Jagels elected officer of U.S. Meat Export Federation

Nebraska Corn Board member Mark Jagels, a farmer from Davenport, has been elected secretary/treasurer of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).

Mark Jagels at the recent USMEF meeting in Dallas.
Jagels was elected secretary/treasurer
of the organization at the meeting.

Jagels is a fourth generation farmer who farms with his father outside of Davenport, where he lives on the home place that was originally homesteaded in 1885. They are diversified producers who raise corn and soybeans, custom feed cattle and operate a trucking company. For several years he has served as a member of the USMEF executive committee representing feed grains, and has co-chaired USMEF’s Feed Grains & Oilseed Committee.

“I’m proud to be a part of a great organization that strives to open markets and increase sales around the world for U.S. beef and pork,” Jagels said in a news release. “I’ve seen firsthand how USMEF works in markets overseas, and its success positively impacts the bottom line of livestock producers here in Nebraska and across the country. That, in turn, helps ensure there is a solid feed market for Nebraska corn and distillers grains.”

USMEF encourages beef and pork exports via promotions and relationship building around the world. Estimates from USMEF show the value of meat exports have increased and are worth about $159 per head of cattle and $44 for each hog – and growing exports increases this value back to Nebraska and the country’s livestock producers.

“Mark is an excellent representative of the Nebraska Corn Board to serve on the USMEF executive committee,” said Don Hutchens, executive director for the Nebraska Corn Board. “It has been 24 years since we’ve had a board member serving as an officer on USMEF’s executive committee. It’s the commitment of farmers like Mark, and the funds of beef, pork, soybean and corn checkoff dollars that are matched with USDA and industry funds, that open the market to a world of potential buyers.”

Jagels, who has made several trips to promote U.S. beef and pork with importers, retailers, restaurant owners and consumers in several countries, noted that 95 percent of the world’s population resides outside the United States and that the competition is growing to deliver protein to them.

“It is critical to our long term agricultural survival to promote what we do best in the U.S. and that is produce high quality, safe food,” he said.

Podcast: Distillers grains is a great livestock, poultry feed

In this podcast, Greg Whitmore, a farmer from Shelby and member of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, reminds us about all the feed that corn ethanol plants produce. Known as distillers grains, ethanol plants produce some 11 billion pounds of feed here in Nebraska and some 73 billion pounds across the country.

Ethanol plants produce distillers grains because the ethanol process only uses the starch portion of the corn kernel. Whitmore said the rest of the kernel’s components, including fiber, protein and oil, combine to make distillers grains, an outstanding feed ingredient for livestock and poultry.

In the podcast, Whitmore discusses some of the benefits livestock and poultry producer see from distillers grains, including that it is a nutrient-rich feed that can help lower feeding costs.

"When you think of corn-based ethanol, think about distillers grains, too," he said. "Both add a lot of value to that initial bushel of corn."

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

Nebraska corn yields estimated at 166 bushels

In its crop production report today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture lowered its estimate for Nebraska corn yields to 166 bushels per acre – that's 4 bushels below the October estimate of 170 but still the second-largest yield on record (tied with 2004).

With harvested acres remaining the same, that yield figure puts the state's corn crop at 1.48 billion bushels, off from last month's 1.58 billion estimate. It is still the second-largest corn crop on record.

Nationally, USDA pegged corn production at 12.5 billion bushels on a national average yield of 154.3 bushels per acre. That yield estimate is 1.5 bushels below last month, while total crop production is down from USDA's 13.1 billion bushel October estimate.

Yields were reduced across the Corn Belt, although a few states (MI, MN, NY, ND, WI and CA) are still projected to have record yields.

As for supply and demand, USDA lowered feed and residual use by 100 million bushels and corn exports by 50 million bushels. However, it increased corn use for ethanol by 100 million bushels, which it attributed to record October ethanol production indicated by Energy Information Administration data. It also said that – while small relative to domestic usage – higher ethanol exports and lower imports are expected to add to corn use for ethanol with high sugar prices limiting the availability of ethanol from Brazil.

In the end, all that math lowers 2010-11 corn ending stocks 75 million bushels to 827 million bushels. USDA said that figure – if realized – would be the lowest since 1995-96 and represent a carryout of 6.2 percent of projected usage. In 1995-96, carryout dropped to 5 percent of estimated usage.

