Fortenberry Helps Introduce Bipartisan Initiative to Support New Generation of Farmers
Congressman Jeff Fortenberry today joined Reps. Tim Walz (D-MN), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee, and Chris Gibson (R-NY), to introduce the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is designed to help young people and beginning farmers establish careers in agriculture. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate today.
"Agriculture is essential to our country's wellbeing. Good agricultural policy is critical to America's economic security, energy security, and even national security. Given the average age of the American farmer today is 57 years old, we should work to ensure that the next generation of farmers and ranchers have the opportunity to overcome the financial barriers unique to agricultural operations," said Fortenberry (R-NE). "I'm proud to support this legislation, which provides a variety of support options involving access to farm credit for young producers, cost-saving conservation practices, emerging market opportunities such as locally and organically raised foods within regional foods systems, and increased outreach on agricultural job opportunities for our nation's veterans."
The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act seeks to ready a new generation of American ag producers by modifying and improving upon existing farm programs to help reduce the steep financial burdens of setting up an agricultural business.
The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act will invest in the next generation of American producers by:
- Enabling access to land, credit, and crop insurance for new producers.
- Assisting new producers to launch and strengthen new farm and value-added businesses.
- Helping new producers become good stewards of the land.
- Providing training, mentoring, and research that beginning farmers and ranchers need to be successful.
- Conducting outreach on agricultural job opportunities for military veterans.
Fortenberry is a member of the Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Agricultural Appropriations. He is a former chairman of the Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Department Operations, Oversight, and Credit.
Center for Rural Affairs applauds Beginning Farmer and Rancher Bill
The Center for Rural Affairs applauded today’s reintroduction of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act, a cross-cutting initiative aimed at helping the next generation of farmers and ranchers enter into agriculture and take advantage of emerging markets.
Representatives Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Tim Walz (D-MN), Chris Gibson (R-NY) and Collin Peterson (D-MN) reintroduced the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act in the U.S House of Representatives. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) took the lead on introducing the same legislation in the Senate.
“We are delighted to see these members of Congress acknowledge the fact that the Farm Bill should be creative and address beginning farmer and rancher issues,” said Traci Bruckner, Assistant Director for Rural Policy of the Center for Rural Affairs. “With this bill and the farm bill debate going on this year we are going to invest in creating a new generation of farmers and ranchers.”
“Agriculture is essential to our country’s well-being. Good agricultural policy is critical to America’s economic security, energy security, and even national security,” said Representative Jeff Fortenberry, co-sponsor of the bill. “Given that the average age of the American farmer today is 57 years old, we should work to ensure that the next generation of farmers and ranchers has the opportunity to overcome the financial barriers unique to agricultural operations.”
“This legislation will help families and individuals across our nation apply their talents, motivation, and dedication to start and continue farm and ranch operations and revitalize rural America,” Senator Harkin said. “Beginning farmers and ranchers will benefit from practical assistance in this bill, including effective training and mentoring, better access to and careful use of credit, enhanced support for conservation, and help in starting and succeeding in profitable enterprises such as value-added businesses.”
“I’m proud to sponsor the Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Opportunity Act, which provides a variety of support options involving access to farm credit for young producers, cost-saving conservation practices, emerging market opportunities such as locally and organically raised foods within regional foods systems, and increased outreach on agricultural job opportunities for our nation’s veterans,” continued Fortenberry.
“We commend Representative Fortenberry, Senator Harkin and the other sponsors for introducing this bill. Their legislation is smart, cost-effective public policy that will create jobs and invest in the future of rural America,” Bruckner added. “It addresses key obstacles that often prevent beginning farmers and ranchers from getting their operation started.”
According to Bruckner, the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act contains multiple crucial provisions, including:
- Reauthorizing the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, a beginning farmer and rancher training and support initiative. It would provide $20 million in annual mandatory funding through 2018 to help meet growing demand for the program, and include a new priority on agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training programs for military veterans, as well as food safety training.
- $20 million in annual funding for the Value Added Producer Grants Program and will retain the priority for projects benefiting beginning farmers and ranchers as well as a set-aside of program funding for these projects.
- Creating savings and enhancing lending provisions that help beginning farmers and ranchers access credit and establish a pattern of savings.
- Providing conservation incentives to assist beginning farmers and ranchers and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to establish conservation practices and sustainable systems on their farms and ranches.
“Creating a new generation of family farmers and ranchers is a long row to hoe, but there are proven strategies that create real opportunities for beginners,” explained Bruckner. “And the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act was written to invest in those strategies and help new farmers and ranchers overcome barriers and take advantage of emerging markets.”
The bill is smart, cost-effective public policy that will create jobs and invest in rural America’s future through training, mentoring, business planning and other services for farm and ranch startups. It will also fund the highly effective Value Added Producer Grants program with emphasis on projects benefiting new farmers and ranchers, Bruckner concluded.
CRP Meetings Scheduled in May
Public informational meetings are scheduled across the state in May so landowners can learn about the May 20-June 14 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general signup.
CRP is a voluntary program that helps agricultural producers use environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits in exchange for rental payments and cost-share assistance.
The meetings are free and no registration is required. The following is a list of meetings by date:
April 30 – Dakota City, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) office, 1505 Broadway, 1 p.m.
May 7 – Scotia, Community Hall, 102 S. Main St., 10 a.m.; Ord, Lower Loup Natural Resources District (NRD), 2620 Airport Drive, 1 p.m.; Bloomfield, Community Center, 101 S. Broadway, 2 p.m.; Loup City, Community Center, 803 O St., 5 p.m.; Ogallala, USDA Service Center, 1605 E. 1st St., 7:30 p.m.; Neligh, UNL Extension Service, 501 Main St., 7:30 p.m.
May 8 – Pawnee City, Library, 735 8th St., 1 p.m.; O’Neill, UNL Extension Service, 128 N. 6th St., Ste. 100, 5 p.m.
May 9 – Hartington, VFW, 126 E. Main St., 2 p.m.; Lincoln, UNL Extension Service, 444 Cherry Creek Road, 2:30 p.m.; Bartlett, Wheeler County Fairgrounds, 3 p.m.; Newcastle, Fire Hall, 205 Mary St., 7 p.m.; Stapleton, Community Center, 236 Main St., 7:30 p.m.
May 10 – Beatrice, Homestead National Monument, 8523 Nebraska Hwy. 4, 1 p.m.
May 13 – Alliance, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 124 E. 24th St., 10 a.m.; Omaha, Chalco Hills Recreation Area, 8901 S. 154th St., 1 p.m.; David City, Hruska Memorial Library, 399 5th St., 7:30 p.m.
May 14 – Rushville, American Legion, 206 Sprague St., noon; Norfolk, Lifelong Learning Center, 801 E. Benjamin Ave., 2 p.m.; Pleasanton, Community Center, 202 N. Sycamore St., 5 p.m.; Imperial, Mid-Plains Community College, 1324 Broadway, 7 p.m.; May 14 – Albion, Cornerstone Bank, 240 S. 3rd St., 7 p.m.; Wahoo, Lower Platte North NRD, 511 Commercial Park Road, 7:30 p.m.; Wallace, American Legion, 217 S. Commercial Ave., 7: 30 p.m.
May 15 – Fairbury, Union Bank and Trust, 1313 K St., 9 a.m.; Franklin, Franklin County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m.; Bridgeport, USDA, 902 Main St., 11 a.m.; Lexington, Library, 907 N. Washington St., noon; St. Paul, The Gathering Place, 612 Howard Ave., 7 p.m.; Benkelman, Farm Service Agency, 1303 A St., 7 p.m.; Seward, The Cattle National Bank, 104 S. 5th, 7:30 p.m.
May 16 – Sidney, South Platte NRD, 551 Parkland Drive, 9 a.m.; North Platte, UNL West Central Research and Extension Center auditorium, 402 W. State Farm Road, 7:30 a.m.; Blue Hill, Senior Center, 555 W. Gage St., 10 a.m.; Wilber, UNL Extension Service, 306 W. 3rd St., 2:30 p.m.; Sargent, Community Center, 314 W. Main St., 4:30 p.m.; Broken Bow, Mid-Plains Community College, 2520 S. E St., 6 p.m.; Pawnee City, Library, 735 8th St., 7 p.m.; Grant, Library, 246 Central Ave., 7 p.m.
May 17 – Scottsbluff, North Platte NRD, 100547 Airport Road, 9 a.m.
May 20 – Trenton, USDA, 36465 U.S. Hwy. 34, 6 p.m.
May 21 – Chadron, Country Kitchen, 1250 W. 10th St., noon; Hayes Center, American Legion, 603 Tate St., 6 p.m.
May 22 – Alma, Johnson Center, 509 Main St., 10 a.m.; Beaver City, Community Building, 318 10th St., 2 p.m.; McCook, 4-H Meeting Room, 1400 W. 5th St., 6 p.m.
First Nebraska Farm to School Summit a Success
Over 30 agriculture producers and representatives from several Nebraska school districts met Wednesday, April 3 in Kearney for the first ever Nebraska Farm to School Summit. The event brought together farmers, ranchers and food service directors to help one another link kids with healthy, local food.
Since that time, the Center for Rural Affairs has received positive feedback from a number of producers that attended the summit. One attendee in particular followed-up with over 10 schools in his area and has begun to build relationships with the nutrition programs there, resulting in the ongoing development of a Farm to School Program.
“The inaugural summit was a success for everyone,” said Bailey Mahlberg, Nebraska Farm to School Coordinator with the Center for Rural Affairs. “The energy was evident as food service directors and local farmers, ranchers, and producers talked about ways to bring fresh, local, healthy food to children in school. One way to encourage children to eat healthy foods is to model the behavior through school meals.”
Kicking off the event was a presentation by Kathie Starkweather, Rural Opportunities and Stewardship Program Director for the Center for Rural Affairs, along with Mahlberg on the background of Farm to School, the current programs in Nebraska, and how to connect to local resources.
Sharon Davis, Assistant Director of Nutrition Services with the Department of Education, spoke about the rules and regulations of Farm to School. Other presenters included Jewel Marco, food service director of Central City Schools; Linda Truscott, food service director of Norris Public Schools; and Cindy Oldemeyer, a farmer from Firth, NE. Oldemeyer currently provides produce for the Norris Farm to School program.
After the preliminary presentations was an informal “speed-dating” session which allowed individuals to quickly meet with others in their geographic area and discuss the steps to develop a Farm to School Program in their community. An open discussion followed allowing participants the opportunity to air ideas and network with other attendees.
“This was likely the most beneficial portion of the Summit because attendees were speaking with like-minded people and everyone was excited about Farm to School,” said Mahlberg.
According to a survey administered at the summit, respondents reported an 18% increase of understanding farm to school programs, a 22% increase awareness of farm to school program related resources and opportunities, and a 5% increase of likeliness to participate in a farm to school related program.
"I am very pleased with the Summit turnout, both from the producers and from the schools. A true spirit of cooperation was exhibited as experienced farmers and ranchers shared their knowledge of working with schools. Information on how to sell to school districts, good handling practices, good agricultural practices, and food safety was provided to all,” Mahlberg concluded.
The Nebraska Farm to School Summit was hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs and the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s College of Business and Technology. Other sponsors included: Pinnacle Bank, Security First Bank, the Buffalo County Farm Bureau, and the Nebraska Farmer’s Union.
For more information on Farm to School, visit http://www.cfra.org/community-food.
NCBA Awards State Partners for Outstanding Recruiting Efforts
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) awarded three state cattlemen’s associations for their outstanding recruitment efforts during the Spring Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., last week. In all, 14 states met the criteria to qualify for the award drawing for the choice of one-year lease for either a New Holland BR7090 round baler or a New Holland T6 175 tractor.
NCBA recognizes the importance of a strong partnership with its state affiliate organizations and in an effort to recognize the efforts of state partners has joined forces with New Holland Ag to reward recruiters for their outstanding efforts on behalf of the national organization. Vice President of New Holland North America Abe Hughes emphasized the importance of working together on behalf of the beef industry and the company’s commitment to helping strengthen all of agriculture.
“New Holland is proud to support the membership successes of NCBA state affiliates with the equipment lease program. We are committed to help NCBA grow in 2013 and accomplish their goals to protect and strengthen the cattle industry,” said Hughes.
The 14 state affiliates which reached NCBA’s recruitment goals and qualified for the drawing for a one-year lease for a New Holland tractor or baler were: Arizona Cattle Feeders, Arkansas Cattlemen’s, California Cattlemen’s, Colorado Livestock, Hawaii Cattlemen’s, Kansas Livestock, Nebraska Cattlemen, North Carolina Cattlemen, Ohio Cattlemen’s, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s, Texas Cattle Feeders, Utah Cattlemen’s, Washington Cattle Feeders and Wisconsin Cattlemen’s.
A random drawing of qualifying states was held during the Spring Legislative Conference and Ohio Cattlemen’s Association and the Utah Cattlemen’s Association were each awarded with their choice of one-year lease on either a New Holland BR7090 round baler or a New Holland T6 175 tractor to be used to support their efforts on behalf of members of their state associations.
The top five states in NCBA membership recruitment from Jan. 1, 2013 through Mar. 31, 2013 were, in reverse order: Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Kansas Livestock Association, Ohio Cattlemen’s Association and Nebraska Cattlemen. The top recruiter during the period was Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association, which was also awarded with a one-year New Holland tractor or baler lease in recognition of their outstanding recruitment efforts on behalf of NCBA.
Beef Products to Pay $450,000 for Clean Air Act Violations
Beef Products Inc. (BPI) has agreed to pay a $450,000 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of Clean Air Act regulations in Waterloo, Iowa, the Environmental Protection Agency announced today.
As part of a consent decree lodged today in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, BPI has agreed to conduct third-party audits of its compliance with the Clean Air Act's Risk Management Program requirements at the company's South Sioux City, Neb., facility. BPI will then have 90 days to submit a plan to EPA that will correct identified violations within one year.
The settlement stems from a 2007 incident at the now-closed Waterloo, Iowa, facility that released more than 1,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia into a production area occupied by BPI workers. The anhydrous ammonia trapped two BPI employees resulting in the permanent disability of one worker and the death of the other. During the response to the release, BPI directed its employees to enter the facility while dangerous levels of airborne anhydrous ammonia remained present.
After the 2007 incident, EPA gathered information about the release and facility operations through information requests and an inspection. Based on these activities, EPA determined that BPI did have a risk management program on paper, but failed to implement the program at the Waterloo facility, contributing to the 2007 incident.
"The implementation of a risk management program is integral to the safe operation of facilities where anhydrous ammonia is used," Regional Administrator Karl Brooks said. "The 2007 incident in Waterloo demonstrates that having a plan only on paper increases the risk of accidental exposure to both employees and first responders."
