Agriculture

The agricultural workforce is shrinking, and has been for some time. The American Farm Bureau Federation estimates there are roughly 2.4 million farm jobs that need to be filled annually, but there has been a drastic decline in workers each year.

There are a number of reasons for the shortages. The AFBF says more than 73 percent of farm workers are immigrants from South America and Mexico. While the United States’ H2-A visa program, which allows employers who meet specific requirements to bring foreign laborers in for temporary work, has increased the number of accepted applications for immigrants to 250,000, this number is still just a drop in the bucket in terms of labor needs.

Another factor is a career in agriculture isn’t always easy or lucrative. According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, for every dollar spent on food, a farmer receives only 7.6 cents. Farmers were predicted to lose 9.7 percent of total net income in 2021.

The Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) and Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) have partnered together for the 2024 Stand Up 4 Grain Safety Week because everyone deserves to go home from work each day. The goal is to raise awareness among farmers and agricultural workers about the importance of safety when working in and around grain bins. This initiative also emphasizes the significance of overall safety practices on the farm.

As Nebraska farmers strive for innovation and higher yields, there has been a notable increase in on-farm storage. According to the USDA NASS report in 2023, there were over 890 million bushels of corn stored on Nebraska farms, an increase of 31% from 2022.

Nebraska soybeans also saw a 39% increase over 2022 with 87 million bushels of soybeans stored on Nebraska farms.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Nebraska is reminding the state’s producers who suffered impacts due to recent severe winter weather of programs that may be available for assistance.

Agricultural producers are encouraged to contact the FSA county office at their local USDA Service Center to learn about programs and how to apply for assistance, including understanding needed documentation, such as farm records, herd inventory, receipts, and pictures of damages or losses.

“The recent extreme cold and winter weather has been a challenge for farmers and ranchers in Nebraska,” Tim Divis, acting state executive director for Nebraska FSA, said. “We know some producers have experienced losses or other impacts. USDA offers disaster assistance programs that may be able to help.”

FSA DISASTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Fatigue has serious negative impacts on physical and mental health. Operating machinery when you’re sleep deprived can be as dangerous as operating machinery under the influence.

Increased physical and mental demands can result in poor sleep, which increases the risk for injuries.

While seasonality is a part of farming, it is important to be aware of the consequences fatigue can have, and what you can do to promote safety and health on your farm.

The checklist below lists a few things to help recognize the signs, symptoms, and possible strategies to address fatigue: Are you prioritizing rest, recovery, and sleep? Staying well-rested is essential for safe work performance?

Are you aware of the symptoms of fatigue? These can include drowsiness, apathy, dizziness, headaches, vision impairments, poor concentration, slow reflexes, changes in mood.

Recognized as the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, Progressive Agriculture Safety Day (PAF Safety Day) provides age-appropriate, hands-on educational lessons primarily designed for children ages 4 to 13 years old.

Since the program’s start in 1995, more than 1.9 million individuals have been reached in 45 states, two U.S. territories, and nine Canadian provinces.

Trained PAF Safety Day Coordinators partner within their community, using one of the three delivery modes, to customize their PAF Safety Day selecting from more than 30 safety and health topics with hundreds of activities and demonstrations to meet the needs of the youth in their area.

Statistics from those impacted by a farm-related injury or death are sobering. Many know someone who was impacted by a farm accident that in many cases could have been prevented.

The market value of agricultural land in Nebraska increased by 14 percent over the prior year, to an average of $3,835 per acre, according to the University of Nebraska- Lincoln’s 2023 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Survey preliminary report.

This marks the second- largest increase in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska since 2014 and the highest non-inflation- adjusted statewide land value in the 45-year history of the survey.

The report is issued annually by the university’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Center for Agricultural Profitability, based on a survey of land industry experts across Nebraska, including appraisers, farm and ranch managers, agricultural bankers, and other industry professionals.

Nebraska USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is reminding agricultural producers of the availability of two financial assistance programs designed to address revenue losses associated with natural disasters and the pandemic.

The Emergency Relief Program Phase 2 and the Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP) currently are both open for application at FSA offices across the state.

“Because ERP 2 and PARP look at losses from a revenue-based standpoint, they are different from other FSA-administered programs,” Tim Divis, the acting state executive director of Nebraska FSA said. “These are producer certification programs, and most of the information necessary to complete applications will come from producers’ personal financial records. Those interested in these programs are encouraged to begin working with their county FSA office now, ahead of their busy spring season.”

Lindsay Corporation (NYSE: LNN), a leading global manufacturer and distributor of irrigation and infrastructure equipment and technology, has recognized Perfect Circle Irrigation Inc., located in Central City, Doniphan, and Sutton, as the company’s Top North American Zimmatic™ dealer.

Jon Zoucha, Perfect Circle-owner and president, accepted the award during the company’s convention, which was recently held in Naussau, Bahamas.

“We are proud to recognize the team from Perfect Circle Irrigation for this outstanding achievement,” Gustavo Oberto, president of Global Agricultural Irrigation at Lindsay Corporation, said.

Nebraska's farmers and ranchers have the opportunity to be represented in the nation’s only comprehensive and impartial agriculture data for every state, county and territory.

USDA recently mailed its 2022 Census of Agriculture to all known agriculture producers across the nation and Puerto Rico. Producers have the option to respond securely and conveniently online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail.

The deadline for a response is Feb. 6. The Census of Agriculture is conducted every five years by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS); it is not a Nebraska Farm Service Agency-conducted survey.

However, the Census of Agriculture is important as it tells the story and shows the value of U.S. agriculture.

The data inform decisions about business, programs, rural development, research, and more.