June 6, 2025

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, Valley. This is Agglife. My name is Bob
Quinn and I'm with you for the next hour talking
about agricultural production here in the valley and all across
the country. Well friends. A recent USDA study looks at
our nation sorghum as a potential export demand to broiler producers.
Rod Main starts us off.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
The US produces a lot of Sogum's actually a leading
export of sogum in global markets the largest, so opportunities
to always expand those markets will help out farmers.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
One way to increase global market share, according to USDA
research economist Michael Johnson, is exporting sorghum as a feed
grain for poultry. Demand for chicken by consumers worldwide continues
to grow due to factors such as greater disposable income
and urbanization, particularly in developing countries. While our nation uses

(00:47):
sorghum as poultry feed and other nations.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Most countries will prefer to use corn, and part of
it is also the varieties of sogam out there. US
and I think Australia the only ones that sort of
use these tunnel free improved variety that tend to do
very well in feed, but in other countries because they
don't have those improved varieties. They don't always come in
to the feed formulation because of lower digestability and other

(01:10):
negative aspects of nutrition.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
And in addition, recent global grade market disruptions demonstrate the
fluctuation of prices for corn and wheat and perhaps growing
demand for feed grades such as sorgum by poultry growers
around the world. Johnson and Economic Research Service colleagues studied
price responsiveness by broiler producers in twelve nations the substitute feed.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
We were especially interested in evaluating the potential for soorgum
in this case and how we could substitute for corn
in each of the countries in our sample, and a
high substitutability implies real tenal for throwing the share of
US exports to that country, especially during times when corn
prices arising or more volatile in old markets.

Speaker 3 (01:51):
And among the findings of the study.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
We found a high rate of substitution between sogum and corn,
and especially among risk adverse feed producers. Between September twenty
seventeen and twenty twenty three, for which data on monthly
prices was available for US across all twelve.

Speaker 3 (02:06):
Countries Johnson ads core to sorghum feed substitution is easier
now due to the tant and free improve digestibility. Sorghum
grown in the US now available to global broiler growers.

Speaker 2 (02:18):
Whenever the price of sorgum fell, you know that of corn,
and in the presence of greater price risk, price volatility risk,
adverse feed producers would shift easily to sogum. Countries that
strongly show this behavior we found to be China, United States, Egypt,
and to some degree Mexico Abroad.

Speaker 3 (02:34):
Bane reporting for the US Department of Agriculture in Washington,
d C.

Speaker 1 (02:38):
Well Friends, Pacific Northwest cherries should be arriving in the
grocery store soon. That's coming up. You're listening to Aglife
Bob when here with Farmer US. This morning, Well American
Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvaul testified before a Senate committee
on a major concern in farm country. Chad Smith has
more on solutions to address the increasing age of farmers

(02:59):
and ranchers.

Speaker 4 (03:00):
Data shows that American farmers and ranchers are getting older.
American Farm Bureau President Zippy duval is set to discuss
this issue as well as ways to address the problem
with the Senate Special Committee on Aging.

Speaker 5 (03:13):
According to the latest USDA Census of Agriculture, nearly forty
percent of all farmers are now beyond the retirement age.
It only eight percent of farmers are under the age
of thirty five. We should all be concerned about those
numbers in the future of our family farms.

Speaker 4 (03:30):
One of the ways Congress can support family farms is
by updating the Farm Bill.

Speaker 5 (03:34):
I farmers need a modernized five year farm Bill. Issues
like inflation, rising supply costs, and overall market volatility have
made it harder for our family farms to hold on.
This will help families stay in business and pass the
farm onto the next generation. The Farm Bill also provides
certainty for new and beginning farmers just starting out.

Speaker 4 (03:56):
Duvall underscores that Farm Bureau recognizes the importance of supporting
farmers at all stages of their careers.

Speaker 5 (04:03):
Our Young Farmers and Ranchers Program, our Promotion and Engagement Program,
and our Whomen's Leadership Committee gives farmers the twols to
advocate for their own success. America has a race tradition
in farming, and we want to ensure that that continues
in the next generation and.

Speaker 4 (04:18):
Beyond Chad Smith, Washington.

Speaker 1 (04:20):
Well, friends, keep your eye out because you should start
seeing some excellent Northwest cherries in the grocery stores. Carly Lang,
domestic promotions director at Northwest Cherries, says, there'll be there
before you know it.

Speaker 6 (04:33):
West Coast, I would say probably anywhere around June seventh
or eighth. East Coast, you're probably looking more to mid
June when we really ramp up volume and can get
it trucked over there.

