State Line Shopper - August 10, 2020 by Authentic Ag

August 10, 2020

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PO Box 118 Phillipsburg, KS 67661 785-533-0104 email: statelineshopper@gmail.com

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PAGE 2

State Line Shopper

August 10, 2020

Tomatoes Slow to Ripen

Rachael Boyle Phillips-Rooks District Extension Agent Agriculture and Natural Resources

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: With exceptional access off of HWY 24, you will find this beautiful farmstead. A three bedroom, prefabricated home with 1,636 square feet that was built in 1974 awaits a new buyer. This property has central heat and air and is serviced by a private water well. Numerous outbuildings complement this property making it ideal for the farmer or potential hunting lodge. Featured buildings include an 80’ x 40’ storage shed, a 40’ x24’ shop and a 36’ x 20’ cattle barn, complete with corrals.

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Sales Person wanted for area print / online publication. Position can be either part or full-time. Generous performance-based compensation. Experience preferred but will train the right person. Required: Valid Driver’s License and Reliable Transportation. Territory will be primarily South Central Nebraska Send resume with references to: PO Box 118, Phillipsburg, KS 67661

Hot weather not only interferes with flower pollination but also can affect how quickly fruit matures. The best temperature for tomato growth and fruit development is 85 to 90F. When temperatures exceed 100 degrees, the plant goes into survival mode and concentrates on moving water. Fruit development slows to a crawl. When temperatures moderate, even to the low to mid 90s, the fruit will ripen more quickly. Tomato color can also be affected by heat. When temperatures rise above 95 degrees F, red pigments don't form properly though the orange and yellow pigments do. This results in orange fruit. This doesn't affect the edibility of the tomato, but often gardeners want that deep red color back. So, can we do anything to help our tomatoes ripen and have good color during extreme heat? Sure, there is.

We can pick tomatoes in the “breaker” stage. Breaker stage tomatoes are those that have started to turn color. At this point, the tomato has cut itself off from the vine and nothing will be gained by keeping it on the plant. If tomatoes are picked at this stage and brought into an air-conditioned house, they will ripen more quickly and develop a good, red color. A temperature of 75 to 85 degrees F will work well. For more information, please contact the local K-State Research and Extension Office. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Article written by: Ward Upham, K-State Research and Extension Horticulture Specialist

August 10, 2020

State Line Shopper

PAGE 3

Environmental Factors on Corn Yield Trump Signs Rural Telemedicine Executive Order

Much of the corn is entering reproductive stages in this area. One of the main challenges presented a few weeks ago was the high temperatures, particularly the total number of hours with air temperature above 95 degrees F. High nighttime temperatures during the reproductive period (at or after flowering) can reduce kernel number, and if later in the season, kernel weight. This effect can be explained as an increase in the rate of respiration, increasing the demand for sugar (energy) and diminishing its availability for supplying the growing kernels. In addition, as experienced in many areas of Kansas, high nighttime temperatures tend to accelerate plant growth, but with overall lower plant efficiency in using available resources. The effect of high nighttime temperatures will be exacerbated as corn is entering into the most critical growth pe-

M &

riod (a few days before flowering to grain filling). The consequence of high night temperatures will be reflected in reductions in kernel number (if timing of the stress was around flowering) and/or kernel weight (if timing of stress coincided with the grain filling period). After a week of warmer and drier-than-normal conditions, the last few days have averaged much cooler than normal. These cooler temperatures would be especially favorable for any corn that is in the pollination/silking stage. Lower temperatures (in the 50s) are less favorable for the warm-season crops, such as sorghum, as these temperatures would further delay crop development. Temperatures are expected to warm back to seasonal levels progress to warmer-than-normal conditions into the first week in August. Soil moisture is another factor that can potentially impact corn in the next week(s) since corn is approaching the peak of water demand when it reaches flowering stage. Unfortunately, the precipitation out-

