K-State cattle nutritionist explains how corn stalk bales can be a feed resource

When eating a salad, imagine how it might taste if all there was to eat were the stems of the plant. Not very appealing, right?&nbsp;

Similarly, cattle that are offered corn stalk bales to eat in place of hay also often find that to be less palatable, said Phillip Lancaster, beef cattle nutritionist for the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute.

Speaking on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/11/10/sandhills-calving-corn-stalk-bales-mandatory-price-reporting/">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast, Lancaster said there is an increase of corn stalks being baled as a feed resource this year because of the shortage of hay and the decrease in pastures available for fall grazing due to a lack of moisture.

“Traditionally, grazing cattle in the late fall on harvested corn fields can be an option to extend the grazing season because cattle can eat the husks and leaves, which have a decent nutritional value,” Lancaster said. “However, this year farmers are baling up the corn stalks after they’ve harvested the crop, which leaves only the stalks that are lignified and indigestible.”

He said that when cattle are offered a corn stalk bale, they will consume the resource at a higher proportion of stalks than they would if they were just grazing the field.

“Producers feeding those bales will have quite a bit of wastage unless they grind them and add them to a mixed ration,” Lancaster said.

For producers who need to use this as a feed resource, Lancaster said they need to supplement the cattle with protein.

He added: “For cows going into their third trimester this winter, their maintenance requirements are higher so along with protein they will also need to be supplemented with energy as well.”

Additionally, there is a potential health concern with bales that were made from a failed corn crop when fed to the cattle, Lancaster said.

“If nitrogen fertilizer was put on the crop in the spring and then it failed, the plant may still be holding that nitrogen,” Lancaster said.

In that case, producers will need to test the bales for nitrates, according to Lancaster.

To hear the full discussion, listen to the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/11/10/sandhills-calving-corn-stalk-bales-mandatory-price-reporting/">Cattle Chat</a>podcast online or through your preferred streaming platform.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700054298806.jpeg" alt="Corn stalk bales can be used for bedding or as a feed resource with supplementation." />
 <figcaption>Corn stalk bales can be used for bedding or as a feed resource with supplementation.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>K-State cattle nutritionist explains how corn stalk bales can be a feed resource</h2>By LISA MOSER KSREWhen eating a salad, imagine how it might taste if all there was to eat were the stems of the plant. Not very appealing, right?&nbsp;Similarly, cattle that are offered corn stalk bales to eat in place of hay also often find that to be less palatable, said Phillip Lancaster, beef cattle nutritionist for the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute.Speaking on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/11/10/sandhills-calving-corn-stalk-bales-mandatory-price-reporting/">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast, Lancaster said there is an increase of corn stalks being baled as a feed resource this year because of the shortage of hay and the decrease in pastures available for fall grazing due to a lack of moisture.“Traditionally, grazing cattle in the late fall on harvested corn fields can be an option to extend the grazing season because cattle can eat the husks and leaves, which have a decent nutritional value,” Lancaster said. “However, this year farmers are baling up the corn stalks after they’ve harvested the crop, which leaves only the stalks that are lignified and indigestible.”He said that when cattle are offered a corn stalk bale, they will consume the resource at a higher proportion of stalks than they would if they were just grazing the field.“Producers feeding those bales will have quite a bit of wastage unless they grind them and add them to a mixed ration,” Lancaster said.For producers who need to use this as a feed resource, Lancaster said they need to supplement the cattle with protein.He added: “For cows going into their third trimester this winter, their maintenance requirements are higher so along with protein they will also need to be supplemented with energy as well.”Additionally, there is a potential health concern with bales that were made from a failed corn crop when fed to the cattle, Lancaster said.“If nitrogen fertilizer was put on the crop in the spring and then it failed, the plant may still be holding that nitrogen,” Lancaster said.In that case, producers will need to test the bales for nitrates, according to Lancaster.To hear the full discussion, listen to the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/11/10/sandhills-calving-corn-stalk-bales-mandatory-price-reporting/">Cattle Chat</a>podcast online or through your preferred streaming platform.

Cattle Chat: Feeding corn stalk bales

By ASHLEY MURRAY,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — As Congress faces another pressing deadline to fund the government and the U.S. House grinds to a halt without a speaker, the reauthorization of the nation’s agriculture and hunger programs has taken a back seat.

But lawmakers tasked with shepherding the new version maintain their progress is “in good shape.”

The previous farm bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/08/17/farm-bill-timeline-in-flux-as-a-messy-september-for-congress-nears/">expired</a>&nbsp;Sept. 30 and its renewal, a process that occurs every five years, remains “in the drafting stage,” said Sen. John Boozman, the Arkansas GOP lawmaker and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

“I know myself and Sen. Stabenow, our teams are working together to try and get ideas in the text. And so we’re moving forward,” Boozman told reporters Wednesday.

Stabenow of Michigan chairs the committee.

“It’s been difficult because the appropriations process has kind of sucked all the wind out. But we’re in good shape. We don’t need an extension until the first of the year. If we do need an extension, I think we’ll be looking in the November time frame as we do the CR.”

The CR, or continuing resolution, is the funding&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-clears-bill-avert-shutdown-vote-promised-later-ukraine-aid-3">compromise</a>&nbsp;Congress struck last weekend just hours before a partial government shutdown. The temporary spending measure expires Nov. 17.

The farm bill and long-term government funding are completely different processes, but GOP House majority infighting over appropriations has stalled other priorities.

And, with the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/10/03/u-s-house-votes-to-remove-kevin-mccarthy-as-speaker/">ouster</a>&nbsp;of former House Speaker and California Republican Kevin McCarthy by a handful of far-right party members and all House Democrats, the lower chamber is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/10/04/how-does-a-frozen-u-s-house-function-without-a-speaker-everyones-got-an-opinion/">frozen</a>.

“As with every Farm Bill, there are forces and circumstances out of our control. What is always a complicated process has become a little more complicated, but our work continues to produce an effective Farm Bill,” said Pennsylvania GOP Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, who chairs the House Committee on Agriculture, in an emailed statement.

Thompson and fellow lawmakers have spent thousands of hours over the past two years collecting feedback from constituents on what they want to see in the multi-year bill, which is forecast to cost $1.5 trillion.

But some constituents say despite reassurance that the farm bill is progressing, they remain concerned about its delay, as well as funding for several of its programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.

As a mandatory program, SNAP will&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/09/26/the-farm-bill-is-on-the-verge-of-expiring-congress-is-months-away-from-a-new-version/">continue</a>&nbsp;as long as Congress approves either temporary or long-term government funding.

“The delay in considering important legislation, such as agriculture appropriations and the farm bill, creates a great deal of uncertainty for farmers and ranchers. The 2018 farm bill already expired,” Sam Kieffer, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s vice president of public policy, said in a statement.

“All families, including those in rural America, face rising interest rates, high inflation and turbulence in the marketplace,” he continued. “The farm bill provides certainty to those who grow this nation’s food, fuel and fiber and is crucial to ensuring a safe and affordable food supply. Congress has always come through on a farm bill, and they must do it again. Every family in America is counting on it.”

The 2018 farm bill was not signed into law&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47313">until</a>&nbsp;Dec. 20 of that year.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12047">expansive</a>&nbsp;agricultural and food policy bill covers farmer safety net programs, conservation and sustainability incentives, international trade, rural area development, and food and nutrition programs for low-income earners — the last of which accounts for the largest portion of the bill. The legislation is one of Congress’ omnibus packages, meaning it’s made up of numerous provisions from many lawmakers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696870697157.jpeg" alt=" Rows of soybean plants grow in the fields at Seidenstricker Farms, owned by Robert and Cathy Seidenstricker, in De Valls Bluff, Arkansas, on June 25, 2019. (USDA photo by Lance Cheung)" />
 <figcaption> Rows of soybean plants grow in the fields at Seidenstricker Farms, owned by Robert and Cathy Seidenstricker, in De Valls Bluff, Arkansas, on June 25, 2019. (USDA photo by Lance Cheung)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ASHLEY MURRAY,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — As Congress faces another pressing deadline to fund the government and the U.S. House grinds to a halt without a speaker, the reauthorization of the nation’s agriculture and hunger programs has taken a back seat.But lawmakers tasked with shepherding the new version maintain their progress is “in good shape.”The previous farm bill&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/08/17/farm-bill-timeline-in-flux-as-a-messy-september-for-congress-nears/">expired</a>&nbsp;Sept. 30 and its renewal, a process that occurs every five years, remains “in the drafting stage,” said Sen. John Boozman, the Arkansas GOP lawmaker and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.“I know myself and Sen. Stabenow, our teams are working together to try and get ideas in the text. And so we’re moving forward,” Boozman told reporters Wednesday.Stabenow of Michigan chairs the committee.“It’s been difficult because the appropriations process has kind of sucked all the wind out. But we’re in good shape. We don’t need an extension until the first of the year. If we do need an extension, I think we’ll be looking in the November time frame as we do the CR.”The CR, or continuing resolution, is the funding&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/congress-clears-bill-avert-shutdown-vote-promised-later-ukraine-aid-3">compromise</a>&nbsp;Congress struck last weekend just hours before a partial government shutdown. The temporary spending measure expires Nov. 17.The farm bill and long-term government funding are completely different processes, but GOP House majority infighting over appropriations has stalled other priorities.And, with the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/10/03/u-s-house-votes-to-remove-kevin-mccarthy-as-speaker/">ouster</a>&nbsp;of former House Speaker and California Republican Kevin McCarthy by a handful of far-right party members and all House Democrats, the lower chamber is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/10/04/how-does-a-frozen-u-s-house-function-without-a-speaker-everyones-got-an-opinion/">frozen</a>.“As with every Farm Bill, there are forces and circumstances out of our control. What is always a complicated process has become a little more complicated, but our work continues to produce an effective Farm Bill,” said Pennsylvania GOP Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, who chairs the House Committee on Agriculture, in an emailed statement.<h2>Worries over lack of progress&nbsp;</h2>Thompson and fellow lawmakers have spent thousands of hours over the past two years collecting feedback from constituents on what they want to see in the multi-year bill, which is forecast to cost $1.5 trillion.But some constituents say despite reassurance that the farm bill is progressing, they remain concerned about its delay, as well as funding for several of its programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps.As a mandatory program, SNAP will&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/09/26/the-farm-bill-is-on-the-verge-of-expiring-congress-is-months-away-from-a-new-version/">continue</a>&nbsp;as long as Congress approves either temporary or long-term government funding.“The delay in considering important legislation, such as agriculture appropriations and the farm bill, creates a great deal of uncertainty for farmers and ranchers. The 2018 farm bill already expired,” Sam Kieffer, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s vice president of public policy, said in a statement.“All families, including those in rural America, face rising interest rates, high inflation and turbulence in the marketplace,” he continued. “The farm bill provides certainty to those who grow this nation’s food, fuel and fiber and is crucial to ensuring a safe and affordable food supply. Congress has always come through on a farm bill, and they must do it again. Every family in America is counting on it.”The 2018 farm bill was not signed into law&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R47313">until</a>&nbsp;Dec. 20 of that year.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12047">expansive</a>&nbsp;agricultural and food policy bill covers farmer safety net programs, conservation and sustainability incentives, international trade, rural area development, and food and nutrition programs for low-income earners — the last of which accounts for the largest portion of the bill. The legislation is one of Congress’ omnibus packages, meaning it’s made up of numerous provisions from many lawmakers.

