FINAL 2018 WEEKLY NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS & HARVEST REPORT
For the week ending November 25, 2018, there were 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 1 percent very short, 4 short, 88 adequate, and 7 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 1 percent very short, 9 short, 85 adequate, and 5 surplus.
Field Crops Report:
Corn harvested was 94 percent, near 96 last year and 97 for the five-year average.
Winter wheat condition rated 2 percent very poor, 7 poor, 25 fair, 46 good, and 20 excellent.
Sorghum harvested was 95 percent, equal to last year, and near 98 average.
Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 3 poor, 22 fair, 66 good, and 7 excellent.
This is the last weekly Crop Progress and Condition report for the 2018 growing season. We would like to extend our appreciation to the dedicated county FSA and extension staff who supplied the necessary information for these reports. For December through March, we will issue monthly reports. The first monthly report (for December) will be issued January 2, 2019. Weekly reports will begin April 1st for the 2019 season.
FINAL IOWA CROP PROGRESS & HARVEST REPORT FOR THE SEASON
Iowa farmers had 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 25, 2018, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included harvesting corn and soybeans, baling stalks, applying manure, and moving grain. Early in the week farmers were doing fall tillage, tile repair, and anhydrous application, but those activities halted as declining temperatures, rain and snow arrived.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 18 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 2 percent short, 79 percent adequate and 19 percent surplus.
Ninety-six percent of the State’s corn for grain crop has been harvested, 4 days behind the five-year average. Farmers in northwest, north central, and central Iowa have harvested 98 percent of their corn for grain while farmers in the southwest have 13 percent of their corn for grain remaining to be harvested. Moisture content of field corn being harvested averaged 16 percent. Soybean harvest was 98 percent complete, 9 days behind last year and 12 days behind the average.
Feedlots and pastures were messy with warming temperatures followed by rain and snow late in the week. Livestock conditions varied by area with some reports of no issues while others had trouble getting water, feed, and bedding to livestock.
Final Report of Season Shows Row-Crop Harvest, Winter Wheat Planting Behind Average
The nation's row-crop harvest and winter wheat planting made little headway last week and remained behind the five-year average pace as of Sunday, Nov. 25, USDA's National Ag Statistics Service said in its final weekly Crop Progress report of the season on Monday.
Corn harvest progressed only 4 percentage points to end last week at 94% complete. That's equal to last year's pace of 94% complete but was 2 percentage points behind the five-year average of 96%.
Meanwhile, 94% of the nation's soybeans were harvested as of Sunday, up just 3 percentage points from the previous week. Harvest is still 4 percentage points behind the five-year average of 98%.
Winter wheat progress also remained behind average last week. Ninety-five percent of the crop was planted as of Sunday, up just 2 percentage points from the previous week, behind last year's 99% and also behind the five-year average of 99%. Winter wheat emerged, at 86%, was behind both last year's pace of 91% and the average pace of 92%.
NASS estimated 55% of the nation's winter wheat was in good-to-excellent condition, down 1 percentage point from 56% the previous week but up from 50% last year at this time.
Eighty-nine percent of the sorghum crop was harvested as of Sunday, behind 94% last year and 5 percentage points behind the five-year average of 94%.
Seventy percent of cotton was harvested, behind last year's 78% and also behind the average pace of 77%.
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
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Monday November 26 Ag News
Ag Update December 6th and 7th 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska
Please join us for this year's annual Ag Update sponsored by the Nebraska Agri-Business Association. There are a total of 12 speakers with four on the first day and eight on the second day.
Ag Update is at the Holiday Inn Southwest 2500 Tamarin Ridge Rd, Lincoln, NE and will start with registration at 12:30 pm on Thursday, December 6, 2018, continuing all day Friday, December 7, 2018 with registration beginning at 8:00 am.
The speakers and topics for Thursday are:
Corey Brubaker - Ephemeral Erosion & Conversion Compliance (SW .5)
Aaron Hird - Cover Crop Adaptive Management (CM .5)
Aaron Hird - Soil Health Demonstration Farm Update (SW .5)
Corey Brubaker - Adaptive Nutrient Management in EQIP (NM .5)
Joe Luck - In Season Nitrogen Management - Project SENSE (NM 1.0)
Renee Hancock - Water Quality Update (SW .5)
The speakers and topics for Friday are:
Justin McMechan - Emerging Pests of Corn and Soybeans (PM 1.0)
Bekah Nortrup - Nitrogen Stabilizers and the 4R's (NM 1.0)
Tim Mundorf - Nutrient Pollution in Surface Waters (SW 1.0)
Tom Clemente - Agriculture Biotechnology: Challenges and Opportunities (CM 1.0)
Robert Klein - Trying to Solve Weed Management Problems (PM 1.0)
Andrea Basche and Katja Koehler-Cole - Can Cover Crops be used for Weed Control in Nebraska (CM 1.0)
Jeremy Quist - Corn Disease Management (PM 1.0)
Your registration includes rolls & coffee, lunch, and all speaker handouts. A registration form is included for you to register for Ag Update or you can register online at: http://bit.ly/agupdate2018
Please contact Sarah Skirry at sskirry@na-ba.com or (402) 476-1528, if you have any questions. We hope to see you in Lincoln at this year's Ag Update!
Students: Apply by December 15 for Pork Mentorship Program
Choosing a career path can be difficult. In a world full of occupational options, it is helpful to receive a little guidance along the way. That’s why the Nebraska Pork Producers Association is extending help to college-age students who apply to participate in the Pork Mentorship Program.
The deadline for submitting student applications is December 15, with selection notifications to be sent to applicants by January 1.
The Pork Mentorship Program is a career development program that provides a variety of hands-on experiences to promote leadership and communication skills, ultimately fostering career exploration and professional development. The NPPA Pork Mentorship Program is more than just a scholarship. It’s a way for students to build their capacity as a leader and professional in the swine and agriculture industries in Nebraska. The program provides students with an opportunity to identify future career goals and to evolve into strong agricultural advocates.
The Nebraska Pork Producers Association wants college-age students to be a part of the Pork Mentorship Program. If students are connected to agriculture and believe in the future of the pork industry, they are encouraged to apply. $500 scholarships are available for college-age students who have an interest in the pork industry – they don’t have to be a pork producer!
How it works
Year-long programming will run from February 1, 2019 to February 1, 2020. During that time, students will attend seminars where they will learn about various aspects of the pork and agriculture industries, participate in a bus tour highlighting Nebraska agriculture, and have opportunities to promote Nebraska’s pork industry. Upon completion, students will receive a $500 scholarship toward their education expenses. Students will not be responsible for any expenses to participate in the program.
Eligible applicants must
· Be enrolled full-time in a Nebraska post-secondary school, and be between 18-24 years of age
· Be able to attend all quarterly meetings and complete all requirements before receiving his/her scholarship
· Have access to and communicate effectively via email
Develop the skills needed to be a strong advocate for agriculture by
· Shadowing industry professionals
· Promoting pork
· Blogging
· Volunteering
· Engaging in personal and professional development seminars
· Attending quarterly meetings
Who Should Apply?
College-age men and women who have an interest in agriculture and the pork industry. You don’t have to be a pork producer.
What Will I Do?
Job-shadow pork industry professionals, promote agriculture and the pork industry, and improve your leadership, team building and communications skills. You’ll also travel to the World Pork Expo and attend other exciting industry tours and group events.
Apply Now!
Interested students should complete the application and submit an up-to-date resume by December 15. Applications will be reviewed, and selection notifications will be sent by January 1. Students may apply for the scholarship online by visiting the youth tab on www.nepork.org.
Dairy Store Operations to Shift and Expand
In the new year, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Dairy Store will dish up scoops of change alongside its rotating slate of sweet treats.
As part of a larger realignment toward the core of East Campus, Dairy Store operations will split, with the storefront moving to the north side of its current home in Filley Hall/Food Industry Complex, and the ice cream/cheese production shifting to the Food Innovation Center on Nebraska Innovation Campus.
The change allows for a modernization to the storefront and expands learning opportunities for students in the food science and technology program, which is based at Nebraska Innovation Campus.
"This is going to be an exciting project for the Dairy Store, students and our patrons," said LeRoy Braden, manager of the Dairy Store. "When the project is complete, we will have improved facilities while maintaining Dairy Store nostalgia with the same flavors everyone loves."
The new Dairy Store location -- which is scheduled to open in late spring -- will shift the ice cream shop to face what is known as Legacy Plaza. The green space, which includes four sculptures of Nebraskans who have served as U.S. secretaries of agriculture, is being transformed into a focal point of activity on East Campus.
The green space project launched in 2015 under the direction of Chancellor Ronnie Green, who, at that time, served as vice chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. When complete, Legacy Plaza will be framed by the new Massengale Residential Center, Dairy Store, Nebraska East Union and C.Y. Thompson Library.
Nebraska East Union is currently under renovation. The project will transition the building's west entrance to the south, facing Legacy Plaza.
The library is also scheduled for a renovation, transforming the space into a learning commons similar to the first floor of Love Library North, offering a shared space for information technology, tutoring, collaborations, meetings and study. While the library is under construction, books will be temporarily available for checkout in the Food Industry Complex.
"From this spring until fall 2020, the old Dairy Store location will become the library circulation desk," said Barry Shull, facilities director for the vice chancellor of IANR.
The tentative construction schedule for the C.Y. Thompson project is a year, starting in October 2019. When complete, the design will include an entrance/seating area that faces Legacy Plaza.
The Dairy Store project will create a new entrance facing Legacy Plaza. The traditional Dairy Store entrance on the south side of the building will continue to be open to patrons. To help alleviate parking constraints, eight 30-minute parking meters have been installed outside Filley Hall/Food Industry Complex.
The Dairy Store is expected to remain open through the remodel. Additional plans call for the creation of an outdoor seating area on Legacy Plaza for Dairy Store patrons.
Plans for moving the Dairy Store's ice cream and cheese production to Nebraska Innovation Campus are underway. The new space will be linked to the Food Innovation Center.
"This is definitely an opportunity for us to make sure we integrate additional training space for students while also allowing for expanded research and development needs for companies who might want to use the Dairy Store production facilities," said Josie Houston, manager of the Dairy Store production facility. "We're still working on a timeline for the move. But, when it is finished, we'll definitely be better positioned to support the needs of the Dairy Store while expanding teaching opportunities to students."
NAIG HIGHLIGHTS ANIMAL DISEASE EMERGENCY PREPARATIONS, WATER QUALITY AND RENEWABLE FUELS INFRASTRUCTURE IN BUDGET REQUEST
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today requested an additional $250,000 to support foreign animal disease response preparations as part of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request. Naig also emphasized the importance of continued funding for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative and Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program.
“Iowa’s $13.45 billion animal industry continues to see significant growth and is a key economic driver for our state. Avian influenza, African swine fever and other foreign animal diseases continue to represent a significant threat to our livestock farms and emphasize the need for us to expand efforts to prevent, prepare and potentially respond to an animal disease emergency,” Naig said. “It is important we continue to invest in priority areas such as animal health, water quality and renewable fuels to support our state’s farmers and help strengthen our rural economy.”
The additional $250,000 for foreign animal disease response preparations would be used to help the Department better equip and prepare for potential future outbreaks, including updating emergency response plans and organizing disease response exercises. The funds would also be targeted towards assisting livestock farmers with additional expertise and resources to increase biosecurity efforts to prevent a disease outbreak.
The Legislature provided $250,000 in funding this fiscal year to support animal disease response preparations, including supporting the hiring of Dr. Andrew Hennenfent as the Emergency Management Coordinator for the Department.
Naig also requested continued funding of $10.575 million to support the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in the next fiscal year. This annual funding is in addition to the long-term water quality funding that was passed last session and will provide $4 million to the Department next fiscal year.
This funding is used to provide cost share to implement conservation practices across the state. The funds will also support numerous demonstration projects focused on implementing and demonstrating water quality practices. Currently, there are 14 targeted watershed projects, seven projects focused on expanding the use and innovative delivery of water quality practices and 43 urban water quality demonstration projects.
Naig also highlighted the importance of continued funding for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program. The Department has received $3 million annually to offer cost share grants for the installation of E85 dispensers, blender pumps, biodiesel dispensers and biodiesel storage facilities. Since 2007, the program has distributed nearly $31 million to support the installation of 332 E85 dispensers/blenders, 291 biodiesel dispensers/blenders and 140 biodiesel terminals across Iowa.
BEEF POKE MAKES A DEBUT AT TASTE! LANCASTER
Beef was a hot commodity in Lancaster, PA at the area’s premier food festival, attracting consumers who enjoy the pleasures of eating and entertaining with food. The TASTE! Lancaster Festival of Food, Wine & Spirits 2018 welcomed nearly 8,000 guests to the Lancaster Convention Center on November 16 & 17.
The beef checkoff highlighted beef’s versatility and flavor profile to the crowds as they passed through the festival space. Chef Barry Strand, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, was on-site to demonstrate the new culinary craze of Beef Poke, sharing its trendy appeal to the millennial and foodie crowd. Nearly 1,600 samples of the tangy and delicious recipe were distributed “We wanted to highlight this dish for two reasons. Ribeye filet is a cut that not many people have tried before. You can ask your butcher to break this down for you, or, you can get more hands on and fabricate this cut yourself. There are cutting videos available on www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com. Also, according to Whole Foods Market Top 10 Trends of 2019, flavors of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim will be huge in 2019. This recipe capitalizes on the trend of poke using flavors beef Ribeye FIlet, without using the traditional raw ingredients.”
Along with a weekend of culinary demos, Chef Barry also showcased a step-by-step breakdown of the beef ribeye subprimal, demonstrating how cost effective this can be if done at home. Attendees were fascinated by the cutting demo and watched in amazement as Chef Barry talked through the best technique to freeze beef at home, as well. “Buying beef in bulk and learning the proper steps to freezing beef in smaller potions is a great option for feeding your family on a budget,” comments Jennifer Orr, Director of Nutrition Education with the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative.
New to the beef booth was a Recipe Inspiration Kiosk, a digital experience where consumers had the opportunity to learn more about beef fabrication, view checkoff promoted videos, enter to win the ‘Beef & Wine’ Entertaining basket and even share recipes with themselves from BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. Of those entering the survey at the kiosk, 84% stated they have a positive opinion of beef!
Overall, the checkoff was glad to be involved in this local foody event, educating consumers on the many benefits of beef from its versatility, economical capabilities and delicious flavor profile. The checkoff is thankful to JBS Souderton for the generous donation of beef subprimals for the cutting demonstration and ribeye filets, for sampling, in order to help make this event a success!
The event was sponsored by the Beef Checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, along with the Pennsylvania, Colorado and Iowa State Beef Councils.
NBB Appreciates Proposal for Long-Term Extension of the Biodiesel Tax Incentive
Today, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, released a proposal to make technical corrections to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (PL 115-97) and to extend several expired tax credits, including the biodiesel and renewable diesel tax incentive. NBB welcomes the proposal for a multi-year extension of this important incentive; it would keep the credit at its current rate of $1.00 per gallon for 2018 through 2021 but gradually reduce it to $0.33 per gallon by 2024 and then allow it to expire.
Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs with the National Biodiesel Board, stated, “The biodiesel industry has long advocated for a long-term tax extension to provide certainty and predictably for producers and feedstock providers. Too often, the credit has been allowed to lapse and then reinstated retroactively, which does not provide the certainty businesses need to plan, invest, and create jobs. We appreciate the recognition that the biodiesel industry is integral to our domestic energy needs through this long-term extension. We look forward to working with our supporters on Capitol Hill to ensure that consumers, producers and marketers benefit from a long-term, forward-looking pro-growth tax policy.”
Inventories Taking Shape
Matthew A. Diersen, Extension Specialist, South Dakota State University
Last week brought a flurry of market information from various NASS reports that give added insight into the cattle supply situation and the inventory levels likely in 2019. In the November Cattle on Feed report, placements were lower and marketings were higher than year ago levels. The placements were at the very low end of trade expectations, while marketings were at the very high end of trade expectations. The slight bump in futures last week, however, did not last long. The latest on-feed total of 11.7 million head continues to be a large absolute level of cattle to work through. Spatially, there was little disparity in the on-feed totals across major feedlot states. The marketings were a little higher in Nebraska than in other states. The implication of these factors is that the number on-feed is narrowing back toward the 2017 level.
There was a slowdown in placements weighing less than 800 pounds. Recent months have had larger levels of lighter placements, which partially explains why more cattle have been on feed for greater than 90 and greater than 120 days. In the Cold Storage report, there was slightly more beef stocks, but slightly less pork stocks as of October 31. In the Livestock Slaughter report, weights were unchanged for most classes. Both beef cow and dairy cow slaughter were up sharply during October. Year to date, there have been fewer steers and more heifers slaughtered compared to this time last year. Recall in the October Cattle on Feed report, the quarterly heifer mix was up compared to July 1 and up compared to a year earlier. An implication of these factors is that more heifers on feed limits the increase in beef production. The average steer dressed weight is about 70 pounds heavier than the average heifer dressed weight.
Other inventory indicators continue to take shape. The total cattle inventory at the beginning of 2018 was 94.4 million head. Extrapolating data on slaughter volumes and cattle trade flows, largely with Mexico and Canada, one can begin to obtain a balance sheet view of cattle inventories. For 2018, exports look to be unchanged from 2017 while imports look to be down slightly. NASS estimates the calf crop was higher. Slaughter is running at a higher pace than a year ago. The five-year average death loss as a percent of supply is about 3%. Adding up all of the changes suggests a 2019 inventory of 95.3 million head. Similarly, the 2018 beef cow inventory was 31.7 million head. The Economic Research Service (ERS) has a breakdown that relates replacements to inventory levels. On July 1, NASS estimated the beef cow inventory level at 32.5 million head. To that, add 25% of the July 1 beef replacements, or have 1.15 million head join the cow herd. Then subtract expected death loss and extrapolated cow slaughter for the second half of the year (1.71 million head), leaving 31.16 million head for January 1, 2019. The total inventory is slightly above and the beef cow inventory is slightly below the new USDA baseline estimates.
Hormel Foods Distributes Annual Profit Sharing
Hormel Foods Corporation, a global branded food company, today distributed its annual profit sharing of $17.9 million to eligible hourly and salaried employees during this 80th annual Thanksgiving Eve Day tradition.
"Our profit sharing program remains unique in our industry, and we are proud to be able to share our continued success with our more than 20,000 inspired team members who work tirelessly to deliver outstanding branded food products to millions of consumers each year," said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods. "It is this dedicated team that helps ensure we remain one of the most trusted and successful global branded food companies. We wouldn't be the company we are today without all of them."
The profit sharing program was started by Jay C. Hormel in 1938 and is voluntarily paid at the discretion of the company's Board of Directors.
Charlie Daniels Band to Perform at 2019 Commodity Classic
The Charlie Daniels Band will provide the Evening of Entertainment at the 2019 Commodity Classic, held Thursday, February 28 through Saturday, March 2 in Orlando, Fla.
The band will perform Saturday night to close the three-day event which attracts thousands of America’s top farmers and agricultural advocates.
The Charlie Daniels Band has populated radio with such memorable hits as “Long Haired Country Boy,” “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “In America,” “The Legend of Wooley Swamp” and of course, his signature song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1979 as well as single of the year at the Country Music Association Awards.
An outspoken patriot and still a road warrior, Charlie Daniels has parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum, award-winning career. He’s a member of the Grand Ole Opry and has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The Evening of Entertainment is sponsored by Bayer. Admission to the concert is included with full registration or with a Saturday-only registration.
Established in 1996, Commodity Classic is America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused agricultural and educational experience. Commodity Classic is unlike any other agriculture event, featuring a robust schedule of educational sessions, a huge trade show featuring the latest technology, equipment and innovation, top-notch entertainment, inspiring speakers and the opportunity to network with thousands of farmers from across the nation.
Registration and housing for the 2019 Commodity Classic are now open. To register and to make hotel reservations, visit CommodityClassic.com.
Commodity Classic is presented annually by the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
NCGA Seeks a Few Good Leaders for the FY2020 Corn Board
The National Corn Growers Association Nominating Committee reminds interested members that it is now accepting applications for the 2020 Corn Board. Through the Corn Board, members can become an integral part of the organization’s leadership. Click here for the application, which provides complete information on requirements, responsibilities and deadlines.
“As a true grassroots organization, we rely upon farmers to volunteer to lead, helping to shape policy and drive efforts,” said NCGA Chairman and Nominating Committee Chair Kevin Skunes. “I have had the privilege of working with so many talented, dedicated volunteers who step forward to lead this organization during my years on the Corn Board. Their willingness to step forward as volunteer leaders plays a crucial role in building NCGA’s future successes. Serving on the Corn Board empowers farmers to play a proactive role in determining the collective future of our industry.”
The NCGA Corn Board represents the organization on all matters while directing both policy and supervising day-to-day operations. Board members serve the organization in a variety of ways. They represent the federation of state organizations, supervise the affairs and activities of NCGA in partnership with the chief executive officer and implement NCGA policy established by the Corn Congress. Members also act as spokespeople for the NCGA and enhance the organization’s public standing on all organizational and policy issues.
Applications are due Friday, January 11. Nominated candidates will be introduced at the 2019 Corn Congress meeting, held in conjunction with the Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida. Corn Board members will be elected at the July 2019 Corn Congress in Washington, D.C., and the new terms begin Oct. 1.
For more information, growers may contact Kathy Baker at NCGA’s St. Louis office at (636) 733-9004.
American Farmland Trust Announces Renewed Commitment to Combating Climate Change
American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food®, announces new commitments to combatting climate change, including hiring Jennifer Moore-Kucera as the new director of its climate initiative and simultaneously announcing its commitment to support the US Climate Alliance’s Natural and Working Lands Challenge and the Global Soil Health Challenge by California and France.
Jennifer will direct strategy, provide leadership and support program activities for AFT’s “Farmers Combat Climate Change” initiative.
With Jennifer’s leadership, AFT will support states in the US Climate Alliance in developing policies and programs to increase carbon sequestration and reduce GHG on farmland and ranchland to ensure agriculture realizes its potential as an essential element of state plans to combat climate change by 2020.
“America’s farmers and farmland will play critical roles in our society’s response to combatting climate change. Today, American Farmland Trust is renewing our commitment to supporting farmers in responding to climate change with our hiring of a new climate director and our public commitment to supporting the Natural and Working Lands Challenge and the Global Soil Health Challenge,” says John Piotti, AFT president and CEO.
