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Trade Matters podcast back with new episodes in 2020

Trade Matters podcast back with new episodes in 2020

The Engler Journey - Emily Bledsoe

Extension offers crop scout training in March

AUDIO: Market Commentary with Daily Brokers

Ag Secretary Encourages Grain Bin Safety | Agriculture News Update (Feb. 17, 2020)

Good Monday Morning! Rural Radio Network's Bryce Doeschot has this morning's agriculture news update from the Nebraska Soybean Board Studio in Lincoln. Stories: Phase One Trade Deal Officially Takes Effect Secretary Perdue Proclaims Grain Bin Safety Week USDA's NASS Making Changes...

Crops

Extension offers crop scout training in March

Agricultural industry representatives and corn and soybean growers wanting to learn how to better manage corn and soybean pests should plan to attend the Nebraska Extension Crop Scout Training for Pest Managers on March 11. The workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. This session is ideal for new employees preparing to take the Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) exam and serves as an excellent refresher course for experienced personnel. Sessions are taught by university representatives from subject matter departments. This training provides current, detailed instruction and is specifically designed to provide the knowledge, expertise and confidence necessary to fulfill the requirements for working as a crop scout in making control recommendations. Topics include: factors influencing the growth and development of corn and soybeans; crop diseases and management corn and soybean insect management; weed control and herbicide management; using a key to identify weed seedlings. The free for this training is $165 with a resource book or $60 without a resource book. The optional resource book contains a variety of reference materials that are excellent resources for crop scouting professionals. Pre-register to reserve your seat and to ensure workshop materials are available on the day of the training session. Fees include lunch, refreshment breaks, workshop materials and instruction manual. They do not include lodging. Certified Crop Advisor continuing education credits are available with 6 in pest management, 1 in crop management and .5 in fertility/nutrient management. For more information and to register online, visit https://enrec.unl.edu/crop.

