The USDA is investing up to $22 million in partnerships that expand access to conservation technical assistance for livestock producers and increase the use of conservation practices on grazing land.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting proposals through its Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative until May 26, 2024. “Privately owned grazing lands cover nearly 30 percent of the national landscape, which means we have a tremendous opportunity to conserve natural resources through voluntary, private lands conservation,” says NRCS Chief Terry Cosby. “NRCS enlists a wide variety of conservation practices to help livestock producers.” He also says the partnerships will help expand the footprint of conservation on grazing lands.

Project proposals for GLCI Cooperative Agreements will identify and address barriers to accessing grazing assistance for producers. Projects must address one or more of several priorities, including local natural resource concerns, climate-smart ag and forestry practices, and others. For information, go to grants.gov.

The USDA is investing up to $22 million in partnerships that expand access to conservation technical assistance for livestock producers and increase the use of conservation practices on grazing land.The Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting proposals through its Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative until May 26, 2024. “Privately owned grazing lands cover nearly 30 percent of the national landscape, which means we have a tremendous opportunity to conserve natural resources through voluntary, private lands conservation,” says NRCS Chief Terry Cosby. “NRCS enlists a wide variety of conservation practices to help livestock producers.” He also says the partnerships will help expand the footprint of conservation on grazing lands.Project proposals for GLCI Cooperative Agreements will identify and address barriers to accessing grazing assistance for producers. Projects must address one or more of several priorities, including local natural resource concerns, climate-smart ag and forestry practices, and others. For information, go to grants.gov.-NAFB

USDA seeks more grazing land conservation

Groups like the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the National Corn Growers Association, and others sent a letter on E15 to the Environmental Protection Agency.

The groups are asking Administrator Michael Regan to swiftly issue an emergency waiver for E15 sales. “New and ongoing world conflicts continue to pose risks for the U.S. energy supply,” the letter says. “In addition to the Ukraine conflict, the recent conflict in the Middle East presents additional challenges to America’s energy security.”

To remedy the disruptions in the global energy markets, stabilize gasoline prices for American consumers, and support domestic energy security, the groups urged the EPA to quickly authorize the summer sale of gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol. ‘The consumer cost savings that result from allowing the year-round sale of E15, even temporarily, are well-established,” the groups add. “Consumers have saved 10 to 30 cents a gallon during recent waivers.”

Groups like the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the National Corn Growers Association, and others sent a letter on E15 to the Environmental Protection Agency.The groups are asking Administrator Michael Regan to swiftly issue an emergency waiver for E15 sales. “New and ongoing world conflicts continue to pose risks for the U.S. energy supply,” the letter says. “In addition to the Ukraine conflict, the recent conflict in the Middle East presents additional challenges to America’s energy security.”To remedy the disruptions in the global energy markets, stabilize gasoline prices for American consumers, and support domestic energy security, the groups urged the EPA to quickly authorize the summer sale of gasoline blended with up to 15 percent ethanol. ‘The consumer cost savings that result from allowing the year-round sale of E15, even temporarily, are well-established,” the groups add. “Consumers have saved 10 to 30 cents a gallon during recent waivers.”-NAFB

Letter asks for E15 emergency waiver

The Francis Scott Key Bridge at Baltimore collapsed this week. Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, says the Port of Baltimore exported over 142,000 metric tons of soybeans in 2020, the most recent data available.

“There are no reported soybean exports via bulk vessel,” he says. “The port imported 172,228 metric tons of soybeans via container and 34,000 tons of soybeans in bulk vessels.”

In contrast, the Mississippi Gulf Region, the top export region for soybeans, accounted for 35.4 million metric tons of soybeans by bulk. The top five ag products handled at the Port of Baltimore include sugar, soybeans, grain products, coffee, and grocery items.

“While it’s not a significant port region for soybeans and grain, it’s a significant resource for the broader economy,” Steenhoek adds. “It underscores the reality that the ports serving as the origins and destinations for global commerce can be vulnerable.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711636713781.jpeg" alt="In this aerial image released by the Maryland National Guard, the cargo ship Dali is stuck under part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the ship hit the bridge, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Baltimore. (Maryland National Guard via AP)" />
 <figcaption>In this aerial image released by the Maryland National Guard, the cargo ship Dali is stuck under part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the ship hit the bridge, Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Baltimore. (Maryland National Guard via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>The Francis Scott Key Bridge at Baltimore collapsed this week. Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, says the Port of Baltimore exported over 142,000 metric tons of soybeans in 2020, the most recent data available.“There are no reported soybean exports via bulk vessel,” he says. “The port imported 172,228 metric tons of soybeans via container and 34,000 tons of soybeans in bulk vessels.”In contrast, the Mississippi Gulf Region, the top export region for soybeans, accounted for 35.4 million metric tons of soybeans by bulk. The top five ag products handled at the Port of Baltimore include sugar, soybeans, grain products, coffee, and grocery items.“While it’s not a significant port region for soybeans and grain, it’s a significant resource for the broader economy,” Steenhoek adds. “It underscores the reality that the ports serving as the origins and destinations for global commerce can be vulnerable.”-NAFB

Baltimore bridge collapse won’t slow commodity exports

A 230-acre farm in Grundy County, Iowa, owned continually by the same family since plows first turned ground in the prairies in the 1870s, sold at a recent auction for almost four million dollars.

Successful Farming says the Iowa century farm is historically significant in the state and has some of Iowa’s highest quality cropland. More than 91 acres, or 40 percent of the land, have a perfect 100 Corn Suitability Rating (CSR2). The overall weighted average for the land is a still-high 95.2. According to Iowa State University, the average rating for the state is 68.4. Grundy County has the second-highest average of Iowa’s 99 counties at 86.9.

Before the auction, tenant Paul Koch spoke to the crowd. The third-generation farmer said the family moved onto the farm in 1929 and has farmed the land for about 94 years. “This is some of the state’s best ground,” he said.

A 230-acre farm in Grundy County, Iowa, owned continually by the same family since plows first turned ground in the prairies in the 1870s, sold at a recent auction for almost four million dollars.Successful Farming says the Iowa century farm is historically significant in the state and has some of Iowa’s highest quality cropland. More than 91 acres, or 40 percent of the land, have a perfect 100 Corn Suitability Rating (CSR2). The overall weighted average for the land is a still-high 95.2. According to Iowa State University, the average rating for the state is 68.4. Grundy County has the second-highest average of Iowa’s 99 counties at 86.9.Before the auction, tenant Paul Koch spoke to the crowd. The third-generation farmer said the family moved onto the farm in 1929 and has farmed the land for about 94 years. “This is some of the state’s best ground,” he said.-NAFB

Iowa farm goes for almost $4 Million

A farm bill in the next Congress may be easier than doing one before the election, according to some, but not all.

Top Senate Ag Republican John Boozman was asked at a recent Agri-Pulse forum if it’d be better to wait until a new Congress to do what seems nearly impossible before the November election.

“People say, ‘You don’t want to do a farm bill, you want to do it next year.’ I believe it’ll be as easy to do it this year as it is next year. So, who knows what the dynamics are going to look like then? But I do know how important this is and how important it is to give our farmers stability.”

And then, there are the naysayers like Texas A &amp; M’s renowned Ag economist Joe Outlaw who said earlier.

“I don’t expect it to be done in ’24 unless something wild happens after the election. And even then, if (the) House or Senate flips, is it going to be enough change that I don’t think it will happen early in ’25, either.”

