiatives as well as discuss other topics including double cropping soybean expansion in Iowa, the Post Application Coverage Endorsement, availability of oat and rye revenue coverage, and details regarding how crop insurance policies work.

“Crop insurance provides an important farm safety net, and the RMA is dedicated to helping farmers understand and utilize these policies as well as helping them to learn about and incorporate climate-smart practices on their farms,” said Stahlke. “My goals with this session are to deliver crop insurance updates, provide participants with a better understanding of programs and initiatives that could benefit their operations and showcase ways we can work together in this public/private partnership.”

Participants are encouraged to ask questions of the presenters. People from all backgrounds and areas of interest are encouraged to join.
Webinar access instructions

To participate in the live webinar, shortly before noon CST Feb. 8:
    Click this URL, or type this web address into your internet browser: https://iastate.zoom.us/j/364284172.
    Or, go to https://iastate.zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID 364 284 172.
    Or, join from a dial-in phone line by dialing +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 876 9923; meeting ID 364 284 172.

The webinar will also be recorded and archived. All archived webinars are available on the ILF website, so that they can be watched at any time.

ILF has applied for a Certified Crop Adviser board-approved continuing education unit for attending this webinar. Those who participate in the live webinar are eligible. Information about how to apply to receive the CEU will be provided at the end of the live webinar.
Upcoming webinars in the series

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, Marshall McDaniel, associate professor of agronomy at Iowa State University, will discuss Directly Linking Soil Management and Eutrophication of Iowa Streams. Other upcoming webinars include:
    Feb. 22: Greg LaBarge, The Ohio State University.
    March 1: Justin Glisan, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
    March 8: Adam Janke and Kay Stefanik, Iowa State University.



USDA Official Farah Ahmad to Address Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) is excited to announce Farah Ahmad, Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development, is joining the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit on February 7.

Ahmad will speak about the USDA’s Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program, which provides grants to retailers to install the equipment necessary to offer higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel. The program, which recently received a major funding boost, has been instrumental in increasing consumer access to cleaner-burning, lower-cost biofuel blends. Ahmad will also address the Biden Administration’s broader policy agenda.

“IRFA is very excited to have Sec. Ahmad return to Iowa to share insights from the Biden Administration,” stated Iowa Renewable Fuels Association executive director Monte Shaw. “USDA continues to be a strong voice for the role biofuels can play in meeting our domestic energy needs in a cost-effective and environmentally-sound manner. We look forward to hearing the latest updates from DC.”

Ahmad has spent her career advancing policies and programs that promote economic inclusion and opportunities, starting with USDA in 2015 as a Program Manager with the Rural Business-Cooperative Service’s Community and Economic Development program. In 2017, Ms. Ahmad moved to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau where she served as Senior Program Coordinator. She also served as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Center for American Progress.

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit is taking place on February 7 at the Community Choice Convention Center at the Iowa Events Center. Attendance is free and open to the public, but registration is required. To register to attend and learn more, visit IowaRenewableFuelsSummit.org.



Corn Grower Leaders, Joined by Administration and Congressional Officials, Warn of Consequences from Mexico Decree, Call for Swift Action

During a congressional briefing today, corn growers told members of Congress and their staff that U.S. officials should continue to hold the line with Mexico over a proposed ban that would block most U.S. corn imports into that country. During the discussion, growers emphasized that the ban would land a significant blow to the American economy.

The statements included praise from corn growers for the Biden administration’s most recent action, which took a tough position with Mexico over the proposed ban.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced in late 2020 that he would implement a decree banning biotech corn into the country beginning in early 2024. The vast majority of U.S. corn is biotech. The briefing, hosted by the National Corn Growers Association, was held on the one-year mark from the decree’s effective date.

“This decree would cut most American corn growers off from what has historically been our largest export market,” NCGA President Tom Haag noted after the briefing. “That’s why it is extremely important that U.S. officials continue to ensure that Mexico lives up to its commitments under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.”

Haag was joined on the panel by Andy Jobman, a farmer and chairman of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association; Representative Adrian Smith (R-Neb.); and Jason Hafemeister, acting deputy for trade at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The panelists talked about the important role biotech corn plays in crop production and the harm that would come if farmers were to move away from biotech corn.

