Nebraska Corn Kernels

Podcast: World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates

mike@teamdavid.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

In this podcast, Scott Merritt, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, discusses USDA's newest World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates—better known as the WASDE report.

After last year's record drought—and record corn prices—it's no surprise to see the WASDE report projecting a larger corn crop and lower prices. Corn production for 2013-14 is projected at 14.1 billion bushels. That's up 3.4 billion from last year.

Listen for more!

Nebraska Corn Kernel podcasts are also available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.

Wordless Wednesday

mike@teamdavid.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Photos courtesy of Ashley Zeisler and Jennifer Rees. Please continue to share your images with us at Facebook.com/NebraskCornBoard or tweet photos to @NECornBoard.

Agribusiness Virtual Roundtable–John Campbell

mike@teamdavid.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:51:00 +0000

*The Business Leaders "Virtual Roundtable" discussion was gathered for the Spring 2013 CornsTalk publication. The responses of these business associates were consolidated for the publication, but you can find the full responses through this blog series.

John Campbell, Senior Vice President, AGP (Omaha)

How does Nebraska's strength in agriculture—and corn, livestock and ethanol specifically—influence your business/organization? How does the fact that you are located in Nebraska provide a competitive advantage or growth opportunities for you?
AGP has invested heavily in Nebraska due to our position in the growing Western grain region, rail access to export markets and irrigated crops.

What should Nebraska do to leverage its strength in agriculture to enhance economic vitality across the state—and position the state for long-term success in meeting global demand for food, feed and fuel?
Nebraska lost our pork production industry while neighboring states grew. The economic losses to the state were substantial. If Nebraska is to take full advantage of our crop production capacity we must also value add through a vibrant and growing livestock sector that includes pork and dairy operations.

What do you think Nebraska consumers—especially those in urban areas—need to better understand about Nebraska agriculture and your organization's relationship to agriculture?
The consumer is constantly being hit with misinformation about the food that they eat. Almost any food can be unhealthy if not consumed in moderation. The food agenda it being formed by people and organizations that are well meaning but miss the most important point. Our most pressing food health problem is not one kind of food or another. The biggest problem is overconsumption of total calories coupled with lack of exercise.

How important is it that Nebraska corn farmers continue to invest in the future of their industry through their checkoff?
The corn check-off provides a collective voice for corn farmers to communicate with consumers and others about what they do and how they do it. A shockingly high number of consumers think that all the corn growing in the fields of Nebraska is for corn on the cob. They do not know that corn goes to feed animals that in turn provide meat.

What concerns you most about the future of agriculture in Nebraska? And what will it take to address those concerns?
Nebraska’s ace-in-the-hole is our underground water resources. Nobody likes regulation but both water quantity and water quality will suffer – perhaps irreversibly if water is not responsibly managed by both the local water authorities and by the State.

Any other comments or perspectives regarding Nebraska agriculture that you wish to share.
Biofuels have propelled a rural renaissance in Nebraska and allowed the State to thrive even through a deep and lasting National recession. It is critical that Nebraskans understand their connection not only to agriculture but agriculture’s connection to biofuels.

First week on the internship with US Grains Council

mike@teamdavid.com — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:19:00 +0000

By Bryce Vaughn, U.S. Grains Council intern

I am happy to announce that I have completed my first week of my last internship of my college career at the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) in Washington D.C. I was assigned to work primarily for the Global Programs department which is directed under the leadership of Kim Karst.

During my first week I have had the opportunity to assist the team with completing the 2014 Unified Export Strategy (UES). The UES is the USGC’s strategy for the following year which is presented to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service. The UES proposal is submitted every year and provides the funding for the USGC to carry out their market development efforts. This is a major project for the office since the UES is due at the end of the month and the funding requested for the following year totals close to $15 million.

In addition to working on the UES, I have also been engaged in program coordination. In June, USGC staff and members will travel to Panama for the Latin America Co-Products conference. I have been assisting in the preparation of travel briefs for staff and consultants that will be traveling on behalf of the Council.

The main project for my internship will likely be working on two trade mission programs. A Taiwanese DDGS and corn team will travel to Minnesota, Illinois and Washington, and a Korean Biotech Team will travel to Washington, D.C. and Iowa. Both teams will travel to the U.S. in July, so this will give me the opportunity to participate in efforts from step one to the conclusion of their mission.

Interns chosen for Nebraska Corn Board programs

mike@teamdavid.com — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:56:00 +0000

The Nebraska Corn Board is proud to select and support five college students as interns starting this summer.

