POSTAL CUSTOMER
PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit #36 OMAHA, NE
April 18, 2013 Issue 262-17-8
Is Borrowing Water an Option This Year?
Check out our Agstuff Classifieds Pages 18-23
Nebraska Diesel Show . . . . . . . 5 Kearney Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 FFA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Section B 1-16 Weather Al Dutcher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Country Living House Plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
The Lighter Side Lee Pitts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Markets Grains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Livestock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Government Report Government Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Ag Management Conservation Agencies Encourage Best Managment Practices . . . . . .11
Photo by Erik Williams
Livestock News Sandra Hansen, The Scottsblff Star-Herald Last week's snowfall provided some hope of getting a crop up this spring, but the question remains: What then? This thought was uppermost in the minds of about 100 people who attended the annual spring water utilization report meeting at the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center. There was no doubt, the snow, whether four inches or 16 inches, was more than welcome. It provides a moist bed for corn and sugar beets that are or soon will be planted, and is a blessing to ranchers who have had little to smile about the past couple of years. However, if the weather turns hot and dry again, and the Rocky Mountain snowpack fails to deliver the required amount of runoff, what will farmers do? In their presentation, staff from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation office in Mills, Wyo., gave information on existing conditions in the North Platte River reservoir
system, and a forecast for the April through July snowmelt runoff season. The projected 250,000 acre-feet of runoff did not include the results of this week's snowstorm that left close to a foot of snow in the region. The April through July runoff in the North Platte River Basin above Glendo Reservoir is 26 percent of the 30-year average. "It isn't really good news," said Lyle Myler, deputy area manager. "That's about 52 days, about like 2002." North Platte Project irrigators have 299,500 a-f in storage for 2013 deliveries. That is 44 percent of average, and translates to about 30 days of water. The situation has irrigators looking at options; one of them is borrowing water from an upstream source, which was done in 2002 when water was obtained from the Kendrick project near Casper, Wyo. In addition to the web of regulations tied to borrowing water, Myler said the cost per acre-foot would be $6.90, down a nickel from the cost in 2002. It includes a $5
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charge for operations and maintenance, and $1.90 per acre-foot for the loss of generated power. The 2002 charge included a 95-cent fee that went to wildlife preservation projects. That is no longer required as the issue is covered in the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program. However, the lost power charge increased from $1 per acrefoot. Myler said districts should make their decisions by May 15. Only 100,000 acre-feet are available for borrowing, and would be divided among the districts applying for the water, which has to be paid back the next year. He said the contracts should be executed by late July. Decisions will have to be made with FSA and insurance company prevent-plant report dates in mind. Myler did say there is a full supply of water to fill the Glendo contracts this year, but not next year. The Bureau's figures show a forecast of 20,000 a-f of inflow between Alcova and Glendo reservoirs. This is less than half the
Heartland Cattle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Production News Program Offers Incentives to Keep Stubble . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Schedule of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Amazing Growth in Pivot Population Sandra Hansen, The Scottsblff Star-Herald If you think there is an unusually large number of pivot sprinkler installations this spring, you are correct. An estimated 200 machines have been or are being installed in the Panhandle area this spring. The activity has two main reasons, according to farmers and the companies selling the equipment. Dave Deines of Kelly-Deines Irrigation, Inc., believes the rush to
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MARKET GLANCE Livestock and Products, Weekly Average
Crops, Daily Spot Prices Year Ago 4 Wks Ago 4/5/13
Nebraska Slaughter Steer 35-65% Choice, Live Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$121.99 128.00 129.00 Nebraska Feeder Steers, Med. & Large Frame, 550-600# . . . . . . . . . . . .178.64 162.57 168.66 Med & Large Frame, 750-800 # . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .152.14 142.09 144.38 Choice Boxed Beef, 600-750# Carcass . . . . . . . . . .180.79 195.02 191.29 Western Corn Belt Base Hog Price . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81.49 71.95 80.29 Feeder Pigs, National Direct, 50#, FOB . . . . . . . . . . . .* * * Pork Carcass Cutout, 185#, 51-52% Lean . . . . . . . .78.73 79.04 77.30 Slaughter Lambs, Ch. & Pr.,Heavy, SD Dir. . . . . . . . .147.50 105.00 100.00 Nat. Carcass Lamb Cutout, FOB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .376.90 289.23 290.65
Wheat, No. 1, H.W. Imperial, bu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.80 Corn, No. 2, Yellow, Omaha, bu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.55 Soybeans, No. 1 Yellow Omaha, bu . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13.95 Grain Sorg. No. 2 Yellow, Dorchester, cwt . . . . . . . . .11.13 Oats, No. 2, Heavy Minneapolis, MN, bu. . . . . . . . . . .3.58
6.87 7.39 14.96 12.25 4.28
6.76 6.41 13.90 10.79 3.91
Hay (per ton) Alfalfa, Lrg. Sq. Bales Good to Prem., NE Neb. . . . .225.00 Alfalfa, Lrg. Rounds, Good, Platte Valley, . . . . . . . .145.00 Grass Hay, Lrg. Rounds, Premium, Neb., . . . . . . . . .97.50 Dried Distillers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .216.50 Wet Distillers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77.50 * No market.
* 245.00 227.50 227.50 212.50 217.50 268.00 246.50 103.50 89.50