7% Corn Harvested as of 9/29/14

For the week ending September 28, 2014, above normal temperatures accelerated the dry down of row crops as producers waited for grain moisture levels to decline, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Rain at midweek was heaviest in central counties with amounts limited elsewhere.

There were 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 23 short, 70 adequate, and 3 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 25 short, 65 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Corn conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 6 poor, 19 fair, 51 good, and 22 excellent. Corn dented was 97 percent, near 99 for both last year and the average. Corn mature was 63 percent, near 60 last year and 66 average. Corn harvested was 7 percent, near 8 last year, but behind 16 average

Data for this news release were provided at the county level by USDA Farm Service Agency and UNL Extension Service.

For more pictures check out the Nebraska Corn Board Flickr page.

Access the National publication for Crop Progress and Condition tables at: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProg//2010s/2014/CropProg-09-29-2014.pdf

Access the High Plains Region Climate Center for Temperature and Precipitation Maps at: http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/maps/current/index.php?action=update_region&state=NE&region=HPRCC

Access the U.S. Drought Monitor at: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NE

Summer Wrap Up...From the intern

By: Morgan Zumpfe

 

The inevitable has happened. The first day of fall (September 23^rd) has transpired, so summer is officially over. I have moved into a new house, reunited with all of my friends, had my first test, enjoyed the cooler weather, and watched the Huskers play a couple of games (how about that win against Miami?!). I have also transitioned from being a full-time intern into being a fulltime student as well as being a part-time intern. I enjoy my afternoons away from campus at the Nebraska Corn Board (NCB). It is during these afternoons that I find myself reflecting on my summer, and thinking about how lucky I have been to get so many different experiences through NCB thus far. I would like to share some of these experiences with you in hopes that your son or daughter, niece or nephew, grandchild, friend, neighbor, or even yourself finds them intriguing and looks into getting involved with a NCB internship position. 

Here are some of the activities I have gotten to partake in during the last couple of months:

              

 

Flex Fuel Promotions: Summer is a very busy season for NCB because it is a prime time to promote American-made Ethanol. I assisted our biofuels development director, Kim Clark, in many E85 and Flex Fuel Friday promotions. This means that we would go out to a community fuel station and have a discounted price for a certain blend of fuel for a couple of hours. For instance, a popular promotion that we did in Omaha was a gallon of E85 for 85 cents. We would do this for a couple of hours in the morning, move to a new location, and do a couple of hours in the afternoon. People loved this because it is not an everyday occurrence that you can fill up your flex fuel vehicle (FFV) for $20. I enjoyed getting to talk to the public about the pros of ethanol, helping people determine whether they have a FFV or not, controlling traffic, and implementing surveys for further research.

Corn Congress: This was by far one of the highlights of my summer. I helped lead a group of young leaders in agriculture out to Washington, D.C for a week in July. You can read about my full experience here. 

Agribusiness Tours: Meeting new people is one of my favorite things about this internship. Everyone has a different story to tell and advice to give. I got to meet a whole group of influential professionals on a trip to Omaha with the Nebraska Agribusiness Club. We got to tour a lot of interesting businesses, and it helped me get a better idea of different opportunities out there for when I graduate. I think that getting experiences like this where you are forced to get out of your comfort zone and do something new is vital towards growing as a person and a professional. You can read about the trip in full here. 

Don’s Retirement Dinner: Getting to know former executive director of NCB, Don Hutchens, has been a rewarding part of working at NCB. I first met Don when we traveled together to Washington, D.C. for Corn Congress last summer and got stranded overnight in Detroit the day it went broke. Since interning at NCB, I have been able to watch the transition between Don, 27 year executive director, step down and Kelly Brunkhorst, former research director, take the lead. I got to help a little bit with Don’s retirement dinner, and it was great to be a part of a well-deserved celebration. 