Farm bill stalled amid U.S. House speaker battle, delay of spending bills

Recent breakthrough may be another step toward nano uses in agriculture

By PAT MELGARESKSRE It has been said that dynamite comes in small packages, though not nearly as small as one nanometer.

And, as USDA and Kansas State University entomologists are finding out, not nearly as mighty.

The K-State researchers have published findings of a study in which they’ve tested nanomaterial – theirs is a product consisting of an agricultural waste product attached to a known antimicrobial – that is effective at killing mosquito larvae, while using far fewer insecticides in the process.

They’ve reported the breakthrough in the September issue of the American Chemical Society Omega Journal, which also features an image of their technology as one of the supplemental front covers of the month’s issue.

The work is part of the university’s larger vision to develop nanomaterial that researchers believe will not only reduce pesticide use in the environment, but also be a viable solution for many pests that affect agricultural production, such as Hessian fly, corn rootworm, grasshoppers, termites and more.

K-State’s program is funded for four years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“If nanotechnology can be employed to control pests, it will greatly reduce the use of pesticides in the environment,” said Jeff Whitworth, a field crop entomologist with K-State Research and Extension. “And if researchers can find the right carriers for these nano insecticides – products that may be considered organic waste – that may also reduce the amount of organic waste.”

In the current project, K-State researchers coupled silver – a known antimicrobial – with a corn protein known as zein (pronounced zee-inn) that is typically a waste product. As mosquito larvae filter food from water, they ingest the nanomaterial containing silver.

“We found that in mosquito larvae, silver apparently gets into their mid-gut and kills the microbes that are necessary for mosquito larval well-being,” said K-State nano-entomologist Amie Norton.

The concentration of pesticide in the nanomaterial developed by the USDA/K-State team is, by far, less than what would traditionally be used to combat mosquito populations. According to Norton, K-State’s product included just 1 part per million of pesticide – a proportion similar to 1 drop of water in a 10 gallon fish tank.

She said normal concentrations of pesticide range from 10 to 32 parts per million.

“The advantage of nanotechnology is that you have a larger surface area to work with, and nanomaterials have more bioavailability of active ingredients due to their size,” Norton said. “The increased loading of pesticides onto the surface of nanomaterials and their ability to increase the bioavailability of ingredients to targeted pests results in the use of less active ingredients (pesticides), which leads to lower costs for those using these products.”

Silver is not a typical pesticide used in mosquito control, Whitworth said. Future applications are expected to include a more common pesticide – spinosad – and a growth regulator, methoprene, “so that what doesn’t kill them will keep them from growing into adults,” Norton said.

Nanoparticles are considered part of a bright new future for science and technology. By definition, a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, so small that it cannot be detected by electronic microscopes.

For perspective, however, consider that one sheet of standard copy paper is 100,000 nanometers thick; a period at the end of this sentence is approximately 1 million nanometers. Or, one nanometer compares to a standard tennis ball in equal proportion to how that same tennis ball compares to planet Earth.

“We are just one year into this area of research,” Whitworth said. “We are looking for ways to recycle agriculture waste and convert it to something useful. It’s a step-by-step process; it takes a while and we are learning as we go.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696248509702.jpeg" alt="K-State entomologists have developed a way to couple an antimicrobial (silver) with an agricultural waste product (zein) to kill mosquito larvae. Their study is published in the September issue of the American Chemical Society Omega Journal. The graphic above depicting the breakthrough was created by K-State entomology staffer Crystal Ly and appears on one of the journal's supplemental covers. (Graphic courtesy of Amie Norton) " />
 <figcaption>K-State entomologists have developed a way to couple an antimicrobial (silver) with an agricultural waste product (zein) to kill mosquito larvae. Their study is published in the September issue of the American Chemical Society Omega Journal. The graphic above depicting the breakthrough was created by K-State entomology staffer Crystal Ly and appears on one of the journal's supplemental covers. (Graphic courtesy of Amie Norton) </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Recent breakthrough may be another step toward nano uses in agriculture</h2>By PAT MELGARESKSRE It has been said that dynamite comes in small packages, though not nearly as small as one nanometer.And, as USDA and Kansas State University entomologists are finding out, not nearly as mighty.The K-State researchers have published findings of a study in which they’ve tested nanomaterial – theirs is a product consisting of an agricultural waste product attached to a known antimicrobial – that is effective at killing mosquito larvae, while using far fewer insecticides in the process.They’ve reported the breakthrough in the September issue of the American Chemical Society Omega Journal, which also features an image of their technology as one of the supplemental front covers of the month’s issue.The work is part of the university’s larger vision to develop nanomaterial that researchers believe will not only reduce pesticide use in the environment, but also be a viable solution for many pests that affect agricultural production, such as Hessian fly, corn rootworm, grasshoppers, termites and more.K-State’s program is funded for four years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.“If nanotechnology can be employed to control pests, it will greatly reduce the use of pesticides in the environment,” said Jeff Whitworth, a field crop entomologist with K-State Research and Extension. “And if researchers can find the right carriers for these nano insecticides – products that may be considered organic waste – that may also reduce the amount of organic waste.”In the current project, K-State researchers coupled silver – a known antimicrobial – with a corn protein known as zein (pronounced zee-inn) that is typically a waste product. As mosquito larvae filter food from water, they ingest the nanomaterial containing silver.“We found that in mosquito larvae, silver apparently gets into their mid-gut and kills the microbes that are necessary for mosquito larval well-being,” said K-State nano-entomologist Amie Norton.The concentration of pesticide in the nanomaterial developed by the USDA/K-State team is, by far, less than what would traditionally be used to combat mosquito populations. According to Norton, K-State’s product included just 1 part per million of pesticide – a proportion similar to 1 drop of water in a 10 gallon fish tank.She said normal concentrations of pesticide range from 10 to 32 parts per million.“The advantage of nanotechnology is that you have a larger surface area to work with, and nanomaterials have more bioavailability of active ingredients due to their size,” Norton said. “The increased loading of pesticides onto the surface of nanomaterials and their ability to increase the bioavailability of ingredients to targeted pests results in the use of less active ingredients (pesticides), which leads to lower costs for those using these products.”Silver is not a typical pesticide used in mosquito control, Whitworth said. Future applications are expected to include a more common pesticide – spinosad – and a growth regulator, methoprene, “so that what doesn’t kill them will keep them from growing into adults,” Norton said.Nanoparticles are considered part of a bright new future for science and technology. By definition, a nanometer is one-billionth of a meter, so small that it cannot be detected by electronic microscopes.For perspective, however, consider that one sheet of standard copy paper is 100,000 nanometers thick; a period at the end of this sentence is approximately 1 million nanometers. Or, one nanometer compares to a standard tennis ball in equal proportion to how that same tennis ball compares to planet Earth.“We are just one year into this area of research,” Whitworth said. “We are looking for ways to recycle agriculture waste and convert it to something useful. It’s a step-by-step process; it takes a while and we are learning as we go.”

USDA, K-State entomologists use nanotechnology to combat mosquitos

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/madison-mcvan/">MADISON MCVAN</a>

As food prices&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/12/14/heres-why-food-prices-remain-stubbornly-high-even-as-inflation-cools/">rose</a>&nbsp;around the country, so did farmers’ take-home pay.

Net farm profits rose by 30% from 2021 to 2022, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the same time, food prices inflated by more than 10%.

