Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - March 2024
/Developments
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas acknowledged difficulty of writing new farm bills while rebuking congressional colleagues for lack of progress toward compromise on a new bill adjusting agriculture commodity programs, food aid and measures to combat inflation in production costs. Sen. Moran said during a Senate floor speech that a political malaise appeared to be taking root in Washington, D.C., that could postpone action on an updated five-year farm bill until after the 2024 elections. “Tough decisions are ahead of us, but we should not walk away from the process. It’s a dereliction of duty to the farmers and ranchers of America,” Moran said. “I’ve been through numerous farm bills. They’re always hard and they’re always late and we never get them done easily. But this seems different to me for the first time.” He added, “The time is now to show leadership; I hope that we as leaders can get back to the table and produce a farm bill that provides meaningful and real relief for Kansas producers.” Source: Kansas Reflector, March 21, 2024
Prices paid in 2024 for dairy products should be similar to 2023, while net returns may be better, according to University of Missouri Extension economist Scott Brown. Brown told attendees at the 2024 Missouri Dairy Expo that average weather and feed costs will be key factors for this year’s outlook. “The outlook hinges on demand,” said Brown. “Domestically, consumers may have less to spend on dairy, interest rates are higher, there’s less COVID financial help, and the economy is slower.” On the supply side, milk production has been down for the past seven months relative to a year ago. With the debate on the next farm bill unfolding, Brown foresees the most significant impact could result from the federal milk order hearing. Brown anticipates the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program in the next farm bill will be similar to the one adopted in the 2018 farm bill but could allow producers to update their production history or increase the amount of production history eligible for a DMC payment. He expects USDA to provide a proposed rule from the milk marketing order hearing sometime this year. He says there is the potential for large changes in how minimum milk prices are set through federal orders. Brown said some issues, like the Class I mover price, could be looked at in the next farm bill if not addressed through USDA’s federal order hearing process. Missouri continues to lose dairy cow inventory, which Brown said will likely occur this year along with smaller herd sizes. He adds that the DMC has been helpful to Missouri dairy producers.
South Carolina-based NBOT (Nano-Bubble Oxidation Technology) Labs, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has developed and validated what is considered to be the first scalable, versatile, and cost-effective solution for removing harmful “forever chemicals” from the world’s water supply. Synthetic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), present a profound and growing threat to public health and the environment. These synthetic chemicals, found in hundreds of everyday products such as nonstick cookware, firefighting foam, clothing, cleaning products, makeup and shampoo are notorious for their ability to never break down in the environment and accumulate in the human body. Dr. Peter Moeller, program lead for emerging toxins at NOAA, said, “Utilizing NBOT technology as a catalyst to destroy over 99.999% of PFAS in our recent tests has proven to be a remarkable advancement in the field of environmental chemistry. The ability of this technology to play a key role in efficiently breaking down PFAS compounds and removing fluorine from the carbon-fluorine bond, where traditional methods have failed, marks a significant milestone towards sustainable water treatment solutions. This success not only showcases the incredibly scalable potential of NBOT but also sets a new benchmark for addressing one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. It is an extraordinarily exciting discovery.” See Digging Deeper, in this month’s newsletter, for more information about PFAS.
The Missouri Department of Agriculture animal health team encourages Missourians to practice biosecurity when handling poultry. Stringent biosecurity practices are valuable for potential poultry buyers and experienced poultry owners alike. “Spring is a popular time to buy poultry and begin or expand backyard poultry flocks,” said Missouri State Veterinarian Steve Strubberg, DVM. “There are many biosecurity practices poultry producers can implement to make a positive impact on their flock’s health, as well as their own health. Our poultry team works to help birds and bird owners remain healthy throughout the year.” CDC and USDA have created resources for current and future poultry owners, as well as the public who may come in contact with poultry. Backyard poultry may carry germs that can make a person sick. Humans should always wash their hands after touching or interacting with backyard poultry. Learn more on how to keep yourself and your family healthy here. HPAI is a deadly virus for poultry that has impacted 48 states over the past two years. It is important to keep your flock free of the virus. For biosecurity tips regarding the prevention of highly pathogenic avian influenza, visit agriculture.mo.gov.