Speaker 1 (04:44):
All about domestic versus exports.

Speaker 6 (04:46):
As of right now, domestically, everything's looking good for and
I know there's going to be some issues with transit,
but I haven't heard anything domestically that we're going to
be facing.

Speaker 1 (04:55):
Lang says it's shaping up to be a very good year.

Speaker 6 (04:58):
We just had our chair marketing committee meeting and heard
from several growers there and they are very optimistic and
very happy with how everything is looking right now.

Speaker 1 (05:08):
There are nine percent more cherries expected than last year,
and the quality is great and it.

Speaker 6 (05:13):
Might even be a little bit bigger than that. We
never know, but yeah, the quality is looking excellent.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
Parley Lang. Northwest Cherries with US rural broadband has been
a discussion topic at the local, state, and federal levels
for quite some time. Jeff Johnston, lead economist for Digital
Infrastructure at Cobank, talks about the overall state of broadband
and rural America.

Speaker 7 (05:36):
Well, we've made progress if you look back to where
we were before COVID and how COVID really exposed how
vulnerable those are who are living in rural America who
do not have access to internet, you know how vulnerable
they are. We've made a lot of progress since then,
both with federal, state money and private capital as well.
So we're moving in the right direction, but we're not
where we need to be quite yet. There is forty

(05:56):
two point five billion dollars actually that was hear mark
out of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and specifically
it's the b program within that piece of legislation, and
that's really exciting because that's an unprecedent amount of capital,
a president amount of money that the government has set
aside to support building out rural broadband networks to get
those who are not connected connected.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
The program hasn't made as much progress as was first hoped,
but he's anticipating more progress to come in the months ahead.
Johnston said, rural electric co ops are doing a lot
of work to close that digital divide.

Speaker 8 (06:30):
No doubt.

Speaker 7 (06:30):
Look, the rural electric cooperatives are sort of the unsung heroes.
Spent a lot of regards in terms of the work
that they've done building fiber to the home networks for
their members who don't have any connectivity, and they continue
to do that, So kudos to them. They're playing a
critical role in bridging the digital divide in rural America,
as are rural telephone cooperatives and privately owned and managed

(06:52):
rural telecom operatives as well, so it's kind of a
multi prom approach.

Speaker 1 (06:56):
Jeff Johnston Cobank talking broadband with US farm US. You're
listening to wag Life.

Speaker 9 (07:03):
It's another a news update sweeping tariffs. Are they breaking
the law? More after this, here's farmer and landowner John Prue.

Speaker 10 (07:14):
We purchased the land about three years ago and there
was an old farmstead on there with trees, and you're
going to clear the lands, we could fire through it.
We thought we knew where the pipe was, so we
didn't call to get it located. The work on our
property led to the damage of a light cruded pipeline. Fortunately,
no one was hurt, but it could have been much worse.

Speaker 11 (07:30):
Never assumed the location or depth of underground lines.

Speaker 12 (07:33):
Always call eight one to one or visit clickbefore youdig
dot com before you start work.

Speaker 13 (07:37):
A message from the pipeline operators for egg.

Speaker 9 (07:39):
Safety campaign earlier this month from Switzerland US Trade representative
Jamison Greer, I want to.

Speaker 14 (07:48):
Echo the Secretary's of marks respect to the Swiss government.
They've been so welcome and they posted this and everything
has gone off lawlessly and we appreciate that. And again
to the Chinese negotiators. Vice Premier Leo Boats, Vice Minister
Lee Chendong and Vice Minister Leamen work very diligently and
these are very tough negotiators. A couple of them I
know from the four and have had pass interactions with them.

(08:10):
And this was, as the Secretary pointed out, a very
constructed two days. It's important to understand how quickly we
were able to come to agreement, which reflects that perhaps
the differences were not so large as maybe thought. That
being said, there was a lot of groundwork that went
into these two days. Just remember why we're here in
the first place, in the United States as a mass

(08:30):
at one point two trillion dollars trade deficit. So the
President declared a national emergency and imposed tariffs, and we're
confident that the deal we struck with our Chinese partners
will help us to resolve work towards resolving that national emergency.

Speaker 9 (08:44):
But a federal trade court on Wednesday blocked the administration
from imposing sweeping tariffs on imports under the Emergency Powers law.
So another ag News update.

Speaker 15 (08:58):
If this were just any door, and this was just
any ignition connected to just any transmission in just any vehicle,
then perhaps it would be okay to buy it from
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(09:18):
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to buy one simple if you authorize Mercedes Benz deals.

