National Wheat Yield Contest Winners Announced
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The National Wheat Foundation (NWF) has announced the national and state winners for the 2017 National Wheat Yield Contest. Growers from 27 states entered the Contest making this the largest listing to date of state winners. “It’s great to see winners from such states as Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia who aren’t commonly known for producing wheat,” stated NWF Board President and North Carolina wheat grower Phil McLain. “It demonstrates the versatility of the crop which can grow in these states as well as in states like Kansas and Washington.”
Congratulations to Maryland State Winners:
- John Willin, 1st Place Maryland; 110.76 Bu/A with USG 3404 (Irrigated)
- Scot Poffenberger, 1st Place Maryland; 97.82 Bu/A with Pioneer 25R40 (Dryland)
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Check your Mailbox to complete the Census of Agriculture!
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Every five years, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) conducts the Census of Agriculture, which is the only source of uniform, comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every county in the nation. It's a complete count of U.S. farms and the people who operate them. From small plots of urban and rural land to large farms with thousands of acres, the Census counts them all plus looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, and income and expenditures.
There are some interesting changes coming to the 2017 Census. New demographic questions will better demonstrate who owns, runs and makes decisions for the farms in America. According to Ginger Harris, a demographics statistician with NASS, after the 2012 Census of Agriculture, NASS received feedback that the way it measured farm operators may not be fully capturing the role of women and new and beginning farmers.
New, also, to the 2017 Census of Agriculture is asking whether a farmer is serving or has ever served in the military. Farmers make up less than two percent of the U.S. population, and those in the military are an even smaller percentage. From this, the USDA can measure the number of veterans who have taken up farming and develop programs to meet their needs.
NASS's new web response tool for this year's Census saves time, is user-friendly, calculates totals automatically, and skips questions not applicable to your operation. The first of the Census of Agriculture mailings begins next week, with subsequent mailouts throughout the first few weeks of December. Look for yours in the mail.
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Farm and Forestry Succession Workshop - Mid-Shore
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Make plans to attend one of the upcoming Farm and Forestry Succession Workshops, brought to you in partnership with the ALEI,
University of Maryland Extension, the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Nationwide Insurance, and the Alliance for the Bay. These intensive one-day workshops focus on
the farm succession process, including communication, business planning, estate planning basics, and tax basics. The farm succession process can be challenging, as conversations about the future of the farm can be difficult. Participants will walk away with the tools they need to begin
planning for a smooth and secure transition of the farm or forestry lands to future generations.
All generations on the farm are encouraged to attend.
Farm and Forestry Succession Workshop – Mid Shore
When:
Monday, December 18, 8:00 am - 3:15 pm
Where: Caroline County Extension Office
Cost: $10.00
Several additional workshops across the state are scheduled in early 2018. Details coming soon.
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Agricultural Outlook and Policy Conference
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Registration is now open for the 2017 Agricultural Outlook and Policy Conference, taking place on December 12 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Annapolis. Current topics include 2018 commodity outlook, Maryland legislative update, ag conservation and water quality, utilization of nontraditional water sources for irrigation, dairy outlook, 2017 farm bill debate, and which legal issues are impact Maryland producers the most. Registration for the conference is $30 and includes lunch.
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New Study Shows Grain Exports Offered $55.5 Billion in Economic Output
Exports of U.S. feed grains and related products
provide critical support across the U.S. economy
, offering billions in economic direct and indirect economic benefits to farmers, rural communities and the nation as a whole. N
ew research
commissioned by the U.S. Grains Council and the National Corn Growers Association quantified these benefits, showing that U.S. feed grain and grain products exports were worth $18.9 billion in 2015 and supported $55.5 billion in economic output. These exports were linked directly or indirectly to nearly 262,000 jobs.
Furthermore, if exports were halted, the analysis indicated that more than 46,000 jobs and $2.6 billion in GDP would be adversely impacted at the farm, ethanol production and meat production levels before accounting for losses in linked industries.
Breaking down the numbers, these results showed every $1 of grain exports generated supported an additional $2.19 in business sales. And every job directly created by the export of grain and grain products supported an additional 4.7 jobs in the United States.
These indirect and induced business activities extend well beyond the agricultural industry, including to the wholesale trade, real estate, oil and natural gas extraction to service sectors including restaurants, hospitals and employment services industries.
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NCGA William C. Berg Academic Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship
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Today is the last day to apply for one of
five $1,000
scholarships awarded by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and BASF Corporation! These scholarships are to be awarded to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a degree in an agriculture-related field during the 2018-19 school year. Applicants
for the NCGA William C. Berg Academic Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship Program must be entering at least their second undergraduate year or any year of graduate study, and they or a parent or legal guardian must be an NCGA member.
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