But Senator Boozman has reason to disagree

“In the House, there are a number of districts that are in situations where Democrats are holding those districts. They’re red districts, but they do a very good job of representing their folks in those districts, and so they’re hanging on. They’re doing well. They want to get it passed. Republicans want to get it passed, I believe, to show farm country that they’re for them, and they want to do their best to make things as easy as they can for them in a very difficult situation.”

USDA predicts a more than a 25 percent drop this year in farm income on lower commodity prices and rising production costs.

A farm bill in the next Congress may be easier than doing one before the election, according to some, but not all.Top Senate Ag Republican John Boozman was asked at a recent Agri-Pulse forum if it’d be better to wait until a new Congress to do what seems nearly impossible before the November election.“People say, ‘You don’t want to do a farm bill, you want to do it next year.’ I believe it’ll be as easy to do it this year as it is next year. So, who knows what the dynamics are going to look like then? But I do know how important this is and how important it is to give our farmers stability.”And then, there are the naysayers like Texas A &amp; M’s renowned Ag economist Joe Outlaw who said earlier.“I don’t expect it to be done in ’24 unless something wild happens after the election. And even then, if (the) House or Senate flips, is it going to be enough change that I don’t think it will happen early in ’25, either.”But Senator Boozman has reason to disagree“In the House, there are a number of districts that are in situations where Democrats are holding those districts. They’re red districts, but they do a very good job of representing their folks in those districts, and so they’re hanging on. They’re doing well. They want to get it passed. Republicans want to get it passed, I believe, to show farm country that they’re for them, and they want to do their best to make things as easy as they can for them in a very difficult situation.”USDA predicts a more than a 25 percent drop this year in farm income on lower commodity prices and rising production costs.-NAFB

Post-Election Farm Bill some, not all see as easier

The USDA has authorized the release of emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acres nationwide to livestock producers affected by the wildfires in Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.

“Many ranchers in those states impacted by the recent wildfires are in need of grazing acres and hay resources to sustain their herds while they work during the months ahead to restore their operations,” says Kelly Adkins, Texas Farm Service Agency Director. “If you have CRP acres and want to help wildfire-impacted ranchers, please contact your local FSA office. They’ll determine available emergency and non-emergency use options.”

Although the Primary Nesting Season has already started in Texas, CRP participants can continue to donate emergency grazing authority to livestock producers in need during this period in counties eligible for the Livestock Forage Program due to drought.

The USDA has authorized the release of emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program acres nationwide to livestock producers affected by the wildfires in Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.“Many ranchers in those states impacted by the recent wildfires are in need of grazing acres and hay resources to sustain their herds while they work during the months ahead to restore their operations,” says Kelly Adkins, Texas Farm Service Agency Director. “If you have CRP acres and want to help wildfire-impacted ranchers, please contact your local FSA office. They’ll determine available emergency and non-emergency use options.”Although the Primary Nesting Season has already started in Texas, CRP participants can continue to donate emergency grazing authority to livestock producers in need during this period in counties eligible for the Livestock Forage Program due to drought.-NAFB

USDA Authorizes Emergency CRP Grazing

After HPAI was found in dairy cattle, the Meat Institute says that properly prepared beef is safe to eat and not a safety risk to humans.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and USDA food safety experts say properly prepared beef is safe to eat,” says Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “HPAI cannot be transmitted to humans by eating meat or poultry products.”

She also says the Meat Institute and its member companies will continue to be vigilant to aid in the efforts to stop the spread of the disease among animals in food production.

“We will support the nation’s producers working to protect their herds,” Potts adds.

The meat and poultry industries are among the most intensely regulated in the nation. Inspectors from the Food Safety and Inspection Service are present every day in meat packing plants and are trained to detect disease before and after slaughter.

After HPAI was found in dairy cattle, the Meat Institute says that properly prepared beef is safe to eat and not a safety risk to humans.“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and USDA food safety experts say properly prepared beef is safe to eat,” says Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “HPAI cannot be transmitted to humans by eating meat or poultry products.”She also says the Meat Institute and its member companies will continue to be vigilant to aid in the efforts to stop the spread of the disease among animals in food production.“We will support the nation’s producers working to protect their herds,” Potts adds.The meat and poultry industries are among the most intensely regulated in the nation. Inspectors from the Food Safety and Inspection Service are present every day in meat packing plants and are trained to detect disease before and after slaughter.-NAFB

Properly prepared beef is safe to eat

The USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in cattle.

The agencies say the disease seems to be affecting primarily older cows in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico. This is the first time that HPAI has been identified as affecting dairy cattle and only the second time the virus has been detected in a ruminant animal. The commercial milk supply remains safe due to the federal animal health requirements and pasteurization.

Milk from the affected herds is not allowed to enter the milk supply. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says migratory birds are the likely source of the infection.

“At this stage, there’s no concern that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” APHIS says in a news release. Federal and state agencies are moving quickly to conduct additional testing for specific HPAI strains.

The USDA, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in cattle.The agencies say the disease seems to be affecting primarily older cows in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico. This is the first time that HPAI has been identified as affecting dairy cattle and only the second time the virus has been detected in a ruminant animal. The commercial milk supply remains safe due to the federal animal health requirements and pasteurization.Milk from the affected herds is not allowed to enter the milk supply. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says migratory birds are the likely source of the infection.“At this stage, there’s no concern that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” APHIS says in a news release. Federal and state agencies are moving quickly to conduct additional testing for specific HPAI strains.-NAFB

Avian influenza detected in some cattle herds

The Federal Aviation Administration issued an exemption for “drone-swarm” agriculture, a method of seeding and spraying crops at a fraction of the traditional cost.

Hylio, a Texas-based drone manufacturer, successfully applied for an FFA exemption to allow fleets of drones weighing 55 pounds or more to fly together. It’s the first exception of its kind for machines that carry what the company calls a “meaningful payload” and makes the process competitive with traditional tractors and seeding rigs.

“On average, you’re spending a quarter upfront on the capital cost to buy the machinery, and the operating cost is about a quarter or maybe a third of what you’d spend for the more traditional stuff,” says Arthur Erickson,

The Federal Aviation Administration issued an exemption for “drone-swarm” agriculture, a method of seeding and spraying crops at a fraction of the traditional cost.Hylio, a Texas-based drone manufacturer, successfully applied for an FFA exemption to allow fleets of drones weighing 55 pounds or more to fly together. It’s the first exception of its kind for machines that carry what the company calls a “meaningful payload” and makes the process competitive with traditional tractors and seeding rigs.“On average, you’re spending a quarter upfront on the capital cost to buy the machinery, and the operating cost is about a quarter or maybe a third of what you’d spend for the more traditional stuff,” says Arthur Erickson,

FAA clears “Drone Swarms” for agriculture

The Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association’s Leadership Development Foundation announced a new Working Grant Program. The announcement came during the recently completed Cattle Raisers Convention and Expo.

The new TSCRA Leadership Development Foundation’s grant program will help support those starting or growing a business in ranching, beef production, or a related area supporting the beef value chain. The program will provide financial assistance and access to mentorship, educational resources, or related areas supporting the beef value chain.

“Whether it’s helping a young producer purchase their first parcel of land, enabling a veterinarian to open a large animal clinic in a rural community, or giving a generational producer the opportunity to grow their operation, these grants have the power to transform lives and revitalize our rural economies,” says TSCRA President Carl Ray Polk, Jr.