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look favors a continuation of the drier-than-normal pattern through the same period. Combined with the drying soils, stress is most likely in the central part of the state. Warm temperatures, little precipitation, shallow rooting, and dry surface soils will combine to form an unfavorable environment for corn and soybeans in the critical reproductive stages. In summary, temperature will be a less relevant factor for negatively impacting corn yields and pollination time. However, quickly drying of soils, combined with the less positive precipitation forecast for the next 8-14 days, will impose potential drought stress conditions around flowering and during the beginning of the grain filling period. The effect of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;timing droughtâ&#x20AC;? during these development stages in corn could be reflected in reductions in kernel number and/or final kernel weight. For more information on agronomy topics go to ksre.ksu.edu and search agronomy e-update.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this week that his administration says will provide millions of citizens with healthcare services during a global pandemic. The executive order seeks to expand access to telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in rural communities. The White House says the expansion of telehealth services offers benefits to Amer-

icans living in rural communities, who might otherwise not have access to these services. The order requires the Department of Health and Human Services to announce a new payment model testing innovations that empower rural hospitals to transform healthcare in their communities on a broader scale. To improve connectivity, the president's order also directs the federal government to launch a joint initiative in 30

days to improve the healthcare communication infrastructure and expand rural healthcare services. The White House says these telehealth expansions build on the work the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has done during the public health emergency to more than double allowable telehealth services.

Classified Ads are $5.00 for the first ten words, then $0.25 per word thereafter. Please pre-pay classified ad when you mail it to: State Line Shopper PO Box 118 Phillipsburg, KS 67661 PLEASE NOTE: Our Deadline is each Wednesday by noon.

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PAGE 4

State Line Shopper

August 10, 2020

Norton County Community Foundation’s Match- W&S Ranch Hosts First KLA/K-State Field Day Day 2020 Raises $60,000 for Participating Funds Norton County Community Foundation (NCCF) hosted its third Match Day on July 29, 2020. The donated and matched funds combined for a total of $60,000 to be invested in area nonprofits and charitable organizations.

munity Service Association (Home-Owned Carnival) Endowment Fund --Norton County Health Department Endowment Fund --Pride of Norton Endowment Fund --Norton Rotary Scholarship Fund --Norton Theatre Association Endowment Fund MatchDay is a giving --Community Health Leadevent designed to raise ership Endowment Fund awareness and support for non-profits and Combined, the participating charitable organizations nonprofits raised $20,000 in Norton County. This from donors, leveraging the year, NCCF committed 2:1 match from NCCF for a $40,000 to match the total raised of $60,000. Dodonations that orga- nations made directly to the nizations received on organizations can be used MatchDay ($20,000 from for immediate needs or inNCCF and $20,000 from vested into their endowed an anonymous donor). fund, whereas the matching Nine nonprofits/charita- dollars went to the organizable organizations with tion’s endowed fund held at endowed funds at NCCF NCCF. NCCF also offered a participated in this year’s prize incentive in the form event: of unrestricted grants to the three organizations that --NCHS Alumni Associa- brough in the most donors. tion Scholarship Fund 1st Place/$500 went to the --Norton Area Childcare Norton Area Childcare AsAssociation (Sunshine sociation; 2nd Place/$250 Learning Center) En- went to the NCHS Alumdowment Fund ni Association; and 3rd --Norton County Com- Place/$100 went to the Normunity Foundation Oper- ton Theatre Association. ating Endowment Fund --Norton County Com- “We’re so proud of the par-

ticipating funds for meeting the MatchDay 2020 goal,” said Tara Vance, Executive Director of NCCF. “2020 has been a challenging year in many ways, which makes this milestone more important than ever. And a big thank you to the donors who so generously came together to support the causes they care about!” For more information about MatchDay 2020, please contact Tara Vance at 785.874.5106 or tara@nortonccf.org. About Norton County Community Foundation The Norton County Community Foundation was established in 1994 for the purpose of supporting local charitable activities in Norton County through endowments made to the foundation. Dedicated to serving today for tomorrow, to make our community a better place in which to live. Connect with the Norton County Community Foundation at www.nortonccf.org.

Program highlights for the August 13 KLA/ Kansas State University Ranch Management Field Day near Smith Center will include discussions on leveraging genetics to achieve cowherd objectives, managing and planning for tough economic times, optimizing gain with post-weaning nutrition and combating farm stress. The event will be hosted at W & S Ranch, owned by the Weltmer family. Jon Herrick with Select Sires will kick off the educational portion of the field day with a discussion centered on how ge-

netics can be leveraged to increase profitability. Mark Wood, Kansas Farm Management Association extension agricultural economist, will provide suggestions on how ranchers can better prepare for and manage through economic uncertainty. K-State extension beef systems specialist Justin Waggoner will discuss nutrition management steps that should be considered during post weaning and will highlight some of the successes W & S Ranch has had in leveraging nutrition to achieve their cattle weight-gain goals.

Kelsey Olson, deputy secretary of the Kansas Department of Agriculture, will be on hand to give an update on the resources available to assist farmers and ranchers in managing stress and financial and legal challenges. The field day will begin with registration at 3:00 p.m. and include a free beef dinner. The event will be set up to accommodate social distancing protocol. Masks will be available and hand sanitizer will be provided.

