Cedar Valley Farm & Ag - Fall 2020

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Cedar Valley Fall 2020

ARM & AG

Sunday, September 20, 2020

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| SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

FARM & AG

NO PAYOFF

Year without fairs leaves farm kids heartbroken

TONY DEJAK PHOTOS, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Arrissa Swails lets her cow, Honey, snack in the backyard on Sept. 1, 2020, near Jenera, Ohio. This week, she’d be parading her livestock at the Hancock County Fair, hoping to win a grand champion ribbon during her last turn in the show ring. The Hancock County Fair was cancelled due to the coronavirus.

JOHN SEEWER

Associated Press

T

OLEDO, Ohio — Well before the sun rises and then again after school, Arrissa Swails feeds and waters her goats, fancy chickens and three dairy cows.

There’s another trip to the barn at night to hustle the chickens into their coop.

It’s a daily routine that typically takes the high school senior at least three hours.

Earlier this month, she’d be parading her livestock at the Hancock County Fair, hoping to win a grand champion ribbon during her last turn in the show ring. But there is no fair this year for her or anyone else, another tradition wiped away from the 2020 calendar by the coronavirus.

“I bawled my eyes out,” she said about the fair’s first cancellation since World War II. “Honestly, it means everything to me. It’s definitely weird this year

Payne Steffan poses for a photo with his duck, Arlo, on Sept. 1, 2020, near Jenera, Ohio. Steffan is sad he won’t get to show off his ducks or get to impress the judges with how much he knows. The Hancock County Fair was cancelled due to the coronavirus. without it.”

Not many county or state fairs in the U.S. are continuing on without major changes, about 80% have been called off or drastically scaled down by elim-

inating carnival rides, concerts and tractor pulls, according to the International Association of Fairs and Expositions. Some are only allowing youth livestock competitions and auctions or

opening for “fair food drivethrus.”

The losses have been monumental — the association estimates the total is nearing $4 billion for fair organizations. And that’s not counting the revenue for ride and concession operators and volunteer organizations that raise money by selling milkshakes and corn dogs.

To make up some of the difference, a group of Republicans and Democrats in Congress are backing legislation introduced in July that would direct $500 million to agricultural fairs across the nation.

But for those who have spent the past year feeding, cleaning and working with their animals in hopes of winning a blue ribbon and maybe some money for college, there is no replacing the missed experiences of the fair.

“I just love walking the goats in, they’re so happy in the show

“I bawled my eyes out.

Honestly, it means everything to me. It’s definitely weird this year without it.”

Arrissa Swails, on the cancellation of the Hancock County Fair in Ohio

Sunday, September 20, 2020 | 3

FARM & AG

ring,” said Swails, who has been in 4-H the past eight years.

“We have this one, she looks forward to the fair, she’s happy and content at the fair.”

Just like at home, she stays with her animals during fair week from morning until late at night. Hanging out in the barns, camping at the fairgrounds and competing in the judging allowed her to come out of her shell at a young age and meet many new people, said the 18-year-old who lives near the village of Jenera in northwestern Ohio.

“This was my last chance,” she said.

In rural America, the county fair remains a cherished institution with agriculture its centerpiece even though farm families now represent less than 2% of the nation’s population.

“I call it the farmers’ family reunion,” said Jacki Johnson, who has spent 41 years volunteering as a 4-H adviser in Hancock County, one of Ohio’s

1938. The decision came just a few weeks after the county’s fair board said it needed to raise $80,000 because the pandemic caused some businesses to limit their donations and forced the cancellations of other money-making events at the fairgrounds.

“It’s so frustrating to see the sadness on the kids’ faces,” Johnson said.

Volunteers in the county did manage to pull together a makeshift livestock competition and alternative auction.

