NORTHEY COMMENTS ON IOWA CROPS AND WEATHER REPORT

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today commented on the Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service.  The report is released weekly from April through October.

“Parts of the state, especially Northwest Iowa, are dealing with excess water resulting in pockets of damage from recent severe weather,” Northey said.  “Overall, a large majority of our corn and soybeans crops continue in good to excellent condition.”

The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA’s site at www.nass.usda.gov/ia.  The report summary follows here:

CROP REPORT

Frequent precipitation halted fieldwork in Iowa during the week ending June 22, 2014, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Temperatures were above normal for the week, while severe storms brought high winds and hail to the State. Statewide there were only 2.0 days suitable for fieldwork.

Recent precipitation raised soil moisture levels. Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 4 percent short, 68 percent adequate, and 28 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 12 percent short, 71 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus. Northwest Iowa was the wettest with over 40 percent of the topsoil in surplus condition.

Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 58 percent good, and 21 percent excellent. With almost all of Iowa’s soybean acreage emerged, soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 58 percent good, and 18 percent excellent. There were isolated reports of soybeans blooming across Iowa. Seventy-one percent of the oat crop has headed, 8 percentage points above last year but 4 percentage points behind the five-year average. A few farmers reported seeing oats starting to turn color. Oat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 61 percent good, and 12 percent excellent.

The first cutting of alfalfa hay was 84 percent complete, well ahead of last year’s 66 percent and 8 percentage points above average. Hay condition was rated 0 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 17 percent excellent. Pasture condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 52 percent good, and 19 percent excellent. Stress on livestock increased this week because of the heat and flooding.

IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY

By Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

It was a warm and very wet week across Iowa. The most widespread rain came on Monday (16th) into Tuesday (17th) morning when nearly all of the northern one-half of the state received more than two inches of rain. Greatest rain totals with this first event were reported at Peterson (Clay County) with 5.14 inches and Lester (Lyon County) with 4.87 inches. Another event brought rain to the northern one-third of Iowa on Wednesday (18th) morning with a few locations receiving over two inches. Yet another complex of thunderstorms moved across extreme northeast Iowa on Wednesday night bringing 4.52 inches of rain to Dubuque. Rain fell statewide on Thursday (19th) with greatest amounts, locally exceeding three inches, falling across the east one-half of the state. The rain focus shifted to western Iowa over the weekend with heavy rain Friday (20th) night across the southwest where 4.27 inches of rain fell just south of Council Bluffs. Finally, a few far western areas received an inch or two of rain on Saturday (21st) night. Only a few small areas across south central and southeast Iowa recorded below normal rainfall for the week. Weekly rain totals varied from 0.17 inches at Centerville to 8.08 inches at Hampton. The statewide average precipitation was 3.66 inches or three times the weekly normal of 1.17 inches. This was the greatest weekly average since early June 2008. Meanwhile temperatures were above normal throughout the week. Temperature extremes varied from Monday (16th) morning lows of 51 degrees at Swea City and Tripoli to a Friday (20th) afternoon high of 94 degrees at Sidney. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 3.3 degrees above normal.

Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council Hired Shane Dagoberg as Communication/Program Associate

The Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council (MWRPC) is pleased to announce a new staff member to the MN Wheat team. Shane Dagoberg has been hired as a Communication and Program Associate to assist the Wheat Council staff in facilitating and communicating with wheat growers throughout Minnesota and the region. Shane’s role will be to work with a team to develop and implement an interactive communications plan that engages growers in the process of building an on-farm research network. He will also help organize and deliver information to wheat growers on check-off funded research and marketing projects, as well as Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers’ policy and educational programs.

“All of us here at MN Wheat welcome Shane and look forward to working with him”, says David Torgerson, Executive Director of MWRPC and Minnesota Wheat Growers Association, (MAWG).  “This up-coming year will be a very exciting opportunity for us to develop and implement the On-Farm Research network and Shane will be a welcome asset to our team.”

Shane is a graduate with a B.S. in Industrial Technology from Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN. He also farms near Alvarado, MN. Prior to coming to work for the Minnesota Wheat Council, Shane worked the past seven and a half years for EAPC Architects Engineers of Grand Forks. Shane’s experience with project management and working with people along with his practical understanding of wheat production will serve him well in his new role with the Minnesota Wheat Council and Minnesota Wheat Growers, says Torgerson.

Manage the challenge of feeding in a forage deficit area

Utilize technology to achieve feeding success.

Shoreview, Minn. [June 23, 2014] – Forage availability difficulties have both dairy producers and nutritionists looking for options. Unlike in years past, higher grain diets may be the next best option economically these days, however feeding these diets can be challenging.

“Feeding a higher grain diet isn’t new by any means,” says Dr. Margaret Winsryg, technical support specialist with Calibrate^® Technologies, based in Idaho. “Approximately, 10 years ago the dairy industry fed a higher concentrate than forage diet but this is a trend the industry went away from, until recently.”

Winsryg says that challenges surrounding water are one of the many issues behind the shortage of forages and the shift towards feeding a higher grain diet.