He continues, “Public action on all levels is needed to realize the potential for farmers and farmland to play a role in combatting climate change. AFT looks forward to supporting the US Climate Alliance and its members states and participants in the Global Soil Health Challenge.”
Jennifer’s lead on “Farmers Combat Climate Change” will be critical to its success. The initiative supports farmers and ranchers in adopting climate-smart farming practices on land they own and rent, encourages smart growth and protecting farmland to reduce transportation emissions and expands renewable energy siting while protecting our nation’s most productive, versatile and resilient farmland.
Jennifer is a renowned soil health expert—researcher, educator and presenter—on soil’s links to carbon sequestration. She brings to AFT her experience as the West Region Soil Health team lead for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Health Division as well as serving as co-director/Natural Resource Conservation Service liaison for the USDA-Northwest Climate Hub.
“Jennifer’s extensive technical and research expertise in soil health management and carbon sequestration practices will help farmers mitigate climate change while increasing crop yield, product quality and overall soil health,” says John Piotti.
He continues, “She has published extensively on soil health and has close connections across our research and public agency partners that will be pivotal to implementing soil health practices on a much larger scale across the country. We are thrilled that she will be joining us to elevate AFT’s work in combating climate change.”
Jennifer will be based in Corvallis, Oregon where she enjoys trail running, skiing, baking, and camping with her family. She received her Bachelor of Arts in biology and environmental studies from Binghamton University, her Master of Science in soil science from Iowa State University and was awarded a Doctorate in soil science from Oregon State University. She was elected to serve as the 2017 Chair of Soil Biology and Biochemistry Division of the Soil Science Society of America and currently is an Adjunct Faculty member with the Department of Crop and Soil Science at Oregon State University.
“I am very excited to be joining American Farmland Trust and look forward to helping accelerate the adoption of conservation practices and policies that will promote soil health, productivity, and resiliency. The goals and strategies outlined in the Farmers Combat Climate Change Initiative will play a critical role in helping farmers, ranchers, and urban growth planners develop and implement practices that can reduce greenhouse emissions, sequester C, and will help mitigate, if not begin to reverse the negative impacts predicted by climate change models,” says Jennifer Moore-Kucera.
She continues, “At the forefront of this mission is to protect our productive lands and make them as resilient as possible. In combination with implementation of conservation practices and supportive policies, this holistic approach ensures our future with clean air, water and soil and high yielding, healthy food and fiber for our growing populations.
CLAAS Farmers Break 10-Hour Corn Harvesting Mark While Establishing Two World Records
On October 10, 2010, Jeff Gray, Product Manager – Field Support for CLAAS of America, harvested 51,153 bushels of corn in a 10-hour period in a CLAAS LEXION 760 TERRA TRAC combine at Stewart Farms Partnership in Yorkville, Illinois. The impressive harvesting record, which remained unbeaten until now, is a testament to the massive throughput of the LEXION combine and the skillful hand of an operator who knows how to push these machines to the limit.
Eight years later, Craig Stewart and sons Bob and Brad continue to harvest their crops with CLAAS LEXION combines. In fact, they have two CLAAS LEXION TERRA TRAC machines.
Recently, the Stewarts approached CLAAS with a proposition. They wanted to break the old 10-hour corn harvesting record on a field of theirs near Farmer City, Illinois. After some research, it was discovered that Guinness recognizes harvesting records for 8 hours and 12 hours, not 10. Undeterred, the Stewarts decided to break both the 8- and 12-hour world records, as well as the old 10-hour mark that was established on their farm nearly a decade ago.
“A lot has changed in the last eight years on the LEXION 760 TERRA TRAC,” explained Jeff Gray. “More engine horsepower, a higher capacity feederhouse drive, a larger grain tank, faster unloading, a more efficient DYNAMIC COOLING SYSTEM and higher capacity sieves made this challenge easier than the one we did in 2010.”
Maybe even more important than those enhancements are the operator assistance features found in CEMOS AUTOMATIC — the new flagship technology available as an option on 700 Series LEXION combines — which automatically and autonomously optimizes ground speed and system settings throughout the combine based on changing conditions. According to Gray, “CEMOS AUTOMATIC is able to make the same type of adjustments I made when I set the record — only faster and with more precision.”
One component of CEMOS AUTOMATIC that Bob Stewart really appreciates is CRUISE PILOT. “The CRUISE PILOT will actually optimize its own speed and make the adjustments for you on the back end. It’s a big deal.”
Countdown to the World Record
At 8:52 a.m., on Wednesday, September 26, Bob pushed the CMOTION control lever forward on the CLAAS LEXION 760TT combine and 16-row header as the 12-hour countdown clock was started. The conditions were not ideal. After receiving more than half an inch of rain the night before, the corn coming into Tate and Lyle Grain Elevator in Parnell, Illinois, was at 17-18 percent moisture levels. Bob Stewart got the vast majority of the stick time in the combine throughout the day, with Jeff Gray only stepping into the cab on two different occasions.
“I jumped in a couple times. Once to check the settings on CEMOS AUTOMATIC and see what adjustments it was making and another to give Bob a little break between hours 8 and 12.”
While Bob was driving the combine, his brother Brad managed the logistics of the record attempt. His job was to keep three grain carts and 10 trucks running at top speed to keep up with the nearly constant unloading of the CLAAS LEXION combine. “The machine is very impressive. It’s incredibly reliable and just eats corn! Our biggest worry was having enough trucks so that we didn’t keep the combine waiting.”
One key feature on the new LEXION combine is called TELEMATICS. This on-board technology transmits real-time performance information back to computers and mobile devices authorized to receive it. It allowed real-time monitoring of the record for the many people tracking the attempt.
For each of the three records, the Stewarts were required to bring their combine to a full stop, unload any grain in the tank into a grain cart, and unload the grain cart into a waiting truck. The truck was sent to the elevator where the grain totals were tabulated.
At the 8-hour mark, the combine had harvested an incredible 43,739.68 dry bushels of corn. At 10 hours, the total was 54,302.97 — more than 3,000 bushels greater than the record set 8 years earlier.
At the end of 12 hours, the combine came to a complete stop and the lone remaining truck made its way to the elevator. The final result after 12 hours: 63,770.10 bushels. With that, the Stewarts had set their third record for the day.
While the results are still being confirmed by Guinness, third-party witnesses and tabulations by the grain elevator show that new records have been set.
Please join us for this year's annual Ag Update sponsored by the Nebraska Agri-Business Association. There are a total of 12 speakers with four on the first day and eight on the second day.
Ag Update is at the Holiday Inn Southwest 2500 Tamarin Ridge Rd, Lincoln, NE and will start with registration at 12:30 pm on Thursday, December 6, 2018, continuing all day Friday, December 7, 2018 with registration beginning at 8:00 am.
The speakers and topics for Thursday are:
Corey Brubaker - Ephemeral Erosion & Conversion Compliance (SW .5)
Aaron Hird - Cover Crop Adaptive Management (CM .5)
Aaron Hird - Soil Health Demonstration Farm Update (SW .5)
Corey Brubaker - Adaptive Nutrient Management in EQIP (NM .5)
Joe Luck - In Season Nitrogen Management - Project SENSE (NM 1.0)
Renee Hancock - Water Quality Update (SW .5)
The speakers and topics for Friday are:
Justin McMechan - Emerging Pests of Corn and Soybeans (PM 1.0)
Bekah Nortrup - Nitrogen Stabilizers and the 4R's (NM 1.0)
Tim Mundorf - Nutrient Pollution in Surface Waters (SW 1.0)
Tom Clemente - Agriculture Biotechnology: Challenges and Opportunities (CM 1.0)
Robert Klein - Trying to Solve Weed Management Problems (PM 1.0)
Andrea Basche and Katja Koehler-Cole - Can Cover Crops be used for Weed Control in Nebraska (CM 1.0)
Jeremy Quist - Corn Disease Management (PM 1.0)
Your registration includes rolls & coffee, lunch, and all speaker handouts. A registration form is included for you to register for Ag Update or you can register online at: http://bit.ly/agupdate2018
Please contact Sarah Skirry at sskirry@na-ba.com or (402) 476-1528, if you have any questions. We hope to see you in Lincoln at this year's Ag Update!
Students: Apply by December 15 for Pork Mentorship Program
Choosing a career path can be difficult. In a world full of occupational options, it is helpful to receive a little guidance along the way. That’s why the Nebraska Pork Producers Association is extending help to college-age students who apply to participate in the Pork Mentorship Program.
The deadline for submitting student applications is December 15, with selection notifications to be sent to applicants by January 1.
The Pork Mentorship Program is a career development program that provides a variety of hands-on experiences to promote leadership and communication skills, ultimately fostering career exploration and professional development. The NPPA Pork Mentorship Program is more than just a scholarship. It’s a way for students to build their capacity as a leader and professional in the swine and agriculture industries in Nebraska. The program provides students with an opportunity to identify future career goals and to evolve into strong agricultural advocates.
The Nebraska Pork Producers Association wants college-age students to be a part of the Pork Mentorship Program. If students are connected to agriculture and believe in the future of the pork industry, they are encouraged to apply. $500 scholarships are available for college-age students who have an interest in the pork industry – they don’t have to be a pork producer!
How it works
Year-long programming will run from February 1, 2019 to February 1, 2020. During that time, students will attend seminars where they will learn about various aspects of the pork and agriculture industries, participate in a bus tour highlighting Nebraska agriculture, and have opportunities to promote Nebraska’s pork industry. Upon completion, students will receive a $500 scholarship toward their education expenses. Students will not be responsible for any expenses to participate in the program.
Eligible applicants must
· Be enrolled full-time in a Nebraska post-secondary school, and be between 18-24 years of age
· Be able to attend all quarterly meetings and complete all requirements before receiving his/her scholarship
· Have access to and communicate effectively via email
Develop the skills needed to be a strong advocate for agriculture by
· Shadowing industry professionals
· Promoting pork
· Blogging
· Volunteering
· Engaging in personal and professional development seminars
· Attending quarterly meetings
Who Should Apply?
College-age men and women who have an interest in agriculture and the pork industry. You don’t have to be a pork producer.
What Will I Do?
Job-shadow pork industry professionals, promote agriculture and the pork industry, and improve your leadership, team building and communications skills. You’ll also travel to the World Pork Expo and attend other exciting industry tours and group events.
Apply Now!
Interested students should complete the application and submit an up-to-date resume by December 15. Applications will be reviewed, and selection notifications will be sent by January 1. Students may apply for the scholarship online by visiting the youth tab on www.nepork.org.
Dairy Store Operations to Shift and Expand
In the new year, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Dairy Store will dish up scoops of change alongside its rotating slate of sweet treats.
As part of a larger realignment toward the core of East Campus, Dairy Store operations will split, with the storefront moving to the north side of its current home in Filley Hall/Food Industry Complex, and the ice cream/cheese production shifting to the Food Innovation Center on Nebraska Innovation Campus.
The change allows for a modernization to the storefront and expands learning opportunities for students in the food science and technology program, which is based at Nebraska Innovation Campus.
"This is going to be an exciting project for the Dairy Store, students and our patrons," said LeRoy Braden, manager of the Dairy Store. "When the project is complete, we will have improved facilities while maintaining Dairy Store nostalgia with the same flavors everyone loves."
The new Dairy Store location -- which is scheduled to open in late spring -- will shift the ice cream shop to face what is known as Legacy Plaza. The green space, which includes four sculptures of Nebraskans who have served as U.S. secretaries of agriculture, is being transformed into a focal point of activity on East Campus.
The green space project launched in 2015 under the direction of Chancellor Ronnie Green, who, at that time, served as vice chancellor for the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. When complete, Legacy Plaza will be framed by the new Massengale Residential Center, Dairy Store, Nebraska East Union and C.Y. Thompson Library.
Nebraska East Union is currently under renovation. The project will transition the building's west entrance to the south, facing Legacy Plaza.
The library is also scheduled for a renovation, transforming the space into a learning commons similar to the first floor of Love Library North, offering a shared space for information technology, tutoring, collaborations, meetings and study. While the library is under construction, books will be temporarily available for checkout in the Food Industry Complex.
"From this spring until fall 2020, the old Dairy Store location will become the library circulation desk," said Barry Shull, facilities director for the vice chancellor of IANR.
The tentative construction schedule for the C.Y. Thompson project is a year, starting in October 2019. When complete, the design will include an entrance/seating area that faces Legacy Plaza.
The Dairy Store project will create a new entrance facing Legacy Plaza. The traditional Dairy Store entrance on the south side of the building will continue to be open to patrons. To help alleviate parking constraints, eight 30-minute parking meters have been installed outside Filley Hall/Food Industry Complex.
The Dairy Store is expected to remain open through the remodel. Additional plans call for the creation of an outdoor seating area on Legacy Plaza for Dairy Store patrons.
Plans for moving the Dairy Store's ice cream and cheese production to Nebraska Innovation Campus are underway. The new space will be linked to the Food Innovation Center.
"This is definitely an opportunity for us to make sure we integrate additional training space for students while also allowing for expanded research and development needs for companies who might want to use the Dairy Store production facilities," said Josie Houston, manager of the Dairy Store production facility. "We're still working on a timeline for the move. But, when it is finished, we'll definitely be better positioned to support the needs of the Dairy Store while expanding teaching opportunities to students."
NAIG HIGHLIGHTS ANIMAL DISEASE EMERGENCY PREPARATIONS, WATER QUALITY AND RENEWABLE FUELS INFRASTRUCTURE IN BUDGET REQUEST
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today requested an additional $250,000 to support foreign animal disease response preparations as part of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request. Naig also emphasized the importance of continued funding for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative and Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program.
“Iowa’s $13.45 billion animal industry continues to see significant growth and is a key economic driver for our state. Avian influenza, African swine fever and other foreign animal diseases continue to represent a significant threat to our livestock farms and emphasize the need for us to expand efforts to prevent, prepare and potentially respond to an animal disease emergency,” Naig said. “It is important we continue to invest in priority areas such as animal health, water quality and renewable fuels to support our state’s farmers and help strengthen our rural economy.”
The additional $250,000 for foreign animal disease response preparations would be used to help the Department better equip and prepare for potential future outbreaks, including updating emergency response plans and organizing disease response exercises. The funds would also be targeted towards assisting livestock farmers with additional expertise and resources to increase biosecurity efforts to prevent a disease outbreak.
The Legislature provided $250,000 in funding this fiscal year to support animal disease response preparations, including supporting the hiring of Dr. Andrew Hennenfent as the Emergency Management Coordinator for the Department.
Naig also requested continued funding of $10.575 million to support the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in the next fiscal year. This annual funding is in addition to the long-term water quality funding that was passed last session and will provide $4 million to the Department next fiscal year.
This funding is used to provide cost share to implement conservation practices across the state. The funds will also support numerous demonstration projects focused on implementing and demonstrating water quality practices. Currently, there are 14 targeted watershed projects, seven projects focused on expanding the use and innovative delivery of water quality practices and 43 urban water quality demonstration projects.
Naig also highlighted the importance of continued funding for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program. The Department has received $3 million annually to offer cost share grants for the installation of E85 dispensers, blender pumps, biodiesel dispensers and biodiesel storage facilities. Since 2007, the program has distributed nearly $31 million to support the installation of 332 E85 dispensers/blenders, 291 biodiesel dispensers/blenders and 140 biodiesel terminals across Iowa.
BEEF POKE MAKES A DEBUT AT TASTE! LANCASTER
Beef was a hot commodity in Lancaster, PA at the area’s premier food festival, attracting consumers who enjoy the pleasures of eating and entertaining with food. The TASTE! Lancaster Festival of Food, Wine & Spirits 2018 welcomed nearly 8,000 guests to the Lancaster Convention Center on November 16 & 17.
The beef checkoff highlighted beef’s versatility and flavor profile to the crowds as they passed through the festival space. Chef Barry Strand, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, was on-site to demonstrate the new culinary craze of Beef Poke, sharing its trendy appeal to the millennial and foodie crowd. Nearly 1,600 samples of the tangy and delicious recipe were distributed “We wanted to highlight this dish for two reasons. Ribeye filet is a cut that not many people have tried before. You can ask your butcher to break this down for you, or, you can get more hands on and fabricate this cut yourself. There are cutting videos available on www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com. Also, according to Whole Foods Market Top 10 Trends of 2019, flavors of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim will be huge in 2019. This recipe capitalizes on the trend of poke using flavors beef Ribeye FIlet, without using the traditional raw ingredients.”
Along with a weekend of culinary demos, Chef Barry also showcased a step-by-step breakdown of the beef ribeye subprimal, demonstrating how cost effective this can be if done at home. Attendees were fascinated by the cutting demo and watched in amazement as Chef Barry talked through the best technique to freeze beef at home, as well. “Buying beef in bulk and learning the proper steps to freezing beef in smaller potions is a great option for feeding your family on a budget,” comments Jennifer Orr, Director of Nutrition Education with the Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative.
New to the beef booth was a Recipe Inspiration Kiosk, a digital experience where consumers had the opportunity to learn more about beef fabrication, view checkoff promoted videos, enter to win the ‘Beef & Wine’ Entertaining basket and even share recipes with themselves from BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. Of those entering the survey at the kiosk, 84% stated they have a positive opinion of beef!
Overall, the checkoff was glad to be involved in this local foody event, educating consumers on the many benefits of beef from its versatility, economical capabilities and delicious flavor profile. The checkoff is thankful to JBS Souderton for the generous donation of beef subprimals for the cutting demonstration and ribeye filets, for sampling, in order to help make this event a success!
The event was sponsored by the Beef Checkoff’s Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative, along with the Pennsylvania, Colorado and Iowa State Beef Councils.
NBB Appreciates Proposal for Long-Term Extension of the Biodiesel Tax Incentive
Today, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, released a proposal to make technical corrections to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (PL 115-97) and to extend several expired tax credits, including the biodiesel and renewable diesel tax incentive. NBB welcomes the proposal for a multi-year extension of this important incentive; it would keep the credit at its current rate of $1.00 per gallon for 2018 through 2021 but gradually reduce it to $0.33 per gallon by 2024 and then allow it to expire.
Kurt Kovarik, Vice President of Federal Affairs with the National Biodiesel Board, stated, “The biodiesel industry has long advocated for a long-term tax extension to provide certainty and predictably for producers and feedstock providers. Too often, the credit has been allowed to lapse and then reinstated retroactively, which does not provide the certainty businesses need to plan, invest, and create jobs. We appreciate the recognition that the biodiesel industry is integral to our domestic energy needs through this long-term extension. We look forward to working with our supporters on Capitol Hill to ensure that consumers, producers and marketers benefit from a long-term, forward-looking pro-growth tax policy.”
Inventories Taking Shape
Matthew A. Diersen, Extension Specialist, South Dakota State University
Last week brought a flurry of market information from various NASS reports that give added insight into the cattle supply situation and the inventory levels likely in 2019. In the November Cattle on Feed report, placements were lower and marketings were higher than year ago levels. The placements were at the very low end of trade expectations, while marketings were at the very high end of trade expectations. The slight bump in futures last week, however, did not last long. The latest on-feed total of 11.7 million head continues to be a large absolute level of cattle to work through. Spatially, there was little disparity in the on-feed totals across major feedlot states. The marketings were a little higher in Nebraska than in other states. The implication of these factors is that the number on-feed is narrowing back toward the 2017 level.
There was a slowdown in placements weighing less than 800 pounds. Recent months have had larger levels of lighter placements, which partially explains why more cattle have been on feed for greater than 90 and greater than 120 days. In the Cold Storage report, there was slightly more beef stocks, but slightly less pork stocks as of October 31. In the Livestock Slaughter report, weights were unchanged for most classes. Both beef cow and dairy cow slaughter were up sharply during October. Year to date, there have been fewer steers and more heifers slaughtered compared to this time last year. Recall in the October Cattle on Feed report, the quarterly heifer mix was up compared to July 1 and up compared to a year earlier. An implication of these factors is that more heifers on feed limits the increase in beef production. The average steer dressed weight is about 70 pounds heavier than the average heifer dressed weight.
Other inventory indicators continue to take shape. The total cattle inventory at the beginning of 2018 was 94.4 million head. Extrapolating data on slaughter volumes and cattle trade flows, largely with Mexico and Canada, one can begin to obtain a balance sheet view of cattle inventories. For 2018, exports look to be unchanged from 2017 while imports look to be down slightly. NASS estimates the calf crop was higher. Slaughter is running at a higher pace than a year ago. The five-year average death loss as a percent of supply is about 3%. Adding up all of the changes suggests a 2019 inventory of 95.3 million head. Similarly, the 2018 beef cow inventory was 31.7 million head. The Economic Research Service (ERS) has a breakdown that relates replacements to inventory levels. On July 1, NASS estimated the beef cow inventory level at 32.5 million head. To that, add 25% of the July 1 beef replacements, or have 1.15 million head join the cow herd. Then subtract expected death loss and extrapolated cow slaughter for the second half of the year (1.71 million head), leaving 31.16 million head for January 1, 2019. The total inventory is slightly above and the beef cow inventory is slightly below the new USDA baseline estimates.
Hormel Foods Distributes Annual Profit Sharing
Hormel Foods Corporation, a global branded food company, today distributed its annual profit sharing of $17.9 million to eligible hourly and salaried employees during this 80th annual Thanksgiving Eve Day tradition.
"Our profit sharing program remains unique in our industry, and we are proud to be able to share our continued success with our more than 20,000 inspired team members who work tirelessly to deliver outstanding branded food products to millions of consumers each year," said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods. "It is this dedicated team that helps ensure we remain one of the most trusted and successful global branded food companies. We wouldn't be the company we are today without all of them."
The profit sharing program was started by Jay C. Hormel in 1938 and is voluntarily paid at the discretion of the company's Board of Directors.
Charlie Daniels Band to Perform at 2019 Commodity Classic
The Charlie Daniels Band will provide the Evening of Entertainment at the 2019 Commodity Classic, held Thursday, February 28 through Saturday, March 2 in Orlando, Fla.
The band will perform Saturday night to close the three-day event which attracts thousands of America’s top farmers and agricultural advocates.
The Charlie Daniels Band has populated radio with such memorable hits as “Long Haired Country Boy,” “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “In America,” “The Legend of Wooley Swamp” and of course, his signature song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1979 as well as single of the year at the Country Music Association Awards.