The USDA predicts farm incomes will drop by about 20% in 2023 to levels still above pre-pandemic averages — and interest groups are already using the expected drop in profits to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/president-duvall-testimony-as-prepared-for-the-senate-agriculture-committee">lobby</a>&nbsp;for more money as Congress works on the next Farm Bill.

Farm incomes vary widely based on commodities and local weather patterns, so experts warn against making sweeping industry-wide generalizations. The record-high incomes last year were largely driven by high prices and good yields for the country’s biggest cash crops — corn and soy — according to Pauline Van Nurden, extension economist at the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealth-statistics/charts-and-maps-about-your-state/">Minnesota</a>&nbsp;was fifth in the nation in farm income last year, bringing in $9.7 billion, mostly through corn, soy, hog, cattle and dairy production.

Most of the income growth is concentrated among the industry’s biggest farms, according to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

In the warehouse of a St. Paul food nonprofit on Aug. 28, Vilsack announced the record-high income levels to a crowd of agriculture leaders and media before visiting the Minnesota State Fair.

He made a show of stepping away from the podium, removing his jacket and walking over to the whiteboard, where he started writing numbers.

Less than 8% of the country’s farms brought in more than $500,000 last year. Those farms made up 89% of the record-breaking farm profits last year, he explained.

Overall, farmers took home&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?ID=17833">$15 billion</a>&nbsp;in direct government payments, most of which go to the biggest farms, according to the Environmental Working Group, which tracks subsidy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=00000&amp;progcode=totalfarm&amp;page=conc&amp;regionname=theUnitedStates">data</a>.

Vilsack pointed to the numbers representing large farms, and sent a strong signal the Biden administration has no interest in policies that would negatively affect the richest farmers.

“These folks are great people — good people, hard working people,” he said. “They have a lot of risk. They are providing food for our families and for the world’s families. I don’t think it’s a circumstance or a situation where you necessarily have to do something to this world.”

He pointed to the numbers representing the smaller farms that shared the remaining profits.

“But you sure as heck need to do something about these people,” he said.

Vilsack touted investments that would help create new revenue streams for farms, like paying them to use “climate-smart” farming techniques, opening up carbon markets and finding ways to get fresh produce directly into grocery stores and schools.

Farm groups across the political spectrum largely support voluntary programs that pay farmers for implementing climate-friendly practices.

Ahead of the Farm Bill, however, commodity groups have also prioritized&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/cd49557a-ffe2-33e2-baa4-13cf24f355db/Testimony_Larew_05.02.2023.pdf">protecting and expanding crop insurance</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncga.com/stay-informed/media/in-the-news/article/2023/05/ncga-leader-highlights-importance-of-crop-insurance-at-senate-ag-subcommittee-hearing-on-farm-bill-priorities">lowering premiums</a>.

Jonathan Coppess, director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program at the University of Illinois, said the projected drop in farm income — from extreme highs in 2022 to above-average in 2023 — is to be expected given the ag sector’s volatility.

“There’s a temptation, if not a strategic mindset, to proclaim this as something drastic and bad,” Coppess said, referring to the farm lobby using the expected drop in income to influence the Farm Bill debate.

In a May 2 Senate hearing, American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/president-duvall-testimony-as-prepared-for-the-senate-agriculture-committee">presented</a>&nbsp;a bleak picture of U.S. agriculture, leaning on the USDA data that showed a projected decrease in farm income.

“Much uncertainty remains related to the ability for farmers and ranchers to access supplies, to manage volatile markets and to deal with regulation and weather-related challenges,” Duvall said.

Republican U.S. Senate Agriculture committee staff recently published a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/newsroom/minority-blog/usda-forecasts-sharpest-decline-in-us-farm-income-in-history">blog</a>&nbsp;headlined “USDA Forecasts Sharpest Decline in U.S. Farm Income in History,” urging lawmakers to fund strong crop insurance and risk management programs.

The current Farm Bill will expire at the end of the month.

This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/09/12/farm-profits-reached-new-heights-last-year/">the Minnesota Reformer</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589039066122.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/madison-mcvan/">MADISON MCVAN</a>As food prices&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/12/14/heres-why-food-prices-remain-stubbornly-high-even-as-inflation-cools/">rose</a>&nbsp;around the country, so did farmers’ take-home pay.Net farm profits rose by 30% from 2021 to 2022, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the same time, food prices inflated by more than 10%.The USDA predicts farm incomes will drop by about 20% in 2023 to levels still above pre-pandemic averages — and interest groups are already using the expected drop in profits to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/president-duvall-testimony-as-prepared-for-the-senate-agriculture-committee">lobby</a>&nbsp;for more money as Congress works on the next Farm Bill.Farm incomes vary widely based on commodities and local weather patterns, so experts warn against making sweeping industry-wide generalizations. The record-high incomes last year were largely driven by high prices and good yields for the country’s biggest cash crops — corn and soy — according to Pauline Van Nurden, extension economist at the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealth-statistics/charts-and-maps-about-your-state/">Minnesota</a>&nbsp;was fifth in the nation in farm income last year, bringing in $9.7 billion, mostly through corn, soy, hog, cattle and dairy production.Most of the income growth is concentrated among the industry’s biggest farms, according to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.In the warehouse of a St. Paul food nonprofit on Aug. 28, Vilsack announced the record-high income levels to a crowd of agriculture leaders and media before visiting the Minnesota State Fair.He made a show of stepping away from the podium, removing his jacket and walking over to the whiteboard, where he started writing numbers.Less than 8% of the country’s farms brought in more than $500,000 last year. Those farms made up 89% of the record-breaking farm profits last year, he explained.Overall, farmers took home&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?ID=17833">$15 billion</a>&nbsp;in direct government payments, most of which go to the biggest farms, according to the Environmental Working Group, which tracks subsidy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=00000&amp;progcode=totalfarm&amp;page=conc&amp;regionname=theUnitedStates">data</a>.Vilsack pointed to the numbers representing large farms, and sent a strong signal the Biden administration has no interest in policies that would negatively affect the richest farmers.“These folks are great people — good people, hard working people,” he said. “They have a lot of risk. They are providing food for our families and for the world’s families. I don’t think it’s a circumstance or a situation where you necessarily have to do something to this world.”He pointed to the numbers representing the smaller farms that shared the remaining profits.“But you sure as heck need to do something about these people,” he said.Vilsack touted investments that would help create new revenue streams for farms, like paying them to use “climate-smart” farming techniques, opening up carbon markets and finding ways to get fresh produce directly into grocery stores and schools.Farm groups across the political spectrum largely support voluntary programs that pay farmers for implementing climate-friendly practices.Ahead of the Farm Bill, however, commodity groups have also prioritized&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/cd49557a-ffe2-33e2-baa4-13cf24f355db/Testimony_Larew_05.02.2023.pdf">protecting and expanding crop insurance</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncga.com/stay-informed/media/in-the-news/article/2023/05/ncga-leader-highlights-importance-of-crop-insurance-at-senate-ag-subcommittee-hearing-on-farm-bill-priorities">lowering premiums</a>.Jonathan Coppess, director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program at the University of Illinois, said the projected drop in farm income — from extreme highs in 2022 to above-average in 2023 — is to be expected given the ag sector’s volatility.“There’s a temptation, if not a strategic mindset, to proclaim this as something drastic and bad,” Coppess said, referring to the farm lobby using the expected drop in income to influence the Farm Bill debate.It’s already happening.In a May 2 Senate hearing, American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/president-duvall-testimony-as-prepared-for-the-senate-agriculture-committee">presented</a>&nbsp;a bleak picture of U.S. agriculture, leaning on the USDA data that showed a projected decrease in farm income.“Much uncertainty remains related to the ability for farmers and ranchers to access supplies, to manage volatile markets and to deal with regulation and weather-related challenges,” Duvall said.Republican U.S. Senate Agriculture committee staff recently published a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/newsroom/minority-blog/usda-forecasts-sharpest-decline-in-us-farm-income-in-history">blog</a>&nbsp;headlined “USDA Forecasts Sharpest Decline in U.S. Farm Income in History,” urging lawmakers to fund strong crop insurance and risk management programs.The current Farm Bill will expire at the end of the month.This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/09/12/farm-profits-reached-new-heights-last-year/">the Minnesota Reformer</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

Farm profits reached new heights last year, but are expected to drop in 2023

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann said at the Kansas State Fair over the weekend, even though the federal fiscal year ends at the end of the month, the Farm Bill is not done.

"I'm frustrated with how slowly it's going," Mann said. "That said, I think we are making progress. I think the committee's done a good job listening to producers. We're working our tail off to make sure that this is a Farm Bill that works for our Kansas ag producers, which is the most important thing."

U.S. Senator Dr. Roger Marshall used an analogy from his days in obstetric practice.

"This is my second farm bill," Marshall said. "I know a little bit more about obstetrics than I do a farm bill, as a matter of fact, I saw two kids I delivered over in the sheep showing program, as well. If the farm bill was a pregnant mom, I'd say, we're a week overdue and it's time to induce her."

Marshall would rather see the farm bill finished than just an extension, but an extension is what appears most likely at this point in the process.

"As agriculture goes, so goes Kansas," Marshall said. "What a farm bill does is give us a great amount of certainty. It allows our producers to make a five year plan, rather than a one year plan. When you're an ag lender, it helps you understand, are we going to be able to make this payment year three, year four, year five, as well. I think that's the struggle before us. I think the biggest impediment to getting a farm bill done is our $33 trillion national debt. This country is spending $700 billion on interest."