During what may be a difficult feeding atmosphere, knowledge and understanding of the effects high grain diets have on animal health and production will allow dairy producers and nutritionists to maintain an edge. Starch content, variability and digestibility are tops on the list.

Dairy producers and nutritionists who find themselves in forage deficit areas, and plan to feed a higher grain diet should keep an eye on the following areas, says Winsryg.

1.     Starch content variability of the ingredients used in high grain rations, as well as the digestibility of those ingredients.

2.     Forage neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFd) variation.

3.     If you are feeding a high grain ration you could possibly be walking a fine line between efficiencies, milk production and animal health.

4.     If starch variability in those feed ingredients goes down or up enough to change how the diet was balanced, and/or the digestibility also changes milk yield can be reduced, milk components could decrease, animals could go off feed, money could be wasted on unnecessary feed expenses, existing feedstuffs may not be utilized as efficiently as possible or all of the above.

5.     If your forage quality increases, causing the feed to move faster through the rumen, total feed efficiencies can go down with the increased dry matter intake (DMI). This is something to keep a close eye on, says Winsryg. If the forage quality decreases considerably, DMI could be lowered and cows may not reach maximum milk production.

To mitigate any issues that may arise when feeding a higher grain diet, Winsryg suggests nutritionists and dairy producers use precise laboratory tests like Calibrate^® Technologies, to measure rumen degradable starch and fiber digestibility.

Utilizing proprietary measurements called GPN^™ and FPN^™, Calibrate^® Technologies evaluates ruminal starch digestibility and NDFd. GPN^™ measures how digestible and available starch will be to the rumen microbes. FPN^™ measurements indicate how digestible the fiber will be and as a result how much rumen fill there will be.

“Knowledge gained from rumen degradable starch testing and NDFd testing can help you optimize your rations,” says Winsryg, “regardless of the feeding climate you find yourself in this year.”

For more information call: (800) 635-5701, email: info@calibratetechnologies.com or go to: www.calibratetechnologies.com.

Land O’Lakes® Electrolyte System reformulated for maximum performance

Address the effects of calf scours and dehydration during the summer heat.

Shoreview, Minn. [June 24, 2014] – Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Products introduces a reformulated Land O'Lakes^® Electrolyte System.

“It is essential that oral electrolyte solutions contain an alkalinizing agent to address acidosis caused by the acid-base imbalance that occurs during scours. Products containing bicarbonate have been used effectively for this purpose for many years. Research by Dr. Geof Smith at North Carolina State University demonstrates that electrolyte products containing acetate as the alkalinizing agent have advantages over bicarbonate[1],” says Dr. Tom Earleywine, technical services director for Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Products. “As a result of this key research, we are pleased to announce the Land O’Lakes^® Electrolyte System Add Pack treatment is now one of the only U.S. electrolyte products formulated with acetate as the alkalinizing agent.”

Dr. Geof Smith, professor of ruminant medicine at North Carolina State University explains, “Our research shows that abomasal pH rise is not observed when using acetate-based oral electrolyte solutions. Maintaining a low abomasal pH addresses the risk of bacteria reaching the small intestine that may lead to infection or clinical disease.”

Acetate benefits include: producing energy when metabolized, stimulating the sodium and water absorption in the calf intestine and inhibiting the growth of Salmonella, E. coli and other bacteria.

The Land O’Lakes^® Electrolyte System is designed to address the effects of scours, electrolyte loss, nutrition and dehydration. It is a two part, cost-effective program structured to address the effect of scours and dehydration before it starts and after it has taken hold of the calf.

The Electrolyte System Base is designed to address the effects of scours early. It can be fed pre-shipping, prior to a long haul, on arrival of animals as part of an operation’s receiving protocols, during hot or humid weather (as a dilute solution) and at the first signs of scours (scour score 2), with no visible signs of dehydration.

The Electrolyte System Add Pack treatment can be used in conjunction with the Base at the first visible signs of dehydration and when more severe effects of scours is prevalent (scour score of 2+ to 3).

“The use of electrolytes is vital year-round, but critical during summer heat and stress. The quality of commercial oral electrolyte solutions can vary greatly. When choosing an electrolyte product, remember that it must satisfy the calf’s need for sodium and potassium to replace what is lost, as well as provide agents that promote sodium and water absorption from the intestine,” says Dr. Earleywine.

For more information on or on how to incorporate the Land O’Lakes^® Electrolyte System into your herd, visit www.lolmilkreplacer.com or call 800-618-6455.

Since 1951, when Land O’Lakes Animal Milk Products Company developed the first calf milk replacer, the company has been committed to creating the best milk replacers from the best technologies and quality ingredients. Land O'Lakes Animal Milk Products Company is a division of Land O'Lakes, Inc. a national farmer-owned food and agricultural organization.

MDA warns residents of toxic weed found in eastern Minnesota

Residents should look for Grecian foxglove and report it to the MDA

          ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is asking for the public’s help to find and eliminate Grecian foxglove (Digitalis lanata), a highly toxic plant that is known to be growing in parts of Washington, Dakota, and Wabasha counties.