An outspoken patriot and still a road warrior, Charlie Daniels has parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum, award-winning career. He’s a member of the Grand Ole Opry and has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The Evening of Entertainment is sponsored by Bayer. Admission to the concert is included with full registration or with a Saturday-only registration.
Established in 1996, Commodity Classic is America’s largest farmer-led, farmer-focused agricultural and educational experience. Commodity Classic is unlike any other agriculture event, featuring a robust schedule of educational sessions, a huge trade show featuring the latest technology, equipment and innovation, top-notch entertainment, inspiring speakers and the opportunity to network with thousands of farmers from across the nation.
Registration and housing for the 2019 Commodity Classic are now open. To register and to make hotel reservations, visit CommodityClassic.com.
Commodity Classic is presented annually by the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Sorghum Producers and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
NCGA Seeks a Few Good Leaders for the FY2020 Corn Board
The National Corn Growers Association Nominating Committee reminds interested members that it is now accepting applications for the 2020 Corn Board. Through the Corn Board, members can become an integral part of the organization’s leadership. Click here for the application, which provides complete information on requirements, responsibilities and deadlines.
“As a true grassroots organization, we rely upon farmers to volunteer to lead, helping to shape policy and drive efforts,” said NCGA Chairman and Nominating Committee Chair Kevin Skunes. “I have had the privilege of working with so many talented, dedicated volunteers who step forward to lead this organization during my years on the Corn Board. Their willingness to step forward as volunteer leaders plays a crucial role in building NCGA’s future successes. Serving on the Corn Board empowers farmers to play a proactive role in determining the collective future of our industry.”
The NCGA Corn Board represents the organization on all matters while directing both policy and supervising day-to-day operations. Board members serve the organization in a variety of ways. They represent the federation of state organizations, supervise the affairs and activities of NCGA in partnership with the chief executive officer and implement NCGA policy established by the Corn Congress. Members also act as spokespeople for the NCGA and enhance the organization’s public standing on all organizational and policy issues.
Applications are due Friday, January 11. Nominated candidates will be introduced at the 2019 Corn Congress meeting, held in conjunction with the Commodity Classic in Orlando, Florida. Corn Board members will be elected at the July 2019 Corn Congress in Washington, D.C., and the new terms begin Oct. 1.
For more information, growers may contact Kathy Baker at NCGA’s St. Louis office at (636) 733-9004.
American Farmland Trust Announces Renewed Commitment to Combating Climate Change
American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food®, announces new commitments to combatting climate change, including hiring Jennifer Moore-Kucera as the new director of its climate initiative and simultaneously announcing its commitment to support the US Climate Alliance’s Natural and Working Lands Challenge and the Global Soil Health Challenge by California and France.
Jennifer will direct strategy, provide leadership and support program activities for AFT’s “Farmers Combat Climate Change” initiative.
With Jennifer’s leadership, AFT will support states in the US Climate Alliance in developing policies and programs to increase carbon sequestration and reduce GHG on farmland and ranchland to ensure agriculture realizes its potential as an essential element of state plans to combat climate change by 2020.
“America’s farmers and farmland will play critical roles in our society’s response to combatting climate change. Today, American Farmland Trust is renewing our commitment to supporting farmers in responding to climate change with our hiring of a new climate director and our public commitment to supporting the Natural and Working Lands Challenge and the Global Soil Health Challenge,” says John Piotti, AFT president and CEO.
He continues, “Public action on all levels is needed to realize the potential for farmers and farmland to play a role in combatting climate change. AFT looks forward to supporting the US Climate Alliance and its members states and participants in the Global Soil Health Challenge.”
Jennifer’s lead on “Farmers Combat Climate Change” will be critical to its success. The initiative supports farmers and ranchers in adopting climate-smart farming practices on land they own and rent, encourages smart growth and protecting farmland to reduce transportation emissions and expands renewable energy siting while protecting our nation’s most productive, versatile and resilient farmland.
Jennifer is a renowned soil health expert—researcher, educator and presenter—on soil’s links to carbon sequestration. She brings to AFT her experience as the West Region Soil Health team lead for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Health Division as well as serving as co-director/Natural Resource Conservation Service liaison for the USDA-Northwest Climate Hub.
“Jennifer’s extensive technical and research expertise in soil health management and carbon sequestration practices will help farmers mitigate climate change while increasing crop yield, product quality and overall soil health,” says John Piotti.
He continues, “She has published extensively on soil health and has close connections across our research and public agency partners that will be pivotal to implementing soil health practices on a much larger scale across the country. We are thrilled that she will be joining us to elevate AFT’s work in combating climate change.”
Jennifer will be based in Corvallis, Oregon where she enjoys trail running, skiing, baking, and camping with her family. She received her Bachelor of Arts in biology and environmental studies from Binghamton University, her Master of Science in soil science from Iowa State University and was awarded a Doctorate in soil science from Oregon State University. She was elected to serve as the 2017 Chair of Soil Biology and Biochemistry Division of the Soil Science Society of America and currently is an Adjunct Faculty member with the Department of Crop and Soil Science at Oregon State University.
“I am very excited to be joining American Farmland Trust and look forward to helping accelerate the adoption of conservation practices and policies that will promote soil health, productivity, and resiliency. The goals and strategies outlined in the Farmers Combat Climate Change Initiative will play a critical role in helping farmers, ranchers, and urban growth planners develop and implement practices that can reduce greenhouse emissions, sequester C, and will help mitigate, if not begin to reverse the negative impacts predicted by climate change models,” says Jennifer Moore-Kucera.
She continues, “At the forefront of this mission is to protect our productive lands and make them as resilient as possible. In combination with implementation of conservation practices and supportive policies, this holistic approach ensures our future with clean air, water and soil and high yielding, healthy food and fiber for our growing populations.
CLAAS Farmers Break 10-Hour Corn Harvesting Mark While Establishing Two World Records
On October 10, 2010, Jeff Gray, Product Manager – Field Support for CLAAS of America, harvested 51,153 bushels of corn in a 10-hour period in a CLAAS LEXION 760 TERRA TRAC combine at Stewart Farms Partnership in Yorkville, Illinois. The impressive harvesting record, which remained unbeaten until now, is a testament to the massive throughput of the LEXION combine and the skillful hand of an operator who knows how to push these machines to the limit.
Eight years later, Craig Stewart and sons Bob and Brad continue to harvest their crops with CLAAS LEXION combines. In fact, they have two CLAAS LEXION TERRA TRAC machines.
Recently, the Stewarts approached CLAAS with a proposition. They wanted to break the old 10-hour corn harvesting record on a field of theirs near Farmer City, Illinois. After some research, it was discovered that Guinness recognizes harvesting records for 8 hours and 12 hours, not 10. Undeterred, the Stewarts decided to break both the 8- and 12-hour world records, as well as the old 10-hour mark that was established on their farm nearly a decade ago.
“A lot has changed in the last eight years on the LEXION 760 TERRA TRAC,” explained Jeff Gray. “More engine horsepower, a higher capacity feederhouse drive, a larger grain tank, faster unloading, a more efficient DYNAMIC COOLING SYSTEM and higher capacity sieves made this challenge easier than the one we did in 2010.”
Maybe even more important than those enhancements are the operator assistance features found in CEMOS AUTOMATIC — the new flagship technology available as an option on 700 Series LEXION combines — which automatically and autonomously optimizes ground speed and system settings throughout the combine based on changing conditions. According to Gray, “CEMOS AUTOMATIC is able to make the same type of adjustments I made when I set the record — only faster and with more precision.”
One component of CEMOS AUTOMATIC that Bob Stewart really appreciates is CRUISE PILOT. “The CRUISE PILOT will actually optimize its own speed and make the adjustments for you on the back end. It’s a big deal.”
Countdown to the World Record
At 8:52 a.m., on Wednesday, September 26, Bob pushed the CMOTION control lever forward on the CLAAS LEXION 760TT combine and 16-row header as the 12-hour countdown clock was started. The conditions were not ideal. After receiving more than half an inch of rain the night before, the corn coming into Tate and Lyle Grain Elevator in Parnell, Illinois, was at 17-18 percent moisture levels. Bob Stewart got the vast majority of the stick time in the combine throughout the day, with Jeff Gray only stepping into the cab on two different occasions.
“I jumped in a couple times. Once to check the settings on CEMOS AUTOMATIC and see what adjustments it was making and another to give Bob a little break between hours 8 and 12.”
While Bob was driving the combine, his brother Brad managed the logistics of the record attempt. His job was to keep three grain carts and 10 trucks running at top speed to keep up with the nearly constant unloading of the CLAAS LEXION combine. “The machine is very impressive. It’s incredibly reliable and just eats corn! Our biggest worry was having enough trucks so that we didn’t keep the combine waiting.”
One key feature on the new LEXION combine is called TELEMATICS. This on-board technology transmits real-time performance information back to computers and mobile devices authorized to receive it. It allowed real-time monitoring of the record for the many people tracking the attempt.
For each of the three records, the Stewarts were required to bring their combine to a full stop, unload any grain in the tank into a grain cart, and unload the grain cart into a waiting truck. The truck was sent to the elevator where the grain totals were tabulated.
At the 8-hour mark, the combine had harvested an incredible 43,739.68 dry bushels of corn. At 10 hours, the total was 54,302.97 — more than 3,000 bushels greater than the record set 8 years earlier.
At the end of 12 hours, the combine came to a complete stop and the lone remaining truck made its way to the elevator. The final result after 12 hours: 63,770.10 bushels. With that, the Stewarts had set their third record for the day.
While the results are still being confirmed by Guinness, third-party witnesses and tabulations by the grain elevator show that new records have been set.
Friday, November 23, 2018
Friday November 23 Ag News
NE Soybean Day & Machinery Expo
Thursday, December 13 - Saunders County Fairgrounds – Wahoo, NE
8:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. with a break scheduled at 9:45 a.m. to view equipment and visit with exhibitors.
8:30 a.m. - View Commercial Exhibits
9:00 a.m. - Opening Comments - Keith Glewen, Nebraska Extension Educator
What You Need to Know to Grow and Market Specialty Soybeans to Increase Your Profits
Darwin Rader, International Sales and Marketing Manager, Zeeland Farm Services, Des Moines, Iowa
9:45 a.m. - Break - View Commercial Exhibits
10:15 a.m. - Economic Update & Taking Care of Business
Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus, Virginia Tech
Nebraska Soybean Checkoff Update & Association Information - Soybean Board and Soybean Association
Kohl presentation continues... Economic Update & Taking Care of Business
12:00 p.m. - Lunch
Managing Soybeans in Storage – Is Poor Quality a Concern?
Ken Hellevang, Extension Engineer, North Dakota State University
New and Emerging Pests of Soybeans - Justin McMechan, Crop Protection and Cropping Systems Specialist, University of Nebraska Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center
2:15 p.m. Adjourn
Soy doughnuts will be cooked on site. And the PANCAKE MAN will serve pancakes and sausage for lunch!
Local Food Drive Donations - Bring a can or 2 and help out!
The Saunders County Soybean Growers Organization requests that each participant donate one or more cans of nonperishable food to the food pantry.
The Nebraska Soybean Day & Machinery Expo is brought to you by Nebraska Extension, the Nebraska Soybean Board, the Saunders County Soybean Growers Organization, and private industry representatives. For more information, call Keith Glewen at 800-529-8030 or e-mail at kglewen1@unl.edu, and view the flyer here.... http://enre.unl.edu/nebraskasoyexpo.
Nebraska Cattlemen Host 2018 Annual Convention & Trade Show
The 2018 Annual Nebraska Cattlemen Convention and Trade Show will be held in Kearney at the Younes Convention Center December 4th – 7th. This year’s convention schedule is packed full of industry leaders, speakers and educational opportunities for all ages of cattlemen and women.
Cattlemen’s College will kick off convention on December 4th and 5th. The event this year will be held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds Ag Pavilion on Tuesday and reconvene at the Younes Convention Center for a second session on Wednesday. The program offers a wide range of speakers that will discuss livestock hauling, beef quality assurance, new technologies and so much more. A sneak peek will be held from 11:30am to 12:30pm prior to the start of Cattlemen’s College for participants to interact with speakers and hear what they have lined up to share during their presentations. For a full Cattlemen’s College schedule click here... https://nebraskacattlemen.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018cattlemenscollegeschedule-1.pdf.
Wednesday will be the start of regular convention council meetings and the 2018 Young Cattlemen’s Round-table, sponsored by the YCC Class of 2018. The goal of the round table is to inspire members to get involved in the Nebraska Cattlemen and experience the benefits of the organization. Attendees will be able to discuss what is happening in the beef industry and what it means to them. Wednesday will conclude with the General Session and time to mingle at the Welcome Reception in the Trade Show.
After a full day of committee meetings, the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation Lunch and an open trade show, the annual banquet will wrap up the evening on Thursday, December 6th beginning at 7:00 p.m. As always a few cattlemen will be recognized for their dedication to the industry, great items will be up for grabs during the silent auction and phenomenal food to be enjoyed by all.
The 2018 Convention will come to an end on Friday, December 7th after the Market Outlook Breakfast and the Annual Business Meeting. The entire schedule can be viewed here... https://nebraskacattlemen.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018conventionschedule.pdf.
Two New NC-PAC Events
The Nebraska Cattlemen Political Action Committee (PAC) committee is excited to announce two new events taking place in Lincoln on February 18-19, 2019. These events are aimed at engaging members in the political process and equipping them to advocate for the beef industry.
The events kick-off on Monday afternoon the 18th when attendees will spend the afternoon with Nebraska Cattlemen staff at the new NC office reviewing policy, learning about current issues and discussing the priority bills voted on by the NC Board of Directors.
Following an educational morning, the inaugural “PAC Gala” will be held Monday evening. The evening will be filled with great food, a keynote speaker and fundraising for the PAC. The planning committee is working on lining up an exciting silent and live auction. Tickets for the Gala will be available for purchase at the Nebraska Cattlemen Annual Convention in Kearney. You won’t want to miss this fun event, so mark your calendars and watch for further details.
NC’s “Cattlemen at the Capitol” will be held Tuesday morning. Attendees will meet at the state capitol for a breakfast and spend time individually meeting with Senators to discuss issues that impact their operations. This new event is modeled after NCBA’s “Boots on the Hill” and will be key in relating cattle industry issues to elected representatives and communicating the importance of protecting agriculture in the state of Nebraska. NC is represented at the Capitol daily by our lobbyists, and this event provides an opportunity for members to walk alongside them in communicating with state Senators.constituents
A tour of Neogen has been set for Monday afternoon. Kenny Stauffer and the Lincoln team will host members who would like to see the Lincoln Neogen facility. Neogen is the presenting sponsor of the PAC events.
For more information contact Jacob Mayer at 402-672-8852 or jmayer.cattleco@gmail.com.
New Resource for Hispanics in the Cattle Industry: BeefWatch Articles Translated into Spanish
Bethany Johnston, NE Nebraska Extension Educator
BeefWatch, an electronic monthly newsletter that provides beef producers with timely, research-based information on beef production issues as well as current issues and timely topics for consumers, is expanding to reach Hispanics working in the cattle industry. One to two articles will be translated each month into Spanish, appearing both on the beef.unl.edu website and the Podcast version of BeefWatch.
“Our hope is to teach and educate more people involved in creating a healthy, safe beef product,” stated Bethany Johnston, Nebraska Extension BeefWatch co-editor. “As the beef industry workforce continues to change and diversify, Nebraska Extension is looking to reach new audiences with current information based on research.”
BeefWatch articles are authored by Nebraska Extension Beef Specialists and Educators about various aspects of the industry, from feedlot production, nutrition and forage management to beef economics - focusing on the most important issues producers are facing during that time of year. Starting in October 2018, articles (and their Podcasts) will be selected each month for translation into Spanish.
The monthly electronic newsletter covers current and emerging issues in the beef industry. BeefWatch is emailed to subscribers the first of every month, and can also be accessed at go.unl.edu/beefwatch-spanish or through the UNL Beef Website at beef.unl.edu. Producers can subscribe to the monthly newsletter at go.unl.edu/beefwatch-spanish.
Beef Podcasts, the companion to BeefWatch, are also available at the beef.unl.edu website. The BeefWatch Podcasts provide the same timely information as the newsletter, just in a downloadable form. Audiences on the go can download Podcasts and listen at their convenience.
Translator Jose Valles, a livestock industry consultant in Kearney, says Hispanics workers are eager to learn and do things right in the beef industry. “But we need to help them learn what they are doing, and why it is the correct way,” stated Valles. With monthly updates through BeefWatch articles, beef education is one step closer for Hispanic cattlemen.
CORN STALK QUALITY AFTER WEATHERING
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
Fall rainfall, and even snow, is good for wheat and next year’s crops, but it does have its drawbacks. One challenge is rain’s impact on corn stalk feed quality.
Rain in the fall usually is welcomed despite the delays it causes with crop harvest. Pastures and alfalfa benefit from extra growth and winterizing capabilities. Wheat and other small grains get well established as do any new fields of alfalfa or pasture. And the reserve moisture stored in the soil will get good use during next year’s growing season.
But rain also reduces the feed value of corn stalks in fields that were already combined, and even on standing stalks. And this fall many fields have had some pretty heavy rain and snow on those stalks.
Rain reduces corn stalk quality several ways. Most easily noticed is how fast stalks get soiled or trampled into the ground when fields are muddy.
Less noticeable are nutritional changes. Heavy rain soaks into dry corn stalk residue and leaches out some of the soluble nutrients. Most serious is the loss of sugars and other energy-dense nutrients, which lowers the TDN or energy value of the stalks. These same nutrients also disappear if stalks begin to mold or rot in the field or especially in the bale. Then palatability and intake also decline.
There is little you can do to prevent these losses. What you can do, though, is begin to supplement a little earlier than usual. Since weathering by rain reduces TDN more than it reduces protein, consider the energy value of your supplements as well as its protein content.
Weathered corn stalks still are economical feeds. Just supplement them accordingly.
Farmer2Farmer: Where Innovation Meets Agriculture – In Omaha
Free For Nebraska Corn Grower Members!
Are you frustrated by rising prices, fewer choices and at the end of the day, you and your operation assuming all of the risk? We can’t control the consolidation in the industry, weather or global commodity trends, but we refuse to let these forces keep their control!
Join 3,000+ other like-minded farmers and Farmers Business Network at Farmer2Farmer IV, December 12 – 14 in Omaha, Neb., for the premier business-focused farmer conference. Sharpened pencils are put to action as production and marketing decisions are held up to the light in preparation for next season. The Nebraska Corn Growers Association will have a presence at Farmer2Farmer as well!
What You Can Expect:
● No-Holds Barred Conversations
The event takes place at the end of the year to give farmers a place to have blunt, brutally honest discussions about the state of agriculture. We won’t just talk about it, farmers will leave Farmer2Farmer with an action plan on how to get a headstart on 2019.
● Innovative Technology and Real-Life Use Cases
Farmers Business Network is bringing the latest technology from both FBN and from key partners to Farmer2Farmer – from autonomous grain carts to the true ROI of biologicals. We’ll be talking about real-life, practical applications of technology to apply to your farm that will result in incremental profitability gains.
● Key Learnings from Other Farmers on Key Issues Facing Agriculture and Operational Profitability
Hear from leaders who have rejected “business as usual” and have taken control of their operations to improve their balance sheets and are working to keep the bottom line in the black.
● Dissection of Industry Practices that Put Farmers Profitability at Risk (including the FBN Seed Relabeling Report)
Do you know that your same seed could be in up to 9 different bags, under different names and for vastly different prices? Not only is that misleading at best, but potentially dangerous when trying to diversify risk. Learn the truth behind the Seed Relabeling Report, ‘Zone Pricing’ otherwise known as regional seed pricing, including estimated map that one of the largest seed company uses to charge different prices for the exact same seed depending where they live or farm, and many other opaque practices that FBN believes are to the detriment of farmers profitability.
● Small-Group Networking with Fellow Premier Farms
Learning from like-minded farmers is invaluable; Farmer2Farmer is where the network effect comes to life, and farmers will have the chance to network, share ideas and gain new perspectives from one another. Leave with friends and possibly your own advisory panel.
● Many Exciting and Game-Changing Announcements for Farmers from Farmers Business Network
In addition to farm panels, speakers from across the ag industry, and FBN leaders, Farmer2Famer is featuring legendary pilot Captain Sully Sullenberger and MythBuster Adam Savage, who will keynote the conference.
Attend Farmer2Farmer and challenge the status quo, change long standing habits, alter long standing plans and learn new practices to Take Control of the 2019 season and beyond.
Join Nebraska Corn at Farmer2Farmer! Register now at Farmer2Farmer.ag and use ‘NeCGA100100’ for your free ticket!
More about Farmers Business Network: https://www.fbn.com/about.
Delta Dental of Iowa offers exclusive dental and vision plans for Iowa Farm Bureau members
Delta Dental of Iowa, the leading dental carrier in Iowa and the U.S., has partnered with Iowa Farm Bureau Federation to offer its members an exclusive discount on dental and vision insurance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, preventive care such as routine dental and vision exams can help diagnose medical problems before other symptoms appear and become more serious issues.
The dental plan is based on Delta Dental’s best-selling individual plan and provides access to more than 90 percent of Iowa dentists. Coverage includes preventive care such as teeth cleanings and exams, basic services like fillings, and major services including root canals and dentures. In addition, Delta Dental will offer an optional DeltaVision plan which includes coverage for annual exams, $130 frame allowance per year and discounts on contact lenses.
“We are proud to continue to find ways to serve our members and assist them in taking care of their family’s health needs,” said IFBF President Craig Hill. “Our organization has a 100-year track record of taking care of our members. Providing them with dental and vision insurance options is another way we’re accomplishing that.”
“Taking care of your dental and vision health has a direct impact on your overall health,” said Jeff Russell, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Iowa. “We are pleased to offer Iowa Farm Bureau members these dental and vision plans to improve the health and smiles of Iowa families.”
These plans will be available through Farm Bureau agents, or members can complete their application online at www.deltadentalia.com/fb using their Iowa Farm Bureau membership number. The plans are effective January 1, 2019 and can be purchased now. For more information, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com/member-benefits or contact your local Farm Bureau agent.
Government Climate Report Warns of Worsening US Disasters
(AP) -- As California's catastrophic wildfires recede and people rebuild after two hurricanes, a massive new federal report warns that these types of extreme weather disasters are worsening in the United States. The White House report quietly issued Friday also frequently contradicts President Donald Trump.
