Platte Valley Cattlemen hosts fall outlook meeting

The calendar says September, and that means two things... harvest and the annual Platte Valley Cattlemen Outlook Meeting.  The meeting will be held on Monday, September 21, at Wunderlich's in Columbus.  Social hour starts at 6pm, the steak dinner is at 7pm, with the presentation to follow.  The program featurs UNL Associate Professor and Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist.  He will give a market outlook presentation.  Also NE Cattlemen Vice Presient Chuck Folken will give an update on NC actvities and what's happening in Washington DC.  Also, the 2009 county fair carcass results will be announced.  For more information, call Randy Svehla at 892-3567.  



Cattle on Feed report due this afternoon

USDA will release it's latest Cattle on Feed report this afternoon at 2:00, so traders have the day today to position ahead of its release.  The average trade guess is the on feed number will be 1.5% below one year ago, placements up about one percent, and marketings down just under 5 percent.  Listen to 840 KTIC this afternoon at 2:10 for the numbers and reaction with Joe Teale at Great Plains Commodities.



Nebraska State Grange annual meeting is this weekend

The Nebraska State Grange's annual convention is this weekend, September 18-20 at the Howard Johson hotel in Grand Island.  Special guests include National Grange Communications Director  Jennifer Dugent.  She has a Bachelor's Degree in Visual Communications and has worked for many non-profits in membership building and retention, public relations, and administration.  She'll talk about these items and more, including communications, computers, and graphic arts during her time in Nebraska.  She will be the featured speaker during the noon lunch on Saturday.  Delegates will begin work on resolutions and updating the organization's legislative policy for the coming year yet this afternoon.  Activities planned for Saturday include a report from the National President Edwared Luttrell, a recap of the state's activities over the last year with state President Joe Fryman of Blair, election of a new state VP and Exec Committee member, presentation of State Grange Scholarships, a presentation by Families Activities Chairperson Phyllis Tooker, and The Saturday Evening Banquet and the presentation of the Distinguished Service Award.  Sunday's schedule includes entertainment, workshops, awards presented for Family Activities and Community Citizens, and the installation of new officers.  



Researchers Study Insecticide-Free Soybean Aphid Control

Two Iowa State University researchers are examining a new method of controlling soybean aphids without the use of chemical pesticides.

Bryony Bonning, professor of entomology, and Allen Miller, professor of plant pathology and director of the Center for Plant Responses to Environmental Stresses, are looking at a way to genetically modify soybeans to prevent damage from aphids.

If the research is successful, soybeans will carry in-plant protection from aphids, similar to the way genetically modified corn now keeps the European Corn Borer from destroying corn yields, but using a different molecular tool. Modified corn technology has been in use for about 12 years.

The study is being funded by a Grow Iowa Values Fund Grant. The goal of the grant program is to support development of technologies with commercial potential and to support the growth of companies using those technologies.

The researchers are working with Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, as their corporate partner.

Previous research at Iowa State University indicated that if major soybean aphid outbreaks were left untreated, the loss in yield could exceed $250 million in Iowa. The annual cost to prevent the yield loss with insecticides can reach $64 million for Iowa soybean growers.

Soybean aphid outbreaks have become an annual phenomenon in Iowa, according to Miller.

The current research focuses on introducing a gene into soybeans that is harmless to mammals, but creates a toxin that is lethal to aphids that feed on soybean plants.

In order to be effective, the toxin needs to be taken intact into the body cavity of the aphid, not broken down by the digestive system in the bug.

Miller and Bonning identified a plant virus coat protein eaten by soybean aphids that doesn't break down and goes into the aphid body cavity intact.

They know the virus coat protein remains intact because the aphids often spread the virus from plant to plant while they are feeding.

Coat proteins make up the outer shell of a virus particle.

The researchers devised a method to use virus coat proteins to their advantage. The researchers have fused their toxin to the virus' protein coat. Since the protein coat is only part of the virus to be used, there is no risk of an infectious virus. Also, the coat protein is from a virus that normally doesn't infect soybeans.