The application period for individuals in Texas and Oklahoma will open on May 1. For information, go to tscra.org.

The Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association’s Leadership Development Foundation announced a new Working Grant Program. The announcement came during the recently completed Cattle Raisers Convention and Expo.The new TSCRA Leadership Development Foundation’s grant program will help support those starting or growing a business in ranching, beef production, or a related area supporting the beef value chain. The program will provide financial assistance and access to mentorship, educational resources, or related areas supporting the beef value chain.“Whether it’s helping a young producer purchase their first parcel of land, enabling a veterinarian to open a large animal clinic in a rural community, or giving a generational producer the opportunity to grow their operation, these grants have the power to transform lives and revitalize our rural economies,” says TSCRA President Carl Ray Polk, Jr.The application period for individuals in Texas and Oklahoma will open on May 1. For information, go to tscra.org.-NAFB

New grant program for beef producers

As lawmakers struggle to come to terms on a new farm bill, a farm state governor drove home the importance of one at a recent House Ag hearing. South Dakota Governor, farmer, and former Ag Committee member Kristi Noem was passionate in her call for a new farm bill as not just a safety net for farmers, but for the nation’s food supply.

“America decided years ago that we need to have a farm bill to ensure that every family in this country had a safe, and had an affordable food supply, that they had the ability to go to a grocery store to put food on the table for their families. And that if a farmer had a good year, he could pay his bills, but if he had a bad year, he could lose everything.”

The Republican Noem stressed a farm bill should be bipartisan but argued it wouldn’t work without boosting subsidy triggers or reference prices. an issue that’s divided the two parties over funding.

“If you don’t address the increase in reference prices and bring them up to where they should be, there is no safety net.”

That’s a big key, Noem argues, to keep farmers on the land…tape

“They’re some of the biggest gamblers in the world that I know because they bury millions of dollars in the dirt and they’re taking a chance because they really, truly do believe that producing food is a world need, and it’s a need that America needs to have, so at least give them a safety net.”

Noem concluded that having a viable farm safety net is crucial to getting producers through bad years and enabling America to feed itself instead of depending on others to feed it.

As lawmakers struggle to come to terms on a new farm bill, a farm state governor drove home the importance of one at a recent House Ag hearing. South Dakota Governor, farmer, and former Ag Committee member Kristi Noem was passionate in her call for a new farm bill as not just a safety net for farmers, but for the nation’s food supply.“America decided years ago that we need to have a farm bill to ensure that every family in this country had a safe, and had an affordable food supply, that they had the ability to go to a grocery store to put food on the table for their families. And that if a farmer had a good year, he could pay his bills, but if he had a bad year, he could lose everything.”The Republican Noem stressed a farm bill should be bipartisan but argued it wouldn’t work without boosting subsidy triggers or reference prices. an issue that’s divided the two parties over funding.“If you don’t address the increase in reference prices and bring them up to where they should be, there is no safety net.”That’s a big key, Noem argues, to keep farmers on the land…tape“They’re some of the biggest gamblers in the world that I know because they bury millions of dollars in the dirt and they’re taking a chance because they really, truly do believe that producing food is a world need, and it’s a need that America needs to have, so at least give them a safety net.”Noem concluded that having a viable farm safety net is crucial to getting producers through bad years and enabling America to feed itself instead of depending on others to feed it.-NAFB

SD Gov. Noem Stresses Importance of a Farm Bill

Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced legislation to offer producers fairer market prices for livestock disaster assistance programs.

The Livestock Indemnity Program Improvement Act would require the Farm Service Agency to make quarterly updates to the Livestock Indemnity Program payment rates that reflect livestock market prices.

The LIP provides payments to eligible livestock owners and contract growers for abnormal livestock deaths caused by an eligible loss of condition, such as severe weather, disease, or animal attack. The FSA is currently required to update the payment rates annually. The bipartisan bill would make these updates more frequent to reflect a quickly-changing market.

“Ranchers often make large financial investments in their livestock and sometimes face heavy losses due to natural disasters and other circumstances out of their control,” Klobuchar says. “This will help ensure ranchers have a safety net that more accurately reflects the market value of any lost livestock.”

Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced legislation to offer producers fairer market prices for livestock disaster assistance programs.The Livestock Indemnity Program Improvement Act would require the Farm Service Agency to make quarterly updates to the Livestock Indemnity Program payment rates that reflect livestock market prices.The LIP provides payments to eligible livestock owners and contract growers for abnormal livestock deaths caused by an eligible loss of condition, such as severe weather, disease, or animal attack. The FSA is currently required to update the payment rates annually. The bipartisan bill would make these updates more frequent to reflect a quickly-changing market.“Ranchers often make large financial investments in their livestock and sometimes face heavy losses due to natural disasters and other circumstances out of their control,” Klobuchar says. “This will help ensure ranchers have a safety net that more accurately reflects the market value of any lost livestock.”-NAFB

Legislation sets fairer prices for livestock assistance

American farmers might plant less corn than last year, but it will still likely be larger than what USDA previously anticipated.

That’s according to data from the March 2024 Farm Futures grower survey. Total corn and soybean acreage will likely vary minimally from last year. Growers expect to plant 92.4 million acres of corn this year, down 2.3 million acres or 2.4 percent from last year. Soybean acreage is forecast to be 2.4 million acres or 2.9 percent higher than last year’s 86 million acres.

This is almost a one-for-one tradeoff between corn and soybean acres from last year. If realized, that would bring the total corn and soybean acreage planted this year to 178.6 million acres or the third-largest combined corn-soybean acreage on record. Last year, farmers planted 178.2 million acres of corn and soybeans. Growers still anticipate USDA finding more winter wheat acres compared to last year.

American farmers might plant less corn than last year, but it will still likely be larger than what USDA previously anticipated.That’s according to data from the March 2024 Farm Futures grower survey. Total corn and soybean acreage will likely vary minimally from last year. Growers expect to plant 92.4 million acres of corn this year, down 2.3 million acres or 2.4 percent from last year. Soybean acreage is forecast to be 2.4 million acres or 2.9 percent higher than last year’s 86 million acres.This is almost a one-for-one tradeoff between corn and soybean acres from last year. If realized, that would bring the total corn and soybean acreage planted this year to 178.6 million acres or the third-largest combined corn-soybean acreage on record. Last year, farmers planted 178.2 million acres of corn and soybeans. Growers still anticipate USDA finding more winter wheat acres compared to last year.-NAFB

Farmers planting less corn, more soybeans in 2024

It laid dormant for years. Now, interest in the Missouri
low-interest loan program, called MO BUCKS, has risen along with interest
rates.

State Treasurer Vivek Malek says his office distributed $500 million
in MO BUCKS loans last year, hit the state cap and closed. It re-opened January
2nd with $120 million available.

“I was hoping that it would be open for at least for two
weeks, but to our own surprise, we received enough applications to close the
program again within six hours,” Malek tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.

Malek says how swiftly the $120 million was snapped up shocked
him.

“All the $120 million was called for within six hours,” Malek
says. “So that shows how huge the demand is for the MO BUCKS program,
especially in the farming community and the small business community.”

Malek says demand rose from farmers seeking low-interest loans
to cope with the financial impact of the lingering drought in parts of
Missouri.

