MADISON, WI
Farm implement transfer bill passes Senate.
A bill that would streamline the process of transferring farm equipment on to another after the owner dies is headed to the state Assembly. Sen. Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan, authored SB 893, which passed the Senate on Feb. 23.

Currently, beneficiaries who are receiving farm implements are required to go through probate, an often lengthy formal legal process. All equipment used to continue production is held until that process is completed.

“Any disruption in the agricultural cycle can leave farmers in a tight position with lost production and revenues,” said Ballweg in a news release. “This legislation will make it easier for small farmers who often transfer farm implements between family members.”

Senate Bill 893 allows farm implements to be transferred through a process called Transfer on Death (TOD). Through written designation of a beneficiary and witnesses, TOD can bypass the need for the court to get involved.

WASHINGTON D.C.
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donates $50M to 4-H

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gave a $50 million gift to the National 4-H Council, which the youth-focused nonprofit called “transformational.” The gift is part of a new batch of the philanthropist’s donations now coming to light, Associated Press reported.

The donation to the organization, which supports the 120-year-old youth development program, is the second largest gift known to have been made by Scott since she announced last year she gave $2.7 billion to charitable nonprofits.

Earlier this month, Communities in Schools, which provides services in schools in low-income neighborhoods, said it received a $133.5M contribution from Scott.

The National 4-H Council, which supports The Department of Agriculture’s 4-H Youth Development Program, said in a statement that Scott’s gift will support “positive youth development” for nearly six million kids and their families.

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI
More than 140 attend FFA Farm Forum

More than 140 high school juniors from around Wisconsin attended Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s FFA Farm Forum in Wisconsin Rapids on Feb. 18.

During the one-day event at Hotel Mead, FFA members attended career-based workshops including: ‘Meat’ Your Future in Wisconsin with Kaitlyn Riley and Matt Bayer, master meat crafter; Basics of Risk Management and Why It Matters with Mike North of ever.ag; Welcome to Jeopardy: Rural and Agricultural Edition with Melissa Ploeckelman of the National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety; and A Day in the Life on a Potato Farm with Mike Leahy, Lynn Leahy and Tom Schultz of Heartland Farms, Inc.

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation sponsors FFA Farm Forum in cooperation with the Wisconsin Association of FFA. After holding the event virtually in 2021, this year’s FFA Farm Forum marks the 49th time the event has been hosted in person for Wisconsin youth.

MADISON, WI
State all milk price reaches $23.40 cwt.

The Wisconsin all milk price for January hit a seven-year high at $23.40 per cwt., according to the USDA Agricultural Prices report. The January price was $1.80 above Dec. 2021 price and nearly $6.00 over Jan. 2021. last month’s price and $5.90 more than the previous January.

According to data, farmers haven’t seen this high of price since Nov. 2014 when the November all milk price topped out at $24.40.

The U.S. all milk price for January was $24.20 per cwt, $2.40 more than last month’s U.S. price, Wisconsin Ag Connection reported.

RIVER FALLS, WI
In-person horse judging youth clinic is back for 2022 at UW-RF

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls is offering a Horse Judging Youth Clinic from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 26, at the Campus Farm, 1475 S. Wasson La., River Falls. The clinic is intended for 4-H and FFA youth members as well as agricultural education coaches interested in learning or improving their horse judging skills. Participants of all judging experiences and levels are welcome.

The clinic instructor is Casie Bass, assistant professor of animal science at UW-River Falls and coach of the UW-River Falls horse judging team.

Participants will learn how to evaluate horse balance, conformation, in-hand classes, as well as various performance classes.

Costs are: $90 for participants which includes a judging manual, a T-shirt, and participation in all activities and $50 for auditors which covers listening to all activities. Lunch is included for both. Registration deadline is March 23. To register visit www.uwrf.edu/ANFS/EquineClinics.cfm.

WASHINGTON D.C.
Wisconsinites appointed as delegates to National Pork Producers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the appointment of 150 producers and five importers to the 2022 National Pork Producers Delegate Body.