American Dairy Coalition Calls for Whole Milk to Return to Schools The American Dairy Coalition wants to bring whole milk back to U.S. school lunchrooms. According to the proposed Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, whole milk will continue to be banned from schools across the nation. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines are only updated and published every five years. The coalition says, “the time is now to

ensure whole milk can once again be offered as a choice in school nutrition programs.” In 2017, Congress authorized $1 million of taxpayer money for a third-party review, conducted by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. It was the first-ever outside peer review of the Dietary Guidelines process. The coalition says the report showed how only 20 percent of the gov-

ernment’s nutrition r e c o m m e n d at i o n s are based on “strong” science, according to the government’s own standards. The coalition says the report “was vastly ignored,” adding “Continuing the ban on whole milk based on out-of-date science and a clearly unbalanced, one-sided subcommittee on saturated fats is appalling.”

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August 10, 2020

State Line Shopper

Unsolicited Packages of Seed Rachael Boyle Phillips-Rooks District Extension Agent Agriculture and Natural Resources

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has been notified that several Kansas residents have received unsolicited packages containing seeds that appear to have originated from China. A resident of Stockton brought an unsolicited package containing seeds to my office recently. The types of seeds in the packages are unknown at this time. The packages were sent by mail; some have been labeled as jewelry or boutique

and they may have Chinese writing on them. Unsolicited packages of seeds have been received by people in several other states across the United States over the last several days. If you receive a package of this type, please DO NOT plant these seeds. If they are in sealed packaging, don’t open the sealed package. Instead, please contact KDA’s plant protection and weed control program at 785-564-6698 or via email at KDA. PPWC@ks.gov

Unsolicited

seeds

could be invasive species, could introduce diseases to local plants, or could be harmful to livestock. Invasive species wreak havoc on the environment, displace or destroy native plants and insects and severely damage crops. KDA works to prevent the introduction of invasive species and protect Kansas agriculture. For more information, please contact the local K-State Research and Extension Office. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Hunters may enter lottery for deer hunting access on central Platte River

Hunters may enter a lottery to gain deer hunting access to Platte River Recreation Access (PRRA) lands in the central Platte River Valley, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Forty-seven hunters will be chosen from a random drawing in early September and allowed to hunt deer on designated PRRA lands Nov. 16-22, 2020.

Applications, limited to one per person, will be accepted by mail or drop box at the Game and Parks service center in Ke-

arney through Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. Hunters can apply to hunt three areas but will only receive permission on one area if their name is drawn. New this year, two hunters have the option to submit a buddy application to ensure they are both on the same area if drawn. Lottery winners will be notified by Sept. 20. Hunters are required to obtain the appropriate deer permit and habitat stamp in order to hunt. PRRA lands are closed to all access Oct. 9 to Nov. 15. More information and a map

showing the available areas can be obtained at platteaccess.org, by calling 308-865-5338 or emailing ngpc.platteaccess@nebraska.gov. PRRA lands are lands purchased by the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program for the restoration and maintenance of habitat for three threatened and endangered species in the central Platte River Valley. The PRRA program allows limited access to these properties when access will not disturb these species. For more information on the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program, visit platter iver prog ram.org/ good-neighbors.

PAGE 5

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CALL: 785-877-3112 or 1-800-479-3112 2007 Buick Ranier CXL, AWD, dual power seats, driver memory seat, CD, auto-on headlamps, dual zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming rear view mirror, remote keyless entry, rear air, power moonroof, trailer tow, alloy wheels, 172,200 miles.........................................................................................$6,450 2008 Cadillac Escalade ESV, AWD, quad leather bucket seats, 3rd row seating, navigation, dual DVDs, climate controlled front seats, too much equipment to list, Very Nice, 174,000 miles...........................................................................$10,900 2011 Ford F150 crew cab, 4x4, Lariat, heated and cooled sport leather bucket seats, rear camera, power sunroof, rear sensing bumper, trailer tow and much more, 5.0 V-8, white platinum, 118,000 miles...........................................................$19,500 2013 Ford Escape, Titanium, AWD 2.0 ecoboost engine, panramic roof, navigation, heated leather seats, rear camera, remote start, memory driver’s seat and more, only 37,000 miles...................................................................................$15,900 2014 Chevy Traverse LTZ, AWD, loaded, navigation, dual panel moon roof, heated & cooled seats, rear DVD--too much equipment to list! Very clean, 88,000 miles ...........................................................................................................................$18,400 2014 Cadillac CTS4, Premium Collection, AWD, 3.6L V6, hard loaded with luxury equipment, heated and cooled seats, navitation, ultraview sunroof, white diamond tricoat, extra sharp! 82,000 miles...................................................$15,900 2015 Ford Explorer XLT, AWD, heated leather seats, dual zone auto climate control, panoramic roof, rear camera, remote start and more. Extra Clean. White platinum tri-coat, 81,000 miles.......................................................................$20,900