The National Climate Assessment was written long before the deadly fires in California this month and Hurricanes Florence and Michael raked the East Coast and Florida. It says warming-charged extremes "have already become more frequent, intense, widespread or of long duration."
The federal report says the last few years have smashed records for damaging weather in the U.S., costing nearly $400 billion since 2015. "Warmer and drier conditions have contributed to an increase in large forest fires in the western United States and interior Alaska," according to the report.
"We are seeing the things we said would be happening, happen now in real life," said report co-author Katharine Hayhoe of Texas Tech University. "As a climate scientist it is almost surreal."
And report co-author Donald Wuebbles, a University of Illinois climate scientist, said, "We're going to continue to see severe weather events get stronger and more intense."
The air pollution from wildfires combined with heat waves is a major future health risk for the West, the report says. During the fires in northern California, air quality hit "hazardous" levels, according to government air monitoring agencies.
"There's real concern about how the West will be able to manage this increasing occurrence," said report co-author Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington public health professor. She said global warming is already harming people's health, but it will only get worse.
The report is mandated by law every few years and is based on hundreds of previously research studies. It details how global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas is hurting each region of United States and how it impacts different sectors of the economy, including energy and agriculture.
"Climate change is transforming where and how we live and presents growing challenges to human health and quality of life, the economy, and the natural systems that support us," the report says.
That includes worsening air pollution causing heart and lung problems, more diseases from insects, the potential for a jump in deaths during heat waves, and nastier allergies.
What makes the report different from others is that it focuses on the United States, then goes more local and granular.
"All climate change is local," said Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Richard Alley, who wasn't part of the report but praised it.
While scientists talk of average global temperatures, people feel extremes more, he said.
"We live in our drought, our floods and our heat waves. That means we have to focus on us," he said.
The Lower 48 states have warmed 1.8 degrees (1 degree Celsius) since 1900 with 1.2 degrees in the last few decades, according to the repot. By the end of the century, the U.S. will be 3 to 12 degrees (1.6 to 6.6 degrees Celsius) hotter depending on how much greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, the report warns.
Outside scientists and officials from 13 federal agencies wrote the report, which was released on the afternoon following Thanksgiving. It was originally scheduled for December. The report often clashes with the president's past statements and tweets on the legitimacy of climate change science, how much of it is caused by humans, how cyclical it is and what's causing increases in recent wildfires.
Trump tweeted this week about the cold weather hitting the East including: "Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?"
Friday's report seemed to anticipate such comments, saying: "Over shorter timescales and smaller geographic regions, the influence of natural variability can be larger than the influence of human activity ... Over climate timescales of multiple decades, however, global temperature continues to steadily increase."
Releasing the report on Black Friday "is a transparent attempt by the Trump Administration to bury this report and continue the campaign of not only denying but suppressing the best of climate science," said study co-author Andrew Light, an international policy expert at the World Resources Institute.
Trump, administration officials and elected Republicans frequently say they can't tell how much of climate change is caused by humans and how much is natural.
Citing numerous studies, the new climate report says more than 90 percent of the current warming is caused by humans. Without greenhouse gases, natural forces -- such as changes in energy from the sun -- would be slightly cooling Earth.
"There are no credible alternative human or natural explanations supported by the observational evidence," the report says.
Swine Fever Adds to China Economic Woes
First Detected in August, Disease Has Killed 1 Million Pigs
(AP) -- Reeling from rising feed costs in Beijing's tariff fight with President Donald Trump, Chinese pig farmers face a new blow from an outbreak of African swine fever that has sent an economic shockwave through the countryside.
African swine fever doesn't affect humans but is fatal to pigs and highly contagious, making it a serious threat to farm areas.
First detected in August, the disease has killed 1 million pigs, prompting authorities to restrict shipments of most of China's 700 million swine, even though nearly all are still healthy. That has disrupted supplies of pork, China's staple meat, to big cities while prices collapsed in areas with an oversupply of pigs that farmers are barred from shipping to other provinces.
"I can only manage to break even at the current price," said a breeder on the outskirts of Shenyang, northeast of Beijing, where the first swine fever case was reported Aug. 3. She said she was rearing about 100 pigs and would give only her surname, Yan.
"Unless we see a higher price for pigs, all my work this year would have gone for nothing," said Yan.
On Friday, Beijing reported its first cases. Authorities said 49 of the 1,325 pigs at a farm in suburban Fangshan district were found dead and 37 of the 429 pigs at another farm had died.
The outbreak adds to a swarm of challenges for Chinese leaders as they grapple with Trump over Beijing's technology policy and try to shore up cooling growth in the world's second-largest economy.
"Farmers have been losing money in pig-breeding provinces for the past a couple of months and their confidence has been shattered," said Feng Yonghui, chief analyst of soozhu.com, a pork industry consultant.
The cost of raising pigs spiked after Beijing retaliated for Trump's tariff hikes on Chinese goods by slapping 25% duties on imported U.S. soybeans used as animal feed.
American farmers supplied about one-third of China's imports of 96 million tons of soybeans last year, while its own farms produce about 15 million tons a year.
Soy prices have risen by as much as 4 and 5% per month since then in some areas.
Importers are buying more soy from Brazil and Argentina, the other major exporters. Authorities have encouraged breeders to look at other protein sources such as canola.
While farmers wrestled with that, the industry was jolted by the discovery of China's first case of African swine fever on Aug. 3 in Shenyang, in Liaoning province.
Since then, sick animals have been found in areas from Jilin province in the northeast to Yunnan on China's southern border with Vietnam.
Authorities responded by banning shipments of all pigs from any province with one case.
A big share of China's population still depends on farming even after the country became one of the biggest manufacturers. The agricultural share of the workforce has fallen to 18% from more than 50% two decades ago, according to World Bank data, but farm households still account for 250 million people.
The southwestern province of Sichuan, which accounts for some 10% of Chinese pork production, last week became the 18th region to report an outbreak. That extended swine fever's reach to all major Chinese pig breeding areas.
With Sichuan included, government restrictions on the movement of pigs now extend to some 90% of the Chinese industry's animals, according to Feng of soozhu.com.
"The impact of the government policies is bigger than the epidemic itself," said Feng.
In the northeast, the export ban has led to a pork glut in markets, pushing down prices by 20% compared with three months ago, according to state media. Meanwhile, retail prices have jumped 30% in Chongqing, a city of 9 million people in the southwest.
The outbreak could cause longer-term disruption if farmers respond by raising fewer pigs next year, leading to shortages and higher prices.
Compared with previous cases of animal diseases, "the swine fever epidemic is more troublesome," said Tan of Zero Power. "Farmers and consumers may panic and cause greater damage to the pork industry."
The government maintains stocks of frozen pork in case of shortages but has yet to say whether any will be released this year.
Yan, the breeder in Shenyang, said she will skip buying piglets to rear this year but will keep sows to produce more.
"Even doing that is difficult because it is hard to keep these baby pigs alive," she said.
Thursday, December 13 - Saunders County Fairgrounds – Wahoo, NE
8:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. with a break scheduled at 9:45 a.m. to view equipment and visit with exhibitors.
8:30 a.m. - View Commercial Exhibits
9:00 a.m. - Opening Comments - Keith Glewen, Nebraska Extension Educator
What You Need to Know to Grow and Market Specialty Soybeans to Increase Your Profits
Darwin Rader, International Sales and Marketing Manager, Zeeland Farm Services, Des Moines, Iowa
9:45 a.m. - Break - View Commercial Exhibits
10:15 a.m. - Economic Update & Taking Care of Business
Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus, Virginia Tech
Nebraska Soybean Checkoff Update & Association Information - Soybean Board and Soybean Association
Kohl presentation continues... Economic Update & Taking Care of Business
12:00 p.m. - Lunch
Managing Soybeans in Storage – Is Poor Quality a Concern?
Ken Hellevang, Extension Engineer, North Dakota State University
New and Emerging Pests of Soybeans - Justin McMechan, Crop Protection and Cropping Systems Specialist, University of Nebraska Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center
2:15 p.m. Adjourn
Soy doughnuts will be cooked on site. And the PANCAKE MAN will serve pancakes and sausage for lunch!
Local Food Drive Donations - Bring a can or 2 and help out!
The Saunders County Soybean Growers Organization requests that each participant donate one or more cans of nonperishable food to the food pantry.
The Nebraska Soybean Day & Machinery Expo is brought to you by Nebraska Extension, the Nebraska Soybean Board, the Saunders County Soybean Growers Organization, and private industry representatives. For more information, call Keith Glewen at 800-529-8030 or e-mail at kglewen1@unl.edu, and view the flyer here.... http://enre.unl.edu/nebraskasoyexpo.
Nebraska Cattlemen Host 2018 Annual Convention & Trade Show
The 2018 Annual Nebraska Cattlemen Convention and Trade Show will be held in Kearney at the Younes Convention Center December 4th – 7th. This year’s convention schedule is packed full of industry leaders, speakers and educational opportunities for all ages of cattlemen and women.
Cattlemen’s College will kick off convention on December 4th and 5th. The event this year will be held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds Ag Pavilion on Tuesday and reconvene at the Younes Convention Center for a second session on Wednesday. The program offers a wide range of speakers that will discuss livestock hauling, beef quality assurance, new technologies and so much more. A sneak peek will be held from 11:30am to 12:30pm prior to the start of Cattlemen’s College for participants to interact with speakers and hear what they have lined up to share during their presentations. For a full Cattlemen’s College schedule click here... https://nebraskacattlemen.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018cattlemenscollegeschedule-1.pdf.
Wednesday will be the start of regular convention council meetings and the 2018 Young Cattlemen’s Round-table, sponsored by the YCC Class of 2018. The goal of the round table is to inspire members to get involved in the Nebraska Cattlemen and experience the benefits of the organization. Attendees will be able to discuss what is happening in the beef industry and what it means to them. Wednesday will conclude with the General Session and time to mingle at the Welcome Reception in the Trade Show.
After a full day of committee meetings, the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation Lunch and an open trade show, the annual banquet will wrap up the evening on Thursday, December 6th beginning at 7:00 p.m. As always a few cattlemen will be recognized for their dedication to the industry, great items will be up for grabs during the silent auction and phenomenal food to be enjoyed by all.
The 2018 Convention will come to an end on Friday, December 7th after the Market Outlook Breakfast and the Annual Business Meeting. The entire schedule can be viewed here... https://nebraskacattlemen.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2018conventionschedule.pdf.
Two New NC-PAC Events
The Nebraska Cattlemen Political Action Committee (PAC) committee is excited to announce two new events taking place in Lincoln on February 18-19, 2019. These events are aimed at engaging members in the political process and equipping them to advocate for the beef industry.
The events kick-off on Monday afternoon the 18th when attendees will spend the afternoon with Nebraska Cattlemen staff at the new NC office reviewing policy, learning about current issues and discussing the priority bills voted on by the NC Board of Directors.
Following an educational morning, the inaugural “PAC Gala” will be held Monday evening. The evening will be filled with great food, a keynote speaker and fundraising for the PAC. The planning committee is working on lining up an exciting silent and live auction. Tickets for the Gala will be available for purchase at the Nebraska Cattlemen Annual Convention in Kearney. You won’t want to miss this fun event, so mark your calendars and watch for further details.
NC’s “Cattlemen at the Capitol” will be held Tuesday morning. Attendees will meet at the state capitol for a breakfast and spend time individually meeting with Senators to discuss issues that impact their operations. This new event is modeled after NCBA’s “Boots on the Hill” and will be key in relating cattle industry issues to elected representatives and communicating the importance of protecting agriculture in the state of Nebraska. NC is represented at the Capitol daily by our lobbyists, and this event provides an opportunity for members to walk alongside them in communicating with state Senators.constituents
A tour of Neogen has been set for Monday afternoon. Kenny Stauffer and the Lincoln team will host members who would like to see the Lincoln Neogen facility. Neogen is the presenting sponsor of the PAC events.
For more information contact Jacob Mayer at 402-672-8852 or jmayer.cattleco@gmail.com.
New Resource for Hispanics in the Cattle Industry: BeefWatch Articles Translated into Spanish
Bethany Johnston, NE Nebraska Extension Educator
BeefWatch, an electronic monthly newsletter that provides beef producers with timely, research-based information on beef production issues as well as current issues and timely topics for consumers, is expanding to reach Hispanics working in the cattle industry. One to two articles will be translated each month into Spanish, appearing both on the beef.unl.edu website and the Podcast version of BeefWatch.
“Our hope is to teach and educate more people involved in creating a healthy, safe beef product,” stated Bethany Johnston, Nebraska Extension BeefWatch co-editor. “As the beef industry workforce continues to change and diversify, Nebraska Extension is looking to reach new audiences with current information based on research.”
BeefWatch articles are authored by Nebraska Extension Beef Specialists and Educators about various aspects of the industry, from feedlot production, nutrition and forage management to beef economics - focusing on the most important issues producers are facing during that time of year. Starting in October 2018, articles (and their Podcasts) will be selected each month for translation into Spanish.
The monthly electronic newsletter covers current and emerging issues in the beef industry. BeefWatch is emailed to subscribers the first of every month, and can also be accessed at go.unl.edu/beefwatch-spanish or through the UNL Beef Website at beef.unl.edu. Producers can subscribe to the monthly newsletter at go.unl.edu/beefwatch-spanish.
Beef Podcasts, the companion to BeefWatch, are also available at the beef.unl.edu website. The BeefWatch Podcasts provide the same timely information as the newsletter, just in a downloadable form. Audiences on the go can download Podcasts and listen at their convenience.
Translator Jose Valles, a livestock industry consultant in Kearney, says Hispanics workers are eager to learn and do things right in the beef industry. “But we need to help them learn what they are doing, and why it is the correct way,” stated Valles. With monthly updates through BeefWatch articles, beef education is one step closer for Hispanic cattlemen.
CORN STALK QUALITY AFTER WEATHERING
Bruce Anderson, NE Extension Forage Specialist
Fall rainfall, and even snow, is good for wheat and next year’s crops, but it does have its drawbacks. One challenge is rain’s impact on corn stalk feed quality.
Rain in the fall usually is welcomed despite the delays it causes with crop harvest. Pastures and alfalfa benefit from extra growth and winterizing capabilities. Wheat and other small grains get well established as do any new fields of alfalfa or pasture. And the reserve moisture stored in the soil will get good use during next year’s growing season.
But rain also reduces the feed value of corn stalks in fields that were already combined, and even on standing stalks. And this fall many fields have had some pretty heavy rain and snow on those stalks.
Rain reduces corn stalk quality several ways. Most easily noticed is how fast stalks get soiled or trampled into the ground when fields are muddy.
Less noticeable are nutritional changes. Heavy rain soaks into dry corn stalk residue and leaches out some of the soluble nutrients. Most serious is the loss of sugars and other energy-dense nutrients, which lowers the TDN or energy value of the stalks. These same nutrients also disappear if stalks begin to mold or rot in the field or especially in the bale. Then palatability and intake also decline.
There is little you can do to prevent these losses. What you can do, though, is begin to supplement a little earlier than usual. Since weathering by rain reduces TDN more than it reduces protein, consider the energy value of your supplements as well as its protein content.
Weathered corn stalks still are economical feeds. Just supplement them accordingly.
Farmer2Farmer: Where Innovation Meets Agriculture – In Omaha
Free For Nebraska Corn Grower Members!
Are you frustrated by rising prices, fewer choices and at the end of the day, you and your operation assuming all of the risk? We can’t control the consolidation in the industry, weather or global commodity trends, but we refuse to let these forces keep their control!
Join 3,000+ other like-minded farmers and Farmers Business Network at Farmer2Farmer IV, December 12 – 14 in Omaha, Neb., for the premier business-focused farmer conference. Sharpened pencils are put to action as production and marketing decisions are held up to the light in preparation for next season. The Nebraska Corn Growers Association will have a presence at Farmer2Farmer as well!
What You Can Expect:
● No-Holds Barred Conversations
The event takes place at the end of the year to give farmers a place to have blunt, brutally honest discussions about the state of agriculture. We won’t just talk about it, farmers will leave Farmer2Farmer with an action plan on how to get a headstart on 2019.
● Innovative Technology and Real-Life Use Cases
Farmers Business Network is bringing the latest technology from both FBN and from key partners to Farmer2Farmer – from autonomous grain carts to the true ROI of biologicals. We’ll be talking about real-life, practical applications of technology to apply to your farm that will result in incremental profitability gains.
● Key Learnings from Other Farmers on Key Issues Facing Agriculture and Operational Profitability
Hear from leaders who have rejected “business as usual” and have taken control of their operations to improve their balance sheets and are working to keep the bottom line in the black.
● Dissection of Industry Practices that Put Farmers Profitability at Risk (including the FBN Seed Relabeling Report)
Do you know that your same seed could be in up to 9 different bags, under different names and for vastly different prices? Not only is that misleading at best, but potentially dangerous when trying to diversify risk. Learn the truth behind the Seed Relabeling Report, ‘Zone Pricing’ otherwise known as regional seed pricing, including estimated map that one of the largest seed company uses to charge different prices for the exact same seed depending where they live or farm, and many other opaque practices that FBN believes are to the detriment of farmers profitability.
● Small-Group Networking with Fellow Premier Farms
Learning from like-minded farmers is invaluable; Farmer2Farmer is where the network effect comes to life, and farmers will have the chance to network, share ideas and gain new perspectives from one another. Leave with friends and possibly your own advisory panel.
● Many Exciting and Game-Changing Announcements for Farmers from Farmers Business Network
In addition to farm panels, speakers from across the ag industry, and FBN leaders, Farmer2Famer is featuring legendary pilot Captain Sully Sullenberger and MythBuster Adam Savage, who will keynote the conference.
Attend Farmer2Farmer and challenge the status quo, change long standing habits, alter long standing plans and learn new practices to Take Control of the 2019 season and beyond.
Join Nebraska Corn at Farmer2Farmer! Register now at Farmer2Farmer.ag and use ‘NeCGA100100’ for your free ticket!
More about Farmers Business Network: https://www.fbn.com/about.
Delta Dental of Iowa offers exclusive dental and vision plans for Iowa Farm Bureau members
Delta Dental of Iowa, the leading dental carrier in Iowa and the U.S., has partnered with Iowa Farm Bureau Federation to offer its members an exclusive discount on dental and vision insurance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, preventive care such as routine dental and vision exams can help diagnose medical problems before other symptoms appear and become more serious issues.
The dental plan is based on Delta Dental’s best-selling individual plan and provides access to more than 90 percent of Iowa dentists. Coverage includes preventive care such as teeth cleanings and exams, basic services like fillings, and major services including root canals and dentures. In addition, Delta Dental will offer an optional DeltaVision plan which includes coverage for annual exams, $130 frame allowance per year and discounts on contact lenses.
“We are proud to continue to find ways to serve our members and assist them in taking care of their family’s health needs,” said IFBF President Craig Hill. “Our organization has a 100-year track record of taking care of our members. Providing them with dental and vision insurance options is another way we’re accomplishing that.”
“Taking care of your dental and vision health has a direct impact on your overall health,” said Jeff Russell, president and CEO of Delta Dental of Iowa. “We are pleased to offer Iowa Farm Bureau members these dental and vision plans to improve the health and smiles of Iowa families.”
These plans will be available through Farm Bureau agents, or members can complete their application online at www.deltadentalia.com/fb using their Iowa Farm Bureau membership number. The plans are effective January 1, 2019 and can be purchased now. For more information, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com/member-benefits or contact your local Farm Bureau agent.
Government Climate Report Warns of Worsening US Disasters
(AP) -- As California's catastrophic wildfires recede and people rebuild after two hurricanes, a massive new federal report warns that these types of extreme weather disasters are worsening in the United States. The White House report quietly issued Friday also frequently contradicts President Donald Trump.
The National Climate Assessment was written long before the deadly fires in California this month and Hurricanes Florence and Michael raked the East Coast and Florida. It says warming-charged extremes "have already become more frequent, intense, widespread or of long duration."
The federal report says the last few years have smashed records for damaging weather in the U.S., costing nearly $400 billion since 2015. "Warmer and drier conditions have contributed to an increase in large forest fires in the western United States and interior Alaska," according to the report.
"We are seeing the things we said would be happening, happen now in real life," said report co-author Katharine Hayhoe of Texas Tech University. "As a climate scientist it is almost surreal."
And report co-author Donald Wuebbles, a University of Illinois climate scientist, said, "We're going to continue to see severe weather events get stronger and more intense."
The air pollution from wildfires combined with heat waves is a major future health risk for the West, the report says. During the fires in northern California, air quality hit "hazardous" levels, according to government air monitoring agencies.
"There's real concern about how the West will be able to manage this increasing occurrence," said report co-author Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington public health professor. She said global warming is already harming people's health, but it will only get worse.
The report is mandated by law every few years and is based on hundreds of previously research studies. It details how global warming from the burning of coal, oil and gas is hurting each region of United States and how it impacts different sectors of the economy, including energy and agriculture.
"Climate change is transforming where and how we live and presents growing challenges to human health and quality of life, the economy, and the natural systems that support us," the report says.
That includes worsening air pollution causing heart and lung problems, more diseases from insects, the potential for a jump in deaths during heat waves, and nastier allergies.
What makes the report different from others is that it focuses on the United States, then goes more local and granular.
"All climate change is local," said Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Richard Alley, who wasn't part of the report but praised it.
While scientists talk of average global temperatures, people feel extremes more, he said.
"We live in our drought, our floods and our heat waves. That means we have to focus on us," he said.
The Lower 48 states have warmed 1.8 degrees (1 degree Celsius) since 1900 with 1.2 degrees in the last few decades, according to the repot. By the end of the century, the U.S. will be 3 to 12 degrees (1.6 to 6.6 degrees Celsius) hotter depending on how much greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere, the report warns.
Outside scientists and officials from 13 federal agencies wrote the report, which was released on the afternoon following Thanksgiving. It was originally scheduled for December. The report often clashes with the president's past statements and tweets on the legitimacy of climate change science, how much of it is caused by humans, how cyclical it is and what's causing increases in recent wildfires.
Trump tweeted this week about the cold weather hitting the East including: "Brutal and Extended Cold Blast could shatter ALL RECORDS - Whatever happened to Global Warming?"
Friday's report seemed to anticipate such comments, saying: "Over shorter timescales and smaller geographic regions, the influence of natural variability can be larger than the influence of human activity ... Over climate timescales of multiple decades, however, global temperature continues to steadily increase."