Speaker 9 (09:26):
American Cattle News, a nineteen fifty six movie called Giant
told the story of cattle versus oil. What's it today?

Speaker 16 (09:35):
More?

Speaker 17 (09:35):
After this, when you look at me, you might see
a person with Parkinson's disease. But if you look closer,
you'll see a warrior mom, an endurance athlete, someone with
a lot of fights. Every nine minutes, someone is diagnosed
with Parkinson's disease.

Speaker 4 (09:51):
And every one of them can turn to the American
Parkinson Disease Association.

Speaker 13 (09:55):
Look closer, My spirit is uncreakable.

Speaker 18 (10:00):
Ada Parkinson dot org to learn more and show your
support today.

Speaker 9 (10:05):
Brian McLaughlin is an attorney and a rancher in Midland, Texas.
The Permian Basin.

Speaker 13 (10:11):
The Permian Basins large.

Speaker 19 (10:12):
I mean, that's just a geographic carry out in West Texas,
you know, I would say, you know west of I
thirty five, which almost bisects the state from west of Austin,
west of Ballast and Fort Worth just south of the Panhandle,
but from El Pasoeast it covers a big area.

Speaker 13 (10:25):
And you're right.

Speaker 19 (10:25):
The ranching and oil and gas industry have gone hand
in hand for a long time. They're kind of one
in the saying these were the big vacant lands of Texas.
And back in the early days of Texas, Texas was
a land rich state and gave away its lands to
railroads and if they would survey the lands bad but
then they sold and became ranches. It was profitable to
run ranching and the cattles back in the Bacon cattle
drives back in the eighteen eighties, late later part of

(10:47):
the eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds. Then the fencing
came along and the ranches became more established than in
the twenties. The oil field hit in West Texas, out
in Reagan County. The Santa Rita number one in the
University of Texas owns a lot of land in West Texas.
That's approximately two million acres. That's what forms the Permanent
University Fund, which supplies a lot of money for the
University of Texas and Texas A and M systems, ranching

(11:09):
and oil and gas interergy. We've gone hand in hand
for a long time.

Speaker 9 (11:12):
Tonty an easy place to raise livestock.

Speaker 19 (11:15):
Well, we have had some very serious droughts the past decades.
You know, the Touawin desert, which begins in the Big
Ben out in southwest part of Texas is getting larger.
The desert is not getting smaller, but we've had some
tough times. Lack of rainfall past several years is really devastating.
Has where we've had some terrible fires. Our place got
wiped out in twenty eleven by devastating fire. In this
past year, we had some horrible fires up in the

(11:35):
pantandle and that takes a lot of land out of production.
And if there's no grass there to grow the cattle
can't raise cattle on it and can't put them in
the market. So we are at historic lows in the
cattle numbers, which has caused the increase in the.

Speaker 9 (11:48):
Price American Cattle News.

Speaker 13 (11:51):
This is Dairy Radio Now with Bill Baker.

Speaker 12 (11:57):
It's time for our Feet for on Friday with doctor
Mike Hutchins, Professor Emeritus from the University of Illinois.

Speaker 20 (12:02):
Hello Mike, Well, welcome to today's feed form Man. We're
going to talk about feeding high laic soybeans for our listeners. Basically,
hyolaic soybeans or soybeans have a different fatty acid profile
and therefore it is much more room and friendly to
dairy cows because it's higher in eighteen one that's olaic
acid and much lower in polyon centered fatty acids which

(12:23):
is eighteen to two fatty acids here, which can affect
rumen fermentation and butterfat test as well. There are three
companies that produce the olake fatty acid soybeans, the Flemish variety,
Vista Gold and soy Liq, and one of those is
a non GMO, so for organic producers, there is a
source there of soybeans that can be fed to produce

(12:45):
natural milk. The addition of olaic fatty acids in the
feeding program improves digestibility of all fats in the diet
and it will modify what weight gain as well. Generally speaking,
most of our farmers are going to be roasting these soybeans.
Roasting will increase the amount of protein that is not
degraded in the room. And of course the good news
is with soybeans a high lyicing that's one of the

(13:06):
first limiting aminuo acids for dairy cows. Yes, you can
feed them raw. However, when they're raw, they contain a urrease,
which is an ensign that will break down urea and
you cannot combine those two together. And very high in
room and degraded protein. So there are farmers here in
the Midwest that will feed like two pounds of raw
soybeans and three or four pounds of roasted to get

(13:27):
the best of both worlds to optimize room and performance.
What was really interesting was that there was two producers
on the panel and this is out at the Western
Dairy Conference that this presentation was made. One with some
Michigan and this is a herd that was averaging eighty
five pounds amount four to seven Holstein cows with a
three to three protein. Here he was feeding eight and
a half pounds of roasted soybeans. That's a fairly high number.

