Developments
To better understand current workforce issues, trends and needs within the Kansas agriculture industry, Kansas Department of Agriculture is calling on industry partners to help identify workforce needs among agricultural employers in the state by conducting its second Kansas Agriculture Workforce Needs Assessment Survey. The 2015 survey results helped guide KDA and partners to develop immersion activities connecting secondary school students with local agriculture businesses to learn about career opportunities. Kansas farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, manufacturers and producers of agricultural products are asked to complete the survey to help KDA identify the number and types of jobs in the state’s agriculture industry, and the specific skills required for those jobs. The survey is currently being offered online here. It will be open until April 8, 2022. The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete, and the information will remain anonymous. Results are expected to be available this summer; a discussion of the findings will take place at the 2022 Ag Growth Summit. To learn more, contact Russell Plaschka, KDA agribusiness development director, at Russell.Plaschka@ks.gov.
Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee called on the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to stop work on a new “waters of the U.S.” rule until the Supreme Court decides a pending case, reported Agri-Pulse in its February 24 edition of Daybreak. “It is expected that the court will rule on the appropriate test for determining whether waterbodies and wetlands are jurisdictional waters under the Clean Water Act for the first time in more than 15 years,” the Republicans wrote in a letter to the twp groups. “The court’s eventual ruling will have direct bearing on the definition of WOTUS.” Other farm groups and state agricultural departments have made similar appeals to EPA and the Corps, noted Agri-Pulse.
In a new paper in Environmental Research Letters, Purdue University’s Jayson Lusk, Kansas State University’s Glynn Tonsor and the Breakthrough Institute’s Saloni Shah and Dan Blaustein-Rejto explain that plant-based meat (PBM) alternatives from Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and other companies could have a significant impact on the economy, environment, and animal welfare if they replace animal-based meats and reduce livestock production. However, they point out that much depends on the extent to which consumers are willing to shift their diets, the structure of the meat industry, and the inter-linkages of the livestock industry with the other parts of the economy. Currently, prices for plant-based meat are substantially higher than those for animal-based meats. For example, plant-based burgers are about 65% more expensive than animal-based ones in the U.S. However, prices are falling. In 2021, Impossible Foods cut the price of its burger patties by 20% at U.S. grocery stores. Beyond Meat’s production costs and, in turn, prices have fallen at a similar pace. Source: Feedstuffs, February 16, 2022.
Missouri’s Feral Hog Elimination Partnership set up the first Incident Command Structure in 2020 for a unified increased removal effort. The Summer Operation started in June and is ongoing. To date the partnership has removed 12,635 hogs from the land. The counties with most hogs removed were Iron with 2,204 hogs, Reynolds with 2,035 hogs and Wayne with 1,803 hogs. During this effort 1,544,955 acres were scouted for feral hog damage. The counties with the most acres scouted were Reynolds with 233,677 acres, Iron with 225,528 acres and Shannon with 139,219 acres.
A Kansas House committee delivered bipartisan endorsement of legislation allowing individuals engaged in the agriculture industry to install pipelines in right-of-way of a county or township road upon approval by county commissioners. The measure proposed by the Kansas Livestock Association was an outgrowth of the Phillips County jury award of $134,000 against prominent hog farmer Terry Nelson for illegally installing miles of underground pipe on his neighbors’ property in 2019 to pump urine and feces fluids from a confined animal feeding facility across land owned by others to be sprayed on fields with irrigation pivots. Under House Bill 2531, pipelines for agriculture purposes installed “along, upon, under, and across” the right of way in compliance with county commission guidance would be grandfathered into the proposed new law. The amendment gave the county commission authority to consider whether a new pipeline fit with existing right-of-way infrastructure and to mandate the applicant document proximity of other infrastructure features.
According to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Barometer January report, farmer optimism declined 6 points to a reading of 119, its second-lowest reading since July 2020. The Index of Current Conditions fell 13 points to a reading of 133, while the Index of Future Expectations changed little in January, down 2 points to a reading of 112. “Rising farm input costs and ongoing supply chain disruptions appear to be contributing to producers’ weaker perception of current conditions and expectations of their farm’s financial performance in 2022 when compared to last year,” said James Mintert, director of Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture. Full report available at Ag Economy Barometer.
There were 91.9 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of January 1, 2022, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service February 2, 2022 report. Key findings in the report include these stats:
Cows and heifers that have calved – 39.5 million.
30.1 million beef cows in the U.S. as of Jan. 1, 2022, down 2% from last year.
Milk cows in the U.S. declined to 9.38 million.
U.S. calf crop was estimated at 35.1 million head, down 1% from 2020.