“It would undermine the technology and the advancements that we’ve seen in our crop protection,” noted Jobman. “When it comes to improving soil health, using less energy, being more environmentally friendly and raising a much higher quality product, we can’t do that without biotechnology. It would be like getting rid of electricity and going back to candles.”

Others echoed Jobman’ s comments.
“Imagine if we didn’t have [biotechnology],” Smith noted. “We would have to rely more on chemicals, so [biotechnology] is good for the environment.”

According to forecasts, the ban on biotech corn would cause the U.S. economy to lose $73.8 billion over ten years in economic output along with 32,217 jobs annually with labor income falling $18 billion.

The Biden administration began talks with Mexican officials late last year and Mexico offered a revised decree. Last week, President Biden dispatched senior aides from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the office of the U. S. Trade Representative to Mexico City to meet with officials in the López Obrador administration.

In a statement following the meeting, USTR and USDA officials said the revised decree offered by Mexico to date was not sufficient. The officials said they made it clear to their Mexican counterparts that they are considering all options, including taking formal steps to enforce the issue under the USMCA.

Hafemeister said the administration is paying attention to the overarching decree, the fact that Mexico’s approval process for new varieties has been stopped and any related trade regulations that might place restrictions or channel those using biotechnology.

“We have been clear with the Mexicans that this really needs to be solved,” Hafemeister noted. “It’s not the kind of thing that is easily compromised because it is about science, it’s about the law, it’s about economics. So, we are asking them to look at those instruments and reform them.”

NCGA applauded the Biden administration for rejecting the most recent proposal, which would have undermined science-based regulatory principles, violated USMCA and set a negative global precedent. Panelists during today’s briefing echoed that sentiment.



Consumer Demand for Beef Remains Strong Among Inflation Woes, New Report Shows

According to the newly released “Today’s Beef Consumer” report from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, demand for beef continues to remain strong. The compilation of research from 2022, outlined below, shows that despite various challenges faced by the industry, consumers have repeatedly stated that they will continue purchasing beef, both in retail and foodservice settings.

Consumer Insights
Consumer demand for beef remains strong overall.[i] In fact, more than two-thirds of consumers reportedly eat beef on a weekly basis, or more.[ii] Inflation is certainly top of mind and more than three-quarters of consumers, 78%, report noticing an increase in the price of food whether at retail or foodservice.[iii] Beef however has experienced far lower levels of inflation when compared to other proteins in the “food at home” category[iv], which we will explore next.  

Retail
During the pandemic consumers were forced to cook at home and many have continued to do so as it has become a popular way to make a dollar stretch and combat inflation. Analysis for the Today’s Beef Consumer report found 76% of meals are now cooked at home and 94% of consumers who are cooking more at home say they will continue to do so.iii In 2022 fresh ground beef accounted for 50% of volume of beef sales,[v] likely due to the lower price point as well as a renewed consumer interest in comfort foods and nostalgic recipes, like meatloaf. In 2022, meatloaf was also the most popular page on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com with almost 1.7 million pageviews. This trend is expected to continue as a recent survey found that 20% of consumers say they plan to purchase more ground beef in the coming yeariii.

Foodservice
It is no surprise that beef sales at foodservice declined sharply in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, sales in both dollars and volume rebounded to surpass the pre-pandemic level of 2019.[vi]

Online Shopping
Another pandemic trend that seems to be here to stay is online shopping, both at retail and foodservice. 64% of consumers say they are ordering groceries online, with 44% of consumers including fresh beef in those grocery orders. When it comes to foodservice, online ordering has become overwhelmingly popular. 80% of consumers say they order meals online and 70% use online ordering for burgers.iii

Beef Substitutes
Fresh meat and beef substitutes continue to represent a small percentage of the market.v When it comes to protein sources, consumers consistently rank beef as a top source of protein.ii  

As we head into 2023 demand for beef remains strong and consumers continue to purchase and order beef, whether in person or online. To view the entire study, click BeefResearch.org.



Annual Cattle Industry Convention Kicks Off

Nearly 7,000 cattle producers, industry partners and stakeholders have gathered in New Orleans for the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. The convention, the largest in the beef industry, offers education, engagement and entertainment through February 3.

This year’s event kicked off with Franki Moscato, winner of the 10th Annual NCBA National Anthem Contest, singing the “Star-Spangled Banner.” Buzz Brainard, host of Music Row Happy Hour, returned as convention emcee and introduced surprise guest Archie Manning, patriarch of a professional football legacy and former quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. And “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan joined remotely to welcome cattlemen and women from across the country.

