On behalf of U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) is reminding Nebraskans of the availability of cost-share funds to promote U.S. livestock exports.
The funds are available to private livestock breeders, companies, or cooperatives interested in promoting livestock, semen, or embryo sales in international markets through December 31, 2013. These funds are available through the Market Access Program of the Foreign Agricultural Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for Nebraska farmers, ranchers and livestock companies to enter into or expand their presence in the international marketplace,” said Stan Garbacz, NDA’s agricultural trade representative.
The MAP branded program provides for partial reimbursement (up to 50 percent) of the cost of approved activities, such as international advertising, the development, translation and distribution of promotional materials, and participation in foreign trade shows and exhibitions. Funds cannot be used for travel or personnel reimbursement. An administrative fee is charged to participate in the program.
For more information about the program, please contact NDA at (402) 471-2341, or the USLGE at (618) 548-9154.

Soaring prices for corn and soybeans have Nebraska farmers taking more erosion-prone land out of a federal conservation program and back into crop production.   Landowners in southeastern Nebraska, which has been a stronghold for the federal Conservation Reserve Program, are moving away from the 10-year federal contracts and toward row-crop production. That includes landowners in Johnson, Gage, Otoe and Lancaster counties.   Pawnee County, which once had about 60 square miles enrolled, saw enrollment drop to less than half that last year.   Officials say that while more crop production is good news for livestock feeders, ethanol plants and other potential profit-makers, it's not so good for prairie chickens, pheasants and other wildlife that depend on CRP habitat.

FSA announced that Cherry is one of 3 Nebraska counties designated as contiguous natural disaster areas due to winter storm conditions affecting parts of South Dakota.  The counties included are Cherry, Dawes and Sheridan.

These counties were designated a Presidential Major Disaster on May 10, 2013, based on an April 8-10 snow storm.  This designation authorizes Emergency (EM) Loans for eligible producers.  Producers in these counties are encouraged to contact their local FSA Service Center for detailed information about available programs and updated disaster designations.

Emergency Loan applications are available for qualifying losses caused by these disaster conditions.  Physical losses include structures, equipment and livestock while production losses include crops.  Thesse loans do require security and the ability to repay the loan.  Deadline to submit applications is January 10, 2014.  Jore additional details contact the Valentine FSA office at 402-376-1712 ext. 2.

Nebraska landowners have only a couple of weeks left to enroll in a program that pays them up to $10 an acre for keeping their wheat and mile stubble 14 inches or taller during this year's harvest.

The deadline is June 1 to enroll in the Crop Stubble Management, Wildlife and Water Conservation Program. The program is being offered in eight natural resource districts in southern and western Nebraska.

Participants must leave the tall stubble undisturbed until April 1. Eligible producers may enroll up to 320 acres per year per crop type for two years. Post-harvest chemical applications are allowed, but other disturbances - such as disking, grazing or haying - are not allowed before the April 1 deadline.

Tall stubble has proven beneficial to both wildlife and soil quality.