But not everyone participated for a number of reasons, including because some had already sold their animals ‌TONY DEJAK , ASSOCIATED PRESS months ago when it became apparent there would be no Eric Davis holds up his rooster, Spurs 2, at his grandmother’s farm fair. on Sept. 1 near Jenera, Ohio. Davis, a high school sophomore who’s a Eric Davis, a high school member of a 4-H club, was bummed he didn’t get to take this year’s sophomore who’s a member batch of chickens to the fair because he said they’re the best he’s of Johnson’s 4-H club, was had in six years. The Hancock County Fair was cancelled due to the bummed he didn’t get to take coronavirus. this year’s batch of chickens to the fair because he said they’re decided in mid-July to scrap top crop-producing regions. the best he’s had in six years. this year’s event for only the It was hardly a surprise, Still, he understands why second time since it began in though, when fair organizers

holding a fair this year with crowds “wouldn’t be a good look” and that it wouldn’t be the same no matter what.

“It’s a shame. You do all that and there’s no payoff, but I know there’s going to be a fair next year,” he said.

Eleven-year-old Payne Steffan has plenty more fairs ahead too, but he’s still sad he won’t get to show off his ducks or get to impress the judges with how much he knows.

“When you get to take them in the ring, you really get to know if your bird is any good,” he said.

His mom, Brynne Steffan, maybe even more disappointed. She grew up taking dairy cows to the fair and has never missed one, not even last year when she was pregnant and due on opening day.

She and her family managed to get to the fair each day and then on the final day — Labor Day — “we packed up, got our ducks out, and went to the hospital and had a baby.”

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| SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

FARM & AG

BULLISH ABOUT THE MARKET

STEVE THOMPSON

newsroom@wcfcourier.com

B

ob and Jayne Noble have fed cattle west of Riceville since the early 1980s.

Noble, who has raised cattle since he was a youth in 4-H, was recently elected to the position of President Elect of the Iowa Cattleman’s Association, and in December 2021, he will become the president of the or-

ganization.

Being an independent cattle feeder, he is passionate about providing independent cattlemen with access to a free marketing system. Noble believes with only a few major packing companies in the U.S., many independent cattle feeders currently are being unfairly treated in the market place.

Riceville cattleman advocate for free marketing system

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STEVE THOMPSON PHOTO

Riceville cattleman Bob Noble’s cattle enjoy their feed.

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Sunday, September 20, 2020 | 5

FARM & AG

He said the current situation with the COVID-19 has lowered live cattle prices, while prices in meat counters have risen.

“Cattlemen were receiving bids of around a $120 per hundred weight on live cattle when the crises first surfaced,” Noble said. “Then live cattle prices slid down to about a $105 per hundred weight as time progressed, but the price of processed beef in the grocery store skyrocketed.

Beef futures for June delivery actually slid below $80 per hundred weight for a time.”

The disparity was so bad that in May, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley asked for an investigation into the current marketing of beef.

Beef packers faces issues of possible plant closings, and transitioning from processing meat for fast food and other restaurants to processing meats for home consumption. Despite these problems, Noble and other independent producers believe the crises has provided an opportunity for major packers to

gain an unfair advantage in the market place.

Noble said independent cattle producers in the Midwest have long been a part of a marketing system called “True Price Discovery” marketing. Through the marketing practice beef producers have exercised the right to contact several packing company buyers for bids on their cattle, and then compare pricing when marketing their fat cattle. Under the system, packing companies compete to buy a producer’s cattle. True Pricing Discovery has been a part of the cattle industry for many decades.

The True Pricing Discovery System began to be challenged when larger commercial feed lots were established in the southern and southwestern parts of the US. With the very large commercial feeding operations in place, packing companies began developing marketing agreements with those commercial operations. Today commercial lots market hundreds of thousands

STEVE THOMPSON PHOTO

Randy Theis, left, is Bob Noble’s herdsman. of cattle each year, and make up about 80 percent of the beef produced in the US. This type of marketing is called “Captive Supply.”

Because packers have ready access to a large number of fat cattle at all times, they can then pressure smaller indepen-

dent producers to sell cattle on their terms. Like the swine and poultry industries, smaller producers can be squeezed out of a place to market their livestock.