Over the next few days convention participants will gain insights on market trends and weather forecasts during the CattleFax Outlook Seminar, learn about the industry’s commitment to protecting environmental resources, supporting communities and creating an economically viable future during the Sustainability Forum, and hear an update on the beef business climate in the United States and around the globe.

Annual meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National CattleWomen, CattleFax and National Cattlemen’s Foundation will also take place. In addition, the 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award regional winners will be recognized at a special reception. Before activities conclude on Friday, the Closing General Session will celebrate the Beef Checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program and BQA award winners and will feature inspirational keynote speaker Chris Koch.

The award-winning NCBA Trade Show will provide opportunities for producers to network, learn, shop, dine and connect with friends, both old and new.  It will feature more than 350 exhibitors and displays across eight acres under one roof along with a variety of educational opportunities.

New in 2023, Cattle Chats will feature 20-minute beef industry educational sessions, with special spotlight sessions focusing on sustainability. Attendees can also stop in the Learning Lounge to enjoy informal, face-to-face talks in an intimate setting right on the trade show floor. Industry leaders will tackle topics such as ranch succession, effective probiotics, deworming protocols, animal welfare and tax trends.

The popular Stockmanship & Stewardship Demonstration Arena returns with stockmanship experts providing low-stress cattle handling demonstrations, BQA educational sessions, industry updates and facility design sessions. And the Chutes and Scales Showdown offers a side-by-side comparison of equipment where producers can watch cattle run through chutes then get hands-on experience.

New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz, and entertainment will be around every corner. The Secret Cow on Thursday night will transport guests back to 1920s New Orleans for jazzy music, good food and great company. The country trio Chapel Hart will combine their Mississippi roots and Louisiana spice in a special performance during Closing General Session. Then, convention will wrap up Friday evening with “Party Gras” featuring the country music group Midland and special guest Neal McCoy.



Cattlemen’s College Draws Big Crowd in New Orleans

Cattle producers from across the country gathered in New Orleans for the 30th annual Cattlemen’s College, which was held prior to the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. Cattlemen’s College, sponsored by Zoetis, is one of the cattle industry’s premier educational events and features live animal handling demonstrations and sessions with industry leaders tackling innovative topics.

Cattlemen’s College sessions highlighted trending hot topics, the latest in grazing as well as live cattle handling demonstrations. Six educational tracks and 18 sessions provided attendees with valuable information about reproduction technology, herd health, practical nutrition management, better beef business, sustainable grazing and the latest in genetics. The event concluded with a keynote presentation from Ray Starling, executive advisor for Aimpoint Research.

Starling discussed the power of knowledge and how producers should remain informed about current issues impacting the industry. He also talked about the value of teamwork and the importance of being involved with state and national cattle organizations.

Cattlemen’s College educational sessions included perennial favorites as well as innovative trends. A brand-new topic this year was silvopasture, a grazing practice that integrates livestock, forages and trees. Dr. Rocky Lemus and George Owens shared the science behind this sustainable grazing method and real-world perspectives of managing a silvopature system.

“Cattle Behavior in the Real World” was a popular draw with Dr. Dean Fish and Dr. Lily Edwards-Callaway providing practical solutions for producers to take back to their operations to improve stockmanship and enhance animal welfare.

Another well attended breakout was “Are You Brave Enough to Attend This Session?” featuring Rural Minds founder Jeff Winton who addressed the mental health crisis in rural America and provided solutions for producers to prioritize mental health, care for themselves and check in on neighbors.

On-demand videos of Cattlemen’s College sessions will be available online for registered attendees, and for a fee for non-attendees, following the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show at https://convention.ncba.org/events-meetings/cattlemens-college.  



NCBA Announces 2023 Policy Priorities

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) executive committee approved the organization’s policy priorities at the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, with a focus on advancing animal disease preparedness, protecting voluntary conservation programs, and defending producers from regulatory overreach.

“Our focus is helping to create opportunity for America’s cattle producers and fighting to make sure the federal government does not damage our industry,” said NCBA President-Elect Todd Wilkinson. “Cattle producers have been caretakers of the land and livestock for decades and are committed to conserving this country’s natural resources while producing high-quality beef.