The other problem is that in an inflationary economy, more people in poverty need to use the food programs that are actually now the majority of the funds disbursed within a farm bill and the underlying food costs more.

"In 2018, we budgeted, we'd be spending $65 billion for food stamps, for the nutrition programs, $65 billion. The last two years, we're spending $180 billion a year, almost triple. We could dive down to why that's happening, but nevertheless, we've went from $65 billion to $180 billion and as we look at a budget for this farm bill, they are saying it's going to go down to $120 billion. It's hard for me, as a former business owner, to square all that."

It's likely that full language for the farm bill won't even be finalized to be hashed over until at least November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694426842459.png" alt="Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann and Congressman Roger Marshall participated in an Ag Forum at the Kansas State Fair on September 9, 2023-photo courtesy Renew Kansas Biofuels Association" />
 <figcaption>Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann and Congressman Roger Marshall participated in an Ag Forum at the Kansas State Fair on September 9, 2023-photo courtesy Renew Kansas Biofuels Association</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann said at the Kansas State Fair over the weekend, even though the federal fiscal year ends at the end of the month, the Farm Bill is not done."I'm frustrated with how slowly it's going," Mann said. "That said, I think we are making progress. I think the committee's done a good job listening to producers. We're working our tail off to make sure that this is a Farm Bill that works for our Kansas ag producers, which is the most important thing."U.S. Senator Dr. Roger Marshall used an analogy from his days in obstetric practice."This is my second farm bill," Marshall said. "I know a little bit more about obstetrics than I do a farm bill, as a matter of fact, I saw two kids I delivered over in the sheep showing program, as well. If the farm bill was a pregnant mom, I'd say, we're a week overdue and it's time to induce her."Marshall would rather see the farm bill finished than just an extension, but an extension is what appears most likely at this point in the process."As agriculture goes, so goes Kansas," Marshall said. "What a farm bill does is give us a great amount of certainty. It allows our producers to make a five year plan, rather than a one year plan. When you're an ag lender, it helps you understand, are we going to be able to make this payment year three, year four, year five, as well. I think that's the struggle before us. I think the biggest impediment to getting a farm bill done is our $33 trillion national debt. This country is spending $700 billion on interest."The other problem is that in an inflationary economy, more people in poverty need to use the food programs that are actually now the majority of the funds disbursed within a farm bill and the underlying food costs more."In 2018, we budgeted, we'd be spending $65 billion for food stamps, for the nutrition programs, $65 billion. The last two years, we're spending $180 billion a year, almost triple. We could dive down to why that's happening, but nevertheless, we've went from $65 billion to $180 billion and as we look at a budget for this farm bill, they are saying it's going to go down to $120 billion. It's hard for me, as a former business owner, to square all that."It's likely that full language for the farm bill won't even be finalized to be hashed over until at least November.

Kan. First District Congressman talks farm bill at the State Fair

Farm legislation also affects nutrition programs, say K-State officials

Farm and food policy go hand in hand, so current discussions leading to the next U.S. Farm Bill is likely to affect the availability of food, said Kansas State University agricultural policy specialist Jenny Ifft.

“Food stamps began during the Great Depression based on shared policy objectives of increasing farm income and decreasing hunger in both rural and urban areas,” Ifft said. “Now that program is called SNAP.”

Ten percent of Kansas households experience food insecurity, K-State SNAP-Education coordinator Lisa Ross said.

“The effects of food insecurity can cause health complications, especially in growth and development of children,” Ross said. “SNAP-Ed works to give everyone nutrition education and make sure they get the most out of food assistance programs.”

Nutrition programs are predicted to make up 84% of farm bill spending because of the large role food assistance programs play in the broader social safety net, Ifft adds. SNAP-Ed works to help people eligible for assistance programs lead healthier lives within a limited budget.

“We also initiate and support policy system environmental work designed to promote healthy behavior and decisions in Kansas communities,” Ross said.

SNAP has more than 50 million participants nationwide, most of whom are children or elderly and disabled. Ifft explains that the majority of policy debates are about the 10% of SNAP participants in the “able-bodied without dependents” category.

“The budget for both food programs and farms increased in the last five years, but nutrition increased more,” Ifft said. “That is a topic of debate as well as increasing the budget for SNAP.”

According to Ifft, the SNAP budget was increased administratively by the USDA in the last five years, bringing to question who gets to make those changes -- and ultimately adding to the farm bill debate.

With more than 94,000 households receiving SNAP benefits, SNAP-Ed works to improve health outcomes in SNAP participants and communities.

“It is really important that we work together on this farm bill because without SNAP there is no SNAP-education,” Ross said.

For more resources, Ross recommends visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/ks-snaped/">K-State SNAP-Ed</a>&nbsp;or reaching out to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html">local extension agents</a>.

<h2>Farm legislation also affects nutrition programs, say K-State officials</h2>By MADDY ROHR KSRE Farm and food policy go hand in hand, so current discussions leading to the next U.S. Farm Bill is likely to affect the availability of food, said Kansas State University agricultural policy specialist Jenny Ifft.“Food stamps began during the Great Depression based on shared policy objectives of increasing farm income and decreasing hunger in both rural and urban areas,” Ifft said. “Now that program is called SNAP.”Ten percent of Kansas households experience food insecurity, K-State SNAP-Education coordinator Lisa Ross said.“The effects of food insecurity can cause health complications, especially in growth and development of children,” Ross said. “SNAP-Ed works to give everyone nutrition education and make sure they get the most out of food assistance programs.”Nutrition programs are predicted to make up 84% of farm bill spending because of the large role food assistance programs play in the broader social safety net, Ifft adds. SNAP-Ed works to help people eligible for assistance programs lead healthier lives within a limited budget.“We also initiate and support policy system environmental work designed to promote healthy behavior and decisions in Kansas communities,” Ross said.SNAP has more than 50 million participants nationwide, most of whom are children or elderly and disabled. Ifft explains that the majority of policy debates are about the 10% of SNAP participants in the “able-bodied without dependents” category.“The budget for both food programs and farms increased in the last five years, but nutrition increased more,” Ifft said. “That is a topic of debate as well as increasing the budget for SNAP.”According to Ifft, the SNAP budget was increased administratively by the USDA in the last five years, bringing to question who gets to make those changes -- and ultimately adding to the farm bill debate.With more than 94,000 households receiving SNAP benefits, SNAP-Ed works to improve health outcomes in SNAP participants and communities.“It is really important that we work together on this farm bill because without SNAP there is no SNAP-education,” Ross said.For more resources, Ross recommends visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/ks-snaped/">K-State SNAP-Ed</a>&nbsp;or reaching out to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/about/statewide-locations.html">local extension agents</a>.

KSRE: Is the farm bill just for farmers?

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran said Saturday at the Kansas Farm Bureau breakfast at the Kansas State Fair that he believes there is good news on the Senate side when it comes to the appropriations process as the federal fiscal year comes to a close at the end of the month.

"We've passed 12 appropriation bills in the U.S. Senate, out of the committee," Moran said. "Three of them will be on the Senate floor starting Tuesday. One of them is Ag approps. That's a good thing, because it means that we very well may complete the appropriations process, send it to the House and Ag approps will not be one of the appropriation bills that are at risk of being part of a continuing resolution, meaning that no changes would be made to the bill, we would just fund everything the way it was last year, this year. We worked hard as an Ag appropriations subcommittee member and a former chairman of that subcommittee, to make sure that Kansas priorities are included in Ag approps and we will see if we can't get it passed in the next ten days in the United States Senate. I predict that will happen."

Moran told a story about when he brought now House Appropriations Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat from Connecticut, to Kansas a few years ago and how building that relationship helps keep the needs of Kansas farmers at the forefront, no matter which party may be in power at any given time.

"Kendall Hodgson in particular, in Rice County, we were at Cheryl's Cafe in Little River, where I learned that she wasn't a vegetarian, because we had coconut cream pie and cheeseburgers and we spent the afternoon at Kendall Hodgson's farm, with the neighboring farmers teaching, learning about what this piece of equipment does and what farmers do. We had her at the State Fair the next morning, where our best ambassadors, our absolute best ambassadors, no offense to any farmer that was with us in Little River, was the 4-H kids and the FFA kids who were here at the State Fair, who gave her a tour of the state fair and showed her their work and their product and their lives. Rosa DeLauro, now, is still somebody that I get greeting cards from at Christmas and we can go to her when Tracey and I need help, because we showed her, in Kansas, you showed her, in Kansas, what farmers do."&nbsp;

This year, Senate Appropriators reported all twelve individual appropriations bills out of Committee for the first time in five years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694278127802.jpeg" alt="U.S. Senator Jerry Moran spoke at the Farm Bureau Breakfast at the Kansas State Fair Saturday-Photo by Nick Gosnell" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Senator Jerry Moran spoke at the Farm Bureau Breakfast at the Kansas State Fair Saturday-Photo by Nick Gosnell</figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran said Saturday at the Kansas Farm Bureau breakfast at the Kansas State Fair that he believes there is good news on the Senate side when it comes to the appropriations process as the federal fiscal year comes to a close at the end of the month."We've passed 12 appropriation bills in the U.S. Senate, out of the committee," Moran said. "Three of them will be on the Senate floor starting Tuesday. One of them is Ag approps. That's a good thing, because it means that we very well may complete the appropriations process, send it to the House and Ag approps will not be one of the appropriation bills that are at risk of being part of a continuing resolution, meaning that no changes would be made to the bill, we would just fund everything the way it was last year, this year. We worked hard as an Ag appropriations subcommittee member and a former chairman of that subcommittee, to make sure that Kansas priorities are included in Ag approps and we will see if we can't get it passed in the next ten days in the United States Senate. I predict that will happen."Moran told a story about when he brought now House Appropriations Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat from Connecticut, to Kansas a few years ago and how building that relationship helps keep the needs of Kansas farmers at the forefront, no matter which party may be in power at any given time."Kendall Hodgson in particular, in Rice County, we were at Cheryl's Cafe in Little River, where I learned that she wasn't a vegetarian, because we had coconut cream pie and cheeseburgers and we spent the afternoon at Kendall Hodgson's farm, with the neighboring farmers teaching, learning about what this piece of equipment does and what farmers do. We had her at the State Fair the next morning, where our best ambassadors, our absolute best ambassadors, no offense to any farmer that was with us in Little River, was the 4-H kids and the FFA kids who were here at the State Fair, who gave her a tour of the state fair and showed her their work and their product and their lives. Rosa DeLauro, now, is still somebody that I get greeting cards from at Christmas and we can go to her when Tracey and I need help, because we showed her, in Kansas, you showed her, in Kansas, what farmers do."&nbsp;This year, Senate Appropriators reported all twelve individual appropriations bills out of Committee for the first time in five years.