AUDIO: Market Commentary with Daily Brokers

NO MARKETS TRADE 2/17 IN OBSERVANCE OF PRESIDENTS DAY Summary Grains ended the day session on Friday lower. The initial open saw wheat and soybeans with significant gains. Midday hit and soybean was the first to fall bringing wheat along for the ride. Corn was unable to show any gains throughout the day trade. On the week March corn settled 5 3/4 lower, March Soybeans gained 11, March Chicago Wheat fell 16 and March Kansas City Wheat fell 7. Traders were a little weary to build up short positions on Friday as the US China Phase One trade deal goes into effect on Saturday Feb. 15. Many analysts expect China to purchase US commodities as a sign of good faith to the trade deal and to show they have a handle on the Corona Virus. On the China front midweek brought news that President Trump had Spoken with President Xi over the phone. President Trump said that President Xi had reassured him that China would get control of the Corona Virus and follow through with it's Phase One trade deal commitments. These comments helped to boost the outside equities and pull a little money flow from the dollar. That was until Thursday morning when the South China Morning Post reported that the Corona Virus claimed 254 more lives in the Hubei province and new cases increased almost ten fold. As of Friday the world wide Corona Virus death toll has risen to 1,384 with three deaths being outside China. Total cases of the virus have risen to over 65,000 with 99% of the confirmed cases being in China. China is reporting that 1,716 health workers inside of China have been infected with the virus from helping with patients. China and US pharmaceutical companies have mentioned they are close to vaccines for the virus, but human testing is still needed and may take up to 18 months before it is available. Just as with African Swine Fever China has been slow to release the whole picture, but the more that emerges the grimmer the situation becomes and Thursday equity markets softened with money flow back to the safe havens including the US Dollar index. Going into the Friday trade the US Dollar Index was back to it's October 9th 2019 highs of 99.00 . This puts pressure on US commodities from an export perspective. A quick recap of the week starting Feb. 10th shows traders and analysts keen to watch the USDA and World Outlook Board reports on Tuesday. For the most part the reports showed flat or slightly smaller US ending stocks. Brazilian soybean production was increased and that in turn increased the global carryout of soybeans. Arlan Suderman, INTL FC Stone, highlighted after the report that USDA did increase soybean exports by 50 million bushels. Currently US Soybean exports are 176 million bushels behind USDA's previous export target. Suderman believes this outlines that USDA is confident China will be making up the difference with the Phase One trade deal. For a complete recap of the WASDE report follow the link here. https://krvn.com/agricultural/usda-and-wasde-reports/ The US missed another Egyptian wheat tender. Egypt sourced 360,000 MT of Russian and Romanian wheat to fill it's recent tender. There was good news on Wednesday that more grain is being shipped via rail. The Association of American Railroads reported that total rail traffic in the US fell 6.6% week to week. Coal is still the biggest drag with rail traffic falling 14.1% week to week. 20,888 rail cars were loaded with grain last week that is 0.6% higher than the previous week. According to EIA data ethanol production dropped 4.4%, or 48,000 barrels per day (b/d), to 1.033 million b/d. Ethanol stocks increased by 3.8% to 24.4 million barrels, the highest since July. USDA grain export inspections on Monday showed week to week increases for corn and wheat, but missed the mark for soybeans. USDA inspected 769,390 MT vs. 562.380 MT of corn, 603,852 MT vs. 1,373,502 MT of soybeans and 523,713 MT vs 435,720 MT of wheat. USDA grain export sales on Thursday showed an increase of 38.1 million bushels (mb) of corn, 23.7 mb of soybeans and 23.6 mb of all wheat. From a small rally on Thursday live and feeder cattle futures hit sell stops and continued momentum higher on Friday. Lean hogs had mixed trade as the February contract went off the board near the index price. Analysts are mixed on their thoughts if China will buy beef and pork over the weekend. In China pork and pig prices are near all time high. Logistical issues due to quarantines and travel restrictions are not helping to get product where demand is highest. There is also plenty of refrigerated containers sitting in Chinese ports where there is either not enough labor to offload or due to travel restrictions no where to go with it once it's off the ship. Exports on Thursday morning did help feed the bulls though. Weekly beef export sales shows net sales of 17,500 MT. Top buyers include Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan. Beef exports totaled 16,900 MT with top destinations Japan (6,300 MT) South Korea (4,700 MT) and Mexico (1,900 MT) Weekly Pork exports showed net sales of 28,600 MT top buyers included Mexico, Japan, China, South Korea and Canada. Exports totaled 42,900 MT with top destinations of Mexico (13,100 MT) China (13,000 MT ) Japan (6,000 MT ) South Korea (3,600 MT) and Canada (2,200 MT) Another week of poor pork sales to China combined with high shipments seem to have traders feeling that China is buying pork, but it isn't immediately showing up in reports. With that mindset lean hogs are turning around and moving higher. The country cash cattle kicked the week off early compared to previous weeks with the first trade being reported Tuesday afternoon. Following that there was steady trade the rest of the week. Most of the live trade occurred between $118-$119. On the rail $190. The Fed Cattle Exchange Auction on Wednesday reported a total of 413 head, consisting of four lots (two lots in Kansas, and one lot each in Texas and Nebraska). Asking prices were $119 on all lots. Both lots in Kansas sold at $119, and the Texas lot also sold at $119, these were all set for 1-9 day delivery. The Nebraska lot did not sell. Cattle carcass weights for last week have steers at 929 lbs and heifers at 853 lbs. Beef Cutout at Midday Friday Choice up 1.53 207.98 Select up 2.11 205.90 C/S Sperad 2.08 Loads 89 Pork Carcass dn 0.17 62.93 Bellies dn 0.52 69.83 Loads 186 Cattle Slaughter Friday 118,000 hd today 119,000 hd wk ago 113,784 hd yr ago Saturday Kill 28,000 hd 33,000 hd wk ago 27,058 hd yr ago Hog Slaughter 485,000 hd today 490,000 hd wk ago 461,687 hd yr ago Saturday Kill 150,000 hd 216,000 hd wk ago 218,474 yr ago Grain Settlements Corn dn 1 3/4 - 3 1/2 Soybeans dn 1 1/4 - 2 3/4 Chicago Wheat dn 1 1/2 - 3 3/4 Kansas City Wheat dn 1/4 - 3/4 Livestock Settlements Live Cattle up 0.77 - 1.80 Feeder Cattle up 2.15 - 2.82 Lean Hogs dn 0.37 up 0.30 Class III Milk dn 0.02 - 0.11 Pre-opening Market Broker Commentary Mark Gold, Top Third Ag Marketing, discusses overnight grains and what the trade may see today. Darrell Holaday, Country Futures, looks at a poor pork cutout from Thursday as possible fodder for the bears Friday. Mike Zuzolo, Global Commodity Analytics, shares his thoughts on the midday trade factors. Closing commentary with John Payne, Daniels Ag Marketing, and Jack Fenske, York Commodities, recaps the days trade.