Malek has asked the state legislature to expand the program by
$400 million. The current cap is $800 million.

“That may not be enough, but we hope that the feds will bring
down the rates and that will probably ease the demand a little bit.”

MO BUCKS was created during the recession of the 1980s, a
recession that drove up interest rates and hit the rural economy hard. It
became a lifeline for farmers and small business owners.

The Federal Reserve has moved over the years to reduced
interest rates to stimulate the economy. The Fed took a different tack as
inflation returned, raising rates in an effort to bring inflation down. In
between the high-interest rates of the 80s and the low interest rates of the
past few years, the MO BUCKS program went into hibernation. Few remember it.
Malek says that even among bankers the program had been forgotten.

“There’s not much education on MO BUCKS. We don’t have a
marketing budget for MO BUCKS,” Malek explains. “So, I toured about 45
counties, rural counties especially, last fall, talking to chambers of
commerce, talking to officials, (in) courthouses, different media houses to
kind of alleviate and bring that education up with folks that, hey, there is a
way that can help you during these high-interest times and we can help.”

The MO BUCKS program provides interest rates approximately 30%
below the market rate. About 40% of the loans go to farmers with 60% to small
businesses.

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostIt laid dormant for years. Now, interest in the Missouri
low-interest loan program, called MO BUCKS, has risen along with interest
rates.State Treasurer Vivek Malek says his office distributed $500 million
in MO BUCKS loans last year, hit the state cap and closed. It re-opened January
2nd with $120 million available.“I was hoping that it would be open for at least for two
weeks, but to our own surprise, we received enough applications to close the
program again within six hours,” Malek tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.Malek says how swiftly the $120 million was snapped up shocked
him.“All the $120 million was called for within six hours,” Malek
says. “So that shows how huge the demand is for the MO BUCKS program,
especially in the farming community and the small business community.”Malek says demand rose from farmers seeking low-interest loans
to cope with the financial impact of the lingering drought in parts of
Missouri.Malek has asked the state legislature to expand the program by
$400 million. The current cap is $800 million.“That may not be enough, but we hope that the feds will bring
down the rates and that will probably ease the demand a little bit.”MO BUCKS was created during the recession of the 1980s, a
recession that drove up interest rates and hit the rural economy hard. It
became a lifeline for farmers and small business owners.The Federal Reserve has moved over the years to reduced
interest rates to stimulate the economy. The Fed took a different tack as
inflation returned, raising rates in an effort to bring inflation down. In
between the high-interest rates of the 80s and the low interest rates of the
past few years, the MO BUCKS program went into hibernation. Few remember it.
Malek says that even among bankers the program had been forgotten.“There’s not much education on MO BUCKS. We don’t have a
marketing budget for MO BUCKS,” Malek explains. “So, I toured about 45
counties, rural counties especially, last fall, talking to chambers of
commerce, talking to officials, (in) courthouses, different media houses to
kind of alleviate and bring that education up with folks that, hey, there is a
way that can help you during these high-interest times and we can help.”The MO BUCKS program provides interest rates approximately 30%
below the market rate. About 40% of the loans go to farmers with 60% to small
businesses.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Nearly forgotten MO BUCKS program dusted off as economy changes

TOPEKA (AP) —Milk from dairy cows in Kansas and in Texas has tested positive for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-ohio-egg-farm-usda-d873383dd0927f8ebbdd850a6eebb9a5">bird flu</a>, U.S. officials said Monday.

Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and to occasionally infect people. The virus is affecting older dairy cows in those states and in New Mexico, causing decreased lactation and low appetite.

It comes a week after officials in Minnesota announced that goats on a farm where there had been an outbreak of bird flu among poultry were diagnosed with the virus. It's believed to be the first time bird flu — also known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/avian-flu-chicken-outbreak-california-poultry-eggs-976f0f82843bf716dbad64f459b4b8be">highly pathogenic avian influenza</a>&nbsp;— was found in U.S. livestock.

The commercial milk supply is safe and risk to people is low, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dairies are required to only allow milk from healthy animals to enter the food supply, and milk from the sick animals is being diverted or destroyed. Pasteurization also kills viruses and other bacteria, and the process is required for milk sold through interstate commerce, the agency said.

“At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” the USDA said in a statement.

The federal government said its tests in the cattle did not detect any changes to the virus that would make it spread more easily to people.

Dairy farmers in Texas first became concerned three weeks ago when cattle started falling ill with what officials called “mystery dairy cow disease," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said. Milk production fell sharply and the cows were lethargic and weren't eating much.

“We hadn't seen anything like it before,” he said. “It was kind of like they had a cold.”

The state's animal health commission began an investigation that included tests for bird flu, spokeswoman Erin Robinson said. Based on findings from Texas, USDA officials think the cows got the virus from infected wild birds.

Experts say livestock appear to recover on their own within seven to 10 days. That's different than bird flu outbreaks in poultry, which necessitate killing flocks to get rid of the virus. Since 2022, outbreaks in have led to the loss of about 80 million birds in U.S. commercial flocks.

So far, the virus appears to be infecting about 10% of lactating dairy cows in the affected herds, said Michael Payne, a food animal veterinarian and and biosecurity expert with the University of California-Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security.

“This doesn’t look anything like the high-path influenza in bird flocks,” he said.

Bird flu was detected in unpasteurized, clinical samples of milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas. The virus was also found in a nose and throat swab from another dairy in Texas.

Officials called it a rapidly evolving situation. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are involved, along with officials in the three states. Another dairy-heavy state, Iowa, said it is monitoring the situation.

Dairy industry officials said that producers have started enhanced biosecurity efforts on U.S. farms, including limiting the amount of traffic into and out of properties and restricting visits to employees and essential personnel.

Bird flu previously has been reported in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seals-bird-flu-deaths-oceans-80184a8793fbcc21fab01b1c90b0d71b">48 different mammal species</a>, Payne noted, adding: “It was probably only a matter of time before avian influenza made its way to ruminants.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636037846131.jpeg" alt="photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA (AP) —Milk from dairy cows in Kansas and in Texas has tested positive for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-ohio-egg-farm-usda-d873383dd0927f8ebbdd850a6eebb9a5">bird flu</a>, U.S. officials said Monday.Officials with the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed the flu virus is the Type A H5N1 strain, known for decades to cause outbreaks in birds and to occasionally infect people. The virus is affecting older dairy cows in those states and in New Mexico, causing decreased lactation and low appetite.It comes a week after officials in Minnesota announced that goats on a farm where there had been an outbreak of bird flu among poultry were diagnosed with the virus. It's believed to be the first time bird flu — also known as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/avian-flu-chicken-outbreak-california-poultry-eggs-976f0f82843bf716dbad64f459b4b8be">highly pathogenic avian influenza</a>&nbsp;— was found in U.S. livestock.The commercial milk supply is safe and risk to people is low, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dairies are required to only allow milk from healthy animals to enter the food supply, and milk from the sick animals is being diverted or destroyed. Pasteurization also kills viruses and other bacteria, and the process is required for milk sold through interstate commerce, the agency said.“At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” the USDA said in a statement.The federal government said its tests in the cattle did not detect any changes to the virus that would make it spread more easily to people.Dairy farmers in Texas first became concerned three weeks ago when cattle started falling ill with what officials called “mystery dairy cow disease," Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said. Milk production fell sharply and the cows were lethargic and weren't eating much.“We hadn't seen anything like it before,” he said. “It was kind of like they had a cold.”The state's animal health commission began an investigation that included tests for bird flu, spokeswoman Erin Robinson said. Based on findings from Texas, USDA officials think the cows got the virus from infected wild birds.Experts say livestock appear to recover on their own within seven to 10 days. That's different than bird flu outbreaks in poultry, which necessitate killing flocks to get rid of the virus. Since 2022, outbreaks in have led to the loss of about 80 million birds in U.S. commercial flocks.So far, the virus appears to be infecting about 10% of lactating dairy cows in the affected herds, said Michael Payne, a food animal veterinarian and and biosecurity expert with the University of California-Davis Western Institute for Food Safety and Security.“This doesn’t look anything like the high-path influenza in bird flocks,” he said.Bird flu was detected in unpasteurized, clinical samples of milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas. The virus was also found in a nose and throat swab from another dairy in Texas.Officials called it a rapidly evolving situation. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are involved, along with officials in the three states. Another dairy-heavy state, Iowa, said it is monitoring the situation.Dairy industry officials said that producers have started enhanced biosecurity efforts on U.S. farms, including limiting the amount of traffic into and out of properties and restricting visits to employees and essential personnel.Bird flu previously has been reported in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seals-bird-flu-deaths-oceans-80184a8793fbcc21fab01b1c90b0d71b">48 different mammal species</a>, Payne noted, adding: “It was probably only a matter of time before avian influenza made its way to ruminants.”___