Four of the five interns will be hosted by national cooperators of NCB: National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) in St. Louis, MO and Washington, D.C., the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) in Denver, CO. The internship program in the NCB office in Lincoln is a year-long internship and has been engaging students for over 25 years.

“The cooperators of the Corn Board are very pleased with the college student interns that come out of Nebraska, which is why they are requested year after year,” said Don Hutchens, executive director for the Nebraska Corn Board. “Our board has observed the educational and career advantages that internships provide and consider internships as an investment into Nebraska’s agricultural future. Plus, it is great work experience for these Nebraska students.”

The NCB office in Lincoln welcomed Lauren Ibach of Sumner, Neb. for a year-long internship. Lauren will be a junior in agriculture education at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. As part of her internship, she will oversee crop progress report placement, contribute to communication and outreach programs and help with education and promotion activities.

The National Corn Growers Association office in Washington, D.C. will host Kyle McGinn of Lincoln, Neb. as their summer intern supported by a partnership between NCB and NCGA. Kyle is a student in at the University of Nebraska-College of Law. He will be involved with a variety of agricultural issues related to environmental regulations, transportation, free trade agreements, biotechnology, ethanol and energy.

The National Corn Growers Association headquarters office in St. Louis, Mo. will host Casey Campbell of Santa Fe, New Mexico as their summer intern supported by a partnership between NCB and NCGA. Casey will be a junior in agricultural education at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. She will be assisting with membership and communication programs, as well as participating in committee meetings.

The U.S. Grains Council will host Bryce Vaughn of Alliance, Neb. as their summer intern supported by a partnership between NCB and USGC. Bryce is a senior in agriculture economics with a focus in public policy and a minor in international studies at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He will be working with policy, assisting with international trade teams and helping to develop promotions and international relations.

The U.S. Meat Export Federation will host Michael Chao of Lincoln, Neb. as their summer intern supported by a partnership between NCB and USMEF. Michael is a graduate student in meat science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He will be assisting with beef and pork specific projects, as well as promotions and international relationship opportunities.

Interns were hosted for an Intern Orientation on May 3rd to go over their program and learn about the relationship between the Nebraska Corn Board and our cooperators. Mark Jagels, Jon Holzfaster and Alan Tiemann, board members, made the effort to share their roles on the national level with each of these cooperators, and to encourage the interns before starting their new endeavors.

Watch for updates from each intern this summer on the blog.

Life Through the Eyes of an Intern

mike@teamdavid.com — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Hello, My name is Lauren Ibach and this year I will be serving the Nebraska Corn Board as their Communications and Outreach Intern. I am from Sumner, Nebraska and I am a junior studying Agriculture Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. My family farm consists of a 450 head cow/calf operation, 35 head flock of sheep, and about 1,300 acres of irrigated crop land which is usually planted to corn or soybeans, this year though we have had to plant some fields to grass to help make up for the lack of pasture due to last year’s drought. Some other activities I am involved in on campus are Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, Nebraska Agricultural Youth Council, Nebraska Human Resource Institute, and Alpha Zeta honors fraternity. Needless to say this upcoming school year is going to be very busy for me.

I started my internship with the Nebraska Corn Board on Monday May 13^th here at on the 4^th floor of the State Office Building. Before this summer I had spent all of my summer breaks working on my family’s farm and assisting my dad with jobs which usually meant I was doing chores and cleaning barns, so as you can imagine living in the big city instead of the country is going to take some getting used to. So far my biggest adjustment has been remembering to lock my car every time I get out of it and not forgetting the keys inside! I must admit this city living has some advantages though, for example I can get from place to place in 10 minutes now instead of having to plan an afternoon to go to town to shop or get groceries. Despite these advantages though I would still prefer to be a little further out of the city limits than I will be this summer but I guess my city house will have to do for a while.

Some activities I have been exposed to while at the office include reading blogs from various websites to help keep me informed about current agriculture happenings, video editing, washing the corn van, and answering the phone. I know answering the phone seems like one of my simpler tasks but I am yet to master the art of transferring calls. Hopefully I will get over my nerves soon. With the exception of my personal endeavors with the office phone I am fully enjoying my “office job” and am looking forward to the rest of my year working with the staff here at the Nebraska Corn Board and the corn producers of Nebraska.

Farm Bill….now?

mike@teamdavid.com — Thu, 16 May 2013 12:59:00 +0000

By Kelly Brunkhorst, director of research

Déjà vu…but let’s hope that this time we have a different ending.

