No new bovine TB cases found in Neb. testing

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ After nearly 12,000 tests, Nebraska agriculture officials still haven't found any additional cases of bovine tuberculosis.  The latest results released Monday show a total of 10,500 cattle in north-central and eastern Nebraska have tested negative for the disease since two cases were discovered this spring in a Rock County herd.  Officials are waiting for results of the 1,300 tests done last week, and roughly 5,000 more cattle must be tested to determine whether the disease is prevalent in Nebraska.   As of Sunday, 22 herds in 12 counties remained quarantined.  The disease typically spreads from one animal to another through the inhalation of bacteria. Experts say there is little risk of the disease being transmitted to humans.



Nebraska LEAD Announces 2009-2011 Fellows

Nebraska LEAD Group XXIX participants were announced by Terry Hejny, director, Nebraska LEAD (Leadership Education/Action Development) Program.  The newest members of Nebraska's premier two-year agricultural leadership development program in its 29th year are made up exclusively of participants who are involved in production agriculture and/or agribusiness in Nebraska, Hejny said.  "Once again we are proud to say that Class XXIX appears to be filled with outstanding individuals from throughout the state," Hejny said.  The two-year program will begin this month.

Nebraska LEAD XXIX Fellows in alphabetical order are: Lee M. Andersen, Hemingford; Ryan Betka, Omaha; Sara Borgelt, Wisner; Bob Broweleit, Seneca; Tim Cada, Clarkson; Justin Childears, North Platte; Josh Chrisman, McCool Junction; Suzanne Czarnick, Genoa; Krista KP Dittman, Raymond; Andy Dunn, Falls City; Marc Ericksen, Seneca; Craig Fix, Cortland; Keith Heithoff, Elgin; Deanna Karmazin, Lincoln; Keith Keller, Harvard; Tim Lewandowski, Ravenna; Vernyce Olcott, Burwell; Zoe Olson, Lincoln; Becky Randall, Gering; Curt Rickertsen, Lexington; Kristin Schiff, Minatare; Stetson Shreve, Big Springs; Ron Stech, Osmond; Mark Stock, St. Edward; Michael Thomas, Brule; Scott Wagner, Hooper; Leigh Wakulinski, Hartington; Cody Weitzenkamp, Hooper; Bruce Williams, Morse Bluff and Phil Zochol, Alliance.

LEAD Fellows will participate in 12 monthly three-day seminars across Nebraska, a 10-day national study/travel seminar and a two- to three-week international study/travel seminar. The goal of the program is to develop problem solvers, decision makers and spokespersons for agriculture and Nebraska.  Seminars focus on agriculture as well as business, industry, labor, economics, public policy, religions, politics, governments, history and other areas designed to develop leaders through exposure to a broad array of current topics and issues and how they interrelate.  The Nebraska LEAD Program is operated by the non-profit Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council in cooperation with the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and 10 other institutions of higher education throughout Nebraska.



USDA Announces Commodity Credit Corporation Lending Rates for September 2009

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for September 2009. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for September 2009 is 0.500 percent, unchanged from August 2009. For 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans disbursed during September 2009 is 1.500 percent, unchanged from August 2009.

In accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill, interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for September 2009 are as follows - 3.250 percent with seven-year loan terms, 3.625 percent with 10-year loan terms and 4.000 percent with 12-year loan terms - up from a single interest rate of 3.125 percent in August 2009. The interest rate for Sugar Storage Facility Loans for September 2009 is 4.375 percent, up from 4.250 in August 2009.



Canada seeks Soutk Korea's beef market

The World Trade Organization has agreed to look into Canada's complaint that South Korea's six-year ban on Canadian beef is in violation of world trade rules, Ottawa said on Monday.  The WTO will set up a dispute settlement panel, at Canada's request, to decide whether South Korea's ban violates its obligations under the WTO. It is expected to report within nine months.

South Korea banned imports of Canadian beef in May 2003 after mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), was found in a Canadian cow.  Canada has been trying ever since to persuade what was once its fourth-largest beef market that its product is safe, holding bilateral talks, WTO consultations and providing scientific evidence.

"The international scientific community also recognizes that Canadian beef is safe, and I'm confident that the WTO dispute panel will rule in our favor," said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in a statement.  Canada first requested a dispute settlement panel in July 2009, after other methods of resolving the dispute failed.

World animal health officials categorized Canada as a "controlled risk" for BSE in 2007 and have upheld that decision since then. The categorization allows for safe trade in all beef products and cattle under certain conditions, which Canada says it can meet.



GROWMARK Director Election Results Announced

GROWMARK, Inc., Bloomington, Ill., announced the results of director and officer elections, held in conjunction with the regional cooperative's annual meeting in Chicago. Four of the cooperative's 16 director seats, established by geographic zone, were elected and will serve three-year terms. GROWMARK's six established governance zones cover all of North America; there are multiple directors per zone. One at-large director represents Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin Farm Bureaus. GROWMARK is affiliated with Farm Bureau in those states.