Dairy cattle in Kansas test positive for bird flu

A House hearing on FY 2025 spending quickly shifted to the farm bill and a dispute over the Commodity Credit Corporation fund, highlighting again the difficulty in writing a new farm law.

Secretary Tom Vilsack was again confronted with charges he’s misusing the 30 billion-dollar CCC fund and being misleading that it’s a substitute for boosting farm bill safety net programs.

House Ag Appropriations Chair Andy Harris.

“I’ve read your comments in news articles over the past few weeks suggesting that you can use CCC funds to help farm safety net programs outside of the regular farm bill process. I’m perplexed as to how USDA would be able to do this, as establishing reference prices and farm programs is done by Congress. The legislative branch, not the executive branch.”

Harris argued USDA cannot on its own fund new programs from the CCC if there’s no new farm bill again this year. But Secretary Vilsack wasted little time in refuting Harris.

“I never suggested, nor did I ever say, that we would be using CCC outside the scope of farm bill discussions and negotiations. What I did say was in order for us to have a farm bill, it’s going to be necessary for members of the Ag Committee to be creative in how they can use the resources within the CCC at their instruction and direction, to be able to provide the relief and assistance they’re looking for to bolster our safety net.”

The CCC does help fund ARC, PLC, and CRP, and Vilsack agreed to a bipartisan Senate Ag request last year to use it for trade promotion programs. But Republicans charge Vilsack’s using CCC as a political ‘slush fund’ for pet projects like ‘Climate-Smart’ Ag, and the dispute again shows why it’s been so hard to achieve a bipartisan farm bill.

A House hearing on FY 2025 spending quickly shifted to the farm bill and a dispute over the Commodity Credit Corporation fund, highlighting again the difficulty in writing a new farm law.Secretary Tom Vilsack was again confronted with charges he’s misusing the 30 billion-dollar CCC fund and being misleading that it’s a substitute for boosting farm bill safety net programs.House Ag Appropriations Chair Andy Harris.“I’ve read your comments in news articles over the past few weeks suggesting that you can use CCC funds to help farm safety net programs outside of the regular farm bill process. I’m perplexed as to how USDA would be able to do this, as establishing reference prices and farm programs is done by Congress. The legislative branch, not the executive branch.”Harris argued USDA cannot on its own fund new programs from the CCC if there’s no new farm bill again this year. But Secretary Vilsack wasted little time in refuting Harris.“I never suggested, nor did I ever say, that we would be using CCC outside the scope of farm bill discussions and negotiations. What I did say was in order for us to have a farm bill, it’s going to be necessary for members of the Ag Committee to be creative in how they can use the resources within the CCC at their instruction and direction, to be able to provide the relief and assistance they’re looking for to bolster our safety net.”The CCC does help fund ARC, PLC, and CRP, and Vilsack agreed to a bipartisan Senate Ag request last year to use it for trade promotion programs. But Republicans charge Vilsack’s using CCC as a political ‘slush fund’ for pet projects like ‘Climate-Smart’ Ag, and the dispute again shows why it’s been so hard to achieve a bipartisan farm bill.-NAFB

Ag ’25 spending hearing quickly segways to Farm Bill and CCC use

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association thanked the Senate for passing a resolution to block beef imports from Paraguay. The resolution comes after the USDA lifted the longstanding ban on Paraguayan beef imports despite the country’s concerning animal health track record.

“Our animal health standards are second to none, and we must be vigilant in protecting the U.S. cattle herd from harmful foreign animal diseases that could have a devastating impact on U.S. agriculture,” says Mark Eisele, a Wyoming rancher and NCBA President. “Paraguay’s history of foot-and-mouth disease is a great concern, and anyone who wants to trade with the U.S. must meet our high safety standards.”

NCBA specifically called out the outdated animal health data used to make USDA’s decision.

“The U.S. government relied on nine-year-old data and site visits from 2008 to 2014 to justify access for Paraguayan beef imports,” says Kent Bacus, NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association thanked the Senate for passing a resolution to block beef imports from Paraguay. The resolution comes after the USDA lifted the longstanding ban on Paraguayan beef imports despite the country’s concerning animal health track record.“Our animal health standards are second to none, and we must be vigilant in protecting the U.S. cattle herd from harmful foreign animal diseases that could have a devastating impact on U.S. agriculture,” says Mark Eisele, a Wyoming rancher and NCBA President. “Paraguay’s history of foot-and-mouth disease is a great concern, and anyone who wants to trade with the U.S. must meet our high safety standards.”NCBA specifically called out the outdated animal health data used to make USDA’s decision.“The U.S. government relied on nine-year-old data and site visits from 2008 to 2014 to justify access for Paraguayan beef imports,” says Kent Bacus, NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs.-NAFB

Senate votes to block Paraguayan beef imports

Demand for soybean oil as a feedstock in the production of renewable diesel is rising as the U.S. aims to increase the adoption of cleaner-burning fuels. Renewable diesel is the preferred replacement for traditional diesel, and U.S. production is predicted to increase sharply in the years ahead.

To meet the growing demand for soybean oil, U.S. processors are ramping up their production capacity, expected to increase by 23 percent over the next three years. While processors have benefited from record-high profit margins in recent years, margins will likely moderate. A new report from CoBank says multiple years of record margins have left processors prepared to weather the inevitable margin downturn.

However, overbuilding U.S. crush capacity, combined with sustained levels of low processing margins, could threaten the viability of new, high-cost plants. The CoBank report says new crush plants built at higher costs and interest rates will have much higher breakeven costs.