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PAGE 6

State Line Shopper

August 10, 2020

Report: Nebraska ag land values increase, but farmers still struggling By Madeleine Grant property is purchased using property taxes,” he said. Nebraska News Service proceeds from the sale of “Now it’s looking like one Agriculture land value in Nebraska increased 3% from February 2019 to February 2020 because of economic forces affecting farmland, according to an annual farm real estate report from the University of Nebraska’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Most of the state saw rates of increase averaging 3% to 5%. Other parts of the state reported increases between 1% and 2%, while southwest Nebraska saw a 1% decrease in ag land values. Overall, the statewide average agricultural land value increased by about $80 to $2,725 per acre, up from $2,645 in 2019. Jim Jansen, the lead author of the report and an agricultural economist for University of Nebraska, said one reason for the increase was more interest in a tax-deferment strategy that allows an investor to defer tax payment on a property as long as a similar

more year of getting your hopes up and one more John Hansen, president year of not getting anyof the Nebraska Farmers thing done.” Union, said he assumed the land value rate would be The Nebraska Legislature down or flat. Hansen sus- is in session through Aug. pects there is a small num- 13, but as of Aug. 4 had ber of sales driving land not advanced property tax values. The report was con- relief legislation. ducted prior to the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, Nebraska property taxes which disrupted agricul- continue to rise, accordtural supply chains and re- ing to federal statistics. sulted in a global economic According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, downturn. 43,000 Nebraska farmers But, even before the paid $686.5 million in COVID-19 outbreak, Ne- property taxes in 2017, braska farmers were strug- a 43% increase from the previous census in 2012, gling, he said. and a 206% increase from “I look at this report, and 1997. it just doesn’t seem consistent with what else I know Jansen, the lead author, and what else I see,” he said. described the virus’s po“Our phones continue to tential effect on land value as “not good.” ring from our members.” the first property.

The Nebraska Rural Hotline, created in 1984 in response to financial stress facing Nebraska farm families, received a record number of calls from farmers and ranchers in January. Hansen said most are concerned about low commodity prices and rising property taxes.

“If things continue to remain stressed, I would anticipate that we may see a possible decline, but to what extent I don’t know exactly,” Jansen said in a phone interview. “It’s unknown where real estate markets may be going in 2021.”

Nebraska farmers and “People had their hopes up landowners are well-acthat the Legislature would quainted with tough lossget something done about es. Between 2014 and

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2019, there was a 20% decrease in land values, according to the report. Last year’s value decrease also coincided with a drop in crop exports because of trade disruptions with China and Mexico, as well as historic flooding that damaged crops and killed livestock. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture reported a cattle and crop loss of $840 million in 2019 because of flooding. Similarly, the Nebraska Farm Bureau estimated in June a revenue loss in the billions for the state’s agricultural economy due to the pandemic. The federal CARES Act provided $9.5 billion to farmers across the country to offset a portion of losses, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA also directed $14 billion as well. “The one thing that I think has sort of helped keep ag from really, really being up against the financial blades has been the amount of federal dollars that have poured into agriculture the last three years,” Han-

sen said. “When you’re short of money, anything that you can do to try and reduce the size of the loss is good.” The federal aid helped stabilize the already struggling agriculture industry. “We continue to have challenges in trade with other countries because of the disruptions,” Jansen said. “We look at the ag value as a way to move product to destinations that have a demand for it and that’s a challenge that we’re trying to address right now.” While the future appears grim, Jansen said markets seem to be momentarily stable due to lower interest rates. Since the report began in 1978, there have been fluctuations and any gradual changes are normal, Jansen said. The last increase in land values was in 2014 when the state peaked at $3,315 per acre. Many Nebraska farmers remain dependent on federal payments and hopeful for a dramatic rise in commodity prices, Hansen said.