Taiwanese trade group learning about DDGs

Checking out Gavilon's trade floor

Industry Tours: One of the great things about NCB is that it has so many connections. One of them is the U.S. Grains Council (USGC). A group of Taiwanese agricultural leaders got the chance to witness different aspects of American agriculture through USGC and spend two days in Nebraska. I got the opportunity to share my pride, Nebraska agriculture, with the Taiwanese delegation. I also learned quite a bit along the way. The first day, we went west. We toured Alan Tiemann’s farm by Seward, Aurora Cooperative’s Corporate Office and Grain Terminal, and Chief Ethanol in Hastings. The second day, we went east. We started out the day in Lincoln at Lincoln Inspection Service, and then set out for Omaha. In Omaha we visited Ag-Processing Inc., Gavilon, TSL Terminals, and The DeLong Company. The Taiwanese delegates were very excited with everything they saw and have a better understanding the process in which grain travels from the farm to the different end users.

State Fair: I got the chance to spend a lot of time in Grand Island at the State Fair. One of the things that I got to help with is volunteering at the new Raising Nebraska exhibit. I am so excited for our state to have gained such a cool exhibit to showcase and teach consumers and producers about agriculture. There is a lot of potential for this new building, and it will be great to see how it is utilized. Another thing I got to help with was the 4-H & FFA BBQ with the Nebraska Soybean Board and Nebraska Pork Producers. We served 2,100 meals in a little over 2 hours to 4-H and FFA members and their families. Let’s just say, I’m pretty good at serving coleslaw now. 

            

Husker Harvest Days: Most of you all know that Husker Harvest Days was kind of a mess this year due to lots and lots of rain. However, I got lucky and was able to make it out to Grand Island on Tuesday. Our booth’s theme was “Take a Second for Safety.” It was fun to interact with all of the farmers and families going through. We educated producers on the proposed WOTUS regulations and had a raffle for two grain rescue tubes to be given away to Nebraska fire departments. The winners were Cedar Rapids Volunteer Fire Department and Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department.

Crop Progress: Throughout the growing season, I have kept the Corn Crop Progress reports in full swing. I correspond with FFA chapters who send me pictures of the current corn crop in their area. I have been uploading those pictures to our Flickr page, Facebook, and even Pinterest. Also, I send out Crop Progress reports on a bimonthly basis. I am really excited for harvest to get going to see some beautiful fall pictures. Being in charge of this program has taught me a lot about posting and evaluating social media posts and has been fun as well.

Career Fair: The next thing on my To-Do list is to prepare for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources fall career fair. It is on Thursday, October, 2^nd. NCB staff, including myself, will be there talking to students about internship opportunities. If any of these activities that I previously mentioned in my summer recap sound interesting at all, come talk to us! We are excited to meet with students and share the opportunities that the Nebraska Corn Board has to offer. NCB has four other internships throughout the nation and one international internship, all of which you can learn about here.

Although it is sad to see summer end, fall is my favorite season for many reasons. Some of them include: pumpkin-spiced everything, Husker football games, perfect weather, harvest time, and a season for giving thanks. I believe that we have a lot to be thankful for here in Nebraska, and I am thankful for the experiences and friendships I have made through the Nebraska Corn Board.

Help in Finding Renewable Fuels at the Pump

September is Renewable Fuels Month!
Part Four of a Four-Part Series for Renewable Fuels Month

In today’s fast-paced marketplace, consumers are faced with a daunting number of choices each day. And with life being so fast-paced, information is constantly being presented to us to sift through. This is also true with our energy needs.

Consumers have choices to make in regards to their energy needs at home and also in their vehicles. Renewable fuels are a smart choice because they are sustainable, locally produced, and help lessen our dependence on foreign oil.

Both biodiesel and ethanol are readily available to consumers in Nebraska, and they are being offered in more places than most people would think. Not only do consumers have the option to choose biodiesel or ethanol, they also have the option to select them at the specific blends that they are looking for. Common blends for biodiesel include B5, B10 and B20. If using biodiesel for farming purposes or looking to order biodiesel to put in a storage tank, then it can be ordered at the specific blend rate that you choose. Blend rates are identified by the number following the letter, so B20 is comprised of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent diesel fuel.

“Nebraska’s farmers have been working hard the last few years to get biodiesel and ethanol more readily available at the pumps in Nebraska,” said Mark Caspers, farmer from Auburn, Nebraska and District Five director of the Nebraska Soybean Board. “If biodiesel isn’t available at your local fueling station, then I recommend that you request it become available and have them call the Soybean Board with questions on how to do so.”