In 2005, with a goal of preventing accidents and helping regulated entities understand their obligations in accordance with environmental laws, EPA Region 7 published an Accident Prevention and Response Manual for Anhydrous Ammonia Refrigeration System Operators. That guide, now in its third edition, is available online.
Anhydrous ammonia is considered a poisonous gas but is commonly used in industrial refrigeration systems. Exposure to its vapors can cause temporary blindness and eye damage and irritation of the skin, mouth, throat, respiratory tract and mucous membranes. Prolonged exposure to anhydrous ammonia vapor at high concentrations can lead to serious lung damage and death.
Beef Trade Explored with Central America
Iowa beef producer Steve Rehder, Hawarden, participated in an Iowa Meat Trade Mission to Central America and Mexico in April. Rehder, a director on the Iowa Beef Industry Council, said that including El Salvador and Honduras on the mission was to identify opportunities for U.S. beef in those two countries.
"Price is the biggest issue in all three countries as so much of their population lives in poverty. Importers have discovered that high quality grain-fed beef is more tender and flavorful than their domestic grass-fed beef, and as their economy improves, there will be potential to increase their imports of U.S. beef," said Rehder. The Central American Free Trade Agreement allows U.S. Choice and Prime beef to enter both El Salvador and Honduras without a tariff, because it does not compete with their own grass-fed beef.
The most desired cuts include rounds, skirt steaks, and top sirloin caps, the Iowa trade team learned as they met with meat processors, government agencies, and importers in San Salvador, San Pedro Sula and Mexico City. The group toured processing plants and retail supermarkets.
Mexico is an especially valued customer for U.S. beef, as it is the third largest export market in value and the largest in volume in 2012. U.S. brands are well received in all three countries, and their citizens like beef. All three countries are also suffering from the same challenges as the U.S. with declining numbers of cattle and increased cost of feed.
"The market development activities of the U.S. Meat Export Federation are impressive," Rehder said. "They not only develop joint U.S. meat promotions but are committed to education and training programs in meat cutting, product safety, handling and preparation to help the companies be successful in selling U.S. beef and pork long term. I'm pleased to see my checkoff at work in this way and to know that beef exports added about $216 to the value of each head of my cattle."
The Meat Trade Mission was coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Other attendees included members of the Iowa Pork Producers Association and Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. Partial funding for the mission was provided by the beef checkoff.
NGFA, STC to Host Ag Transportation Summit
On July 30-31, the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and Soy Transportation Coalition (STC) will host the first ever Ag Transportation Summit, "A Modern Infrastructure for Modern Agriculture," in Chicago. The goals of the summit are to:
- Raise the awareness of the importance of transportation to the success and profitability of U.S. agriculture;
- Precipitate and motivate further action to promote a transportation infrastructure that better serves the interests of U.S. agriculture;
- Provide a venue for U.S. agriculture advocates to network and develop collaborations to promote transportation needs; and
- Build bridges between government and agriculture interests that will result in more effective promotion of agricultural transportation issues.
Farmers Purchase Crop Insurance While Hoping for the Best
(from NCIS)
Although it is early in the year, farmers are already purchasing their crop insurance policies. As of April 22, 2013 more than 236,000 policies have been purchased, protecting nearly 87 million acres representing nearly $20 billion in liabilities, accounting for $800 million in farmer paid premium. These numbers will continue to grow as we move further into spring.
In 2012, farmers invested more than $4.1 billion to purchase more than 1.2 million crop insurance policies, protecting 128 different crops.
Crop insurance policies protect more than 281 million acres, with insured acreage now equal to 86 percent of planted cropland in 2012.
$30 billion: Farmers have spent more than $30 billion out of their own pockets to purchase crop insurance since 2000.
To date, Kansas, Texas, California, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Florida lead the way in the number of crop insurance policies purchased.
Senators Tell EPA to Drop Clean Water Act Guidance
In an effort to prevent overreaching regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its interpretation of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 30 Republican senators sent a letter to the agency asking Acting EPA Administrator Bob Perciasepe to scrap its controversial CWA guidance. The proposed guidance would increase the number of waters, streams and wetlands under the jurisdiction of the CWA, which was enacted in 1972, has been stalled at the White House Office of Management and Budget for more than a year.
The Obama administration is still deciding whether or not it wants to move forward with issuing the guidance. Republican members of the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee such as Sen. John Barrasso (R - Wyo.) are encouraging EPA to drop the guidance and subsequent rulemaking.
"Leaving the guidance in place would further frustrate any potential rulemaking process," they wrote in the letter. "Given the significance of redefining jurisdictional limits to impose CWA authority, a rulemaking process provides a greater opportunity for public input and greater regulatory certainty than a guidance document."
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Deputy Environmental Counsel Ashley McDonald said the urging by the 30 senators to not move forward with the CWA guidance is a positive step forward for farmers and ranchers who have already been overburdened by EPA regulations.
“In this guidance, EPA has expanded the scope of the term ‘traditional navigable waters’ to cover any water body that can support waterborne recreational use, such as floating a canoe. That puts a huge burden on cattle producers, who would be required to obtain a permit for common, everyday activities like cleaning out a ditch,” said McDonald. “This guidance would amount to one of the largest ever land-grabs by the federal government. It is also a severe infringement on Americans’ private property rights granted by the U.S. Constitution. NCBA appreciates the efforts by these 30 senators in urging EPA to drop these nonsensical regulations which would negatively affect agricultural operations nationwide.”
Commercial Red Meat Production Down From Last Year
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 3.99 billion pounds in March, down 4 percent from the 4.17 billion pounds produced in March 2012.
Beef production, at 2.04 billion pounds, was 6 percent below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.59 million head, down 6 percent from March 2012. The average live weight was up 14 pounds from the previous year, at 1,313 pounds.
Veal production totaled 9.2 million pounds, 8 percent below March a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 62,700 head, up 5 percent from March 2012. The average live weight was down 31 pounds from last year, at 252 pounds.
Pork production totaled 1.93 billion pounds, down 3 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 9.32 million head, down 2 percent from March 2012. The average live weight was down 2 pounds from the previous year, at 277 pounds.
Lamb and mutton production, at 13.8 million pounds, was down 3 percent from March 2012. Sheep slaughter totaled 196,100 head, 3 percent above last year. The average live weight was 141 pounds, down 8 pounds from March a year ago.
January to March 2013 commercial red meat production was 12.0 billion pounds, down 2 percent from 2012. Accumulated beef production was down 2 percent from last year, veal was down 5 percent, pork was down 1 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 3 percent.
State, million pounds, % of last year
Nebraska .......: 571.9 94
Iowa ..............: 546.6 97
Kansas .........: 424.3 96
G-8 Ag Leaders Set to Meet and Open Data to the World
With a goal of uniting scientific activities across borders to feed the world, agricultural leaders from the G-8 countries will begin a two-day conference in Washington on Monday. G-8 leaders will meet to discuss the challenges and develop policies for online global platforms to share data from publicly funded agricultural research. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will head the United States government delegation and USDA's Chief Scientist, Dr. Catherine Woteki, will act as alternate head of delegation and provide scientific guidance.
"The Obama Administration is committed to opening data to the public and the research community," said Vilsack. "Open data for agriculture offers unlimited opportunity both at home and abroad. We've seen it drive economic growth in the past through the development of navigation systems, weather forecasting and other tools that were revolutionary when created, but that consumers now take for granted. Sharing data will do the same for facing the enormous challenges of reducing poverty, improving nutrition, and sustainably intensifying agricultural production to meet the demand of feeding nine billion people by 2050."
Highlights of the conference include:
- Remarks by Secretary Vilsack to open the first day of the meeting;
- Video remarks by Bill Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation;
- Panel discussions including participants such as Dr. Rachel Kyte, VP, World Bank and Todd Park, White House Chief Technology Officer;
- Lightning presentations by developers of apps currently in use for agricultural production;
- Presentations by key agricultural scientists on the technical details of governments opening data to the public, implications for developing countries and best practices.
- Announcements of new open data releases from government and private sector.
The range of presenters and attendees cover the spectrum of leadership from government and industry. Howard Shapiro, Global Director of Plant Science and External Research, Mars Incorporated will be a lightning presenter, as will Shaifali Puri, from Scientists without Borders, a public-private partnership led by The New York Academy of Sciences. Conference attendees will hear from representatives of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, the Global Harvest Initiative, Johns Hopkins University and top officials from federal agencies including the Department of Commerce, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Millennium Challenge Corporation and others.
Each day of the conference will include announcements from the G-8 countries and the U.S. government representatives about the data they are releasing.
"Taking data that taxpayers have already funded and making it public in useable formats will fuel economic growth and help drive the agricultural innovation needed to meet our global food security challenges," said Woteki. "We will provide a one-stop shop for all of our public agriculturally relevant data that can be used by entrepreneurs, scientists and agricultural leaders to build applications, conduct analyses, and perform research. This is the first step into a new, 21st century arena of accelerating agricultural research."
Japan Corn Outlook Conference: Focus on US Productivity
In today's interconnected world, it is increasingly difficult to show an expert audience something it hasn't seen before ... difficult but not impossible, as Illinois farmer Ron Gray demonstrated last week in Japan.
Currently the U.S. Grains Council's Secretary/Treasurer, Gray traveled to Tokyo last week to provide a producer's perspective at the annual Japan Corn Outlook Conference. Gray's presence was particularly opportune as his farm in southeastern Illinois was in one of the hardest hit areas in last summer's drought, and the prospects for a strong U.S. rebound was a key concern of the 140 Japanese attendees.
Emphasizing the commitment of U.S. producers to the export market and strong planting intentions for this year, Gray scored additional points with detailed, GPS-mapped field data on soil conditions and yield. "Attendees were impressed by Ron presenting the data from his farm using GPS," noted USGC Director Tommy Hamamoto. "Most people were seeing the real data for the first time."
The attendees -- Japanese grain traders, feed millers, food industry representatives, academics, and government officials -- were especially eager to learn about the cost/benefit of GPS equipment and management tools available from the University, Gray noted. "They were also quite interested in our view of TPP [the Trans-Pacific Partnership]. In addition, the feed industry there is state of the art, and a systematic corn price risk mitigation process is desired."
The Corn Outlook Conference is the largest recurring Council event in Japan, which is the largest U.S. corn export market. Japanese buyers are keenly interested in U.S. production trends, crop quality, and trade policy issues, and the Conference is an important opportunity to reassure our best customers about the capacity, reliability and resiliency of the U.S. grain production system.
Council Ramps up DDGS Promotion Efforts in Southern Mexico
U.S. Grains Council staff and consultants were in southern Mexico this week meeting with grain importers and livestock producers as part of a program to promote distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Despite being the second-largest importer of U.S. DDGS, importing 1.5 million metric tons in 2012, an assessment conducted in 2012 revealed that southern Mexico was an underserviced area.
Julio Hernandez, USGC director in Mexico commented, "Even under conservative estimations, the region holds the potential to utilize more than 1 million tons of DDGS per year." The area contains a large beef population of more than 4 million head, which would be the primary drivers of demand. Through the meetings with the regional livestock associations, feed millers and importers, the Council is putting together a joint marketing program which would develop this market.
"The Council is using its role as a catalyst to bring several key players in the region together and unite them in developing this feed market and expanding DDGS sales to this region," said Alvaro Cordero, USGC manager of global trade.
Upon completion of this week, the Council will draft a 2-3 year marketing program to present to its Mexican partners. The plan will ask them to join the Council in developing the market not only for U.S. DDGS, but compound feeds, which will represent a significant new business opportunity for both U.S. and Mexican industries.
Outcomes at National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments Disappointing to NMPF
For the second time in two years, state public health and agriculture department officials participating in the National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments (NCIMS) turned down a proposal to reduce the maximum allowable level of somatic cell counts in milk. A lower level of somatic cells indicates higher quality milk.
At its meeting in Indianapolis this week, the NCIMS voting delegates – a group of state regulators overseeing milk safety rules – considered a proposal sponsored by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) to reduce the maximum threshold of allowable somatic cells in milk at the farm level from the current 750,000 cells/mL, down to 400,000, starting in 2015. But on a close vote, the delegates rejected the proposal, meaning that the status quo threshold of 750,000 will remain for domestic milk production – putting the U.S. “behind the curve when it comes to milk quality standards,” according to Jerry Kozak, NMPF President & CEO.
On a related decision with trade policy implications, the NCIMS delegates approved a proposal to permanently allow foreign dairy marketers to participate in the U.S. Grade A program, by permitting required sanitation evaluations of overseas dairy farms and processing facilities to be carried out by third-party, non-governmental inspectors.
“Dairy farmers in the world’s major milk producing regions have made great strides in reducing somatic cell count levels. Regulatory systems around the world have moved to incorporate these lower somatic cell count levels, and the U.S. needs to be on board with that process, not be left watching from the side of the road by the failure to update our standards,” said Kozak. “We continue to be perplexed by the inconsistency of those state regulators who voted to make it easier to import Grade A dairy products into the United States by outsourcing mandatory inspections, while at the same time rejecting efforts to facilitate the export of American dairy products,” Kozak said.
A similar somatic cell count proposal was defeated by the NCIMS in 2011. Since then, the European Union has moved ahead with a somatic cell count limit of 400,000 for dairy products being exported by the U.S. to EU member countries.
“While the NCIMS has performed admirably in protecting the safety of Grade A milk and dairy products for more than 60 years, we are now in a global dairy marketplace and the Conference needs to recognize this reality,” said Kozak.
“Our farmers are doing their part by continuing to provide ever-higher quality milk, but they are not getting credit for it with overseas customers because we are at the mercy of a regulatory mechanism that seems unwilling to maintain the same pace of improvement. Unfortunately, NCIMS is currently the only national regulatory forum at which to resolve these important issues for the dairy industry,” he said.
NMPF also expressed disappointment at the NCIMS delegates’ rejection this week of a resolution calling for the enhanced enforcement of federal labeling regulations affecting the marketing of imitation Grade A dairy products, such as soy, hemp and rice “milks,” and soy and rice “yogurt.” The recommendation was also opposed by representatives of the dairy processing community.
“Without the backing of state and federal regulators, and the dairy processing community itself, the nation’s dairy farmers remain the sole advocates for enforcement of proper labeling on imitation dairy products. It is disappointing that the leadership of the dairy processing industry spoke out against the labeling enforcement resolution,” Kozak added.
CME Launching RIN Futures May 13
CME Group said on Thursday that it plans to launch new futures contracts for Renewable Identification Numbers on May 13.
RINs, the credits used by refiners, blenders and importers to show compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard, will include contracts for D4 biomass-based diesel, essentially biodiesel; D5, advanced biofuels such as sugar-based ethanol, cellulosic ethanol and biodiesel; and D6 renewable fuels, primarily starch-based ethanol.
