Ag Business Briefs

Ag giant Cargill to sell 18 retail locations to Agrium

WAYZATA, Minn. (AP) – Agribusiness giant Cargill Inc. is selling 18 retail crop input dealers to Canadian-based crop production services company Agrium Inc.

The companies said in a statement on July 6 that the locations have annual revenues of over $150 million. The outlets are in Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. The sale does not involve Cargill’s Canadian crop input retail business.

Agrium president and CEO Chuck Magro said the retail locations are in areas of the Corn Belt where his company has a limited presence. Agrium’s retail distribution network has over 1,400 facilities selling fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, seeds and services.

The group leader of Cargill’s North American agricultural supply chain, Roger Watchorn, said that privately held Cargill will focus on being the world’s leading merchant of grain and oilseeds.

Meat processor deadline for donated meat program July 20

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – Time is running out for meat processors to apply for participation in this year’s Hunters Helping the Hungry program.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says processors have until July 20 to apply. The program allows hunters to donate the deer they kill to Nebraska residents in need. The processors accept the meat and turn it into ground venison before it’s donated.

The application form and program guidelines are available at http://OutdoorNebraska.gov/HHH . The Commission will contact eligible applicants by Aug. 8.

Taiwan lifts ban on Canadian beef after 2015 BSE outbreak

TORONTO (AP) — Canada says Taiwan has lifted its temporary ban on Canadian beef, removing the trade barrier it imposed after an outbreak of mad cow disease in Alberta last year.

Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland say the ban was lifted effective on July 8.

The trade restrictions on Canada were imposed in 2015 after a breeding cow was found with the brain-wasting disorder, known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE.

Prior to the ban, some US$9.2 million (CA$12 million) of Canada’s US$1.5 billion (CA$2 billion) in total annual beef exports went to Taiwan, making it Canada’s seventh largest beef market.

The Canadian Cattleman’s Association said last week that Taiwan was one of the last holdouts among several countries that banned Canadian beef in relation to mad cow disease.

Hay and forage finder connects buyers and sellers

BROOKINGS — To help connect suppliers of hay and forage with those in need, SDSU Extension hosts a Facebook group called “SDSU Extension Feed & Forage Finder.”

The Facebook group, SDSU Extension Feed & Forage Finder, is open to anyone that is interested in either buying or selling hay or feedstuffs. These listings can include baled hay, straw or silage as well as individuals seeking pasture to rent, custom feeding or custom grazing arrangements, explained Warren Rusche, SDSU Extension cow/calf field specialist.

To access the page, Facebook users should type, “SDSU Extension Feed & Forage Finder” into the search box. From there, individuals have the option viewing the postings as well as asking to join the group.

For additional information on the feed finder, please contact Warren Rusche or Shannon Sand, SDSU Extension livestock business management field specialist.

More information on drought management can be found at www.igrow.org. SDSU Extension also provides the services of conducting livestock water testing and quick nitrate testing on forages throughout the state.

— SDSU Extension

Changes to Private Applicator Testing effective July 1

Pierre — As of July 1, 2016, the South Dakota Department of Agriculture’s (SDDA) Private Web Testing program will be SDDA and SDSU Extension’s primary option for private applicator certification and recertification. The program is available at https://apps.sd.gov/doa/pwt/.

“Certification and recertification will also still be available by attending one of the winter private applicator trainings held by SDSU Extension,” said pesticide applicator certification and licensing specialist Valerie Mitchell. “Individuals who picked up a paper, take-home private applicator exam prior to July 1, 2016 may still submit their answer form to SDDA for grading. However, the take-home exam is no longer an option.”

For more information, please contact SDDA’s Agricultural Services Division at 605.773.4005.

— S.D. Department of Agriculture