Ag Secretary Encourages Grain Bin Safety | Agriculture News Update (Feb. 17, 2020)

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Livestock

Sasse Earns Major Endorsement From Nebraska Cattlemen Leaders

Nebraska — Ben Sasse, U.S. Senator and relentless advocate for Nebraska agriculture, earned the endorsement of the future, current, and immediate past Presidents of Nebraska Cattlemen. “I’m proud to have the support of cattlemen across Nebraska, and I’m proud to fight for them in Washington. Nebraska runs on the hard work of our ag industry. Our ranchers feed the world — that’s a big job, but Nebraska gets it done. Our farm and ranch families deserve the best because they produce the best.” - U.S. Senator Ben Sasse “Washington has a lot to learn from Nebraska — and Ben Sasse makes sure they’re listening to us. We’re the best in the world at what we do, and Ben has worked hard to put Nebraska ag — and our producers — first. He fights for us, we’ll fight for him.” - Nebraska Cattlemen President Ken Herz, Lawrence “Nebraska’s cattlemen and women spend our lives raising the absolute best beef in the world. It’s pretty simple: we want less government interference and a whole bunch more trade. Ben Sasse gets that and fights for us.” - Nebraska Cattlemen President-elect William Rhea III, Arlington “Ben Sasse stood up to fight for President Trump’s USMCA trade deal and introduced livestock haulers legislation that pushed back against overly strict regulations and maintained safety on our roads. That stuff matters to Nebraska’s producers — and that’s why cattlemen across our state are supporting Ben Sasse for U.S. Senate.” - Nebraska Cattlemen Immediate Past President Mike Drinnin, Clarks

AUDIO: Market Commentary with Daily Brokers

LMIC Issues Sheep Analysis and Comments

The Livestock Marketing Information Center released Analysis and Comments on the American sheep flock this week and said two “unusual developments could factor into the lamb market calculus during the next 12 to 24 months.” “First, the growth rate of American lamb and mutton imports might moderate significantly as the Australian flock has downsized due to drought, and China imports more-and-more of all animal-based proteins driven by the African Swine Fever epidemic inducing reductions in their pork production,” read the report. “However, in the near-term, the China story has a new dimension of uncertainty with the Novel coronavirus epicenter in Wuhan, China. Second, 2020 brings on line both opportunities and potential disruptions to the sector – the opening of a modern, federally inspected lamb packing plant in Colorado (Colorado Lamb Processors near the town of Brush). That state-of-the-art plant is scheduled to begin harvesting animals late in the first quarter of the year, or early in the second.” “In the face of the developments listed above, for the next two years, annual changes in the supply of American lambs are expected to be rather modest. Importantly, the two unusual developments described above, provide uncertainty regarding how much U.S. prices increase and how volatile markets are.” However, the report concludes with some promising news. “Overall, for the first three quarters of 2020, look for lamb prices (slaughter and feeder) to be at or above 2019. For slaughter lambs, the largest percentage year-over-year gain is expected to be in the first quarter. The second quarter might bring the biggest gain from 2019 for feeder lambs. Note that the first quarter of 2019 had very low slaughter lamb prices compared to the balance of that year. Even though lamb supplies should remain tight during the fourth quarter, the LMIC price forecast incorporates some pressure from competing meats, especially huge pork supplies. Still, lamb prices that quarter might be very close to 2019.”

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Technology

January Ag Equipment Sales Mixed

The first month of 2020 saw mixed results in the total number of U.S. tractor and self-propelled combine sales. Total farm tractor sales grew compared to January of last year while combines fell by 25 percent. That’s according to data out this week from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Total U.S. farm tractor sales increased 4.7 percent in January compared to last year while January self-propelled combine sales dropped 24.4 percent. Total sales of two-wheel-drive tractors grew in all segments during January by a total of 4.9 percent more than January of 2019. Sales of tractors with more than 100 horsepower led the way in sales growth, up 19.6 percent to 1,361 units. The total number of four-wheel-drive tractor sales fell 6.6 percent to 169 units sold. “The sales numbers we’re seeing for January are in line with our expectations,” says Curt Blades, Senior Vice President of Ag Services at AEM. “With the approval of the USMCA and the Phase One trade agreement with China, we believe we’re seeing some positive trends on the horizon for ag equipment sales.”