Noble aid that because Iowa and Eastern Nebraska still have a large number of independent beef producers, cattlemen as-

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sociations are beginning to join with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association to promote legislation so that the True Price Discovery System can continue to be a part of the beef industry’s open market system.

“We are building with other state associations to form a new kind of coalition so we can go to legislators in Washington, seeking legislation so we can protect our right to negotiate for our selling prices,” said Noble.

Looking at today’s economics in the beef industry Noble said, “One of our problems is we are now killing more cattle than we did two or three years ago, but we now are starting a liquidation phase in the cattle supply. Numbers are beginning to go down, and cattlemen are not keeping heifers.”

Because cattle’s reproductive and production cycles are much longer than hogs or poultry it takes a much longer time to downsize the industry to where producers can make reasonable profit.

6 | Sunday, September 20, 2020

FARM & AG

FINPACK helps farmers determine financial health STEVE THOMAS

newsroom@wcfcourier.com ‌

‌Farmers should take advantage of Iowa State University’s FINPACK Program, said Norlan Hinke, ISU Extension, at a recent farm finance webinar. The program helps farmers determine their current financial health and assists farmers with future financial strategies and planning.

Hinke Hinke was raised on an Iowa farm and went to college on an athletic scholarship. After graduating college, he was in the banking industry for 45 years, including serving as a rural bank president for 18 years before becoming a farm finance specialist.

The FINPACK Program helps farmers realistically view their current assets, liabilities, operating costs, projected revenues

Want to try it?

To obtain Hinke’s assistance, which is free and confidential, call 563-219-5020. To obtain ISU’s FINPACK Program, contact your local Extension Office. and current debt. The program helps farms develop a current net worth statement, which is essential when borrowing money for operating expenses and long-term investments. The program also helps to develop a healthy cash flow and determine debt to asset ratios.

“FINPACK can be used to do ‘What if’ opportunities, or used to see how different scenarios could impact,” said Hinke, such as how adding another person to a current operation would impact farm finances and helping aging farmers determine whether renting their land and retiring is more profitable than continuing to farm.

While working with FINPACK

or other financial programs, farmers must be realistic with the figures they put down, Hinke said. Some individuals underestimate their worth, while others over-estimate their projected income. Distorted figures create an inaccurate balance sheet for both the farmer and his lender.

He also encouraged farmers to compare their last three years of operating statements and income tax returns to see how finances are trending. Another practical step in getting a clearer picture of finances is to switch farm records from a cash basis to an accrual method of accounting. Cash-based records reflect immediate circumstances and markets, while an accrual method focuses more on longterm values.

Some farmers compare the current commodity dilemma to problems of the 1980’s, but Hinke has a more optimistic outlook. Having been in banking during that farm crisis, he points

2017 CENSUS OF AGRICULTURE HIGHLIGHTS ‌The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the results of the 2017 Census of Agriculture in April. The report spans 6.5 million new points of information about America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them.

Since the last census in 2012, the report notes that both farm numbers and land in farms continue to decline by small percentages.

Here are some key highlights from the latest census: There are 2.04 million farms and ranches (down 3.2% from 2012) with an average size of 441 acres (up 1.6%) on 900 million acres (down 1.6%).

The 273,000 smallest (1-9 acres) farms make up 0.1% of all farmland while the 85,127 largest (2,000 or more acres) farms make up 58% of farmland.

Just 105,453 farms produced 75% of all sales in 2017, down from 119,908 in 2012.

out that the farming community is in a different place today.

Interest rates during the 80’s rose to over 21 percent and inflation during those years rose to 18 percent.

“Back then, people were spending more than they could

afford. Lots of them were stretching their finances,” said Hinke, who says today’s interest rates are much lower, with lower inflation numbers. He thinks farmers are in a much safer place today, despite low commodity prices.

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Of the 2.04 million farms and ranches, the 76,865 making $1 million or more in 2017 represent just over 2/3 of the $389 billion in total value of production while the 1.56 million operations making under $50,000 represent just 2.9%.

