Agriculture

FAIRMONT—On Oct. 23, the Flint Hills Resources Fairmont ethanol plant hosted representatives from the U.S. Grains Council, the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Ethanol Board, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and a delegation of feed ingredients buyers from Taiwan. The Taiwanese buyers were in the United States as part of a fact-finding tour to learn about animal food products made by ethanol plants.

While ethanol plants produce dried distillers’ grains as a co-product in the production of ethanol, the Taiwanese group chose to tour Flint Hills’ Fairmont plant in part because the facility also produces NexPro®, a high-protein animal food ingredient that is especially useful in the production of poultry, fish, shrimp and pet food.

NexPro® is made through a proprietary process that separates protein from the whole stillage that remains after the production of ethanol. The Fairmont plant has been producing NexPro® since 2018.

USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Clay County reminds producers who previously filed a Notice of Loss for 2019 livestock losses to make an appointment to complete the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) application process.

“Producers who filed a LIP Notice of Loss following the death of livestock earlier this year should gather their records and submit all supporting documentation to FSA,” David Studnicka, County Executive Director in Clay County said. “Producers are encouraged to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.”

LIP compensates livestock owners and contract growers for livestock death losses in excess of normal mortality due to adverse weather, including losses due to floods, blizzards, extreme heat or extreme cold, among other causes. For disease losses, FSA county committees can accept veterinarian certifications that livestock deaths were directly related to adverse weather and unpreventable through good animal husbandry and management.

Agriculture Today: It is What It Is…What Should We Do About It?

Those of us in agriculture are no stranger to risks involved with agriculture that are taken every day, whether it is financial, production, legal, price/market or human resource risks. While we can’t control everything, there are measures that can be taken to protect one’s operation and reduce risk. Each year the Farmers & Ranchers College hosts Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus from Virginia Tech, who does an excellent job describing global risks which affect us locally and how those risks will affect the agricultural industry.

The agricultural economic down turn is in the seventh year and counting. Razor thin margins combined with increased volatility is the economic environment that most in the industry are facing. The result is massive changes in the structure of agriculture and rural communities.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin mailing ballots on Nov. 4, to eligible farmers and ranchers across the country for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) county committee elections.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

The Farmers and Ranchers College was formed in January 2000 with the purpose of providing high quality, dynamic, upto-date educational workshops for area agricultural producers in south central Nebraska through a collaborative effort between business, industry and higher education leaders. Furthermore, the Farmers and Ranchers College will provide the tools necessary so that agricultural producers will be able to respond positively to these changes using a profitable decision making process.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

Clay County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director, David Studnicka, announced today that producers who file accurate and timely acreage reports for all crops and land uses, can prevent the potential loss of FSA program benefits.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

Here is the latest data from the Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Service, as of Oct. 20: This past week, there were six days suitable for fieldwork.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

Eleven members of Sandy Creek FFA helped coordinate a free Harvest Feed on Oct. 17 at area elevators: AGP at Fairfield, Aurora Coop at Clay Center, and CPI at Hastings. At least 130 meals were served among the three sites; at Clay Center, the group ran out of food within 15 minutes and had to purchase more supplies, losing count of the meals served at this location. The intent of this service opportunity was to show appreciation to local farmers, particularly in light of how tough the year has been.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/

VIEWS FROM VANDEWALLE

My colleague and Extension Specialist, Bruce Anderson, recently provided some tips for grazing corn stalks which I’ve decided to share in the first part of my column this week.

To read more please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Clay%20County%20NewsID530/