A Publication of the Nebraska Soybean Association and the Nebraska Soybean Board

Non-profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDLINCOLN, NEPERMIT #365

Summer 2015

This information is for educational purposes only and is not an offer to sell Roundup Xtend™ or XtendiMax™. These products are not yet registered or approved for sale or use anywhere in the United States. Commercialization is dependent on multiple factors, including successful conclusion of the regulatory process. The information presented herein is provided for educational purposes only, and is not and shall not be construed as an offer to sell, or a recommendation to use, any unregistered pesticide for any purpose whatsoever. Bollgard II® XtendFlex™ cotton contains genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides, dicamba, the active ingredient in M1691, and glufosinate, the active ingredient in Liberty® brand herbicides. Roundup® brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Dicamba will kill crops that are not tolerant to dicamba. Glufosinate will kill crops that are not tolerant to glufosinate. Contact your Monsanto dealer or refer to Monsanto’s Technology Use Guide for recommended Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System weed control programs. As of January 30, 2015, Bollgard II® XtendFlex™ cotton has been approved for cultivation in the United States and approved for import in Australia, Mexico, Canada, and Japan. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confi rm their buying position for this product. Growers should refer to http://www.biotradestatus.com/ for any updated information on import country approvals.*Roundup Ready 2 Xtend™ soybeans are not currently available for commercial sale or commercial planting. Dicamba herbicide is not currently approved for commercial in-crop use with Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans and nothing herein is a promotion or an offer to sell dicamba herbicide for this use. It is a violation of federal law to promote or offer to sell an unregistered pesticide or a registered pesticide for an unregistered use. Commercialization is dependent on multiple factors, including successful conclusion of the regulatory process.Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship® (ETS). Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance, and in compliance with Monsanto’s Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Only commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to, or used, processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confi rm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship® is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. Always read and follow IRM, where applicable, grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. Asgrow and the A Design®, Asgrow®, Bollgard II®, DEKALB®, Genuity®, Respect the Refuge and Cotton Design®, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend™, Roundup Ready 2 Yield®, Roundup Ready®, Roundup Ready PLUS®, VaporGrip™, Roundup Xtend™, XtendFlex™ and XtendiMax™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. LibertyLink and the Water Droplet Design® is a registered trademark of Bayer. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2015 Monsanto Company.

Tough-to-control weeds such as waterhemp, giant ragweed and marestail can cause many diffi cult challenges in soybean fi elds. Nebraska farmers can look forward to an advanced tool that will help maintain clean fi elds, while offering high yield potential.

Following nearly a decade of development and testing, the Asgrow® brand’s innovative Roundup Ready 2 Xtend™ soybeans are expected to be available for the 2016 growing season. The Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System, pending regulatory approvals, is designed to give farmers powerful tools to help control tough-to-manage and glyphosate-resistant broadleaf weeds. Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans will feature the industry’s fi rst biotech soybean product to provide glyphosate and dicamba tolerance, and it’s built on the Genuity® Roundup Ready 2 Yield® technology platform, which provides consistent performance of more beans per pod and higher yield potential.

Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans are anticipated to be the Asgrow brand’s largest soybean trait launch ever. Pending regulatory approvals, Asgrow is expected to offer the largest number of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend products next season, with a total of 25 products spanning eight maturity groups.

Elite Genetics with High Yield Potential

Dicamba* is proven to be effective in controlling 274 weeds, including many of the problem species that are resistant to glyphosate. Once dicamba is approved for over-the-top use, benefi ts of the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System will include more fl exibility for herbicide application before, at, and after planting. Additionally, dicamba can provide up to 14 days of residual weed control on small-seeded broadleaf weeds. Traditional residual herbicides should still be used as part of the Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System.

Through Ground Breakers® Field Trials Under Permit, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans have demonstrated improved soybean production with enhanced agronomic packages.

“The Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System will offer farmers fl exibility in their early-season broadleaf burndown programs,” says Asgrow® and DEKALB® Technical Agronomist Kevin Keller. “It will provide a level of residual that will compliment any soybean pre-emergent herbicides the farmer may be using, offering exceptional early-season weed control.”

Key Asgrow Roundup Ready 2 Xtend Soybean products that are expected to be available in 2016 to Nebraska farmers include:• AG25X6 brand – 2.5 RM with top end yield potential and tolerance to SCN, PRR, SDS and white mold. • AG29X6 brand – 2.9 RM with a combination of high yield potential and defensive traits, including resistance to Phytophthora and SCN.• AG30X6 brand – 3.0 RM with solid agronomics, a broad defensive package and high yield potential.• AG31X6 brand – 3.1 RM with excellent standability, SCN resistance and high yield potential.• AG34X6 brand – 3.4 RM with high yield potential, good standability and key defensive traits.

“The Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System also allows growers to make a post application to their Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans to help fi ght tough-to-control and late-emerging weeds,” adds Keller.

How to Maintain Clean Fields

Weed control is an essential part of farming, as it can impact the crop’s ability to reach full yield potential. Follow these tips to keep fi elds clean throughout the season:• Target weeds that are four inches or shorter with herbicide application• Start clean on every fi eld: apply a pre-emergence residual herbicide on every acre• Include multiple mechanisms of action in tank mixes to ensure best results of tough-to-control weeds• Nebraska farmers can fi nd weed management recommendations – and information on fi nancial incentives – by visiting the Roundup Ready PLUS Crop Management

Solutions website at RoundupReadyPLUS.com

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROUNDUP READY 2 XTEND SOYBEANS VISIT ASGROW.COM/RR2XTEND

WWW.ASGROW.COM

POWERFUL WEED CONTROL FOR YIELD PROTECTIONInformation provided by Kevin Keller, Asgrow® and DEKALB® Technical Agronomist

Summer 2015 3

In This Issue

A Publication of the Nebraska Soybean Associationand the Nebraska Soybean Board

4 Ron’s Soybean Summary: While You Wait

While we can’t control the weather, we can spend this time to thinkabout how management practices can affect yield and profitability.

5 Things hoped for

There was a lot of hope for property tax relief after seeing the numberof bills dealing with lowering property taxes introduced.

6-7 Nebraska Soybean Board Holds Election forDirector Seats in Districts 1, 3 and 6

Election ballots for the Nebraska Soybean Board Districts 1, 3 and 6will be mailed July 13, 2015 to soybean farmers in those districts.

9 Raise Your Voice For Agriculture, Apply for the 2015-16 Young Leader Program

The ASA DuPont Young Leader program offers the opportunity forparticipants to strengthen their natural leadership skills, expandtheir agricultural knowledge and develop strong peer relationships.

12 Treated Seed and Soybeans Don’t Mix

After you’re finished planting, don’t be tempted to dump your remain -ing seed in with any soybeans you still have from last year’s harvest.

16 Make it a Priority to Tell Your Conservation Story

Just tell the story of conservation practices on your farm and youcould be one of the next regional Conservation Legacy winners.

20 Practical Economics for Rural Nebraska

Nebraska’s unique system of crop, livestock and biofuel productionpresents unmatched opportunities for creating jobs and economicvitality across the state.

21Focusing on the Clean Air Choice

Motorized vehicles are the No. 1 single largest source of air pollution.

25 Development of a Soybean-based Feedstock for Aquaculture

Aquaculture offers the only viable route for a plentiful and safe fishsupply to meet the future demand.

26Connecting Students to Their Food

Organizers wanted to address some of the common mythsassociated with modern food production.

Cover Photo:Summer irrigation

Photo by theUnited Soybean Board

We are currently in the middle of the tenth year of theNebraska Soybean Board’s “See for Yourself”program. Although we have completed the

international marketing seminar in Washington State whereattendees toured the Ports of Grays Harbor and Tacoma, aswell as learned about aquaculture and biodiesel production,plenty of opportunities still exist for you to check out what thecheckoff is doing.

The See for Yourself program is designed to give Nebraskasoybean farmers the opportunity to learn more about theircheckoff. Farmers selected to take part in the program willattend checkoff-sponsored activities in an attempt to gain abetter understanding of how their checkoff dollars are beinginvested to build demand and increase profitability.

See for Yourself includes opportunities to attend state,national and international activities. The in-state programgives farmers the chance to attend functions in Nebraska thatare vital to the continued success of the soybean industry atthe local level. The national program includes attendingmeetings sponsored by the United Soybean Board, UnitedStates Meat Export Federation, National Biodiesel Board,United States Soybean Export Council, United States Poultryand Egg Export Council, as well as many other importantnational meetings and activities. The international program isdesigned to show soybean farmers first-hand what thecheckoff is doing to build global demand.