Moran at State Fair: Good news on ag appropriations 

CalfDex now available for IPhone, Android devices

K-State Research and Extension news service

Kansas State University agricultural economics and veterinary medicine staff are taking their knowledge on animal record-keeping to mobile phones with an app that is now available in app stores for IPhone and Android devices.

K-State livestock economist Ted Schroeder said the app, called CalfDex, is free to download. It was developed by agricultural economist master’s graduate Jake Hefley (who now works at the University of Missouri), master’s candidate Audrey Marchek, K-State veterinarian Bob Larson and Schroeder.

The project was funded by a grant from the USDA Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program.

“Our team is eager to provide users with a convenient and easy-to-use modern animal data management tool to keep pace in an ever-changing industry,” Schroeder said. “Considering the growing importance of information exchange in the beef supply chain, there is value in an application that has the ability to store and upload data at the whole-herd and individual animal levels, while also facilitating easy downstream data sharing.”

The app is designed for use in the field even where cell phone service is not available. Schroeder said CalfDex enables producers to maintain efficient and accurate calving, weaning and treatment records – mitigating the risk of clutter, data loss and misplacement that is commonly seen with paper records. The data is also stored across calving seasons for easy access.

Schroeder said the app allows users to protect information with a unique email address and password, established by the user.

“Because it has the capability to track multiple herds and individual animal information, CalfDex is tailored to meet the needs of all sizes of calving operations, from large purebred enterprises to a 4-H or FFA student beginning their first beef breeding project,” Schroeder said.

More information on the app, including a description of its functions,&nbsp;<a href="https://agmanager.info/livestock-meat/cross-subject-areas/introduction-and-emerging-features-calfdex-new-calving">is available online</a>, as well as on&nbsp;<a href="https://agmanager.info/">AgManager,</a>&nbsp;a website maintained by K-State’s Department of Agricultural Economics.

<h2>CalfDex now available for IPhone, Android devices</h2>K-State Research and Extension news serviceKansas State University agricultural economics and veterinary medicine staff are taking their knowledge on animal record-keeping to mobile phones with an app that is now available in app stores for IPhone and Android devices.K-State livestock economist Ted Schroeder said the app, called CalfDex, is free to download. It was developed by agricultural economist master’s graduate Jake Hefley (who now works at the University of Missouri), master’s candidate Audrey Marchek, K-State veterinarian Bob Larson and Schroeder.The project was funded by a grant from the USDA Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program.“Our team is eager to provide users with a convenient and easy-to-use modern animal data management tool to keep pace in an ever-changing industry,” Schroeder said. “Considering the growing importance of information exchange in the beef supply chain, there is value in an application that has the ability to store and upload data at the whole-herd and individual animal levels, while also facilitating easy downstream data sharing.”The app is designed for use in the field even where cell phone service is not available. Schroeder said CalfDex enables producers to maintain efficient and accurate calving, weaning and treatment records – mitigating the risk of clutter, data loss and misplacement that is commonly seen with paper records. The data is also stored across calving seasons for easy access.Schroeder said the app allows users to protect information with a unique email address and password, established by the user.“Because it has the capability to track multiple herds and individual animal information, CalfDex is tailored to meet the needs of all sizes of calving operations, from large purebred enterprises to a 4-H or FFA student beginning their first beef breeding project,” Schroeder said.More information on the app, including a description of its functions,&nbsp;<a href="https://agmanager.info/livestock-meat/cross-subject-areas/introduction-and-emerging-features-calfdex-new-calving">is available online</a>, as well as on&nbsp;<a href="https://agmanager.info/">AgManager,</a>&nbsp;a website maintained by K-State’s Department of Agricultural Economics.

K-State app for animal record-keeping now available

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ceilidhkern/">CEILIDH KERN</a>&nbsp;

The University of Missouri rolled out its first all-electric, autonomous tractor Tuesday, calling it a “revolutionary piece of technology” that could pioneer new agricultural practices and make farming more efficient and sustainable.

The Monarch MK-V tractor, bought with grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is the Midwest’s first fully autonomous tractor, according to Christopher Daubert, dean of the MU College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. The tractor will be used for research by CAFNR, the MU College of Engineering, and MU Extension.

The MK-V runs solely on electricity and is equipped with cameras and sensors that allow it to be driven remotely. Its artificial intelligence capabilities are designed to collect data and analyze crop health, allowing the machine to align with future agricultural innovation.

Kent Shannon, a CAFNR professor specializing in agricultural systems and technology, piloted the tractor for Tuesday’s demonstration. He said the MK-V was well-suited for smaller-scale farms, including his own.

“It provides some opportunities that a traditional tractor wouldn’t,” he said. “I can see me using this on a beef cattle farm at home.”

The tractor does come with a high price tag: A standard model starts at about $89,000, more than twice the price of a traditional tractor of the same size, Shannon said.

Even so, he emphasized that the total value of the tractor has yet to be fully understood, meaning that the price might actually be affordable given the advanced capabilities it offers.

“If I went to the local dealership, yeah, I’d find something a lot cheaper than this,” he said. “But if you think about agriculture as a whole, it’s not exorbitant.”

“You might even think it was more than $90,000 for a tractor like this,” he added. “You’ve got to think of all of the technologies on it — there’s no other tractor of this stature that has both electric and autonomy capability.”

Sazzad Rifat, a PhD student at MU studying biosystems engineering, said he looks forward to learning about the tractor’s autonomous driving features and its ability to maneuver around obstacles.

To better understand the MK-V’s technologies, university researchers are interested in exploring its ability to support farmers with disabilities.

Findings from this research, as well as information about the MK-V, will be shared with farmers through MU Extension’s AgrAbility program, which helps farmers with disabilities overcome challenges.

For Missouri’s small-scale farms, this tractor’s technological capability could be revolutionary, said Dan Downing, a water quality expert with MU Extension in a news release.

A more sophisticated hydraulic system and engine reduce emissions that may interfere with farm conditions, Downing said. The tractor also scores very well environmentally on air and water quality measurements.

Because of the nascency of this new technology, no state subsidies are yet available to help farmers pay for it, according to Teng Lim, a professor at MU Extension. There is, however, a “good chance” of future state support, he said.

This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/mu-unveils-the-first-fully-electric-autonomous-tractor-in-the-midwest/article_6d1f4dea-4c27-11ee-b22d-e3a740636d5f.html#tncms-source=Featured">the Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694017307494.png" alt="William Lee, left, and Kent Shannon look at the tractor before the demonstration on Monday at Sanborn Field in Columbia (Kate Cassady/Missourian)." />
 <figcaption>William Lee, left, and Kent Shannon look at the tractor before the demonstration on Monday at Sanborn Field in Columbia (Kate Cassady/Missourian).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ceilidhkern/">CEILIDH KERN</a>&nbsp;The University of Missouri rolled out its first all-electric, autonomous tractor Tuesday, calling it a “revolutionary piece of technology” that could pioneer new agricultural practices and make farming more efficient and sustainable.The Monarch MK-V tractor, bought with grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is the Midwest’s first fully autonomous tractor, according to Christopher Daubert, dean of the MU College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources. The tractor will be used for research by CAFNR, the MU College of Engineering, and MU Extension.The MK-V runs solely on electricity and is equipped with cameras and sensors that allow it to be driven remotely. Its artificial intelligence capabilities are designed to collect data and analyze crop health, allowing the machine to align with future agricultural innovation.Kent Shannon, a CAFNR professor specializing in agricultural systems and technology, piloted the tractor for Tuesday’s demonstration. He said the MK-V was well-suited for smaller-scale farms, including his own.“It provides some opportunities that a traditional tractor wouldn’t,” he said. “I can see me using this on a beef cattle farm at home.”The tractor does come with a high price tag: A standard model starts at about $89,000, more than twice the price of a traditional tractor of the same size, Shannon said.Even so, he emphasized that the total value of the tractor has yet to be fully understood, meaning that the price might actually be affordable given the advanced capabilities it offers.“If I went to the local dealership, yeah, I’d find something a lot cheaper than this,” he said. “But if you think about agriculture as a whole, it’s not exorbitant.”“You might even think it was more than $90,000 for a tractor like this,” he added. “You’ve got to think of all of the technologies on it — there’s no other tractor of this stature that has both electric and autonomy capability.”Sazzad Rifat, a PhD student at MU studying biosystems engineering, said he looks forward to learning about the tractor’s autonomous driving features and its ability to maneuver around obstacles.To better understand the MK-V’s technologies, university researchers are interested in exploring its ability to support farmers with disabilities.Findings from this research, as well as information about the MK-V, will be shared with farmers through MU Extension’s AgrAbility program, which helps farmers with disabilities overcome challenges.For Missouri’s small-scale farms, this tractor’s technological capability could be revolutionary, said Dan Downing, a water quality expert with MU Extension in a news release.A more sophisticated hydraulic system and engine reduce emissions that may interfere with farm conditions, Downing said. The tractor also scores very well environmentally on air and water quality measurements.Because of the nascency of this new technology, no state subsidies are yet available to help farmers pay for it, according to Teng Lim, a professor at MU Extension. There is, however, a “good chance” of future state support, he said.This story originally appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/mu-unveils-the-first-fully-electric-autonomous-tractor-in-the-midwest/article_6d1f4dea-4c27-11ee-b22d-e3a740636d5f.html#tncms-source=Featured">the Columbia Missourian</a>. It can be republished in print or online.&nbsp;