Farm expenses are $326 billion with feed, livestock purchased, hired labor, fertilizer and cash rents topping the list of farm expenses in 2017.

Average farm income is $43,053. A total of 43.6 percent of farms had positive net cash farm income in 2017.

Ninety-six percent of farms and ranches are family owned.

Farms with internet access rose from 69.6% in 2012 to 75.4% in 2017.

Sales to retail outlets, institutions and food hubs by 28,958 operations are valued at $9 billion.

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CEO of Iowa Pork Producers focused on recovery swine producers.

“There still is a ray of hope out there. Exports are on a record pace and 25 percent of our production is exports. Exports to China have done pretty well. We have a good supply of pork, and processors here in Iowa. Because

STEVE THOMPSON

newsroom@wcfcourier.com

‌Though hurricane force winds had knocked the power out in Pat McGonegle’s home in Urbandale on Aug. 10, the CEO of the Iowa Pork Producers still provided a webinar on the recovery of Iowa’s pork industry since the beginning of COVID-19.

McGonegle said when the coronavirus first began, and some of the pork processing plants were shut down, it had been estimated that Iowa pork producers were going to have to euthanize an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 hogs. That presented a grave concern for the loss of the animals, and environmental concerns for the disposal of the carcasses. Processing had declined 40 percent in Iowa, where normally 150,000 pigs per day are processed. He stated that worker safety in processing plants was of paramount concern.

With processing down dramatically because of temporary plant closings, hogs began to back up in hog producers’ facilities. “We had two or three plant closings at one time throughout Iowa,” said McGonegle.

“ISU helped producers to slow the pigs’ growth down, we had to go in the opposite direction.

We haven’t had a lot of practice in slowing pigs’ growth down,” McGonegle said. “IDALS Coordination Center greatly helped as a unified tool for producers. The Resource Coordination Center helped hundreds of producers address issues, including addressing mental stress. Other states used Iowa’s Model to help their producers.”

Slowing pigs’ weight gain and some unique ways to use the mounting backlog supply of market hogs curtailed the projected number of euthanized hogs down to an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 head, about a fourth of the earlier projections.

Even though weight gains were slowed so processors could get back up and running, some hogs were reaching market weights or beyond. With live hogs weight-

of the actions of ISU and the Iowa Department of Agriculture we saved thousands of pigs,” added McGonegle.

The webinar was hosted by Brenda Schmitt of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

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Slowing pigs’ weight gain and some unique ways to use the mounting backlog supply of market hogs curtailed the projected number of euthanized hogs down to an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 head, about a fourth of the earlier projections. ing over 340 pounds, processing plants can have equipment problems and worker issues because of the heavier carcasses.

“One of the blessings were lockers and other meat businesses who could process the overweight pigs. Pork producers were donating pigs so they didn’t have to euthanize them.

Iowa producers donated pigs to food banks and neighbors,” said McGonegle. He stated that some of the state’s hunter help to process some of the carcasses, and the use of social media helped to connect producers with those who could use their live pork.

That included shipping hogs to other states.

Speaking about the current conditions in the pork industry, McGonegle said that processing capacity is down about 5 percent.

He does believe that most of the heavier hogs have now been pro-

cessed but added, “USDA’s Pig Crop Report showed we still have an ample supply of hogs.”

He stated that the pandemic has impacted Iowa Pork Producers in both negative and positive ways. On the positive side producers and processors are beginning to dialog about issues. “We also learned a lot about animal disease preparedness. We are better prepared than we were 60 to 90 days ago,” said McGonegle.

“Producers have had a significant negative impact too. Producers were losing from $20 to $50 per head. The current negotiated hog market has flaws. We don’t have it worked out, but we want to help producers to have options out there. We have concerns about processors’ actions and we hope to have discussions with producers.” McGonegle said his organization still wants to protect the states’ independent

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FARM & AG

Soybean producers have questions in wake of Dicamba ruling it drifts,” said Fredericks, who acknowledges that farmers and applicators who use the chemical are legally liable for losses, should the chemical drift.