Releasing the report on Black Friday "is a transparent attempt by the Trump Administration to bury this report and continue the campaign of not only denying but suppressing the best of climate science," said study co-author Andrew Light, an international policy expert at the World Resources Institute.
Trump, administration officials and elected Republicans frequently say they can't tell how much of climate change is caused by humans and how much is natural.
Citing numerous studies, the new climate report says more than 90 percent of the current warming is caused by humans. Without greenhouse gases, natural forces -- such as changes in energy from the sun -- would be slightly cooling Earth.
"There are no credible alternative human or natural explanations supported by the observational evidence," the report says.
Swine Fever Adds to China Economic Woes
First Detected in August, Disease Has Killed 1 Million Pigs
(AP) -- Reeling from rising feed costs in Beijing's tariff fight with President Donald Trump, Chinese pig farmers face a new blow from an outbreak of African swine fever that has sent an economic shockwave through the countryside.
African swine fever doesn't affect humans but is fatal to pigs and highly contagious, making it a serious threat to farm areas.
First detected in August, the disease has killed 1 million pigs, prompting authorities to restrict shipments of most of China's 700 million swine, even though nearly all are still healthy. That has disrupted supplies of pork, China's staple meat, to big cities while prices collapsed in areas with an oversupply of pigs that farmers are barred from shipping to other provinces.
"I can only manage to break even at the current price," said a breeder on the outskirts of Shenyang, northeast of Beijing, where the first swine fever case was reported Aug. 3. She said she was rearing about 100 pigs and would give only her surname, Yan.
"Unless we see a higher price for pigs, all my work this year would have gone for nothing," said Yan.
On Friday, Beijing reported its first cases. Authorities said 49 of the 1,325 pigs at a farm in suburban Fangshan district were found dead and 37 of the 429 pigs at another farm had died.
The outbreak adds to a swarm of challenges for Chinese leaders as they grapple with Trump over Beijing's technology policy and try to shore up cooling growth in the world's second-largest economy.
"Farmers have been losing money in pig-breeding provinces for the past a couple of months and their confidence has been shattered," said Feng Yonghui, chief analyst of soozhu.com, a pork industry consultant.
The cost of raising pigs spiked after Beijing retaliated for Trump's tariff hikes on Chinese goods by slapping 25% duties on imported U.S. soybeans used as animal feed.
American farmers supplied about one-third of China's imports of 96 million tons of soybeans last year, while its own farms produce about 15 million tons a year.
Soy prices have risen by as much as 4 and 5% per month since then in some areas.
Importers are buying more soy from Brazil and Argentina, the other major exporters. Authorities have encouraged breeders to look at other protein sources such as canola.
While farmers wrestled with that, the industry was jolted by the discovery of China's first case of African swine fever on Aug. 3 in Shenyang, in Liaoning province.
Since then, sick animals have been found in areas from Jilin province in the northeast to Yunnan on China's southern border with Vietnam.
Authorities responded by banning shipments of all pigs from any province with one case.
A big share of China's population still depends on farming even after the country became one of the biggest manufacturers. The agricultural share of the workforce has fallen to 18% from more than 50% two decades ago, according to World Bank data, but farm households still account for 250 million people.
The southwestern province of Sichuan, which accounts for some 10% of Chinese pork production, last week became the 18th region to report an outbreak. That extended swine fever's reach to all major Chinese pig breeding areas.
With Sichuan included, government restrictions on the movement of pigs now extend to some 90% of the Chinese industry's animals, according to Feng of soozhu.com.
"The impact of the government policies is bigger than the epidemic itself," said Feng.
In the northeast, the export ban has led to a pork glut in markets, pushing down prices by 20% compared with three months ago, according to state media. Meanwhile, retail prices have jumped 30% in Chongqing, a city of 9 million people in the southwest.
The outbreak could cause longer-term disruption if farmers respond by raising fewer pigs next year, leading to shortages and higher prices.
Compared with previous cases of animal diseases, "the swine fever epidemic is more troublesome," said Tan of Zero Power. "Farmers and consumers may panic and cause greater damage to the pork industry."
The government maintains stocks of frozen pork in case of shortages but has yet to say whether any will be released this year.
Yan, the breeder in Shenyang, said she will skip buying piglets to rear this year but will keep sows to produce more.
"Even doing that is difficult because it is hard to keep these baby pigs alive," she said.
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Wednesday November 21 Cattle on Feed + Ag News
NEBRASKA CATTLE ON FEED UP 3 PERCENT
Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.59 million cattle on feed on November 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was up 3 percent from last year.
Placements during October totaled 650,000 head, down 4 percent from 2017.
Fed cattle marketings for the month of October totaled 480,000 head, up 10 percent from last year. Other disappearance during October totaled 10,000 head, down 5,000 head from last year.
IOWA CATTLE ON FEED REPORT
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 700,000 head on November 1, 2018, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was up 1 percent from both October 1, 2018 and November 1, 2017. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 405,000 head on feed, up 1 percent from last month but down 17 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,105,000 head, up 1 percent from last month but down 6 percent from last year.
Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during October totaled 107,000 head, up 20 percent from last month but down 25 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 52,000 head, up 93 percent from last month but down 55 percent from last year. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 159,000 head, up 37 percent from last month but down 38 percent from last year.
Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during October totaled 93,000 head, up 24 percent from last month but down 6 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 45,000 head, down 10 percent from last month and down 36 percent from last year. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 138,000 head, up 10 percent from last month but down 18 percent from last year. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 6,000 head.
United States Cattle on Feed Up 3 Percent
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.7 million head on November 1, 2018. The inventory was 3 percent above November 1, 2017.
On Feed - By State
(1,000 hd - % Nov 1 '17)
Colorado ......: 1,020 104
Iowa ............: 700 101
Kansas .........: 2,360 103
Nebraska .....: 2,590 103
Texas ...........: 2,680 102
Placements in feedlots during October totaled 2.25 million head, 6 percent below 2017. Net placements were 2.18 million head. During October, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 640,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 525,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 450,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 363,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 180,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 90,000 head.
Placements by State
(1,000 hd - % Oct '17)
Colorado ......: 195 100
Iowa ............: 107 75
Kansas .........: 405 94
Nebraska .....: 650 96
Texas ...........: 465 92
Marketings of fed cattle during October totaled 1.89 million head, 5 percent above 2017. Other disappearance totaled 69,000 head during October, 5 percent below 2017.
Marketings by state
(1,000 hd - % Oct '17)
Colorado ......: 150 100
Iowa .............: 93 94
Kansas ..........: 395 105
Nebraska ......: 480 110
Texas ............: 430 97
LENRD Board approves applications for new irrigated acres
Earlier this fall, landowners within the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) boundaries, had an opportunity to apply for new irrigated acres for 2019.
LENRD Assistant General Manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “The board voted to accept applications for standard variances from selected portions of the District. We received 145 applications for new irrigated acres during the sign-up period, which was open between September 4th and October 3rd, 2018.”
The board voted at their November meeting to approve up to 2428 acres in the Hydrologically Connected (10/50 Area), and to approve up to 2515 new acres in the Non-Hydrologically Connected (Non 10/50 Area), under the district’s standard variance process. Recommendations for approval were determined by using the variance scoring process which has been utilized by the District on previous occasions. Eligible applications are scored and ranked from highest to lowest, and approvals made until the available acres have been allocated.
Bruckner continued, “District staff will be generating letters to all applicants to inform them on the status of their request (whether they were approved or denied), with those letters being generated and mailed next week .” After the landowners have been properly notified, the list of applicants who were approved may be made available by submitting a public records request.
In other action, the board approved the allocations for the designated Quantity Management Subareas across the district for 2019. Bruckner, said, “Each year, the board must determine the annual groundwater allocation amounts for the Wayne and Madison County Quantity Management Subareas for the upcoming crop year.” The board voted to set the 2019 allocation amounts at: 18 acre-inches per irrigated acre for gravity/flood irrigation systems, 13 acre-inches per irrigated acre for subsurface drip irrigation systems, and 14 acre-inches per irrigated acre for all other irrigation systems in the Eastern Madison County Quantity Subarea, and 17 acre-inches per irrigated acre for gravity/flood irrigation systems, 12 acre-inches per irrigated acre for subsurface drip irrigation systems, and 13 acre-inches per irrigated acre for all other irrigation systems in the Wayne County Quantity Subarea.
In other business, the board approved 9 Community Forestry Incentive applications for a total cost of $32,867.95. The communities receiving grants this year include: Madison, Norfolk, Pender, Pierce Public Schools, Pilger, Wakefield, West Point, West Point Public Schools, and Wisner.
The board also voted to schedule a public hearing to be conducted on December 6, 2018 at 7 p.m. to receive comments and testimony from the public on Rules 1 and 17 of the District’s Groundwater Management Area Rules and Regulations. The public hearing will be at the LENRD office at 1508 Square Turn Boulevard in Norfolk.
FSA County Committee Election Ballots Mailed
Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Nancy Johner announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began mailing ballots to eligible agricultural producers for the 2018 FSA county committee elections. Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 3 to ensure their vote is counted.
"County committee members represent the farmers, ranchers and foresters in our Nebraska communities," said Johner. "Producers elected to these committees have always played a vital role in local agricultural decisions. It is a valued partnership that helps us better understand the needs of the farmers and ranchers we serve."
Nearly 7,700 FSA county committee members serve FSA offices nationwide. Each committee has three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of office. One-third of county committee seats are up for election each year. County committee members apply their knowledge and judgment to help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, emergency programs and eligibility.
Johner said producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. Farmers and ranchers who supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm, but are not of legal voting age, may also be eligible to vote.
Farmers and ranchers began receiving their ballots earlier this month. Ballots include the names of candidates running for the local committee election. Voters who did not receive a ballot can pick one up at their local FSA office. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Dec. 3. Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1.
Upcoming Nebraska Farmers Union Convention Agenda Highlights Announced
“Eyes on the Horizon, Boots in the Soil” is the theme for the 105th annual Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) state convention. John Hansen, NeFU President said, “We made the decision to move our state conventions around the state to encourage more of our statewide membership to participate. We are excited to be in Lincoln for the first time in decades. The Marriott Cornhusker is an exceptional facility. On the business side, our delegates and members will do the nuts and bolts work of electing our officers, selecting our delegates to the National Farmers Union (NFU) Convention, and setting our policy. Our theme reflects our focus on creating new economic opportunities for farm and ranch families while maintaining our core values and tie to the land.”
Friday morning highlights include hearing from new Nebraska Ethanol Board Administrator Sarah Caswell and retiring Administrator Todd Sneller discuss Nebraska’s cutting edge case study on the use of 30% ethanol in non-flex fuel state vehicles. In addition, Caswell and National Farmers Union (NFU) Senior Vice-President Rob Larew of Public Policy will discuss federal RFS (Renewable Fuels Standards) issues that are critical to corn utilization and expanded ethanol use. Larew will be the Friday noon luncheon keynote speaker as he presents NFU’s year of legislative efforts and issues.
Friday afternoon will feature:
· Three chapter authors of the book “In Defense of Farmers: the Future of Agriculture in the Shadow of Corporate Power” scheduled for release spring 2019.
· Five Nebraska Public Power officials on the challenges and opportunities facing Nebraska Public Power.
· A panel of newly elected and current state senators on issues facing the upcoming legislative session.
The Friday evening banquet keynote speaker will be well known author Dr. John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri. The entertainment will feature “The Audacious Nebraska Descendants of DeWitty” documentary re-enactors and traveling photo exhibit. “We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Ikerd as our keynote speaker. We think our members will really enjoy learning about the Descendants of DeWitty. The photo exhibits depict scenes from black homesteaders who lived in the Sandhills of Nebraska between Valentine and Thedford beginning in 1904. The re-enactors will bring those photos, the courage of those homesteaders, and fascinating part of Nebraska homesteader history to life,” Hansen said.
Saturday morning representatives from the Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education coalition will share their perspectives on the challenges current state law places on small, medium, and large schools. The Nebraskans United coalition’s goals are to adequately fund education while providing real property tax relief. Speakers include: Jordan Rasmussen- Center for Rural Affairs; Jack Moles, Executive Director-NE Rural Community Schools, Association; Dr. Mike Lucas, Superintendent of York Public Schools & STANCE (Schools Taking Action for NE children’s Education); Dr. Rob Winter, Executive Director-Greater NE Schools Association; Dr. Michael Dulaney, Executive Director-NE Council of School Administrators, and Al Davis, Board of Director, Independent Cattlemen of NE & NeFU.
Registration is $35 and begins at 8:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday mornings. Convention begins at 9:00 a.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. Saturday. As always, all members and the public are welcome. More information is available at: www.nebraskafarmersunion.org or call (402) 476-8815. Call (402) 474-7474 for room reservations.
The NeFU Convention room rate is $99 per night and includes a complimentary hot breakfast.
All-Time Record High for Red Meat and Pork Production
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.90 billion pounds in October according to USDA, up 6 percent from the 4.64 billion pounds produced in October 2017.
Beef production, at 2.43 billion pounds, was 5 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.96 million head, up 6 percent from October 2017. The average live weight was up 2 pounds from the previous year, at 1,363 pounds.
Veal production totaled 7.2 million pounds, 13 percent above October a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 53,800 head, up 22 percent from October 2017. The average live weight was down 18 pounds from last year, at 232 pounds.
Pork production totaled 2.45 billion pounds, up 6 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 11.6 million head, up 6 percent from October 2017. The average live weight was unchanged from the previous year, at 283 pounds.
Lamb and mutton production, at 13.1 million pounds, was up 10 percent from October 2017. Sheep slaughter totaled 199,800 head, 9 percent above last year. The average live weight was 131 pounds, up 2 pounds from October a year ago.
By State (mill lbs. - % Oct '17)
Nebraska ......: 734.4 103
Iowa .............: 725.0 111
Kansas ..........: 522.8 104
January to October 2018 commercial red meat production was 44.4 billion pounds, up 3 percent from 2017. Accumulated beef production was up 3 percent from last year, veal was up 2 percent, pork was up 3 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was up 6 percent.
USDA Cold Storage Report October 2018 Highlights
Total red meat supplies in freezers on October 31, 2018 were down 1 percent from the previous month and down 1 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were up 2 percent from the previous month and up 2 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were down 3 percent from the previous month and down 5 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 12 percent from last month and down 17 percent from last year.
Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on October 31, 2018 were down slightly from the previous month but up 8 percent from October 31, 2017. Butter stocks were down 19 percent from last month but up 6 percent from a year ago.
Total frozen poultry supplies on October 31, 2018 were down 9 percent from the previous month but up 4 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 2 percent from the previous month but up 8 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were down 21 percent from last month and down 4 percent from October 31, 2017.
Total frozen fruit stocks were up 18 percent from last month but down 2 percent from a year ago. Total frozen vegetable stocks were up 5 percent from last month but down 7 percent from a year ago.
Weekly Ethanol Production for the week ended 11/16/2018.
According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association, ethanol production averaged 1.042 million barrels per day (b/d)—or 43.76 million gallons daily. That is down 25,000 b/d (-2.3%) from the week before for a 4-week low. Alternatively, the four-week average for ethanol production sustained a fourth week of increases, expanding to 1.059 million b/d for an annualized rate of 16.23 billion gallons.
Stocks of ethanol were 22.8 million barrels. That is a 3.0% drawdown from last week.
There were zero imports recorded after 37,000 b/d hit the books last week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of September 2018.)
Average weekly gasoline demand tapered 0.1% to 9.185 million barrels (385.8 million gallons) daily. This is equivalent to 140.81 billion gallons annualized. Refiner/blender input of ethanol lifted 0.2% to 928,000 b/d, equivalent to 14.23 billion gallons annualized.
Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production decreased to 11.34%.
Skor Comments on Shimkus, Flores RFS Discussion Draft
Today, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued a statement following the release of a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) discussion draft by U.S. Representatives John Shimkus (R-IL) and Bill Flores (R-TX), which would sunset the RFS:
“While we welcome any improvements to octane standards nationwide, this bill would turn back the clock on our nation’s commitment to renewable biofuels, completely undermining the benefits that consumers have come to expect from ethanol at the pump. Ethanol itself has a natural octane of 113 and a lower carbon content than the gasoline components it replaces. It is only through coupling a stable Renewable Fuel Standard with improvements to octane standards that consumers can continue to reap the increased engine efficiency, environmental benefits, and cost savings that ethanol provides.”
In April, Skor testified on the benefits of higher ethanol fuel blends before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment hearing, “High Octane Fuels and High Efficiency Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities.”
Anhydrous Leads Fertilizer Prices Higher Again
With one exception, retail fertilizer prices continued their trend of moving higher the second week of November 2018, according to retailers surveyed by DTN.
One fertilizer -- anhydrous -- was significantly higher -- 5% higher compared to last month. The nitrogen fertilizer had an average price of $519 per ton.
However, none of the remaining six fertilizers that were higher were up significantly. DAP had an average price of $500/ton, MAP $530/ton, potash $368/ton, urea $407/ton, UAN28 $245/ton, and UAN32 $287/ton.
One fertilizer was slightly lower compared to a month prior. 10-34-0 was just slightly lower with an average price of $457/ton. This marks the first week in which there has been a lower fertilizer price since the first week of September 2018, a period of 10 weeks.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.44/lb.N, anhydrous $0.32/lb.N, UAN28 $0.44/lb.N, and UAN32 $0.45/lb.N.
All eight of the major fertilizers now are higher compared to last year with prices shifting up in recent months. UAN32 is 6% higher, potash is 8% more expensive, both 10-34-0 and UAN28 are 13% higher, both DAP and MAP are 15% more expensive, urea is 20% higher and anhydrous is now 27% more expensive compared to last year.
Farmers National Co: Farmland Sales Activity Picking Up
Interest in selling agricultural land is picking up among landowners. The amount of land that Farmers National Company has listed for sale is up 21 percent compared to last year at this time.
"Most of the sales are coming from individuals or ownership groups who are deciding that now is the time to sell," said Randy Dickhut, senior vice president of real estate operations at Farmers National Company. "They may have recently inherited the land or have owned it for years, but sellers have watched the land market and some are deciding to take advantage of the still historically good land prices. Some sellers are thinking that there is more downside risk in land prices than upside potential, so for them, now is the time to sell."
Selling activity is also picking up at Farmers National Company due to its recognized success in selling land. Extensive local, regional, and national marketing by Farmers National Company reaches buyers looking for land and creates successful sales for sellers.
"Despite the slower land market the past few years, Farmers National Company's real estate sales have grown each year including a solid 5 percent increase in sales volume this year," Dickhut said.
Land buyers are generally more cautious right now causing some land brokerages to experience more no-sale auctions that don't achieve the reserve price during the public auction session.
Farmweld Rep Visits Bogotà , Colombia - Rapidly Growing Pork Market
U.S. pork officials are always looking to expand exports into new markets, so it was an easy decision when the National Pork Producers Council, National Pork Board and U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) collaborated to arrange an international trip to Colombia for 14 delegates from the Pork Leadership Institute. All three organizations support pork producers and pork consumption and have had a hand in fostering U.S. exports in this rapidly growing pork market.
In the two short days, U.S. representatives met with numerous Colombian officials, including Colombia’s elected representatives and senators, foreign trade representatives, market economists and trade experts. The group toured the Colombian Congress, a large wet market, the country’s largest packing plant, a retail supermarket that sold U.S. pork ribs and loins and restaurants that also sold U.S. pork.
“The wet market was like a farmer’s market on steroids,” said Geri Wohltman, Farmweld Marketing Director. “Vendors sold anything from fruits to meat to lottery tickets and herbs.” Of particular interest were the meat vendors, who’s displays ranged from cutting up carcasses onsite to whole roasted hogs sold as a type of pulled pork that was consumed at the market for lunch.
“It was a testament to free-trade agreements that we were able to eat at a restaurant in Bogotà , Columbia and consume the healthy, safe product we know and love in the United States,” said Geri Wohltman.
Meat consumption, of all types, is rising in Colombia as the country’s middle class continues to grow. Fortunately for U.S. pork producers, pork is a preferred meat and is leading the charge.
“The Colombian market not only imports ribs, loins and hams from the United States, but also variety meats,” said Geri Wohltman. “With U.S. exports to China declining in 2018, U.S. pork producers need markets for variety meats as well as higher-value cuts.”
Deere Announces Fourth-Quarter Net Income of $785 Million and $2.368 Billion for Year
Deere & Company reported net income of $784.8 million for the fourth quarter ended October 28, 2018, or $2.42 per share, compared with net income of $510.3 million, or $1.57 per share, for the quarter ended October 29, 2017. For fiscal 2018, net income attributable to Deere & Company was $2.368 billion, or $7.24 per share, compared with $2.159 billion, or $6.68 per share, in 2017.
Affecting results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2018 were adjustments to the provision for income taxes due to the enactment of U.S. tax reform legislation on December 22, 2017 (tax reform). Fourth-quarter results included a favorable net adjustment to income taxes of $37 million, while the full year reflected an unfavorable net income tax expense of $704 million. Without these adjustments, net income attributable to Deere & Company for the fourth quarter and full year would have been $748 million, or $2.30 per share, and $3.073 billion, or $9.39 per share, respectively. (For further information, refer to the appendix on the non-GAAP financial measures and Note 2 in the "Condensed Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" accompanying this release.)
Worldwide net sales and revenues increased 17 percent, to $9.416 billion, for the fourth quarter and rose 26 percent, to $37.358 billion, for the full year. Net sales of the equipment operations were $8.343 billion for the quarter and $33.351 billion for the year, compared with respective totals of $7.094 billion and $25.885 billion in 2017.
"John Deere has concluded another solid year in which the company benefited from a further improvement in market conditions and a favorable customer response to its lineup of advanced products," said Samuel R. Allen, chairman and chief executive officer. "In the fourth quarter, farm machinery sales in the Americas made further gains while construction-equipment sales continued to move higher, helped in part by our Wirtgen road-building business, whose financial contribution has exceeded our original forecasts. At the same time, the company has continued to face cost pressures for raw materials such as steel, which are being addressed through pricing actions and ongoing cost management."
Added Allen, "The company's strong performance has allowed for significant investment in new products, services, and technologies. In addition, the company in 2018 returned almost $1.8 billion to shareholders in higher dividends and the repurchase of over $900 million of stock. These steps reflect the strength of the company and our optimism about its future prospects."
Monsanto Appeals Roundup Verdict
(AP) -- Agribusiness giant Monsanto on Tuesday appealed a $78 million verdict in favor of a dying California man who said the company's widely used Roundup weed killer was a major factor in his cancer.