If you have filled your tank with gasoline in Nebraska recently, you probably noticed that ethanol flex fuel pumps are scattered all over the state. These pumps allow you to choose a variety of different options, which typically include the ability to fill up with E10 or E15, 10 or 15 percent ethanol, respectively. If you drive a flex fuel vehicle, many of these flex fuel pumps allow you to choose a flex fuel blend from E0 all the way up to E85. These choices provide flex fuel vehicle owners the flexibility to choose their fuel choice based on price and their needs.

As the celebration of September as Renewable Fuels Month is wrapping up and driving into the fall, make the smart, easy choice of including ethanol or biodiesel in your vehicle. You’ll be reducing emissions and America’s dependence on foreign oil.

For more information on where you find E85 pumps and ethanol blender pumps, go to www.ne-ethanol.org. Here you will find an interactive map and have an updated list of ethanol pumps right at your fingertips or call the Nebraska Corn Board at 402-471-2676.

To find biodiesel near you, simply go to www.biodiesel.org. Once there, you’ll be given the option to either find biodiesel at the pump or purchase it for bulk delivery. Locations on the map change frequently, so if you are having trouble finding a station near you, then call the Nebraska Soybean Board at (402) 441-3240 for help finding a local retailer.

It's beginning to feel like fall

Producers are cutting silage for the year.

For the week ending September 14, 2014, below normal temperatures coupled with rain in the east and light snow in western portions of the State slowed fieldwork activities, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Moisture accumulations across the southeastern third of the state were an inch or more with lesser amounts elsewhere. Frost was recorded during the week. Winter wheat seeding continued in western counties.

The number of days considered suitable for fieldwork were 3.8. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 3 percent very short, 19 short, 71 adequate, and 7 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 24 short, 65 adequate, and 3 surplus.

 Corn conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 6 poor, 19 fair, 51 good, and 22 excellent. Corn dented was 88 percent, equal to last year, but behind 92 average. Corn mature was 29 percent, ahead of 14 last year, but near 28 average.

Data for this news release were provided at the county level by USDA Farm Service Agency and UNL Extension Service.

For more pictures, visit the Nebraska Corn Board's Flickr page.

Economic impacts of Nebraska ethanol

As September is Renewable Fuels Month in Nebraska, we want to celebrate the economic impacts it brings to Nebraska.

A vibrant agricultural economy is the leading contributor of Nebraska’s economic success and ethanol is a major component.  

The ethanol industry directly generates jobs, increases Nebraska’s annual economic base and gives back in local and state tax revenues each year. Also, wages in the ethanol sector outpace wages in other manufacturing sectors by $20,000!

Nebraska Corn Board partners with UNL for distinctive Presidential Chair

The Nebraska Corn Board has made a $2.0 million commitment to the University of Nebraska Foundation to establish the permanently endowed Nebraska Corn Checkoff Presidential Chair. The endowment will provide annual support to the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) for research and development related to corn demand.

For nearly 30 years, the Nebraska Corn Board and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR) at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln have collaborated on education and research on behalf of 23,000 Nebraska corn farmers and their investment in their corn checkoff. Now, they are partnering to establish the Nebraska Corn Checkoff Presidential Chair.

“This gift from the Nebraska Corn Board is exceptionally exciting, as it will create opportunities to advance corn-based product development at the University of Nebraska,” said Ronnie Green, NU Vice President and IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor. “I can assure you that the future holder of this presidential chair will develop major advancements from this support that will be beneficial for producers and industry leaders in Nebraska and beyond.”

This presidential chair is only the third of its kind, following suit of the Nebraska Wheat Growers Presidential Chair and Nebraska Soybean Board Presidential Chair. It will enable the university to award faculty members with an annual stipend for salary, research and program support.  Recipients of the award will be selected based on teaching and research ability, academic promise and accomplishments and will receive an annual stipend for research and program support.

From the Nebraska Corn Board’s investments in students through the Corn Development Utilization & Marketing Board Scholarship and Fellowship Fund, educational projects like the UNL Agricultural Economics Trading Room and the Raising Nebraska exhibit at the State Fair; and numerous corn-related research projects, the partnership with IANR has helped the board address its mission of increasing the demand for Nebraska corn and enhancing the profitability of Nebraska’s corn growers.

“But now, the corn industry is at a crux, where corn production is outpacing demand and developing new markets are needed more than ever,” said Tim Scheer, farmer from St. Paul, Nebraska and chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board.