NCBA’s policy priorities include:
    Securing reauthorization of animal health provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill and advocating for expanded funding of the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB) to protect against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).  
    Protecting and funding EQIP, CSP and other voluntary conservation programs that incentivize science-based, active management of natural resources.
    Protecting the cattle industry from regulatory attacks under Waters of the United States, the Endangered Species Act, emissions reporting and more.

“One of the biggest opportunities to help cattle producers in the coming year is passing the 2023 Farm Bill with continued investment in our national vaccine bank to protect the U.S. cattle herd from the threat of foot-and-mouth disease. Recently, we have seen other countries deal with the realities of animal disease outbreaks. American cattle producers are not going to be caught flat-footed – we are laser-focused on reducing risk and having the strongest response with a stockpile of vaccines that we have been building up since the 2018 Farm Bill,” Wilkinson said.



Weekly Ethanol Production for 1/27/2023

According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association for the week ending January 27, ethanol production increased for the fourth consecutive week, rising 1.6% to 1.028 million b/d, equivalent to 43.18 million gallons daily. Production was 1.2% lower than the same week last year but 1.1% above the five-year average for the week. The four-week average ethanol production rate jumped 4.8% to 998,000 b/d, equivalent to an annualized rate of 15.30 billion gallons (bg).

Ethanol stocks tightened 2.5% to 24.4 million barrels. Stocks were 5.5% less than a year ago yet 0.9% above the five-year average. Inventories thinned across all regions except the Gulf Coast (PADD 3) and Rocky Mountains (PADD 4).

The volume of gasoline supplied to the U.S. market, a measure of implied demand, climbed 4.3% to a five-week high of 8.49 million b/d (130.17 bg annualized). Demand was 3.2% more than a year ago but 1.5% below the five-year average.

Refiner/blender net inputs of ethanol improved 1.0% to 838,000 b/d, equivalent to 12.85 bg annualized. Net inputs were 2.3% more than a year ago but 1.2% below the five-year average.

There were zero imports of ethanol recorded for the eighth consecutive week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of November 2022.)



Average UAN28 Fertilizer Price Drops 9% During January 2023

Retail fertilizer prices continue to see significant price declines, according to prices tracked by DTN for the fourth week of January 2023. This trend has been in place since the beginning of the year. Seven of the eight major fertilizers are lower compared to last month. Of these seven, five fertilizers were substantially lower, which DTN designates as a price change of 5% or more.

Leading the way lower is UAN28. The nitrogen fertilizer was 9% lower in price compared to last month and had an average price of $523/ton. Potash, anhydrous and UAN32 were 7% less expensive looking back to last month. Potash had an average price of $714/ton, anhydrous $1,237/ton and UAN32 $630/ton. Urea was 6% lower in price compared to the prior month. It had an average price of $708/ton. Both DAP and MAP were slightly lower looking back to last month. DAP had an average price of $855/ton while MAP was $865/ton.

One fertilizer was just slightly higher in price compared to a month earlier. 10-34-0 had an average price of $754/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.77/lb.N, anhydrous $0.75/lb.N, UAN28 $0.93/lb.N and UAN32 $0.98/lb.N.

All fertilizers are now lower compared to one year ago. DAP is 3% lower, both MAP and 10-34-0 are 8% less expensive, UAN32 is 10% lower, potash is 12% less expensive, UAN28 is 13% lower, anhydrous 17% less expensive and urea is 22% lower compared to a year prior.



NPPC Statement on Farm Bill Trade and Horticulture Hearing

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauds the first Farm Bill hearing of the 118th Congress. We are pleased the Senate Agriculture Committee is taking up issues important to the pork industry. In 2021, the U.S. exported $8.1 billion worth of pork to more than 100 countries - increasing the average value of each pig marketed by nearly $63. These exports also support over 100,000 American jobs. Congress must provide strong investments in both the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) programs. A wide swath of U.S. agricultural commodities have utilized these export promotion programs, generating a net return of $24.50 for every dollar spent and creating 225,800 full-and part-time jobs across the U.S. economy. We look forward to a Farm Bill that benefits our producers and every American.



USDA Fats and Oils: Oilseed Crushings, Production, Consumption and Stocks

Soybeans crushed for crude oil was 5.62 million tons (187 million bushels) in December 2022, compared with 5.68 million tons (189 million bushels) in November 2022 and 5.95 million  tons (198 million bushels) in December 2021. Crude oil produced was 2.20  billion pounds down less than 1 percent from November 2022 and down 6 percent from  December 2021. Soybean once refined oil production at 1.58 billion pounds  during December 2022 decreased 3 percent from November 2022 and decreased  4 percent from December 2021.

