Updates For Alabama Farmers

August 24, 2023

Heat Prevention Posters Available for Alabama Farmers

Click here to access the Spanish version.

As record-breaking heat rolls across the U.S., the Department of Labor (DOL) is ramping up enforcement to protect workers from extreme heat. In July, the Biden Administration asked the DOL to issue the first-ever hazard alert for heat.

Additionally, a firm rule is soon expected from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), after the entity published an advanced notice proposed rule for heat injury and illness prevention in October 2021.

Be prepared for the heat — and potential rulings from OSHA — on your farm by:

Downloading this Heat Illness Prevention Poster to be displayed in your farm office and common spaces, courtesy of the Alabama Farmers Federation and Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association
Visiting OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention website for more resources

Commodity Corner

Livestock

Livestock producers could see continued feedstuff price hikes as Russia aggressively blocks Ukraine’s wheat and grain exports. Meanwhile, India has halted all major exports of rice to protect their domestic supply. These disruptions have caused tensions to rise in areas that combat food insecurity, as wheat and rice make up over 30% of the world’s caloric intake.

Corn

The U.S. is escalating its dispute with Mexico over the country’s ban on genetically modified white corn and its intent to bar all biotech corn from food and animal feed. The U.S. has called for a dispute panel under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Learn more here.

Beef

Feeder cattle markets have trended higher in recent months due to lower supplies of feeder calves available and continued strong consumer demand for beef domestically and globally.

Drought continues to be an area of concern for beef cattle producers as they look to stockpile forage, secure by-product feedstuffs and prepare hay for winter. Portions of south Alabama are now on the drought monitor as abnormally dry (D0). Learn more here.

Dairy, Pork and Poultry

The Alabama Farmers Federation appreciates the recent ruling by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reject the 2017 petitions by environmental activists to place further regulations on concentrated animal feeding operations under the Clean Water Act. The EPA will form a federal advisory committee of industry experts who will evaluate current regulations. Learn more here.

Equine

Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) recently announced a horse tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). The positive result, which was discovered at ADAI’s veterinary diagnostic lab in Auburn, originated from a horse in Baldwin County. Horse owners are advised to vaccinate horses for EEE and West Nile. Learn more here.

Peanuts

With retaliatory tariffs from the European Union now lifted, there has been an uptick of more than 32% in peanut butter purchases in the last five months compared to the same period in 2022.

This information is from the American Peanut Council “Trade Insights” August 2023 edition.

Soy Fuels Alabama-Made Renewable Diesel

Renewable diesel made in Alabama and destined for West Coast buyers has an unconventional origin — U.S. soybean farms.

“We use pressure, heat and hydrogen and actually cause a chain reaction to make a product that’s identical to diesel fuel, except it was produced from a new carbon product — soybeans,” said Vertex Energy Executive Vice President Bart Rice.

Soybean oil is the feedstock, or base, of renewable diesel produced at Vertex’s Mobile refinery. The Texas company bought the plant in April 2022, a move that provided continuous employment for over 200 Gulf Coast workers, per Mobile Chamber CEO Bradley Byrne.

While Vertex primarily produces conventional gasoline, jet fuel and diesel at the Mobile refinery, its renewable diesel addition went live this spring. Hundreds of local construction workers rallied to swiftly and safely build the new network of pipes, scaffolding and technology-driven, silo-like reactors in just a year.

Vertex now manufactures up to 8,000 barrels of soy-based renewable diesel daily and made its first commercial sale in June.

Read more here.

Tucked away under longleaf pines and cypress swamps stands a hidden gem in Alabama’s Wiregrass region.

“The goal was to build a place where Auburn University (AU) students, professionals and private landowners could learn about forestry and natural resources,” said Joel Martin, the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center (SDFEC) director. “Solon Dixon wanted to give people the opportunity to sit in a classroom and be in the woods at the same time.”

SDFEC, located outside of Andalusia, was gifted to AU by Solon and Martha Dixon in 1974. The family donated the homeplace; 5,350 acres; and $500,000 to build the first facilities.

“The Dixon family land dates back to the 1850s,” Martin said. “Solon and his brother, Charles, gathered land and built a timber industry over time, owning sawmills and pulp mills.”

That land now houses a summer camp for 60-80 college students a year. Students often call the SDFEC “Solon Dixon,” paying homage to the man responsible for their classroom in the forest.

Rodeo Dreams Fulfilled for University of West Alabama Athletes

Dirt, hooves and bucking chutes filled the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper, Wyoming, as the University of West Alabama (UWA) celebrated three national titles at the College National Finals Rodeo June 9-17.

J.T. Ellison, Taycie Matthews and the women’s rodeo team all won national championships during the two weeks of festivities celebrating collegiate athletes living the cowboy way of life.

“Winning a team championship seemed almost unattainable, but winning three altogether was unimaginable,” said UWA Rodeo Team Head Coach Daniel Poole. “I encourage all our student athletes to work hard while always having integrity. That’s what it takes to win against this level of competition.”

That hard work helped the women’s team bring home the hardware. Teams are ranked based on points earned in individual events. Several cowgirls finished with enough points for UWA to beat its closest competitor by over 100 points and capture the school’s first team national championship since the 1971 football season.

The Sumter County Farmers Federation is a generous donor of the team.

Sumter County Farmers Federation (SCFF) Past President Pat Buck presented University of West Alabama (UWA) Head Rodeo Coach Daniel Poole with a sponsorship check for the following rodeo season. From left are UWA President Dr. Ken Tucker; Assistant Rodeo Coach Lucas Brown; Head Rodeo Coach Daniel Poole; SCFF past President Pat Buck; and SCFF Treasurer Micky Smith.

Read the story here.

Get Ag-tive

Auburn Ag Roundup Sept. 16

The Auburn University (AU) Agricultural Alumni Club and AU College of Agriculture Ag Roundup is Sept. 16 from 2-5 p.m. at Ag Heritage Park in Auburn. The event takes place prior to the homecoming football game. Admission is $5. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online.

Get tickets here.

Alabama Landowners Conference Oct. 3-4

Alfa Youth Leadership Conference Nov. 13-14

Market Intel

August WASDE: Dialed-Back Yields Still Suggest Large Corn, Soybean Crops

USDA’s August World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) Report is the first report of the year to incorporate survey-based yield estimates for summer crops based on the simultaneously published August Crop Production Report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Both reports are predominantly sourced from a telephone survey. Wheat yields were based on samples from field plot surveys.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Market Intel is presented by AFBF agricultural economists.