The company filed a notice of appeal in San Francisco Superior Court challenging a jury verdict in favor of DeWayne Johnson. In August, the jury unanimously found that Roundup caused Johnson's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and awarded him $289 million.
Last month, Judge Suzanne Bolanos slashed that award to $78 million. Monsanto had sought a new trial or judgment in its favor.
"We continue to believe that the liability verdict and reduced damage award are not supported by the evidence at trial or the law," Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in June, said in a statement.
Bayer said none of the science presented at trial supported the conclusion that Roundup was a substantial cause of Johnson's cancer.
An email to a spokeswoman for Johnson's attorneys was not immediately returned.
Johnson, now 46, sprayed Roundup and a similar product at his job as a pest control manager at a San Francisco Bay Area school district, according to his attorneys.
He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2014 at 42, and his doctor testified that he has less than three years to live.
Monsanto is facing thousands of similar lawsuits that claim glyphosate -- the active ingredient in Roundup -- causes cancer.
Many government regulators have rejected a link between glyphosate and cancer. Monsanto says hundreds of studies have established that glyphosate is safe.
Nebraska feedlots, with capacities of 1,000 or more head, contained 2.59 million cattle on feed on November 1, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. This inventory was up 3 percent from last year.
Placements during October totaled 650,000 head, down 4 percent from 2017.
Fed cattle marketings for the month of October totaled 480,000 head, up 10 percent from last year. Other disappearance during October totaled 10,000 head, down 5,000 head from last year.
IOWA CATTLE ON FEED REPORT
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 700,000 head on November 1, 2018, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was up 1 percent from both October 1, 2018 and November 1, 2017. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 405,000 head on feed, up 1 percent from last month but down 17 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,105,000 head, up 1 percent from last month but down 6 percent from last year.
Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during October totaled 107,000 head, up 20 percent from last month but down 25 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 52,000 head, up 93 percent from last month but down 55 percent from last year. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 159,000 head, up 37 percent from last month but down 38 percent from last year.
Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during October totaled 93,000 head, up 24 percent from last month but down 6 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 45,000 head, down 10 percent from last month and down 36 percent from last year. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 138,000 head, up 10 percent from last month but down 18 percent from last year. Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 6,000 head.
United States Cattle on Feed Up 3 Percent
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.7 million head on November 1, 2018. The inventory was 3 percent above November 1, 2017.
On Feed - By State
(1,000 hd - % Nov 1 '17)
Colorado ......: 1,020 104
Iowa ............: 700 101
Kansas .........: 2,360 103
Nebraska .....: 2,590 103
Texas ...........: 2,680 102
Placements in feedlots during October totaled 2.25 million head, 6 percent below 2017. Net placements were 2.18 million head. During October, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 640,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 525,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 450,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 363,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 180,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 90,000 head.
Placements by State
(1,000 hd - % Oct '17)
Colorado ......: 195 100
Iowa ............: 107 75
Kansas .........: 405 94
Nebraska .....: 650 96
Texas ...........: 465 92
Marketings of fed cattle during October totaled 1.89 million head, 5 percent above 2017. Other disappearance totaled 69,000 head during October, 5 percent below 2017.
Marketings by state
(1,000 hd - % Oct '17)
Colorado ......: 150 100
Iowa .............: 93 94
Kansas ..........: 395 105
Nebraska ......: 480 110
Texas ............: 430 97
LENRD Board approves applications for new irrigated acres
Earlier this fall, landowners within the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) boundaries, had an opportunity to apply for new irrigated acres for 2019.
LENRD Assistant General Manager, Brian Bruckner, said, “The board voted to accept applications for standard variances from selected portions of the District. We received 145 applications for new irrigated acres during the sign-up period, which was open between September 4th and October 3rd, 2018.”
The board voted at their November meeting to approve up to 2428 acres in the Hydrologically Connected (10/50 Area), and to approve up to 2515 new acres in the Non-Hydrologically Connected (Non 10/50 Area), under the district’s standard variance process. Recommendations for approval were determined by using the variance scoring process which has been utilized by the District on previous occasions. Eligible applications are scored and ranked from highest to lowest, and approvals made until the available acres have been allocated.
Bruckner continued, “District staff will be generating letters to all applicants to inform them on the status of their request (whether they were approved or denied), with those letters being generated and mailed next week .” After the landowners have been properly notified, the list of applicants who were approved may be made available by submitting a public records request.
In other action, the board approved the allocations for the designated Quantity Management Subareas across the district for 2019. Bruckner, said, “Each year, the board must determine the annual groundwater allocation amounts for the Wayne and Madison County Quantity Management Subareas for the upcoming crop year.” The board voted to set the 2019 allocation amounts at: 18 acre-inches per irrigated acre for gravity/flood irrigation systems, 13 acre-inches per irrigated acre for subsurface drip irrigation systems, and 14 acre-inches per irrigated acre for all other irrigation systems in the Eastern Madison County Quantity Subarea, and 17 acre-inches per irrigated acre for gravity/flood irrigation systems, 12 acre-inches per irrigated acre for subsurface drip irrigation systems, and 13 acre-inches per irrigated acre for all other irrigation systems in the Wayne County Quantity Subarea.
In other business, the board approved 9 Community Forestry Incentive applications for a total cost of $32,867.95. The communities receiving grants this year include: Madison, Norfolk, Pender, Pierce Public Schools, Pilger, Wakefield, West Point, West Point Public Schools, and Wisner.
The board also voted to schedule a public hearing to be conducted on December 6, 2018 at 7 p.m. to receive comments and testimony from the public on Rules 1 and 17 of the District’s Groundwater Management Area Rules and Regulations. The public hearing will be at the LENRD office at 1508 Square Turn Boulevard in Norfolk.
FSA County Committee Election Ballots Mailed
Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Nancy Johner announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) began mailing ballots to eligible agricultural producers for the 2018 FSA county committee elections. Producers must return ballots to their local FSA offices by Dec. 3 to ensure their vote is counted.
"County committee members represent the farmers, ranchers and foresters in our Nebraska communities," said Johner. "Producers elected to these committees have always played a vital role in local agricultural decisions. It is a valued partnership that helps us better understand the needs of the farmers and ranchers we serve."
Nearly 7,700 FSA county committee members serve FSA offices nationwide. Each committee has three to 11 elected members who serve three-year terms of office. One-third of county committee seats are up for election each year. County committee members apply their knowledge and judgment to help FSA make important decisions on its commodity support programs, conservation programs, indemnity and disaster programs, emergency programs and eligibility.
Johner said producers must participate or cooperate in an FSA program to be eligible to vote in the county committee election. Farmers and ranchers who supervise and conduct the farming operations of an entire farm, but are not of legal voting age, may also be eligible to vote.
Farmers and ranchers began receiving their ballots earlier this month. Ballots include the names of candidates running for the local committee election. Voters who did not receive a ballot can pick one up at their local FSA office. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked no later than Dec. 3. Newly elected committee members will take office Jan. 1.
Upcoming Nebraska Farmers Union Convention Agenda Highlights Announced
“Eyes on the Horizon, Boots in the Soil” is the theme for the 105th annual Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) state convention. John Hansen, NeFU President said, “We made the decision to move our state conventions around the state to encourage more of our statewide membership to participate. We are excited to be in Lincoln for the first time in decades. The Marriott Cornhusker is an exceptional facility. On the business side, our delegates and members will do the nuts and bolts work of electing our officers, selecting our delegates to the National Farmers Union (NFU) Convention, and setting our policy. Our theme reflects our focus on creating new economic opportunities for farm and ranch families while maintaining our core values and tie to the land.”
Friday morning highlights include hearing from new Nebraska Ethanol Board Administrator Sarah Caswell and retiring Administrator Todd Sneller discuss Nebraska’s cutting edge case study on the use of 30% ethanol in non-flex fuel state vehicles. In addition, Caswell and National Farmers Union (NFU) Senior Vice-President Rob Larew of Public Policy will discuss federal RFS (Renewable Fuels Standards) issues that are critical to corn utilization and expanded ethanol use. Larew will be the Friday noon luncheon keynote speaker as he presents NFU’s year of legislative efforts and issues.
Friday afternoon will feature:
· Three chapter authors of the book “In Defense of Farmers: the Future of Agriculture in the Shadow of Corporate Power” scheduled for release spring 2019.
· Five Nebraska Public Power officials on the challenges and opportunities facing Nebraska Public Power.
· A panel of newly elected and current state senators on issues facing the upcoming legislative session.
The Friday evening banquet keynote speaker will be well known author Dr. John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri. The entertainment will feature “The Audacious Nebraska Descendants of DeWitty” documentary re-enactors and traveling photo exhibit. “We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Ikerd as our keynote speaker. We think our members will really enjoy learning about the Descendants of DeWitty. The photo exhibits depict scenes from black homesteaders who lived in the Sandhills of Nebraska between Valentine and Thedford beginning in 1904. The re-enactors will bring those photos, the courage of those homesteaders, and fascinating part of Nebraska homesteader history to life,” Hansen said.
Saturday morning representatives from the Nebraskans United for Property Tax Reform and Education coalition will share their perspectives on the challenges current state law places on small, medium, and large schools. The Nebraskans United coalition’s goals are to adequately fund education while providing real property tax relief. Speakers include: Jordan Rasmussen- Center for Rural Affairs; Jack Moles, Executive Director-NE Rural Community Schools, Association; Dr. Mike Lucas, Superintendent of York Public Schools & STANCE (Schools Taking Action for NE children’s Education); Dr. Rob Winter, Executive Director-Greater NE Schools Association; Dr. Michael Dulaney, Executive Director-NE Council of School Administrators, and Al Davis, Board of Director, Independent Cattlemen of NE & NeFU.
Registration is $35 and begins at 8:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday mornings. Convention begins at 9:00 a.m. Friday and 8:30 a.m. Saturday. As always, all members and the public are welcome. More information is available at: www.nebraskafarmersunion.org or call (402) 476-8815. Call (402) 474-7474 for room reservations.
The NeFU Convention room rate is $99 per night and includes a complimentary hot breakfast.
All-Time Record High for Red Meat and Pork Production
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.90 billion pounds in October according to USDA, up 6 percent from the 4.64 billion pounds produced in October 2017.
Beef production, at 2.43 billion pounds, was 5 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.96 million head, up 6 percent from October 2017. The average live weight was up 2 pounds from the previous year, at 1,363 pounds.
Veal production totaled 7.2 million pounds, 13 percent above October a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 53,800 head, up 22 percent from October 2017. The average live weight was down 18 pounds from last year, at 232 pounds.
Pork production totaled 2.45 billion pounds, up 6 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 11.6 million head, up 6 percent from October 2017. The average live weight was unchanged from the previous year, at 283 pounds.
Lamb and mutton production, at 13.1 million pounds, was up 10 percent from October 2017. Sheep slaughter totaled 199,800 head, 9 percent above last year. The average live weight was 131 pounds, up 2 pounds from October a year ago.
By State (mill lbs. - % Oct '17)
Nebraska ......: 734.4 103
Iowa .............: 725.0 111
Kansas ..........: 522.8 104
January to October 2018 commercial red meat production was 44.4 billion pounds, up 3 percent from 2017. Accumulated beef production was up 3 percent from last year, veal was up 2 percent, pork was up 3 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was up 6 percent.
USDA Cold Storage Report October 2018 Highlights
Total red meat supplies in freezers on October 31, 2018 were down 1 percent from the previous month and down 1 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were up 2 percent from the previous month and up 2 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were down 3 percent from the previous month and down 5 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were down 12 percent from last month and down 17 percent from last year.
Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on October 31, 2018 were down slightly from the previous month but up 8 percent from October 31, 2017. Butter stocks were down 19 percent from last month but up 6 percent from a year ago.
Total frozen poultry supplies on October 31, 2018 were down 9 percent from the previous month but up 4 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were down 2 percent from the previous month but up 8 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were down 21 percent from last month and down 4 percent from October 31, 2017.
Total frozen fruit stocks were up 18 percent from last month but down 2 percent from a year ago. Total frozen vegetable stocks were up 5 percent from last month but down 7 percent from a year ago.
Weekly Ethanol Production for the week ended 11/16/2018.
According to EIA data analyzed by the Renewable Fuels Association, ethanol production averaged 1.042 million barrels per day (b/d)—or 43.76 million gallons daily. That is down 25,000 b/d (-2.3%) from the week before for a 4-week low. Alternatively, the four-week average for ethanol production sustained a fourth week of increases, expanding to 1.059 million b/d for an annualized rate of 16.23 billion gallons.
Stocks of ethanol were 22.8 million barrels. That is a 3.0% drawdown from last week.
There were zero imports recorded after 37,000 b/d hit the books last week. (Weekly export data for ethanol is not reported simultaneously; the latest export data is as of September 2018.)
Average weekly gasoline demand tapered 0.1% to 9.185 million barrels (385.8 million gallons) daily. This is equivalent to 140.81 billion gallons annualized. Refiner/blender input of ethanol lifted 0.2% to 928,000 b/d, equivalent to 14.23 billion gallons annualized.
Expressed as a percentage of daily gasoline demand, daily ethanol production decreased to 11.34%.
Skor Comments on Shimkus, Flores RFS Discussion Draft
Today, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor issued a statement following the release of a Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) discussion draft by U.S. Representatives John Shimkus (R-IL) and Bill Flores (R-TX), which would sunset the RFS:
“While we welcome any improvements to octane standards nationwide, this bill would turn back the clock on our nation’s commitment to renewable biofuels, completely undermining the benefits that consumers have come to expect from ethanol at the pump. Ethanol itself has a natural octane of 113 and a lower carbon content than the gasoline components it replaces. It is only through coupling a stable Renewable Fuel Standard with improvements to octane standards that consumers can continue to reap the increased engine efficiency, environmental benefits, and cost savings that ethanol provides.”
In April, Skor testified on the benefits of higher ethanol fuel blends before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment hearing, “High Octane Fuels and High Efficiency Vehicles: Challenges and Opportunities.”
Anhydrous Leads Fertilizer Prices Higher Again
With one exception, retail fertilizer prices continued their trend of moving higher the second week of November 2018, according to retailers surveyed by DTN.
One fertilizer -- anhydrous -- was significantly higher -- 5% higher compared to last month. The nitrogen fertilizer had an average price of $519 per ton.
However, none of the remaining six fertilizers that were higher were up significantly. DAP had an average price of $500/ton, MAP $530/ton, potash $368/ton, urea $407/ton, UAN28 $245/ton, and UAN32 $287/ton.
One fertilizer was slightly lower compared to a month prior. 10-34-0 was just slightly lower with an average price of $457/ton. This marks the first week in which there has been a lower fertilizer price since the first week of September 2018, a period of 10 weeks.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.44/lb.N, anhydrous $0.32/lb.N, UAN28 $0.44/lb.N, and UAN32 $0.45/lb.N.
All eight of the major fertilizers now are higher compared to last year with prices shifting up in recent months. UAN32 is 6% higher, potash is 8% more expensive, both 10-34-0 and UAN28 are 13% higher, both DAP and MAP are 15% more expensive, urea is 20% higher and anhydrous is now 27% more expensive compared to last year.
Farmers National Co: Farmland Sales Activity Picking Up
Interest in selling agricultural land is picking up among landowners. The amount of land that Farmers National Company has listed for sale is up 21 percent compared to last year at this time.
"Most of the sales are coming from individuals or ownership groups who are deciding that now is the time to sell," said Randy Dickhut, senior vice president of real estate operations at Farmers National Company. "They may have recently inherited the land or have owned it for years, but sellers have watched the land market and some are deciding to take advantage of the still historically good land prices. Some sellers are thinking that there is more downside risk in land prices than upside potential, so for them, now is the time to sell."
Selling activity is also picking up at Farmers National Company due to its recognized success in selling land. Extensive local, regional, and national marketing by Farmers National Company reaches buyers looking for land and creates successful sales for sellers.
"Despite the slower land market the past few years, Farmers National Company's real estate sales have grown each year including a solid 5 percent increase in sales volume this year," Dickhut said.
Land buyers are generally more cautious right now causing some land brokerages to experience more no-sale auctions that don't achieve the reserve price during the public auction session.
Farmweld Rep Visits Bogotà , Colombia - Rapidly Growing Pork Market
U.S. pork officials are always looking to expand exports into new markets, so it was an easy decision when the National Pork Producers Council, National Pork Board and U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) collaborated to arrange an international trip to Colombia for 14 delegates from the Pork Leadership Institute. All three organizations support pork producers and pork consumption and have had a hand in fostering U.S. exports in this rapidly growing pork market.
In the two short days, U.S. representatives met with numerous Colombian officials, including Colombia’s elected representatives and senators, foreign trade representatives, market economists and trade experts. The group toured the Colombian Congress, a large wet market, the country’s largest packing plant, a retail supermarket that sold U.S. pork ribs and loins and restaurants that also sold U.S. pork.
“The wet market was like a farmer’s market on steroids,” said Geri Wohltman, Farmweld Marketing Director. “Vendors sold anything from fruits to meat to lottery tickets and herbs.” Of particular interest were the meat vendors, who’s displays ranged from cutting up carcasses onsite to whole roasted hogs sold as a type of pulled pork that was consumed at the market for lunch.
“It was a testament to free-trade agreements that we were able to eat at a restaurant in Bogotà , Columbia and consume the healthy, safe product we know and love in the United States,” said Geri Wohltman.
Meat consumption, of all types, is rising in Colombia as the country’s middle class continues to grow. Fortunately for U.S. pork producers, pork is a preferred meat and is leading the charge.
“The Colombian market not only imports ribs, loins and hams from the United States, but also variety meats,” said Geri Wohltman. “With U.S. exports to China declining in 2018, U.S. pork producers need markets for variety meats as well as higher-value cuts.”
Deere Announces Fourth-Quarter Net Income of $785 Million and $2.368 Billion for Year
Deere & Company reported net income of $784.8 million for the fourth quarter ended October 28, 2018, or $2.42 per share, compared with net income of $510.3 million, or $1.57 per share, for the quarter ended October 29, 2017. For fiscal 2018, net income attributable to Deere & Company was $2.368 billion, or $7.24 per share, compared with $2.159 billion, or $6.68 per share, in 2017.
Affecting results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2018 were adjustments to the provision for income taxes due to the enactment of U.S. tax reform legislation on December 22, 2017 (tax reform). Fourth-quarter results included a favorable net adjustment to income taxes of $37 million, while the full year reflected an unfavorable net income tax expense of $704 million. Without these adjustments, net income attributable to Deere & Company for the fourth quarter and full year would have been $748 million, or $2.30 per share, and $3.073 billion, or $9.39 per share, respectively. (For further information, refer to the appendix on the non-GAAP financial measures and Note 2 in the "Condensed Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" accompanying this release.)
Worldwide net sales and revenues increased 17 percent, to $9.416 billion, for the fourth quarter and rose 26 percent, to $37.358 billion, for the full year. Net sales of the equipment operations were $8.343 billion for the quarter and $33.351 billion for the year, compared with respective totals of $7.094 billion and $25.885 billion in 2017.
"John Deere has concluded another solid year in which the company benefited from a further improvement in market conditions and a favorable customer response to its lineup of advanced products," said Samuel R. Allen, chairman and chief executive officer. "In the fourth quarter, farm machinery sales in the Americas made further gains while construction-equipment sales continued to move higher, helped in part by our Wirtgen road-building business, whose financial contribution has exceeded our original forecasts. At the same time, the company has continued to face cost pressures for raw materials such as steel, which are being addressed through pricing actions and ongoing cost management."
Added Allen, "The company's strong performance has allowed for significant investment in new products, services, and technologies. In addition, the company in 2018 returned almost $1.8 billion to shareholders in higher dividends and the repurchase of over $900 million of stock. These steps reflect the strength of the company and our optimism about its future prospects."
Monsanto Appeals Roundup Verdict
(AP) -- Agribusiness giant Monsanto on Tuesday appealed a $78 million verdict in favor of a dying California man who said the company's widely used Roundup weed killer was a major factor in his cancer.
The company filed a notice of appeal in San Francisco Superior Court challenging a jury verdict in favor of DeWayne Johnson. In August, the jury unanimously found that Roundup caused Johnson's non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and awarded him $289 million.
Last month, Judge Suzanne Bolanos slashed that award to $78 million. Monsanto had sought a new trial or judgment in its favor.
"We continue to believe that the liability verdict and reduced damage award are not supported by the evidence at trial or the law," Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in June, said in a statement.
Bayer said none of the science presented at trial supported the conclusion that Roundup was a substantial cause of Johnson's cancer.
An email to a spokeswoman for Johnson's attorneys was not immediately returned.
Johnson, now 46, sprayed Roundup and a similar product at his job as a pest control manager at a San Francisco Bay Area school district, according to his attorneys.
He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2014 at 42, and his doctor testified that he has less than three years to live.
Monsanto is facing thousands of similar lawsuits that claim glyphosate -- the active ingredient in Roundup -- causes cancer.
Many government regulators have rejected a link between glyphosate and cancer. Monsanto says hundreds of studies have established that glyphosate is safe.
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Tuesday November 20 Ag News
AG TECH START-UPS COMPETE FOR $20,000 PRIZE
The Nebraska Power Farming Show, presented by Farm Credit Services of America and AgDirect, is hosting an Ag Innovation Pitch Competition LIVE at the show on Wednesday, December 5.
The competition will feature six ag tech start-ups pitching their latest ideas to help producers manage their operation more effectively. The competition, emceed by Chad Moyer (KTIC Radio Farm Director), will culminate with the winning company receiving a $20,000 prize.
Show attendees can watch these ag tech start-ups compete at 2:00 pm in Pavilion 2 East:
- ChorChek: Changes the way livestock producers manage their daily tasks by streamlining processes and data collection.
- FarmAfield: Low-cost ag investment platform where ag commodities can be bought and sold.
- Farmland Finder: Makes farmland information more accessible through an online search engine and marketplace for ag real estate.
- HitchPin: Connects farmers who need services or products to others that can provide them.
- Quantified AG: Leverages data analytics to report on cattle behavior and biometrics with a smart cattle ear tag.
- Tillable: A marketplace for connecting landowners and growers.
The Ag Innovation Pitch Competition is presented by Farm Credit Services in collaboration with CoBank, Farm Credit Leasing, Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association, Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Innovation Campus and Rain and Hail.