(13:49):
Basically that was what his inventory would allow him to do.
He had an electric roaster that he used on the farm.
He was roasting up the three hundred and forty degrees fahrenheit.
That's a little on the high end here, and then
he was grinding them through a three sixteen fine screen,
which means it becomes fairly fine particle, which now exposes
those roasted site means to more roumin degradation when we
look more for a cracking or rolling of those beans

(14:10):
to maintain the roumin undergraded portion of the protein as well.
He was very satisfied with the results that will continue
to raise them. The second producer came from Wisconsin. He
was milking a thousand cows. He had the sixteen robotic
milkers on his farm with two robotic milkers in each
of the pen. And these cows are averaging about fifty

(14:30):
eight pounds a dry matter, and he looked like that
he was saving about twenty cents per cow compared to
the dry fat product he had feed earlier in the
feeding program as well, he is going through a one
eighth inch screen, and therefore of a hammer milker, he
was getting more of a cracking effect and that would
be ideal as well. He was buying. He was raising some,

(14:52):
but he didn't have enough for his thousand cows. He
was paying a dollar bushel premium to a neighbor to
grow the beans for him. So that's another alternative. If
you don't have enough land, you can maybe a contract
because the yields on both the conventional and the higher
lake soybeans are equal. Therefore you don't give up any
yield advantage. Here he was feeding basically six pounds to

(15:12):
the fresh cows, four and a half pounds to his
heifer pan, and four and a half pounds to his
mature cows. He had some numbers he had the eureas
he checks that out routine way. The aurea's activity was
the low point zero two which man exne job of roasting.
He was roasting basically at two hundred and fifty five
to two hundred and fifty eight degrees fahrenheit, and he
was grinding these down to about six hundred micron size.

(15:34):
So the takeo messages of Lake soybeans are certainly a
turnative choice there for both as a source of fat
on the farm er economical and a source of protein
you don't have to purchase. Well, that can please the
program for today. Thanks, Hey, I have a great date.

Speaker 12 (15:45):
Thank you, Mike. That's doctor Mike Cutchens, Professor emeritus from
the University of Illinois, featured every Friday here on our
feed for him Friday on Dairy Radio.

Speaker 21 (15:53):
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(16:16):
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Speaker 12 (16:22):
Federal Order reform milk price changes began in June, and
Stoneheck's broker Dave Kruzowski talks with Lee Milki about them
and what the markets are saying. That's on our Milky Monday,
Have a safe weekend. I'm Bill Baker Dairy Radio.

Speaker 22 (16:35):
Now really helping pistachio growers improve their bottom line be
more sustainable. I'm Patrick Kavanaugh with the California Tree Nut Report,
part of the Vastag Information Network. Joe Cooelo is the
director of Sustainability and member Outreach for the American Pistachio

(16:56):
Growers Association.

Speaker 23 (16:57):
That can help you with on firm recharging, help you,
you know, figure out exactly what they're going to allow
and kind of create some pathways for water. But a
lot of it is the typical old I need to
reduce my cost of production and or enhance my productivity
and improve my margins. That's so as to stay afloat
things are getting more expensive. I've got to figure out

(17:18):
how to do more with less and.

Speaker 22 (17:19):
Of course, that's a big goal of farming. Do more
with less.

Speaker 23 (17:23):
Yeah, well, I mean I do know things. I can
tell you there's there's many holes in many growers' games.
And I'm not saying that I'm perfect either, But if
I don't have a solution, then I will derive one
through an R and D project, you know, or I'll
know someone that does, and we can we can put
it together, you know, and we can look at demonstrative
you know projects, pilots like straight up randomized complete block

(17:46):
design research things like that, so, you know, at the
same time, and that's been very well received by growers.
So it's kind of like the backbone and what I.

Speaker 22 (17:55):
Do again, that's Joe Koello direct your sustainability and member
out each with the American pistaschial growers.

Speaker 11 (18:02):
It's been popping up in orchards and vineyards all over.
Any origin theories colors, Oh.

Speaker 18 (18:07):
Hey, yeah, it's Seva fungicide from BASF, a category leader
and disease control.

Speaker 11 (18:12):
How do you explain these healthy crops.

Speaker 18 (18:14):
Well, longer lasting residual Plus, it's built for current regulatory
standards and prepare for what's to come, which improves crop
marketing flexibility.

