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Ag notebook: Lakota people take 350 mile trek, crop updates in Colorado, Nebraska sees little moisture

Fields of ripe yellow wheat ready for harvest.
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Colorado corn to hold meetings

Colorado Corn staff and board members encourage farmers and any others interested to attend an upcoming District 3 and 4 meeting, where attendees will hear updates about the two Colorado Corn organizations and issues affecting the industry.

The meeting will be at noon for District 4 and 7 p.m. for District 3. Both meetings will be Aug. 10. The District 3 meeting will be at the Plainsman Grill, 17408 Colo. in Sterling, and District 4 will meet at the Biesemeier Room at the Phillips County Event Center, 22505 U.S. 385 in Holyoke.



District 3 includes Logan and Morgan counties; District 4 includes Phillips and Sedgwick counties.

Lunch will be provided at the meeting. No RSVP needed.



During this meeting, Colorado Corn staff will be joined by representatives of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, to discuss producer surveys and the NASS data used in factoring payments to farmers for certain programs, such as the Agriculture Risk Coverage County Option Program.

In recent months, some farmers questioned the accuracy of the county yield data initially used to calculate farmers’ Agriculture Risk Coverage County Option Program eligibility, stressing some yields appeared too high, which would impact program payments now and in the future. In response, the Colorado Corn Growers Association reached out to lawmakers, federal and state officials, held meetings with Colorado producers, and traveled to Washington, D.C., St. Louis and elsewhere to discuss the issue, among other efforts.

Following these efforts, the Farm Service Agency distributed updated Agriculture Risk Coverage County Option Program program payments to farmers in Adams, Baca, Bent, Cheyenne and Kit Carson counties. However, farmers in other counties where yields have been questioned haven’t yet been notified of any action, and are currently following through with an appeals process in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Appeals Division.

— Colorado Corn

Lakota people to trek 350 miles

Tribal members of the Lakota people from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota will ride horses and walking along with friends and supporters 350 miles starting July 30 at Fairview High School, 1515 Greenbriar Blvd., Boulder, Colo., to the reservation. Many tribal members will be clad in their traditional native attire and are descendants of some of histories best known Native chiefs and elders, including descendants of Crazy Horse, Red Cloud and others. The 350 mile horseback ride is a piece of living history. The ride will take about 16 days. Opening ceremonies include more than 100 people, Native drummers and riders.

The 350 mile Lakota journey symbolizes the free spirit and connection the Lakota people have with the West and its rich heritage and serves as a fundraiser for Tipi Raisers. Organizers hope to raise $50,000 to support the Lakota people and raise awareness to the conditions on the reservation as well as share the wisdom of these ancient and wise people.

There is a chance to be part of the walk or ride for a mile or all 350. Those interested can go to http://www.thetipiraisers.org and learn more. It’s not too late to join the ride either in Boulder or in a location along the way.

Riders will be passing through: Boulder, Longmont, Colo., Loveland, Colo., Fort Collins, Colo., Cheyenne, Wyo., Sidney, Neb., Lewellen, Neb., Rushville, Neb., and finally Pine Ridge, S.D. Those who live in or near the route cities are invited to welcome the riders as they pass through your town.

Tipi Raisers is a community of Native Lakota and non-Natives who believe that the wisdom, culture and traditions of the Lakota People can inform and benefit the modern world at the same time that the modern world can assist and support the Lakota People in creating more prosperous and humane living conditions on the reservations. Through a variety of collaborative projects, Tipi Raisers strive to build alliances and strengthen communities for people both on and off the reservation. Additionally, we seek to provide sustainable employment as well as quality and safe housing for the Lakota People.

For more information go to: http://www.thetipiraisers.org or Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipiraisers.

— The Tipi Raisers/Ti Ikciya Pa Slata Pi

Colorado’s corn crop looks solid

The Colorado corn crop’s overall condition continues looking solid, according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report. As of July 24, 15 percent of Colorado’s corn crop was in “excellent” condition, 64 percent was listed as “good,” 18 percent was “fair;” two percent was “poor,” and only one percent was listed as “very poor.”

However, the state’s crop continues to enter its silking stage a little slower than normal. Just 28 percent of the state’s crop was in its silking phase, which is behind the five-year average of 38 percent.

Nationwide, 19 percent of the corn crop was in “excellent” condition; 57 percent was listed as “good,” 19 percent was “fair,” only four percent was “poor,” and just one percent was listed as “very poor.”

As far as silking, the U.S. crop is ahead of schedule, unlike the crop here in Colorado. Nationally, 79 percent of the crop was in its silking phase, which is well ahead of the five-year average of 70 percent.

— Colorado Corn

Nebraka saw little moisture

For the week ending July 24, temperatures averaged four degrees above normal in Nebraska, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Precipitation of an inch or more covered much of the southwest and parts of the southern Panhandle.

The eastern half of the state remained mostly dry. Drought conditions existed in south central counties. Seed corn detasseling was active and winter wheat harvest was wrapping up.

Producers with livestock in confined areas were taking measures to lessen heat stress. There were about six days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated eight percent very short, 27 short, 64 adequate and one surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated five percent very short, 23 short, 71 adequate and one surplus.

— U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service


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