Demand for soybean oil as a feedstock in the production of renewable diesel is rising as the U.S. aims to increase the adoption of cleaner-burning fuels. Renewable diesel is the preferred replacement for traditional diesel, and U.S. production is predicted to increase sharply in the years ahead.To meet the growing demand for soybean oil, U.S. processors are ramping up their production capacity, expected to increase by 23 percent over the next three years. While processors have benefited from record-high profit margins in recent years, margins will likely moderate. A new report from CoBank says multiple years of record margins have left processors prepared to weather the inevitable margin downturn.However, overbuilding U.S. crush capacity, combined with sustained levels of low processing margins, could threaten the viability of new, high-cost plants. The CoBank report says new crush plants built at higher costs and interest rates will have much higher breakeven costs.-NAFB

Risking soybean processing industry’s “overbuild”

Agriculture touches the lives of everyone, and a regional museum wants to educate more people about the importance of agriculture.   

The National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame in Bonnor Springs, Kansas has been teaching people the importance of agriculture since 1960, when President Dwight Eisenhower signed a federal charter to make the building a reality 

President of the Board of Directors Dave Hurrelbrink says the goal of the center is a three-pronged approach: To promote, to honor, and to educate people about agriculture 

"Less than 1% of the US populations involved in the production of food, that means there's 99% of the population that probably doesn't have any idea at all of where their food comes from or how it gets there," Hurrelbrink tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr.  

Hurrelbrink says they see a lot of kids come to the ag center and teach them about how that happens, and even how it was done in the past.  

More commonly known as The Ag Center, the museum has a goal of teaching everyone the importance of agriculture and where their food comes from.  

Hurrelbrink says one way the center will educate children is with the Barnyard Babies Family Festival in late April. 

"We'll have farm animals there that the kids can come out and pet and talk to and see and understand that that chicken doesn't just show up at Kentucky Fried, somebody has to raise that chicken, or that goat, or that sheep, or that pig," Hurrelbrink says. 

The event will be held on April 27th from 1oam to 4pm.  

The museum also features several educational programs, and also contains a Hall of Fame, honoring important figures in agriculture.  

Hurrelbrink says the people honored in the Hall of Fame runs the gamut. 

"It's everybody from George Washington Carver to John Deere, to Jerome Increase Case, to Cyrus McCormick, to Willie Nelson, Hurrelbrink explains. 

Hurrelbrink says Nelson was honored back in the 1980's due to his part in the Farm Aid movement.  

You can learn more about what the Ag Center offers and the Hall of Fame by clicking <a href="https://www.aghalloffame.com/">HERE</a> and visiting their website.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711380181509.jpeg" alt="The National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, more commonly known as the Ag Center, in Bonnor Springs, Kansas is teaching the importance of agriculture in our community/ Photo courtesy of the Ag Hall of Fame" />
 <figcaption>The National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, more commonly known as the Ag Center, in Bonnor Springs, Kansas is teaching the importance of agriculture in our community/ Photo courtesy of the Ag Hall of Fame</figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKE St. Joseph Post Agriculture touches the lives of everyone, and a regional museum wants to educate more people about the importance of agriculture. The National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame in Bonnor Springs, Kansas has been teaching people the importance of agriculture since 1960, when President Dwight Eisenhower signed a federal charter to make the building a reality President of the Board of Directors Dave Hurrelbrink says the goal of the center is a three-pronged approach: To promote, to honor, and to educate people about agriculture "Less than 1% of the US populations involved in the production of food, that means there's 99% of the population that probably doesn't have any idea at all of where their food comes from or how it gets there," Hurrelbrink tells host of the KFEQ Hotline Barry Birr. Hurrelbrink says they see a lot of kids come to the ag center and teach them about how that happens, and even how it was done in the past. More commonly known as The Ag Center, the museum has a goal of teaching everyone the importance of agriculture and where their food comes from. Hurrelbrink says one way the center will educate children is with the Barnyard Babies Family Festival in late April. "We'll have farm animals there that the kids can come out and pet and talk to and see and understand that that chicken doesn't just show up at Kentucky Fried, somebody has to raise that chicken, or that goat, or that sheep, or that pig," Hurrelbrink says. The event will be held on April 27th from 1oam to 4pm. The museum also features several educational programs, and also contains a Hall of Fame, honoring important figures in agriculture. Hurrelbrink says the people honored in the Hall of Fame runs the gamut. "It's everybody from George Washington Carver to John Deere, to Jerome Increase Case, to Cyrus McCormick, to Willie Nelson, Hurrelbrink explains. Hurrelbrink says Nelson was honored back in the 1980's due to his part in the Farm Aid movement. You can learn more about what the Ag Center offers and the Hall of Fame by clicking <a href="https://www.aghalloffame.com/">HERE</a> and visiting their website.

National Agriculture Center aims to teach importance of agriculture

Agricultural loan demand increased in 2023, and agricultural lending by U.S. farm banks grew 6.7 percent to $110 billion.

The American Bankers Association’s annual Farm Bank Performance Report credits elevated production costs, commodity price volatility, and a return to pre-COVID levels of direct government payments. The ABA says farm banks continued to enjoy solid performance in 2023, with robust loan growth and historically low delinquency rates.

“Moving forward, the agricultural sector will continue to face challenges due to monetary policy actions targeting persistent inflation in the U.S. and reduced federal support,” the ABA says in a news release.

Despite the challenges, farm banks maintained strong asset quality and consistent growth in high-quality capital and remain well-positioned to continue serving the needs of their customers and communities. The report also showed that farm banks are a major source of credit for small farmers. Last year, 98.1 percent of farm banks were profitable.

Agricultural loan demand increased in 2023, and agricultural lending by U.S. farm banks grew 6.7 percent to $110 billion.The American Bankers Association’s annual Farm Bank Performance Report credits elevated production costs, commodity price volatility, and a return to pre-COVID levels of direct government payments. The ABA says farm banks continued to enjoy solid performance in 2023, with robust loan growth and historically low delinquency rates.“Moving forward, the agricultural sector will continue to face challenges due to monetary policy actions targeting persistent inflation in the U.S. and reduced federal support,” the ABA says in a news release.Despite the challenges, farm banks maintained strong asset quality and consistent growth in high-quality capital and remain well-positioned to continue serving the needs of their customers and communities. The report also showed that farm banks are a major source of credit for small farmers. Last year, 98.1 percent of farm banks were profitable.-NAFB

Farm bank lending increased in 2023

By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The annual markets outlook from the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute anticipates declining farm income, higher costs for producers

U.S. farm income is falling from record highs as low commodity prices, trade headwinds and higher costs squeeze profits, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-us-agricultural-market-outlook/?utm_campaign=485145_FAPRI%20Baseline%20Report%20%28March%202024%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,AEC9,4NFRO6,1HPH8,1">new report from the University of Missouri</a>.

The 2024&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-Baseline-Outlook.pdf">U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook</a>&nbsp;report released Tuesday by the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute, also known as FAPRI, is a 10-year projection of the agriculture economy. It examines production trends and pricing for commodity and specialty crops and livestock and discusses issues like interest rates, consumer prices and biofuel production that impact on farming as a whole.

For producers, the news isn’t especially welcome.

“We got lower commodity prices kind of across the board, except for cattle,” said Pat Westhoff, the agricultural economics professor who serves as the institute’s director.

The annual report is eagerly anticipated in the agriculture industry and its findings have extra significance this year as Congress tries to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4467907-farm-bill-tensions-conservation-fire-food-aid/">pass a farm bill</a>&nbsp;renewing producer support and food distribution programs.

Net farm income nationally is expected to be about $118.2 billion this year, down from a record of about $162 billion in 2022.