Canola seeds crushed for crude oil was 181,455 tons in December 2022, compared with 180,750 tons in November 2022 and 176,931 tons in December 2021. Canola crude oil produced  was 146 million pounds, up 1 percent from November 2022 and up 4 percent from  December 2021. Canola once refined oil production, at 135 million pounds during December 2022, was down 7 percent from November 2022 and down 9 percent from December 2021.

Cottonseed once refined oil production, at 27.0 million pounds during December 2022, was down 27 percent from November 2022 and down 49 percent from December 2021.

Edible tallow production was 77.3 million pounds during December 2022, up 11 percent from November 2022 and up 16 percent from December 2021. Inedible tallow production was 362 million pounds during December 2022, up less than 1 percent from November 2022 and up 27 percent from December 2021. Technical tallow production was 99.7 million pounds during December 2022, down 20 percent from November 2022 and down 4 percent from December 2021. Choice white grease production, at 113 million pounds during December 2022, decreased 3 percent from November 2022 and decreased 8 percent from December 2021.

Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production
Total corn consumed for alcohol and other uses was 474 million bushels in December 2022. Total corn consumption was down 5 percent from November 2022 and down 11 percent from December 2021. December 2022 usage included 91.9 percent for alcohol and 8.1 percent for other purposes. Corn consumed for beverage alcohol totaled 4.45 million bushels, up 1 percent from November 2022 but down 6 percent from December 2021. Corn for fuel alcohol, at 425 million bushels, was down 6 percent from November 2022 and down 11 percent from December 2021. Corn consumed in December 2022 for dry milling fuel production and wet milling fuel production was 92.0 percent and 8.0 percent, respectively.

Dry mill co-product production of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) was 1.68 million tons during December 2022, down 6 percent from November 2022 and down 19 percent from December 2021. Distillers wet grains (DWG) 65 percent or more moisture was 1.36 million tons in December 2022, down 7 percent from November 2022 and down 4 percent from December 2021.

Wet mill corn gluten feed production was 252,788 tons during December 2022, down 9 percent from November 2022 and down 11 percent from December 2021. Wet corn gluten feed 40 to 60 percent moisture was 188,584 tons in December 2022, down 8 percent from November 2022 and down 12 percent from December 2021.

Flour Milling Products
All wheat ground for flour during the fourth quarter 2022 was 229 million bushels, down 3 percent from the third quarter 2022 grind of 237 million bushels and down 2 percent from the fourth quarter 2021 grind of 235 million bushels. Fourth quarter 2022 total flour production was 107 million hundredweight, down 3 percent from the third quarter 2022 and down 1 percent from the fourth quarter 2021. Whole wheat flour production at 4.74 million hundredweight during the fourth quarter 2022 accounted for 4 percent of the total flour production. Millfeed production from wheat in the fourth quarter 2022 was 1.66 million tons. The daily 24-hour milling capacity of wheat flour during the fourth quarter 2022 was 1.58 million hundredweight.



NGFA outlines actions for improving transportation infrastructure

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today outlined recommended actions for Congress to incentivize better rail service, improve trucking capacity and continue modernizing U.S. inland waterways. NGFA submitted the comments for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Feb. 1 hearing on the state of transportation infrastructure and supply chain challenges.  

NGFA urged Congress and the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to take appropriate action to provide clearer rules to incentivize better rail service and prevent a repeat of rail service failures that escalated in 2022.

“The impact of unreliable rail service is felt across the NGFA membership, lowering production and increasing the cost of transportation of ethanol, biodiesel, soybean oil, soybean meal, flour, animal feed, meat and other products derived from grain and feed,” NGFA noted. “Too much of the cost of unreliable and unchallengeable rail service is borne by rail customers, agricultural producers and the general public.”

