Weekly Radio Report

Mike Tomes, Nebraska Soybean Board (NSB) Secretary and farmer from Utica recaps the recent June meeting in Columbus. NSB reviewed over 140 proposals at this year's summer funding meeting. He also gives a crop update from his part of the state.

Eugene Goering, farmer and Nebraska Soybean Board district director from Columbus gives an update on Norfolk Crush which is now open for business. The facility is expected to crush 38.5 million bushels of soybeans annually, offering farmers in the area access to expanding national and global markets.

Mark Caspers, farmer and Nebraska Soybean Board district director from Auburn reviews the recent U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) Learning Mission to Columbia. This year, USSEC co-hosted the 2024 Americas Agricultural Cooperators Conference in Bogotá. Customers from across the region gathered to learn about U.S. crop conditions, market trends, sustainability and more.

John Hinners, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Vice President of Industry Relations recaps the recent USMEF Spring Conference in Kansas City. Speakers emphasized the importance of quality and consistency in U.S. red meat for expanding the international customer base, discussed USDA’s new RAPP for promoting pork, beef, and lamb and highlighted the role of free trade agreements.

Doug Saathoff, farmer and Nebraska Soybean Board district director from Trumbull has an update on the activities of the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC). He talks about assisting with the expansion of transportation opportunities in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) via rail. He also talks about STC's upcoming meeting in the PNW.

Anne Meis, farmer and Nebraska Soybean Board district director from Elgin reports on a recent opportunity that took her to Cuba. She attended the U.S.-Cuba Agriculture Business Conference in Havana, representing the USSEC to promote U.S. soy and the Soy Excellence Centers.

Ginger Jelinek, coordinator of The Ag Sack Lunch Program recaps the school year within the program. The program provides students a sack lunch with nutritious food produced in Nebraska. Ag Ambassadors, specially trained college students, give a 25-minute presentation on the role agriculture plays in the state’s economy.

Dr. Justin McMechan is a Crop Protection and Cropping Systems Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He talks about soybean gall midge and its early impact across the state. He also talks about scouting techniques and management strategies for next season.

Steve Reinhard, farmer and United Soybean Board Chair from Ohio talks about a new partnership with SoyFoam™. Cross Plains Solutions' SoyFoam™ TF 1122, the first firefighting foam GreenScreen Certified® Gold, is PFAS-free, 84% biobased, and biodegradable, ensuring safer communities.