Tuesday, the Senate Agriculture Committee marked up and passed their version of a 2013 Farm Bill. The bill will now head to the full Senate for debate that is expected to happen in the next couple of weeks.

Like the National Corn Growers Association on their statement following passage, we are pleased to see action being taken on a new Farm Bill. Although it will be a long process, a critical first step has been accomplished and awaits full Senate action, while in the House Agriculture Committee, they working on their version of a new 5-year Farm Bill.

Providing farmers with certainty was one of our key points this past year as we pressed hard for a Farm Bill Now. You can catch past blogs here, here and here. Ultimately we were disappointed when the full House did not take action on a Farm Bill, even though it had passed the House Agriculture Committee and we settled on a last minute extension of the current Farm Bill.

Additionally, just as import as domestic demand is international demand and providing certainty, yet again, for our cooperators such as the U.S Grains Council and U.S. Meat Export Federation who utilize Foreign Market Development and Market Access Program funds was critical. Both FMD and MAP funding are part of the Farm Bill.

So as the House Agriculture Committee works through advancing their version of the Farm Bill, our hope is that will happen swiftly and then action can be taken on both bills in their respective Senate and House chambers. Then eventually through conference to work out differences in a bipartisan fashion…an action that we hope will be different than last year.

UPDATE: Late into the evening on Wednesday, the House Agriculture Committee approved their version of new Farm Bill. Our expectations are the full Senate will take action next week followed by the House in the early part of June.

And through the entire process, your voice is important! Call your Representative and Senators and ask them to support a new five year Farm Bill that will provide you certainty on your operation.

Wordless Wednesday

mike@teamdavid.com — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:30:00 +0000

Sunsets in Nebraska are one of a kind.

Rain isn't slowing this farmers planting progress.

Photos courtesy of @JayBehrends and @Rusty_Bill. Post your photos to Nebraska Corn Board or Tweet to @NECornBoard to share your planting progress with us!

2013 Crop Progress In Full Swing

mike@teamdavid.com — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Corn planting this spring continues to be well behind last year thanks to the unseasonably late snow and continual moisture. However, after last year it's hard to complain about the spring showers. As of now 43% of this year’s corn crop is in the ground compared to last year’s average of 89%. Thankfully due to technology advances farmers are able to plant more acres at a faster pace, so don't fret yet about getting the seeds in the ground. Corn planting was active during the early part of the week until a mid week rain slowed progress leaving only 4.7 days considered suitable for planting. Precipitation continues to be 25-50 percent above normal, and average temperatures were again lower than normal with lows below freezing in some areas. Hopefully as the spring progresses we will start to see more normal temperatures.

Soil temperatures as of Sunday were 55 degrees and higher throughout the state. These will continue to rise as the average daily temperatures increase. Statewide topsoil moisture levels rated 39% very short or short while subsoil moisture rated 82% very short or short. So despite the showers we are still running low on soil moisture and fighting to recover from last year. As of this week we have 2% of planted corn emerged which is well behind last year’s 52%.

Here are some photos from this last week that were sent in by FFA chapters around the state. More photos are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/necornboard/sets/72157633436384370/

This field was scheduled to be planted by now, but because of unseasonably cold weather and the precipitation, it will have to wait a few more days.

You can see some weeds are starting to emerge in this photo. A pre-emergence herbicide is set to be applied as well as fertilizer.

Podcast: Agricultural Biotechnology Trade

mike@teamdavid.com — Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

In this podcast, Carl Sousek, farmer from Prague and Chairman of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, shares about modern technology and Agricultural Biotechnology Trade.

Last week, the United States and several other nations announced their intention to work together to remove global barriers to the trade of agricultural biotechnology. These nations have also agreed to promote science-based, transparent and predictable regulatory approaches.

Ag production in these six nations is a major contributor to global food security. They produce the vast majority of the world's corn and soybean supply in international markets. Farmers in these countries are using modern technology—including biotech plants—to grow more with less.
Listen for more!

Nebraska Corn Kernel podcasts are also available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.