The Nebraska Soybean Board is committed to increasing theprofitability of your soybeans and wants to give you theopportunity to gain a better understanding of checkoffactivities. To get involved or learn more about the program,please contact the Nebraska Soybean Board office at 402-441-3240. Thank you for your support of the NebraskaSoybean Board and this exciting program, and we hope tosee you at our next event!

– by Drew Guiney

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Interested in Learning moreabout the Soybean Checkoff? Come See for Yourself this year!

StateNational

International

For many of us, this spring has been a starkreminder of the unpredictability of MotherNature. Reports indicate that soybean

farmers in the state are well behind getting theircrop planted compared to last year. While there

isn’t a lot we can do to control the weather, we can spend this time to think abouthow management practices can affect yield and profitability.

Water is critical to raising a crop in Nebraska. And although we’ve receivedabove average moisture in many areas, producers will no doubt face water-related challenges in the future. In an effort to help producers better managewater issues, the Nebraska soybean checkoff has partnered with the University ofNebraska to develop tools and best management practices to give producers thetools they need to maximize their profit potential.

One of the tools that you may have heard about over the last few years isSoyWater – an irrigation management tool developed by Dr. Jim Specht and hiscolleagues at UNL. SoyWater works by pulling local weather data, or informationfrom installed Watermark sensors, to help farmers better understand moisturelevels, when they should apply water, and how much they should apply.Information like this has helped farmers across the state with water management.

Dr. Specht and his team have made SoyWater presentations at events around thestate including Soybean Management Field Days, which will occur August 11-14this year. I encourage you all to attend one of the field day events in your area tolearn more about checkoff funded research projects and current best manage -ment practices. (See the SoyWater article on page 14)

The Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) partners with the university and extension in order to disseminate research to farmers in a timely manner. In an effort toincrease the usability of this information, NSB has funded a project that willdevelop a web portal that summarizes best management practices research inNebraska. This portal will feature research results and a management calendarthat will describe timely issues and research backed management practices.

Finally, I want to take the opportunity to remind everyone that using biodiesel to power their irrigation pivots is a great way to support your own product. Also,if there is an election in your district for an open position on the soybeancheckoff, I strongly encourage you to VOTE.

Here’s wishing everyone a happy and productive growing season. Ron

3815 Touzalin AvenueSuite 101

Lincoln, Nebraska 68507

402-441-3240www.nebraskasoybeans.org

The Nebraska Soybean Board is a private,non-profit checkoff board that is responsiblefor the research and promotion of soybeansin an effort to increase the profitability of

the state’s 22,000 soybean producers.

Nebraska Soybean BoardDirectors

District 1Ed Lammers (Vice Chairman), Hartington

District 2Tony Johanson (Treasurer), Oakland

District 3Richard Bartek, Ithaca

District 4Eugene Goering, Platte Center

District 5Daryl Obermeyer, Brownville

District 6Greg Peters, DeWitt

District 7Ron Pavelka (Chairman), Glenvil

District 8Terry Horky (Secretary), Sargent

At-LargeGreg Anderson, Newman Grove

United Soybean Board DirectorsMark Caspers, AuburnGregg Fujan, Weston

Greg Greving, ChapmanMike Korth, Randolph

Nebraska Soybean Board StaffVictor Bohuslavsky

R J CampbellDrew Guiney

Angi McAndrewDiane Muehlhausen

Lois RonhovdeTeri Ann Zimmerman

Ron’s SoybeanSummaryWhile You Wait

Summer 20154

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This year's Legislative session has been like some years of farming.You have great hope for a large harvest after seeing your great

stands in the spring. But come harvest the yield is just not there.

There was a lot of hope for property tax relief after seeing the number of bills dealing withlowering property taxes introduced. As the hearing process proceeded the hope began todwindle. The only bill with significant property tax relief to advance from the revenue committeeexempts the first ten thousand dollars of value on your personal property statement. This willsave the average farmer about $135 in personal property tax.

The most property tax relief came from the Appropriation Committee. They added $68 millionto the property tax credit program for the next two years. This means the program will have$400 million over the two-year budget.

A resolution was introduced to form a committee to study school financing, to find a way to fundschools besides relying so heavily on property taxes. This failed to advance as they could notagree on who would serve on the committee. There is some indication the Education committeeis going to start the work of looking at the school aid funding formula.

As modern agriculture requires good roads and bridges we are encouraged the legislature hasprovided extra funding to repair them, however it comes at a cost with an increase in the gas tax.

The Legislature debated several bills to assist with livestock expansion in Nebraska. One suchbill to receive the Governor’s signature was LB 175 the Livestock Growth Act. The bill focuseson providing a grant program for livestock friendly counties to use for infrastructure improvementneeded for livestock expansion.

At the Federal level ASA has been working on the review of the Waters of the United StatesRule (WOTUS), proposed renewable fuels volumes, biotechnology approvals, surface transporta -tion board renewal, and of course effective trade policy.

Just like several producers this spring had too many “raniy days” the Legislature sure didn’t floodthe gates with property tax relief like we had hoped. We will continue our work towards effectiveproperty tax policy with the Legislature and our efforts in D.C. will be more important than everin the coming months.

Wishing you a favorable growing season.

Things hoped for– by Ken Boswell, Shickley, NSA President

1111 Lincoln Mall, Suite 308, Lincoln, NE 68508www.nebraskasoybeans.org/ne-nsa

Phone: 402-441-3239 or Email: association@nebraskasoybeans.org

PresidentKen Boswell, Shickley, District 7

STATE DIRECTORSVacant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 1Robert Johnston, Clearwater. . . . District 2Jason Lavene, Bertrand . . . . . . . . District 3Geoffrey Ruth, Rising City . . . . . . District 4Dennis Fujan, Prague . . . . . . . . . . District 5Nathan Dorn, Hickman. . . . . . . . . District 6Craig Frenzen, Fullerton . . . . . . . . At LargeShane Greving, Chapman . . . . . . . At LargeScott Richert, Gresham. . . . . . . . . At LargeDoug Bartek, Wahoo, Saunders CountyRepresentative

www.soygrowers.com

from the Association

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Summer 2015

AMERICAN SOYBEAN ASSOCIATION DIRECTORS

Jim Miller, Belden, ASA DirectorSteve Wellman, Syracuse, ASA Director

SOYBEANEBRASKA is printed four times a year bythe Nebraska Soybean Association and managed bythe Nebraska Soybean Board.For address corrections contact the Nebraska SoybeanAssociation, 1111 Lincoln Mall, Suite 308 Lincoln, NE, 68508. Phone (402) 441-3239.E-mail: association@nebraskasoybeans.orgFor advertising information in SOYBEANEBRASKA,please contact Larson Enterprises, phone(515) 440-2810. E-mail: larson6@mchsi.comTo contact the editor: E-mail: info@nebraskasoybeans.org. Comments and statewide news articles should be sentto the above address. Advertising space reservationsmust be made by the first day of the month precedingpublication. In consideration of the acceptance of theadvertisement, the agency and the advertiser must, inrespect of the contents of the advertisement, indemnifyand save the publisher harmless against any expensearising from claims or actions against the publisherbecause of the publication of the content of theadvertisement.

a member-driven,grassroots policyorganization thatrepresents U.S.soybean farmers

Staff CreditsDiane Muehlhausen . . . . Editor/PublisherR J Campbell . . . . . . . . . . . . . Staff WriterLori Luebbe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Staff WriterDrew Guiney . . . . . . . . . . . . . Staff WriterTeri Ann Zimmerman . . . . . . . Staff WriterDave Larson . . . . . . . . . . . . Sales Director

I Believe, I Belong...I believe in the Nebraska SoybeanAssociation because it gives farmers aunited voice on policy issues both here inLincoln and in DC. We need to be certainthat we have fair policy to protect our farmsfor the next generation, like my son Daltonwho hopes to farm someday. I believe weneed to unite as fellow producers to protectour interests from attacks and radicalgroups that at times say we are harming thesoil and air. We are the same people thatraise our families and eat the same foods asthey do. That is why I believe and belong tothe Nebraska Soybean Association.

– Doug Bartek, Wahoo NE, SaundersCounty Representative, NebraskaSoybean Association

5

Summer 20156

Election ballots for the Nebraska Soybean Board Districts 1, 3 and6 will be mailed on Monday, July 13, 2015, to soybean farmers inthose districts. Farmers eligible to vote in the election must

produce soybeans, be a resident of the district and pay the soybeancheckoff. Qualified farmers who do not receive a ballot by July 17,2015, can call 402-466-1969 to request a ballot. The voting farmermust sign and print their full name and hometown on the returnballot envelope for their vote to be valid. Ballots must be postmarkedby July 31, 2015.