It should be noted that while three major suppliers of the chemical have been named in the

STEVE THOMPSON

Special to Mitchell County Press News‌

‌Farmers have had enough frustration with the pandemic, food chain processing issues, and low commodity prices, but now the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recent ruling that vacated the registration of the herbicide Dicamba has soybean producers asking questions.

The chemical, which is known to be highly effective against broad-leaf weeds and chemical resident Water Hemp in soybeans, has been a controversial product since its conception.

Following the court’s ruling, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set forth its regulations to ban some of the chemical’s uses. Because many soybean farmers, chemical suppliers, and custom applicators had the chemical on hand, and were in the process of using it to spray fields, the EPA regulations have allowed the use of the chemical that was on site as of June 3, until July 31.

Since Dicamba’s early uses, it’s had incidents of volatizing after application, when temperatures were over 85 degrees. After volatizing it can move down toward lower topography or drift in wind currents and settle in nearby vineyards, orchards, and soybean fields that did not carry the Dicamba-trait, and adversely affect crops or destroy them. Because of its instability with high temps, some states have restrictions on using the chemical after certain dates.

The court’s ruling came out on June 3, and by June 8 the EPA issued a cancelation order for three Dicamba technologies. The EPA’s cancelation order surrounded Bayer’s XtendiMax with Vaporgrip Technology, BASF’s Engenia, and Corteva’s FeXapan.

A publication by Iowa State University’s Center for Agriculture and Taxation listed the following EPA rulings: “Distribution or sale by any person is generally prohibited except for ensuring proper disposal or return to the registrant.”

STEVE THOMPSON‌

No till soybeans are ready for post-emergent herbicide application

STEVE THOMPSON‌

After soybean plants emerge from the ground, post emergent herbicides are applied to control weeds.

“Growers and commercial applicators may use existing stocks that were in their possession on June 3, 2020, the effective date of the court decision. Such use must be consistent with the products previously-approved label, and may not continue after July 31.”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue continues to support the EPA’s ruling stating he thinks those who have the product on hand should be allowed to use it up until the EPA’s July 31 deadline.

Plaintiffs in the case continue to pursue the banning of the chemical immediately, which could leave millions of gallons stranded in the supply chain. Some farmers are concerned that the legal action was taken in an Appeal Court where few soybeans are grown.

“Farmers bought and paid for the legal use of the chemical.

They were in the process of using it when the ruling came down. It was a product that was effective against chemical resistant Water

Hemp,” said Wayne Fredericks, who grows crop farms in the Osage area.

Fredericks, who is also Iowa’s representative on the American Soybean Association Board, said most area farmers were spraying when the ruling came, but the July 31 deadline could adversely affect farmers who double crop in Kansas and elsewhere.

“According to the label we can’t use the product after 45 days of planting, or when soybeans begin flowering,” said Fredericks.

Fredericks, who uses Enlist Soybeans that uses 2-4-D spray technology, estimates half the soybean fields planted in his area were Extend Soybeans (which uses Dicamba technology). “A lot of people pay extra for the Dicamba trait, just to protect their crop from the drift from neighbors. It is a very touchy chemical weather-wise, and it can drift.

Dicamba doesn’t kill many soybeans, but it can create potential yield losses in fields where

court action that Syngenta’s Tavium Dicamba product remains unaffected.

Another ongoing question surrounding the ruling is how it will affect the production and sale of Dicamba-trait soybean seed in the near future.

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10 | Sunday, September 20, 2020

FARM & AG

Study seeks ‘silver buckshot’ for farmers tion?

A. “It’s the process by which microorganisms break down biomatter and produce biogas, which is mostly methane, the main component of natural JAMES LYNCH gas.”