Speaker 11 (18:21):
So a fungicide that is out of this world. I
knew it sevia fungicide from BASF for is it always
reading only pressures.

Speaker 24 (18:31):
For over forty years, the AG Information Network has been
providing news and information for the most important industry in
the world, agriculture. The Egg Information Network gives you worldwide
updates from local producers to regional organizations, from major crops
like wheat and corn, to animal agriculture to specially crops
like apples, almonds, and cherries. We report on stories that

(18:51):
mean the most to you online at aginfo dot net.
The AG Information Network trusted and transparent journalism lasting for
the next generation.

Speaker 22 (19:00):
The AG Information Network. I'm Patrick Cavanaugh.

Speaker 3 (19:03):
At the end of the Western water seas at April
first and beyond.

Speaker 25 (19:07):
We were heading into really the month of May in
pretty good shape across the western US, especially along the
north of a line from the Sierra Nevada to the
Central Rockies.

Speaker 3 (19:14):
Yet recent warm spells during May, according to USDA meorologist
Brad Rippey, is resulting a premature mountain snowpack belt.

Speaker 25 (19:21):
And that has led to reduced expectations for runoff.

Speaker 3 (19:24):
Runoff essential to fill Western water reservoirs for agg irrigation
at municipal water supplies. Other complications include thirsty soils across
the West, periods of dry weather creating sublimation of snowpack
and dust storms accelerating snow melt on mountain slopes in
some areas.

Speaker 25 (19:40):
The far northern tier of California, much of Oregon, and
even extending into parts of the Northern Rockies looking pretty
good for water supply, but areas further to the north,
as you move up in Washington State and then especially
to the south from the Sierra Nevada and Central Rocky southward,
we have lost some potential on how much water is
going to be available for this summer. We do have
a less optimistic outlook for Western water supply than we had,
say a month ago, due to some of these warm

(20:02):
spells that we've been seeing now. Other complications related to
this have included soil seemed to be unusually thirsty across
much of the West, so we're not seeing all of
that runoff go right into the reservoirs. If that were happening,
we really wouldn't have as much of a problem because
that water would still be conserved, it would be held
in a different form than the snowpack, but at least
would be stored in reservoirs, but we are seeing some
loss due to thirsty soils. Other complications have included some

(20:24):
periods of very dry weather that has actually led to
some sublimation of snow. That is, when you go directly
from the solid form snowpack or ice into the gas form,
which is just evaporating it right into the thin air.
You are not retaining any water for irrigation purposes when
sublimation happens. Then a third complication, especially in the Southwest,
we have had a number of dust storms. Some of

(20:44):
that dust has ended up on the slopes on the
mountain sides, and that has led to an accelerated snowmelt
of an already subpar snowpack in parts of the Southwest,
so we have lost some snow there. We did have
that sweet spot stretching from the northern Sierra Nevada and
southern Cascades into parts of the northern Rockies. Those areas
have also lost a little bit more snowpack than we
would have liked to have seen. But at the same time,
there was so much snow in those areas that were

(21:06):
still going to end the year with above average runoff.
It's outside of that sweet spot that banned from the
southern Cascades in northern Sierravada to the northern Rockies that
we do have more concerns because we just don't have
optimal runoff that we expected to see earlier. On what example,
on that the Sierra Nevada as a whole, we had
basically an average snowpack this year. By the time we
came out of the Memorial Day weekend, that liquid equivalency

(21:26):
of the existing or the remaining snowpack was down to
under two and a half inches. This time of year,
we still expect to see almost ten inches contained in
that snowpack, so we lost it very quickly. Some of
it has made it into reservoirs, so it's not a
complete loss. Still looking pretty good areas that are served
by the Sierra Nevada and that includes many of the
one hundred and fifty four Interra state reservoirs in California,
but not quite as optimistic on just how much water

(21:47):
will be available as we move through the hot season
and the dry season in California. The biggest concern would
be our southwestern areas that are a in drought b
did not have much snow and c especially in the
areas where we have low reservoirs that pertains to our
Colorado River basin where we have chronic issues, as well
as moving into New Mexico where we also have some

(22:08):
water supply shortages that are long term. Those areas already
have stressed rangeland and pastures, and areas where those rangeland
of pastures are irrigated there may be water shortages, and
those that operate on natural grazing where they don't irrigate. Obviously,
the range land of pastures are in much worse shape
as you move into the southwestern quadrant of the country.
Moving to the north a little bit more optimistic, we

(22:30):
have had enough moisture there to sustain the rangeland of
pastures that are coming into this spring and early summer
looking pretty good, but again just not quite as much
water availability overall is what we originally expected when we
reached that peak snowpack date back in early April.