"With the recent increase in volatility in RINs prices, we've seen strong interest from our customers and other market participants for cost-effective ways to manage their risk in this market," said Gary Morsches, managing director global energy, CME Group.
He said as the actively traded marketplace for RBOB gasoline and ultra-low sulfur diesel contracts, RINs futures contracts will "be a strong complement to our existing suite of products."
These contracts will be financially-settled based on Argus Media's prices for RINs.
These contracts will be available on the CME Globex electronic trading platform, for over-the-counter clearing through CME ClearPort and open outcry on the trading floor in New York, beginning with the May 2013 contract month.
CME exchanges offer a range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes, including futures and options for energy.
CME Selling Kansas City Grain Exchange Building
CME Group Inc has put the building that houses its grain exchange in Kansas City, Missouri, up for sale, as its storied trading floor prepares for closure at the end of June.
No sales price was listed for the 166,000-square-foot building, which also includes an indoor parking garage, according to a statement from Holly Duran Real Estate Partners, one of the firms handling the sale.
CME, which took over most of the Kansas City Board of Trade building when it purchased the grain exchange for $126 million last year, will shut down face-to-face trading of Kansas City's wheat contracts after June 28 and move trading to Chicago. Electronic traders will have access to the Kansas City trading floor through the end of September.
The sale reflects the shift to electronic trading that has swept commodities exchanges, making it less attractive for exchange operators to own real estate for traditional open-outcry pits.
IGC: Global Corn Output Up in 2013-14
The International Grains Council said Thursday that increased plantings and better yields will likely lift the global wheat crop by 4% in 2013-14, to 680 million metric tons, led by gains in the European Union and former Soviet Union.
This was down 3 million tons on its previous forecast for 2013-14.
The London-based body added that a slight fall in feed use will likely be outweighed by improved food and industrial demand, allowing only a slight rise in global stocks, to 181 million tons.
The IGC forecast that global corn output will increase by 10% in 2013-14, to 939 million tons, with harvested area and average yields both projected to be higher.
It added closing corn stocks are set to increase sharply, by 27 million tons, rising to an above-average level in 2013-14.
The IGC said that delayed corn sowings and relatively attractive soybean prices could influence planting decisions in the U.S. over coming weeks, after the USDA's prospective plantings report indicated a near unchanged area.
DuPont Announces a $400,000 Grant to Iowa State University’s Science Bound Program
DuPont announced today a $400,000 grant to Iowa State University (ISU) for its Science Bound program that encourages youth in the state’s urban communities to consider careers in agriculture and science.
The grant will help the ISU Science Bound program to increase the number of ethnically diverse Iowa students pursuing careers in agriculture, science, technology, mathematics and engineering. The grant, funded through the company's advanced seed and genetics business DuPont Pioneer, is expected to impact more than 500 Iowa students over the next five years.
“We are so pleased that DuPont Pioneer, an early and strong supporter of Science Bound, has expanded their commitment with their most recent and very generous gift,” said Connie Hargrave, Science Bound director and an ISU associate professor of education. “This will make a tremendous difference to our state and nation by increasing the number of young people who are contributing to our nation's needs in agriculture and industry.”
“Building tomorrow’s leaders in science, food and agriculture must begin today,” said Paul E. Schickler, president of DuPont Pioneer. “We are proud to support the Science Bound program as they develop the students who have the imagination, creative thinking, and enthusiasm needed to feed the world. In order to advance food security around the world, we need to inspire and engage young people in this great challenge.”
The DuPont Pioneer grant will go toward two of Science Bound’s major efforts:
- The George Washington Carver Summer Internship program is offered to high school and undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds to gain real-life research experience in a professional work environment.
- The Learn & Earn program is a four-week summer experience offered to Science Bound students as high school freshmen, sophomores and juniors. The program polishes and sharpens math, language arts and science skills for students who participate.
Science Bound began over 20 years ago as a way to draw students from middle and high schools in Des Moines, Denison and Marshalltown toward careers in agriculture, science and technology. The program currently has 378 students currently enrolled.
DuPont Pioneer is a lead supporter of Science Bound and first became involved with the program in 1999 through the donation of an endowment. The latest grant will be announced at Science Bound’s Des Moines-area graduation ceremony on Thursday, April 25, at the Pioneer campus in Johnston.
Novozymes reports 5% organic sales growth in Q1
Novozymes, the world leader in bioinnovation and industrial enzymes, today reported a first quarter of 2013 in line with expectations. Organic sales growth was 5% (4% DKK, 5% LCY) compared with Q1 2012. EBIT grew by 4%, and the EBIT margin was 24.9% – on par with the first quarter of 2012. The outlook for full-year 2013 sales growth in DKK is increased from 4-7% to 5-8%. All other expectations are maintained.
“Overall, the first quarter was as expected. We're off to a satisfactory start in 2013, and we maintain the full-year outlook,” says Peder Holk Nielsen, who took office as Novozymes' CEO on April 1, 2013. “Organic sales growth came in at the lower end of our full-year guidance, and we remain confident that it will pick up during the course of the year. We’ve executed well, and we’re pleased that we can deliver an EBIT margin at this high level in the first quarter despite a little headwind from currency and acquisition costs. These are exciting times for Novozymes as we steer Novozymes forward in our quest to change the world together with our customers."
Cool, wet soils challenge crop establishment
With winter-like conditions continuing unseasonably late this spring, famers are facing several challenges in getting their seed in the ground. In a cool, late spring, getting off to a strong and quick start is vitally important for crops. Farmers can apply PROTINUS® Seed Nutrition to give their seed a nutrient boost that optimizes emergence and early-season development.
“Whether you grow corn, soybeans, canola or cereals, PROTINUS is a good investment to get your crop up and out of the ground this spring,” says Jennifer Bailes, Wolf Trax director of seed products. “In tough growing conditions, PROTINUS shows dramatic results. With this season’s slow start, farmers should give their crop every chance possible to emerge quickly and catch up.”
Young plants have difficulty accessing needed nutrients in cool, wet soils. PROTINUS delivers a balanced ratio of nutrients that are important in early plant development, including zinc and manganese, directly to the seed.
Through replicated company and third-party research conducted in a wide range of crops across numerous soil and growing conditions, PROTINUS is proven to deliver:
1. Quicker, more even emergence;
2. Larger seedlings with longer, more developed roots; and
3. A better ability to cope with cool, early-season growing conditions.
In trials since 2008, on average, PROTINUS-treated seed out-yields the check. In corn, results from more than 400 comparisons show the yield boost averages eight bushels per acre.
Farmers can contact Wolf Trax at 855-237-9653 to check the availability of PROTINUS-treated corn or canola seed near their location, to learn more about equipment for on-farm applications, and for the opportunity to qualify for a free seed treater.
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
Friday, April 26, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Wednesday April 24 Ag News
Farmers, Ranchers Urged to Help Fix Oil Spill Rule
The Environmental Protection Agency’s inability to provide clear and concise direction and answers to farmers and ranchers on the agency’s broad and unnecessary rule regarding oil spills has Nebraska Farm Bureau urging farmers and ranchers across the state to help be part of a solution to fix the faulty EPA regulation.
“Not only is EPA’s oil spill rule not needed, the agency has developed a rule that doesn’t fit agriculture and because of that they have struggled to answer questions about the rule. We’ve heard from members who have contacted EPA directly and received conflicting answers to their SPCC questions. That in and of itself has been a source of frustration for many farmers and ranchers attempting to identify whether they are even obligated to meet the rules requirements,” said Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.
Farm Bureau has been involved in discussions with EPA since 2009 to try and clarify the obligations of farmers and ranchers under the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Rule with minimal success. The main requirement under the SPCC rule requires farms and other facilities to develop, maintain and implement oil spill prevention plans. The rule was first established in the 1970’s as a way to control spills from oil refineries. EPA claims farmers and ranchers have never been exempt from the 30 year-old SPCC Rule, yet the agency didn’t establish farm-specific SPCC Rules until 2009 and did so despite the fact there is no history of oil spill issues on farms and ranches.
In 2011, EPA provided a two-year compliance delay for SPCC implementation, but only for farms and ranches established after Aug. 2002. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the current rule, Congress passed a provision as part of the 2013 Continuing Resolution, which prevented EPA from enforcing SPCC rules on farms and ranches until the end of Sept. 2013. EPA maintains the SPCC compliance deadline for farms and ranches is May 10, 2013.
Farm Bureau is encouraging farmers and ranchers to help fix the rule by contacting members of the Nebraska Congressional Delegation and urging them to take action on the Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act (FUELS Act), which among other provisions related to SPCC, would change the starting point from where SPCC regulations and requirements would take effect. Under the current SPCC Rule, any farm or ranch with above-ground oil storage capacity of 1,320 gallons would need to have a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) plan in place if there is a reasonable expectation a spill would reach waters of the U.S. The FUELS Act would raise the initial threshold of compliance from 1,320 gallons to 10,000 gallons which would prevent many Nebraska farm and ranch families from having to meet the regulations. The FUELS Act has been introduced in both the House of Representatives (H.R. 311) as well as the Senate (S. 496) and garnered support from members of Nebraska’s delegation.
“The SPCC rule is a prime example of big brother government and an agency that has lost its way. Farmers and ranchers are willing to comply with rules and regulations that solve real problems. Having farm families spend their time and thousands of dollars complying with regulations that do little to protect the environment is a waste of farmers and taxpayers’ time and money,” said Nelson.
ACRE or DCP? UNL Webinar Examines Features and Future of Each
In January Congress extended the 2008 Farm Bill to cover agricultural production in 2013. This extension requires producers to reselect which FSA farm program they will enroll in: the traditional DCP program or the newer ACRE program. To help producers with this decision, UNL extension agricultural economists will be hosting a webinar on how each program has performed and how it is expected to perform for 2013.
The webinar will be hosted on two dates, April 29 and May 3, from 10:30 a.m. to noon CT. Both webinar sessions will present the same information.
Producers will be able to re-educate themselves on the functional workings of the ACRE and DCP programs, as well as get expert analysis on how these programs might extend risk management protection in the near future. Ag economists will demonstrate the updated Nebraska ACRE Model Excel® program available at agecon.unl.edu/farmbill.
Scheduled speakers include
· Brad Lubben, UNL extension public policy specialist, and
· Tim Lemmons, UNL extension educator.
Webinar Access
The public is invited to access the live webinar at http://connect.unl.edu/farmbillmeeting or at one of the viewing sites where discussion will be facilitated. The webinar will be recorded and made available later on CropWatch.unl.edu.
Download Sites
· Blair — Washington County Extension Office, 597 Grant Street, May 3 only
· Concord — UNL Haskell Ag Lab, 57905 866 Road, May 3 only
· Fairbury — Jefferson County Extension Office, 517 F St., April 29 and May 3
· Imperial — Chase County Extension Office, 135 West 5th St., April 29 and May 3
· Lincoln — Lancaster County Extension Office, 444 Cherrycreek Road, April 29 and May 3
· Ord — Valley County Extension Office, 801 S St., Suite 1 (Fairgrounds), April 29 and May 3
· Tekamah — Burt County Courthouse, 111 N. 13th St., May 3 only
· West Point — Cuming County Extension Office, Cuming County Courthouse, April 29 only
Registration for this event is not required. For questions, please contact Tim Lemmons at 402-370-4061.
Nebraska Pork Producers Bring Chef Competition to Pinot, Pigs & Poets
The Nebraska Pork Producers Association is excited about expanding their continued sponsorship of this year’s Pinot, Pigs & Poets event at Happy Hollow Club on June 6, 2013 at 6 p.m. The philanthropic event will feature premium Pinot Noir wines, cutting-edge pork dishes and entertainment provided by slam poets from the Nebraska Writers Collective.
The Nebraska Pork Producers Association has been a sponsor of Pinot, Pigs & Poets since the event’s inception in 2010. In 2013, they are enhancing their sponsorship by involving the Taste of Elegance competition. The top chef will win a trip to the 2014 Pork Summit at the Greystone Campus of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California.
Restaurants participating in Pinot, Pigs & Poets this year include The Boiler Room, The Grey Plume, Happy Hollow Club, j. coco restaurant, Le Voltaire, Lot 2 Restaurant & Wine Bar, Mahogany Prime Steakhouse, M’s Pub, Ryan’s Bistro, Stokes Grill & Bar, and Sullivan’s Steakhouse.
All proceeds from Pinot, Pigs & Poets support the Completely KIDS organization and their weekend and after-school food programs for Omaha children in need at local schools and shelters. Completely KIDS serves over 2,000 children in its after-school programs and provides over 30,000 meals a year. Last year Pinot, Pigs & Poets raised over $140,000 for these programs.
“The Nebraska Pork Producers Association is enthused about merging our Taste of Elegance culinary competition with Completely KIDS and the Pinot, Pigs & Poets event,” said Shane Meyer, President of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association. “We have hosted Taste of Elegance for many years under the same format and are looking forward to the unique twist Pinot, Pigs & Poets brings to the table. Pork producers and farmers devote their lives every day to food production and feeding the world; it’s what we live to do. Marrying the goal to promote our product with an opportunity to feed hungry children is a slam dunk for our organization.”
For more information regarding this event, visit pinotandpigs.org. To find out more about Completely KIDS and their programs and services, visit completelykids.org.
2013 Iowa Swine Day to feature nationally recognized speakers
Iowa State University, the Iowa Pork Industry Center and the Iowa Pork Producers Association are working together to produce Iowa Swine Day 2013, an industry-focused event designed specifically for the pork industry.
Scheduled for June 27 on the Iowa State University campus, the morning plenary session features nationally and internationally recognized speakers addressing key topics of current interest.
Dr. Sarah Probst Miller of AgCreate Solutions will present “Employee Engagement and Productivity.” She will be followed by Dr. Nick Gabler discussing “The Impact of Disease on Grow-finish pig Digestibility, Metabolism and Tissue Accretion.”
Rick Berman of Berman and Company in Washington, D.C., will provide an inside look at the “Animal Rights Agenda and Animal Production.” The morning session closes with Denmark’s Dr. Bjarne Pedersen, who will talk about “Global Success in Swine Production Tomorrow - What Will it Take?” Three concurrent afternoon sessions will discuss these and other topics in greater depth.
Iowa Swine Day 2013 will be held from 9 a.m. until 5:15 p.m. in the Scheman Building on the ISU campus. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. Lunch and refreshments are included in the registration fee which is only $60 until June 14; the registration then increases to $80. Students of all ages are offered a reduced rate of $25.
Additional information and the registration form can be found at http://www.aep.iastate.edu/iowaswineday/registration.html.
