News Update
July 23, 2013
USDA Announces Results for
45th Conservation Reserve Program
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced July 22 that the USDA will accept 1.7 million acres offered under the 45th Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) general sign-up. The Department received nearly 28,000 offers on more than 1.9 million acres of land, demonstrating CRP’s continuing appeal as one of our nation’s most successful voluntary programs for soil, water and wildlife conservation. Under Vilsack’s leadership, USDA has enrolled nearly 12 million acres in new CRP contracts since 2009. Currently, there are more than 26.9 million acres enrolled on 700,000 contracts.
“For 27 years, lands in CRP have helped to conserve our nation’s resources and played a part in mitigating climate change,” said Vilsack. “American farmers and ranchers continue to recognize the importance of protecting our nation’s most environmentally sensitive land by enrolling in CRP. As the commodities produced by our farmers and ranchers continue to perform strongly in the marketplace — supporting one out of every 12 jobs here in the United States — it is no surprise that American producers continue to recognize the importance of protecting our nation’s most environmentally sensitive land by enrolling in CRP.”
In addition to the announcement, during the last four years, USDA has set aside significant acreage under CRP’s continuous enrollment programs to target habitat conservation on especially important lands. For example, in March 2012, President Obama dedicated 1 million acres of CRP to continuous enrollment programs to conserve wetlands, grasslands and wildlife.
Protecting Your Privacy
Protecting farmers’ and ranchers’ right to privacy is a top priority, said the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), which took legal action early this month to stop the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from publicly releasing personal information about thousands of farmers and ranchers and their families. EPA was expected to respond to several Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, prompting AFBF to file a lawsuit and seek a temporary restraining order before the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
By seeking an immediate court order stopping EPA’s imminent release, AFBF hopes to stall disclosures of farmers’ and ranchers’ names, home addresses, GPS coordinates and personal contact information until a court can clarify EPA’s obligation to keep personal information about citizens private. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) joined AFBF in the lawsuit.
For more information, please view the full release in the July edition of the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA, available here.
Managing Nitrates in Annual Forages
Drought conditions continue to linger in western Nebraska; but other parts of the state that received ample moisture early are now drying out. These conditions can create high nitrates in annual forages and weeds. Understanding management practices that can mitigate the negative impact on beef cattle can help producers avoid a wreck.
Feeds that contain nitrates can be successfully fed to cattle. When feeds containing nitrates are consumed by ruminants, nitrates are changed in the rumen to ammonia and are rendered non-toxic to the animal. Also, the rumen bacteria can use ammonia.
Nitrite is one of the intermediate products in the breakdown of nitrate in the rumen and is the cause of nitrate poisoning.
Nitrite can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Nitrite in the bloodstream changes hemoglobin to methemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to other tissues in the body, but methemoglobin is incapable of carrying oxygen. Thus, nitrates become a problem when enough methemoglobin is produced that the oxygen carrying capacity of blood is reduced to a critical level.
Nitrite in the blood causes a brownish discoloration of the blood due to the presence of methemoglobin, and is a sign of nitrate poisoning. Besides the chocolate-colored blood, other physical signs of nitrate poisoning include difficult and rapid breathing, muscle tremors, low tolerance to exercise, incoordination, diarrhea, frequent urination, collapse, and death.
Nitrates in blood may also cause blood vessels to dilate and are responsible for peripheral circulatory failure.
Lack of oxygen to the fetus probably causes abortions that sometimes occur following nitrate poisoning. Abortion due to nitrate is accompanied or preceded by some evidence of nitrate problems in the adult animal, including chocolate-colored blood and bluish discoloration of unpigmented (around the eyes) areas of the skin or mucous membranes.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Agricultural Bankers See Great Opportunity
in Booming Farm Economy
The nation’s top experts in ag lending will gather in Minneapolis for the American Bankers Association (ABA) National Agricultural Bankers Conference Nov. 10-13.
This year’s event, now in its 61st year, will provide the tools bankers need to be effective lenders during this time of agricultural prosperity. This annual forum consistently delivers rare access to industry experts, academics and peers willing to share strategies for success in the world of agricultural banking.
The conference will kick off with a keynote address from Purdue University economists Jason Henderson and Brent Gloy who will present fresh research, including a look into the “agricultural wealth effect.” Another keynote address will feature radio broadcaster Orion Samuelson, most widely known for hosting the U.S. Farm Report. The “Big O” will speak to attendees about his career, his passion for agriculture and his experience as the “voice of American agriculture.”
With more than 30 sessions and experts spanning the agricultural spectrum, attendees are guaranteed to walk away with at least three actionable ideas when they return to their banks. Featured sessions include:
- Managing Ag Credit Concentration: How banks with a heavy concentration in agricultural loans manage risk;
- Boom Town Banking in the Bakken: How banks in rural North Dakota are coping with the biggest energy play in a century;
- Growing the Next Gen Farmer: Nurturing the next generation of farm customers;
- Growing the Next Gen Ag Banker: Available resources to train up the next generation of ag bankers;
- Does Farm Policy Still Matter?: Kansas State University economist Barry Flinchbaugh will talk about the future direction of federal farm policy; and
- Land Values Outlook: Iowa State University economist Mike Duffy will provide an outlook on land values.
Registration for the conference is $950 for ABA members and $1,425 for non-members. Special discounts are available for early bird registration before Aug. 16 and attendees from the same organization who register together.
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