The elected directors will serve a three-year term beginning October 1,2015 and ending September 30, 2018. NSB directors are reimbursedfor expenses incurred while carrying out board business.

The nine-member Nebraska Soybean Board collects and disburses theNebraska share of funds generated by the one half of one percenttimes the net sales price per bushel of soybeans sold. Nebraskasoybean checkoff funds are invested in research, education, domestic and foreign markets, including new uses for soybeans and soybean products.

DISTRICT 1: Counties of Antelope, Boyd, Cedar, Holt, Knox, Madison and Pierce.

Edward LammersHartington, NE - Cedar County

My wife Michelle and I produce corn,soybeans and alfalfa. Also produce beef,with a sizable herd of stock cows. I feed thecalves to sell in the fat cattle market.

Comments by Ed: I will continue tosupport the efforts of the Board in the promotion of soybeans,through domestic use, livestock production, biodiesel, Bioheat andnew products. I feel it is important to help fund research andeducation. This funding helps find new genetics and resistancepackages to help keep us the most productive producers in the world.An important job of the board is to share this information througheducational seminars, brochures and advertisements to producers andconsumers of Nebraska soybeans.

Anne MeisElgin, NE - Antelope County

Jim and I are part of a family operationalong with Jim's brother Joe and wife Pamand Jim's parents. We raise corn, soybeans,alfalfa and also feed beef cattle that we selleach year as fat steers. This year we plan toraise 2/3 of our acres in corn and 1/3 acres

in soybeans. Jim started farming in 1981, and I joined the operationin 1987. We are proud to be 3rd generation on this land and our sonJonathon plans to return to the farm operation after college.

Comments by Anne: As a former classroom educator and recentNebraska LEAD 33 graduate, I believe I have skills and background tobe involved in decisions about how soybean checkoff dollars are used.Jim and I have been soybean producers for over 27 years. I believethat producers need to be more involved marketing and pro motingtheir products. I have long believed the checkoff dollar supports ourfarm business through education and marketing. I would like to be amember of the Nebraska Soybean Board and be a voice for soybeangrowers.

DISTRICT 3: Counties of Butler, Colfax, Dodge,Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington.

Jason Arp, Kennard, NE - Washington County

As fourth generation farmers, my wifeJennifer and our three girls Cassidy, Taylorand Hayley work alongside my parents nearKennard, Nebraska. Our farming operationconsists of a large custom swine feedingoperation. In addition, we raise soybeans,

corn and alfalfa. We also own and manage a liquid manure pumping company.

Comments by Jason: Being a Nebraska LEAD graduate, coursework has prepared me to be an agricultural leader. I strongly feelcontributing valuable life skills, farming experience and expertisewould further increase the impact of the Nebraska Soybean Board andhelp in advancing its mission in serving all soybean farmers. My desire"to move onto new pastures" and serve on the Board would be anexciting personal opportunity, but would also allow for my family andme to help shape a positive public perception of agriculture.

Richard BartekIthaca, NE - Saunders County

I currently farm near Ithaca with twobrothers. We are involved in a family-farmoperation producing both soybeans andcorn in a 50-50 rotation. Our operationconsists of mostly rented areas with 75%being no-till terraced and dryland acres and

25% irrigated acres. We have no livestock at this time. We are also aseed dealer for L.G. Seeds and do some custom planting, sprayingand combining.

Comments by Richard: I would like to continue serving on thecheckoff board because I feel the need to work hard to insure soybeanproduction is profitable for Nebraska soybean producers. I amdedicated to see that research continue resulting in better hybrids that

Nebraska Soybean Board Holds Election for Director Seats in

Districts 1, 3 and 6 – by Diane Muehlhausen

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RICHARDSONPAWNEE

GAGE

JOHNSON

NEMAHA

OTOE

CASSLANCASTER

SARPY

DOUGLAS

SAUNDERS

WASHINGTON

DODGE

BURTCUMING

THURSTONWAYNE

DAKOTA

DIXON

CEDARKNOX

PIERCEANTELOPE

STANTONMADISON

COLFAXPLATTE

BUTLER

BOONE

NANCE

MERRICK

POLK

HAMILTON

YORK SEWARD

CLAY FILLMORE SALINE

NUCKOLLS THAYER

JEFFERSON

WEBSTERFRANKLIN

ADAMS

KEARNEY

HALLBUFFALO

PHELPS

HARLAN

HOWARDSHERMAN

GREELEYVALLEY

WHEELERGARFIELD

HOLT

BOYDKEYA PAHA

BROWN ROCK

LOUPBLAINE

CUSTER

DAWSON

GOSPERFRONTIER

FURNASREDWILLOWHITCHCOCK

HAYES

LINCOLN

LOGANMCPHERSON

THOMASHOOKER

CHERRY

GRANT

ARTHUR

KEITH

PERKINS

CHASE

DUNDY

DEUEL

GARDEN

SHERIDANDAWES

BOX BUTTE

SIOUX

SCOTTS BLUFF MORRILL

BANNER

KIMBALL CHEYENNE

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7

will improve yield, disease and insect resistance, weed control as wellas new uses being developed. Promoting biodiesel is also essential. Ihave hosted many trade mission groups for the Nebraska SoybeanBoard as well as the University of Nebraska to promote foreign salesand I would like to continue to do so because of its importance.

Rebecca KreikemeierBellwood, NE - Butler County

My husband Gary and I with the partnershipof our son Tony have a farming operationthat includes soybeans, corn and cattle. Wefarmed in Dodge County for 15 years andthen moved to Butler County and have livednear Bellwood for nearly 20 years. I

currently provide my office management expertise in running thefeedlot and farming office computers. We have five children that livein Nebraska, one currently living in China, that grew up knowing thevalue of hard work and challenges presented to them by growing upon a family farm. We try to incorporate and work hard to stay updatedon the latest information, marketing and technology to become themost efficient that we can. Traveling to see our children around theworld has shown us that we don't just live in Nebraska and that ourlives are more internationally intertwined as we become more involvedin the marketing of our products to stay competitive.

Comments by Rebecca: Running for a leadership position on theNebraska Soybean Board representing Butler, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas,Sarpy, Saunders and Washington counties would be an honor. I believe every checkoff dollar should be appropriated to reach itsmost potential. All the appropriated categories of research, educationand domestic and foreign markets, plus finding new uses are so vitalto give our soybeans more added value. I would appreciate the oppor -tunity to be part of the decision making and represent my district tobe heard in that process. As a member of LEAD Class 30, I feel morethan qualified to be an Ag leader on the Nebraska Soybean Boardand make decisions for the counties that I would represent. As themother of five, I feel a female voice would be a positive influence onthe board that influences production profitability and promotessoybeans. The soybean is one of the most influential grains in ourdaily lives and investing in its future with checkoff dollars is moneywell spent.

DISTRICT 6: Counties of Fillmore, Jefferson, Gage,Saline, Seward and Thayer.

Terry HackbartSeward, NE - Seward County

I have been farming for the past 40 years bySeward. After college two of my sons joinedmy operation. We raise soybeans, corn andalfalfa, a sizable spring and fall cow/calfherd and a custom feedlot. Along with ourfarming operation we have a custom hay

service and also do a fair amount of custom farming as well as atassel cutting business for seed corn producers. We also enjoy raisingclub calves and purebred seed stock bulls and heifers.

Comments by Terry: I am seeking to be on the Soybean Boardbecause I feel it is important that every farmer is involved with hiscommodity organization. So that we may be knowledgeable about theproduct we raise and to have good markets and support. Alsoknowing how our checkoff dollars are being used to promote oursoybean products here and abroad. Over the years I have served onseveral boards and feel I have gained knowledge and experience tobe an asset to the Nebraska Soybean Board.

Mike TomesUtica, NE - Seward County

I have been involved in productionagriculture near Utica for 37 years. Myoperation includes irrigated acres of cornand soybean rotation. Hybrid seed cornproduction has been a part of this farmsince 1989. I have two sons involved on the

farm. The three of us custom harvest seed corn for Dupont andMonsanto. I recently sold my share of a large sow unit even thoughswine production was a rewarding part of this operation for 40 years.

Comments by Mike: I am seeking the Nebraska Soybean Boarddirector position to promote profitability for all Nebraska producers. I will help determine where best to invest our checkoff dollars. As amember of the Nebraska LEAD 24 Class, I gained perception of theimportance of commodity boards and associations in securing aprofitable future for Nebraska agriculture. I’ve also served on theNebraska Ag Leadership Council. Prior experiences will allow me to bean effective knowledgeable director of the Nebraska Soybean Board.