“Corn prices are at or below the cost of production following a record crop last year and yet another estimated for this year,” said Scheer. “The timing of the opportunity for the Nebraska Corn Board to partner with the University to support such a distinctive chair is advantageous to develop new uses and create more demand for corn.”

This endowed Presidential Chair will ensure that IANR’s research in this important area of Nebraska’s corn industry exists in perpetuity.

The gift of the endowed chair also supports the University of Nebraska’s current Campaign for Nebraska fundraising initiative, which ends on December 31, 2014, and one of its priorities to increase support for faculty members in an effort to both retain and recruit top faculty.

Join us in KC for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Race - October 5!

Reserve Your Seat Today!!
What: NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Kansas City
When: October 5,2014
Where: Kansas Speedway
Cost: $100/person

The Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Corn Growers Association and Nebraska’s 23,000 corn farmers invite you to attend the Sunday, October 5 NASCAR race at Kansas Speedway.

The cost is $100 per person and includes transportation to and from the race, the ticket for the race, and morning and evening meals, ticket into the hospitality tent where there will be food and beverages before the race and a gift certificate for Fan Vision – a device that allows you to watch the race on a small monitor and listen to the announcers or the conversation between the driver and his crew.

Seating is limited to the first 100 paid participants. Your seat on the bus and race ticket are reserved with your payment.  No payments will be accepted the day of the race.  See payment information below.

The race begins at 1:00 pm. We will leave Lincoln at approximately 6:00 am and return about 7:30 pm the same day.

The first 100 paid participants will get this package deal.

Make checks payable to: “Nebraska Corn Growers Association”.  Be sure to include your name, mailing address, email and phone number.

Send payment to:
Kim Clark
PO Box 95107
Lincoln, NE 68509

American Ethanol began a partnership with NASCAR starting with this racing season and the Nebraska Corn Board is a contributor to American Ethanol.  In the Nationwide Series, Sprint Cup Series, and Camping Truck Series, drivers will be running their race car on American Ethanol.  This partnership was formed to promote ethanol, educate consumers about agriculture, and more.

Homegrown, Renewable Fuels provide Energy Independence

September is Renewable Fuels Month!
Part Three of a Four-Part Series for Renewable Fuels Month

Biodiesel and ethanol, two energy sources made from soybeans and corn, respectively, are homegrown and locally produced. For Renewable Fuels Month in September, Nebraska farmers celebrate these homegrown crops and their abundant number of renewable uses.

In Nebraska last year, farmers raised 252 million bushels of soybeans and 1.6 billion bushels of corn. And that number is growing. From these two crops, fuel sources, livestock feed and thousands of food products are created – right here in Nebraska, as well as across the U.S.

Homegrown, renewable fuels contribute to our energy independence and security.  Over 1,500 are employed in rural Nebraska because of renewable fuels. Nationwide, more than 850,000 jobs are supported by renewable fuels, according to an economic impact study by John Dunham & Associates recently released by the Fuels America coalition.

The Dunham & Associates report tells the story of an innovative, advanced renewable fuels and biofuels industry that is producing growing benefits for America’s economy. Part of the effort in contributing towards an expanded biofuels industry is the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “The data is in: The RFS is driving billions of dollars of economic activity across America,” the report concludes. “This is the result of years of investment by the biofuel sector to bring clean, low carbon renewable fuels to market.”

Renewable fuels represent nearly 10% of America’s fuel supply and have helped reduce U.S. reliance on foreign oil to the lowest level in years.

In 2007, the RFS program was expanded to include biodiesel, increased the amount of fuel required to be blended into transportation fuel to 36 billion gallons in 2022, created new categories of renewable fuels including advanced, cellulosic, and conventional and evaluated the lifecycle of greenhouse gases to ensure each category was meeting a minimum threshold.

The RFS is doing exactly what it was intended to do.  “In 2013, we reduced our imported crude oil by 462 million barrels and 1.1 billion gallons of imported petroleum diesel,” said David Merrell, corn farmer and District 7 director for the Nebraska Corn Board. “Each year we are producing more renewable fuels in the United States. They are supporting the local farmer and provide as much as $3 million in tax revenue for Nebraska.”