Lindsay Announces Release Of New Zimmatic® Poly Pipe For Its Center Pivot Irrigation Systems

Lindsay Corporation announced the global release of new Zimmatic poly pipe for its center pivot irrigation systems designed for growers who irrigate in corrosive water environments. Corrosive water, caused by a number of factors ranging from high or low pH to variable mineral content to waste water applications, can weaken and deteriorate standard galvanized pipe, leading to premature failure. Polyethylene-lined pipe, or "poly pipe," is the leading solution for growers who irrigate in corrosive water environments. Driven by customer-first innovation, Lindsay engineered its new Zimmatic poly pipe to consistently deliver the highest level of performance and structural integrity in the most extreme conditions. "Customers drive everything we do at Lindsay – and water quality issues continue to be an increasingly prevalent challenge for growers around the world. While several different options to handle corrosive water have existed in the market for years, growers told us there was a real need to have a better solution," said Wade Sikkink, director of global product management at Lindsay. "So, we looked at this old problem with a fresh approach and reengineered an entirely new solution about which we are extremely excited and, even more importantly, that our customers are telling us is an absolute gamechanger for them." Other poly pipe offerings in the market rely on poly flanges for structural integrity, but poly flanges create a gap between the steel flanges at the joint and can compress over time, resulting in leaks. The new Zimmatic poly pipe features a recessed poly flange that allows for positive steel flange contact and eliminates the gap between flanges at joints, resulting in improved strength and span consistency. It is the same span joint design used for existing Zimmatic galvanized pipe, but with the added protection of the poly liner through the span pipe to provide an unmatched level of quality and rigidity. To address the poly expansion and contraction challenges that cause the poly liner to move within the pipe, potentially leading to cracks and leaks, Lindsay introduced two additional new design innovations. First, the liner is forced through the steel flange openings during formation for positive flange retention. Further, a proprietary new pressure reversion manufacturing process greatly increases the friction between the poly liner and the steel pipeline to further reduce any lateral movement caused by temperature fluctuations inside the pipe. This unique process also reduces the lateral stress on the pipe outlets, which can cause leaking. To produce this new solution, Lindsay is investing in a new facility at the company's primary pivot manufacturing plant in Lindsay, Neb. This new facility will house the highly automated, proprietary production tooling necessary to deliver exceptional quality and consistency. "The advantages of the new Zimmatic poly pipe come from several manufacturing and design characteristics," said Rick Provaznik, vice president of engineering at Lindsay. "This product is the result of a significant, ongoing investment by Lindsay in meeting customer needs. We've refined our product, we've refined our manufacturing process, and we're producing the most reliable, highest‑quality poly pipe on the market." The new poly pipe is available worldwide, and Zimmatic dealers are now accepting orders.

Grain Craft Increases Commitment to Quality with Donation to Wheat Research Foundation

Grain Craft, the largest independent flour miller in the nation, has increased its commitment to improving wheat quality with another gift to the Kansas Wheat Commission Research Foundation (KWCRF). The gift will build upon previous support of research to improve wheat quality and yield through proper fertility management. "Preliminary results from the research indicate there is a strong correlation between proper fertility management of wheat by farmers and not only the quantity, but quality of the protein produced," according to Romulo Lollato, Wheat Production Extension Specialist at Kansas State University in Manhattan. Grain Craft's contribution makes the company a lead sponsor of the Fields Forward Campaign. Fields Forward is the campaign to raise $4 million for the KWCRF. The three focuses of the campaign are funding of ongoing wheat research, developing future research talent, and building funds for the long-term support of wheat research facilities and technology. More information is available at www.fieldsforward.org "Grain Craft has led by example as a liaison between its customers and wheat scientists," said Justin Gilpin, CEO for the Kansas Wheat Commission. They educate their customers about wheat quality while communicating those quality needs upstream to the research community. That dialogue is invaluable." "Grain Craft is committed to sourcing wheat with excellent milling and baking characteristics," said Alan Koenig, Chief Supply Chain Officer for Grain Craft. "We are proud to further our support of the ongoing improvement of wheat quality and the advancement of quality for the entire supply chain." Grain Craft has a longstanding relationship with the Kansas Wheat Commission and Kansas State University. The company has supported each with collaborative partnerships, special funding and data analysis assistance throughout the years. In addition, Grain Craft participates in the internship program which is fielded through the KSU Grain Science department.