When the hybrid toxin coat protein is eaten by the aphid, the fatal toxin should get into the aphid body cavity intact.

"What we thought was, if this (virus) protein has this ability to be taken up into the aphid (intact), let's take advantage of that specialization and fuse that to other proteins that are toxic," said Miller.

In addition to possibly curbing the aphid problem and the yield loss it causes, there are other benefits to the farmers and the ecosystems.

"The (potential) economic impact overall is huge," said Bonning. "There will be less insecticide use, and also less fossil fuel used to apply the insecticides."

Also, spraying soybeans with insecticides doesn't just control the aphids, according to Bonning.

"When you spray, you also control beneficial insects," said Bonning. "Lady beetles are affected, for example, and they are a natural enemy of the aphids. So when the aphids come back to a field after spraying, there won't be any lady beetles to naturally control the aphid populations."

Miller adds that if growers spray for aphids and don't eliminate them all, the aphids simply disperse to other fields, making the problem worse.

"There are many reasons not to spray, but you can't tell the growers to stop spraying until you give them an alternative for soybean aphid management," said Bonning.



USDA Announces Partnership With NFL and Dairy Producers

USDA will work with the National Football League (NFL) and the nation's dairy producers to promote good nutrition and fitness in the nation's schools, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today.

The collaboration will help support President Obama's effort to promote good nutrition and physical fitness for America's children, USDA said.

The NFL and Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) are launching Fuel Up to Play 60, an innovative nutrition and fitness program based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, in some 60,000 schools this fall. The social marketing program empowers students to assume leadership in being more active and eating more healthy foods.

"Childhood obesity is a very serious issue that endangers the long-term health and welfare of our nation's youngsters," said Vilsack. "To reverse this dangerous trend and give our kids the opportunity to eat smarter, exercise more and lessen their risk of disease, both the public and private sectors will have to work together to marshal their combined expertise and resources."

The campaign will inspire kids to "fuel up" with the nutrient-rich foods they often lack-fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low- or no-fat dairy products-and "get up and play" with 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Student teams will evaluate their school's "wellness" and choose the healthy eating and physical activity programs on which the school will focus.

Vilsack met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Thomas Gallagher, chief executive of DMI, which runs the National Dairy Research and Promotion Program.

At the meeting, Secretary Vilsack discussed a plan to develop a Memorandum of Understanding between USDA, the NFL and DMI to allow USDA programs and Fuel Up to Play 60 to collaborate and collectively tackle the critical issue of children's health.

"NFL is a proud partner of Fuel Up to Play 60. It is an important component of our overall NFL Play 60 campaign," said NFL’s Goodell. "Our goal is to raise awareness about the importance of staying fit and eating right, especially for America's young people. This partnership is a powerful alliance linking the USDA, National Dairy Council and the NFL to address childhood obesity and emphasize the role of daily physical activity in a healthy lifestyle."

"National Dairy Council is honored to work together with USDA and the NFL on Fuel Up to Play 60," Gallagher said. "Child nutrition, particularly in schools, has been a cornerstone of National Dairy Council for nearly a century.”



National Farm Safety and Health Week is September 20-26

America's farmers and ranchers provide a healthy, safe, and abundant food supply for our country and for people around the world. During National Farm Safety and Health Week, September 20-26, 2009, the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America (ASHCA) salutes our farmers and ranchers, and all workers in agriculture, as well as their families.

Earning a living in agriculture exposes workers to a unique environment. ASHCA takes this opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of practicing and promoting safe work habits and conditions.

"On behalf of our members we thank those who work in agriculture, and pledge to promote evidence-based practices and programs to help ensure safe, sustainable agriculture in America for generations to come," said William Nelson, ASHCA Chair.

ASHCA is a not-for-profit organization comprised of producers, businesses, government and safety professionals. On January 27-28, 2010, ASHCA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health will co-host “Be Safe, Be Profitable: Protecting Workers in Agriculture,” in Dallas/Fort Worth. The conference will share state-of-the-art science and intervention program experiences in eight topic areas.