Industry News | 02-13-2023
Rain Or Drought? What to Expect from the Weather Following the End of La Niña?
After three years of La-Niña-driven weather, scientists at the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) say the cold water along the equatorial Pacific is showing signs of warming. The CPC in January said there’s now an 82% chance for ENSO-neutral by spring. “It will take a period of a few months for the pattern to completely break down but in the process, we will have opportunities for breaks from the pattern that's been so prevailing,” says Drew Lerner, president at World Weather Inc. “As La Niña diminishes, we will lose that persistent below-normal-precipitation bias.”
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Researchers Develop Surrogate Virus for African Swine Fever
University of Minnesota researchers recently led successful efforts to work on the African swine fever virus (ASFV) and developed and validated a surrogate virus for ASFV, a disease that has devastated pig populations and pork production in countries around the world. The university was one of only a handful of facilities in the U.S. to have access to the highly contagious ASFV. The lab’s work represents a major breakthrough in efforts to develop effective mitigation strategies to control ASFV and keep it from entering North America.
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Destination Morocco: With Expanding U.S. Soybean Processing Industry it's a Growth Market for Meal
The soybean processing industry is expanding in the United States due to the push for green fuels like renewable diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel made from soybean oil. The result of the increased crush will be an excess of soybean meal. South Dakota soybean farmers are taking the lead in developing new markets for that meal and leadership of the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and South Dakota Soybean Association conducted a recent trade mission to Morocco, Africa. "There will be a surplus of soybean meal because we’re crushing for oil, you have to find a way to get rid of it.” says Mike McCranie, who farms near Claremont, SD. A new plant is planned for Mitchell and McCranie says it will be great for the state, but leaves them with two options for the meal, either grow livestock production or export it. Colton, SD farmer Jeff Thompson says they believe it's time to be proactive, “So coming here having a presence gives us the opportunities to hopefully make some sales in the future.”
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$175 Million Earmarked to Revamp K-State College of Agriculture
A $25 million grant for $175 million in combined funds will completely revamp Kansas State University’s College of Agriculture to bolster the future of the state’s economy and workforce. Kansas State University announced on Monday, Feb. 13, that it was awarded $25 million through the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Challenge Grant program to aid in an infrastructure project in the College of Agriculture. K-State noted that the Kansas Legislature challenged state educational institutions to leverage privately earned money with the state funds at a 3-1 ratio for facilities construction and renovation projects. The focus would be to attract and retains students and build the state’s workforce through increased enrollment. The University indicated that it met the challenge and raised $75 million in private donations to compete for the maximum award available - a single award of $25 million.
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U.S. Dairy Exports Shatter Records in 2022
U.S. dairy exports set new volume and value records again in 2022 despite rampant inflation and a host of other challenges to international trade. It was the third straight record year for volume and the second for value. Newly released USDA numbers showed U.S. dairy exports to the world totaled $9.6 billion last year, topping the 2021 dairy export value record by 25% and representing an 85% increase in just the past 10 years. It is also the first time it has ever crossed the $9-billion mark.
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