The Kansas House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development placed the contents of HB 2766 into SB 172 with amendments. KLA testified in opposition to the bill in its original form, but acknowledged it would remove opposition with an amendment to prevent divestment of existing agricultural businesses. In its original form, the bill prohibited “countries of concern” from acquiring interest in real property in the state of Kansas within 150 air miles of military installations. In the bill, “countries of concern” include six currently listed as foreign adversaries to the U.S. by the federal government. The original bill also was retrospective and would have required divestment of businesses such as Syngenta and Smithfield Foods. Syngenta’s wheat breeding program is in Geary County and Smithfield has two further pork processing plants in Kansas employing nearly 1,000 workers. The committee adopted a KLA-supported amendment to allow companies, such as those mentioned above, to continue operations if they have undergone review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and were determined not to be a security threat. The adoption of the amendment resulted in KLA no longer opposing the bill. It was approved by committee.
The Livestock Meat Industry Council announced that it is committing $250,000 over the next five years to support the building of a new dairy facility at Kansas State University. This facility would be focused on educating students and training future employees for the dairy industry as well as enhancing research and extension capabilities in K-State’s Animal Science and Industry Department. The current dairy facility, K-State’s Dairy Teaching and Research Center, was built in 1977 and has been home to research and teaching of dairy nutrition, reproduction, health, housing and management.
The Minneapolis-based Grain Elevator and Processing Society hosted 3,716 attendees from 45 states, 23 nations and nearly 1,000 companies at its 2024 Conference and Expo last month at Kansas City Convention Center. Nearly 400 exhibitors filled a sold-out exposition floor.
National Animal Poison Prevention Week was observed, March 17-23, 2024, as a time for pet owners to assess what plants and products can potentially poison their animals, identify signs they’ve been poisoned and learn how to prevent pet poisoning. It was also a good time to remind livestock owners of springtime dangers of potential poisons, such as toxic plants, fertilizers, herbicides and other pesticides, as well as old batteries, junk piles and burn piles in barns and pastures. Tim Evans, University of Missouri Extension state specialist in animal health and veterinary toxicology, suggests pet and livestock owners look around their homes, barns, storage sheds and pastures to identify potential toxic dangers to their animals. Veterinarians can be a helpful source of information on these hazards, too. Two major veterinary poison control centers are also available: the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and the Pet Poison Helpline.
Celebrating nearly 120 years of leadership on behalf of America’s meat companies this month, the Meat Institute (formerly the “North American Meat Institute”) unveiled a new logo and brand identity reflecting its dynamic, forward-looking approach to ensuring meat remains at the heart of nourishing the present and sustaining the future. Meat Institute president and CEO Julie Anna Potts said, “Sustaining meat’s future is central to the Meat Institute’s mission and vision, building on our 120 years of leadership and meat’s centuries of contributions to healthy diets and strong communities. Our updated logo is fresh, open, and keeps meat at the very center of nourishing today and sustaining tomorrow.”
American Farmland Trust, a national nonprofit that helps to keep American farmers on their land, launched a new U.S. Farmed certification and packaging seal for products that derive at least 95 percent of their agricultural ingredients from farms in the United States. Anheuser-Busch, the nation’s leading brewer, announced that it is the first-mover in adopting the U.S. Farmed certification and seal for several of its industry-leading beer brands. Aimed at transforming the way consumers identify and shop for domestically sourced products, the seal will first appear on Anheuser-Busch’s Busch Light beer this May, and Budweiser, Bud Light and Michelob ULTRA beers have also obtained U.S. Farmed certification.