Grecian foxglove is not native to North America, having come from central and southern Europe. The weed is poisonous, and both fresh and dried plant parts are toxic. The greatest concern is the potentially lethal threat of human and livestock poisoning. The leafy portions of Grecian foxglove could be mistaken for lettuce or other leafy greens, and the plant has even been found growing in a homeowner’s vegetable garden.

The weed is a perennial plant and will come back year after year if it isn’t treated. It’s known to be growing in roadsides, residential yards, grasslands, and forest margins along the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers. Residents in those areas are encouraged to look for the weed and report any sighting to the MDA.

What does Grecian foxglove look like? 

·         In its first year, the weed seedling looks like a green rosette with no flowers.

·         Mature plants are two to five feet tall with creamy white, tubular flowers with purplish lines.

·         Leaves are simple, alternate, oblong-shaped, and about six inches long with a pointed tip.What sets Grecian foxglove apart from common or garden foxglove is both the flowering stems and undersides of the Grecian foxglove leaves have woolly hairs.

What to do if you see Grecian foxglove:

·         Note the exact location.

·         If possible, take digital photos of the whole plant, rosettes, flowers and seed stalks that can be emailed for identification.

·         Contact the MDA by email at arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us or voicemail at 888-545-6684.

The MDA has teamed up with local and state partners to rid Minnesota of this toxic weed. Currently known infestations, and those reported to the MDA throughout the summer, will be treated by Conservation Corps Minnesota in the fall.

This work is funded by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources. 

CONTACT:  Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications                            

651-201-6185 / allen.sommerfeld@state.mn.us

    

Minnesota revs up renewable fuels with higher biodiesel blend

           Minnesota revs up renewable fuels with higher biodiesel blend

10 percent blend begins July 1

          ST. PAUL, Minn. – Diesel drivers will see a new fuel at the pump on the first of July as Minnesota rolls out the nation’s first required 10 percent biodiesel blend. Known as B10, this higher blend will be sold at filling stations during Minnesota’s summer months. In September, the biodiesel falls back to the current and cold capable B5 blend. In 2015, B10 will be available between April and September, annually.

Minnesota’s biodiesel is made primarily from homegrown soybeans, which are one of the state’s leading cash crops. The Minnesota biodiesel industry annually contributes more than $900 million to the economy. Minnesota was the first state to require the use of biodiesel in 2005; currently three plants are in full production.  The plants, located in Glenville, Brewster and Isanti, produce a combined 63 million gallons of biodiesel annually.

“Minnesotans have done a lot of hard work along the way to the statewide implementation of B10 and I’m proud to say the launch is finally arriving in July of this year,” said Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Commissioner Dave Frederickson. “We have a strong supply ready to fuel a cleaner, higher blend as we continue working toward our future goals of homegrown, renewable energy.”

The MDA is working with the American Lung Association in Minnesota as they launch a statewide series of traveling workshops, B Ready for B10.  The free workshops, sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, are touring the state and run through the July 1 implementation date until July 22.  To view upcoming dates and RSVP for a workshop, please visit: http://www.cleanairchoice.org/events/event.cfm?EventID=724.

The National Biodiesel Board estimates the use of B10 during summer months and B5 in the winter will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,342,000,000 lbs. annually.

Gold’n Plump Farms penalized for operating equipment without a permit

Brainerd, Minn. ― Gold’n Plump Farms recently installed and operated a new boiler and pelletizing equipment, but did so without first having the proper permit in hand. After discovering this violation, company officials shut down the equipment and notified the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The company and the MPCA have negotiated a stipulated penalty of $10,000, for installing and operating the equipment without a permit.

Gold’n Plump Farms produces poultry feed pellets used to feed chickens throughout central Minnesota. According to MPCA documents, the company applied for an air emissions permit in January, and again in April, but both times the MPCA notified them that the applications were incomplete and could not be processed. The company began running the equipment in May but shut it down shortly after realizing they were in violation and notified the MPCA of the situation.

In addition to paying the $10,000 penalty, Gold’n Plump farms must submit the proper permit application.

When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violation affected the environment, whether it is a first time or repeat violation, and how promptly the violation was reported to appropriate authorities.  It also attempts to recover the calculated economic benefit gained by failure to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.  For a comprehensive list of enforcement actions by the MPCA, refer to the agency Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us.

Broadcast version

Gold’n Plump Farms has been penalized for operating a new boiler and related equipment without first obtaining the proper permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. According to the M-P-C-A, the company submitted incomplete permit applications in January and April, but began operating the new equipment in May. The M-P-C-A notified the company of the incomplete applications both times.

As a result, the company will pay a 10-thousand dollar penalty and needs to submit the proper permit application. Gold’n Plump Farms produces poultry feed pellets used to feed chickens throughout central Minnesota.

A complete list of penalties issued by the MPCA is available on their Web site at www.pca.state.mn.us.