GROWMARK directors elected include:

Zone A -- Rick Nelson of Paxton, Ill., was elected to the GROWMARK board in 1990; he has served as vice chairman of the board since 2004. He also serves on the board of directors for Ludlow Cooperative Elevator and Heritage FS, Inc. He and his wife Patricia farm more than 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans.

Zone B -- Larry Garlisch of Forest City, Ill., has served on the GROWMARK Board since 2006. He has been a director of Sunrise Ag Service Company since 2002 and has served as the vice president of Fulton FS since 2000. He and his wife Nancy, along with his cousin Robert, specialize in irrigated seed corn, specialty corns, row crops, and a variety of specialty crops.

Zone C -- Randy Newcomb of Ashley, Ill., has served on the GROWMARK Board since 1987. He is currently serving as president of AgriPride FS, Inc., Red Bud, Ill. and Washington County Farm Bureau. He and his wife Chris farm 5,500 acres in southern Illinois with their son, Alan.

Zone D -- Allen Tanner of Creston, Iowa, was elected to the GROWMARK Board of Directors in 2004. He has been a board member of AGRILAND FS, INC. since 1989, where he has held the offices of president, vice president, and secretary. He and his wife Candi operate a 2,000 acre corn and soybean farm and manage a beef cow herd.



IFBF to Discuss Taxes, Labeling, State Constitution at Policy Conference

Iowa's largest grassroots farm organization gathers in West Des Moines this week to set policy on a variety of issues important to all Iowans. Voting delegates of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) come to Farm Bureau headquarters Thursday and Friday for their annual Summer Policy Conference.  Over the past several months, leaders in all 100 county Farm Bureaus gathered the opinions of their members on issues impacting agriculture and rural Iowa. The Summer Policy Conference aggregates those thoughts to form statewide policy.

"Grassroots policy development is the keystone for our organization," said IFBF President Craig Lang. "This process gives Farm Bureau clear direction on key state and national issues. Those issues will likely include federal deductibility of Iowa state taxes, country of origin labeling (COOL) rules, amendments to the state constitution, sales of commodities and controlling the federal deficit," said Lang, who also chaired an American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) internal study group on the federal deficit.

The Summer Policy Conference begins at 10 a.m. on Sept. 3 with an address by IFBF President Lang. Adjournment is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. on Sept. 4, as resolutions are adopted.



NBB Applauds Ford’s B20 Approval in 2011 F-Series Super Duty® Trucks
Move shows promising future for B20 in new diesel engines that reduce NOx by 80 percent

Biodiesel supporters are cheering Ford Motor Company's announcement that its all-new Ford-built 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty® diesel pickups will be fully compatible with a 20 percent biodiesel blend (B20). Ford's new diesel engine—equipped with the latest technology for particulate and NOx reduction to meet stringent 2010 standards—will also provide improvements in torque, horsepower and fuel economy.

"This is the first of what we expect to be many formal announcements of B20 approval in new clean diesel technology," said Steve Howell, technical director for the National Biodiesel Board. "With the formal approval and acceptance of B20 in the 2011 Super Duty, Ford now has a clean and green engine of tomorrow that will also reduce NOx emissions by more than 80 percent. NBB already has inquiries from biodiesel fans wanting to purchase a new B20 pickup!"

The NBB and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory have spent more than $10 million testing B20 and understanding how it works in the new diesel engines and after-treatment technology during the last five years. That's in addition to research and development efforts by the individual Original Equipment Manufacturers like Ford. The new F-Series engines were torture-tested internally by Ford to more than 250,000 miles to test their durability cycles with multiple biodiesel blends, according to the company.

"It's rewarding to see the efforts by NBB and NREL start to pay off," said Howell, noting that most of the NBB funding for the testing was provided by U.S. soybean farmers through the soybean checkoff program. "The engine makers asked for an ASTM B20 blended standard, in addition to the pure biodiesel standard, and we worked hard to get it passed."

Ford's support for B20 could have substantial market implications. Ford currently dominates the on-road diesel truck market with nearly a 46 percent market share of the diesel vehicle registrations in the U.S. according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. The 2011 models will be arriving at dealerships in the first half of 2010.

Biodiesel is produced from oils and fats which are byproducts of things like soybean protein and livestock. Made from diverse renewable resources, biodiesel reduces life cycle carbon dioxide values 78 percent compared to petroleum diesel fuel, according to studies by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy. It is an excellent choice for reducing greenhouse gases without impacting the food supply.

"Clearly Ford sees that biodiesel blends will be an important part of our domestic fuel supply, or they wouldn’t have invested the resources into approving B20," said Joe Jobe, NBB CEO. "This is an example of an automaker giving consumers more power to be green. A clean diesel engine with a green fueling choice."