The second largest indoor U.S. farm show, the Nebraska Power Farming Show will be held December 4-6 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Spread across 9.2 acres, the Nebraska Power Farming Show features the broadest mix of ag-related products and services in the Midwest. NEW show hours – 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Tuesday and Wednesday, and 8:30 am to 3 pm Thursday. Admission and parking at the Lancaster Event Center are FREE!
The Nebraska Power Farming Show is produced by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association in conjunction with local Nebraska and Iowa farm equipment dealerships. The show is sponsored by: Diamond Sponsor – Farm Credit Services of America and AgDirect; Platinum Sponsors – Bayer and Nebraska Farm Bureau; Gold Sponsors – Mitas, Stine Seed Company and Sukup Manufacturing; Silver Sponsor – Heartland Chevy Dealers; and Media Sponsors – Midwest Messenger and Rural Radio Network.
AFAN/WSA bring Ag Groups Together to Discuss Workforce Challenges
A panel discussion on ag workforce shortage and housing issues was one of the highlights of the annual meeting of the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture (AFAN) and We Support Agriculture (WSA) in Lincoln.
Panel participants were Bill Thiele of TLS Dairy of Clearwater, Liz Babcock with Adams Land and Cattle of Broken Bow, and Gary Person from the North Platte Area Chamber of Commerce.
Babcock, who handles human resources for the 160-employee Adams operation, said she has had success in recruiting employees by focusing on millennials through social media--and she said working to build a better culture has helped retain good employees.
Thiele said housing is “tremendous problem” for their 30-employee dairy operation. He said they had to start buying houses when they became available, so employees would have a place to live. They also pay the rent for employees.
Person says North Platte has developed programs which provide incentives to contractors to build housing.
Anne Meis of Elgin, a member of the Nebraska Soybean Board, said she enjoyed the panel discussion. “I liked the diversity of the panel, from the large operation represented by Adams Land and Cattle to a smaller operation with Bill Thiele of TLS Dairy. The diversification helped us understand the challenges that both sizes of farming operations experience. It was a good representation of the issue.”
Another highlight of the annual meeting was an address by Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts. Ricketts said his administration continues to look for opportunities to expand livestock agriculture in Nebraska.
In her annual report, AFAN executive director Kristen Hassebrook said it’s been a good year for livestock development in Nebraska.
“There’s a lot of poultry that’s about to come online and hog development is really exciting right now,” Hassebrook said. “We also see the opportunity for some unique partnerships between beef and dairy related to heifer development and feedlot opportunities.”
The meeting concluded with the recognition of Jim and Lora O’Rourke of RuJoDen Ranch, Chadron, Nebraska as winners of the 2018 Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award. The award is sponsored by the Sand County Foundation with support from AFAN, Nebraska Cattlemen, Cargill, and The Nebraska Environmental Trust.
The annual meeting of AFAN and WSA was sponsored by the Nebraska Soybean Board and the Nebraska Corn Board.
Beattie named 2018 AG-ceptional Woman
A Sumner woman has been recognized for her contributions to agriculture. Shana Beattie was honored as the AG-ceptional Woman of the Year at the Northeast Community College AG-ceptional Women’s Conference on the Northeast campus in Norfolk on Friday.
The announcement was made during a video tribute that was played during the opening session of the 10th annual conference. The video was sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America and produced by the Northeast Agriculture Department and Media Production Group.
“Shana represents what it means to be AG-ceptional in so many ways … her passion and commitment to agriculture shines through in every role she fulfills,” said Corinne Morris, dean of agriculture, math and science at Northeast Community College and conference director.
A special selection committee made up of professionals from agricultural businesses and operations is assembled each year to select the winner from a very competitive group of nominees.
Beattie was nominated by Karen Grant, of Grant Family Farms of Meadow Grove and a past Ag-Ceptional Woman recipient. Grant said she knew of Beattie’s passion for agriculture when she heard her speak to members of Nebraska’s Congressional delegation.
“Shana was very professional, but she let them know where she stood on issues. And I just adored her from that moment on. She has such a passion for life, for her family and for agriculture in general. I just felt that Shana is a wonderful ‘AG-ceptional’ woman, so I wanted to nominate her to be the AG-ceptional Woman of the year.”
Shana Beattie was born and raised in north central Florida where her family is still involved in agriculture. Her father was a rancher who raised cattle and was also in the livestock trucking business. She and her four siblings grew up in a rural area and were actively involved in 4-H and FFA. Beattie was involved in livestock judging in high school and was recognized at state, district and national competitions.
While serving as a member of the University of Florida Livestock Judging Team, she met her future husband, Bart Beattie, who was attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at the time while she was working during a summer internship in North Carolina.
“I still bleed orange and blue which has been interesting living in Nebraska for twenty-two years. I’m true to my roots, but I have raised a bunch of little ‘Cornhuskers,’ so I’ve done my part. However, I still root for orange and blue on Saturdays.”
Bart and Shana Beattie operate Beattie Family Farms, along with his parents Jeff and Nanette Beattie. It is a diversified operation that includes a crop rotation of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. They also partner in a 10,000 head sow farm for a large wean to finish swine operation. Additionally, they own a commercial cow/calf ranching operation near Sumner in central Nebraska. The Beattie’s employ 15 people.
“I’m the fifth generation to be on this family farm and I’m very proud of that. I have a lot of pride in the heritage that my grandfathers started years ago,” Bart Beattie said. “We’ve had the opportunity to be here for over twenty years and it’s just been a great opportunity to get to grow our operation with Shana, who has been very involved from the beginning.”
Shana Beattie’s primary role in the operation presently involves inventory management. Previously, she has worked with cattle and assisted during harvest driving grain cars, in addition to other jobs. She also serves as a member of the board of directors of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association.
She is also actively involved in the couple’s children’s agriculture activities.
“Shana has done a really good job with our kids in fostering a passion for agriculture, a passion for the farming operation, and getting the kids involved through FFA and 4-H,” Bart Beattie said. “Having them out on the farm gives them a good foundation.”
Bart Beattie, Jr. said of his mother, “She’s an awesome lady and I’m so blessed to have her. She helps with everything, and she knows a lot about the farm. She’s extremely passionate about agriculture and I’m very blessed to have her.”
Nanette Beattie, Shana’s mother-in-law, is pleased to see her receive the AG-ceptional Woman recognition.
“Shana is a ‘get-ur’ done gal. She goes forth with all that she has in any task that comes before her. She has a passion for agriculture and for her family. She has her priorities right and she is very knowledgeable and is informed in everything she does. She is most deserving of this award.”
Shana Beattie said she is fortunate to have the life she leads.
“I love to serve my family, I love to serve the farm, I love to serve my community … and that is a way for me to put my investment in agriculture. I enjoy learning. I also enjoy helping build the (Pork Producers Association) as we face new challenges in pork production.
Beattie said she is passionate about her life in agriculture.
“Everyone has their passion and everyone has their gift (to promote agriculture). Every situation for each individual is different, but I think as you find your true gift, you can use that as your way to promote and get involved with agriculture.”
The Beatties have four children, McKenzie, a freshman at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who is majoring in agriculture, Mattison, a freshman at SEM Schools in Sumner, Bart Jr., a seventh grader, and Preston, a fifth grader at SEM.
Online Course Assists in Developing Weed Management Plan
Designing an effective weed management plan to combat troublesome weeds and delay the development of herbicide resistance requires careful planning. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates the cost of dealing with herbicide resistance once it occurs to be $20-60 per acre. Developing long-term weed management plans that reduce the chances of resistance developing will minimize the cost of resistance.
An online course offered through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, titled "Herbicide Resistance and Weed Management," provides farmers and agribusinesses the tools and resources needed to help design an effective long-term weed management plan to help delay the development of herbicide resistance.
The interactive and self-paced course contains presentations narrated by ISU Extension and Outreach faculty and specialists, along with lesson activities that can be completed according to the user's timetable.
The cost of the course is $50 and can be purchased through the ISU Extension Store.
Those who complete the course are eligible for 3.0 integrated pest management Certified Crop Advisor continuing education units. In order to receive CCA credits, the entire course must be completed.
Additional course information can be found at www.aep.iastate.edu/weeds.
Farm Service Agency Names William “Bill” Beam as Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Richard Fordyce announced today that William “Bill” Beam has been appointed by the Trump Administration to serve as Deputy Administrator of Farm Programs (DAFP). Beam was sworn in on Oct. 22, 2018.
As Deputy Administrator, Beam will be responsible for overseeing and implementing policies and procedures that regulate the delivery of federal farm programs. He along with DAFP staff oversee major portions of the farm bill including programs that help America’s farmers, ranchers and forest stewards manage market risks, recover from disasters and conserve and protect natural resources through FSA’s network of over 2,100 state and county offices.
Prior to his appointment, Beam was the president, owner/operator of Beam Farms, Inc., a fourth-generation row crop, specialty crop and hay operation in Elverson, Pennsylvania. In addition to his farming operation, Beam owns and manages a sawdust trucking business.
He was an appointed member of the United Soybean Board for nine years. In this role, Beam traveled internationally promoting U.S. soybeans and export markets. He also served two years on the United States Soybean Export Council and held leadership positions with the Pennsylvania Soybean Board.
Americans Give Thanks for Lower Fuel and Food Prices this Thanksgiving
Nearly 50 million travelers will take to America’s roads this Thanksgiving holiday, and ethanol is helping to lower the price they pay for gasoline. At the same time, a new survey shows the cost of Thanksgiving dinner is expected to hit an eight-year low.
According to AAA, 48.5 million travelers will drive for Thanksgiving, nearly 5 percent more than last year. Based on Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) analysis using the most recent monthly data, 10% ethanol blends (E10) are helping U.S. consumers save 22 cents per gallon at the pump. In fact, ethanol is on pace to reduce household spending on gasoline by $34 billion this year, or $270 per household.
The discount is even greater for 15% ethanol blends (E15), a fuel that is legally approved for more than 90% of the cars and trucks on the road today. Based on RFA analysis, E15 could help U.S. consumers save 27 cents per gallon at the pump. If E15 were adopted nationwide, the fuel would be expected to reduce household spending on gasoline by $42 billion this year, or $335 per household.
Consumers are not only saving money at the pump, but they’re also saving money on Thanksgiving dinner. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual survey, the classic Thanksgiving meal for a family of 10 will average $48.90 this year, less than $5 per person and down about 1 percent from prior-year levels. Since 2015, the average cost of Thanksgiving dinner has declined steadily and is now at the lowest level since 2010.
“As a record number of travelers are expected to hit the road this holiday week, they can be thankful that homegrown, renewable ethanol is helping to save them money at the pump,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Meanwhile, the cost of Thanksgiving dinner continues to fall, thoroughly debunking the ridiculous old argument that increased use of field corn for ethanol production would lead to higher prices for meat, milk, eggs, and other staple foods. In fact, annual food price inflation has averaged just 2.2% since the RFS was expanded in 2007, compared to an average of 3.0% in the preceding 25-year period.”
Mexico City marks sixth visit to Mexico for ACE in 2018 to address ethanol questions from service station owners
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty traveled to Mexico City last week for the final ethanol technical workshop held this year for Mexican petroleum equipment installers and retailers. The workshops were a joint effort of the U.S. Grains Council and the Mexican Association of Service Station Suppliers (AMPES), to inform local station owners about opportunities in sourcing, marketing, and retailing ethanol-blended gasoline, as Mexico’s transportation fuel sector continues to evolve.
“These workshops have helped Mexican fuel marketers, equipment suppliers, and even some government officials understand offering gasoline with 10 percent ethanol is a safe and economically sensible way to have cleaner air and provide less expensive options at the pump for drivers in Mexico,” Lamberty said. “‘The math’ of ethanol blends is undeniably attractive for station owners and consumers right now, and our next challenge will be helping businesses do what they need to do to distribute our product to places where it can be blended and delivered to stations. Fuel equipment companies say the workshops have inspired interest from retailers and prospective wholesale distributors of ethanol.”
Those points were echoed at a press conference during last week’s workshop by AMPES President Isaias Romero Escalona, who said, “The interests of some politicians are the main obstacle to the incorporation of ethanol into the gasoline market,” while the President of the Mexican Energy Commission (COMENER) Juan Acra López said the introduction of ethanol would be “music for the ears of the next government, since it would reduce the cost of fuel.”
“Current U.S. ethanol exports to Mexico are primarily for industrial uses like perfumes, solvents, and beverages, but we’re starting to see retailers in border cities buying pre-blended E10 at U.S. terminals for resale in their convenience stores or service stations,” Lamberty added. “While these volumes are tiny right now, just as we saw ethanol spread across the U.S., when retailers see other retailers successfully selling E10, they become more confident they could offer it too, and volumes will increase.”
Lamberty’s 2018 travels to Mexico included visits to Xalapa in August, Chihuahua in July, and León in June. Earlier this spring, Lamberty spoke at two other workshops in Monterrey and Tijuana. USGC and AMPES also held a workshop in Oaxaca earlier in November. Mexico City is the final workshop the USGC is hosting in 2018, but interest and attendance increase at each event, and ACE will continue to work with the USGC to provide information to retailers and others who want to sell more ethanol.
NCGA Calls for More Equitable Trade Relief
National Corn Growers Association President Lynn Chrisp today urged U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to consider changes to the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) ahead of the second round of payments.
In a letter to Perdue, Chrisp said that he continues to hear from farmers who are disappointed in USDA’s approach to calculating the first round of MFP payments because it was too narrow in scope and did not capture the real-time impacts of trade disruptions on our markets.
Chrisp asked Perdue to add ethanol and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to the calculation of damages for corn. Using USDA’s methodology, gross trade damages for ethanol and DDGS amounts to $254 million, which was not accounted for in the first MFP payments. Chrisp also asked the Secretary to allow farmers who suffer production losses from disasters to use an alternative to 2018 production for their MFP calculation. This would ensure farmers suffering from drought, hurricane-related losses or other natural disasters would not be penalized twice.
Text of the letter is below.
Dear Secretary Perdue,
On behalf of the more than 40,000 National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) members and the more than 300,000 corn farmers across the nation, I am writing to ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider changes to its Market Facilitation Program (MFP) for the second tranche of payments, planned for December 2018.
During the development of the Department’s trade mitigation plan, NCGA provided USDA and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with analysis of losses to corn farmers resulting from trade disputes with China and the European Union. This information was based on a study, conducted by Integrated Financial Analytics and Research (IFAR), that found an average decline in the price of corn of $0.44/bu as a result of trade tariffs, amounting to a $6.3 billion loss to corn farmers.
NCGA requested that USDA’s trade mitigation efforts compensate commodities proportionate to their lost revenue and that farmers suffering production losses due to natural disasters be able to use an alternative method of calculating their payments.
At the same time, NCGA called on the Trump Administration to take immediate actions to strengthen market demand for farmers. These included, resolving ongoing trade disputes, securing existing and new trade agreements, and providing parity for ethanol blends above 10 percent.
NCGA is pleased that the Trump Administration has made progress on several of these priorities, including reaching a trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, moving forward with trade negotiations with Japan, and directing EPA to provide RVP parity. We appreciate the strong role you have played in working with the President to deliver on these priorities.
These are critical developments, but the economic benefits will take some time to materialize, and corn farmers are struggling now. I continue to hear from farmers who are disappointed in USDA’s approach to calculating the first round of MFP payments because it was too narrow in scope and did not capture the real-time impacts of trade disruptions on our markets.
Given that there is still significant uncertainty in the farm economy and that corn prices are still being impacted by ongoing disputes with China and the EU, NCGA is asking USDA for the following modifications in its calculation of the second tranche of MFP payments:
Add ethanol and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to the calculation of damages for corn. U.S. corn farmers have seen value-added corn products grow as an important share of our global exports (see attached graphic). In 2017, according to FAS data, the United States exported $185 million worth of ethanol and $223 million worth of DDGS (for a combined value of $408 million in exports) to China and the European Union. Based on the Office of the Chief Economist’s MFP methodology, gross trade damages for ethanol and DDGS amounts to $254 million that was not accounted for in the first tranche of MFP payments.
Allow farmers who suffer production losses from disasters to use an alternative to 2018 production for their MFP calculations. This programmatic modification would ensure that farmers in Kansas, Missouri and Texas, who are suffering from drought, and farmers in the Southeast, who are suffering losses from Hurricane Michael, would not be penalized twice. It is also important that farmers be allowed to use RMA production records in MFP.
Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and your staff, for continuing this dialogue with NCGA. I know that we share the goal of ensuring that MFP provides farmers with much-needed relief in a way that is equitable and effective. I believe that the modifications I have outlined in this letter will get us closer to that goal and urge you to give this request serious consideration.
Sincerely,
Lynn Chrisp, President
National Corn Growers Association
ACE CEO statement on Chevron receiving RFS waiver at Utah refinery
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings released the following statement, following reporting that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted Chevron Corp a 2017 hardship waiver from complying with its Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending obligation at its Utah refinery earlier this year:
“While Chevron and other refiners enjoy their record profits and “economic hardship” waivers from EPA on Thanksgiving, many farmers and ethanol producers in rural America are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. Chevron posted net profits of nearly $10 billion in 2017. On what planet does that constitute the “disproportionate economic hardship” threshold needed to help justify a Small Refinery Exemption? Meanwhile, it is insulting to rural America that EPA has found the time to grant nearly 50 Small Refinery Exemptions for 2016 and 2017 but insists on waiting until February of 2019 to propose a rule allowing retailers to offer E15 to their customers year-round.”
CattleTrace Participants Meet with USDA Under Secretary Greg Ibach
U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach was welcomed to Great Bend, Kansas, on Monday, November 19, by beef industry leaders participating in the CattleTrace pilot project for disease traceability. USDA is a partner in the pilot project that will develop and test an end-to-end disease traceability system.
Approximately 40 producer participants, including ranchers, livestock markets, cattle feeders and packers, as well as other CattleTrace partners, participated in the meeting that provided an update on the pilot project as well as allowed for discussion about disease traceability priorities at USDA. CattleTrace is being implemented by a cooperative public-private partnership including the Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas State University, Kansas Department of Agriculture, USDA and private producers.
“Without the partnership from beef producers across the state, CattleTrace wouldn’t have gotten off the ground. It is exciting to see enthusiasm from producers who are willing to step up and help lead the development of a disease traceability system that can work in and for our industry,” said Brandon Depenbusch, CattleTrace, Inc., Board of Directors chairman. “USDA is an important partner in CattleTrace and plays an integral role in disease traceability across the country. We are grateful that Under Secretary Ibach traveled to Kansas to meet with CattleTrace participants and share his vision for disease traceability.”
CattleTrace was launched in late June 2018 and will conclude in spring 2020. During the pilot, 55,000 Kansas-based calves will be tagged with an ultra-high frequency ear tag. As the calves move through the supply chain, minimal data, including an individual animal identification number, GPS location, and the date and time, will be captured and maintained in a secure, third-party database. The CattleTrace team will use the database to conduct mock traces to test the infrastructure in order to determine its effectiveness in tracing animal movements in the event of a disease outbreak.
Depenbusch noted that more than 31,500 tags have been distributed and the rest will be distributed in the coming months. He also highlighted tag readers are installed at all partner feedyards and livestock markets.
In September 2018, USDA outlined four overarching goals for advancing animal disease traceability. USDA will begin implementing the traceability goals starting in fiscal year 2019. CattleTrace will be playing an important role in USDA’s traceability initiatives. Each of the USDA goals aligns with the basic infrastructure and implementation protocol of the CattleTrace Pilot Project.
“The landscape surrounding animal disease traceability has changed dramatically in the past decade, and producers across the nation recognize that a comprehensive system is the best protection against a devastating disease outbreak like foot-and-mouth disease,” Under Secretary Ibach said in September. “We have a responsibility to these producers and American agriculture as a whole to make animal disease traceability what it should be—a modern system that tracks animals from birth to slaughter using affordable technology that allows USDA to quickly trace sick and exposed animals to stop disease spread.”
To learn more about CattleTrace, visit www.CattleTrace.org.
NEBRASKA CHICKEN AND EGGS
All layers in Nebraska during October 2018 totaled 8.39 million, up from 7.71 million the previous year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Nebraska egg production during October totaled 214 million eggs, up from 194 million in 2017. October egg production per 100 layers was 2,553 eggs, compared to 2,514 eggs in 2017.
IOWA CHICKEN AND EGGS
Iowa egg production during October 2018 was 1.40 billion eggs, up 3 percent from last month and up 5 percent from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The average number of all layers on hand during October 2018 was 57.8 million, virtually unchanged from last month but up 4 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for October were 2,422, up 3 percent from last month and up 1 percent from last year.
October U.S. Egg Production Up 3 Percent
United States egg production totaled 9.22 billion during October 2018, up 3 percent from last year. Production included 8.04 billion table eggs, and 1.18 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.10 billion were broiler-type and 86.3 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during October 2018 totaled 386 million, up 2 percent from last year. October egg production per 100 layers was 2,388 eggs, up 1 percent from October 2017.
All layers in the United States on November 1, 2018 totaled 386 million, up 2 percent from last year. The 386 million layers consisted of 326 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 57.6 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.31 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on November 1, 2018, averaged 77.1 eggs per 100 layers, up 1 percent from November 1, 2017.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 7 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during October 2018 totaled 55.0 million, up 7 percent from October 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 45.2 million on November 1, 2018, down slightly from a year ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 225 thousand during October 2018, up 14 percent from October 2017.
Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Down Slightly
Broiler-type chicks hatched during October 2018 totaled 790 million, down slightly from October 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 649 million on November 1, 2018, down slightly from a year ago.
Leading breeders placed 7.28 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during October 2018, down 4 percent from October 2017.
The Nebraska Power Farming Show, presented by Farm Credit Services of America and AgDirect, is hosting an Ag Innovation Pitch Competition LIVE at the show on Wednesday, December 5.
The competition will feature six ag tech start-ups pitching their latest ideas to help producers manage their operation more effectively. The competition, emceed by Chad Moyer (KTIC Radio Farm Director), will culminate with the winning company receiving a $20,000 prize.
Show attendees can watch these ag tech start-ups compete at 2:00 pm in Pavilion 2 East:
- ChorChek: Changes the way livestock producers manage their daily tasks by streamlining processes and data collection.
- FarmAfield: Low-cost ag investment platform where ag commodities can be bought and sold.
- Farmland Finder: Makes farmland information more accessible through an online search engine and marketplace for ag real estate.
- HitchPin: Connects farmers who need services or products to others that can provide them.