Farmers Feed US announces Nebraska winners

mike@teamdavid.com — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:22:00 +0000

Omaha and Hastings residents have been selected as the two lucky grand prize winners of “Free Groceries for a Year” in the Nebraska Farmers Feed US sweepstakes. Nebraska farmers sponsored the grand prizes, which are valued at $5,000* – the average amount spent on groceries annually per person. The winners are:

· Jeff Dunn, Omaha, Neb., who was presented $5,000 in Super Saver gift cards by Nebraska farmers during an in-store presentation earlier this week

· Marcie Hendricks, Hastings, Neb., who was presented $5,000 in Russ’s Market gift cards by Nebraska farmers during an in-store presentation earlier this week

Following the three month sweepstakes, the names of the two winners were drawn at random from more than 131,000 online registrations submitted by Nebraskans from across the state.

Supporting Nebraska agriculture groups include the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (A-FAN), Nebraska Soybean Board, Nebraska Pork Producers, Nebraska Corn Board, Midwest Dairy Association, and B&R Grocery.

*Based on Food Marketing Institute figures, a $5,000 value

Nebraska Corn Board awards Block & Bridle Scholarship

mike@teamdavid.com — Wed, 08 May 2013 12:30:00 +0000

Students are key partners to success in agriculture because of their desire to gain more knowledge and seek opportunities to partner in the industry.

The Nebraska Corn Board is proud to partner with UNL’s Block & Bridle Club this year to provide a $500 scholarship to an outstanding student member. This opportunity was created to show the partnership of the corn industry for future leaders in agriculture.

Students qualifying for the scholarship over the past year had to meet the certain criteria for club involvement, academic excellence and professional development. Many applications were submitted, but four finalists were chosen and interviewed. These finalists were recognized recently at the Block & Bridle Annual Banquet by Board director, Bob Dickey - a past honoree of Block & Bridle.

The finalists were:

Hannah Kesterson, freshman in Food Science and Technology from Alliance
Valerie Matulka, sophomore in Agribusiness from Thedford
Laura Gorecki, freshman in Animal Science from Farwell
Kolin Scheele, freshman in Animal Science from Odell

(l to r): Kolin Scheele, Laura Gorecki, Valerie Matulka, Hanna Kesterson

The recipient of the Nebraska Corn Board scholarship is Laura Gorecki. Congratulations!

Podcast: Exhibits across the state promote agriculture

mike@teamdavid.com — Tue, 07 May 2013 17:41:00 +0000

In this podcast, Don Hutchens, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board shares about two highly visible projects that will reach hundreds of thousands of people each year promoting agriculture in the state.

The new building at the Nebraska State Fair that was recently announced will feature Nebraska agriculture in a big way. The Nebraska Building will have a 25,000-square-foot exhibit space that will highlight the technology, innovation and producers that make Nebraska a global leader in agricultural production.

The other project is Centennial Mall in Lincoln, which connects our unique State Capitol building with our land grant university—so it is the perfect place for Nebraska agriculture to have a strong presence.

Listen for more!

Nebraska Corn Kernel podcasts are also available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.

iPad Grant Winners Announced

mike@teamdavid.com — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:14:00 +0000

The Nebraska Corn Board recently chose the winners for their iPads for Agriculture Education grant.

The Nebraska Corn Board received a $5,000 DuPont Pioneer grant for an iPad for agriculture education project and the board matched these funds for a total of $10,000 to purchase iPads.

From January 1 to February 28, 2013 the Nebraska Corn Board accepted applications for their iPad grant program. Teachers completed an application and then submitted an essay, photo or video explaining why they should receive an iPad for their classroom. In total over 50 applications were received.

Applications were received from across Nebraska including Omaha, Lincoln, Kearney, Hastings, St. Edward, Blue Hill, Bertrand, David City, Holdrege, Randolph, Madison, and many more.

“We were excited and overwhelmed by all the applications we received,” said Mark Jagels, District two director for the Nebraska Corn Board. “We know agriculture education is lacking in the classroom and our goal is to reach more students and allow teachers to feel comfortable with agriculture material.”

“Narrowing down the applications to the top twenty was very difficult. It is unfortunate we were not able to award each applicant with an iPad at this time,” said Jagels.

Schools in Kearney, Holdrege, Bertrand, Norfolk, Murray, Curtis, Plainview, St. Edward, Omaha, David City and Crofton will be receiving iPads this fall.

Here is one of the winning videos from Meadowlark Elementary's Kindergaren class:

The Nebraska Corn Board will provide a list of agriculture apps, suggest webpages to bookmark, will go into the classroom two times per school year, and will send out a monthly eAgletter as part of the iPad program.

If your school would like to be added to the monthly eAgletter, email ncb.info@nebraska.gov.

Several videos that were part of the applications can be found on our Cob Squad YouTube page.