Iowa’s pork tenderloin contest nominations open May 1
Pork tenderloin lovers can begin nominating their favorite for the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s 11th annual Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest on May 1. The contest celebrates a Midwest favorite by recognizing restaurants around the state that support their local pork producers by putting pork on their menu.
Nominations are limited to one per household. Forms are available at iowapork.org and in the May issue of the Iowa Pork Producer magazine. The deadline for nominations is June 11, 2013.
Any café, restaurant or tavern that serves breaded pork tenderloins is eligible to be nominated. Restaurants must receive three nominations to enter the first round of judging. Restaurant owners and operators are prohibited from nominating their own establishment.
“We had our work cut out for us last year with 65 sandwiches to judge, so we anticipate an even greater challenge in 2013,” said IPPA Marketing and Programs Director Kelsey Sutter. “Judging these juicy, tender, flavorful, mouth-watering sandwiches is a tough job, but someone has to do it!”
One person who nominates the winning restaurant will be entered in a drawing to win $100. The winning restaurant will receive $500, a plaque to display in the establishment and statewide publicity.
Representatives of the Iowa pork industry will judge the tenderloins on taste, appearance and physical characteristics and IPPA will announce the winner during October Pork Month.
The 2012 contest winner was Breitbach’s Country Dining in Balltown.
Weekly Ethanol Production for 4/19/2013
According to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 853,000 barrels per day (b/d) — or 35.87 million gallons daily. That is up 21,000 b/d from the week before and the second highest weekly average of the year. The four-week average for ethanol production stood at 836,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 12.82 billion gallons.
Stocks of ethanol stood at 17.6 million barrels. That is a 0.5% increase from last week.
Imports of ethanol showed 39,000 b/d, up from last week.
Gasoline demand for the week averaged 367.5 million gallons daily.
Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 9.75%.
On the co-products side, ethanol producers were using 12.934 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol and 95,197 metric tons of livestock feed, 84,869 metric tons of which were distillers grains. The rest is comprised of corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal. Additionally, ethanol producers were providing 4.44 million pounds of corn oil daily.
CWT Assists with 2.2 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 9 requests for export assistance from Darigold, Foremost Farms, and United Dairymen of Arizona to sell 965,625 pounds (438 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, and 1.257 million pounds (570 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. The product will be delivered May through October 2013.
Year-to-date CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 50.056 million pounds of cheese, 50.625 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of AMF, and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 30 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.567 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. That is more than USDA’s projected increase in milk marketings for all of 2013.
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by helping to maintain inventories of cheese and butter at desirable levels. In the long-term, CWT’s Export Assistance program helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the farm milk that produces them.
CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.
USDA and Dairy Producers Renew Agreement to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Increase Sustainability of Dairy Production
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack today renewed a historic agreement with U.S. dairy producers to accelerate the adoption of innovative waste-to-energy projects and energy efficiency improvements on U.S. dairy farms, both of which help producers diversify revenues and reduce utility expenses on their operations.. The pact extends a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009.
"Through this renewed commitment, USDA and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy will continue research that helps dairy farmers improve the sustainability of their operations," Vilsack said. "This vital research also will support the dairy industry as it works to reach its long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020."
The Secretary signed the agreement this afternoon at the White House and was joined by representatives of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Dairy Management, including Thomas P. Gallagher, CEO of the center. One objective of the MOU is to increase the construction of anaerobic digesters and explore innovative ways to use products previously considered waste streams from dairy production, processing and handling.
USDA support for agricultural and waste-to-energy research has played a key role in the agreement's success to date. Since signing the MOU, USDA has made nearly 180 awards that helped finance the development, construction, and biogas production of anaerobic digester systems with Rural Development programs, such as the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels, Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program, Value Added Producer Grants, amongst others. These systems capture methane and produce renewable energy for on-farm use and sale onto the electric grid. Additionally, during this period, USDA awarded approximately 140 REAP loans and grants to help dairy farmers develop other types of renewable energy and energy efficiency systems at their operations.
Also, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has provided $257 million in funding since 2009 that has helped more than 6,000 dairy farmers plan and implement conservation practices to improve sustainability. NRCS support for the dairy industry has resulted in 354 on-farm and in-plant energy audits as well as 18 conservation innovation grants for dairy-related projects during the past three years.
Anaerobic digester technology is a proven method of capturing methane from waste products, such as manure, and converting into heat and electricity. The technology utilizes generators that are fueled by the captured methane.. Dairy operations with anaerobic digesters routinely generate enough electricity to power hundreds of homes per year.
Gallagher added, "We have a long and strong relationship with USDA and Secretary Vilsack, and dairy farmers and the dairy industry are very happy that USDA is entering into the next MOU with the Innovation Center. We are all interested in sustainable agriculture and producing good food responsibly, while bolstering an important rural economy, and this new MOU lays out the roadmap for more improvements. That's good for dairy, good for the economy and good for consumers."
R-CALF USA Joins Coalition to Limit Excessive Speculation
R-CALF USA joined with other members of the Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition (CMOC), a broad coalition of associations representing Main Street businesses and agriculture to file an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia in support of a Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) rule that would limit speculative trading in commodities.
The 2010 Dodd-Frank Act required the CFTC to quickly adopt speculative position limits for all energy futures and swaps and report back to lawmakers on their impact after the limits had been imposed for one year.
On Feb. 15, 2011, R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, regarding the need to limit excessive speculation in the cattle futures market to prevent market manipulation by speculators with a vested interest in the price of cattle and from distortions caused by excessive speculation.
On March 18, 2011, R-CALF USA submitted comments on the CFTC ruleexpressing its concern for the ever-decreasing share of physical hedger interests in the Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle markets. R-CALF USA urged the CFTC to set "meaningful position limits to prevent excessive speculation, market manipulation, and ensure market liquidity for bona fide hedgers and preserve the price discovery function of the futures market."
The CFTC approved a final rule on Oct. 18, 2011 that would have imposed speculative position limits on futures and swaps for 28 listed commodities, including cattle.
Last September, a District Court judge, responding to a legal challenge by Wall Street groups, vacated the rule citing an "ambiguous" Congressional mandate and CFTC's failure to determine if it should have made a finding of necessity before promulgating the final rule.
In its amicus brief, the CMOC supports the CFTC's position that Congress mandated a rule setting speculative position limits, citing nearly a decade of Congressional investigations and dozens of hearings into the matter. During that time, lawmakers received expert testimony from CMOC members on the harm that excessive speculation was causing their industries and constituent businesses.
"Congress had been gathering evidence for nearly a decade about excessive speculation and had already concluded that [excessive speculation] constituted an undue burden on interstate commerce" the coalition said in the brief. "Congress had studied and identified a serious crisis that it wanted remedied quickly, and therefore mandated position limits."
The coalition also pointed to the requirement by Congress that regulators conduct an expedited rulemaking process. Lawmakers also required a study into the effect of position limits one year after they had been imposed.
Given this, "there should be no doubt that Congress was mandating swift and decisive action to end what it believed was a serious problem," the CMOC said.
Baucus Announces Decision to Retire
Montana U.S. Senator Max Baucus said Tuesday he won't seek a seventh term next year. First elected in 1978, Baucus says he wants to spend the next year and a half on Capitol Hill focused on serving his constituents and chairing the powerful Senate Finance Committee without the distraction of running for re-election.
The Democrat Baucus is the latest of a slew of members of the Senate to announce his decision to leave politics. Mike Johanns, Frank Lautenberg, Jay Rockefeller, Tom Harkin and and Saxby Chambliss have also stated their intentions to retire after their current terms.
"Deciding not to run for re-election was an extremely difficult decision," Baucus said in a statement. "After thinking long and hard, I decided I want to focus the next year and a half on serving Montana unconstrained by the demands of a campaign."
Improper Cooking, Handling Lead to More Severe Illnesses From Chicken, Ground Beef
(AP) -- An analysis of more than 33,000 cases of foodborne illness shows that ground beef and chicken have caused more hospitalizations than other meats.
The report by the Center for Science in Public Interest says chicken nuggets, ham and sausage pose the lowest risk of foodborne illness.
The group used government data on 1,700 outbreaks over 12 years to analyze salmonella, E. coli, listeria and other pathogens that were definitively linked to a certain meat.
To calculate which meats were riskiest, CSPI ranked the foods in which contamination was most likely to cause hospitalizations. Some meats may have had more illnesses but were less likely to cause severe illness.
After ground beef and chicken, CSPI categorized turkey and steak as "high risk" and deli meat, pork, roast beef and beef or pork barbeque as "medium risk."
Salmonella and E. coli, pathogens that contaminate meat and poultry during slaughter and processing, accounted for a third of the illnesses surveyed. Clostridium perfringens, a lesser-known pathogen that usually grows after processing when foods are left at improper temperatures for too long by consumers or food establishments, accounted for another third.
While a large number of chicken illnesses were due to clostridium perfringens, chicken led to many hospitalizations partly because of the high incidence of salmonella in chicken that isn't properly cooked.
Most of the ground beef illnesses were from E. coli, which is found in the intestinal tracts of cattle and can transfer to the carcass if the meat isn't handled properly during slaughter. Ground beef can be riskier than steak and other beef products because pathogens are spread during the grinding process.
According to the report, listeria, salmonella and E. coli required the most hospitalizations.
The group noted that the data is incomplete because so many foodborne illnesses are not reported or tracked. The CDC estimates that as many as 48 million Americans get sick from food poisoning each year.
To reduce foodborne illnesses from meat, CSPI recommends what they call "defensive eating" -- assuming that meat can be unsafe. Safe handling includes not letting meat juices drip onto other food or counters, cleaning cutting boards and plates that have held raw meat, wearing gloves when preparing meat and washing hands often. Cooks should also make sure meat is heated to the proper temperature before eating it.
Monsanto Announces $400 Million Research Center Expansion
Monsanto Company Tuesday announced plans to bring together its St. Louis-based industry-leading research and development team on one campus when it completes a more than $400 million expansion at its Chesterfield Village Research Center. The company plans to begin work this summer and expects to add 675 jobs across St. Louis County over the next three years.
Monsanto plans to add 36 new greenhouses, additional offices and laboratory space as well as additional plant growth chambers to facilitate development of its seed and trait pipeline. Greenhouses and plant growth chambers, which can be programmed to represent any climate around the world, are a critical component of Monsanto's research work as they offer Monsanto scientists an opportunity to observe and select only the best performing seeds for in-ground testing.
"Our Chesterfield Village Research Center is already a world-class facility, and with our planned new investment, will truly be a home worthy of what I believe is the most innovative team in agriculture," said Robb Fraley, Ph.D., Monsanto's chief technology officer. "Monsanto has pledged to help those in agriculture find new ways to produce more while using less of our globe's resources."
Monsanto's proposed expansion will enable greater collaboration between researchers, as they work to develop new systems of technologies to make agriculture more productive and more sustainable.
Monsanto currently has approximately 1,000 employees at its Chesterfield site, which could have the capacity to house 2,000 local technology employees once the project is complete. Today, the site comprises 1.5 million-square-feet and includes approximately 250 laboratories, 122 plant growth chambers and two acres of greenhouses. In addition to the new office and research space, the company plans to add a new cafeteria for employees, a conference center and a parking structure. The expansion is being made possible with the support of the State of Missouri and St. Louis County.
"In Missouri, we take great pride in our state's status as a leader in the biotechnology industry, and Monsanto's $400 million expansion in St. Louis will accelerate our state's continued growth in this area," Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said. "One of the fastest-growing sectors of Missouri's economy is in science and technology, and I remain committed to embracing these industries to transform our economy and create next-generation jobs. Monsanto's major investment in the state of Missouri, which will create hundreds of high-tech, high-paying jobs while also boosting our construction industry, further establishes the Show-Me State as a biotech powerhouse."
Monsanto's commercial and corporate teams will continue to occupy the company's Creve Coeur campus, which also currently houses lab spaces. Once employees are transferred to Chesterfield, those lab spaces may be converted to other uses, Fraley said. Construction is expected to be completed in 2017, and teams will begin moving to the Chesterfield site in phases beginning at that time.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s inability to provide clear and concise direction and answers to farmers and ranchers on the agency’s broad and unnecessary rule regarding oil spills has Nebraska Farm Bureau urging farmers and ranchers across the state to help be part of a solution to fix the faulty EPA regulation.
“Not only is EPA’s oil spill rule not needed, the agency has developed a rule that doesn’t fit agriculture and because of that they have struggled to answer questions about the rule. We’ve heard from members who have contacted EPA directly and received conflicting answers to their SPCC questions. That in and of itself has been a source of frustration for many farmers and ranchers attempting to identify whether they are even obligated to meet the rules requirements,” said Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.
Farm Bureau has been involved in discussions with EPA since 2009 to try and clarify the obligations of farmers and ranchers under the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Rule with minimal success. The main requirement under the SPCC rule requires farms and other facilities to develop, maintain and implement oil spill prevention plans. The rule was first established in the 1970’s as a way to control spills from oil refineries. EPA claims farmers and ranchers have never been exempt from the 30 year-old SPCC Rule, yet the agency didn’t establish farm-specific SPCC Rules until 2009 and did so despite the fact there is no history of oil spill issues on farms and ranches.
In 2011, EPA provided a two-year compliance delay for SPCC implementation, but only for farms and ranches established after Aug. 2002. Due to the uncertainty surrounding the current rule, Congress passed a provision as part of the 2013 Continuing Resolution, which prevented EPA from enforcing SPCC rules on farms and ranches until the end of Sept. 2013. EPA maintains the SPCC compliance deadline for farms and ranches is May 10, 2013.
Farm Bureau is encouraging farmers and ranchers to help fix the rule by contacting members of the Nebraska Congressional Delegation and urging them to take action on the Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act (FUELS Act), which among other provisions related to SPCC, would change the starting point from where SPCC regulations and requirements would take effect. Under the current SPCC Rule, any farm or ranch with above-ground oil storage capacity of 1,320 gallons would need to have a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) plan in place if there is a reasonable expectation a spill would reach waters of the U.S. The FUELS Act would raise the initial threshold of compliance from 1,320 gallons to 10,000 gallons which would prevent many Nebraska farm and ranch families from having to meet the regulations. The FUELS Act has been introduced in both the House of Representatives (H.R. 311) as well as the Senate (S. 496) and garnered support from members of Nebraska’s delegation.
“The SPCC rule is a prime example of big brother government and an agency that has lost its way. Farmers and ranchers are willing to comply with rules and regulations that solve real problems. Having farm families spend their time and thousands of dollars complying with regulations that do little to protect the environment is a waste of farmers and taxpayers’ time and money,” said Nelson.
ACRE or DCP? UNL Webinar Examines Features and Future of Each
In January Congress extended the 2008 Farm Bill to cover agricultural production in 2013. This extension requires producers to reselect which FSA farm program they will enroll in: the traditional DCP program or the newer ACRE program. To help producers with this decision, UNL extension agricultural economists will be hosting a webinar on how each program has performed and how it is expected to perform for 2013.