First fully electric, autonomous tractor in the Midwest unveiled

K-State cattle experts share advantages of composite sires in a commercial herd

By LISA MOSER&nbsp;K-State Research and Extension

Many commercial cattle producers wanting to leverage genetic diversity incorporate sires of different breeds as a way to get the benefit of heterosis, said the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Experts on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/08/18/avc-conference-summary-treatment-strategies-for-sick-cattle-on-summer-pastures-role-of-a-composite-sire-in-a-commercial-breeding-program/">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast.

“Heterosis is a combination that gives some vigor in areas of the genetic profile that are not highly heritable specifically in reproduction and health,” K-State veterinarian Brad White said.

Instead of rotating the breeds of sires, some producers are now using composite sires to accomplish the goal of a genetic advantage, according to K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.

“A composite bull has a specific combination of breeds,” Phillip Lancaster, K-State beef cattle nutritionist, explained. “Because it is a crossbred animal, it has heterosis advantages that can be passed through the cows to the offspring in a consistent manner.”

Additionally, some composite sires have Expected Progeny Difference data much like purebred cattle to help predict the offspring performance, Larson said.

“Composites with EPDs available can be an appealing option to a producer who wants to follow a simplified breeding system,” he said. “While we don’t get maximum heterosis from the composites, there is some genetic benefit.”

Along with that, genomic testing allows producers to learn in greater detail what the performance of that particular animal will be, according to Lancaster.

“Producers can select the individual that has a high level of heterosis within its genome to improve the hybrid vigor,” he said.

To hear the full discussion, listen to the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/08/18/avc-conference-summary-treatment-strategies-for-sick-cattle-on-summer-pastures-role-of-a-composite-sire-in-a-commercial-breeding-program/" target="_blank">Cattle Chat</a>podcast online or through your preferred streaming platform.

<h2>K-State cattle experts share advantages of composite sires in a commercial herd</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692710255317.jpeg" alt="Some cattle producers are now using composite sires to accomplish the goal of a genetic advantage, said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson. KSRE Photo" />
 <figcaption>Some cattle producers are now using composite sires to accomplish the goal of a genetic advantage, said K-State veterinarian Bob Larson. KSRE Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By LISA MOSER&nbsp;K-State Research and ExtensionMany commercial cattle producers wanting to leverage genetic diversity incorporate sires of different breeds as a way to get the benefit of heterosis, said the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Experts on a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/08/18/avc-conference-summary-treatment-strategies-for-sick-cattle-on-summer-pastures-role-of-a-composite-sire-in-a-commercial-breeding-program/">Cattle Chat</a>&nbsp;podcast.“Heterosis is a combination that gives some vigor in areas of the genetic profile that are not highly heritable specifically in reproduction and health,” K-State veterinarian Brad White said.Instead of rotating the breeds of sires, some producers are now using composite sires to accomplish the goal of a genetic advantage, according to K-State veterinarian Bob Larson.“A composite bull has a specific combination of breeds,” Phillip Lancaster, K-State beef cattle nutritionist, explained. “Because it is a crossbred animal, it has heterosis advantages that can be passed through the cows to the offspring in a consistent manner.”Additionally, some composite sires have Expected Progeny Difference data much like purebred cattle to help predict the offspring performance, Larson said.“Composites with EPDs available can be an appealing option to a producer who wants to follow a simplified breeding system,” he said. “While we don’t get maximum heterosis from the composites, there is some genetic benefit.”Along with that, genomic testing allows producers to learn in greater detail what the performance of that particular animal will be, according to Lancaster.“Producers can select the individual that has a high level of heterosis within its genome to improve the hybrid vigor,” he said.To hear the full discussion, listen to the&nbsp;<a href="https://ksubci.org/2023/08/18/avc-conference-summary-treatment-strategies-for-sick-cattle-on-summer-pastures-role-of-a-composite-sire-in-a-commercial-breeding-program/" target="_blank">Cattle Chat</a>podcast online or through your preferred streaming platform.

Cattle Chat: Role of composite sires

By ASHLEY MURRAY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — U.S. senators approved bipartisan amendments to the annual defense policy bill Tuesday night that would prohibit China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/03/17/limits-on-foreign-ownership-of-u-s-farmland-gain-support-in-congress-despite-skepticism/">purchasing</a>&nbsp;U.S. farmland and screen American investment in high-tech ventures on foreign adversary soil.

By a 91-7 vote, the lawmakers approved a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/118th-congress/senate-amendment/813/text?s=2&amp;r=9&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Mike%22%2C%22rounds%22%5D%7D">measure</a>&nbsp;that would require review of — and direct the president to halt or waive — agricultural land transactions by the four nations.

The amendment would empower the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to evaluate the land deals. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/international/the-committee-on-foreign-investment-in-the-united-states-cfius">committee</a>&nbsp;already reviews other inbound investment transactions,

Of the 40 million acres of U.S. forest and farmland owned by foreign investors at the end of 2021, China accounted for 383,935 acres, or less than 1%, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2021_afida_annual_report_through_12_31_2021.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;on foreign land holdings.

The 2022 purchase of 300 acres by a Chinese-owned corn processing company near an Air Force base in North Dakota triggered concern among some lawmakers, as did the discovery in February of a Chinese surveillance&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/03/chinese-surveillance-balloon-now-drifting-across-the-middle-of-the-u-s-pentagon-confirms/">balloon</a>&nbsp;hovering over Montana, home to many U.S. nuclear missiles.

The amendment was co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Steve Daines of Montana, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Ted Cruz of Texas, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven of North Dakota, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Democratic Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

“In recent years, our country has seen firsthand attempts by our near peer competitors to acquire land adjacent to our military bases,” Rounds said on the Senate floor Tuesday.&nbsp; “In 2020, a Chinese-led company planned to build a wind energy farm project near Del Rio, Texas, only miles away from Laughlin Air Force base, where U.S. pilots are trained.”

State lawmakers blocked the wind farm project in 2021, but recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-chinese-wind-farm-green-energy-6cd629303e8870e1942c170ebc52d7bc">gave</a>&nbsp;it a green light after a company from Spain backed it instead.

As of 2021, Canadian investors held the largest amount of forest and farmland, followed by the Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom and Germany, according to the USDA.

Senators also voted 91-6 on an amendment to screen investment by U.S. companies in China, Iran, North Korea and Russia in high-tech sectors, including artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductors, satellite communications and quantum computing.

Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas have been pushing legislation since 2021 that would monitor the offshoring of supply chains in industries and locations with national security implications.

The annual defense bill “tackles the toughest national security issues facing our nation,” Casey said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “And the technological competition with the People’s Republic of China is certainly at the top of that list.”

“Right now we’re in competition with a communist government that doesn’t play by the rules,” he continued in remarks before the vote. “The Chinese government employs economic espionage and it exploits the United States’ open research and innovation to build up its own capabilities.”

U.S. outbound investment totaled $6.58 trillion at the end of 2022,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2023/direct-investment-country-and-industry-2022">according to</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Most was concentrated in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland and Canada. Just over $1 trillion landed in Latin America and the Western Hemisphere, while roughly $951 million went to Asia and the Pacific. The Middle East and Africa were near the bottom of the list with just over $80 million and $46 million respectively.

The Casey-Cornyn amendment would require U.S. corporations and other entities to notify the secretary of the Treasury prior to a deal.

Unlike foreign investment that comes into the U.S., no federal mechanism screens the dollars American companies are investing outside the nation.

The National Defense Authorization Act is the annual defense policy bill that continues defense policies, nuclear weapons programs and authorizes defense-related spending.

Lawmakers often use the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10516">massive bill</a>&nbsp;as a vehicle for various policy matters because Congress consistently enacts the legislation each year. After the Senate bill is passed, it will go to a conference committee with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/07/14/defense-bill-that-targets-abortion-access-trans-health-racial-equity-passes-u-s-house/">a House-passed bill</a>&nbsp;that targets abortion access, transgender health and racial equity.