Larry TonnigesUtica, NE - Seward County

I began farming fulltime in 1982 andworked my way through the hard times ofthe early 80’s. Farming started to get betterin 1989 when we signed a seed corncontract with Funk’s Hi-Bred to grow seedfor them and had the first contract signed atthe York, NE production area.

We raise soybeans, corn and seed corn, have a very small beef herd,and do custom harvesting for Pioneer. I farm in a partnership with mybrother, Douglas and together we grow around 60% corn and seedcorn and 40% soybeans.

Comments by Larry: As a soybean producer I have always had aninterest in how our soybean checkoff dollars are spent. I would like tooffer my money management and organizational skills to help in anyway I can to promote the use and sale of soybeans. I am or would beinterested in the research of new ideas for the use of soybeanproducts, and I feel that would be a good place to use part of thepromotional dollars. I would appreciate your vote to let me help growthe use of soy products.

Summer 20158

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Lot 8 located on Main Street, near the East entrance.

SHOW HOURS:Tuesday and Wednesday

8 am - 5 pmThursday: 8 am - 4 pm

9000 W. Husker HighwayWood River, NE 68883

Visit Us at the Ag Commodity Building in Grand Island!September 15, 16 and 17

Visit Raising Nebraska This Year at the 2015 Nebraska State FairAugust 28 – September 7, 2015Trusted Voices

Video kiosk with reading rails.

Control the FlowVariable Rate Irrigation interactive kiosk.

Walkable Map of NebraskaAn interactive, climbable map of Nebraska.

Agri-HouseAn interactive house showing how Nebraskafarmers put food on your table.

Grain Bin TheaterThe Grain Bin Theater showcases short filmsabout agriculture in Nebraska.

Combine RideSit in an actual combine cab and feel what it’slike to harvest corn.

9

The American Soybean Association (ASA), Nebraska SoybeanAssociation (NSA) and DuPont are seeking applicants for the2016 ASA DuPont Young Leader Program. For more than 30

years, the ASA DuPont Young Leader program has identified anddeveloped grower leaders that truly shape the future of agriculture.

The program provides industry leader training an environment thatfosters collaboration between farmers throughout the U.S. Participantsnot only gain ‘real-world’ experience but build lifetime friendships.

The ASA DuPont Young Leader program is a challenging andeducational two-part training program. Phase I of the training will takeplace at the DuPont Pioneer headquarters in Johnston, Iowa, Dec.1-4,2015. The program continues March 1-4, 2016 in New Orleans, LA. withtraining held in conjunction with the 21st Commodity ClassicConvention and Trade Show.

Summer 2015

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Amanda & Dustin Fairley, Fairbury

Brenda and Brent Svoboda, Pender

The ASA DuPont Young Leader program offers the opportunity forparticipants to strengthen their natural leadership skills, expand theiragricultural knowledge and develop strong peer relationships withother soybean growers from across the country.

Applications are being accepted online through September 15, 2015.

Apply online at https://soygrowers.com/learn/young-leader-program

or contact the NSA at 402-441-3239 for moreinformation.

Raise Your

Voice For

AgricultureApply for the 2015-16 Young Leader Program

2015 Nebraska Young Leaders

2015 Legislative Wrap Up

The Legislature wrapped up the 2015 session on May 29th. The final week of thesession was eventful with the successful override votes on the repeal of the

death penalty and issuance of drivers licenses to immigrant children covered underthe federal DACA program.

For agriculture and the Nebraska Soybean Association, the session had a mix ofaction on bills related to property tax relief. Areas of interest included the statebudget which contained an additional $108 million in funding for the Property TaxCredit Program over the 2-year budget cycle, and legislation passed to exempt thefirst $10,000 in personal property for taxation. Yet efforts to reduce the taxablevalue of agricultural land, provide additional state aid to rural schools, or broadenthe tax base at the local level to fund schools fell short.

Looking ahead, property taxes will likely remain the top issue which senators focuson in the interim.

Growth of the livestock industry, which was another priority of legislation for theNSA, saw a few bills pass including LB 106 which directs the NDA to develop ascoring matrix that could be used by counties to evaluate livestock operations forconditional use permits. Another bill LB 175 directs the Nebraska Department ofAgriculture to develop a grant program for counties designated Livestock Friendlyto be used for strategic planning, examining zoning regulations, livestock growthprograms or infra structure needs related to livestock.

Several NSA directors presented testimony on these issues during the hearingprocess this session and will continue to monitor interim hearings over thesummer months. Only membership dues support policy efforts at the Statehouseand in Washington DC.

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RES

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– by Allie Arp, ISA research communications specialist

evaluation and commercialization. The majority of these lines are classified asresistant or moderately resistant to SDS and they vary in maturity from MG 2.1 to 3.7.

• J. Bond coordinated the screening and testing of the advanced experimentallines public soybean breeders submitted to the Northern and SouthernRegional Tests.

• Soybean Breeders B. Diers, D. Wang, Jim Orf (MN), Pengyin Chen (AR) StellaKantartzi (IL) and Silvia Cianzio (IA), conducted field evaluations of advancedexperimental lines in regional tests, made crosses to develop populations,advanced experimental lines and conducted field evaluations in each state onreplicated field tests.

• Soybean pathologists Daren Mueller (IA) and Leonor Leandro (IA) led a diverseteam composed of Greg Tylka (IA), J. Arbuckle (IA), S. Cianzio, Kiersten Wise(IN), Virginia Ferris (IN), Jamal Faghihi (IN), Martin Chilvers (MI) and AlbertTenuta (Canada), to evaluate and develop an integrated management andcommunication plan for soybean SDS. Because genetic resistance alone willnot always provide adequate protection, these researchers looked at soybeancyst nematode and SDS interactions as well as overall soybean root health,planting date, other production practices and new products such as seedtreatments. They then sought diverse ways to combine their findings andcommunicate them to farmers.

As with all research and outreach activities funded with soybean checkoff dollarsthrough NCSRP, the work by various researchers on SDS is shared with Nebraskascientists and farmers for their mutual benefit. Furthermore, the basic andapplied work on SDS will complement the strong NCSRP funded biotechnology

and breeding work being accomplished by Nebraska researchers TomClemente and George Graef.

Clemente’s team is working to develop basic tools andtechniques for gene silencing that will protect plants from

insects, nematodes and viral and fungal pathogens, likethe SDS-causing fungus. Graef is leading a team to

identify high-yielding soybean genotypes in the USDAcollection. These high-yielding soybeans can becrossed with SDS-resistant genotypes beingidentified and characterized by D. Diers, J. Bond, S.Cianzio and their colleagues.

NCSRP-funded research at the University ofNebraska, and other member states, is shared and

leveraged for the broad improvement of yieldpotential, disease resistance and enhanced soybean

production practices.

Adisease with a broadening distribution has been plaguing soybeansin the North Central region and the losses can be staggering. From2006 to 2010, sudden death syndrome (SDS) was estimated to cause

annual losses averaging 34 million bushels of soybeans in the U.S. each year.Previously only a significant problem in the South, the geographic area affectedby this pathogen has recently expanded and become a major threat to Nebraskaand its neighboring states.

Due to the magnitude of the impact caused by this yield-robbing disease, theNorth Central Soybean Research Program (NCSRP), has dedicated 17 percentof its 2015 budget to SDS research, with the majority being focused onimproving the genetics of SDS resistant soybean varieties. Currently, the mosteffective management option for growers to control SDS is resistant varietiesthat have shown a reasonable tolerance of the disease. However, the issue isfurther complicated because the inheritance of this resistance is controlled bymany genes and therefore extremely complex.

The NCSRP’s targeted focus on the analysis of genetics will allow breeders tobecome more efficient in developing new, high-yielding, SDS-resistant varieties.Growers will see the benefits of this project through increased SDS resistancein both private and public varieties.

Summaries of the recent SDS research projects are below. For more informationabout research results, and tips on preventing and recognizing SDS, visitwww.soybeanresearchinfo.com and click on Sudden Death Syndrome under theSoybean Diseases tab.

• A research team led by Brian Diers (IL), Osman Radwan (IL), Jason Bond (IL),Dechun Wang (MI) and Glen Hartman (USDA) mapped gene locations onchromosomes that confer resistance to SDS and developed molecularmarkers linked to resistant genes. In 2014, the group madeprogress with a population of 153 lines and a validationpopulation of 167 lines. These were evaluated for SDSresistance in a disease nursery with genetic markers to mapnew SDS resistance genes. A high level of disease wasobserved in these tests and results will be beneficialfor future mapping of resistance genes. The team alsomapped five SDS resistance genes using a newmethod of genetic mapping called associationmapping and conducted field tests to confirm theeffect of previously mapped SDS resistant genes. Thepositive effect of three genes was confirmed, whichmeans these genes will be especially useful inbreeding programs.