The webinar will be hosted on two dates, April 29 and May 3, from 10:30 a.m. to noon CT. Both webinar sessions will present the same information.
Producers will be able to re-educate themselves on the functional workings of the ACRE and DCP programs, as well as get expert analysis on how these programs might extend risk management protection in the near future. Ag economists will demonstrate the updated Nebraska ACRE Model Excel® program available at agecon.unl.edu/farmbill.
Scheduled speakers include
· Brad Lubben, UNL extension public policy specialist, and
· Tim Lemmons, UNL extension educator.
Webinar Access
The public is invited to access the live webinar at http://connect.unl.edu/farmbillmeeting or at one of the viewing sites where discussion will be facilitated. The webinar will be recorded and made available later on CropWatch.unl.edu.
Download Sites
· Blair — Washington County Extension Office, 597 Grant Street, May 3 only
· Concord — UNL Haskell Ag Lab, 57905 866 Road, May 3 only
· Fairbury — Jefferson County Extension Office, 517 F St., April 29 and May 3
· Imperial — Chase County Extension Office, 135 West 5th St., April 29 and May 3
· Lincoln — Lancaster County Extension Office, 444 Cherrycreek Road, April 29 and May 3
· Ord — Valley County Extension Office, 801 S St., Suite 1 (Fairgrounds), April 29 and May 3
· Tekamah — Burt County Courthouse, 111 N. 13th St., May 3 only
· West Point — Cuming County Extension Office, Cuming County Courthouse, April 29 only
Registration for this event is not required. For questions, please contact Tim Lemmons at 402-370-4061.
Nebraska Pork Producers Bring Chef Competition to Pinot, Pigs & Poets
The Nebraska Pork Producers Association is excited about expanding their continued sponsorship of this year’s Pinot, Pigs & Poets event at Happy Hollow Club on June 6, 2013 at 6 p.m. The philanthropic event will feature premium Pinot Noir wines, cutting-edge pork dishes and entertainment provided by slam poets from the Nebraska Writers Collective.
The Nebraska Pork Producers Association has been a sponsor of Pinot, Pigs & Poets since the event’s inception in 2010. In 2013, they are enhancing their sponsorship by involving the Taste of Elegance competition. The top chef will win a trip to the 2014 Pork Summit at the Greystone Campus of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California.
Restaurants participating in Pinot, Pigs & Poets this year include The Boiler Room, The Grey Plume, Happy Hollow Club, j. coco restaurant, Le Voltaire, Lot 2 Restaurant & Wine Bar, Mahogany Prime Steakhouse, M’s Pub, Ryan’s Bistro, Stokes Grill & Bar, and Sullivan’s Steakhouse.
All proceeds from Pinot, Pigs & Poets support the Completely KIDS organization and their weekend and after-school food programs for Omaha children in need at local schools and shelters. Completely KIDS serves over 2,000 children in its after-school programs and provides over 30,000 meals a year. Last year Pinot, Pigs & Poets raised over $140,000 for these programs.
“The Nebraska Pork Producers Association is enthused about merging our Taste of Elegance culinary competition with Completely KIDS and the Pinot, Pigs & Poets event,” said Shane Meyer, President of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association. “We have hosted Taste of Elegance for many years under the same format and are looking forward to the unique twist Pinot, Pigs & Poets brings to the table. Pork producers and farmers devote their lives every day to food production and feeding the world; it’s what we live to do. Marrying the goal to promote our product with an opportunity to feed hungry children is a slam dunk for our organization.”
For more information regarding this event, visit pinotandpigs.org. To find out more about Completely KIDS and their programs and services, visit completelykids.org.
2013 Iowa Swine Day to feature nationally recognized speakers
Iowa State University, the Iowa Pork Industry Center and the Iowa Pork Producers Association are working together to produce Iowa Swine Day 2013, an industry-focused event designed specifically for the pork industry.
Scheduled for June 27 on the Iowa State University campus, the morning plenary session features nationally and internationally recognized speakers addressing key topics of current interest.
Dr. Sarah Probst Miller of AgCreate Solutions will present “Employee Engagement and Productivity.” She will be followed by Dr. Nick Gabler discussing “The Impact of Disease on Grow-finish pig Digestibility, Metabolism and Tissue Accretion.”
Rick Berman of Berman and Company in Washington, D.C., will provide an inside look at the “Animal Rights Agenda and Animal Production.” The morning session closes with Denmark’s Dr. Bjarne Pedersen, who will talk about “Global Success in Swine Production Tomorrow - What Will it Take?” Three concurrent afternoon sessions will discuss these and other topics in greater depth.
Iowa Swine Day 2013 will be held from 9 a.m. until 5:15 p.m. in the Scheman Building on the ISU campus. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. Lunch and refreshments are included in the registration fee which is only $60 until June 14; the registration then increases to $80. Students of all ages are offered a reduced rate of $25.
Additional information and the registration form can be found at http://www.aep.iastate.edu/iowaswineday/registration.html.
Iowa’s pork tenderloin contest nominations open May 1
Pork tenderloin lovers can begin nominating their favorite for the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s 11th annual Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin Contest on May 1. The contest celebrates a Midwest favorite by recognizing restaurants around the state that support their local pork producers by putting pork on their menu.
Nominations are limited to one per household. Forms are available at iowapork.org and in the May issue of the Iowa Pork Producer magazine. The deadline for nominations is June 11, 2013.
Any café, restaurant or tavern that serves breaded pork tenderloins is eligible to be nominated. Restaurants must receive three nominations to enter the first round of judging. Restaurant owners and operators are prohibited from nominating their own establishment.
“We had our work cut out for us last year with 65 sandwiches to judge, so we anticipate an even greater challenge in 2013,” said IPPA Marketing and Programs Director Kelsey Sutter. “Judging these juicy, tender, flavorful, mouth-watering sandwiches is a tough job, but someone has to do it!”
One person who nominates the winning restaurant will be entered in a drawing to win $100. The winning restaurant will receive $500, a plaque to display in the establishment and statewide publicity.
Representatives of the Iowa pork industry will judge the tenderloins on taste, appearance and physical characteristics and IPPA will announce the winner during October Pork Month.
The 2012 contest winner was Breitbach’s Country Dining in Balltown.
Weekly Ethanol Production for 4/19/2013
According to EIA data, ethanol production averaged 853,000 barrels per day (b/d) — or 35.87 million gallons daily. That is up 21,000 b/d from the week before and the second highest weekly average of the year. The four-week average for ethanol production stood at 836,000 b/d for an annualized rate of 12.82 billion gallons.
Stocks of ethanol stood at 17.6 million barrels. That is a 0.5% increase from last week.
Imports of ethanol showed 39,000 b/d, up from last week.
Gasoline demand for the week averaged 367.5 million gallons daily.
Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production was 9.75%.
On the co-products side, ethanol producers were using 12.934 million bushels of corn to produce ethanol and 95,197 metric tons of livestock feed, 84,869 metric tons of which were distillers grains. The rest is comprised of corn gluten feed and corn gluten meal. Additionally, ethanol producers were providing 4.44 million pounds of corn oil daily.
CWT Assists with 2.2 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Export Sales
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 9 requests for export assistance from Darigold, Foremost Farms, and United Dairymen of Arizona to sell 965,625 pounds (438 metric tons) of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, and 1.257 million pounds (570 metric tons) of butter to customers in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. The product will be delivered May through October 2013.
Year-to-date CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 50.056 million pounds of cheese, 50.625 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of AMF, and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 30 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.567 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis. That is more than USDA’s projected increase in milk marketings for all of 2013.
Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by helping to maintain inventories of cheese and butter at desirable levels. In the long-term, CWT’s Export Assistance program helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the farm milk that produces them.
CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.
USDA and Dairy Producers Renew Agreement to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Increase Sustainability of Dairy Production
Agriculture Secretary Vilsack today renewed a historic agreement with U.S. dairy producers to accelerate the adoption of innovative waste-to-energy projects and energy efficiency improvements on U.S. dairy farms, both of which help producers diversify revenues and reduce utility expenses on their operations.. The pact extends a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009.
"Through this renewed commitment, USDA and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy will continue research that helps dairy farmers improve the sustainability of their operations," Vilsack said. "This vital research also will support the dairy industry as it works to reach its long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020."
The Secretary signed the agreement this afternoon at the White House and was joined by representatives of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Dairy Management, including Thomas P. Gallagher, CEO of the center. One objective of the MOU is to increase the construction of anaerobic digesters and explore innovative ways to use products previously considered waste streams from dairy production, processing and handling.
USDA support for agricultural and waste-to-energy research has played a key role in the agreement's success to date. Since signing the MOU, USDA has made nearly 180 awards that helped finance the development, construction, and biogas production of anaerobic digester systems with Rural Development programs, such as the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels, Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program, Value Added Producer Grants, amongst others. These systems capture methane and produce renewable energy for on-farm use and sale onto the electric grid. Additionally, during this period, USDA awarded approximately 140 REAP loans and grants to help dairy farmers develop other types of renewable energy and energy efficiency systems at their operations.
Also, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has provided $257 million in funding since 2009 that has helped more than 6,000 dairy farmers plan and implement conservation practices to improve sustainability. NRCS support for the dairy industry has resulted in 354 on-farm and in-plant energy audits as well as 18 conservation innovation grants for dairy-related projects during the past three years.
Anaerobic digester technology is a proven method of capturing methane from waste products, such as manure, and converting into heat and electricity. The technology utilizes generators that are fueled by the captured methane.. Dairy operations with anaerobic digesters routinely generate enough electricity to power hundreds of homes per year.
Gallagher added, "We have a long and strong relationship with USDA and Secretary Vilsack, and dairy farmers and the dairy industry are very happy that USDA is entering into the next MOU with the Innovation Center. We are all interested in sustainable agriculture and producing good food responsibly, while bolstering an important rural economy, and this new MOU lays out the roadmap for more improvements. That's good for dairy, good for the economy and good for consumers."
R-CALF USA Joins Coalition to Limit Excessive Speculation
R-CALF USA joined with other members of the Commodity Markets Oversight Coalition (CMOC), a broad coalition of associations representing Main Street businesses and agriculture to file an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia in support of a Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) rule that would limit speculative trading in commodities.
The 2010 Dodd-Frank Act required the CFTC to quickly adopt speculative position limits for all energy futures and swaps and report back to lawmakers on their impact after the limits had been imposed for one year.
On Feb. 15, 2011, R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, regarding the need to limit excessive speculation in the cattle futures market to prevent market manipulation by speculators with a vested interest in the price of cattle and from distortions caused by excessive speculation.
On March 18, 2011, R-CALF USA submitted comments on the CFTC ruleexpressing its concern for the ever-decreasing share of physical hedger interests in the Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle markets. R-CALF USA urged the CFTC to set "meaningful position limits to prevent excessive speculation, market manipulation, and ensure market liquidity for bona fide hedgers and preserve the price discovery function of the futures market."
The CFTC approved a final rule on Oct. 18, 2011 that would have imposed speculative position limits on futures and swaps for 28 listed commodities, including cattle.
Last September, a District Court judge, responding to a legal challenge by Wall Street groups, vacated the rule citing an "ambiguous" Congressional mandate and CFTC's failure to determine if it should have made a finding of necessity before promulgating the final rule.
In its amicus brief, the CMOC supports the CFTC's position that Congress mandated a rule setting speculative position limits, citing nearly a decade of Congressional investigations and dozens of hearings into the matter. During that time, lawmakers received expert testimony from CMOC members on the harm that excessive speculation was causing their industries and constituent businesses.
"Congress had been gathering evidence for nearly a decade about excessive speculation and had already concluded that [excessive speculation] constituted an undue burden on interstate commerce" the coalition said in the brief. "Congress had studied and identified a serious crisis that it wanted remedied quickly, and therefore mandated position limits."
The coalition also pointed to the requirement by Congress that regulators conduct an expedited rulemaking process. Lawmakers also required a study into the effect of position limits one year after they had been imposed.
Given this, "there should be no doubt that Congress was mandating swift and decisive action to end what it believed was a serious problem," the CMOC said.
Baucus Announces Decision to Retire
Montana U.S. Senator Max Baucus said Tuesday he won't seek a seventh term next year. First elected in 1978, Baucus says he wants to spend the next year and a half on Capitol Hill focused on serving his constituents and chairing the powerful Senate Finance Committee without the distraction of running for re-election.
The Democrat Baucus is the latest of a slew of members of the Senate to announce his decision to leave politics. Mike Johanns, Frank Lautenberg, Jay Rockefeller, Tom Harkin and and Saxby Chambliss have also stated their intentions to retire after their current terms.
"Deciding not to run for re-election was an extremely difficult decision," Baucus said in a statement. "After thinking long and hard, I decided I want to focus the next year and a half on serving Montana unconstrained by the demands of a campaign."
Improper Cooking, Handling Lead to More Severe Illnesses From Chicken, Ground Beef
(AP) -- An analysis of more than 33,000 cases of foodborne illness shows that ground beef and chicken have caused more hospitalizations than other meats.
The report by the Center for Science in Public Interest says chicken nuggets, ham and sausage pose the lowest risk of foodborne illness.
The group used government data on 1,700 outbreaks over 12 years to analyze salmonella, E. coli, listeria and other pathogens that were definitively linked to a certain meat.
To calculate which meats were riskiest, CSPI ranked the foods in which contamination was most likely to cause hospitalizations. Some meats may have had more illnesses but were less likely to cause severe illness.
After ground beef and chicken, CSPI categorized turkey and steak as "high risk" and deli meat, pork, roast beef and beef or pork barbeque as "medium risk."
Salmonella and E. coli, pathogens that contaminate meat and poultry during slaughter and processing, accounted for a third of the illnesses surveyed. Clostridium perfringens, a lesser-known pathogen that usually grows after processing when foods are left at improper temperatures for too long by consumers or food establishments, accounted for another third.
While a large number of chicken illnesses were due to clostridium perfringens, chicken led to many hospitalizations partly because of the high incidence of salmonella in chicken that isn't properly cooked.
Most of the ground beef illnesses were from E. coli, which is found in the intestinal tracts of cattle and can transfer to the carcass if the meat isn't handled properly during slaughter. Ground beef can be riskier than steak and other beef products because pathogens are spread during the grinding process.
According to the report, listeria, salmonella and E. coli required the most hospitalizations.
The group noted that the data is incomplete because so many foodborne illnesses are not reported or tracked. The CDC estimates that as many as 48 million Americans get sick from food poisoning each year.