Westhoff said he briefed Congressional staff on the report Tuesday and the reaction was a classic glass half-empty, glass half-full split. Some saw the large decline in farm income as a problem, while others noted that income is expected to remain above the average from 2015 to 2019.

“People were using the same numbers and making the opposite arguments,” Westhoff said.

Missouri is second only to Texas in the number of farms, with 87,887 farms that sold $14.7 billion in agricultural products in 2022, up from $10.5 billion in 2017 according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_001_001.pdf">the Census of Agriculture</a>. Missouri farms also received nearly $1 billion in government payments or other income.

With farm production expenses of $10.7 billion, Missouri farms had net cash income of $5 billion.

The 5,596 largest Missouri farms, with sales of $500,000 or more, sold more than $11.6 billion of products in 2022. The 67,400 Missouri farms with sales of less than $50,000 sold&nbsp;$685 million agricultural products.

Prices for grain and oil crops have fallen dramatically in the past year. Missouri farmers were receiving $14.90 a bushel for soybeans in January 2023, and $6.94 a bushel for corn. According to the monthly agricultural prices report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the price received for soybeans in January was $12.90 a bushel and for corn it was $4.79.

The issues facing farmers nationally, Westhoff said, are true in Missouri, where corn, soybeans and wheat are the major cash crops.&nbsp;

The FAPRI report projects the decline in commodity grain prices will slow, but continue.

Missouri farmers get a slightly better price than the national average for corn and soybeans because of proximity to large rivers and industries such as ethanol and biodiesel that buy commodities locally, Westhoff said.

“Where you have crushing facilities for soybeans matters tremendously,” Westhoff said. “Where you have ethanol plants matters as well.”

Missouri produced 264.9 million bushels of soybeans in 2023. A decline of $2 per bushel means the farmers producing those beans received more than $500 million less than they did for the same commodity the previous year.

The sharp decline in market prices for soybeans hasn’t been accompanied by a similar decline in prices for fertilizer, fuel and other supplies, said Casey Wasser, chief operating officer of Missouri Soybeans, the industry lobbying association.

“The input prices have not come down at all with the other prices,” Wasser said. “So that’s where that net farm income is going to hit producers pretty tight.”

Missouri has the nation’s sixth largest cattle herd. It also is home to the sixth largest number of hogs, and its farmers sold the seventh largest number of chickens for meat consumption and had the nation’s 12th largest flock of laying hens.

But Missouri is losing farmers – and farmland – faster than the national average.

The number of farms declined 7.8% since the 2017 farm census while nationally the number fell 6.9%. Nationally, 2.2% of farmland was converted to other uses between the surveys, while in Missouri the acreage in farming declined 2.7%.

The smallest producers are being squeezed the tightest, said Tim Gibbons of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center. In a telephone interview after he spent a day lobbying in Washington for changes in national farm programs, Gibbons said the issues facing farmers go well beyond commodity prices and interest rates.

Control of agriculture continues to be concentrated in large corporations, he said. Farm programs are designed to support cheap commodities and large producers, he said.

“What I’m hearing on the Hill is a joke relative to the situation that is farming in Missouri and in the United States right now,” Gibbons said.

Corporate-backed buyers are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/01/boom-or-bubble-high-missouri-farmland-prices-encourage-investors-concern-farmers/">outbidding local residents</a>&nbsp;for farmland and the concentration in meatpacking means producers become dependent on contracts that can be canceled when profits narrow. The decision by Tyson Foods to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/03/11/tyson-to-close-perry-pork-plant-in-june/">close a plant in Perry, Iowa</a>, that employs 1,300 people will have a ripple effect on the farmers who raise hogs under contract, Gibbons said.

Missouri has lost more than 1,000 cattle producers a year over the past 25 years, a trend that accelerated to about 2,000 per year in the past five years, according to the farm census. The number of farms producing hogs has declined from 12,133 in 1992 to 2,184 in 2022.

“The policies that have been in recent past farm bills have been written by and for these multinational corporations and lobbyists that lobby for them,” Gibbons said. “We need a very different vision and a farm bill.”

The only area where prices are increasing in the past year are for cattle. That’s because the national herd is at its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/19/droughts-complicated-by-climate-change-result-in-us-beef-herd-hitting-historic-low/">lowest number since the 1960s</a>, in large part due to pastureland drying up because of droughts starting in 2020.

“It’s causing liquidation and we’re not seeing rebuilding right now,” Gibbons said. “That connects with interest rates as well.”

Higher interest rates in the United States, which increase costs for farmers as they borrow to finance annual operations or add land and equipment, put farmers at a disadvantage internationally by making the dollar worth more in exchange, Westhoff said.

One indicator of the impact is that the U.S. has become a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/the-us-agricultural-trade-deficit-could-reach-record-highs-for-2023-is-there-cause-for-concern/">net importer of food and agricultural products</a>, reversing decades of a surplus in the balance of farm trade.

“We are importing lots of value-added products that might otherwise be produced here and of course that has spillover effects,” Westhoff said.

The FAPRI report section on government aid to farmers notes that the cost of the two main programs intended to shore up prices –&nbsp; agricultural risk coverage, or ARC, and price loss coverage, or PLC fell below $1 billion because of recent high commodity prices.&nbsp;

At the same time, crop insurance payments in 2023 totaled $9.3 billion.

“We need to figure out a system of farmer-owned grain reserves and price floors and price ceilings to stop the volatility of the market, and keep that price floor at the cost of production,” Gibbons said.

Missouri Soybean is pushing for changes in federal farm support programs to reset the protected prices at a higher level, Wasser said. Prices on beans could fall another $2 per bushel and Missouri farmers wouldn’t qualify for payments to make up any of the difference, he said.

“We’re still not even close to a safety net, with inputs and $11 beans it’s tough for any farmer no matter what your size or your leverage to be making any profit on that,” Wasser said..

FAPRI’s job is to provide information, not advise on policy decisions, Westhoff said.

The difficulty of getting changes to the programs is cost, he said.

Some “would like to do some changes that would improve the safety net from the perspective of producers but those changes all cost money,” he said. “And unless you’re going to reduce that spending or reduce spending on conservation programs, there’s not any obvious way to put those pieces together.”

The decline in commodity prices should ease inflation in food costs and even reverse some recent increases, such as for eggs and pork, Westhoff said. Food purchased for consumption at home should not increase any faster than inflation generally, the report indicates.

But consumers shouldn’t expect everything in the supermarket to get cheaper, he said.