Corn Belt turns to ‘Snow Belt’

mike@teamdavid.com — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:31:00 +0000

“What early spring?” asked Drovers CattleNetwork. As it turns out, famed forecaster Punxatawney Phil was wrong this year – very wrong.

During a month better known for grilling and shorts weather, a spring-time winter storm fueled by a powerful cold front is setting up to produce rare weather conditions across much of the western Corn Belt – snow.

The National Weather Service forecast up to two feet of snow in the Rockies with several inches of snow expected in a band that stretches from Texas to Wisconsin, according to NBC News.

Snow is only half of the equation. In parts of Texas, the front is expected to bring wild temperature swings. On Tuesday, the mercury in Amarillo reached a balmy 97 degrees. Less than 48 hours later, on Thursday morning, meteorologists anticipate a 67-degree drop.

“By tomorrow morning we have … Amarillo at 30 and probably snowing,” Weather Channel meteorologist Kevin Roth said.

Just how rare is this May snowstorm? Wunderground.com looked at other notable May snowstorms:

Amarillo recorded than 7 inches of snow on May 6, 1917, and on May 2, 2005 the city saw nearly 5 inches of snow.
Minneapolis, Minn., has seen just six snow days in May since 1975, the top being May 11, 1946 when 2.8 inches fell.
Chicago has only had two one inch snow events in May since 1884.
Omaha, Neb., has recorded four days with measurement snow in May since 1881.
Des Moines, Iowa, had two separate snows in 1907 on May 4 and May 15. It also snowed on May 3, 1917.
Kansas City, Mo., reported one measurement snow in May on May 3, 1907 when 1.7 inches fell on the city.

Click here for other May snow facts.

"It is very difficult to get a major snowstorm in the lower elevations of the U.S. in May," said Weather Channel meteorologist Nick Wiltgen. "Even on May 1 you're only seven weeks away from the summer solstice, and with that comes strong sun and long days adding heat to the atmosphere.

How is this affecting corn planting in Nebraska? Well, it’s halted right now for sure. The freeze and heavy moisture brings with it even more anxious farmers. Last Monday, Henderson, Nebraska farmer, Michael Bergen posted this picture on Facebook as he was excited to get into the field.

Henderson is a different sight today with snow and ice. Just done the road from Bergen, Curt Friesen tweeted this picture.

Outlook for Nebraska's 2013 corn crop

mike@teamdavid.com — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

The outlook for the 2013 corn crop in Nebraska is much brighter these days, thanks to good precipitation in recent weeks. Now it’s a matter of getting that crop in the ground.

Speaking with Brownfield on Wednesday, Nebraska Corn Board executive director Don Hutchens says it just needs to warm up.

“I think the ground temperature today is running in the low 40’s—and so it’s going to have to warm up,” says Hutchens. “But once the farmers get in the fields, it can happen very quickly.”

In 2012, Hutchens says, Nebraska farmers planted 70 percent of the corn crop in a three-week period.

“So if you look at what we planted last year—70 percent of that crop in three weeks—we literally can plant the whole corn crop in four weeks, if need be.” The March planting intentions report showed Nebraska farmers will plant 9.9 million acres of corn this year, down one percent from last year.

LISTEN to the audio podcast from Don.

Field Notes Meets Nebraska Farmer, Andy Jobman

mike@teamdavid.com — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

The National Corn Growers Association has launched its third season of Field Notes, a series that takes readers behind the farm gate to follow the year in the life of American farm families. While these growers come from diverse geographic areas and run unique operations, they share a common love for U.S. agriculture and the basic values that underpin life in farming communities.

Today, Field Notes meets Andy Jobman, who farms with his family in central Nebraska. In addition to growing a wide variety of crops, including corn for chip production, and ranching, Jobman also helps other farmers through his work as a crop consultant.

Through his crop consulting work, Jobman plays a role in agriculture across his area by helping other farmers spot potential problems and improve the efficiency of their input use. Stressing that the role he plays is collaborative, he explains how a dialogue informed by agronomic knowledge and awareness of the newest advancements in production practices can help farmers grow more while using inputs in a targeted manner.

“By carefully monitoring fields all season, we are often able to catch problems and address them in a quick, targeted fashion,” he explained. “One field may need to be sprayed for a certain pest, but another field on the same farm may not have an issue. Similarly, some fields may need more fertilizer or a different formulation than others. It is all about taking in all the possible information together and targeting every choice to get the very best result.”