To reduce foodborne illnesses from meat, CSPI recommends what they call "defensive eating" -- assuming that meat can be unsafe. Safe handling includes not letting meat juices drip onto other food or counters, cleaning cutting boards and plates that have held raw meat, wearing gloves when preparing meat and washing hands often. Cooks should also make sure meat is heated to the proper temperature before eating it.
Monsanto Announces $400 Million Research Center Expansion
Monsanto Company Tuesday announced plans to bring together its St. Louis-based industry-leading research and development team on one campus when it completes a more than $400 million expansion at its Chesterfield Village Research Center. The company plans to begin work this summer and expects to add 675 jobs across St. Louis County over the next three years.
Monsanto plans to add 36 new greenhouses, additional offices and laboratory space as well as additional plant growth chambers to facilitate development of its seed and trait pipeline. Greenhouses and plant growth chambers, which can be programmed to represent any climate around the world, are a critical component of Monsanto's research work as they offer Monsanto scientists an opportunity to observe and select only the best performing seeds for in-ground testing.
"Our Chesterfield Village Research Center is already a world-class facility, and with our planned new investment, will truly be a home worthy of what I believe is the most innovative team in agriculture," said Robb Fraley, Ph.D., Monsanto's chief technology officer. "Monsanto has pledged to help those in agriculture find new ways to produce more while using less of our globe's resources."
Monsanto's proposed expansion will enable greater collaboration between researchers, as they work to develop new systems of technologies to make agriculture more productive and more sustainable.
Monsanto currently has approximately 1,000 employees at its Chesterfield site, which could have the capacity to house 2,000 local technology employees once the project is complete. Today, the site comprises 1.5 million-square-feet and includes approximately 250 laboratories, 122 plant growth chambers and two acres of greenhouses. In addition to the new office and research space, the company plans to add a new cafeteria for employees, a conference center and a parking structure. The expansion is being made possible with the support of the State of Missouri and St. Louis County.
"In Missouri, we take great pride in our state's status as a leader in the biotechnology industry, and Monsanto's $400 million expansion in St. Louis will accelerate our state's continued growth in this area," Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said. "One of the fastest-growing sectors of Missouri's economy is in science and technology, and I remain committed to embracing these industries to transform our economy and create next-generation jobs. Monsanto's major investment in the state of Missouri, which will create hundreds of high-tech, high-paying jobs while also boosting our construction industry, further establishes the Show-Me State as a biotech powerhouse."
Monsanto's commercial and corporate teams will continue to occupy the company's Creve Coeur campus, which also currently houses lab spaces. Once employees are transferred to Chesterfield, those lab spaces may be converted to other uses, Fraley said. Construction is expected to be completed in 2017, and teams will begin moving to the Chesterfield site in phases beginning at that time.
Tuesday April 23 Ag News
Dairy Farm Award Winners from the Midwest Exemplify Commitment to Stewardship and Sustainability
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy recently announced the winners of its second annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards, which recognize dairy farms for practices that advance the industry’s commitment to healthy products, healthy communities and a healthy planet. Midwest Dairy Association, the farmer-funded checkoff organization for 10 Midwest states, is pleased to announce that two farms within its territory were honored, including Prairieland Dairy of Firth, Neb., as a national winner, and McCarty Family Farms, LLC of Rexford, Kan., as an honorable mention.
The awards program is part of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, an industry-wide effort to measure and improve economic, environmental and social sustainability of the dairy industry. The winners were selected by an independent panel of judges, which included experts from academic institutions, government, dairy science organizations, nongovernmental organizations, media and environmental and dairy industry leaders, and are based on the delivery of results to advance economic, environmental and social sustainability. The panel also assessed the potential for adoption by other farms as well as demonstrated learning, innovation and improvement.
Prairieland Dairy is a creative partnership between four Nebraska dairy farm families that milks 1,600 cows, farms 600 acres and is home to a processing plant, Prairieland Foods, and a composting site, Prairieland Gold. From the efficiently built barns that bring great cow comfort—to automatic cooling, waste management and pest control systems—each has a role in the farm’s sustainability solutions. Prairieland Dairy also taps into the natural power of wind, gravity and the geothermal properties of well water to reduce the use of energy, water and equipment.
“We take all of our commitments very seriously,” said Dan Rice, general manager of Prairieland Dairy. “And none more so than our commitment to sustainability.”
Honorable mention, McCarty Family Farms, has a milking herd of about 7,200 cows that produce almost 60,000 gallons of milk every day in northwestern Kansas. They have a unique partnership with Dannon, and the milk from the McCarty’s three dairies goes directly to their processing plant. First, the unpasteurized milk moves through an evaporator to remove extra water. Every drop of water is reused throughout the dairy for purposes such as cleaning, providing drinking water for the cows and irrigating crops. They reclaim 39,000 gallons of water daily from condensing milk, which means 75 percent fewer trucks are required to ship milk on their farm.
“Sustainability for us means respecting our roles and responsibilities as stewards of the land, caretakers of our animals, members of the community, parents and husbands – but also as members of the dairy community,” said Ken McCarty.
“The strength of the award winners’ stories illustrates why consumers can be confident about choosing their favorite dairy foods,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “These and thousands of other actions taken every day – both large and small – contribute to the industry’s overall commitment to a healthy future for the next generation.”
To learn more about the industry’s commitment to sustainability, visit USDairy.com. To get to know more about Midwest dairy farmers and their sustainability practices, visit DairyMakesSense.com.
2013 Draft Rules Related to the New Fully Appropriated Basin Evaluation Methodology
The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources has released new draft rules and methods that it plans to utilize in its annual evaluation of availability of hydrologically connected water supplies. This annual evaluation is aimed at ensuring that streamflow water supplies for existing groundwater and surface water uses are protected into the future. The results of this yearly evaluation are highly valuable in supporting proactive planning efforts conducted by the state and local natural resources districts.
These new rules and methods are aimed at providing greater clarity on the basin water supplies and water uses across the state to facilitate more effective water planning efforts. Director Brian Dunnigan said, “These new rules and methods which have been developed over the last four years will serve to provide foundational information on Nebraska’s water supplies and uses, thus allowing for more effective coordinated planning efforts across the state.”
In an effort to address questions or comments related to the new draft rules and methods the Department has set up a sixty-day public comment period which will run through June 7th. During this public comment period, the Department will hold several public forums across the state. These forums will serve to answer questions related to the new rules and methods. These public forums will be held:
- Monday, May 13, 2013 Norfolk & Valentine
- Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Scottsbluff & Kearney
- Wednesday, May 15, 2013 Beatrice
- Thursday, May 16, 2013 Lincoln
The Department has also developed a web-portal to receive public comments related to the draft rules and methods. To view more information, the specific times and locations of these forums or to provide your comments on the draft rules and methods, you are encouraged to visit the Department’s website at http://dnr.ne.gov.
Public hearings are anticipated to be held later this summer after public comments have been received with potential rules modifications to be finalized by the end of the year.
Public Forum Farm Bill Meetings Scheduled
In 2013, the U.S. Congress extended the 2008 Farm Bill to cover agricultural production in 2013. The extension of this legislation requires producers to again make an election regarding which FSA farm program they will enroll under; the traditional DCP program or the newer ACRE program. It is important in making this decision that producers understand how each program has performed in the past and how it is anticipated to perform for 2013.
To assist producers with this decision, UNL Extension Agricultural Economics will be offering two online webinars on April 29th and May 3rd from 10:30 a.m. to noon Central Time. A public viewing site is available at the Cuming County Courthouse Meeting Room, West Point, on April 29 only.
This webinar provides an opportunity for producers to re-educate themselves on the functional workings of the ACRE and DCP programs, as well as expert analysis of how these programs might extend risk management protection in the near future. Scheduled speakers include Dr. Brad Lubben, UNL Extension Public Policy Specialist and Tim Lemmons, UNL Extension Educator.
Interested public may join this event at the following web address: http://connect.unl.edu/farmbillmeeting. There is no charge to participate. This meeting will be recorded and made available for viewing at http://cropwatch.unl.edu. Registration for this event is not required. For questions, please contact Tim Lemmons at 402-370-4061.
Weeds are Emerging: Recommendations for Pre-plant and Pre-emergence Weed Control
Lowell Sandell, Weed Science Extension Educator
Precipitation in the last few weeks has provided enough moisture for weed seeds to germinate. Several summer annual weed species in Nebraska emerge early in the season prior to planting corn and soybean and need to be controlled before they become too large.
Of particular concern are kochia and giant ragweed, as we believe there are numerous populations in Nebraska that glyphosate will not control. We have observed significant kochia and giant ragweed emergence in the past two weeks in some of our research plots, and have heard reports of emergence from multiple areas of the state. If growers have had difficulty with kochia or giant ragweed in the last few years, every effort should be made to control these populations with an effective burndown application or tillage prior to planting. Based on observations in our giant ragweed research studies the previous two years, we have not had success controlling glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed with any herbicide program not containing 2,4-D as a component of a burndown application. If you apply 2,4-D prior to planting, be sure to adhere to the planting interval specified on the label.
Some other common weed species that emerge early in the season in Nebraska fields are common chickweed, dandelion, field pennycress, henbit, marestail, tansy mustard, and Virginia pepperweed.
Developing a Successful Early Season Weed Management Program
Profitable crop production starts with a weed control program that includes pre-plant and/or pre-emergence herbicides to deliver long-lasting, residual weed control. A spring burndown program in corn and soybean provides effective weed control to prepare for planting and helps to decrease the seedbank during the season. Early season weed competition can greatly reduce yields and profits.
Burndown
Several studies have shown that if weeds grow to 9 inches, soybean yield can be reduced by as much as 6%; 12-inch weeds can result in up to a 10% yield loss. In corn, 12-inch weeds could cause 22% yield loss when left uncontrolled. Among the herbicides registered for spring burndown weed control are:
- Corn: 2,4-D, atrazine, Balance Flexx, Corvus, dicamba, glyphosate, Landmaster II, Lexar, and Sharpen
- Soybean: registered spring burndown herbicides include 2,4-D, Authority First, glyphosate, Gramoxone, Pursuit, and Sharpen.
Pre-emergence
The pre-emergence (residual) herbicide protects the crop with early, effective, and lasting weed control to help maximize yields, regardless of the production system. In addition, including pre-emergence herbicides can minimize the post-emergence herbicide applications and protect against early-season weed competition when weather or busy schedules prohibit a timely post-emergence application. Among the herbicides registered for pre-emergence weed control are:
- Corn: Aatrex, Balance Flexx, Corvus, Degree Extra, Fierce, Lumax, Outlook, Surestart, Tripleflex, Warrant, and Zemax
- Soybeans: Authority MTZ, Boundry, Command, Dual II Magnum, Envive, Optill, Pursuit, Prowl H2O, Valor XLT, and Warrant.
Always read and follow herbicide label directions.
Biostimulants/Biofertilizers: Buyer Beware
Charles Wortmann, UNL Soil Fertility Extension Specialist
This article draws on a recent article in Fertilizers & Agriculture. Many new products are available and may be promoted as “elicitors, phytostimulants, biostimulants, phytoprotectants, biofertilizers, bioactivators, soil enhancers, …..”. Generally the information on these is vague, their mechanisms are not fully understood, and they have not undergone sufficient independent testing. Unlike fertilizers and pesticides, these products are not regulated; marketing does not require proof of effectiveness or full information on mode of action. We hope that some are of value; we expect most to have a short market life.
A suggested categorization of biostimulants is: “humic substances, complex organic materials, beneficial chemical elements, inorganic materials, seaweeds, chitin and chitosan, antitranspirants, and free amino acids.” Some products may overlap two or more categories. The European Commission is moving toward regulation using the definition: “Plant biostimulant means a material which contains substance(s) and/or microorganisms whose function when applied to plants or the rhizosphere is to stimulate natural processes to benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, and/or crop quality, independently of its nutrient content.”
As with any “buyer beware” products, we encourage field testing biostimulant products before fully integrating these into your input package. Past experience indicates that the product effects on yield are likely to be negligible or small and a good trial design is needed to obtain reliable information. Such a field trial can be easily done in cooperation with UNL Extension. Yields with and without the product applied can be measured using a yield monitor or weigh wagon. Ask the supplying company to cost-share or provide free product for the trial. UNL researchers will be interested to more closely evaluate products that are verified to adequately increase yield or improve input use efficiency.
A group of North Central Region soil scientists maintains a Compendium of Research Reports on Use of Non-Traditional Materials for Crop Production, including biostimulants. It's likely to include information on older products, but not necessarily new products on the market.
Checkoff Launches New Consumer Advertising Campaign
The new “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” consumer advertising campaign is premiering this month, bringing the recognizable tagline to older millennials and Gen-Xers. The new campaign, funded by the beef checkoff, will feature sizzling beef recipes, juicy details about essential nutrients and the voice of one of Hollywood’s most promising new talents.
“This campaign builds upon the core benefits that only beef offers -- its great taste and 10 essential nutrients. While most folks just look at beef for its sizzle or great flavor, it’s made up of more than that. Its nutrients are what make it the most powerful protein and what makes beef above all else,” says Cevin Jones, chair of the checkoff’s Domestic Consumer Preference Committee and producer from Eden, Idaho. “It doesn’t hurt that the voice delivering the message on the other side of the radio epitomizes health and sizzle too.”
New Voice for a New Target
The new “Above All Else” campaign aims to reach the next generation of beef eaters – the older millennial and Gen-Xer, aged 25 to 44 –who care about food and nutrition.
While keeping many brand mainstays, such as Aaron Copeland’s “Rodeo” music, the new beef campaign is switching up the voice behind the famous words, “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” Sparking a new interest for the older millennial and Gen X target, Garrett Hedlund’s voice will take a starring role in the campaign’s radio spots. Garrett personally represents healthful living, and his strong, warm voice is perfect for provoking new understanding about beef.
“I’m proud to represent America’s farmers and ranchers,” Hedlund said. “I grew up on my father’s cattle operation, so I’m right at home as the new voice of beef.”
Born in Roseau, Minn., Garrett spent his early years on a cattle operation. He was just 18 when he landed a role in the epic film Troy (2004) playing opposite Brad Pitt. Following his debut in Troy, Garrett went on to Friday Night Lights (2004) and Tron Legacy (2010). His latest roles include Country Strong (2011), in which he plays a rising young country star opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as On the Road, in theaters now.
What’s Your Dinner Made Of?
Research has shown that 45 percent of the target demographic said they would choose beef more often if they knew about how its nutrients compared to chicken. The new campaign helps set the record straight about beef’s essential nutrients in an engaging and educational way.
That’s the question each “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” print advertisements asks. It’s answered with bold copy highlighting the nutritional benefits of Beef along with tantalizing food photography reminding the consumer that delicious can, and does go right alongside nutritious. Each advertisement calls out an individual essential nutrient, like protein: “The Strip steak has lots of protein…and your appetite’s attention.” Another ad reminds you that a dinner with beef “has iron. The most lean, delicious and tender iron known to man.”