“For the most part, the share of those commodity prices that affect consumer food prices is pretty small,” Westhoff said. “Therefore even a significant decline in the farm level price doesn’t translate to any decline, or not a very big decline, in grocery store prices.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614189270972.jpeg" alt="Photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUDI KELLER,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>The annual markets outlook from the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute anticipates declining farm income, higher costs for producers</h2>U.S. farm income is falling from record highs as low commodity prices, trade headwinds and higher costs squeeze profits, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/publications/2024-us-agricultural-market-outlook/?utm_campaign=485145_FAPRI%20Baseline%20Report%20%28March%202024%29&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=Child%20account%20for%20The%20Curators%20of%20the%20University%20of%20Missouri&amp;dm_i=7JGU,AEC9,4NFRO6,1HPH8,1">new report from the University of Missouri</a>.The 2024&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fapri.missouri.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2024-Baseline-Outlook.pdf">U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook</a>&nbsp;report released Tuesday by the Food &amp; Agricultural Policy Research Institute, also known as FAPRI, is a 10-year projection of the agriculture economy. It examines production trends and pricing for commodity and specialty crops and livestock and discusses issues like interest rates, consumer prices and biofuel production that impact on farming as a whole.For producers, the news isn’t especially welcome.“We got lower commodity prices kind of across the board, except for cattle,” said Pat Westhoff, the agricultural economics professor who serves as the institute’s director.The annual report is eagerly anticipated in the agriculture industry and its findings have extra significance this year as Congress tries to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4467907-farm-bill-tensions-conservation-fire-food-aid/">pass a farm bill</a>&nbsp;renewing producer support and food distribution programs.Net farm income nationally is expected to be about $118.2 billion this year, down from a record of about $162 billion in 2022.Westhoff said he briefed Congressional staff on the report Tuesday and the reaction was a classic glass half-empty, glass half-full split. Some saw the large decline in farm income as a problem, while others noted that income is expected to remain above the average from 2015 to 2019.“People were using the same numbers and making the opposite arguments,” Westhoff said.Missouri is second only to Texas in the number of farms, with 87,887 farms that sold $14.7 billion in agricultural products in 2022, up from $10.5 billion in 2017 according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_2_US_State_Level/st99_2_001_001.pdf">the Census of Agriculture</a>. Missouri farms also received nearly $1 billion in government payments or other income.With farm production expenses of $10.7 billion, Missouri farms had net cash income of $5 billion.The 5,596 largest Missouri farms, with sales of $500,000 or more, sold more than $11.6 billion of products in 2022. The 67,400 Missouri farms with sales of less than $50,000 sold&nbsp;$685 million agricultural products.Prices for grain and oil crops have fallen dramatically in the past year. Missouri farmers were receiving $14.90 a bushel for soybeans in January 2023, and $6.94 a bushel for corn. According to the monthly agricultural prices report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the price received for soybeans in January was $12.90 a bushel and for corn it was $4.79.The issues facing farmers nationally, Westhoff said, are true in Missouri, where corn, soybeans and wheat are the major cash crops.&nbsp;The FAPRI report projects the decline in commodity grain prices will slow, but continue.Missouri farmers get a slightly better price than the national average for corn and soybeans because of proximity to large rivers and industries such as ethanol and biodiesel that buy commodities locally, Westhoff said.“Where you have crushing facilities for soybeans matters tremendously,” Westhoff said. “Where you have ethanol plants matters as well.”Missouri produced 264.9 million bushels of soybeans in 2023. A decline of $2 per bushel means the farmers producing those beans received more than $500 million less than they did for the same commodity the previous year.The sharp decline in market prices for soybeans hasn’t been accompanied by a similar decline in prices for fertilizer, fuel and other supplies, said Casey Wasser, chief operating officer of Missouri Soybeans, the industry lobbying association.“The input prices have not come down at all with the other prices,” Wasser said. “So that’s where that net farm income is going to hit producers pretty tight.”Missouri has the nation’s sixth largest cattle herd. It also is home to the sixth largest number of hogs, and its farmers sold the seventh largest number of chickens for meat consumption and had the nation’s 12th largest flock of laying hens.But Missouri is losing farmers – and farmland – faster than the national average.The number of farms declined 7.8% since the 2017 farm census while nationally the number fell 6.9%. Nationally, 2.2% of farmland was converted to other uses between the surveys, while in Missouri the acreage in farming declined 2.7%.The smallest producers are being squeezed the tightest, said Tim Gibbons of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center. In a telephone interview after he spent a day lobbying in Washington for changes in national farm programs, Gibbons said the issues facing farmers go well beyond commodity prices and interest rates.Control of agriculture continues to be concentrated in large corporations, he said. Farm programs are designed to support cheap commodities and large producers, he said.“What I’m hearing on the Hill is a joke relative to the situation that is farming in Missouri and in the United States right now,” Gibbons said.Corporate-backed buyers are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/01/01/boom-or-bubble-high-missouri-farmland-prices-encourage-investors-concern-farmers/">outbidding local residents</a>&nbsp;for farmland and the concentration in meatpacking means producers become dependent on contracts that can be canceled when profits narrow. The decision by Tyson Foods to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/03/11/tyson-to-close-perry-pork-plant-in-june/">close a plant in Perry, Iowa</a>, that employs 1,300 people will have a ripple effect on the farmers who raise hogs under contract, Gibbons said.Missouri has lost more than 1,000 cattle producers a year over the past 25 years, a trend that accelerated to about 2,000 per year in the past five years, according to the farm census. The number of farms producing hogs has declined from 12,133 in 1992 to 2,184 in 2022.“The policies that have been in recent past farm bills have been written by and for these multinational corporations and lobbyists that lobby for them,” Gibbons said. “We need a very different vision and a farm bill.”The only area where prices are increasing in the past year are for cattle. That’s because the national herd is at its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/03/19/droughts-complicated-by-climate-change-result-in-us-beef-herd-hitting-historic-low/">lowest number since the 1960s</a>, in large part due to pastureland drying up because of droughts starting in 2020.Short supplies are pushing prices up.“It’s causing liquidation and we’re not seeing rebuilding right now,” Gibbons said. “That connects with interest rates as well.”Higher interest rates in the United States, which increase costs for farmers as they borrow to finance annual operations or add land and equipment, put farmers at a disadvantage internationally by making the dollar worth more in exchange, Westhoff said.One indicator of the impact is that the U.S. has become a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/the-us-agricultural-trade-deficit-could-reach-record-highs-for-2023-is-there-cause-for-concern/">net importer of food and agricultural products</a>, reversing decades of a surplus in the balance of farm trade.“We are importing lots of value-added products that might otherwise be produced here and of course that has spillover effects,” Westhoff said.The FAPRI report section on government aid to farmers notes that the cost of the two main programs intended to shore up prices –&nbsp; agricultural risk coverage, or ARC, and price loss coverage, or PLC fell below $1 billion because of recent high commodity prices.&nbsp;At the same time, crop insurance payments in 2023 totaled $9.3 billion.“We need to figure out a system of farmer-owned grain reserves and price floors and price ceilings to stop the volatility of the market, and keep that price floor at the cost of production,” Gibbons said.Missouri Soybean is pushing for changes in federal farm support programs to reset the protected prices at a higher level, Wasser said. Prices on beans could fall another $2 per bushel and Missouri farmers wouldn’t qualify for payments to make up any of the difference, he said.“We’re still not even close to a safety net, with inputs and $11 beans it’s tough for any farmer no matter what your size or your leverage to be making any profit on that,” Wasser said..FAPRI’s job is to provide information, not advise on policy decisions, Westhoff said.The difficulty of getting changes to the programs is cost, he said.Some “would like to do some changes that would improve the safety net from the perspective of producers but those changes all cost money,” he said. “And unless you’re going to reduce that spending or reduce spending on conservation programs, there’s not any obvious way to put those pieces together.”The decline in commodity prices should ease inflation in food costs and even reverse some recent increases, such as for eggs and pork, Westhoff said. Food purchased for consumption at home should not increase any faster than inflation generally, the report indicates.But consumers shouldn’t expect everything in the supermarket to get cheaper, he said.“For the most part, the share of those commodity prices that affect consumer food prices is pretty small,” Westhoff said. “Therefore even a significant decline in the farm level price doesn’t translate to any decline, or not a very big decline, in grocery store prices.”