Jobman explained that, while much of Nebraska saw drought conditions last year, many farmers around him did see excellent yields due to irrigation. This year, a winter is holding on in his area with snow on the ground when many would normally be applying fertilizer. To listen to the full interview, click here.

Stay tuned over the coming weeks as Field Notes follows the growers across the nation who have opened their farms, families and communities up this year and meet the true faces of modern American agriculture.

Podcast: Key Bills Supported by the Nebraska Corn Growers Association

mike@teamdavid.com — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:51:00 +0000

In this podcast, Mick Mines, registered lobbyist for the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, shares two specific pieces of state legislation that are of interest to Nebraska corn producers.

The first is LB354, which would change the structure of the Nebraska Corn Board. In the process, there would be some changes in the way Nebraska's corn checkoff is administered. One change is that board members would be elected by corn farmers, rather than appointed by the Governor. The Nebraska Corn Growers Association supports LB354 since we believe it will provide greater flexibility for checkoff investments and activities—and will continue to provide an effective avenue for corn farmers to invest in their industry.

The other of importance is LB517 - Senator Tom Carlson's priority bill. The bill proposes to create a "Water Sustainability Project Task Force." This task force would work from June through December of this year to identify water projects in Nebraska that deserve funding—with a special emphasis on water conservation. While the bill is certainly of great importance to irrigators, it has an effect on all water users in the state from municipalities to industry to recreational users. The intended outcome is to implement a statewide strategy that will help all of us better manage this precious resource that is so critically important to your farm—and to the state's economy.

Listen for more!

Nebraska Corn Kernel podcasts are also available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.

For Nebraska's corn farmers, every day is Earth Day.

mike@teamdavid.com — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:26:00 +0000

For Nebraska's corn farmers, every day is Earth Day.

Nebraska corn farmers have a first-hand understanding of Earth Day. Who else can claim to be an environmentalist, as well as a wildlife, water and soil conservationist while being an economist, weatherman, marketer and communicator?

The recognition of Earth Day should include farmers. While it is a day that was started to inspire awareness and a better appreciation of the environment, it should include the contributions made by farmers every year.

We are also proud to celebrate Earth Day with ethanol. Another way to participate on Earth Day, that is both environmentally friendly and easier on your wallet, is to fill up your vehicle with a renewable fuel, such as ethanol. Ethanol has been proven to reduce tailpipe carbon monoxide by as much as 30 percent and also reduces particulate matter up to 50 percent.

We can also celebrate Earth Day with corn-based PLA -- polylactic acid -- because it is clean, green and renewable, and it replaces petroleum-based alternatives. Since PLA is produced from corn at a plant in Blair, Nebraska, it's nice to feature it here from time to time (that's local, folks!).

Agribusiness Virtual Roundtable–Bob Campbell

mike@teamdavid.com — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:49:00 +0000

Bob Campbell, Senior Vice President, Farm Credit Services of America (Lincoln)

How does Nebraska's strength in agriculture—and corn, livestock and ethanol specifically—influence your business/organization? How does the fact that you are located in Nebraska provide a competitive advantage or growth opportunities for you?

Farm Credit Services of America is a cooperative with the sole purpose of supporting our customer-owners in all facets of agriculture. According to a recent University of Nebraska-Lincoln economic impact study, Nebraska agriculture accounts for nearly 290,000 jobs and represents 24 percent of our workforce. With that in mind, the strength of agriculture in Nebraska and across the country is economically vital to our customer-owners and our country. Our cooperative has 14,000 customer-owners in Nebraska, and we returned $36.6 million in cash-back dividends to them in 2012 through our Patronage Program. The distribution supports our customer-owners operations and benefits the communities they call home.

What should Nebraska do to leverage its strength in agriculture to enhance economic vitality across the state—and position the state for long-term success in meeting global demand for food, feed and fuel?

We need to ensure that Nebraska provides a place where producers and businesses can thrive. We need to make sure our tax and regulatory environment allows Nebraska producers and agri-businesses to be competitive in a global market. We also need to make sure we have a common-sense approach to how we manage our natural resources so that Nebraska is a great place to live and work for generations to come.

What do you think Nebraska consumers—especially those in urban areas—need to better understand about Nebraska agriculture and your organization's relationship to agriculture?

