Straight from the Horses Mouth

Duane A. Lienemann,

UNL Extension Educator, Webster County October 8, 2010 Edition Wow! I don’t remember in many years a harvest window like we are having this year. Talk about perfect weather. I typically love this time of year, but it always seems it is much too short. No matter what, this weather is a God-send to our ag producers who are working around the crop to get those crops out and into the bin or to the elevator. I have heard several reports on soybean harvest, as those are typically the first crop to be harvested and for the most part it sounds pretty good. Most farmers I have talked to are indicated yields right at what they had expected, and of course some were a little disappointed in the yields and some were really pleased. So that would tell me that we must be about average. There are some concerns on longer season or late planted beans that are still a little “green”, they need a little bit of time. I have also heard that the moisture in beans are really dry with some down around 6%, a far cry from last year, but as a whole it looks pretty good. Corn harvest is starting to progress with a lot of dryland corn and some irrigated that is succumbing to the combines. I think the consensus is that the corn may not be quite as good as was anticipated, but then I have heard some really good reports mixed in with some of those that are disappointed. We do for sure have corn significantly lower in moisture than last year at this time with some excellent test weights. I guess we will soon find out where we stand with harvest rapidly nearing full bore and probably an early end. Speaking of harvest, have any of you noticed the amount of dust coming off the beans this year? I know the farmers have mentioned it. In fact when coming home from North Platte from a meeting last week I really thought in a couple of places that I was going to come up on a fire, and when I got to the field it was a combine in soybeans surrounded by dust from the beans. While most of us don’t even think about it since dust is a part of the rural theme others look at it differently. Environmental alarmists have put pressure on the EPA to change the standards for “particulates.” I had several comments on my last week’s article, and in particular on the dust regulations being looked at by the EPA, wanting to know what that is all about. I have mentioned it several times over the past year, but I guess I have never really explained what is going on. As we go through the fall harvest I am, as well as farm groups and wary farmers, watching a federal debate over whether to clamp down on one of rural life's constant companions — the dust clouds that farm machinery kick up in fields and along unpaved roads or by those combines or even livestock in pastures or lots. Anybody that has grown up in rural areas or especially on the farm knows that dust is just part of the job. Cultivating the fields or just driving up and down our gravel or unimproved roads causes a lot of dust, not to mention handling livestock or harvesting crops. When you get out into the agricultural areas of this country what you have is dust — dust is a part of doing business. And most of rural dust is just dust, not “particulates” as is suggested by the EPA. The EPA is reviewing its airborne pollutant standards, as required every five years under the Clean Air Act. It's looking both at its standards for tiny particles of industrial pollution, and slightly larger particles called "coarse particulate matter" that covers a lot of areas, but yes it includes dust. The EPA's scientific advisers told the agency this summer that the agency could better protect public health by replacing the existing standard of 150 micrograms of coarse particles per cubic meter with a standard between 65 and 85 micrograms per cubic meter. That means they are going to cut in half the allowed standard. Part of the argument by supporters of tougher restrictions said they're needed to help clear the air of tiny grains that can lodge deep in the lungs, worsening heart and respiratory problems. They, and the EPA, say it's not just loose soil that blows around and off farms, the particles also include diesel exhaust from farm machinery, animal waste and herbicides and insecticides. We of course know that the bulk of what is out there is just plain, good ole Nebraska dirt! Supporters of stricter regulations, has urged the EPA to adopt stricter limits. The group maintains that officials could reduce dust, from paving gravel roads to encouraging farmers to grow more of their crops using no-till approaches that reduce the need for tractor work. Hmmm, haven’t we already been doing no-till? Let’s go talk to our county commissioners about paving all of our gravel roads and our minimum maintenance roads. You think taxes are high now! A lot of knee-jerk alarmist are getting on board and state that it would be “really easy to control the dust on machinery and combines and on our roads”. We just need to put an “attachment on our farm equipment that sprays water on the dust and pave all of our gravel roads,” and of course –“eliminate feedlots”. Gosh I wonder if these people live in California. The agency is expected to release a final document next month spelling out its options for revising the standards. The EPA plans to announce any proposed changes in February, and will likely approve a final updated rule by October 2011. The agency would then determine which areas of the nation don't meet those new standards. The EPA says they do not have any plans to focus on regulating dust from farm fields or gravel roads, and that as part of the EPA's mission to protect public health the assessment focuses on significant sources of pollution most of which are in urban areas. If that were true, why put agricultural regulations in their proposed assessment policy in the first place. They must think we are blinded by the dust! The preceding information comes from the research and personal observations of the writer which may or may not reflect the views of UNL or UNL Extension. For more further information on these or other topics contact D. A. Lienemann, UNL Extension Educator for Webster County in Red Cloud, (402) 746-3417 or email to: dlienemann2@unl.edu or go to the website at: http://www.webster.unl.edu/home