The legislation does not appropriate money for the Department of Defense and other relevant federal agencies. Rather, the bill authorizes how the funds should be spent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605548577424.jpeg" alt="Photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>By ASHLEY MURRAY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — U.S. senators approved bipartisan amendments to the annual defense policy bill Tuesday night that would prohibit China, Iran, North Korea and Russia from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/03/17/limits-on-foreign-ownership-of-u-s-farmland-gain-support-in-congress-despite-skepticism/">purchasing</a>&nbsp;U.S. farmland and screen American investment in high-tech ventures on foreign adversary soil.By a 91-7 vote, the lawmakers approved a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/amendment/118th-congress/senate-amendment/813/text?s=2&amp;r=9&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22Mike%22%2C%22rounds%22%5D%7D">measure</a>&nbsp;that would require review of — and direct the president to halt or waive — agricultural land transactions by the four nations.The amendment would empower the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to evaluate the land deals. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/international/the-committee-on-foreign-investment-in-the-united-states-cfius">committee</a>&nbsp;already reviews other inbound investment transactions,Of the 40 million acres of U.S. forest and farmland owned by foreign investors at the end of 2021, China accounted for 383,935 acres, or less than 1%, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2021_afida_annual_report_through_12_31_2021.pdf">report</a>&nbsp;on foreign land holdings.The 2022 purchase of 300 acres by a Chinese-owned corn processing company near an Air Force base in North Dakota triggered concern among some lawmakers, as did the discovery in February of a Chinese surveillance&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/03/chinese-surveillance-balloon-now-drifting-across-the-middle-of-the-u-s-pentagon-confirms/">balloon</a>&nbsp;hovering over Montana, home to many U.S. nuclear missiles.The amendment was co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Steve Daines of Montana, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Ted Cruz of Texas, Kevin Cramer and John Hoeven of North Dakota, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Democratic Sens. Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.“In recent years, our country has seen firsthand attempts by our near peer competitors to acquire land adjacent to our military bases,” Rounds said on the Senate floor Tuesday.&nbsp; “In 2020, a Chinese-led company planned to build a wind energy farm project near Del Rio, Texas, only miles away from Laughlin Air Force base, where U.S. pilots are trained.”State lawmakers blocked the wind farm project in 2021, but recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-chinese-wind-farm-green-energy-6cd629303e8870e1942c170ebc52d7bc">gave</a>&nbsp;it a green light after a company from Spain backed it instead.As of 2021, Canadian investors held the largest amount of forest and farmland, followed by the Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom and Germany, according to the USDA.<h2>Investment abroad</h2>Senators also voted 91-6 on an amendment to screen investment by U.S. companies in China, Iran, North Korea and Russia in high-tech sectors, including artificial intelligence, advanced semiconductors, satellite communications and quantum computing.Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and GOP Sen. John Cornyn of Texas have been pushing legislation since 2021 that would monitor the offshoring of supply chains in industries and locations with national security implications.The annual defense bill “tackles the toughest national security issues facing our nation,” Casey said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “And the technological competition with the People’s Republic of China is certainly at the top of that list.”“Right now we’re in competition with a communist government that doesn’t play by the rules,” he continued in remarks before the vote. “The Chinese government employs economic espionage and it exploits the United States’ open research and innovation to build up its own capabilities.”U.S. outbound investment totaled $6.58 trillion at the end of 2022,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bea.gov/news/2023/direct-investment-country-and-industry-2022">according to</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.Most was concentrated in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Ireland and Canada. Just over $1 trillion landed in Latin America and the Western Hemisphere, while roughly $951 million went to Asia and the Pacific. The Middle East and Africa were near the bottom of the list with just over $80 million and $46 million respectively.The Casey-Cornyn amendment would require U.S. corporations and other entities to notify the secretary of the Treasury prior to a deal.Unlike foreign investment that comes into the U.S., no federal mechanism screens the dollars American companies are investing outside the nation.<h2>Defense bill</h2>The National Defense Authorization Act is the annual defense policy bill that continues defense policies, nuclear weapons programs and authorizes defense-related spending.Lawmakers often use the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF10516">massive bill</a>&nbsp;as a vehicle for various policy matters because Congress consistently enacts the legislation each year. After the Senate bill is passed, it will go to a conference committee with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/07/14/defense-bill-that-targets-abortion-access-trans-health-racial-equity-passes-u-s-house/">a House-passed bill</a>&nbsp;that targets abortion access, transgender health and racial equity.The legislation does not appropriate money for the Department of Defense and other relevant federal agencies. Rather, the bill authorizes how the funds should be spent.The 2022 NDAA authorized $768.2 billion.

U.S. Senate votes to curb farmland purchases by China, Iran, North Korea, Russia

This is day 12 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.

Wheat harvest continues to be a slog with producers fighting rains and weeds to get the crop across the scale. Harvest is now 71 percent complete, well behind 98 percent last year and 94 percent for the five-year average, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop progress report for the week ending July 16, 2023.&nbsp;

In the far southwestern corner of the state, Morgan Walls with Elkhart Co-op reports wheat harvest in Morton County has been a drag. Weather has been inhibitive; quality has been a challenge and weeds continue to be a struggle.&nbsp;

Wheat harvest here should be wrapped up by the fourth of July, but this year that’s when the first loads hit the scales. With rain delays that have continuously deteriorated test weights, wheat harvest should finally finish by the end of the week.&nbsp;

But it’s hard to gauge where harvest is at, as 70 to 75 percent of planted acres were zeroed out by crop insurance, and more acres were taken out by spotty hail in the last couple of weeks. Test weights are averaging lighter than preferred at about 58 pounds per bushel with protein ranging between 12 and 14 percent. Yields are all over the place, from five bushels an acre all the way up to a very small area that had timely moisture and is seeing averages around 70 bushels per acre.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Following a busy weekend of cutting in Ness County harvest is all but done, according to Brad Cowan, general manager of CGS in Bazine. After having started cutting around June 23, producers are just tired after fighting the weeds, fighting the weather and fighting green wheat.&nbsp;

Yields ranged from 15 to 55 bushels per acre with test weights averaging 59.6 pounds per bushel and average protein coming in consistently just short of 13 percent. Fields that were close, but not released by crop insurance, benefitted from a perfect two-week period of filling weather, resulting in yields at 25 to 30 bushels per acre.&nbsp;

Weeds have been a continuous struggle, which means more work for the elevators. CGS will take in about the same number of bushels as last year, which is roughly half of the five-year average. That wheat will be loaded by train onto the short line and delivered to flour mills in eastern Kansas.&nbsp;

Weeds are also the main struggle in Meade County, where Dave Strecker with Alliance Ag and Grain LLC reported from Fowler in the eastern part of the county. Harvest here has been going on for a long time, having started around June 27 and still only about three-quarters finished.&nbsp;

Strecker said grain quality is pretty good with better than average proteins, but bushels are down dramatically due to approximately 65 percent abandonment of planted acres. There are several producers who won’t bring a single bushel of wheat to town.&nbsp;

The wheat that is coming in is yielding 20 to 35 bushels per acre, compared to the 60 to 70 bushels per acre for a normal year. Overall, he estimated the area will take in a maximum of 25 percent of bushels compared to the five-year average.&nbsp;

But, by this time next week, Strecker expects that all the wheat that will be harvested will be in the bin. And that’s much-needed as the corn is tasseling. He estimated only five weeks until the first load of dryland corn arrives, not a lot of time for the elevators to turn house and prepare for fall harvest.&nbsp;

With triple-digit temperatures expected in coming days, producers will likely make quick harvest progress if summer storms stay away. Stay tuned as the Kansas Wheat crew continues to share results from the field with the next report scheduled for July 18.&nbsp;

The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share your harvest story and photos.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689639526635.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By Julia Debes for Kansas WheatThis is day 12 of the Kansas Wheat Harvest Reports, brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council.Wheat harvest continues to be a slog with producers fighting rains and weeds to get the crop across the scale. Harvest is now 71 percent complete, well behind 98 percent last year and 94 percent for the five-year average, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) crop progress report for the week ending July 16, 2023.&nbsp;In the far southwestern corner of the state, Morgan Walls with Elkhart Co-op reports wheat harvest in Morton County has been a drag. Weather has been inhibitive; quality has been a challenge and weeds continue to be a struggle.&nbsp;Wheat harvest here should be wrapped up by the fourth of July, but this year that’s when the first loads hit the scales. With rain delays that have continuously deteriorated test weights, wheat harvest should finally finish by the end of the week.&nbsp;But it’s hard to gauge where harvest is at, as 70 to 75 percent of planted acres were zeroed out by crop insurance, and more acres were taken out by spotty hail in the last couple of weeks. Test weights are averaging lighter than preferred at about 58 pounds per bushel with protein ranging between 12 and 14 percent. Yields are all over the place, from five bushels an acre all the way up to a very small area that had timely moisture and is seeing averages around 70 bushels per acre.&nbsp;&nbsp;Following a busy weekend of cutting in Ness County harvest is all but done, according to Brad Cowan, general manager of CGS in Bazine. After having started cutting around June 23, producers are just tired after fighting the weeds, fighting the weather and fighting green wheat.&nbsp;Yields ranged from 15 to 55 bushels per acre with test weights averaging 59.6 pounds per bushel and average protein coming in consistently just short of 13 percent. Fields that were close, but not released by crop insurance, benefitted from a perfect two-week period of filling weather, resulting in yields at 25 to 30 bushels per acre.&nbsp;Weeds have been a continuous struggle, which means more work for the elevators. CGS will take in about the same number of bushels as last year, which is roughly half of the five-year average. That wheat will be loaded by train onto the short line and delivered to flour mills in eastern Kansas.&nbsp;Weeds are also the main struggle in Meade County, where Dave Strecker with Alliance Ag and Grain LLC reported from Fowler in the eastern part of the county. Harvest here has been going on for a long time, having started around June 27 and still only about three-quarters finished.&nbsp;Strecker said grain quality is pretty good with better than average proteins, but bushels are down dramatically due to approximately 65 percent abandonment of planted acres. There are several producers who won’t bring a single bushel of wheat to town.&nbsp;The wheat that is coming in is yielding 20 to 35 bushels per acre, compared to the 60 to 70 bushels per acre for a normal year. Overall, he estimated the area will take in a maximum of 25 percent of bushels compared to the five-year average.&nbsp;But, by this time next week, Strecker expects that all the wheat that will be harvested will be in the bin. And that’s much-needed as the corn is tasseling. He estimated only five weeks until the first load of dryland corn arrives, not a lot of time for the elevators to turn house and prepare for fall harvest.&nbsp;With triple-digit temperatures expected in coming days, producers will likely make quick harvest progress if summer storms stay away. Stay tuned as the Kansas Wheat crew continues to share results from the field with the next report scheduled for July 18.&nbsp;The 2023 Harvest Report is brought to you by the Kansas Wheat Commission, Kansas Association of Wheat Growers, Kansas Grain and Feed Association and the Kansas Cooperative Council. To follow along with harvest updates on Twitter, use #wheatharvest23. Tag us at @kansaswheat on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to share your harvest story and photos.