NGFA outlined its support for the following rail provisions:
•    Congressional passage of another STB reauthorization, which expired in 2020, with an eye toward fostering competition in the freight rail system.
•    The Reliable Rail Service Act, introduced by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc., in the last Congress, to better define rail carriers’ common carrier obligation.
•    STB’s pending reciprocal switching rules to enable the creation of rail-to-rail competition at qualifying interchanges.
•    STB’s efforts to require additional data reporting, particularly for first-mile/last-mile rail service.
•    STB rules to incentivize rail carriers to more efficiently use customer-owned railcars.
•    Removing constraints on STB’s investigative authority.
•    Expanding STB’s enforcement ability for rail carriers that do not comply with STB orders.

NGFA also urged Congress to add trucking capacity and efficiency by increasing truck weight limits and recommended congressional oversight of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) investments to modernize locks and dams. Barges on the Mississippi River and Columbia-Snake River Systems move about half of all grains to export grain elevators, NGFA noted, and critical farm inputs like fertilizer, feed and fuel are transported via the inland waterways system.



Giving Back to Help Grow Future Leaders through Give FFA Day

Individuals across the country can make a difference in the lives of the more than 850,000 FFA members this month by participating in Give FFA Day during National FFA Week.

For the eighth year, during National FFA Week, individuals will have an opportunity to step up and support FFA and agricultural education through Give FFA Day on Thursday, Feb. 23. Funds raised support various programs on local, state and national levels. During the 24 hours of giving, donors can donate to National FFA and the state FFA associations of their choice.

In February, we will celebrate FFA, advisors and members as part of National FFA Week, which includes giving back during Give FFA Day. For more than 90 years, the National FFA Organization has strived to make a difference in students' lives. Donations help FFA grow the next generation of leaders. Through FFA, members can find their paths to success.

With a membership of more than 850,000, there is a need for sustained funding to provide valuable programs, events, skills training and more; through generous supporters like those on Give FFA Day, FFA members can thrive.

"Every ounce of help and support makes a huge difference in the lives of every single FFA member across the nation," said Mary Ann Fox, an Iowa state FFA officer. "The experiences you are supporting help make members ready for the next step in their lives."

This year, the organization aims to raise $500,000 during the 24 hours of Give FFA Day. FFA hopes to achieve this by challenging everyone to contribute throughout the day with a goal of having 2,000 donors participate.

RFD-TV has generously pledged to match the first $100,000 in donations on Give FFA Day. "No one does a better job of preparing leaders for the next generation than FFA," Patrick Gottsch, president of Rural Media Group Inc., said.  "For 22 years now, RFD-TV has supported FFA in every way possible, and I am so proud to be associated with the best of America's youth.  Anyone who donates to FFA with their time or money can be assured that it is going to be a great investment."

In addition, American Family Insurance and John Deere will also match donations on Give FFA Day. Matching details will be announced throughout the day.

"Donors at every level ensure we continue to grow the future leaders of agriculture and the world," said Kimberly Coveney, the annual fund manager for the National FFA Foundation. "Give FFA Day is an opportunity for each FFA supporter to magnify their impact on the lives of young people when they join other donors across the country. Every gift makes a difference, and we are grateful for our donors and their continued support and belief in FFA and agricultural education."

To prepare for Give FFA Day, visit FFA.org/GiveFFADay. See how you can give back to the organization and encourage others to do the same.



Case IH Celebrates 100 Years of Farmall, The One For All

Today, Case IH kicks off celebrations honoring the 100-year anniversary of the Farmall® tractor. The iconic Farmall model was introduced in 1923 as the all-purpose tractor designed to revolutionize the agriculture industry. Over the last century, Farmall has evolved to meet farmers’ needs across the globe with each milestone, making it “The One For All.”

"In 1923, we set out to design a tractor that could replace horses, and today, our Farmall still serves as the workhorse on farms across the globe,” said Scott Harris, Case IH global brand president. “Generation after generation, Farmall has been a symbol of modern farming, and we’re excited to bring these stories to life over the course of 2023.”

During the yearlong celebration, Case IH will be giving away a brand-new Farmall 75C tractor to one lucky winner who shares their passion and story about how Farmall has helped shape their farm over the years or how it’s become part of the family. The contest launches during National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trade Show on Feb. 1, 2023, and the winner will be announced at the National FFA Convention on Nov. 1, 2023.