Speaker 3 (22:45):
I'm Rod Bain, reporting for the US Department of Agriculture
in Washington, d C.

Speaker 26 (22:54):
This is the Agricultural Law and Tax Report, brought to
you by Helena Agg and agency's and nutrition with core Metra.
Visit Helena aagra dot com for more information. I'm Roger McGowan.
For many farm families, leaving a legacy for subsequent generations
is important. Often that involves land ownership, but it can
be much more. A legacy also involves your character. Each

(23:14):
day is an opportunity to build a more positive legacy
to influence future family generations. Your legacy dovetails into a
state and business planning. Give consideration to the best structure
for your farming business to have future success, and maybe
think about creating a donor advised fund or a private
foundation to help family members that need a boost. Your
legacy is more than just the stuff you own. It

(23:35):
includes the choices you make that influence the future trajectory
of your family and business. This has been the Agricultural
Law and Tax Report.

Speaker 9 (23:44):
I'm Roger mcowan.

Speaker 22 (23:47):
You've been listening to focus on AG.

Speaker 11 (23:49):
Thanks for being with us today.

Speaker 27 (23:52):
It's time for California AGG Today on the AGA Information Network,
I am A Hayley's ship well from the California coast
to the desert. When asked the state of the vegetable market,
Thomas Kratagini with Helen and Agra Enterprises. Gave me a
single word summation tough.

Speaker 8 (24:11):
It's very tight margins, just have a lot of higher
costs for products, higher costs for fertilizers and inputs. And
then the end user, the consumer doesn't want to buy
a ten dollars how to let it.

Speaker 27 (24:24):
As he talks about tight margins and market caps, there's
also another stressor looming mother nature. He told me how
megafol works full circle, utilizing plant extracts to help the plant.

Speaker 8 (24:38):
It's a compound of a bunch of different plant extracts,
and these plant extracts essentially trigger around one hundred and
twenty eight genes on in the plant. And what those
genes do is essentially it triggers an immune defense system.
So when there is extreme heat and things like that,
it will trigger these genes on to help fight all

(25:00):
against that very intense sun and just overall will help
the immunity and help of the crop to survive these
abiotic stresses.

Speaker 27 (25:11):
To find a Helen a repnear you, just visit Helena
Agrie dot com.

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Cultiva dot com for more information.

Speaker 29 (25:45):
Today, we're talking with aphids and white flies about sophena
insecticide from basf We just.

Speaker 9 (25:50):
Get nailed with it.

Speaker 13 (25:51):
So tell us how you feeling really, really weird.

Speaker 29 (25:55):
And you still want to devour this few No way,
bro have folks. Safena insecticide is specifically engineered to disorient
aphis and wi flies so they can't eat, and when
they can't eat, they can't destroy.

Speaker 28 (26:07):
He'll protect your alfalfa from aphids with Sefena insecticide. Always
read and follow label directions on the.

Speaker 27 (26:13):
AG Information Network. I am Hatley's ship Bob.

Speaker 1 (26:16):
When here were some farm news this morning, friends will
as China placed steep retaliatory tariffs on US goods. US
Meat Export Federation offices from around the globe work together
to find new markets for US beef and pork products
traditionally purchased by Chinese buyers, and a Pellet court is
weighing in the legalilee of some US tariffs, but China's

(26:37):
retaliatory duties on US pork and beef remain in place,
putting current tariffs on US pork at fifty seven percent
and while tariffs on US beef are at thirty two percent.
Beef export to China have been largely halted as the
Chinese government has failed to renew US beef plant registrations.
USMEF Latin America representative Homo Ratio describe the effort among

(27:00):
the international offices to move some of the products previously
destined for China to other markets.

Speaker 30 (27:07):
All of the offices got together and we talked about
where and how we could use some of these China
items in other markets. So in the case of Columbia,
we identified processors where we could take some items like
the mask that used to go to Mexico. China outbids them.
Maybe there's an opportunity in some other markets. So looked
at processors, looked at the different wet markets, and some

(27:28):
other opportunities on some off fall that could go to
these wet markets in Colombia, in Central America and in
South America, a tremendous amount of white rice is eaten,
and so you know, we know how short plates sliced
thinly and how they're used in Asia, and so we
thought maybe that was an opportunity.

Speaker 1 (27:45):
And one of the more successful promotions. USMEF worked with
some grocery chains in the region to promote thinly sliced
frozen beef short plate. Now, the retail promotion was so
successful that two competing grocery chains in China also started
promoting the frozen short plate. Well, friends of American agriculture
is slowly losing the stigma surrounding mental health challenges. Susan

(28:10):
Littlefield has a report for us this morning.