The RFS is reducing our dependency on imported oil, providing a homegrown, locally produced renewable fuel, creating jobs, providing tax revenue, and more.  Renewable fuels are a win-win situation for the farmers, rural communities, and consumers.

Merrell added, “With the diversity of products we can make from these two crops, Nebraska consumers should feel great about using renewable products, like ethanol and biodiesel that come from a homegrown crop grown each year across the state.”

Global food prices fall to lowest level in 4 years

Global food prices fell to their lowest level in four years as all major food sectors declined during August with the exception of meat, the United Nations said on Thursday.

The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization said the food price index, which measures monthly price changes in cereals, dairy, meat, sugar and oilseeds, averaged 196.6 points in August, down from 203.9 points a month earlier. The drop was the fifth consecutive month of a decline.

The agency said its cereal price index, which includes grains such as corn, rice, oats and rye, averaged 182.5 points in August, down 2.8 points from July, and 24.2 points, or 11.7 percent, from August 2013. The index has been falling continuously since May following strong global production of wheat, corn and other commodities in the United States and around the world due to favorable growing conditions. The UN said it forecast global cereal production of 2.8 billion tons, just short of an all-time high.

The United States is on track to harvest 14.395 billion bushels of corn and 3.913 billion bushels of soybeans, both records, the Agriculture Department said Thursday.

The monthly FAO index also showed evidence of the impact of the food and agricultural import sanctions imposed by Russia in July. Dairy prices in August fell to 200.8 points, down 11 percent from July and nearly 20 percent from the same month a year ago.

"Russia's prohibition at the beginning of the month on imports of dairy products from several countries helped depress prices, while slackening imports of whole milk powder by China (the world's largest importer) also contributed to market uncertainty," the agency said.

In the United States, food prices are forecast to rise 3 percent in 2014, with much of that increase coming from soaring prices for beef, pork and eggs, according to the USDA.

Corn Season Progressing

For the week ending September 7, 2014, cool temperatures coupled with rain slowed fieldwork activities early and again late in the week, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Moisture accumulations in most areas were less than an inch but enough to make hay harvest difficult. Irrigation was in the final stages and corn silage harvest began in southern counties. There were 5.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 23 short, 68 adequate, and 5 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 27 short, 63 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Corn conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 6 poor, 19 fair, 50 good, and 22 excellent. Corn dough was 98 percent, near 97 last year and equal to the average. Corn dented was 75 percent, ahead of 69 last year, but behind 80 average. Corn mature was 15 percent, ahead of 4 last year, but near 16 average.

 For more pictures, check out the Nebraska Corn Board's Flickr page.

Data for this news release were provided at the county level by USDA Farm Service Agency and UNL Extension Service.

Nebraska's Golden Triangle Benefits Renewable Fuels

September is Renewable Fuels Month!
Part Two of a Four-Part Series for Renewable Fuels Month

Nebraska’s economic prosperity is deeply rooted in agriculture. Very few states can stake claim to the high rankings and diverse production that Nebraska consistently maintains year after year. Besides taking the top ranking in cattle on feed, in 2013 Nebraska also ranked first in popcorn and Great Northern dry edible bean production.

Last year, Nebraska ranked third in corn production and fifth in soybean production, accounting for nearly 12 percent of the nation’s corn bushels and almost 8 percent of the nation’s soybean bushels. Nebraska’s centralized location, access to water, and fertile soils make it a natural hub for crop, livestock and even biofuels production – all of which make up Nebraska’s Golden Triangle.

“The ability to grow a large corn crop, year after year, makes Nebraska a prime location to produce ethanol,” said Kim Clark, director of biofuels development for the Nebraska Corn Board. “Nebraska’s ranked second nationally in ethanol production and distillers grains in 2013. These production numbers clearly illustrate the interdependent nature of the biofuels and feed industries.”

Farmers have solid, established markets for corn – ethanol and livestock – while the two-dozen ethanol plants across state then provide renewable fuel and a feed ingredient for the livestock industry, giving cattle feeders in Nebraska more feed options and an advantage over feeders in other states.

Soybean acres in Nebraska are up nearly 13 percent from last year. Not only do soybean farmers expect a large crop, but they also expect to find a market for that large crop as well. Roughly 97 percent of domestic soybean meal goes to feeding poultry, hogs and other livestock.