Gazette Des Moines Bureau‌ Schulte Moore explained that with new separation technolisa Schulte Moore wants to ogies, biogas can be upgraded get Iowans as excited about to renewable natural gas and anaerobic digestion as she distributed through the gas is. pipeline network, much like “Like I said, I like a good renewable electricity is distribchallenge,” the Iowa State Uniuted through the power grid. versity professor says.

Anaerobic digestion is comThe professor of natural mon in processing municipal resource ecology and managewaste, and Schulte Moore sees ment has $10 million and five a possibility cities could exyears to work on her challenge, pand their facilities to capture courtesy of a federal grant to economies of scale and become develop new ways of turning more efficient by handling mabiomass and manure into fuel. nure or biomass from farms.

The U.S. Department of AgriAnother possibility would be culture’s National Institute for to co-locate digesters with bioFood and Agriculture will fund fuel plants that would process the Consortium for Cultivating GAZETTE DES MOINES BUREAU‌ the material and use the natural Human and Natural regeneragas in ethanol production. tive Enterprise (or, C-Change) Lisa Schulte Moore is a professor of natural resource ecology and “That would help them lower to create solutions to economic, management at Iowa State University. the carbon intensity scores asenvironmental and ag industry Schulte Moore said, adding that sociated with ethanol,” she said.

“The better analogy challenges. the project doesn’t start from At the same time, the reis we’re putting ground zero. There’s been a search could lead to what lot of research done on incorSchulte Moore calls new “value together a bunch of chains” — the generation of silver buckshot. We’re porating anaerobic digestion into farm operations in Europe. renewable natural gas; stronger putting several pieces There, individual farms may rural economies; and better have a digester or, because protection of the environment, together.” the farms tend to be smaller, a including water quality.

Schulte Moore, 49, associate Lisa Schulte Moore, professor group of farms shares a digester.

The research partners each director of ISU’s Bioeconomy of natural resource ecology Institute, will lead the consorand management at Iowa State bring something different to the tium of ISU, Penn State and University, on her research table. Penn State has worked with Pennsylvania farmers who Roeslein Alternative Energy of make greater use of digesters use our farm environments St. Louis in looking for ways than their Iowa counterparts. farmers can use their resources in ways that make sense from Roeslein is partnering with the standpoint of maintaining more efficiently, while being Smithfield Foods to address profitability, but also trying to profitable and protecting the address the significant environ- manure issues at the company’s environment. mental concerns,” said Schulte pork production facilities.

“Farmers, you know, their “And I’m coming at it from identity is to produce stuff ... to Moore, who has worked with farmers on incorporating native the agro-ecosystem side” in grow things for markets,” she an effort to help farmers create said. “We recognize the benefits grasses and cover crops into a market for perennial crops their practices. of current production systems grown on parts of their farms Q. This seems like a broad but also that there’s a lot of inwhere the soil and landscape project involving three instiefficiency in how we use land, tutions, people from academia are less suitable for row crops, sunlight, nutrients and water.

Schulte Moore said. as well as the private sector.

“So I’m coming at it from Q. What are we talking about Where do you start? sort of the agricultural end of A. “You do your homework,” when we say anaerobic digesthings, looking at how do we

$10 million research will examine more than just manure

‌L

Q. You’re talking about solving a lot of challenges farmers and rural communities face in being economically and environmentally sustainable. Are you searching for a silver bullet?

A. “The better analogy is we’re putting together a bunch of silver buckshot,” Schulte Moore said. “We’re putting several pieces together. Some things that we already know work, like the integration of native grasses, the prairie strips.

We know that cover crops work.

We know about anaerobic digestion as a technology associated with manure works.

“So what that allows us to do is, hopefully, be better able to hit the target because we’re throwing a whole bunch of things at it, some of which we already know work really, really well.

“While the individual pieces work well by themselves, what we’re trying to do is put it together in a system that’s going to be a real winner and make a meaningful difference.”

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Sunday, September 20, 2020 | 11

FARM & AG

THE FUTURE RESTS ON THOSE WHO RARELY DO We thank our local farmers for their hard work, passion, and resilience.

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THERE IS

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