Day 12, Kansas Wheat Harvest Report

By Jared Strong <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">States Newsroom&nbsp;</a>

COUNCIL BLUFFS — Former President Donald Trump claimed he is the “most pro-farmer president that you’ve ever had” during a campaign stop in Iowa and joked that his payments to them during a trade war with China should guarantee he will win the state’s caucuses.

“How the hell can I not? I gave the farmers $28 billion,” he said Friday in a ballroom of the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs.

Trump was referring to bailout money paid to farmers in 2019 amid his efforts to rework the country’s trade policies, which included imposing tariffs on Chinese products. The country retaliated, in part, by imposing its own tariffs on soybeans, crippling an important export market for Iowa farmers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688866742399.png" alt="Former President Donald Trump said he is a champion of farmers in a campaign visit to Council Bluffs on July 7, 2023. (Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump said he is a champion of farmers in a campaign visit to Council Bluffs on July 7, 2023. (Jared Strong/Iowa Capital Dispatch)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Jared Strong <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">States Newsroom&nbsp;</a>COUNCIL BLUFFS — Former President Donald Trump claimed he is the “most pro-farmer president that you’ve ever had” during a campaign stop in Iowa and joked that his payments to them during a trade war with China should guarantee he will win the state’s caucuses.“How the hell can I not? I gave the farmers $28 billion,” he said Friday in a ballroom of the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs.Trump was referring to bailout money paid to farmers in 2019 amid his efforts to rework the country’s trade policies, which included imposing tariffs on Chinese products. The country retaliated, in part, by imposing its own tariffs on soybeans, crippling an important export market for Iowa farmers.Last year, the United States exported about $154 billion of goods to China, up about 19% from 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Exports dropped to about $107 billion during the trade war in 2019.Trump said farmers benefited from the dispute and his trade renegotiations with other countries such as Canada and Mexico. He said farmers also benefited from tax cuts implemented by Congress during his administration, along with a temporary increase in the exemption to the federal tax that is levied on the estates of wealthy people after they die.“A lot of times they lose the farm,” he said of children of farmers who can’t afford to pay.Further, Trump said his administration supported the ethanol industry by allowing summertime sales of E15 — a gasoline blend with 15% ethanol. A&nbsp;federal judge later reversed that action, saying the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency did not have the authority to lift restrictions on its sales without approval from Congress.Trump said he would continue to negotiate better trade deals for farmers if reelected and would prevent Chinese ownership of American farmland.State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, a Wilton Republican who is a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign in Iowa, launched the Friday event with a panel discussion about agriculture that included talks about water quality restrictions, farm subsidies and other issues.“There is no doubt in my mind that Donald Trump has been the single best president in United States history for Iowa agriculture and farmers in general,” Kaufmann said. “I mean, look, he brought the rain today.”Rally attendees had long waits in sometimes heavy rain to get into the venue, which was considerably smaller than the large-scale rallies for which Trump is known. Staff at the Mid-America Center said the ballroom could accommodate about 2,000 people.As they waited inside, there were periodic chants of “Trump! Trump! Trump!” and “Build the wall!” There was also an impromptu recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.<h2>Shadow of indictments</h2>It was the Republican frontrunner’s first appearance in Iowa since&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/06/09/the-indictment-is-unsealed-trump-faces-37-felony-counts-in-classified-documents-probe/">his 37-count federal indictment</a>&nbsp;last month that accuses Trump of scheming to keep classified documents from his time as president.“It’s all bull—,” Trump said Friday. “I’m the only person who ever got indicted that got more popular.”Trump, as a presidential candidate seven years ago, made repeated statements about the importance of protecting classified information, according to the indictment: “No one will be above the law,” he said in August 2016.But he has pivoted to claim he is being unfairly targeted by the federal government for political reasons and that others — including President Joe Biden and his first presidential opponent Hillary Clinton — are guilty of similar offenses.However, the accusations against Trump stand apart in that he allegedly took more than 100 classified documents from his former presidency to his resort and home in Florida, stored them haphazardly, and disclosed some of the information they contained to people without appropriate security clearances.That doesn’t matter to Travis Humbert, of Underwood, who attended the rally with his 13-year-old son.“It could be true,” said Humbert, who voted twice in presidential elections for Trump and plans to again. “But people are stuck in the past. Who cares? We all have a past. Let’s move on. He’s a businessman, not a politician, and he’s actually trying to work for the American people.”The federal indictment is the second criminal allegation against him that has yielded formal charges this year. In April, a New York grand jury indicted Trump&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/03/30/trump-indicted-by-manhattan-grand-jury-according-to-reports/">for falsifying business records</a>. The state indictment targets Trump’s claims that certain payments to an attorney were for legal fees, while investigators allege they were reimbursements for a hush-money payment to an adult film actress.And there are two pending investigations into whether Trump attempted to interfere with the 2020 election in Georgia — a state Biden narrowly won — and into Trump’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack of the U.S. Capitol.“It’s a joke — a total joke,” Patty Murray, of Omaha, said of the criminal inquiries into Trump.Murray wants Trump to get a second term so that he can finish building a wall at the country’s southern border with Mexico, promote international peace and bolster the economy.She said the investigations and indictments have done little to diminish Trump’s credibility with his supporters.“It’s helped him,” Murray said. “Everybody says it’s a joke.”Jeanne Greisen, a Lincoln, Nebraska,resident who volunteered at Friday’s rally, agreed: “People like to support somebody that’s being attacked and doing the right thing. They like to back the small guy.”Trump pledged last month to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden and his family if he is elected president again. Greisen hesitated to express support for politically motivated investigations but said: “I think it just needs to be fair across the board. The same law needs to be applied to every person.”Greisen said she will vote for Trump, hoping in a second term he can require public school children to learn more about the U.S. Constitution, lessen the prevalence of human trafficking and reduce the size and scope of government.Greisen, Murray and Humbert also said that the economy has suffered under Biden’s leadership and that inflation is still a major problem.“Gas prices need to come back down,” said Humbert, of Woodward.<a target="_blank" href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-r/2024/iowa/">Recent polls</a>&nbsp;of potential Republican caucus voters in Iowa show Trump with double-digit percentage point leads over his nearest competitor, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Nationally, pollsters show a wider margin of support for Trump, with Trump’s former vice president, Mike Pence, in a distant third.Trump lobbed numerous personal attacks at DeSantis for being a “lousy candidate” for governor who was only elected because of Trump’s support in 2018.Trump said that his status as the clear frontrunner is what made him a target for criminal investigations and that he is acting as a shield for the nation’s citizens.“They want to take away my freedom because I sure as hell won’t let them take your freedom,” he said to rapturous applause. He later added: “In the end, they’re not after me. They’re after you, and I just happen to be standing in the way.”He was not more specific about who was planning to take freedoms from citizens nor what specific freedoms they are.<h2>Democrats point to Roe</h2>Iowa Auditor Rob Sand, the state’s sole elected Democrat to currently hold a statewide office, criticized Trump at a news conference in Des Moines on Friday before the former president’s Council Bluffs event.Sand said Trump is advocating for the same “extremist” policies that Iowa Republican lawmakers and Gov. Kim Reynolds advocate for. He pointed to Reynolds’&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/05/reynolds-announces-special-session-on-abortion-for-july-11/">call for a special session</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, July 11, to pass abortion legislation following the Iowa Supreme Court decision not allowing enforcement of the state’s 2018 six-week abortion ban.“So as Donald Trump comes to Iowa today, it’s important to remember that he bragged about being the one to get Roe overturned,” Sand said. “It’s important to remember that they are paving the way for the legislative bans that Republicans are going to do right here in Iowa.”Trump mentioned abortion briefly and said the Supreme Court decision gives abortion opponents more leverage to negotiate for regulations that are less extreme than what he said Democrats want. He said he supports exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother.Of the court decision to eliminate a right to abortion at the federal level: “Good things are going to come about it, and you move it back to the states where all the legal scholars said it should be,” Trump said.This article first appeared in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/07/07/trump-appeals-to-farmers-in-iowa-campaign-visit/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>,&nbsp;a sister&nbsp;site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.