- Quantified AG: Leverages data analytics to report on cattle behavior and biometrics with a smart cattle ear tag.
- Tillable: A marketplace for connecting landowners and growers.
The Ag Innovation Pitch Competition is presented by Farm Credit Services in collaboration with CoBank, Farm Credit Leasing, Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association, Nebraska Cattlemen, Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Innovation Campus and Rain and Hail.
The second largest indoor U.S. farm show, the Nebraska Power Farming Show will be held December 4-6 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Spread across 9.2 acres, the Nebraska Power Farming Show features the broadest mix of ag-related products and services in the Midwest. NEW show hours – 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Tuesday and Wednesday, and 8:30 am to 3 pm Thursday. Admission and parking at the Lancaster Event Center are FREE!
The Nebraska Power Farming Show is produced by the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association in conjunction with local Nebraska and Iowa farm equipment dealerships. The show is sponsored by: Diamond Sponsor – Farm Credit Services of America and AgDirect; Platinum Sponsors – Bayer and Nebraska Farm Bureau; Gold Sponsors – Mitas, Stine Seed Company and Sukup Manufacturing; Silver Sponsor – Heartland Chevy Dealers; and Media Sponsors – Midwest Messenger and Rural Radio Network.
AFAN/WSA bring Ag Groups Together to Discuss Workforce Challenges
A panel discussion on ag workforce shortage and housing issues was one of the highlights of the annual meeting of the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture (AFAN) and We Support Agriculture (WSA) in Lincoln.
Panel participants were Bill Thiele of TLS Dairy of Clearwater, Liz Babcock with Adams Land and Cattle of Broken Bow, and Gary Person from the North Platte Area Chamber of Commerce.
Babcock, who handles human resources for the 160-employee Adams operation, said she has had success in recruiting employees by focusing on millennials through social media--and she said working to build a better culture has helped retain good employees.
Thiele said housing is “tremendous problem” for their 30-employee dairy operation. He said they had to start buying houses when they became available, so employees would have a place to live. They also pay the rent for employees.
Person says North Platte has developed programs which provide incentives to contractors to build housing.
Anne Meis of Elgin, a member of the Nebraska Soybean Board, said she enjoyed the panel discussion. “I liked the diversity of the panel, from the large operation represented by Adams Land and Cattle to a smaller operation with Bill Thiele of TLS Dairy. The diversification helped us understand the challenges that both sizes of farming operations experience. It was a good representation of the issue.”
Another highlight of the annual meeting was an address by Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts. Ricketts said his administration continues to look for opportunities to expand livestock agriculture in Nebraska.
In her annual report, AFAN executive director Kristen Hassebrook said it’s been a good year for livestock development in Nebraska.
“There’s a lot of poultry that’s about to come online and hog development is really exciting right now,” Hassebrook said. “We also see the opportunity for some unique partnerships between beef and dairy related to heifer development and feedlot opportunities.”
The meeting concluded with the recognition of Jim and Lora O’Rourke of RuJoDen Ranch, Chadron, Nebraska as winners of the 2018 Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award. The award is sponsored by the Sand County Foundation with support from AFAN, Nebraska Cattlemen, Cargill, and The Nebraska Environmental Trust.
The annual meeting of AFAN and WSA was sponsored by the Nebraska Soybean Board and the Nebraska Corn Board.
Beattie named 2018 AG-ceptional Woman
A Sumner woman has been recognized for her contributions to agriculture. Shana Beattie was honored as the AG-ceptional Woman of the Year at the Northeast Community College AG-ceptional Women’s Conference on the Northeast campus in Norfolk on Friday.
The announcement was made during a video tribute that was played during the opening session of the 10th annual conference. The video was sponsored by Farm Credit Services of America and produced by the Northeast Agriculture Department and Media Production Group.
“Shana represents what it means to be AG-ceptional in so many ways … her passion and commitment to agriculture shines through in every role she fulfills,” said Corinne Morris, dean of agriculture, math and science at Northeast Community College and conference director.
A special selection committee made up of professionals from agricultural businesses and operations is assembled each year to select the winner from a very competitive group of nominees.
Beattie was nominated by Karen Grant, of Grant Family Farms of Meadow Grove and a past Ag-Ceptional Woman recipient. Grant said she knew of Beattie’s passion for agriculture when she heard her speak to members of Nebraska’s Congressional delegation.
“Shana was very professional, but she let them know where she stood on issues. And I just adored her from that moment on. She has such a passion for life, for her family and for agriculture in general. I just felt that Shana is a wonderful ‘AG-ceptional’ woman, so I wanted to nominate her to be the AG-ceptional Woman of the year.”
Shana Beattie was born and raised in north central Florida where her family is still involved in agriculture. Her father was a rancher who raised cattle and was also in the livestock trucking business. She and her four siblings grew up in a rural area and were actively involved in 4-H and FFA. Beattie was involved in livestock judging in high school and was recognized at state, district and national competitions.
While serving as a member of the University of Florida Livestock Judging Team, she met her future husband, Bart Beattie, who was attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at the time while she was working during a summer internship in North Carolina.
“I still bleed orange and blue which has been interesting living in Nebraska for twenty-two years. I’m true to my roots, but I have raised a bunch of little ‘Cornhuskers,’ so I’ve done my part. However, I still root for orange and blue on Saturdays.”
Bart and Shana Beattie operate Beattie Family Farms, along with his parents Jeff and Nanette Beattie. It is a diversified operation that includes a crop rotation of corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. They also partner in a 10,000 head sow farm for a large wean to finish swine operation. Additionally, they own a commercial cow/calf ranching operation near Sumner in central Nebraska. The Beattie’s employ 15 people.
“I’m the fifth generation to be on this family farm and I’m very proud of that. I have a lot of pride in the heritage that my grandfathers started years ago,” Bart Beattie said. “We’ve had the opportunity to be here for over twenty years and it’s just been a great opportunity to get to grow our operation with Shana, who has been very involved from the beginning.”
Shana Beattie’s primary role in the operation presently involves inventory management. Previously, she has worked with cattle and assisted during harvest driving grain cars, in addition to other jobs. She also serves as a member of the board of directors of the Nebraska Pork Producers Association.
She is also actively involved in the couple’s children’s agriculture activities.
“Shana has done a really good job with our kids in fostering a passion for agriculture, a passion for the farming operation, and getting the kids involved through FFA and 4-H,” Bart Beattie said. “Having them out on the farm gives them a good foundation.”
Bart Beattie, Jr. said of his mother, “She’s an awesome lady and I’m so blessed to have her. She helps with everything, and she knows a lot about the farm. She’s extremely passionate about agriculture and I’m very blessed to have her.”
Nanette Beattie, Shana’s mother-in-law, is pleased to see her receive the AG-ceptional Woman recognition.
“Shana is a ‘get-ur’ done gal. She goes forth with all that she has in any task that comes before her. She has a passion for agriculture and for her family. She has her priorities right and she is very knowledgeable and is informed in everything she does. She is most deserving of this award.”
Shana Beattie said she is fortunate to have the life she leads.
“I love to serve my family, I love to serve the farm, I love to serve my community … and that is a way for me to put my investment in agriculture. I enjoy learning. I also enjoy helping build the (Pork Producers Association) as we face new challenges in pork production.
Beattie said she is passionate about her life in agriculture.
“Everyone has their passion and everyone has their gift (to promote agriculture). Every situation for each individual is different, but I think as you find your true gift, you can use that as your way to promote and get involved with agriculture.”
The Beatties have four children, McKenzie, a freshman at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who is majoring in agriculture, Mattison, a freshman at SEM Schools in Sumner, Bart Jr., a seventh grader, and Preston, a fifth grader at SEM.
Online Course Assists in Developing Weed Management Plan
Designing an effective weed management plan to combat troublesome weeds and delay the development of herbicide resistance requires careful planning. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates the cost of dealing with herbicide resistance once it occurs to be $20-60 per acre. Developing long-term weed management plans that reduce the chances of resistance developing will minimize the cost of resistance.
An online course offered through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, titled "Herbicide Resistance and Weed Management," provides farmers and agribusinesses the tools and resources needed to help design an effective long-term weed management plan to help delay the development of herbicide resistance.
The interactive and self-paced course contains presentations narrated by ISU Extension and Outreach faculty and specialists, along with lesson activities that can be completed according to the user's timetable.
The cost of the course is $50 and can be purchased through the ISU Extension Store.
Those who complete the course are eligible for 3.0 integrated pest management Certified Crop Advisor continuing education units. In order to receive CCA credits, the entire course must be completed.
Additional course information can be found at www.aep.iastate.edu/weeds.
Farm Service Agency Names William “Bill” Beam as Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Richard Fordyce announced today that William “Bill” Beam has been appointed by the Trump Administration to serve as Deputy Administrator of Farm Programs (DAFP). Beam was sworn in on Oct. 22, 2018.
As Deputy Administrator, Beam will be responsible for overseeing and implementing policies and procedures that regulate the delivery of federal farm programs. He along with DAFP staff oversee major portions of the farm bill including programs that help America’s farmers, ranchers and forest stewards manage market risks, recover from disasters and conserve and protect natural resources through FSA’s network of over 2,100 state and county offices.
Prior to his appointment, Beam was the president, owner/operator of Beam Farms, Inc., a fourth-generation row crop, specialty crop and hay operation in Elverson, Pennsylvania. In addition to his farming operation, Beam owns and manages a sawdust trucking business.
He was an appointed member of the United Soybean Board for nine years. In this role, Beam traveled internationally promoting U.S. soybeans and export markets. He also served two years on the United States Soybean Export Council and held leadership positions with the Pennsylvania Soybean Board.
Americans Give Thanks for Lower Fuel and Food Prices this Thanksgiving
Nearly 50 million travelers will take to America’s roads this Thanksgiving holiday, and ethanol is helping to lower the price they pay for gasoline. At the same time, a new survey shows the cost of Thanksgiving dinner is expected to hit an eight-year low.
According to AAA, 48.5 million travelers will drive for Thanksgiving, nearly 5 percent more than last year. Based on Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) analysis using the most recent monthly data, 10% ethanol blends (E10) are helping U.S. consumers save 22 cents per gallon at the pump. In fact, ethanol is on pace to reduce household spending on gasoline by $34 billion this year, or $270 per household.
The discount is even greater for 15% ethanol blends (E15), a fuel that is legally approved for more than 90% of the cars and trucks on the road today. Based on RFA analysis, E15 could help U.S. consumers save 27 cents per gallon at the pump. If E15 were adopted nationwide, the fuel would be expected to reduce household spending on gasoline by $42 billion this year, or $335 per household.
Consumers are not only saving money at the pump, but they’re also saving money on Thanksgiving dinner. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual survey, the classic Thanksgiving meal for a family of 10 will average $48.90 this year, less than $5 per person and down about 1 percent from prior-year levels. Since 2015, the average cost of Thanksgiving dinner has declined steadily and is now at the lowest level since 2010.
“As a record number of travelers are expected to hit the road this holiday week, they can be thankful that homegrown, renewable ethanol is helping to save them money at the pump,” said RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Meanwhile, the cost of Thanksgiving dinner continues to fall, thoroughly debunking the ridiculous old argument that increased use of field corn for ethanol production would lead to higher prices for meat, milk, eggs, and other staple foods. In fact, annual food price inflation has averaged just 2.2% since the RFS was expanded in 2007, compared to an average of 3.0% in the preceding 25-year period.”
Mexico City marks sixth visit to Mexico for ACE in 2018 to address ethanol questions from service station owners
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) Senior Vice President Ron Lamberty traveled to Mexico City last week for the final ethanol technical workshop held this year for Mexican petroleum equipment installers and retailers. The workshops were a joint effort of the U.S. Grains Council and the Mexican Association of Service Station Suppliers (AMPES), to inform local station owners about opportunities in sourcing, marketing, and retailing ethanol-blended gasoline, as Mexico’s transportation fuel sector continues to evolve.
“These workshops have helped Mexican fuel marketers, equipment suppliers, and even some government officials understand offering gasoline with 10 percent ethanol is a safe and economically sensible way to have cleaner air and provide less expensive options at the pump for drivers in Mexico,” Lamberty said. “‘The math’ of ethanol blends is undeniably attractive for station owners and consumers right now, and our next challenge will be helping businesses do what they need to do to distribute our product to places where it can be blended and delivered to stations. Fuel equipment companies say the workshops have inspired interest from retailers and prospective wholesale distributors of ethanol.”
Those points were echoed at a press conference during last week’s workshop by AMPES President Isaias Romero Escalona, who said, “The interests of some politicians are the main obstacle to the incorporation of ethanol into the gasoline market,” while the President of the Mexican Energy Commission (COMENER) Juan Acra López said the introduction of ethanol would be “music for the ears of the next government, since it would reduce the cost of fuel.”
“Current U.S. ethanol exports to Mexico are primarily for industrial uses like perfumes, solvents, and beverages, but we’re starting to see retailers in border cities buying pre-blended E10 at U.S. terminals for resale in their convenience stores or service stations,” Lamberty added. “While these volumes are tiny right now, just as we saw ethanol spread across the U.S., when retailers see other retailers successfully selling E10, they become more confident they could offer it too, and volumes will increase.”
Lamberty’s 2018 travels to Mexico included visits to Xalapa in August, Chihuahua in July, and León in June. Earlier this spring, Lamberty spoke at two other workshops in Monterrey and Tijuana. USGC and AMPES also held a workshop in Oaxaca earlier in November. Mexico City is the final workshop the USGC is hosting in 2018, but interest and attendance increase at each event, and ACE will continue to work with the USGC to provide information to retailers and others who want to sell more ethanol.
NCGA Calls for More Equitable Trade Relief
National Corn Growers Association President Lynn Chrisp today urged U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to consider changes to the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) ahead of the second round of payments.
In a letter to Perdue, Chrisp said that he continues to hear from farmers who are disappointed in USDA’s approach to calculating the first round of MFP payments because it was too narrow in scope and did not capture the real-time impacts of trade disruptions on our markets.
Chrisp asked Perdue to add ethanol and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to the calculation of damages for corn. Using USDA’s methodology, gross trade damages for ethanol and DDGS amounts to $254 million, which was not accounted for in the first MFP payments. Chrisp also asked the Secretary to allow farmers who suffer production losses from disasters to use an alternative to 2018 production for their MFP calculation. This would ensure farmers suffering from drought, hurricane-related losses or other natural disasters would not be penalized twice.
Text of the letter is below.
Dear Secretary Perdue,
On behalf of the more than 40,000 National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) members and the more than 300,000 corn farmers across the nation, I am writing to ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture to consider changes to its Market Facilitation Program (MFP) for the second tranche of payments, planned for December 2018.
During the development of the Department’s trade mitigation plan, NCGA provided USDA and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with analysis of losses to corn farmers resulting from trade disputes with China and the European Union. This information was based on a study, conducted by Integrated Financial Analytics and Research (IFAR), that found an average decline in the price of corn of $0.44/bu as a result of trade tariffs, amounting to a $6.3 billion loss to corn farmers.
NCGA requested that USDA’s trade mitigation efforts compensate commodities proportionate to their lost revenue and that farmers suffering production losses due to natural disasters be able to use an alternative method of calculating their payments.
At the same time, NCGA called on the Trump Administration to take immediate actions to strengthen market demand for farmers. These included, resolving ongoing trade disputes, securing existing and new trade agreements, and providing parity for ethanol blends above 10 percent.
NCGA is pleased that the Trump Administration has made progress on several of these priorities, including reaching a trade agreement with Mexico and Canada, moving forward with trade negotiations with Japan, and directing EPA to provide RVP parity. We appreciate the strong role you have played in working with the President to deliver on these priorities.
These are critical developments, but the economic benefits will take some time to materialize, and corn farmers are struggling now. I continue to hear from farmers who are disappointed in USDA’s approach to calculating the first round of MFP payments because it was too narrow in scope and did not capture the real-time impacts of trade disruptions on our markets.
Given that there is still significant uncertainty in the farm economy and that corn prices are still being impacted by ongoing disputes with China and the EU, NCGA is asking USDA for the following modifications in its calculation of the second tranche of MFP payments:
Add ethanol and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to the calculation of damages for corn. U.S. corn farmers have seen value-added corn products grow as an important share of our global exports (see attached graphic). In 2017, according to FAS data, the United States exported $185 million worth of ethanol and $223 million worth of DDGS (for a combined value of $408 million in exports) to China and the European Union. Based on the Office of the Chief Economist’s MFP methodology, gross trade damages for ethanol and DDGS amounts to $254 million that was not accounted for in the first tranche of MFP payments.
Allow farmers who suffer production losses from disasters to use an alternative to 2018 production for their MFP calculations. This programmatic modification would ensure that farmers in Kansas, Missouri and Texas, who are suffering from drought, and farmers in the Southeast, who are suffering losses from Hurricane Michael, would not be penalized twice. It is also important that farmers be allowed to use RMA production records in MFP.
Thank you, Mr. Secretary, and your staff, for continuing this dialogue with NCGA. I know that we share the goal of ensuring that MFP provides farmers with much-needed relief in a way that is equitable and effective. I believe that the modifications I have outlined in this letter will get us closer to that goal and urge you to give this request serious consideration.
Sincerely,
Lynn Chrisp, President
National Corn Growers Association
ACE CEO statement on Chevron receiving RFS waiver at Utah refinery
American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings released the following statement, following reporting that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted Chevron Corp a 2017 hardship waiver from complying with its Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) blending obligation at its Utah refinery earlier this year:
“While Chevron and other refiners enjoy their record profits and “economic hardship” waivers from EPA on Thanksgiving, many farmers and ethanol producers in rural America are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. Chevron posted net profits of nearly $10 billion in 2017. On what planet does that constitute the “disproportionate economic hardship” threshold needed to help justify a Small Refinery Exemption? Meanwhile, it is insulting to rural America that EPA has found the time to grant nearly 50 Small Refinery Exemptions for 2016 and 2017 but insists on waiting until February of 2019 to propose a rule allowing retailers to offer E15 to their customers year-round.”
CattleTrace Participants Meet with USDA Under Secretary Greg Ibach
U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach was welcomed to Great Bend, Kansas, on Monday, November 19, by beef industry leaders participating in the CattleTrace pilot project for disease traceability. USDA is a partner in the pilot project that will develop and test an end-to-end disease traceability system.
Approximately 40 producer participants, including ranchers, livestock markets, cattle feeders and packers, as well as other CattleTrace partners, participated in the meeting that provided an update on the pilot project as well as allowed for discussion about disease traceability priorities at USDA. CattleTrace is being implemented by a cooperative public-private partnership including the Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas State University, Kansas Department of Agriculture, USDA and private producers.
“Without the partnership from beef producers across the state, CattleTrace wouldn’t have gotten off the ground. It is exciting to see enthusiasm from producers who are willing to step up and help lead the development of a disease traceability system that can work in and for our industry,” said Brandon Depenbusch, CattleTrace, Inc., Board of Directors chairman. “USDA is an important partner in CattleTrace and plays an integral role in disease traceability across the country. We are grateful that Under Secretary Ibach traveled to Kansas to meet with CattleTrace participants and share his vision for disease traceability.”
CattleTrace was launched in late June 2018 and will conclude in spring 2020. During the pilot, 55,000 Kansas-based calves will be tagged with an ultra-high frequency ear tag. As the calves move through the supply chain, minimal data, including an individual animal identification number, GPS location, and the date and time, will be captured and maintained in a secure, third-party database. The CattleTrace team will use the database to conduct mock traces to test the infrastructure in order to determine its effectiveness in tracing animal movements in the event of a disease outbreak.
Depenbusch noted that more than 31,500 tags have been distributed and the rest will be distributed in the coming months. He also highlighted tag readers are installed at all partner feedyards and livestock markets.
In September 2018, USDA outlined four overarching goals for advancing animal disease traceability. USDA will begin implementing the traceability goals starting in fiscal year 2019. CattleTrace will be playing an important role in USDA’s traceability initiatives. Each of the USDA goals aligns with the basic infrastructure and implementation protocol of the CattleTrace Pilot Project.
“The landscape surrounding animal disease traceability has changed dramatically in the past decade, and producers across the nation recognize that a comprehensive system is the best protection against a devastating disease outbreak like foot-and-mouth disease,” Under Secretary Ibach said in September. “We have a responsibility to these producers and American agriculture as a whole to make animal disease traceability what it should be—a modern system that tracks animals from birth to slaughter using affordable technology that allows USDA to quickly trace sick and exposed animals to stop disease spread.”
To learn more about CattleTrace, visit www.CattleTrace.org.
NEBRASKA CHICKEN AND EGGS
All layers in Nebraska during October 2018 totaled 8.39 million, up from 7.71 million the previous year, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Nebraska egg production during October totaled 214 million eggs, up from 194 million in 2017. October egg production per 100 layers was 2,553 eggs, compared to 2,514 eggs in 2017.
IOWA CHICKEN AND EGGS
Iowa egg production during October 2018 was 1.40 billion eggs, up 3 percent from last month and up 5 percent from last year, according to the latest Chickens and Eggs report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The average number of all layers on hand during October 2018 was 57.8 million, virtually unchanged from last month but up 4 percent from last year. Eggs per 100 layers for October were 2,422, up 3 percent from last month and up 1 percent from last year.
October U.S. Egg Production Up 3 Percent
United States egg production totaled 9.22 billion during October 2018, up 3 percent from last year. Production included 8.04 billion table eggs, and 1.18 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.10 billion were broiler-type and 86.3 million were egg-type. The average number of layers during October 2018 totaled 386 million, up 2 percent from last year. October egg production per 100 layers was 2,388 eggs, up 1 percent from October 2017.
All layers in the United States on November 1, 2018 totaled 386 million, up 2 percent from last year. The 386 million layers consisted of 326 million layers producing table or market type eggs, 57.6 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs, and 3.31 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs. Rate of lay per day on November 1, 2018, averaged 77.1 eggs per 100 layers, up 1 percent from November 1, 2017.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 7 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during October 2018 totaled 55.0 million, up 7 percent from October 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 45.2 million on November 1, 2018, down slightly from a year ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 225 thousand during October 2018, up 14 percent from October 2017.
Broiler-Type Chicks Hatched Down Slightly
Broiler-type chicks hatched during October 2018 totaled 790 million, down slightly from October 2017. Eggs in incubators totaled 649 million on November 1, 2018, down slightly from a year ago.
Leading breeders placed 7.28 million broiler-type pullet chicks for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during October 2018, down 4 percent from October 2017.
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