Cattle on feed numbered 14.7 million head, up slightly from 2021.
Cattle Report and all other NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov/Publications.
Kansas Livestock Association cites new research from Colorado State University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that has established that the protein quality of beef burgers is greater than that of soy-based or pea-based burgers. While the nutrition labels of these plant-based alternatives list similar quantities of protein, this new research shows that when it comes to protein quality, beef burgers come out on top. Plant-based alternatives are not always considered “excellent” sources of protein. Only high-quality protein, like that found in beef, provides all the essential amino acids in quantities that meet the requirement for proper growth, development and maintenance of body tissues such as muscle.
Recent joint research from Lenexa-based Farm Journal’s Trust In Food and Field to Market’s Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture shows the importance of combining financial incentives, technical assistance and tailored “Human Dimensions” insights in order to accelerate on-farm climate-smart practices. The report provides actionable insights and underscores the importance of blended solutions that give equal consideration to financial incentives, technical assistance and tailored Human Dimensions cultural support to accelerate on-farm climate impact. “As the ‘new normal’ of a global pandemic and heightened weather, supply chain and market extremes continues, farmers still feel as alone as they did in 2020 in absorbing the shock of these changes,” said Amy Skoczlas Cole, executive vice president of Trust In Food. The full report can be viewed here.
Merck Animal Health has joined the Trust In Beef program as a founding partner to further its commitment to sustainability and providing real solutions and information to the beef industry. Trust In Beef is a new initiative of Trust In Food and designed to empower beef producers and the trusted experts they rely on, such as veterinarians and nutritionists, to advance in their continuous improvement journey. The effort will also help connect consumers to the continuously improving sustainability performance of American beef production. Merck Animal Health joins the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef as a founding partner to Trust In Beef. The effort is led by Farm Journal‘s social purpose division, Trust In Food, and its industry-leading beef brand, Drovers.
Modernizing wheat breeding to prepare the crop for changing climate conditions is the goal of a new five-year, $15 million national research project. “Everything is changing so you need to be fast,”said U.C. Davis professor Jorge Dubcovsky, lead scientist.The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant will support 20 Ph.D. students whose field work will include gathering data via drones and who will contribute to lab work aimed at building breeding platforms to quickly transfer newly developed traits into elite wheat varieties. “This grant is essential to maintain modern and effective public breeding programs in the U.S.,” Dubcovsky said.
Dairy Farmers of America recently discontinued operations at its Nashville-based Country Delite Farms manufacturing facility. The plant stopped operating on February 11, 2022. The Country Delite manufacturing facility in Nashville produces a variety of milk products. The closure does not impact DFA’s other Nashville manufacturing facility that produces Purity™ Dairy products.
The Kansas Legislature is currently debating a proposal called HB 2686 that would consolidate the state’s water regulatory agencies to streamline government. Farm groups say the plan would be costly to implement, expand government bureaucracy and consolidate enormous power under the control of a single agency and political appointee. Creating a water agency monopoly administered by a political appointee that changes with each administration lacks the consistency and long-term vision water-rights holders need, noted the Kansas Farm Bureau.
Most meat-purchasing Americans put the onus on the Covid-19 pandemic that shutdown packing plants, brought on labor shortages and disrupted supply chains for the rise in meat prices. A survey released in mid-February by Purdue University found that 51% of survey respondents blamed the pandemic. Only 8% pointed to consolidation of the meatpacking industry as the cause behind higher prices. Meat prices increased 13.6% over the past 12 months, Learn more about it here.
Events
The 2022 Commodity Classic, March 10-12 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, is offering one-day registration for those who can’t commit to all three days of the event. One-day registration provides admission to all applicable events and sessions scheduled for that day, including educational sessions, the trade show, the Main Stage on the trade show floor and other daily activities. Online registration is available in advance through March 8 at www.CommodityClassic.com; attendees can also register on-site beginning March 9 and throughout the event.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Board of Animal Health will meet virtually at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 2. This is a regular quarterly board meeting and will be held via internet meeting services. The meeting is open to the public. To request a copy of the agenda or information on how to access the link to the meeting, please contact Justin Smith, animal health commissioner, at 785-564-6613 or Justin.Smith@ks.gov. Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least two days prior to the meeting.
During the month of March and the first week of April, the Kansas Department of Agriculture will offer a Specialty Crop Lunch and Learn Webinar Series for those interested in the specialty crop industry. Topics of interest include production practices, specialized equipment, floriculture, diversifying and scaling your operation, turning your specialty crop operation into an agritourism destination, and specialty crop marketing plans and strategies. The six-part webinar series will be held at noon every Tuesday from March 1 through April 5. During the webinar series, KDA will feature successful specialty crop growers from across the country who can share their stories and lead discussion on topics specific to this unique sector of the agriculture industry. Registration is now open and there is no cost to participate in the webinars. Participants will register for each of the six sessions separately. Find out more and register here.