• B. Diers transferred 11 new experimental lines to acommercial seed company for seed expansion, final

NCSRP researches SDS genetics

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After you’re finished planting,you may be tempted todump your remaining seed

in with any soybeans you still havefrom last year’s harvest. Don’t.

“It is illegal in the United States toput treated seed into your soybeansand take them to the elevator. It isunacceptable not only in the UnitedStates, but worldwide, as well,” saysDwain Ford, United Soybean Boardinternational opportunities targetarea coordinator and a soybeanfarmer from Kinmundy, Illinois. “It’s

important that U.S. soybean farmersuse and know the laws here in theUnited States for disposing oftreated seeds and that they’re veryconscious in ensuring that those aredisposed of in the proper, legalmanner.”

Providing high-quality,contamination-free soy shipmentshelps the United States remain thepreferred supplier of soybeansaround the world and helps U.S.farmers maintain their access to keymarkets.

As soybean seed treated with crop-protection products has becomemore popular in recent years, it hasalso become more important forfarmers to properly dispose ofleftover seed. Some internationalcustomers forbid the presence ofany treated seed in commoditysoybean shipments, and farmersviolating U.S. laws on treated seeddisposal may be subject to legalaction.

Keep Soybean Grain Safe“I believe that U.S. soybean farmersare very conscious about this anddo a very good job in segregatingand keeping those treated seedsout of commercial soybeans,” Fordadds. “However, customers canreject a whole shipload of oursoybeans over just a few soybeansthat have been treated, and thatcould cost all of us millions ofdollars.”

For additional information visit:http://unitedsoybean.org/

Best practices to prevent treated seed in deliveries

1. Clean up spills and dispose of left-over treated seed responsibly.

2. Consider using dedicated bins for treated seed when possible.

3. Clean all equipment, bins and vehicles thoroughly after seeding and before harvest.

4. Visually inspect equipment and bins for treated seed:- Before harvest- Before transferring grain between bins- Before transferring grain to a truck or railcar for delivery

Treated Seed and Soybeans Don’t Mix – by the United Soybean Board

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Education in today’s world oftechnology is rapidlychanging. The way children

access information once wasdependent upon books, teachers inthe classroom, community mem -bers, and for many, life experienceson the farm or ranch. Today,however, educators face a newreality. Most children enter a formalclassroom environment, knowinghow to access informa tion on asmart device using an applicationor search engine to find informa -tion on the Internet. Growing upwith real life experi ences on thefarm or ranch is much lesscommon. That’s why the NebraskaSoybean Board has joined apartnership that has developed anew form of accessing Nebraskaagricultural information andsoybean data in our changingworld of information andtechnology.

The Tech Connection – by Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

Partnership Engages Students in Soybean Education

As part of a team with theNebraska Farm Bureau Foundationfor Agriculture (NFBFA), NebraskaCorn Board and Nebraska BeefCouncil, a new Nebraska Inter -active Map will be available this fallto teachers, students andconsumers to learn more aboutsoybeans and our state. Initially,fourth grade teachers will betargeted to include this tool inteaching Nebraska studies, as it isa state requirement for all fourthgraders in Nebraska. Math, scienceand English studies at multiplegrade levels can use the NFBFAInteractive Map as well.Additionally, it has the potential tobe used in consumer educationefforts across the state.

Soybean information, includingcounty specific production data,will be available for students. Thisdata shows students andconsumers how the soybean

industry has evolved over time bycomparing today’s production tothat of 1924 and 1965. A video onhow soybeans are grown and theiruses is also featured.

By using technology, the NebraskaSoybean Board’s partnership withNFBFA will help to educatechildren and the public aboutsoybeans, corn, beef and so muchmore. We know that agriculture isvital to our future in Nebraska. Wealso know that our youth willdetermine what the future holds.By being part of the team that hasthe vision to create a new form oftech nology to engage our youth inclassrooms across Nebraska, webelieve more kids will know whatsoy beans are, how they are grown,what they are used for and how allNebraskan’s use and need soy -beans and all of their by-productsto make Nebraska strong into thefuture.

Pictured is an example of the Nebraska MAP Project which is a web-based tool to help students learn more about soybeansand other agriculture commodities produced in Nebraska.

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Water is critical to raising acrop here in Nebraska.

However, an unusually wet springhas presented challenges for manyfarmers, who faced muddyconditions and late planting.Although we seem to be on one endof an every-changing spectrum, thewet spring clearly illustrates thecritical role water plays in our state.

Dr. Jim Specht, UNL professoremeritus of agronomy and horti -culture, noticed the importance ofwater to Nebraska producers longago and dedicated a significantportion of his career working toaddress water issues. “I haveconducted research on soybeanyield response to water (whetherabundant, as in irrigated productionsystems, or scarce, as in some yearsof rain-fed production systems) forthe past 40 years at UNL,” Spechtsaid. “I was born and raised on anirrigated farm in western Nebraska,where my interest in water was

piqued. This early passion translatedinto water research at UNL later inlife.”

SoyWaterNebraska farmers irrigate nearly 8.5million acres, more than any otherstate in the country. Farmers dependon water from a variety of sources inorder to raise a crop each year. In aneffort to make this process moreeffective and efficient, Dr. Spechtand his colleagues developed theSoyWater irrigation managementtool. According to Dr. Specht, duringthe mid-1990s, irrigation schedulinghad become the standard practicefor optimizing the effectiveness andefficiency of crop irrigation.However, doing so manually wassimply too overwhelming a task forproducers to do for each field. Evenafter software was created for useon personal computers, there was asteep learning curve, and the inputsneeded by a user were stilloverwhelming.

“In 2006, I was working with GreggFujan, a NSB board member at thattime, to help him do irrigationscheduling with one irrigated field ofsoybeans. I asked him how heestimated the daily crop water use(required for manually tracking ofcrop depletion of soil water). Greggtold me he got that daily informationfrom an ag radio station that

The Water Management GuideUNL professor Jim Specht offers his thoughts on maximizing

your irrigation investment. – by Drew Guiney

Dr. Specht and a colleague install moisturesensors to help the SoyWater tool moreaccurately measure rainfall.

Dr. Specht checks thedevelopment of soybeansplanted at the UNL test plotin Lincoln.

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reported evapotranspiration (nowknown as Crop ET),” Specht said.

The increase in Internet availabilityled Specht to start formulating theidea for a website that would allowproducers to provide key inputs –field name, soil texture, planting date(or crop emergence date), and thematurity group number for thevariety that was planted. I puttogether a project that was fundedby NSB, and with the help oftalented collaborators, notably,Jessica Torrion and Tri Setiyono, wedeveloped a web site now calledUNL SoyWater and released it in2008. Today, SoyWater is beingused by more than 1,000 producers,crop consultants, and researchersacross the state.

SoyWater SuccessesAside from the large success ofSoyWater’s irrigation managementapplication, Specht was surprised tolearn that rain-fed soybean pro -ducers also use SoyWater to predictwell ahead of time when the varietyplanted in given field will attaincertain vegetative or repro ductivestages. For example, applying afungicide to the soybean canopy ismost effective if it is applied veryclose to stage R3 (beginning poddevelopment) and is less effective ifthat fungicide is applied too early(R2 flowering) or too late (R4 end ofpod develop ment). With SoyWater,the producer gets a very precise

The SoyWater tool helps producers take the guesswork out of irrigationmanagement. Google SoyWater UNL to find the website.

prediction of the calendar date forstage R3 and gets that predictionmany weeks before it occurs. Thisallows him to beat everyone else ingetting a precisely timed fungicideapplication on that field’s soybeancanopy. This is particularlyadvantageous if the producer relieson a custom applicator, since thatcustom application can bescheduled well before anyone elsedoes so.

The Importance ofIrrigation TimingIf a soybean producer can only applyjust one irrigation during thegrowing season (perhaps usingwater from a large pond on thefarm), our NSB-funded research overmany years has shown that thatsingle irrigation event should occurat stage R3. This single applicationgives the producer the greatest yield“bang” for the irrigation “buck.”Obviously, if producers have enoughavailable water to optimize irrigationevents during the entire season, theywant to optimize yield whileminimizing the amount of waterneeded. Our research indicates thatmost producers using SoyWater, willreduce the amount of water appliedbetween two and three inchesthroughout the growing season. Thisreduction in water application occurs

without any yield reduction, andoften with a yield enhancement,because users of SoyWater will beapplying irrigation in a “just-in-time”fashion so as not to over-irrigate orunder-irrigate.

