Agriculture

LINCOLN–On May 11, leaders in Nebraska business, agriculture, government and higher education launched “Blueprint Nebraska,” a citizen- led, statewide economic development initiative. The effort seeks to establish a comprehensive and pro-active plan to stimulate the state’s economic growth, competitiveness and prosperity, while building on its many strengths.

Lance Fritz, the chairman, president and CEO of Union Pacific Corp. in Omaha, and Owen Palm, the president and CEO of 21st Century Holdings in Scottsbluff, are co-chairs of Blueprint Nebraska. Joining them at today’s announcement were Governor Pete Ricketts, University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds, and representatives of the chamber of commerce community.

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The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is reminding Nebraska farmers and ranchers that the window is closing on the opportunity to participate in the 2017 Census of Agriculture. To date, NASS has received more than 1.5 million completed questionnaires, but both the national and Nebraska return rates are currently lower than at this point in the 2012 Census process.

NASS is encouraging Nebraska producers who have not returned their completed Census questionnaires to do so as soon as possible to avoid phone and in-person follow-up.

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RON ROSATI, PH.D., NCTA DEAN Aggie success was on display late last week at a national agricultural contest in Norfolk, NE. Twenty-five NCTA students and three faculty members attended the 2018 North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Contests at the campus of one of our Nebraska counterparts, Northeast Nebraska Community College.

Your NCTA Aggies were named 2018 Reserve Champions among two-year colleges in the NACTA sweepstakes of 13 contests testing agricultural knowledge and skill. Congratulations to the Aggies for high achievement at this pinnacle of academic endeavor.

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The Little Blue Natural Resources District has received confirmation that it will receive two grants from the Nebraska Environmental Trust in the 2018 awards, and will be a partner in a third grant award submitted by the Tri-Basin NRD. These projects are three of the 105 projects receiving a portion of the $18,301,819 in grant awards from the Trust.

The first is a $208,870 grant called “Puddles Under the Pivots” and is being administered with the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture. The project in its third year, is designed to restore historical wetlands but also provides funds for the establishment of grazing infrastructure on the wetlands with the landowners’ retaining the right to pass a center pivot over the enrolled acres. Grant funds will be leveraged with significant funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Wetland Reserve Easement Partnership (WREP) grant.

Lincoln—A May 9 Nebraska Extension training course is scheduled for industry representatives and corn and soybean growers wanting to learn how to better manage corn and soybean pests.

“The training is designed for entry-level scouts who are working for crop consultants, industry agronomists or farm service centers in Nebraska and neighboring states,” said Keith Glewen, Nebraska Extension educator. Glewen says the training course is also ideal for growers who scout their own fields or are interested in improving productivity, as well as for students being employed by agribusinesses. 

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LINCOLN–Nebraska Farm Bureau is urging the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to not use the term “meat” when referring to all lab-grown and plant-based meat alternatives. The request to limit the definition of “beef” and “meat” to only products from live animals born, raised and harvested in the traditional manner, comes from a strong movement to develop and commercialize alternative protein products, particularly “clean meat,” also called lab-grown or cultured meat, and plant-based proteins.

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network (NOFRN) is seeking growers who would like to conduct research trials in the 2018 crop season.

NOFRN is designed to help growers test and answer questions they have about products or practices they’re considering implementing on their farm. The on-farm research studies provide a unique opportunity to collaborate with university and industry experts to design and conduct research suited to the farmer’s own operation.

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Lincoln, March 27–The Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement honored David and Ann Bruntz of Friend and Don Hutchens at a banquet on March 23 at Nebraska East Union in Lincoln.

Formed in 1916, the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement is dedicated to preserving and improving Nebraska agriculture. Each year, the group recognizes at least one honoree and elects new members.

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Hail strikes Nebraska crops each year, creating uncertainty and questions for farmers: “Does the level of damage warrant replanting or will the remaining stand yield better than a replant would? How should I adjust inputs for the remaining season? Would a cover crop be cost effective?”

RECORD SIZED HAIL

A hailstone with a diameter of 7 inches and a circumference of 18.75 inches fell near Aurora, during a June 22, 2003, storm, setting the U.S. record for largest hailstone. Since then, on July 23, 2010, a heavier hailstone (1.938 lb) with a larger diameter (8 inches) fell near Vivian, SD, taking the U.S. record.

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The Little Blue NRD Board is nearing the final draft re-write of its Groundwater Management Rules and Regulations.

Mike Onnen, manager of the Little Blue NRD, reports, “The Water Resources Committee is nearly finished with their deliberations on rule changes in pursuit of sustainability for the water resource of the district.”

The re-write of the district’s Groundwater Management Plan was approved by the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources in December 2017 paving the way for modifications of the triggers necessary for more proactive water management.

“The previous triggers allowed as much as 15 feet of additional groundwater declines in portions of the district before allocation of groundwater would occur,” Onnen said.

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