The majority of the oil from soybeans continues to be used for human consumption, but biodiesel production has increased significantly over the last few years, helping to alleviate a glut of soybean oil that remained on the market. According to a study conducted by the USDA, the increased usage of biodiesel has returned nearly $0.74 per bushel to soybean farmers.

Terry Horky, a soybean farmer from Sargent and chairman of the Domestic Marketing Committee for the Nebraska Soybean Board, thinks Nebraska’s Golden Triangle makes perfect sense. “Agricultural production in Nebraska is part of a very dynamic system, a system in which soybeans, corn, and biofuels production can fit in perfectly with livestock production. We can market our crops locally, create jobs locally and keep some of these tax dollars in our communities.”

Make sure the corn you grow has a place to go

The Nebraska Corn Board wants farmers to make sure that the corn they grow has a place to go.  In an effort to ensure the U.S. corn industry maintains important international trade markets, the Nebraska Corn Board is urging growers to follow stewardship protocols for U.S.-grown biotech hybrids yet to be approved in major export markets away from export channels.

Cutting-edge corn hybrids, such as Agrisure Duracade, a corn rootworm (CRW) control technology that has been approved in the U.S., are becoming more available options for farmers. While being approved in the U.S. and Japan, Agrisure Duracade does not have a synchronized regulatory approval in China –a growing market for U.S. corn - and having it enter the Chinese market would be detrimental.

At this point, China has closed its market to both corn and distillers grains from the United States due to traits that have not been approved by their government.  The lack of approval affects both Nebraska corn farmers and Nebraska ethanol plants.

“Farmers are in the most global business of anyone in our economy today. One out of every three farm acres planted in this country goes for exports,” said Tom Sleight, president and CEO of U.S. Grains Council. “It’s critical to our trading relationships that all corn producers heading in to harvest be mindful of the varieties they are growing and closely follow the stewardship agreements they have committed to.”

The Nebraska Corn Board is encouraging farmers to take three important steps this harvest season when it comes to marketing Agrisure Duracade:

1. Re-read the stewardship agreement you signed to understand your obligations.
2. Visit with your elevator or ethanol plant about their harvest policies.
3. If your first purchaser has channeling requirements, follow them.  Deliver Agrisure Duracade to the right place—and make sure the corn you grow has a place to go.

There are more than 800 outlets accepting Agrisure Duracade. Elevators across Nebraska have been calling farmers to follow up on what they are growing and locations at which they are accepting this hybrid.

“Biotechnology has been a great thing for corn farmers—and will continue to be, so long as everyone in the chain from farmers to elevators follow the rules and do our part to be responsible stewards,” said Tim Scheer, farmer from St. Paul and chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board. “As we harvest this year's crop, know what you need to do to deliver Agrisure Duracade to the right place—and keep biotechnology working for all of us.”

Safety demonstrations with GSI, Inc at Husker Harvest Days

Headed out to Husker Harvest Days? You won’t want to miss the impactful grain engulfment demonstrations.

These demonstrations are very real – actual people are submerged up to their chest in corn. Experts from the Safety and Technical Rescue Association (SATRA) show how to use grain rescue tubes to save the individuals. While demonstrating, they explain just how easy it is for an individual to get themselves into a bad situation—and how common sense and proper safety protocols can help avoid a tragedy.

Each day, there will be rescue demonstrations held at the GSI booth (Lot #217) on 2nd Street. The demonstrations take place at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the GSI booth.

The Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) and Nebraska Corn Growers Association (NeCGA) in partnership with GSI, Inc., will be hosting grain engulfment safety demonstrations throughout the Husker Harvest Days event, September 9-11, 2014. These demos tie with the theme, “Take a Second for Safety” that all of the commodities will be promoting in the Commodities Building (Lot #8) on Main Street.

Over the past 50 years in the U.S., more than 900 cases of grain engulfment have been reported—and the fatality rate is 62 percent. With several grain bin accidents already reported this year in Nebraska, NCB and NeCGA want to advocate for more training and safety tubes to be available for local fire departments across the state.

These demos also show how important it is that local emergency responders have the proper equipment and training to manage a grain engulfment situation. While Husker Harvest Days participants are at the Commodity Building, they can register to win one of two grain rescue tubes which will be given to their local fire departments or emergency response organization.