Knowing When to Call It QuitsSoyWater has a feature that helpspredict when the last irrigationapplication is needed at the end ofthe growing season. This feature isextremely valuable because it allowsproducers to avoid stopping irriga -tion too early, which leads to a yieldpenalty and stopping too late, whichwastes, water, energy and money.

Due to their dependence on waterfor irrigation, Nebraska farmersunderstand just how fickle MotherNature can be. When compared tothis spring, recent growing seasonsclearly illustrate just how fine theline can be between too littlemoisture and too much. However,the soybean checkoff aims toprovide producers with resources,such as the SoyWater tool, andeducational opportunities, likeSoybean Management Field Days, inan effort to arm them with the toolsand information they need toenhance profitability.

Summer 201516

Your P

olicy

Ad

voca

te

Biodiesel is getting us where we need to go.17 years ago, Medford School District Director of Operations Joe Biluck had a challenge: “We saw alternative fuel legislation in New Jersey that would trickle its way down to the local level.” Joe decided to get out ahead of it and test his existing school buses on clean-burning biodiesel. The results really surprised him.“I knew it would reduce emissions and my buses ran like they always did, but biodiesel also reduced our operating expenses!”

Diversifying the energy supply also led to diversifying the students’ education. “We’re using our fleet and facilities as learning labs—the kids’ environment is better and they’re being exposed to whole new career paths.” And for Joe, that’s just as important as what the kids are not being exposed to!

AmericasAdvancedBiofuel.com

Sponsored by the United Soybean Board, the National Biodiesel Board, State Soybean Checkoff Boards, the U.S. Canola Association, and the Northern Canola Growers Association.

Make it a priority to take stock of your farm conservation practices andsubmit an entry in the Conservation Legacy Awards program, presented by the American Soybean Association (ASA).

You could join soybean farmers like Steve Berger of Wellman, Iowa, Mike Starkey of Brownsburg, Ind., and Jimmy Thomas of Timberlake, N.C., who all won 2015Conservation Legacy Awards.

Just tell the story of conservation practices on your farm and you could be one ofthe next regional Conservation Legacy winners. Entries will be judged in five areas:soil management, water management, input management, farmstead protection,and conservation and environmental management. All U.S. soybean farmers areeligible to enter.

Winners from three regions (Midwest, Northeast and South) receive an expense-paid trip for two to the next Commodity Classic, March 3-5, 2016, in New Orleans,Louisiana. Regional winners will be featured in video stories and a special insert inCorn & Soybean Digest. A National Conservation Legacy Award winner will bechosen from the regional winners.

Submissions are due by August 10, 2015, but don’t wait. Make it a priority to tell your conservation story now. All applications must be submitted online. See thebrochure and online application are at: www.soygrowers.com/award-programs/conservation-legacy.

The annual Conservation Legacy Awards program is sponsored by ASA, BASF,Monsanto, the United Soybean Board/soybean checkoff and Corn & Soybean Digest.

Steve Berger2015 Regional Winner

Make it a Priority to Tell YourConservation Story

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN IMPACT YOUR QUALITY AT

M O R E D E M A N D. B E T T E R P R I C E .PIGS, CHICKENS, TURKEYS AND FISH. Animal ag is your No. 1 customer – eating 97 percent of your soybean meal. Better quality means more demand. More demand means

better prices. NOW THAT’S BRINGING HOME THE BACON.

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Summer 201518

Dairy farmers and industry leaders from acrossNebraska came together Thursday, May 7th in Lincoln,to discuss how to help the state’s dairy industry grow

and thrive. Under the theme of “Stronger Together,” the GrowNebraska Dairy Summit reflected the efforts of the GrowNebraska Dairy Team consisting of the (Nebraska State DairyAssociation (NSDA), the Alliance for the Future of Agriculturein Nebraska (AFAN), the Nebraska Department of Agriculture(NDA), and the Midwest Dairy Association (MDA).

There are 195 dairy farms and 55,000 dairy cows in Nebraska.In the past 30 years dairy cow numbers have fallen thirty-onepercent. The good news is the downward trend is starting toturn in a favorable direction for Nebraska dairy farmers. Therehas been an increase of 4,000 to 5,000 dairy cows in the pastsix months. Grow Nebraska Dairy hopes in the next five years,there will be another 30,000 cows.

Last year, Legislative Bill 941 tasked NDA with analyzing thestate's dairy industry and attitudes toward expanding thedairy industry. This included a survey of all dairy producers inthe state, as well as Nebraska's ten in-state processors andfour in Iowa that use Nebraska milk.

The main message coming out of the study was in order forNebraska to grow its dairy sector, the state will need moredairy processing.

Producers see promisein expansionNebraska Director ofAgriculture Greg Ibach saidthey are making progress. “Ibelieve we are at a pointwhere Nebraska is anattractive alternative toprocessors. As we continue towork with the Department ofEconomic Development, it’sonly a matter of time before

we find the right processors to step forward and declare theirintentions within our state,” said Ibach.

Most processors also saw opportunities for expansion,including those outside the state. These opportunities lie inthe availability of land, water, feed, and ethanol coproducts –what has been referred to as Nebraska's "golden triangle.” Butit also includes infrastructure. "What we heard back fromproducers and processors is we've got I-80 and a good railline system, let's talk about what we can do for the rest of thestate," Bobbie Kriz-Wickham, Assistant Director of theNebraska Department of Agriculture said. "With our centrallocation we can get to most of the population centers andports within two days along our I-80 corridor."

Moving the dairy industry forwardThe Nebraska Department of Agriculture gave somerecommendations for moving the dairy industry forward,including strategies for retaining existing operations andhelping the next generation get started, as well as recruitingnew dairy farms and processors. "It's always been a kind ofchicken or egg thing as long as I've been working with theDepartment of Agriculture. Which is supposed to come first,the processing or the cows?" Kriz-Wickham said. "But through

the analysis and looking atother states, we've found thatin those other states wherethere's a lot of growth goingon, the processing came evenbefore the cows were there,and that helped spark thecattle into those areas. Thatgave us really some firmunderstanding that we need todo both simultaneously."

*Information used with permissioncopyright 2015 Penton Agriculture

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Nebraska Dairy Stakeholders Join in Commitment:Stronger Together

CHICKEN OR THE EGG?: "It's always been a kind ofchicken or egg thing as long as I've been working

with the Department of Agriculture. Which issupposed to come first, the processing or the cows?"

Kriz-Wickham said. Through NDA's analysis, it's clear both are needed simultaneously.

– by R J Campbell

©2015 United Soybean Board

Nebraska Pork savings:

$8,806,300

Total Industry savings:*

$60,047,440Nebraska Dairy and beef savings:

$51,241,140

HOW MUCH MONEY ARE NEBRASKA FARMERS SAVING?

$

$4.8 BILLIONSaved by poultry

and livestock farmers over 5 years

As Biodiesel productionINCREASES

The price of soybeanMEAL DECREASES

as demand for soybean oil increases U.S. crush

The supply of soybean meal increases

Which lowers soybean meal costs

$

HERE’S HOW:

FOR ANIMAL AGRICULTURE

BIODIESEL WORKS FOR NEBRASKA ANIMAL AGRICULTURE by creating demand for soybean oil. More demand for soybean oil results in more domestic crush of U.S. soybeans, which results in more soybean meal on the market and decreases the price that poultry and livestock producers pay for feed. Biodiesel demand also increases the value of tallow, which can also be used to make the fuel.

Cumulative of the meal and increased drop value impacts.

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20 Summer 2015

A-FAN,The Alliance for theFuture of Agriculture

in Nebraska is dedicated to the growthof livestock in Nebraska. In partneringwith the Nebraska Soybean Board andother commodities, a strategic plan hasbeen developed and implemented thispast year and into the future. Nebraska’sunique system of crop, livestock andbiofuel production presents unmatchedopportunities for creating jobs andeconomic vitality across the state.

Adding value to row crops such assoybeans and corn through meat animalproduction is a tremendous opportunity.Nebraska is the number one state in thenation for irrigation, growing a sustain -able feed source. For each $1.00 of cropproduction value, $0.59 in additionalreceipts for Nebraska businesses iscreated. In addition, each $1.00 oflivestock sales yields an extra $0.62 infinal sales for NE business outside of theag industry. These additional fundscreate jobs and support businesses incommunities both rural and urban.

A-FAN is working on a two-prongapproach to livestock development inNebraska. The first is to empowercommunities with the awareness of theeconomic impact of livestock produc -tion to their success and to makeinformed decisions. When invited to acommunity, A-FAN assists with aware -ness, researching the resources of thecounty/region and works withfarmers/ranchers, elected officials,influencers and business leaders toformulate a strategic plan for growth oflivestock and related industries. Thispractical approach to rural economicdevelopment through protein produc -tion creates jobs, increases tax base andsupports the main street businesses.