The print advertisements will appear in monthly national magazines with an emphasis on food, health/fitness, parenting, lifestyle and men’s sports. In addition to traditional print placements, the campaign will appear across a wide range of digital platforms, such as 22 tablet versions, online radio stations (e.g., Pandora), video websites (e.g., Hulu), social networking sites (e.g., Facebook) and popular recipe websites (e.g., AllRecipes.com). State Beef Councils will extend the campaign through print, radio, digital, in-person promotions, sporting events, outdoor advertising and more. Public relations, health professional outreach, social media and other promotional efforts round out this integrated effort.
For delicious triple-tested beef recipes, nutrition information and to learn more about the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” advertising campaign, please visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.
NCGA Please with Court Decision to Dismiss Pesticide Lawsuit
The U.S. District Court of Northern California issued an order yesterday dismissing a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that alleged the EPA violated the Endangered Species Act when registering hundreds of compounds. The National Corn Growers Association is pleased with the decision and supports farmers' ability to use products that have already been approved within EPA's rigorous registration process.
The suit was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pesticide Action Network of North America, claiming that EPA failed to undertake consultations with the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, as required by the Endangered Species Act.
"The dismissal of the case is a sweeping victory for growers who were faced with the possibility of major restrictions on previously approved crop protection products," NCGA President Pam Johnson said. "This offers reassurance to America's farmers that they are free to use products that have been deemed safe by the EPA. Furthermore, it demonstrates a faith that we share in the EPA's extensive testing process."
The suit, which was filed in 2011, specifically alleged that the agency failed to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service on hundreds of pesticide registrations potentially affecting hundreds of species.
That year, NCGA and other agricultural organizations joined the case as interveners to ensure that growers have a seat at the table in any potential settlement negotiations. NCGA took these actions as the suit posed a significant risk to agriculture by raising the possibility of court-ordered injunctions that could limit pesticide usage throughout the United States. Atrazine and a number of other chemicals used by corn farmers were specifically named in the suit.
The lawsuit requested the court apply "appropriate restrictions on the use of pesticides where they may affect endangered and threatened species and critical habitats" until consultations had been completed and the product registrations were in compliance with the ESA. If successful, these "appropriate restrictions" could have resulted in the imposition of buffers zones and other product use restrictions that had the potential to dramatically reduce the amount of land available to agriculture while doing little to protect threatened species and their habitat.
Depot Explosion Ignites Fertilizer Safety Concerns, Not Prices
Fertilizer continued on its nearly 6-month-old path of extremely steady prices, according to retailers tracked by DTN for the third week of April 2013. But the explosion at a Texas fertilizer outlet is renewing safety concerns about the storage of certain fertilizer products.
Six of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to last month, but these moves to the low side were fairly tiny, DTN's weekly survey of more than 330 retailer locations found. DAP had average price of $616 per ton, MAP $659/ton, potash $587/ton, urea $573/ton, 10-34-0 $613/ton and anhydrous $858/ton. The remaining two fertilizer prices were higher compared to the third week of March, but again the move was extremely small. UAN28 had an average price of $402/ton and UAN32 $451/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.62/lb.N, anhydrous $0.52/lb.N, UAN28 $0.72/lb.N and UAN32 $0.70/lb.N.
DTN's survey found only one of the eight major fertilizers it tracks is showing a price increase compared to one year earlier. Anhydrous is now 12% higher compared to last year. Four fertilizers prices are single-digit lower compared to April 2012. DAP is 3% lower, both MAP and UAN28 are down 3% and UAN32 is 7% lower compared to last year. Three fertilizers are now down double digits from a year ago. Potash slid 11% while both urea and 10-34-0 are 22% less expensive.
Diesel prices continue to decrease
The U.S. average retail price for on-highway diesel fuel fell to $3.89 a gallon on Monday. That’s down 5 1/2 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Diesel prices were highest in the New England region at 4.03 a gallon, down 7.8 cents from a week ago. Prices were lowest in the Gulf Coast region at 3.80 a gallon, down a nickel. The Midwest average diesel prices stands at $3.868, down 5.5 cents from last week and down 10.6 cents from a year ago.
Gasoline prices inch down slightly
The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline fell slightly to $3.54 a gallon on Monday. That’s down 6-tenths of a penny from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Pump prices were highest in the West Coast region at 3.84 a gallon, down 5.2 cents from a week ago. Prices were lowest in the Gulf Coast States at 3.32 a gallon, down 3.9 cents. Here in the Midwest, gas prices averaged $3.546 per gallon, up 9 cents on the week but down 22.8 cents from a year ago.
Flooding Leads to Closure of Mississippi River
The Mississippi River remains closed as authorities work to determine whether a sunken barge was a navigation hazard. The Coast Guard closed the river Sunday after the old U.S. Highway 80 railroad bridge was struck by barges that broke free from a string under tow, reports the Associated Press. Authorities say about 30 barges broke free and at least one sank.
The Coast Guard says three others had been nudged against the river bank and the remaining barges have been rounded up. The barges were being pushed by the boat Captain Buck Lay, which the Coast Guard says is owned by Memco Barge Line Inc.
Valmont Announces First Quarter 2013 Results
Valmont Industries, Inc., Omaha, reported first quarter sales of $819.6 million compared with $717.4 million for the same period of 2012. First quarter 2013 operating income was $118.2 million versus $82.8 million in 2012. First quarter net income was $77.6 million versus $52.3 million in 2012, which resulted in an increase in quarterly diluted earnings per share from $1.96 in 2012 to $2.89 in 2013.
During the quarter, the company divested a non-consolidated South African subsidiary. As a consequence, a $3.2 million benefit, ($0.12 earnings per share), was realized due to the release of certain deferred tax liabilities and corresponding reduction in tax expense. This reduced the first quarter corporate tax rate to 31.0%. On February 4, 2013, the company acquired Australian based Locker Group, a manufacturer of perforated and expanded metal and access systems. In addition, the first full quarter of results from the December 2012 acquisition of Pure Metal, a Canadian galvanizing operation, were realized during the quarter. Management estimates the positive collective impact of the above items on first quarter revenue and diluted earnings per share were approximately $19.8 million and $0.07 per-share respectively.
Two of Valmont's segments, Utility Support Structures and Irrigation, each had 25% year-over-year sales increases. Sales growth was also realized in our Engineered Infrastructure Products and Coatings segments, in part due to acquisitions.
Quarterly operating income rose primarily due to increased volumes combined with favorable mix in the Utility Support Structures and Irrigation Segments, where strong demand allowed efficient use of our manufacturing facilities.
Quarterly operating income as a percent of net sales increased to 14.4% from last year's 11.5%, driven by higher gross profit margins and volume leverage.
In the irrigation divison, center pivot and linear move mechanized irrigation equipment and parts for agriculture in global markets.
Sales rose 25% to $244.7 million, primarily led by increased North American demand. Historically high crop commodity prices and farm income helped drive record first quarter sales. Following last summer's severe drought in North America, heightened appreciation of the benefits of mechanized irrigation lent additional support to demand.
In international markets, sales increased, although at a lower rate than in North America. Strong global crop demand and historically high farm income levels contributed to the sales increase.
The long-term drivers for the irrigation market remain compelling. World population growth and dietary improvement create a need for increased food supplies. Limits to water availability create pressures on agriculture to reduce its share of water use. Valmont's mechanized irrigation equipment helps address these global dilemmas by improving farm production and using water more efficiently.
Operating income grew 42% to $54.6 million and was 22.3% of segment sales. The improvement in operating income was due to strong volumes and favorable margins.
"Our outlook for the Utility Support Structures Segment is improving for the year," said Mogens C. Bay, Valmont's chairman and chief executive officer. "As is always the case, Utility Support Structures operating margins may vary from quarter to quarter, depending on sales mix and the timing of shipments.
"In the Irrigation Segment, given the current backlog, we are expecting a strong second quarter. Second-half demand will largely be based on growing conditions, commodity prices and the expectations for farm income later in the year.
"In the Engineered Infrastructure Products Segment, we are moving into the seasonally stronger time of year. When combined with actions taken over the past few years to streamline costs, we expect improved sales and operating comparisons in the Engineered Infrastructure Products Segment for the rest of year.
"We expect Coatings Segment performance to improve over the balance of the year as we move to fully integrate the Pure Metal acquisition and expect improved demand in Australia.
"In summary, with the strong first quarter results, the continued strength in the utility markets and the anticipated improvement in Engineered Infrastructure Products, it should be possible for us to exceed our February guidance even if Irrigation results in the second half were below 2012's record second half levels," said Bay.
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy recently announced the winners of its second annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards, which recognize dairy farms for practices that advance the industry’s commitment to healthy products, healthy communities and a healthy planet. Midwest Dairy Association, the farmer-funded checkoff organization for 10 Midwest states, is pleased to announce that two farms within its territory were honored, including Prairieland Dairy of Firth, Neb., as a national winner, and McCarty Family Farms, LLC of Rexford, Kan., as an honorable mention.
The awards program is part of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Commitment, an industry-wide effort to measure and improve economic, environmental and social sustainability of the dairy industry. The winners were selected by an independent panel of judges, which included experts from academic institutions, government, dairy science organizations, nongovernmental organizations, media and environmental and dairy industry leaders, and are based on the delivery of results to advance economic, environmental and social sustainability. The panel also assessed the potential for adoption by other farms as well as demonstrated learning, innovation and improvement.
Prairieland Dairy is a creative partnership between four Nebraska dairy farm families that milks 1,600 cows, farms 600 acres and is home to a processing plant, Prairieland Foods, and a composting site, Prairieland Gold. From the efficiently built barns that bring great cow comfort—to automatic cooling, waste management and pest control systems—each has a role in the farm’s sustainability solutions. Prairieland Dairy also taps into the natural power of wind, gravity and the geothermal properties of well water to reduce the use of energy, water and equipment.
“We take all of our commitments very seriously,” said Dan Rice, general manager of Prairieland Dairy. “And none more so than our commitment to sustainability.”
Honorable mention, McCarty Family Farms, has a milking herd of about 7,200 cows that produce almost 60,000 gallons of milk every day in northwestern Kansas. They have a unique partnership with Dannon, and the milk from the McCarty’s three dairies goes directly to their processing plant. First, the unpasteurized milk moves through an evaporator to remove extra water. Every drop of water is reused throughout the dairy for purposes such as cleaning, providing drinking water for the cows and irrigating crops. They reclaim 39,000 gallons of water daily from condensing milk, which means 75 percent fewer trucks are required to ship milk on their farm.
“Sustainability for us means respecting our roles and responsibilities as stewards of the land, caretakers of our animals, members of the community, parents and husbands – but also as members of the dairy community,” said Ken McCarty.
“The strength of the award winners’ stories illustrates why consumers can be confident about choosing their favorite dairy foods,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. “These and thousands of other actions taken every day – both large and small – contribute to the industry’s overall commitment to a healthy future for the next generation.”
To learn more about the industry’s commitment to sustainability, visit USDairy.com. To get to know more about Midwest dairy farmers and their sustainability practices, visit DairyMakesSense.com.
2013 Draft Rules Related to the New Fully Appropriated Basin Evaluation Methodology
The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources has released new draft rules and methods that it plans to utilize in its annual evaluation of availability of hydrologically connected water supplies. This annual evaluation is aimed at ensuring that streamflow water supplies for existing groundwater and surface water uses are protected into the future. The results of this yearly evaluation are highly valuable in supporting proactive planning efforts conducted by the state and local natural resources districts.
These new rules and methods are aimed at providing greater clarity on the basin water supplies and water uses across the state to facilitate more effective water planning efforts. Director Brian Dunnigan said, “These new rules and methods which have been developed over the last four years will serve to provide foundational information on Nebraska’s water supplies and uses, thus allowing for more effective coordinated planning efforts across the state.”
In an effort to address questions or comments related to the new draft rules and methods the Department has set up a sixty-day public comment period which will run through June 7th. During this public comment period, the Department will hold several public forums across the state. These forums will serve to answer questions related to the new rules and methods. These public forums will be held:
- Monday, May 13, 2013 Norfolk & Valentine
- Tuesday, May 14, 2013 Scottsbluff & Kearney
- Wednesday, May 15, 2013 Beatrice
- Thursday, May 16, 2013 Lincoln
The Department has also developed a web-portal to receive public comments related to the draft rules and methods. To view more information, the specific times and locations of these forums or to provide your comments on the draft rules and methods, you are encouraged to visit the Department’s website at http://dnr.ne.gov.
Public hearings are anticipated to be held later this summer after public comments have been received with potential rules modifications to be finalized by the end of the year.
Public Forum Farm Bill Meetings Scheduled
In 2013, the U.S. Congress extended the 2008 Farm Bill to cover agricultural production in 2013. The extension of this legislation requires producers to again make an election regarding which FSA farm program they will enroll under; the traditional DCP program or the newer ACRE program. It is important in making this decision that producers understand how each program has performed in the past and how it is anticipated to perform for 2013.
To assist producers with this decision, UNL Extension Agricultural Economics will be offering two online webinars on April 29th and May 3rd from 10:30 a.m. to noon Central Time. A public viewing site is available at the Cuming County Courthouse Meeting Room, West Point, on April 29 only.
This webinar provides an opportunity for producers to re-educate themselves on the functional workings of the ACRE and DCP programs, as well as expert analysis of how these programs might extend risk management protection in the near future. Scheduled speakers include Dr. Brad Lubben, UNL Extension Public Policy Specialist and Tim Lemmons, UNL Extension Educator.
Interested public may join this event at the following web address: http://connect.unl.edu/farmbillmeeting. There is no charge to participate. This meeting will be recorded and made available for viewing at http://cropwatch.unl.edu. Registration for this event is not required. For questions, please contact Tim Lemmons at 402-370-4061.
Weeds are Emerging: Recommendations for Pre-plant and Pre-emergence Weed Control
Lowell Sandell, Weed Science Extension Educator
Precipitation in the last few weeks has provided enough moisture for weed seeds to germinate. Several summer annual weed species in Nebraska emerge early in the season prior to planting corn and soybean and need to be controlled before they become too large.
Of particular concern are kochia and giant ragweed, as we believe there are numerous populations in Nebraska that glyphosate will not control. We have observed significant kochia and giant ragweed emergence in the past two weeks in some of our research plots, and have heard reports of emergence from multiple areas of the state. If growers have had difficulty with kochia or giant ragweed in the last few years, every effort should be made to control these populations with an effective burndown application or tillage prior to planting. Based on observations in our giant ragweed research studies the previous two years, we have not had success controlling glyphosate-resistant giant ragweed with any herbicide program not containing 2,4-D as a component of a burndown application. If you apply 2,4-D prior to planting, be sure to adhere to the planting interval specified on the label.
