(left to right) Joel Brinkmeyer, AAI CEO, John Hinners, Asst. VP, US MEF, and David Geiger, anchor/producer Agribusiness Report

John Hinners, Asst. Vice President, Industry Relations, for the U.S. Meat Export Federation, (US MEF), located in Denver, Colorado, stopped by the Agribusiness Association of Iowa offices on May 18. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss international trade issues, provide an update on U.S. Meat Exports in general, and to discuss the recent announcement of the US / China - Beef Agreement. The US meat industry relies heavily on international trade for market access, and additional livestock growth in the US means additional grain demand. While at the AAI headquarters, John provided an interview opportunity with David Geiger for the Agribusiness Report, which was featured on the same day.

 

China has not imported beef from the U.S. since 2003, and at that time, China's total beef imports were 8,400 tons from all sources. Compare that to last year, when China imported 580,000 tons of beef, primarily from Uruguay, Brazil, and Australia, (none from the US), and one can easily see the potential opportunities that opening this market could bring to the U.S. beef industry.

 

President Trump's meeting with President Xi Jinping in early April mapped out a larger "100 day plan", that includes more aspects than just US beef.  Other areas of discussion included finance, US liquefied natural gas exports, Chinese cooked poultry, and others. This is not the first time that an announcement has been made regarding China opening imports to US beef, however, it is believed that negotiators reached consensus on the main parameter of the US beef market access prior to the announcement.   Although all of those details are not yet know, it is believed details will be announced in time for July, 2017  shipments of US beef.

The Asmark Institute has revised three of their most popular posters to bring you the most current product and regulatory information available. AAI has mailed one free set to our retail members. Additional posters are available for purchase, the posters are: 

Members may purchase additional posters as a set of three for only $15.00 plus shipping and handling or individually for $6.00 each plus shipping and handling. We have a limited supply of these, so please order as soon as possible. 

Questions - please call Reilly Vaughan 515-262-8323 or CLICK HERE TO ORDER ONLINE

  

Please contact the Certification Department at  608-273-8080 or certification@sciencesocieties.org
if you have any questions.

by: Iowa Farm Bureau Spokesman

  by: The Fertilizer Institute

The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) submitted comment letter to the EPA supporting the proposed extension of the effective date to February 19, 2019 for the Risk Management Program (RMP) changes published in January.  

The letter states that TFI " believes an extension to the effective date of the RMP rule is more than warranted. It will provide the additional time necessary for the agency to examine further the inadequacies and shortcomings in the rulemaking process and new rule provisions, and, perhaps most importantly, will prevent the premature implementation of a potentially costly and imperfect rule." Read Full Letter Here

by: IDALS

2017 sign-up period is open for statewide cost share funds to help farmers install nutrient reduction practices.  This program has been popular with farmers interested in adding additional practices to their operation.  Practices eligible for this funding are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.

 

"Iowa farmers are continuing to take on the challenge of improving water quality and this program has played an important role in helping farmers get started with a new practice on their farm focused on protecting water quality. We have seen thousands of farmers try cover crops on hundreds of thousands of acres through this program," Northey said.  "We were excited to have funds available again this year and encourage farmers to contact their local Soil and Water Conservation District to learn more and potentially sign up to participate."

In the last 4 years this program has been available, over 3,750 farmers put in new nutrient reduction practices on over 480,000 acres.  The state provided about $9.4 million in cost share funding to help farmers try a water quality practice for the first time and Iowa farmers provided more than $9.6 million of their own resources to support these water quality practices.  Read More

by: AFIA

Registration is now open for the American Feed Industry Association's 46th annual Liquid Feed Symposium, Sept. 12-14, in Louisville, Kentucky. 

 

The symposium is hosted by AFIA's Liquid Feed Committee and focuses on current issues, growth, education and development in regard to the liquid supplement industry. It is designed to provide education on and promote all segments of the liquid feed industry, including manufacturers, nutritionists, equipment manufacturers, sales and marketing and additional industry support companies.

More information on the Liquid Feed Symposium, along with the agenda can be found here. 

There are over 33,000 female farm operators in Iowa. These women account for 25 percent of all the farm operators in the state according to Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Census.

ISU is offering an Agronomy in the Field multi-session workshop for women landowners, farmers, conservationists and other women who are interested in learning more about agronomy. Read More