Through the partnership with theNebraska Soybean Board, A-FAN hasheld lunch/learn programs in nine

counties and is currently working withthese counties to develop their goals.

Secondly, A-FAN works within the pork,dairy, beef and poultry industries withprivate individuals who are building newor expanding current livestock facilitiesand operations. A-FAN has assisted with13 public hearing meetings byorganizing support and increasing theawareness of the importance of livestockdevelopment. These hearings requirehours of research and communicationalong with significant travel. Conflictresolution skills and developing com -munity support is vital to the success ofthese hearings.

A-FAN has developed criteria for support - ing new and expansion developmentwith the following principles:1. Economically viable,2. Socially responsible, and3. Environmentally sound.

These criteria must be examined andshared with neighbors and other com -munity leaders for a successful hearing.This takes time, and we urge anyonewho would like A-FAN’s assistance to callus early in the process. It is much moreeffective to build support and have localresidents talk in support of a projectthan to have an A-FAN team memberspeak at the hearing.

Presently Nebraska exports approxi -mately 80% of its soybean meal, 25% ofthe annual pig crop and 33% of its corncrop. For every bushel and ton of cropcommodities and head of feederlivestock shipped out of state, Nebraskadrops potential value-added economicactivity. A-FAN along with our manypartners is committed to adding valuewithin our state with livestockproduction as practical economics forrural Nebraska. Please contact us if wecan be of assistance at our officenumber 402.421.4416 or email us atwillowh@afan.org.

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Practical Economicsfor Rural Nebraska– by Willow Holubek, A-FAN

Summer 2015

According to the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest(ALAUM), motorized vehicles are the No. 1 single largest source of airpollution. The deadly health effects and crippling economic impacts of

air pollution hasn’t gone unnoticed by Clean Fuels Omaha partners.

Clean Fuels Omaha is a public-private coalition focused on improving airquality and human health through the increased availability, adoption and useof clean transportation fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol. The NebraskaSoybean Board is an initial sponsor of the program aimed at expanding the useof biodiesel and higher ethanol blends as part of a transportation relatedozone mitigation strategy in the Omaha Metro Area.

“When drivers use biofuels they’re improving air quality and reducing toxics inthe air known to cause asthma, heart disease and lung cancer,” said ToddSneller, Nebraska Ethanol Board administrator. “Biofuels help reduce airpollution, improve human health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This isnot only important for our health, but also when attracting new economicdevelopment to the Omaha metro.”

Higher blends of biodiesel and ethanol are considered a Clean Air Choice® byALAUM. American Lung cites using E85 can reduce ozone-forming pollutantsand evaporative emissions, while biodiesel can significantly reduce air toxicsand other harmful emissions.

Through consumer education and market development, the diverse groupbehind Clean Fuels Omaha is bringing the clean air message toOmaha/Council Bluffs residents by reminding them they have a cleaner-burning fuel choice at the pump.

Thanks to Clean Fuels Omaha outreach and education efforts the MetropolitanArea Planning Agency (MAPA) has recognized biofuels’ role in air pollutionmitigation. In addition, MAPA’s annual “Little Steps. Big Impact.” air qualityinitiative, which educates the public on the impacts of ground-level ozone onair quality, and the steps that can be taken to reduce emissions, now includes arecommendation to use more biodiesel and ethanol blends.

Clean Fuels Omaha partners – Nebraska Soybean Board, Nebraska Corn Board,Metropolitan Area Planning Agency, Nebraska Ethanol Board, Clean FuelsDevelopment Coalition, Urban Air Initiative and other public and privatepartners – will continue to work together to share the benefits of biofuels.

21

Biofuels:Focusingon theClean AirChoice– by Todd Sneller, Nebraska Ethanol Board

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Clean Fuels Omaha ProjectsPartnership with Douglas CountyHealth Department

Partnership with Douglas CountyExtension

Partnership with University MedicalCenters

Partnership with Omaha BiofuelsCo-Op

Health Fairs

Biofuels Plaza Project

Biofuel Vehicle Reserved Parking

Clean Fuels Omaha Approved!Business Award

Health Professional Op/EdNewspaper Articles

Commerce/Fleet Vehicle FuelChanges

Summer 201522

Biodiesel Growth at a Crossroads in 2015

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The biodiesel industry has hada tremendously successfulhistory and 2015 is a

crossroads moment for America’sfastest-growing Advanced Biofuel.Stuck in uncertainty since late 2013with delays from EPA on theRenewable Fuel Standard volumes andthe 2014 expiration of the blender’stax incentive, the EPA finally providedan opportunity to get out of theholding pattern we’ve been in the last18 months.

In April, the EPA announced that itwould finalize by November 30th theRFS biodiesel volumes for 2014, 2015,2016, and 2017. This commitmentfrom the EPA set the biodiesel worldinto a frenzy of activity to ensure thisopportunity for growth wasn’t missed.

The 1.75 billion gallon market in 2014supported more than 60,000 jobs andwas a $6 billion dollar industryproviding a cleaner-burning,

American-made alternative topetroleum diesel. The industry hasproduced more than a billion gallonseach of the last four years, reduceslifecycle greenhouse gas by 78 percentcompared to petroleum, and replacednearly five percent of our diesel fuelneeds.

The industry is bigger and better thanever, but this is not the time to sit backand enjoy that success. This is the timeto fight for our future.

While checkoff funds can’t be used fordirect advocacy, funding support fromthe Nebraska Soybean Boardcontinues to make a huge impact incombating the spread of misinforma -tion through education efforts. Therehas been a refortified effort by apowerful anti-biofuels coalition toattack biofuels politically, legally, andthrough the court of public opinion.Huge efforts to repeal the RFS,litigation against it, and multi-media

campaigns to disparage biofuelscontinue from the petroleum lobbyand their allies.

The leadership and vision of soybeanfarmers for the last 24 years has beeninstrumental in getting this industry towhere it is today. Those investmentsthrough time, energy, and especiallysoybean checkoff support, have paidoff. Independent research shows thatthe biodiesel industry added $18billion dollars in revenues to soybeanproducers from 2006-2014. The addeddemand for soybean oil also greatlybenefited soybeans’ number onecustomer, the animal agricultureindustry, reducing soybean meal costsby more than $5 billion over the sametime period.

A savvy investor wouldn’t go to theirfinancial advisor, pick out their highestperforming stock, and take all of theirmoney out of it after nine years ofgreat returns. They would double

The Advanced Biofuel Accelerationproject is a comprehensive educationcampaign supported by state andnational checkoff organizations thatinclude TV, radio, print, online, andsocial media advertising to educateconsumers about the benefits ofbiodiesel. Learn more atwww.americasadvancedbiofuel.com

– by Joe Jobe, CEO, National Biodiesel Board

The time is now to protect the investment, secure thefuture of America’s Advanced Biofuel

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The 1.75 Billion gallon biodiesel market in 2014 used 5.5 billion pounds of soybeanoil and nearly that many other fats and oils contributing greatly to soybeanproducer revenues.

All U.S. equipment manufacturessupport at least B5 in their equipmentwith more than 78 percent supportingup to B20 blends. This includes on andoff road, heavy duty, medium duty, andlight duty diesel vehicles.

down on that successful investmentand do everything possible to protectit. And for the soybean industry,biodiesel is that investment.

The success of the biodiesel industry isa direct result of the continuedsupport of the industry and ourgenerous champions at the state andnational soybean organizations. Wewould most certainly not be where weare today without the leadership andfinancial commitment of the NebraskaSoybean Board.

Over the next five months, thebiodiesel industry is pulling out all thestops to make sure the EPA’s final ruleon November 30th includes growth forthe biodiesel industry. NBB has beenaggressively pressing theAdministration to end the delays byfocusing on the difficulties facingproducers without a functioning RFS.This had included advocating directlywith senior leaders in theAdministration, working closely withour supporters in Congress, and raisingawareness through the media. We areturning up the pressure withadditional member fly-ins toWashington, more meetings withofficials at the EPA, USDA, DOE, andthe White House; coordinated letters

from industry supporters to senatorsand members of the House; educationefforts through public mediacampaigns; opinion pieces and lettersto the editor; and everything elseimaginable.

We are encouraging all supporters toremain engaged in the process as wemove towards November 30th. Acollection of documents includingtalking points about job creation,emissions reduction, and otherbenefits, as well as a compilation of

op-eds and past news coverage can befound on our website atwww.biodiesel.org/policy.