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Ag Policy

Trade Matters podcast back with new episodes in 2020

Trade Matters, a podcast launched last year that aims to help listeners understand the role of international trade in their lives and communities, is kicking off 2020 with a new batch of episodes. The first episode of 2020, which was released earlier this month, focuses on U.S. leadership and the U.S.-China phase one deal. Jill O’Donnell, director of the Clayton Yeutter Institute for International Trade and Finance and host of Trade Matters, interviewed Andrea Durkin, the editor-in-chief of the online publication Trade Vistas. O’Donnell and Durkin discussed what this deal means for U.S. agriculture, among other topics. The next episode of 2020, to be released Feb. 18, will feature Michael Plummer, professor of international economics at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. The episode will cover topics including economic integration in Asia and dynamics in Asia that Plummer thinks deserve more attention from the United States. Future episodes will explore U.S.-EU trade issues, U.S. trade with India, what trade data can and cannot tell us, and more. “The forces and institutions that make international trade possible tend to operate in the background of our lives; they aren’t always visible or tangible,” said O’Donnell. O’Donnell hopes that the podcast can demystify global supply chains, new technologies and the rise of new economic powers – such as China – that have put pressure on an international trading system built for a different era. “The Trade Matters podcast brings these dynamics into focus, and my hope is that it helps make trade relatable,” O’Donnell said. O’Donnell has served as the director of the Yeutter Institute since its inception in July of 2018. She began her international policy career in Washington, D.C., serving on the legislative staff of U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel, and since then has gained extensive international experience across the public, private and non-profit sectors. The vision of University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumnus and renowned trade expert Clayton Yeutter, the Yeutter Institute connects academic disciplines related to law, business and agriculture to prepare students for leadership roles in international trade and finance, support interdisciplinary research and increase public understanding of these issues. Podcast episodes are released biweekly on several podcast platforms including iTunes, Spotify, and Stitcher or at https://yeutter-institute.unl.edu/.

The Engler Journey - Emily Bledsoe

Emily Bledsoe followed her Christian calling to create a business that incorporates her calligraphy skills with her love for serving others. During her time in the Engler program, the Blair, Nebraska, native was encouraged to follow her passion. She became frustrated with the advice because she didn't know what her passion was, and even if she did, she didn't know how she would create a business from that passion. But she endured. "In Luke 21:19, it says 'With endurance, you will gain your lives.' That grit that Engler talks about is that endurance that Luke talks about," she said. Listen to Emily Bledsoe in the Engler Journey. Her endurance paid off her junior year of college. That's when she purchased her first Bible with the inclination to read it quickly. But she recognized there was more to the Scripture she was reading, and in turn, she recognized there was more she could do with that Scripture. "I bought a calligraphy pen, started taking all of my notes in class in calligraphy, and then journaling from the Bible in calligraphy as well." Her handwriting and her new love for the Bible revealed how she could turn a passion into a business. Today, Emily creates wedding invitations and welcome signs, and she hosts calligraphy workshops. View this post on Instagram Truth in this. A post shared by Emily Ann Lettering (@emily.ann.lettering) on Aug 7, 2019 at 9:05am PDT Click here to learn more about the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

Secretary Perdue Proclaims February 16-22 as Grain Bin Safety Week

Washington D.C., February 14, 2020) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued a proclamation naming February 16-22 as Grain Bin Safety Week. Earlier this week, the Secretary sat down with the Governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem, to talk about the importance of grain bin safety on the farm. Governor Noem grew up on a farm in Hamlin County, South Dakota and has a personal connection to farm safety. She has been an advocate for increased grain bin safety efforts for years. You may click HERE or on the image above to watch their conversation. “We hope grain operators, farmers and community leaders will join us in expanding knowledge of safe practices not just during National Grain Bin Safety Week, but year-round,” said Secretary Perdue. “Tragedies like the one Governor Noem’s family experienced happen too frequently and call for greater action, which is why I have signed a proclamation naming February 16-22 Grain Bin Safety Week.” “I’m grateful for Secretary Perdue’s leadership in highlighting this important issue,” said Governor Kristi Noem. “My life changed forever when we lost my dad in a grain bin accident, and while farmers are often in a hurry to get things done, nothing is worth losing a life. This Grain Bin Safety Week, I want to encourage producers to evaluate safety procedures on their farms and ranches. Slow down and be safe – your family will thank you for it.”

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Markets

Rural Radio Network

Ag Calendar

Extension offers crop scout training in March

AUDIO: Market Commentary with Daily Brokers

Ag Secretary Encourages Grain Bin Safety | Agriculture News Update (Feb. 17, 2020)

Sasse Earns Major Endorsement From Nebraska Cattlemen Leaders

AUDIO: Market Commentary with Daily Brokers

LMIC Issues Sheep Analysis and Comments

January Ag Equipment Sales Mixed

Lindsay Announces Release Of New Zimmatic® Poly Pipe For Its Center Pivot Irrigation Systems

Grain Craft Increases Commitment to Quality with Donation to Wheat Research Foundation

Trade Matters podcast back with new episodes in 2020

The Engler Journey - Emily Bledsoe

Secretary Perdue Proclaims February 16-22 as Grain Bin Safety Week