First, consumers need to know that agricultural producers in Nebraska are committed to providing the highest quality and safest food in the country. Producers need to manage their businesses in a manner that allows them to provide a living for their families and employees and in order to accomplish that, they have to provide high quality and safe products. Since agriculture is our only focus at Farm Credit Services of America, it is important to us that consumers and agricultural producers understand each other’s needs so that everyone wins. FCSAmerica has 714 employees in 13 Nebraska retail offices and the Omaha headquarters, serving 14,000 customer-owners.

How important is it that Nebraska corn farmers continue to invest in the future of their industry through their checkoff?

We believe producers have the responsibility to promote and educate others about their products and how they are produced. The checkoff program has enabled producers to tell their story and educate the public about agriculture.

What concerns you most about the future of agriculture in Nebraska? And what will it take to address those concerns?

Nebraska is a leader in agricultural production, agri-business and ag-education. Our economic base in Nebraska is agriculture. If we want to continue to have a state that is a great place to live and work, we need to make sure that our agriculture industry is vibrant and competitive.

Fewer people are coming from a farm or ranch background which may present workforce challenges in the future. The agricultural industry is a great place to work and it is important to start talking to people who don’t have agriculture backgrounds about the career possibilities. The industry needs people with training in math, science, computer technology, biology, social sciences and many other skills.

Any other comments or perspectives regarding Nebraska agriculture that you wish to share.

As a mission-driven cooperative, we are proud to serve the men and women who work in today’s agriculture industry. Nebraska agriculture is the backbone of this state and will continue to be a source of economic development for the benefit of all of the state and rural America. We will continue our efforts to be agriculture’s most valued financial partner.

AIA students on Pure Nebraska

mike@teamdavid.com — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:04:00 +0000

Curing the Agricultural Issues Academy in Lincoln, FFA students were interviewed by 10-11's Jon Vanderford for the Pure Nebraska show. Students shared why they wanted to be agvocates and what issues are important to them in agriculture.

Go to the source!

mike@teamdavid.com — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:50:00 +0000

*Guest post by CommonGround Nebraska volunteer and farmer/rancher from Waco, Lana Hoffschneider

What is the best way to learn about something? From a book? Sometimes. From a movie? Maybe. From a show on t.v.? Maybe. On the internet? Possibly. We are fortunate to have many resources at our disposal for learning about whatever topic we might have interest in.

What if you want to learn more about food? Yes, there are also many resources out there for learning about food. The BEST resource, for learning about where your food comes from, is not a book, not a movie or t.v. show, or the Internet… but by going to the source… a REAL FARM! Although we don’t have posted hours that we’re “open”… most farms would (and should) be open to having you visit. Who knew, right?! So simple that it may not have even crossed your mind!

So how do you find a farm and how do you visit? You might start with the Internet – then you can search by location and by what type of farm or ranch they have. For example, if you want to know more about how the beef is raised that is used in your hamburgers – look for a ranch (where the calves are born and raised) and/or a feed yard (where the animals are fattened). Granted, not all types of farms are available in every location, but you can still learn a lot by visiting what is available near you. Don’t just take someone else’s word for it – learn for yourself and make your own decisions!

I grew up on a dairy farm, but farming practices can change over the years, so I have learned a lot about milk and how the cows are fed and cared for by visiting a local dairy. In fact, they are a progressive business and they put on a community event in which they open their farm to the community for tours, games and activities for the kids, and ice cream! What a great concept! Especially the ice cream! :)

If you aren’t able to visit a real farm, or not sure how to go about it, you can at least start by getting to know a real farmer. There are several organizations for connecting farmers with consumers – one that I’m involved with is called CommonGround. On this blog, click on the "Volunteers" tab to learn about the farm women in Nebraska and what kind of animals, crops and food they raise. You can ask them questions, too!

Another great one is the U.S. Farmers& Ranchers Alliance's Faces of Farming and Ranching. I recommend looking at websites and blogs to find someone to connect with and to ask them questions about what they do (let me know if you’d like me to help connect you to someone!). You might be surprised about what you learn about your food – we’re real people, feeding our families, and feeding you!

“We fear things in proportion to our ignorance of them.” - Dave Ramsey

Don’t Fear Your Food!

Podcast: NCGA President's address at Commodity Classic

mike@teamdavid.com — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:08:00 +0000

In this podcast, Dan Nerud of Dorchester and member of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, shared about the messages from the presidents of the commodity membership associations for corn, soybeans, sorghum and wheat who were interviewed on stage during the 2013 Commodity Classic General Session. This year, Pam Johnson was featured. Pam is the president of the National Corn Growers Association and a family farmer from Iowa. Pam's primary message had to do with the need for America's farmers to be more vocal about sharing our story as farmers.