Members from Wisconsin appointed to serve one-year terms are: Ryan Cain, Osseo and Alicia Prill-Adams, Platteville.

Delegates meet annually to recommend the rate of assessment, determine the percentage of assessments that state associations will receive, and nominate producers and importers to the National Pork Board. Representation on the Delegate Body is based on annual net assessments collected on sales of domestic hogs within individual states, with a minimum of two producers from each state.

MADISON, WI
Nominate a farmer to celebrate National Ag Day

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is seeking nominations to recognize farmers and agriculturists who embody this year’s National Ag Day theme, ‘Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.’

Nominations will be accepted from March 1-11, by WFBF’s Promotion and Education Committee to receive additional recognition. Nominations can be submitted at https://bit.ly/WFBFAgDay2022.

“This year as we celebrate National Ag Day, we want to celebrate farmers,” said WFBF Promotion and Education Committee Chair Brenda Dowiasch. They work hard to provide us an abundance of healthy food while taking care of the land for future generations.”

Each winner will receive a Blain’s Farm & Fleet gift card. Winners will be announced on National Ag Day, March 22. To download resources about National Ag Day, visit agday.org.

WASHINGTON D.C.
Wheat and fuel prices surge on back of Russia-Ukraine escalation

The dramatic news from Ukraine concerning an invasion by Russian troops and the prospect of prolonged military action is already having an impact on wheat and fuel prices, Pig World reported.

Russia and Ukraine are both huge global wheat producers, accounting for 23% of global wheat exports for 2021-22. While the impact on trade, including disrupted supply and even economic sanctions on Russia, is unclear, the threat of reduced export availability has fed through to the markets.

With the pig sector suffering from record feed prices, which are having a massive impact on finances alongside all the issues associated with the backlog, the last thing the industry needs is any further upward pressure on wheat prices.

Fuel and energy costs are also going to be affected – oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel to a seven-year high.

SAVANNAH, GA
Port of Savannah to grow capacity by 60 percent

At today’s Savannah State of the Port, Griff Lynch, Georgia Ports Authority’s (GPA) executive director, unveiled plans to expand the port’s container capacity by 60 percent. The enhancements will bring the Port of Savannah’s annual capacity from 6 million twenty-foot equivalent container units to 9.5 million TEUs by 2025.

Projects now under way will add 1.7 million TEUs of annual capacity in four months. GPA’s Peak Capacity project has already added 400,000 TEUs in container handling space to the Garden City Terminal and will make room for another 820,000 TEUs by June. In the same month, a new container yard just upriver will add another 500,000 TEUs of capacity. Separately, the Garden City Terminal West project will add up to 1 million TEUs in phases by 2024.

PITTSBURG, PA
Glyphosate shortages worry farmers, retailers

Potential glyphosate shortages have a farmer and an ag retailer uncertain about its supply and delivery.

Northeast Nebraska farmers told Brownfield Ag News that suppliers noted that producers would receive just 70-85% of chemicals than they did last year. While other chemicals are available, the price is higher.

Last week Bayer sent a letter to stakeholders saying that the supplier of a raw ingredient to produce glyphosate suffered a mechanical failure. Bayer recently told Brownfield the supplier will restore production within three months and impacts to glyphosate production would be marginal.

WASHINGTON D.C.
USDA extends deadline for Spot Market Hog Pandemic program

Hog producers who sold hogs through a spot market sale during the COVID-19 pandemic now have until April 15, 2022, to submit their applications for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program (SMHPP).

SMHPP, which is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, originally had a deadline to submit applications by Feb. 25, 2022.

SMHPP assists hog producers who sold hogs through a spot market sale from April 16, 2020, through Sept. 1, 2020, the period during which these producers faced the greatest reduction in market prices due to the pandemic. USDA is offering SMHPP in response to a reduction in packer production and supply chain issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in fewer negotiated hogs being procured and subsequent lower market prices.

Eligible hog producers can apply for SMHPP by completing the FSA-940, Spot Market Hog Pandemic Program application. Visit farmers.gov/smhpp to learn more.