Speaker 31 (28:13):
The understanding of the current status of the mental health
of our farmers and ranchers has caught the ears of
Brooke Rawlins, Secretary of Agriculture with the USDA.

Speaker 16 (28:23):
The suicide right with our farmers is similar to our veterans,
and it's stunningly and heartbreakingly high, and we have to
realize that something has to be done. Doug Collins is
Secretary over at the VA. He himself comes from a
similar background to many of us in this room. He
and I have talked about this. You'll be seeing more

(28:45):
on this, and you'll be seeing us rolling things out.
I think that one of the great most brilliant pieces
of the way that our founding fathers set up American
I may have mentioned this two season when we talked
is as laboratories of democracy and that most of the
power and the sort of innovation should come from the states,
not the federal government. We've already put together with our
incredible ag commissioners. Governor Pillins now been in a few

(29:07):
meetings with me with our governors really working to support
the innovative ideas on some of the most important issues
facing our farmers and ranchers, and this is certainly one
of them. So you'll be hearing more from it on this,
and please send us any resources you have or you
think that we should model or effectuate in a bigger
way around the country.

Speaker 31 (29:25):
At that same event where the Secretary was visiting Nebraska,
I asked Lucas Frickey, a sixth generation farmer from just
outside of Ulyssas, Nebraska, how he and his peers talk
about mental health because we know times have changed and
generations before him have been a little bit more tight lipped.
So what does that new generation of agricultural producers do

(29:48):
when it comes to their mental health.

Speaker 32 (29:50):
I got to be very careful about the words.

Speaker 11 (29:52):
This is not fun.

Speaker 32 (29:53):
I don't know how it's to say it nicer, and
I don't want to sound complaining, like, oh my life
is so terrible. You know all of this, like you
try to look for the good opportunity, but it gets
extremely stressful trying to make all the ends meet, juggle
all the balls. I mean, it's not where we have
multiple employees. A lot of this are one two people teams.

(30:13):
It's me and my brother and my mom and our
hired guy that's been here with us for twenty five
years that does without just like we do to because
you have that respect and that responsibility to it. But
I think that's one of the situations where that mental
health does come into it, because the world you feel
is on your shoulders and people are going to look
down on you if you fail. And the neighbor down

(30:34):
the road's doing way better, so I should be doing better.

Speaker 11 (30:36):
What am I screwing up and doing wrong?

Speaker 32 (30:38):
And it's a lot of fun to sit next to
another younger peer of mine today and it was like
I feel the same exact way, and I'm like, oh
my god, thank god, I'm not the only one. At
least I said it to you. But I'm not the
only one, and I think a lot of us feel that.

Speaker 33 (30:50):
Ways.

Speaker 32 (30:50):
There's the responsibility tradition, and there's a responsibility that hey,
I'm in this, I made this choice, I want to
succeed and it just doesn't happen.

Speaker 31 (30:59):
So with all those rushes of trying to keep up
with what the previous generations have done for them to
be able to farm, how does this new generation of
farmers and ranchers deal with mental health.

Speaker 32 (31:09):
Being honest and talking, finding good friends to talk about it,
and lament with a little bit. You know, misery does
love company. And again, farmers are the internal optimists. Catch
me on the right day and I'll ty like I
can do this for another one hundred years. There's the
days that just the wind gets taken out of your
sales and you're like, why am I doing this? Like
you know, you really question, And so I think that's
one of the things. Have a good support network, laugh

(31:31):
a lot, have good friends.

Speaker 31 (31:32):
Thanks to Lucas Fricky for sharing his thoughts when it
comes to mental health and of course the comments that
came from the Egg secretary. If you or someone you
know is in crisis, please call or text nine eight
eight or visit nine eight eight lifeline dot Org. I'm
susan littlefield so farm US.

Speaker 1 (31:49):
You're listening to aag life.