With recent production volumes andthe already extensive funding supportfrom the soybean checkoff, moreequipment manufacturers than everbefore support higher biodieselblends, and more states and citieshave blend requirements as part oftheir sustainability strategies. Biodieselis in more markets and is using morefats and oils than ever before. Privateindustry investment is nowcontributing more resources than everbefore – NBB is one of the leadingbiofuel trade associations in advocacyspending. Utilizing over one fourth ofthe domestic crush, the biodieselindustry has become a leadingcustomer to the soybean industry,creating a powerful partnership inleveraging resources.

The past has been extraordinarilysuccessful and the future of theindustry is bright, but we can’t getthere without winning 2015. Now isthe time to stand up and protectsoybean producers’ most successfulinvestment.

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This spring, diesel technician students at Southeast Community College in Milford andMetropolitan Community College in Omaha received an in-depth education about diesel fuelon such topics as diesel physical characteristics, how diesel has changed in recent years,

and how to trouble-shoot common filter plugging issues. They were then given similarinformation about biodiesel and how the two fuels work together to help support energyindependence, support local economies and reduce harmful emissions. Lester Breidenstein,Program Chair for Diesel-Ag Equipment and Diesel Technology-Truck says, “The training coversengine fuels and exhaust emissions and reinforces what instructors have been teaching.”

As a part of their support of biodiesel, the Nebraska Soybean Board has been sponsoring dieseland biodiesel education at the state’s technical schools for several years through the soybeancheck-off. Soybean oil makes up about half of the feedstock for biodiesel and studies haveshown that biodiesel has increased the price of soybeans for farmers by a minimum of 73 centsper bushel. The education is conducted by MEG Corp Fuel Consulting. This program was startedin response to repeated reports of diesel technicians blaming biodiesel for problems customerswere experiencing with their vehicles. Mechanics have quite a bit of influence with theircustomers, whether it is about where to fuel up, the type of motor oil they should use orfrequency of service. Hoon Ge from MEG Corp says, “It was very troubling when we would hearthat farmers were being told not to use biodiesel by their local mechanic.” With this training,students receive a better understanding of diesel and biodiesel which will help them toaccurately diagnose filter plugging issues, give recommendations to customers about properhandling and use practices, and advance the image of biodiesel by providing the correctinformation about biodiesel to co-workers and customers.

Diesel technicians are in high demand nationwide. Between the two schools that MEG Corpvisited this spring, 145 students were educated about diesel and biodiesel. Instructors havecome to count on the regular visits to their classrooms and have made this fuel workshop partof their curriculum. As a part of the program, the students usually work at shops in addition tothe classroom experience. Breidenstein says that, “Because of the training, the students are ableto answer biodiesel questions they get from customers while on the job.” Jeff Bexten, DieselTechnology Instructor from Central Community College in Hastings, says that “Students getvalue out of the seminars. They can troubleshoot problems better and explain biodiesel tocustomers.” Nebraska Soybean Board has realized that diesel technicians are key players in thesuccess of biodiesel use in Nebraska. This fall MEG Corp will visit Mid-Plains CommunityCollege in North Platte, Central Community College in Hastings and Northeast CommunityCollege in Norfolk.

Educating Diesel Technician Students about

Biodiesel– by Lisa Pedderson, MEG Corp

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Development of a Soybean-based Feedstock forAquacultureB

y 2050, the world's population isestimated to be nine billion.Thedemand for seafood is rising,

which in turn is putting increasingpressure on capture fisheries.Aquaculture offers the only viableroute for a plentiful and safe fishsupply to meet the future demand.However, aquafeed protein and oilcomponents are derived from marinesources, anchovies, sardines ormenhaden. The fisheries for therespective harvests are able to meetthe current demand, but will notsustain the expected expansion offarm raised fish operations. Hence,the aquaculture industry needsalternative, sustainable feedstocks,for protein and oil for aquafeeds. Anavenue to address this challenge is todesign aquafeed formulations inwhich the marine-based ingredientsare displaced with terrestrial sources.Soybean is an ideal candidate for aterrestrial feedstock for aquaculture,given its high quality protein and oilcomponents. To this end we haveassembled an interdisciplinary teamof researchers, with financialassistance from the Nebraska farmersoybean checkoff, who haveexpertise in aquaculture, metabolicengineering, algal biology, biotech -nology, feed science and agricultureeconomics to design a sustainablesoybean-based feedstock for aqua -culture. This team has formulated afeed for the high-quality finfishSeriola rivoliana (Kampachi), withsoybean protein concentrate

inclusion level of 40%, and half of thelipid component sourced from a highomega-3 fatty acid soybean that isenriched in linolenic acid andsynthesizes stearidonic acid, aprecursor to the fish oil omega-3fatty acid, eicsapentaenoic acid(EPA). This effectively displacesfishmeal down to 11.5%, from greaterthan 60%, along with half the fish oilcomponent of the feed currentlyused in S. rivoliana production.Feeding trials conducted with thesoybean-based formulation revealedno impact on feed conversion ratio,as compared to the commercial diet,and an estimated feed cost of thesoybean-based formulation verycompetitive to current availableaquafeeds. Moreover, harvested filetscontained more total omega-3 fatty

acids in the tissue relative to the filetsderived from fish fed the commercialdiet. Importantly, a consumer taste-testing panel was unable todifferentiate sashimi prepared fromfish fed the soybean-based feedverses those derived from fish fed thecommercial diet. Our team iscurrently further enhancing the oilcomponent of soybean to strengthenits attractiveness for aquaculture.Here we are using synthetic biologytools to create a set of gene stacksthat will lead to the simultaneousaccumulation of EPA and thecarotenoid, astaxanthin, the latterbeing the coloration ingredient usedin many aquaculture productionsystems.

– by Tom Clemente Eugene W. Price Professor of BiotechnologyUNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture

Commercial Diet

Nebraska Soy Diet

26 Summer 2015

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had a unique and educational opportunity tolearn about modern agriculture on UNL’s CityCampus on Thursday, April 16, 2015.

Husker Food Connection started four years ago inhopes of creating an event that links studentsthrough a common con nection – food. Organizersaddressed some of the common myths associatedwith modern food production, answer questionsand get the conver sa tion started about where foodcomes from. Students that attend the event havethe opportunity to see live farm animals, sit infarm equipment such as a tractor, and inter actwith ag students and commodity experts.

Organizations and commodities boards such asthe Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) were willingto help organize, sponsor and volunteer at theevent since its inception. The soybean farmers ofNebraska have been the driving force behind thet-shirts that are given out to nearly 2,000 students.“This year’s theme was Food: Fact or Fiction. The

reason we picked that theme was to separatemyth from reality in modern food production,” saidLukas Fricke, Husker Food Connection coordinator.“Our goal was to put agri culture up front withtransparency and answer the hard questions.”

This year’s event included: • Free lunch – pork, beef, chicken BBQ

sandwich, deviled eggs, sweet potato chips,milk and Pepsi

• Dairy cow-calf pair from Prairieland Dairy • Feeder pig – from Union Farms Inc. • Fistulated research steer – from UNL Mobile

Beef Lab • Chickens – from Kriefel Family Farms • NSB’s informational hand outs, Dorothy Lynch

samples, and free t-shirts• Nebraska Corn and Ethanol giveaway and

educational displays• Articulated John Deere tractor

• UNL Rodeo demonstrations• Nebraska Wheat Board Mobile Baking lab • Nebraska crop display from UNL Agronomy

Club

The event impacted around 7,800 studentsthrough social media, free lunch, and promo tionalgiveaways. The meal was catered by SkeeterBarnes and featured pork, beef, and chickensandwiches and deviled eggs. Sponsors includedNebraska Pork Producers, independent beefproducers, Nebraska Poultry and Egg Association,and the Nebraska Wheat Board, respectively.More than 60 students, commodity organizations,and friends of agri culture helped with this year’sHusker Food Connection – making it the biggestyear of volunteering, fundraising, and impact to date.

“I want to thank everyone that helped anddonated to make Husker Food Connection a trulygreat event. Every year we impact more and morestudents, and each year the event gets bigger!”Fricke added.

This is an aerial view of just aportion of the ag event in frontof the Student Union.

Ag students taught their peers aboutNebraska agriculture, crops, and livestock.

Volunteers from the agricultural com -munity helped serve more than 3,000free lunches on UNL’s City Campus.

– by Lukas Fricke, Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (A-FAN) Intern

Connecting Students to Their Food

Students appreciated the free lunch.

Let’s fire up the grill and get summer started! Make sure to log on to www.TasteoftheTailgate.com for great summer giveaways, recipes and grilling tips.

Become a grill master this summer with this homegrown favorite.

Dorothy Lynch BBQ WingsFeatured Summer Recipe:

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