People
Walter “Larry” Atzenweiler, one of the founders of the Missouri Beef Cattleman magazine, passed away on February 24, 2022. In the early 1970's Larry started the Atzenweiler Company and sold advertising for a few beef cattle publications, before founding the magazine in 1971. The magazine became the official publication for the Missouri Cattlemen's Association. Larry worked for Missouri Beef Cattleman for over 40 years. His son, Andy Atzenweiler, began running the publication alongside his father in 1986, and in January 2000 became the editor and publisher. In 2015, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association purchased the magazine.
KCoe Isom, Lenexa-Based national leader in food and agricultural consulting and accounting services, announced the addition of two land and water management specialists to oversee its agricultural land management services division. Corey Getz will head up KCoe Isom’s land and water management projects. As a co-founder of DIGS Associates, Getz specialized in finding ways to maximize, protect, and manage land development needs. DIGS co-founder Theodore “Quint” Shambaugh V will share leadership responsibilities with Getz. Jeanne Bernick, Ag Principal at KCoe Isom, said, “Corey and Quint’s unique specialization in water and land management will enhance KCoe’s ability to provide the specialized advisory on how to protect land’s natural resources and find ways to make it more profitable.
Late last year Kansas City, Missouri-based National Beef Packing Company named Dr. Rob Cannell as Chief Sustainability Officer effective immediately. Dr. Cannell is leading National Beef’s sustainability strategy, working with executive leaders to define goals and pursue objectives across the company’s sustainability pillars of food, animal welfare, environment, community, and family. Additionally, Cannell is actively working with industry groups and customers to advance sustainability initiatives, and he continues to direct National Beef’s research and development efforts. Dr. Cannell joined National Beef in 2013 as vice president of R&D. He previously was the Director of Supply Chain Procurement and Quality for McDonald’s USA. He has worked in the meat and food industry since 1976 in multiple disciplines. He holds a doctorate in animal/meat science from Colorado State University, a master’s degree in animal/meat science from Texas A&M University, and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science from Fresno State University.
Shane Kinne has accepted the role of executive director of the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River. Kinne previously worked at Vivayic as a learning analyst. Before that, he was the director of policy and grower engagement at Missouri Corn Growers Association.
Emily LeRoy has been hired as senior policy adviser for the Missouri Farm Bureau. LeRoy previously worked at the Missouri Department of Agriculture as the agency’s legislative and budget director. LeRoy began her career as a staff assistant for Senator Roy Blunt before transitioning to MDA in 2014.
Agriculture Future of America (AFA) recently appointed Jennifer Shomenta president of Cargill’s Global Edible Oils business, to its board of directors. Shomenta joined Cargill in 1992 and has held various positions in commodity merchandising for the grain, soy and corn processing businesses.
Scott Bennett is leaving the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) for Boehringer Ingelheim where he will fill the position senior associate director of government affairs and public policy for the Animal Health division. He will be primarily handling the livestock, poultry, and equine portfolios.
Members of the Transportation, Elevator & Grain Merchants Association, a trade association whose members include grain shippers, receivers and rail carriers, have reelected Terry McDermott as chairman of the board. McDermott serves as the director of supply chain for Bunge.
Benjamin Wolfe will become the next CEO and dean of Kansas State University Olathe effective June 12. Wolfe currently serves as associate dean of the School of Professional Studies at the University of Kansas and of the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park. As chief administrative officer of the campus, Wolfe will be responsible for overall program leadership, strategic direction, fiscal stewardship, fund development, policy formulation, impact assessment and aligning the efforts and strengths of K-State Olathe with the University's.
The National Pork Board (NPB) has named Dustin Oedekoven, DVM, its chief veterinarian. Oedekoven assumes this position after serving as state veterinarian and executive secretary for the South Dakota Animal Industry Board. Patrick Webb, DVM, becomes NPB’s assistant chief veterinarian. Webb previously served as NPB’s director of swine health programs where he implemented Pork Checkoff-funded FAD prevention and preparedness efforts.
Former USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue has been named the sole finalist for the position of chancellor of the University System of Georgia. The board voted without dissent to name Perdue the finalist, saying they interviewed several excellent candidates for the job in addition to the former Georgia governor. A veterinarian and agribusiness owner, Perdue served as Georgia governor from 2003 to 2011 and Secretary of Agriculture from 2017-2021. Source: Agri-Pulse Communications, February 23, 2022.
