INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — As the costs of feeding livestock have continued to rise, so have tensions between grain and livestock farmers. Indiana commodity groups, however, are working to improve the relationship and dialogue among these farmers.

Educating both kinds is the goal of Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Market Council, said Andy Tauer, livestock director for the ISA and ICMC.

“This is one of the reasons why we worked to broaden the livestock forum to the Indiana Livestock, Forage and Grain forum several years ago. The forum, which is set for Feb. 27, is an opportunity to get grain and livestock farmers in the same room to learn from each other,” he said.

The ISA and ICMC also fund research and education for improved efficiency, productivity and new markets for livestock farmers. Nutrition and odor are other topics of research funded by these groups.

“We have worked to educate grain farmers as to who their No. 1 client is,” said Tauer, referring to tours of livestock farms hosted by ISA and United Soybean Board for the last two years.

Sarah Ford of Indiana Pork said, “Anything that ISA and ICMA can do to educate pork producers is a benefit to both parties. The board of directors of ISA and ICMC continue to make livestock promotion a top priority, and we appreciate their support of our programming.”

“We all appreciate their efforts,” said Joe Kelsay, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “They recognize that their No. 1 customer is livestock producers. They do a lot for (them): educating, training, support and outreach.

“Their efforts are not wasted. Whether it’s real or perception, there are misunderstandings over energy products ... Jane (Ade Stevens, executive director of ISA) and her team are to be commended for thinking about the role of livestock producers as customers.”

As the market swings quickly, Tauer said risk management is important for livestock and grain farmers alike, and ISA and ICMC are working to help farmers in this area.

“The commodity markets have huge swings from day to day and week to week. Therefore, not only do livestock farmers find it difficult to manage risk, but so do grain farmers. Together we are working to help all farmers have opportunities to learn about managing risk,” he said.

Tauer said livestock producers should look at the latest research on new feeding rations that reduce the cost of feed. Along those lines, dry distillers grains (DDGs), a co-product of ethanol, can lessen corn’s impact on the cost of feeding livestock, he said.

Nationally, DDGs will displace more than 1.1 billion bushels of corn in livestock rations this marketing year, Tauer said. He called DDGs an “efficient, high-quality and high-value feed product.

“DDGs are just one of the tools farmers can use as a substitute for straight corn or soybean meal,” he said. Larger farms are more likely to be using DDGs, he added.

“During certain periods in the feeding cycles, up to 30 percent of a hog’s diet can be DDGs,” Tauer noted. He said turkey and chicken producers are now feeding higher rates of DDGs, up to 10 percent of the ration, while wet distillers grains are an option for the dairy industry.

“Livestock farmers have seen improved consistency in the DDGs but still do nutritional testing on almost every load they receive, as a matter of best management practices,” Tauer said.

The ISA and ICMC strive to connect livestock farmers with ethanol producers so DDGs can be purchased directly. The market is already sorting itself out, Tauer said. Livestock prices are gaining as world demand increases and livestock inventories tighten. “Farmers, both grain and livestock, have changed their business models and now base inputs and outputs on a margin rather than a market price,” he said.

The Indiana Livestock, Forage and Grain Forum will be at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis on Feb. 27. The cost is $50 and pre-registration is required. Go to http://indianasoybean.com to register and learn more.