In the chart below, the highlighted figures in the 2009-10 column are records.

Crop update: Nebraska corn 94% harvested

Nebraska's corn crop is 94 percent harvested, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said today in it's weekly crop progress update. A year ago, only 28 percent of the crop was in the bin. The five-year average is 66 percent. What an incredible fall we've had here in Nebraska!

Yet progress across the country is similar - nationally 96 percent of the crop is harvested, compared to only 35 percent last year and the five-year average of 73 percent.

The early harvest is allowing farmers to get fall field work actually done in the fall. (Unlike last year, when we did a crop update in January to show harvest in the snow!)

Tomorrow we'll learn what the latest as to what USDA is thinking the size of this year's corn crop will shape up to be. Will yields (and the crop) get smaller? Will exports and feed demand remain unchanged?

In October's report, USDA estimated Nebraska corn yields at 170 bushels per acre – the second-largest on record. Nationally, USDA estimated yields at 155.8 bushels per acre, the third-largest on record.

This week's photo, from the Nebraska Corn Board's crop progress set on Flickr, was submitted by Howells Clarkson FFA Chapter.

HSUS uses National Animal Shelter Week to promote false image

This week, November 7-13, 2010, is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, which was launched by HSUS in 1996 as a way to acknowledge and promote the invaluable role shelters play in their communities and to increase public awareness of animal welfare issues and shelter services. The HSUS is using this week to promote and celebrate animal shelters across the country through media and public outreach. They have an event planning guide, articles and press releases about the week. And not surprising, they are using TV superstar Ellen DeGeneres to promote their programming.

However, all of this sounds nice and good for the animals, right? Many people think of HSUS as their local Humane Society interested only in helping animals that have been abandoned or abused, certainly not a radical organization. But their vice president, Michael W. Fox, said, "The life of an ant and that of my child should be granted equal consideration". Not much doubt where Fox stands.

HSUS is using this week to celebrate the valuable role of shelters – even though it doesn’t do much to help them. HSUS spends less than 1/2 of 1% on animal shelters across the U.S.! They essentially want to destroy animal agriculture.  They continue with these "public relation" ploys to promote a false image that they work closely with local shelters, and ride on the name "Humane Society" to confuse the public.

This is a perfect opportunity to educate the public on who the HSUS really is, and how it is affecting agriculture and livestock production in Nebraska - our livelihood. Take time this week to be an "agvocate" and post something on faceebook, twitter, your blog, talk to a friend or hair dresser, or even write a letter to the editor.

HumaneWatch.org does a great job of explaining what HSUS is really all about and how you can help animal shelters directly instead of supporting HSUS. Here is some info to get you started on sharing the truth and ways to promote animal agriculture:

• HSUS shares less than one-half of one percent of its budget with hands-on pet shelters. See the evidence for yourself.
• How well does HSUS perform in your state? Read "Not Your Local Humane Society" to find out.
• Click here to see all the HumaneWatch ads and leaflets to date.
• HSUS: Animal-Welfare Fool’s Gold
• The “Humane Society” That Isn’t
• The power of social media: You can make a difference
• Agvocate; Video comments support ag industry

Become AFAN of Nebraska agriculture

No matter the topic, we are always learning or helping to educate others to improve our society. That’s what A-FAN, the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska thinks, too. They are hoping to educate the consumer audience how livestock is raised and cared for in Nebraska.

A-FAN’s new campaign, Become AFAN, has been a dream of theirs for some time and is now a reality, with TV commercials during primetime television time in stations all across Nebraska – some even reaching into South Dakota and Iowa.

Become AFAN is dedicated to helping inform the public about modern food production and providing honest and open information about the way animals are cared for on Nebraska farms.

One of their most important messages is that Nebraska farmers are some of the best in the world at what they do. They use the most modern technology, the most environmentally sound farming practices and the most advanced methods possible to raise their crops and livestock. Nebraska farmers do this day in and day out – often in the face of extreme weather and hardships, to put food on your family’s dinner table.