Major milestones for Farmall include:
    1923: International Harvester engineer Bert R. Benjamin designs the first Farmall prototype
    1931: The F series is presented for farmers with more acreage
    1939: Second-generation Farmall designed by Raymond Loewy
    1941: Farmall introduces the world’s first diesel row crop tractor
    1947: The 1 millionth Farmall rolls off the line
    1958: The most popular tractor in the U.S., the Farmall 560 is introduced
    1965: Farmall is the first 2WD row crop tractor to exceed 100 horsepower
    1974: Case IH sells its 5 millionth Farmall – the first tractor to ever reach that number
    2003: Case IH continues to expand the lineup of products spanning from 31 to 105 horsepower

The legacy of Farmall continues today with more than 30 models to choose from, and this iconic tractor series will continue to evolve alongside the customers who made this milestone possible.

“Even before this anniversary, the team at Case IH was always reminded of the passion for Farmall from customers and dealers. Iconic only begins to describe it,” remarked Kurt Coffey, Case IH vice president of North America. “We are proud to have 100 years of Farmall as our legacy. It’s a tractor that’s been revolutionary to farms of all sizes across the globe. Well-worn, well-loved: this is a tractor like no other.”

For more information on the yearlong celebration of the 100th anniversary of Farmall and the contest details of a Farmall tractor, visit Farmall100.com.



Zoetis and Select Sires Inc. Partner to Help Cattle Producers Apply Data for Strategic Decision-making

Zoetis is excited to announce its partnership with Select Sires Inc. to help cattle producers gain more from data. The partnership provides a grid marketing service, GeneNet, which will provide Performance Livestock Analytics customers a designated marketing platform to communicate and promote the value of their cattle. Select Sires’ farmer-owners will gain value with access to the Precision Animal Health portfolio from Zoetis, including beef genetic testing and Performance Livestock Analytics software.

The GeneNet grid marketing service negotiates fed-cattle pricing based on carcass characteristics including quality and yield grade. With this partnership, Performance Livestock Analytics customers will receive an exclusive offer to use GeneNet’s competitive marketing grids and gain bargaining power for the quality cattle they raise, plus carcass data on those cattle.

“This partnership creates a winning opportunity for producers,” said Justin Sexten, head of Industry and Network Partnerships, Precision Animal Health, Zoetis. “GeneNet allows cattle feeders to leverage their animal data from our management software to strategically market their investment in quality genetics and exceptional management. This information arms them with collective negotiation power on GeneNet’s marketing grids to communicate to buyers the value of their cattle.”

Cloud-based software developed by Performance Livestock Analytics, part of Zoetis, helps digitize cattle records and turn data into actionable insights to inform strategic decisions regarding health, genetics, marketing and financials.

Sandra Utter, GeneNet manager at Select Sires Inc., said the collaboration with Zoetis will help drive better genetic and management decisions to breed and market quality cattle.

“Because Select Sires is positioned at the front and back end of the beef production chain, we can help beef producers capture and analyze data that allows them to create, measure, manage and make changes to increase profitability from conception to consumption,” Utter said. “Data captured in Performance Beef can help us evaluate cattle performance in the feedlot and provides the necessary history and genetic makeup critical to successfully marketing on GeneNet grids.”

Through this partnership with Select Sires, Zoetis will begin the development of connecting the carcass data to the digital ecosystems for Performance Livestock Analytics and BLOCKYARD™ to enable more seamless management and genetics decision-making tools. This integration will provide participating customers access to valuable carcass data within their current platform for Performance Beef®. This will help minimize data entry and also provide producers insights into how their use of elite genetics is performing on the rail and adding value.

Select Sires customer, Trent Winter, of Wintergreen Farms in Clifton, Kansas, has benefited from marketing cattle through GeneNet. He emphasized the need for data to make good marketing decisions.

“Without the data, it’s hard to see the progress or know the areas to improve,” Winter said.

From the carcass data Wintergreen Farms received from GeneNet, they made sire selection adjustments to improve their cattle’s marbling ability and ultimately optimize both premiums and yields on the grid.

For Zoetis and Select Sires customers interested in learning more about competitive and profitable marketing opportunities for their cattle, visit GeneNetBeef.com.



University Products Helps Embattled Cattle Ranchers Forced to Sell Herds During Current Inflation Siege; Offers Fixed Price Anaplasmosis Vaccine for Inevitable Seasonal Cattle Illness

University Products LLC offered an important lifeline to cattle ranchers currently battling both rising feed prices and surges in fuel and other expenses due to widespread global inflation. After a full year of contending with soaring feed/fuel/medicine costs and brutal summer droughts, ranchers are looking for any sign of relief. Fortunately, University Products announced that vaccinating herds against the inevitable tide of upcoming seasonal anaplasmosis infections is one expense that has not increased.