Pam did not mince words when it came to expressing her concern and frustration over the gridlock in Congress over not getting a farm bill passed. The National Corn Growers Association is 36,000 members strong. That's why president Pam Johnson challenged all of us to step up and leverage those numbers to make things happen on Capitol Hill.

Listen for more!

Nebraska Corn Kernel podcasts are also available on iTunes! Click here to subscribe.

Japan joins Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, positive for Nebraska and ag exports

mike@teamdavid.com — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:30:00 +0000

On Friday of last week, the Obama Administration announced bilateral consultations with Japan about its interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) have concluded and the U.S. welcomes Japan joining TPP negotiations. The TPP is an ambitious, next-generation, regional trade agreement that seeks to create a “new millennium model for trade.” As the world’s third largest economy, the addition of Japan will provide the platform for a Free Trade Area of Asia Pacific and will strengthen the U.S./Japan economic and strategic relationship.

The agreement brings Japan closer to entering talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which Japan hopes to participate in as early as July. Japan needs formal approval by all 11 participating countries to take part in the talks. If Japan does join, the pact would cover an area that accounts for almost 40 percent of world economic output.

What does the TPP mean for Nebraska and agricultural products?

TPP is a U.S.-led free-trade agreement in the Asia-Pacific region which represents a positive development to expand market access for Nebraska exporters in one of the world’s largest economies. Additionally, U.S. food and agricultural exports to the Asia-Pacific region have previously reached more than $80 billion, and account for more than 70 percent of total U.S. agricultural exports to the world.

The U.S. Grains Council strongly supports the announcement of bilateral negotiations with Japan regarding the TPP. The Council has enjoyed over 50 years of cooperation and relationships working to innovate the Japanese feed, livestock and starch industries. Because of this mutual relationship and the U.S.'s commitment to be a long-term reliable supplier, Japan has been the number one customer of U.S. corn exports.

TPP will also provide opportunities for free and fair trade. And when trade works, the world wins. The TPP objective of removing tariff and non-tariff barriers will require adjustments both in the U.S. and Japanese agricultural sectors.

The Council believes that Japan is well positioned to not only remain a strong customer of the U.S. feed grains industry, but that it will have enormous opportunities to meet future Asian consumer-driven demand for high value and quality food.

Reflection on Husker Food Connection

mike@teamdavid.com — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 19:30:00 +0000

*Guest post by Amanda Vodvarka, Corn and Soy Collegiate Mentor

Sometimes it is hard for those of us with an agricultural background to realize just how distantly disconnected a large majority of today’s population is away from the farm and agriculture in general. While working at the Husker Food Connection at the University of Nebraska’s City Union, I realized and witnessed just how uneducated so many people are about agriculture, even here in Nebraska.

Walking around our tents just on the North side of the City campus Union, I couldn’t help but look at students’ faces and overhear some of their conversations. One of the conversations I overheard was from three girls that were walking by our tent with a four day old Holstein calf. As they were walking by I overheard one of the girls say, “Oh look at the cute goat!” It was at this moment, while I was in disbelief that the Holstein calf had just been called a goat, that I truly realized just how far apart producers and our consumers are apart.

Once I started my shift at 10 that morning, I was put to work running the cow milking contest and explaining to other fellow students how to milk a cow. After awhile I was asked to help serve food by handing out buns for other students and our sponsors for the Husker Food Connection Event. While waiting for people to come and eat, I was given the chance to talk to one of the sponsors for Husker Food Connection.

During our conversation, it hit me just how important of a job it is for us younger generation and all people in agriculture to share their story of what they do, how they do it and how it affects the consumer. I also learned that educating the public about agriculture is the least that we can do for all of people over the years who have given their service, time, and passion. Towards the end of the event my next task was to hand out free ear tag key chains and sunglasses. When I was handing out the ear tag key chains I would explain to people that ear tags are used for identification for livestock like cattle and pigs. I further explained that the ear tags serve the same purpose as name tags for us humans.

The ending of my shift four hours later, brought me happiness and satisfaction that we had made a dent in being able to inform the public about the importance of agriculture. Today, agriculture is misunderstood and attacked by numerous people who are miles and years apart from the farm and agriculture. It is people like those who lent their time at the Husker Food Connection, who will pave the pathway for the future of agriculture. Passionate people my age and older who support agriculture by telling others who do not have experience or knowledge, what we do and how we do our jobs in agriculture.