If you’ve seen the commercials, they talk about how the future of agriculture looks – emphasizing that “The Future is Now”. These commercials show how baby pigs are safer than ever before and more are surviving their first month, and how dairy cows are healthier and producing higher quality milk. They also highlight that they way we handle cattle is safer and less stressful for the animals, as well as poultry products and eggs being safer than ever before. Watch it for yourself:


The commercial encourages the viewers to check out http://www.becomeafan.org/. At this website, you can watch the commercial, but more importantly, there will be information about each livestock species and a webisode - a short video – about each as well. Currently, there is information about pork and poultry, and the dairy and beef will be up soon. You can also follow Become AFAN on facebook and view Become AFAN TV on YouTube.

Please share this information with friends – ag or non-ag – so they can hear the true story of how animals are being raised humanely in Nebraska.

Read more about A-FAN and livestock in Nebraska:
A-FAN adds videos on animal care, sow housing
Become a fan of A-FAN
Dairy opening its doors this Saturday
Ag's economic impact - through the eyes of a senator from the city
Video: Ag important to state's economy, economic development
Video provides some info on Nebraska egg industry

Podcast: EPA decision on E15 welcome – but it's just first step

In this podcast, Jon Holzfaster, a farmer from Paxton and member of the Nebraska Corn Board, provides a few thoughts on the Environmental Protection Agency's recent approval of E15, a 15 percent ethanol blend, for cars model year 2007 and newer.

He said he's confident additional research EPA is undertaking will support the use of E15 in cars model year 2001 and newer and that hopefully EPA will give that approval in the next few months. "While not a perfect solution, it will help," he said, "but the end goal needs to include the approval of E15 in all vehicles."

He said moving to E15 is scientifically sound and is needed to continue advancing the ball for biofuels. It also helps support jobs in the renewable fuels sector, inject millions of dollars into the American economy and provides many environmental benefits by reducing the use of oil.

The simple truth is we need to take steps to adopt higher blends like E15 because it is the only way we can move further away from our dependence on oil and towards a more diversified and renewable fuel supply. Still, the approval is only the first step in the process.

"While EPA’s initial decision is welcome, it is just the first step in the right direction," Holzfaster said. "There are many steps left to take and probably a few hurdles to jump. But we have to start somewhere. We have to continue thinking of the future and doing what it takes to get there."

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

Schwarzenegger pumps E85, but is ARB following the science?

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was pumping E85 – an 85 percent ethanol blend – at a new fueling station geared towards biofuels in San Jose, Cal., yesterday.

While he only has a limited time left in office, it was good to see his support for biofuels like ethanol, especially considering that his state's Air Resources Board (ARB) has been so discriminatory towards the corn-based fuel. In fact, I'm wondering if California's ARB will ever adopt new and better science when it comes to biofuels and land use change like it said it would.

Speculation on the subject remains fairly wide open, but remarks by ARB's chairperson Mary Nichols – who has multiple ties to Big Oil – has made it clear that ethanol produced in the United States faces an uphill battle. Or, perhaps, will things change when a new governor is in place since board members serve at the governor's pleasure?

The state's ARB was charged with developing low carbon fuel standards and in the process decided to assign international indirect land use change penalties to biofuels – but not petroleum-based fuels. In fact, the California ARB gave a free pass to oil from several states and countries, including Saudi Arabia, Angola and Iraq.  A lawsuit was filed by ethanol organizations in late 2009 over ARB's regulations. Oil companies haven't objected, but when you're given a free pass, why would you?

The so-called land use change penalty makes it impossible for domestic ethanol to fit the bill as a low carbon fuel as the regulations ramp up and require a lower carbon score over several years.

However, in a single update this year to the model ARB used to estimate its theory on land use change, the penalty assigned to corn-based ethanol was cut in half and would allow it to meet the state's requirement.

Yet the board has not adopted these new figures, which makes one wonder as to whether the ARB has any real interest in making its low carbon fuel regulations as accurate as possible of if it's simply an exercise in politics geared toward Big Oil and foreign ethanol (which certainly doesn't have a stellar record – here and here).

Interestingly enough, a more recent study requested by the California ARB and produced by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, concludes that indirect land use change resulting from the expansion of corn ethanol production over the past decade has likely been "minimal to zero."

The study reviewed the years 2001-2008, a period when the U.S. ethanol sector more than quadrupled. Yet the conclusion was clear: "Empirical evidence does not support significant effects on U.S. commodity exports [and] other crops or cropland expansion in the U.S."

Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, noted, "We must ask why California insists on going forward with a regulation that is based not just on controversial theory, but a theory that has been disproven."

These results were presented to the ARB. Will it make a difference? Will the ARB drop the penalty and help ensure the ethanol industry continues to advance and help meet a growing portion of this country's fuel supply in the future?

For more background...

• Indirect land use and ethanol: An unproven theory
• Scientists concerned with California's low carbon fuel standard
• Ethanol moves forward but concerns remain on land use theories
• Dirty oil is getting dirtier

Brunkhorst receives Employee of the Year Award

Nebraska Corn Board's director of research, Kelly Brunkhorst, was recognized today as Employee of the Year for Nebraska’s State Employee Recognition Month.
In a special ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, employees and supervisors/managers were honored for their outstanding achievement at the 2010 Governor’s Employee and Supervisor/Manager of the Year ceremony and awarded with a special plaque.

Since 1985, the State of Nebraska has sponsored a statewide recognition program where the Governor honored state employees for outstanding achievements and dedication to state service. The Employee of the Year program recognizes employees whose job performance has exceeded the highest standards and contributed to the overall effectiveness of the agency.

“Kelly was recognized as he has developed a unique set of skill sets for analyzing specific data and reports that profoundly impact farming and renewable fuels in our state,” said Don Hutchens, executive director for the Nebraska Corn Board. “Few in state government have the knowledge base that he does regarding issues such as indirect land use, carbon footprints, greenhouse gas emissions, California’s Clean Air Resource Board, and Cap and Trade.”

As director of research, Brunkhorst manages the areas of animal nutrition, uses of corn, biotechnology, the molecular makeup of corn, and renewable fuels and how they impact the environment in a positive way. He has also become the in-house economist, with a unique eye for designing graphs, charts, and other data.

“It takes a strong dedication to understand the theory and science, and what constitutes the difference between them,” Hutchens said. “He is most deserving of this recognition.”

Nebraska Corn Board advances ‘Sustaining Innovation’ campaign

Building off a successful campaign conducted across Nebraska a year ago, the Nebraska Corn Board has created a new series of messages that feature several Nebraska farm families sharing facts about how today’s corn farmers are more sustainable than ever.

A delivery truck in Lincoln

The Sustaining Innovation campaign echoes a promotional campaign conducted in Washington, D.C., by the Corn Farmers Coalition, which is comprised of several state corn organizations, including those in Nebraska, and the National Corn Growers Association.

“We feel it is important to share positive messages about corn farming today to better help people understand just how far farmers have come in caring for the environment while producing a growing abundance of corn,” Curt Friesen, a farmer from Henderson who chairs the Nebraska Corn Board’s market development committee, said in a news release.

Some of the positive messages include the fact that American farmers have reduced the energy used to produce a bushel a corn by 37 percent over the past three decades and that farmers are producing 70 percent more corn per ounce of fertilizer than just 35 years ago.

A grain truck with Sustaining Innovation messaging.

Importantly, the messages also highlight the fact that 95 percent of all corn farms in the nation are family owned.

“We’re excited to be part of this campaign because we believe family corn farmers have made significant advancements to grow more corn per acre while requiring fewer inputs per bushel to do so,” said Chris Flaming, who is featured in one of the ads with his wife, Korene, and children. The Flamings farm near Elsie, Nebraska.

“People need to understand that it’s real families making their livelihood raising corn and that we’re doing the right things because we want our children to have an opportunity to farm, too,” Chris Flaming said.

The campaign is known as Sustaining Innovation because farmers are incredibly innovative and strive to continuously improve their productivity. “We really work to do a better job in every row, on every acre, on every farm, every season,” Friesen said.

One of the Sustaining Innovation ads featuring the
Flaming family of Elise, Nebraska.

“Increasing our productivity allows farmers to produce more corn with less land, less fertilizer and less chemicals,” he said. “It’s what allows us to raise enough corn to feed and help fuel the country.”

The campaign is already underway and will run through the rest of the year. It includes print advertising in select media outlets plus other activities, including large messages featuring real Nebraska corn farmers on delivery trucks in Lincoln and grain trucks in other parts of the state. The campaign also features radio spots and other sponsorships.

To view additional facts and some images used in the campaign, click here.