Speaker 33 (31:53):
From the egg information that work. This is your agribusiness update.
The uncertainty surrounding tariffs on key US trading partners has
pulled that new crop sales well below historical averages CoBank's
Knowledge Exchange reports. The longer the uncertainty continues to drag
on new sales of new crop exports, merchandisers risk entering
the twenty five twenty six marketing year with greater reliance

(32:13):
on local demand that may be scarce in some regions.
On May first, US new crop exports were well below
five year averages, with soybeans down eighty eight point two
percent and corn twenty six point nine percent. A new
report on animal health shows outbreaks of bird flu in
mammals doubled in twenty twenty four, with other diseases spreading
and putting more humans at risk. Published by the World

(32:33):
Organization for Animal Health, the report revealed animal diseases were
migrating into unaffected areas, and forty seven percent have animals
to human potential. While the risk to humans remains low,
the more mammals that become infected, the greater at the
risk to humans. Axecuary Brook Rawlins announced a bold two
hundred million dollar investment to implement the USDA Forest Services

(32:54):
National Active Forest Management Strategy. The initiative aims to increase
timber harvest, a more stable supply I have wood products,
improved forest health, and reduced wildfire risk. The strategy supports
President Trump's executive Order for immediate expansion of timber production
by streamlining regulations, emergency authorities, and project approvals.

Speaker 11 (33:13):
It's been popping up in orchards and vineyards all over
any origin.

Speaker 18 (33:17):
Theories callers, Oh hey, yeah, it's Seva fungicide from BASF,
a category leader in disease control.

Speaker 11 (33:23):
How do you explain these healthy crops.

Speaker 18 (33:25):
Well, longer lasting residual. Plus it's built for current regulatory
standards and prepare for what's to come, which improves crop
marketing flexibility.

Speaker 11 (33:32):
So a fungicide that is out of this world. I
knew it Sevia fungicide from BASF for is it always
reading Holy bursions.

Speaker 24 (33:41):
For the last forty years, the AG Information Network has
been the source of news for farmers and ranchers. Yet
we have never seen such an assault on farming and
our food supply as we do today, from fuel to fertilizer.
Farmers are facing unprecedented economic challenges. This is why agriculture
news that farmers receive comes from the AGG Information Network,
reaching coast to coast, deep roots and farming. In decades

(34:04):
of reporting, the AGG Information Network trusted and transparent journalism
for generations.

Speaker 13 (34:10):
From the Egg Information Network. I'm Bob Larson with today's
Agribusiness Update. Bob went back to wrap up AG Live
for to day friends. NPPC outlined a comprehensive strategy during
the World Expo that's delivering for pork producers. Chad Smith
has our report.

Speaker 4 (34:26):
At the twenty twenty five World Pork Expo, a panel
of policy experts from the National Pork Producers Council outlined
how a comprehensive, coordinated advocacy strategy is delivering results for
America's pork producers. NPPC President Dwayne Stateler talked about the
panel's take home message.

Speaker 34 (34:44):
Mppc's number one priority is ensuring economic certainty and long
term sustainability for pork producers. Mppc's ABC is focused on
defending the freedom to operate and making sure every producer,
regardless of their size or location, has a voice.

Speaker 4 (35:00):
Talks about why a comprehensive approach to advocacy is important.

Speaker 34 (35:04):
Policy issues we face are not created in a vacuum.
They often touch all four corners of our advocacy at first. Unfortunately,
Prop twelve is a perfect example. It shows decisions made
at a state level can lead to poems that require
a federal solution. When an issue of this magnitude comes
along and cuts across each advocacy area, it's critical that

(35:24):
we are speaking from the same page.

Speaker 4 (35:26):
He talks about how a change in White House administrations
can change mppc's style of advocacy.

Speaker 34 (35:33):
MPPC exists to ensure that producers have a voice in
the room when it comes to decisions that are impacting
their future. Our approach to advocacy has always been to
a bipartisan approach because issues often take time and span
administrations to finalize. This work involves engagement at regulatory agencies,
international food standards organizations, or corporate boardrooms in addition to

(35:56):
focus on legislative work in DC. This approach recently with
positive results, for example on USDA's decision to make its
line speed program permanent, which took persistence and a commitment
in working with individuals on both sides of the aisle
to accomplish this.

Speaker 4 (36:10):
Stateler and Ohio pork Producer talks about the main policy
issues and PPC is focused on.

Speaker 34 (36:17):
We continue to push a five year farm bill that
includes a Prop. Twelve fix. We are facing the realities
of workforce shortages on our farms and need VISA reform
to offset those challenges. We remain focused on new market
access for US pork more than ever in light of
the new tariffs that make it more difficult for US
to compete in a global pork market. NPPC continues to

(36:38):
seek solutions that move our industry forward. Word Pork Expo
is a great venue to hear from producers from around
the country on issues that are important to their farms.

Speaker 4 (36:48):
Again, that's Stwain Stateler, President of the NPPC, Chad Smith
reporting with

Speaker 1 (36:54):
That friends out of time today, thanks for joining us
back Monday morning with another edition of Bad Life