Some other common weed species that emerge early in the season in Nebraska fields are common chickweed, dandelion, field pennycress, henbit, marestail, tansy mustard, and Virginia pepperweed.
Developing a Successful Early Season Weed Management Program
Profitable crop production starts with a weed control program that includes pre-plant and/or pre-emergence herbicides to deliver long-lasting, residual weed control. A spring burndown program in corn and soybean provides effective weed control to prepare for planting and helps to decrease the seedbank during the season. Early season weed competition can greatly reduce yields and profits.
Burndown
Several studies have shown that if weeds grow to 9 inches, soybean yield can be reduced by as much as 6%; 12-inch weeds can result in up to a 10% yield loss. In corn, 12-inch weeds could cause 22% yield loss when left uncontrolled. Among the herbicides registered for spring burndown weed control are:
- Corn: 2,4-D, atrazine, Balance Flexx, Corvus, dicamba, glyphosate, Landmaster II, Lexar, and Sharpen
- Soybean: registered spring burndown herbicides include 2,4-D, Authority First, glyphosate, Gramoxone, Pursuit, and Sharpen.
Pre-emergence
The pre-emergence (residual) herbicide protects the crop with early, effective, and lasting weed control to help maximize yields, regardless of the production system. In addition, including pre-emergence herbicides can minimize the post-emergence herbicide applications and protect against early-season weed competition when weather or busy schedules prohibit a timely post-emergence application. Among the herbicides registered for pre-emergence weed control are:
- Corn: Aatrex, Balance Flexx, Corvus, Degree Extra, Fierce, Lumax, Outlook, Surestart, Tripleflex, Warrant, and Zemax
- Soybeans: Authority MTZ, Boundry, Command, Dual II Magnum, Envive, Optill, Pursuit, Prowl H2O, Valor XLT, and Warrant.
Always read and follow herbicide label directions.
Biostimulants/Biofertilizers: Buyer Beware
Charles Wortmann, UNL Soil Fertility Extension Specialist
This article draws on a recent article in Fertilizers & Agriculture. Many new products are available and may be promoted as “elicitors, phytostimulants, biostimulants, phytoprotectants, biofertilizers, bioactivators, soil enhancers, …..”. Generally the information on these is vague, their mechanisms are not fully understood, and they have not undergone sufficient independent testing. Unlike fertilizers and pesticides, these products are not regulated; marketing does not require proof of effectiveness or full information on mode of action. We hope that some are of value; we expect most to have a short market life.
A suggested categorization of biostimulants is: “humic substances, complex organic materials, beneficial chemical elements, inorganic materials, seaweeds, chitin and chitosan, antitranspirants, and free amino acids.” Some products may overlap two or more categories. The European Commission is moving toward regulation using the definition: “Plant biostimulant means a material which contains substance(s) and/or microorganisms whose function when applied to plants or the rhizosphere is to stimulate natural processes to benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, and/or crop quality, independently of its nutrient content.”
As with any “buyer beware” products, we encourage field testing biostimulant products before fully integrating these into your input package. Past experience indicates that the product effects on yield are likely to be negligible or small and a good trial design is needed to obtain reliable information. Such a field trial can be easily done in cooperation with UNL Extension. Yields with and without the product applied can be measured using a yield monitor or weigh wagon. Ask the supplying company to cost-share or provide free product for the trial. UNL researchers will be interested to more closely evaluate products that are verified to adequately increase yield or improve input use efficiency.
A group of North Central Region soil scientists maintains a Compendium of Research Reports on Use of Non-Traditional Materials for Crop Production, including biostimulants. It's likely to include information on older products, but not necessarily new products on the market.
Checkoff Launches New Consumer Advertising Campaign
The new “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” consumer advertising campaign is premiering this month, bringing the recognizable tagline to older millennials and Gen-Xers. The new campaign, funded by the beef checkoff, will feature sizzling beef recipes, juicy details about essential nutrients and the voice of one of Hollywood’s most promising new talents.
“This campaign builds upon the core benefits that only beef offers -- its great taste and 10 essential nutrients. While most folks just look at beef for its sizzle or great flavor, it’s made up of more than that. Its nutrients are what make it the most powerful protein and what makes beef above all else,” says Cevin Jones, chair of the checkoff’s Domestic Consumer Preference Committee and producer from Eden, Idaho. “It doesn’t hurt that the voice delivering the message on the other side of the radio epitomizes health and sizzle too.”
New Voice for a New Target
The new “Above All Else” campaign aims to reach the next generation of beef eaters – the older millennial and Gen-Xer, aged 25 to 44 –who care about food and nutrition.
While keeping many brand mainstays, such as Aaron Copeland’s “Rodeo” music, the new beef campaign is switching up the voice behind the famous words, “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” Sparking a new interest for the older millennial and Gen X target, Garrett Hedlund’s voice will take a starring role in the campaign’s radio spots. Garrett personally represents healthful living, and his strong, warm voice is perfect for provoking new understanding about beef.
“I’m proud to represent America’s farmers and ranchers,” Hedlund said. “I grew up on my father’s cattle operation, so I’m right at home as the new voice of beef.”
Born in Roseau, Minn., Garrett spent his early years on a cattle operation. He was just 18 when he landed a role in the epic film Troy (2004) playing opposite Brad Pitt. Following his debut in Troy, Garrett went on to Friday Night Lights (2004) and Tron Legacy (2010). His latest roles include Country Strong (2011), in which he plays a rising young country star opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as On the Road, in theaters now.
What’s Your Dinner Made Of?
Research has shown that 45 percent of the target demographic said they would choose beef more often if they knew about how its nutrients compared to chicken. The new campaign helps set the record straight about beef’s essential nutrients in an engaging and educational way.
That’s the question each “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” print advertisements asks. It’s answered with bold copy highlighting the nutritional benefits of Beef along with tantalizing food photography reminding the consumer that delicious can, and does go right alongside nutritious. Each advertisement calls out an individual essential nutrient, like protein: “The Strip steak has lots of protein…and your appetite’s attention.” Another ad reminds you that a dinner with beef “has iron. The most lean, delicious and tender iron known to man.”
The print advertisements will appear in monthly national magazines with an emphasis on food, health/fitness, parenting, lifestyle and men’s sports. In addition to traditional print placements, the campaign will appear across a wide range of digital platforms, such as 22 tablet versions, online radio stations (e.g., Pandora), video websites (e.g., Hulu), social networking sites (e.g., Facebook) and popular recipe websites (e.g., AllRecipes.com). State Beef Councils will extend the campaign through print, radio, digital, in-person promotions, sporting events, outdoor advertising and more. Public relations, health professional outreach, social media and other promotional efforts round out this integrated effort.
For delicious triple-tested beef recipes, nutrition information and to learn more about the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.” advertising campaign, please visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.
NCGA Please with Court Decision to Dismiss Pesticide Lawsuit
The U.S. District Court of Northern California issued an order yesterday dismissing a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that alleged the EPA violated the Endangered Species Act when registering hundreds of compounds. The National Corn Growers Association is pleased with the decision and supports farmers' ability to use products that have already been approved within EPA's rigorous registration process.
The suit was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Pesticide Action Network of North America, claiming that EPA failed to undertake consultations with the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service, as required by the Endangered Species Act.
"The dismissal of the case is a sweeping victory for growers who were faced with the possibility of major restrictions on previously approved crop protection products," NCGA President Pam Johnson said. "This offers reassurance to America's farmers that they are free to use products that have been deemed safe by the EPA. Furthermore, it demonstrates a faith that we share in the EPA's extensive testing process."
The suit, which was filed in 2011, specifically alleged that the agency failed to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service on hundreds of pesticide registrations potentially affecting hundreds of species.
That year, NCGA and other agricultural organizations joined the case as interveners to ensure that growers have a seat at the table in any potential settlement negotiations. NCGA took these actions as the suit posed a significant risk to agriculture by raising the possibility of court-ordered injunctions that could limit pesticide usage throughout the United States. Atrazine and a number of other chemicals used by corn farmers were specifically named in the suit.
The lawsuit requested the court apply "appropriate restrictions on the use of pesticides where they may affect endangered and threatened species and critical habitats" until consultations had been completed and the product registrations were in compliance with the ESA. If successful, these "appropriate restrictions" could have resulted in the imposition of buffers zones and other product use restrictions that had the potential to dramatically reduce the amount of land available to agriculture while doing little to protect threatened species and their habitat.
Depot Explosion Ignites Fertilizer Safety Concerns, Not Prices
Fertilizer continued on its nearly 6-month-old path of extremely steady prices, according to retailers tracked by DTN for the third week of April 2013. But the explosion at a Texas fertilizer outlet is renewing safety concerns about the storage of certain fertilizer products.
Six of the eight major fertilizers were lower compared to last month, but these moves to the low side were fairly tiny, DTN's weekly survey of more than 330 retailer locations found. DAP had average price of $616 per ton, MAP $659/ton, potash $587/ton, urea $573/ton, 10-34-0 $613/ton and anhydrous $858/ton. The remaining two fertilizer prices were higher compared to the third week of March, but again the move was extremely small. UAN28 had an average price of $402/ton and UAN32 $451/ton.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.62/lb.N, anhydrous $0.52/lb.N, UAN28 $0.72/lb.N and UAN32 $0.70/lb.N.
DTN's survey found only one of the eight major fertilizers it tracks is showing a price increase compared to one year earlier. Anhydrous is now 12% higher compared to last year. Four fertilizers prices are single-digit lower compared to April 2012. DAP is 3% lower, both MAP and UAN28 are down 3% and UAN32 is 7% lower compared to last year. Three fertilizers are now down double digits from a year ago. Potash slid 11% while both urea and 10-34-0 are 22% less expensive.
Diesel prices continue to decrease
The U.S. average retail price for on-highway diesel fuel fell to $3.89 a gallon on Monday. That’s down 5 1/2 cents from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Diesel prices were highest in the New England region at 4.03 a gallon, down 7.8 cents from a week ago. Prices were lowest in the Gulf Coast region at 3.80 a gallon, down a nickel. The Midwest average diesel prices stands at $3.868, down 5.5 cents from last week and down 10.6 cents from a year ago.
Gasoline prices inch down slightly
The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline fell slightly to $3.54 a gallon on Monday. That’s down 6-tenths of a penny from a week ago, based on the weekly price survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Pump prices were highest in the West Coast region at 3.84 a gallon, down 5.2 cents from a week ago. Prices were lowest in the Gulf Coast States at 3.32 a gallon, down 3.9 cents. Here in the Midwest, gas prices averaged $3.546 per gallon, up 9 cents on the week but down 22.8 cents from a year ago.
Flooding Leads to Closure of Mississippi River
The Mississippi River remains closed as authorities work to determine whether a sunken barge was a navigation hazard. The Coast Guard closed the river Sunday after the old U.S. Highway 80 railroad bridge was struck by barges that broke free from a string under tow, reports the Associated Press. Authorities say about 30 barges broke free and at least one sank.
The Coast Guard says three others had been nudged against the river bank and the remaining barges have been rounded up. The barges were being pushed by the boat Captain Buck Lay, which the Coast Guard says is owned by Memco Barge Line Inc.
Valmont Announces First Quarter 2013 Results
Valmont Industries, Inc., Omaha, reported first quarter sales of $819.6 million compared with $717.4 million for the same period of 2012. First quarter 2013 operating income was $118.2 million versus $82.8 million in 2012. First quarter net income was $77.6 million versus $52.3 million in 2012, which resulted in an increase in quarterly diluted earnings per share from $1.96 in 2012 to $2.89 in 2013.
During the quarter, the company divested a non-consolidated South African subsidiary. As a consequence, a $3.2 million benefit, ($0.12 earnings per share), was realized due to the release of certain deferred tax liabilities and corresponding reduction in tax expense. This reduced the first quarter corporate tax rate to 31.0%. On February 4, 2013, the company acquired Australian based Locker Group, a manufacturer of perforated and expanded metal and access systems. In addition, the first full quarter of results from the December 2012 acquisition of Pure Metal, a Canadian galvanizing operation, were realized during the quarter. Management estimates the positive collective impact of the above items on first quarter revenue and diluted earnings per share were approximately $19.8 million and $0.07 per-share respectively.
Two of Valmont's segments, Utility Support Structures and Irrigation, each had 25% year-over-year sales increases. Sales growth was also realized in our Engineered Infrastructure Products and Coatings segments, in part due to acquisitions.
Quarterly operating income rose primarily due to increased volumes combined with favorable mix in the Utility Support Structures and Irrigation Segments, where strong demand allowed efficient use of our manufacturing facilities.
Quarterly operating income as a percent of net sales increased to 14.4% from last year's 11.5%, driven by higher gross profit margins and volume leverage.
In the irrigation divison, center pivot and linear move mechanized irrigation equipment and parts for agriculture in global markets.
Sales rose 25% to $244.7 million, primarily led by increased North American demand. Historically high crop commodity prices and farm income helped drive record first quarter sales. Following last summer's severe drought in North America, heightened appreciation of the benefits of mechanized irrigation lent additional support to demand.
In international markets, sales increased, although at a lower rate than in North America. Strong global crop demand and historically high farm income levels contributed to the sales increase.
The long-term drivers for the irrigation market remain compelling. World population growth and dietary improvement create a need for increased food supplies. Limits to water availability create pressures on agriculture to reduce its share of water use. Valmont's mechanized irrigation equipment helps address these global dilemmas by improving farm production and using water more efficiently.
Operating income grew 42% to $54.6 million and was 22.3% of segment sales. The improvement in operating income was due to strong volumes and favorable margins.
"Our outlook for the Utility Support Structures Segment is improving for the year," said Mogens C. Bay, Valmont's chairman and chief executive officer. "As is always the case, Utility Support Structures operating margins may vary from quarter to quarter, depending on sales mix and the timing of shipments.
"In the Irrigation Segment, given the current backlog, we are expecting a strong second quarter. Second-half demand will largely be based on growing conditions, commodity prices and the expectations for farm income later in the year.
"In the Engineered Infrastructure Products Segment, we are moving into the seasonally stronger time of year. When combined with actions taken over the past few years to streamline costs, we expect improved sales and operating comparisons in the Engineered Infrastructure Products Segment for the rest of year.
"We expect Coatings Segment performance to improve over the balance of the year as we move to fully integrate the Pure Metal acquisition and expect improved demand in Australia.
"In summary, with the strong first quarter results, the continued strength in the utility markets and the anticipated improvement in Engineered Infrastructure Products, it should be possible for us to exceed our February guidance even if Irrigation results in the second half were below 2012's record second half levels," said Bay.
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