Happy National Ag Week! What happens in ag impacts all Nebraskans as 1 in 4 Nebraska jobs are connected to ag. A strong ag economy (Nebraska ranks #1 in farm cash receipts of all commodities/capita) helps Nebraska’s overall economy. “In 2021, every dollar in agricultural exports generated $1.07 in economic activities such as transportation, financing, warehousing and production. Nebraska’s $9.98 billion in agricultural exports in 2022 translates into $10.68 billion in additional economic activity.” Also, 92% of Nebraska’s land is used for farming and ranching to grow the food, fiber, and fuel we rely on each day. In 2023, Nebraska had 44,400 farms and ranches, the average size of which was 991 acres. The following are from the 2024 Ag Facts card: https://nda.nebraska.gov/facts.pdf. Thank you to all who are involved ag-related careers and there’s numerous opportunities for youth to pursue ag-related careers!

#1: Nebraska’s largest ag sector is beef production with Nebraska leading the nation in commercial cattle slaughter at 6.8 million head. We moved up to #1 in beef and veal exports. We also have the most irrigated acres in the nation. #2 in all cattle and calves, all cattle on feed, and commercial red meat production.

#1: Nebraska also ranks 1st in Great Northern bean production, 2nd for pinto bean production and 4th in the nation for all dry edible bean, dry edible peas, and light red kidney bean production.

#2: Nebraska is #2 in ethanol production capacity. Nebraska produces 2.3 billion gallons of ethanol annually from 24 ethanol plants. Distillers grains, a co-product of ethanol production, is an important livestock feed. Nebraska is also #2 in bison production. We fell to #2 in popcorn production in 2023.  We are also #2 in no-till cropland acres.

#3: Nebraska is #3 in corn production and exports; also, in cash receipts of all farm commodities.

#4-7: Nebraska is ranked #4 in hay production, land in farms and ranches, and for cover crop acres. We rank 5^th in soybean exports and 6^th in soybean production. We also rank 5^th in grain sorghum, alfalfa hay, and sunflower production and 5th in the nation for production of sugar beets, with half of U.S. sugar production coming from sugar beets. Nebraska is 6^th for all hogs and pigs on farms and in commercial hog slaughter. Nebraska ranks 7^th in pastureland acres.

Nebraska is the 14^th largest winter wheat producing state. We are ranked 14^th for organic cropland acres.

When it comes to our natural resources, the aquifer below us is a blessing for irrigated agriculture. “If it was poured over the surface of the state, the water in those aquifers would have a depth of 37.9 feet”. Nebraska has nearly 80,000 miles of rivers and streams and 22 million acres of range and pasture, half of which are in the Sandhills.

There’s so much to be proud of regarding agriculture in Nebraska! As we’re seeing throughout the world, we can’t take farming and food production for granted. May we seek to celebrate and support ag now and in the future! Happy National Ag Week!

Earliness of Spring: Several have commented the tree buds and flowering bulbs seem early. According to the USA National Phenological Network, Omaha, NE is 20 days ahead for spring leaf out of lilacs and honeysuckles compared to the 1991-2020 long-term average, which means we’re currently earlier than 2012 at this point. We’ll have to watch what happens.

Sprayer Drone Conference March 28th at the Leadership Center in Aurora from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. More info. and registration at: https://go.unl.edu/8pam.