Wildfires in the Texas Panhandle have caused severe damage, but if it is any consolation, Texas cattle in the Panhandle region are mostly in feedlots and dairies. None of those have been hit by the fires. But serious damage has been inflicted on rangeland beef cattle. Losses are likely to be large and will include ranch infrastructure like fences, lost grazing while rangelands recover, and cows and calves lost, especially given this time of year. After several years of drought, low cattle prices, and higher costs, losses from the fires will be especially damaging because of today’s record-high prices and the lost opportunity to make up financially for the last few years.
AFBF president Zippy Duvall commented on the Inclusive Competition and Market Integrity Under the Packers and Stockyards Act’s final rule. “AFBF appreciates Secretary Vilsack and USDA’s finalization of another rule that helps bring transparency and fairness for farmers and ranchers who raise livestock and poultry under contracts with companies. This rule provides additional clarity regarding retaliation and deceptive practices in business dealings. It is a welcome complement to USDA’s Transparency Disclosures for Contract Poultry Growers rule implemented in February. Farm Bureau will continue to work with USDA to ensure a level playing field for the farmers and ranchers who keep America’s kitchens stocked.”
Events
The 2024 Abner W. Womack Missouri Agriculture Outlook Conference is set for Wednesday, April 3,2024, at the University of Missouri Bradford Research Farm near Columbia, Missouri. Former U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt will be the keynote luncheon speaker. Each year at the conference, the University of Missouri’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI-MU) unveils its baseline outlooks for ag production, farm prices and consumption for the next ten years. Those outlooks inform Congress on agricultural policy. Abner Womack is the cofounder of FAPRI-MU, which is celebrating its 40th year in 2024. This is the 10th annual conference bearing Womack’s name. “The outlook for Missouri agriculture is higher production in 2024 because of a rebound in yields, lower grain and oilseed prices more than offsetting a slight decline in input prices, and lower government payments,” said Ben Brown, senior research associate with FAPRI and conference organizer. Brown said Missouri livestock producers should see improved profitability this year compared to 2023 because of higher prices and lower feed costs. “However, drought conditions liquidated herd sizes leaving fewer market-ready animals,” he said. As a leader in agricultural research, including market conditions and policy, MU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources is helping Missouri’s farmers achieve success. FAPRI is committed to providing the information and analysis needed by policy makers as they make important decisions affecting everyone with a stake in agriculture.
Registration for the 2024 World Pork Expo is now open. This year’s Expo, brought to you by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), will be held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 5 and 6. With its new two-day schedule, the Expo will be full of exciting activities and sessions from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Go to World Pork Expo website: www.worldpork.org
People
Seaboard Foods LLC’s Pork Segment is undergoing a leadership transition with the retirement of president and CEO Peter Brown, effective June 30, 2024. Brown’s tenure at Seaboard Foods spanned over three years at Seaboard Foods, and his retirement caps three decades of executive leadership in the protein industry, including roles at Butterball and High Liner Foods. Chad Groves, currently senior vice president of Global Sales, Marketing and Innovation at Seaboard, has been tapped to succeed Brown. In this position, Groves has overseen critical aspects of the company’s operations, including retail, foodservice, export, processor sales, marketing, sustainability, and innovation. His background includes executive sales positions at Trilliant Food & Nutrition LLC and High Liner Foods. Additionally, Groves currently serves as a member of the board of directors and treasurer for the National Pork Board. With a solid foundation established by Brown and a promising future under Groves’ guidance, Seaboard Foods remains steadfast in its commitment to delivering top-quality pork products and serving its customers and stakeholders with distinction.
Darrin Smith, Ph.D., has been named the associate dean of faculty, research and administration of Kansas State University Olathe, effective June 9. In this role, Smith will help oversee the successful implementation of the Next-Gen Strategic Plan for the campus and support the university’s imperatives. His highest priority is to develop and oversee programming that is relevant to workforce development through innovative approaches to the changing demands of higher education. "Dr. Smith brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our campus,” said Ben Wolfe, dean and CEO. “We look forward to working together to support our strategic plan as well as our key initiatives to meet the needs of the advanced manufacturing industry in Greater Kansas City area and help establish research efforts in the area of food as medicine and community health.”