University Products produces the only effective vaccine against anaplasmosis that is approved for experimental use and has been successfully deployed in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and South America for over two decades. And in an effort to remain affordable and accessible to ranchers across the globe, University Products has kept their vaccine costs at the same rate for over five years.

"We all know that inflation is felt most keenly in the fuel and food production delivery chains," said Dr. Donald Luther, University Products vaccine developer. "Inflation is an old enemy of farmers and ranchers who are no stranger to having to contend with what the market sends their way. But the past year or so has been particularly harsh. This financial assault on all fronts has even forced many cattle ranchers to sell off herds just to stay afloat. And while beef production and prices are temporarily up due to these selloffs, that increase in price goes mostly to the big corporate meatpackers. Not to the ranchers themselves."

"Another expense coming up, one that is absolutely unavoidable, is seasonal protection against old enemies like endemic anaplasmosis," explained Dr. Luther. "From testing kits, diagnosis, quarantines, and sustained and costly symptom treatment through increasingly ineffective antibacterial-feed therapies, the ongoing anaplasmosis problem costs ranchers hundreds of millions in revenue every year – reaching 'critical impact levels in many regions' across the U.S. and driving up average cow culling rates by 30% or more."

"Our anaplasmosis vaccine is a purified antigen of the organism that actually causes the problem in cattle: A. marginale," Dr. Luther said. "Rather than traditional approaches like fighting infection after it happens with antibiotics, our vaccine contains the organism that has been inactivated so it cannot infect cells and replicate, but can still trigger an immune response. And it is especially important to vaccinate against this specific organism, while keeping up with yearly booster shots. Infected cows continue to be disease vectors – acting as reservoirs of infected blood for both insects and poorly cleaned needles used on the cattle. Anaplasmosis is endemic. That's just a fact. Which is why we tell our clients truthfully: the only safe herd is a fully vaccinated herd. So we're happy to help them be able to afford to do that."



Wilbur-Ellis Launches Second Annual Innovation Award for College Students

Wilbur-Ellis today announced the launch of the second annual Wilbur-Ellis Innovation Award.

The program invites student teams from colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada to propose innovative approaches for providing food for more people – a critical imperative, since the world population is expected to increase by 2 billon people by 2050. The best idea will win a $25,000 grand prize and up to four $5,000 honorable mention awards may also be presented in 2023.

In the first Wilbur-Ellis Innovation Award program in 2022, more than 120 students working in over 30 teams participated – with the Kansas State University Entomology Team winning the grand prize. Their submission explored using bacteria to give insects plastic degrading abilities, turning plastic waste into biomass for a variety of productive uses. Four additional teams were recognized with honorable mention awards for ideas that explored enhancing the honey bee population, the potential of basalt to improve soil health, an alternative way to produce meat, and expanding ocean farming.

Students can learn more about the award on the Wilbur-Ellis Innovation Award website (which can be accessed from the Wilbur-Ellis website at www.wilburellis.com). The Innovation Award website provides e-cards that can be sent to students who might like to participate, as well as a video featuring last year's winners and summaries of their submissions.

The Innovation Award was created as a continuing legacy of the company's 100th anniversary in 2021. "Wilbur-Ellis is a company with a long, rich history," said John Buckley, Wilbur-Ellis President and Chief Executive Officer. "For over 100 years we have worked with our customers and suppliers to feed the world. But we're always looking ahead, and the Wilbur-Ellis Innovation Award reflects our focus on the future. With this program, we're supporting innovative ideas in agriculture and food production, and we're encouraging young people to join us in this important work."     

Because the Innovation Award is for student teams, it also promotes collaboration. "The challenges the world is facing are so complex that it will take a wide range of partners working together to find solutions," Buckley said. "We work with partners every day in our business, and we want to give students the opportunity to see what can be achieved when a diverse group of people work together on a big idea," he added.

Registration for Student Teams Is Now Open – With Early Birds Getting 10 Extra Points!
Student teams can register now to participate in the 2023 Wilbur-Ellis Innovation Award by visiting the website at www.wilburellis.com/innovation-award/. Teams that register by March 31, 2023, will have an extra 10 points added to their submission's final score.