“When agriculture does well, we’re not only paying more taxes, but we have so many jobs and so many industries that are tied to agriculture. When we have disposable income, we help drive economic activity,” Hansen said. “After seven or eight years of prolonged low prices, agriculture really needs a turnaround here.” The report also looked at who sold farmland in Nebraska in 2019. According to the report, this is the breakdown of farm real estate sales by seller: Active farmer, 18% Quitting farmer, 18% Estate, 39% Local non-farmer, 13% Non-local Nebraska resident, 7% Out-of-state resident, 5% The full report can be found on the University of Nebraska Agricultural Economics website at https://agecon.unl. edu/2020-nebraska-farm-real-estate-report. Credit: Nebraska News Service

The Deadline for our Next Issue is noon on Wednesday, August 12, 2020. You may submit your ad by email to statelineshopper@gmail.com or by text/phone: 785-533-0104.

August 10, 2020

State Line Shopper

Ag Economy Barometer stable, but farmers less optimistic about future Sentiment was virtually unchanged in July in comparison to a month earlier, according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The index rose just one point from June to a reading of 118, still 30% lower than in February before the pandemic began. The Ag Economy Barometer is based on responses from 400 U.S. agricultural producers. This month’s survey was conducted July 20-24. Although there was little change in the July barometer, producers’ perspective on current versus future conditions shifted. The Index of Current Conditions rose 12 points from June to a reading of 111, and the Index of Future Expectations fell five points to a reading of 121. Unchanged from June but nine points lower than in May, 56% of producers reported they plan to reduce their farm machinery purchases compared with a year ago. Thirty-eight percent of producers reported they plan to keep machinery purchases about the same as last year, which also was unchanged from June but seven points higher than in May. The Farm Capital Investment Index also was unchanged from June, standing at a reading of 60, but noticeably stronger than May’s index reading of 50. “Although overall farmer sentiment in July did

not change much compared to June, sentiment was still much weaker than in February before the impact of coronavirus hit,” said James Mintert, the barometer’s principal investigator and director of Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture. “In July, farmers indicated they were a bit less concerned about the current economic situation on their farms than earlier this spring, but they are less optimistic about the future, perhaps as a result of the recent resurgence in COVID-19 cases. Still, two-thirds of producers responding to this month’s survey said they believe Congress should provide additional economic assistance to farmers in 2020 to help offset the pandemic’s impact on agriculture.” Over half of the farmers responding to the July survey said they were less likely to attend in-person educational events in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 concerns. When asked what their top information source would be in lieu of attending in-person events, 36% chose farm magazines, 19% chose online webinars, 17% chose farm radio and 17% chose websites. Direct emails and podcasts were far less popular as a top information source with just 8% and 3% of producers choosing these options, respectively. When asked about their short-term outlook for land values, farmers’ perspective improved, with 16% saying they expect farmland values to rise over the next 12 months compared with 10%

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back in June. However, when asked about farmland values in five years, farmers were somewhat less optimistic than they were in June, with 48% saying they expect values to rise over the next five years compared with 55% in the previous survey. Read the full Ag Economy Barometer report at https:// purdue.ag/agbarometer. This month’s report includes insight into how farmers are conducting business as a result of COVID-19 and producers’ use of marketing advisors to manage risk. The site also offers additional resources – such as past reports, charts and survey methodology – and a form to sign up for monthly barometer email updates and webinars.

Temporary waiver for online Hunter Education still in place With fall hunting seasons coming up, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds hunters of temporary Hunter Education changes from which they can benefit. Until further notice, online-only Hunter Education courses, without the Hunt Safe Session requirement, is allowed for ages 11 and older in Nebraska. Youth ages 11-15 who take the online Hunter Education course normally are required to attend a two-hour Hunt Safe Session before they can receive a certificate of completion. That Hunt Safe Session requirement temporarily has been waived since Game and Parks has limited the size and available number of classes in the interest of public health due to COVID-19. Those 11- to

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15-year-olds who complete the online course will be certified, though they are encouraged to take an available Hunt Safe Session in the future. The Hunt Safe Session is a two-hour review focusing on equipment safety for firearms and archery, tree-stand safety and shoot/don’t shoot scenarios. The reduction in class sizes, including Hunt Safe Sessions and Hunter Education classroom courses, are a proactive effort to prevent the potential for spread of COVID-19. For more on Hunter Education and to view available in-class courses and online courses, visit: OutdoorNebraska.gov/ huntereducation.

For more information about any of these jobs, to apply, or to post a job listing for your business, please visit: www.phillipscountyks.org/jobs call (785) 543-5809 or email: bschneider@pcedks.org .

This service is free of charge to the residents and businesses of Phillips County. Job Title: Company: Location: Type: Other:

School Custodian USD #325 Phillipsburg Phillipsburg, KS Pay: Full-Time