Animal Ag News 12/18

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Alltech is pleased to present the 2025 Most Valuable Employee (MVE) Award to Alejo Gutierrez of Enchanted Dairy in Little Falls, MN. This award recognizes the value of a dairy farm employee with an exceptional work ethic who exhibits integrity and who engages in their responsibilities on a dairy farm. Nominations are made by a farm manager, dairy owner, farm consultant, or nutritionist based on qualities such as perseverance, honesty, and integrity. The finalists were honored during the annual Alltech Dairy Summit on Dec. 11, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
  • National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) President and CEO Gregg Doud praised the congressional passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, calling it a significant bipartisan victory for both dairy farmers and student nutrition.
  • Consumers continued their preference for wholesome dairy products in 2024, as new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows U.S. per-capita dairy consumption at near historic highs. Butter consumption hit a new record last year, while yogurt consumption showed the strongest overall growth followed by cottage cheese and regular ice cream in 2024. Cheese consumption remained unchanged from a record high the previous year. USDA’s Economic Research Service reports that Americans consumed 651 pounds of dairy per person in 2024 on a milk-equivalent, milk-fat basis, a level that nears historic records dating back to 1975 when USDA began tracking dairy consumption trends. Dairy processors are responding to this consistent surge in demand by making historic investments of more than $11 billion in new and expanded manufacturing capacity across 19 states.
  • The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on the Abuse of the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA). Todd Wilkinson, South Dakota cattle producer and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) past president, testified on the rampant EAJA abuse by environmental groups that have become repeat litigants as soon as Congress discontinued reporting requirements in 1995.
  • The 2026 Animal Agriculture Sustainability Summit will be held at the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta. Organized by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and the Meat Institute, the summit will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 27, and is complimentary for all registered IPPE attendees.
  • Envu is making it easier for ranchers to make smarter decisions about their grazing management rotation through their innovative ranch management tool, RangeView. Now, ranchers can seamlessly integrate CERES TAG into their RangeView dashboard, enabling even more powerful tracking of cattle across range and pasture, herd optimization, and return on investment.
  • Merck Animal Health recently announced the commercial availability of CIRCUMVENT® CL vaccine, a ready-to-use vaccine formulated to protect pigs three weeks of age and older against disease caused by Porcine Circovirus (PCV) Types 2a and 2d and Lawsonia intracellularis. Complements the CIRCUMVENT CML launched in 2023, giving producers tailored vaccination options based on herd health status.
  • Over a dozen Republican members of Congress sent a letter to President Donald Trump, highlighting concerns about the United States’ overreliance on China for the supply of its vitamins and amino acids used in both human and animal food. The letter comes just weeks after the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER), the animal food industry’s nonprofit research arm, released a groundbreaking report, which detailed the extent to which the U.S. relies on China for vitamins and amino acids that are used in animal feed and pet food, human food and pharmaceuticals. The November report showed that, on average, 78 percent of U.S. vitamin imports come directly from China; for specific vitamins, such as biotin, imports are as high as 100 percent. The report also provided an analysis of the animal health, welfare and production impacts that could result should a disruption to the supply occur.
  • U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) pushed the Trump Administration to ramp up their avian flu response as the first dairy herd in Wisconsin tested positive for avian flu in Dodge County earlier this month. Specifically, Senator Baldwin is calling on the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Secretary Brooke Rollins to stop delaying the implementation of their avian influenza vaccine policy, in order to keep costs down for consumers and ensure Wisconsin’s livestock and agricultural industry are protected from the ongoing outbreak. In a letter sent to Secretary Rollins, Senator Baldwin emphasized that nearly four years into the current avian flu outbreak, the disease is still spreading, infecting over 3.5 million animals on Wisconsin farms since September, including the first confirmed case of avian flu in dairy cattle last week. Senator Baldwin urged the Trump Administration to move forward with finalizing and implementing a national avian influenza vaccination strategy, as included in USDA’s Five-Pronged Approach from February 2025.
  • Updated research, supported by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was released quantifying the U.S. poultry industry’s on-farm antibiotic use. The updated report shows continued improved antibiotic stewardship and commitment to disease prevention within poultry production. As part of its commitment to a transparent and sustainable food supply, the poultry industry works to balance the responsible use of antibiotics considered “medically important” to human health with the need to maintain healthy poultry flocks.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Oh the Places We’ve Been!

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    On-site coverage of major agricultural events has been the mainstay of what ZimmComm has done as a company with AgWired and AgNewsWire, but starting in the new year we are curtailing our business travel after over 20 years and nearly 900 events around the world.

    Since 2005, we have traveled at least once to 38 states to cover a conference, meeting, field day or other event. The state with the most events has been Missouri at 112. So many of those were industry meetings like NAMA and NAFB in Kansas City and St. Louis. In second place is Iowa with 85 events, then Illinois and Florida tied at 70 each.

    Internationally, we traveled to Germany ten times and Canada eight times, Belgium and Italy a couple of times. But there were many others with IFAJ in Argentina, Norway, Sweden, Scotland, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia. I also traveled with the Grains Council back in the day, visiting Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Petra, and Mexico. All of the place we’ve been are represented in the 980 photo albums in our Flickr account. We have 226,488 photos in those albums that have viewed a total of 51,125,196 views.

    Check out our Album Collections page to find 20 years of agricultural meetings – from Ag Media Summit and the American Coalition for Ethanol to Cattle Industry Conventions, Commodity Classics, Farm Bureau and Farm Progress Show, National Biodiesel and National Ethanol, peanuts and cotton – you name it.

    Laura McNamara, RAW Life Studio

    We are happy to say that we will be able to continue doing photos and interviews and virtual newsrooms for several of our long time clients by retaining the services of others to do the on-site work, while we do the posting and distribution from home.

    We are very pleased to announce that two of the first 2026 events will be handled for us on-site by Laura McNamara, one of our very first freelancers back in 2007-2008 after she graduated from Mizzou and she covered many events for us at the time, showcasing her exceptional photographic talent at places like the 2007 Indy 500. She has been around the world since that time and evolved even more as a top-notch photographer – including doing our youngest daughter’s wedding in Cancun 11 years ago. She married and has the most adorable four-year-old boy and is now settled back in the Midwest near St. Louis. We have a great deal of confidence in her abilities and look forward to having her as our face on the road. The first place you will see her is the Beltwide Cotton Conferences January 7-9, 2026 in San Antonio, and then the 2026 Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Annual Meeting in Indian Wells, California, February 4-6.

    We are basically just burnt out on air travel. In just the past two years we have had some of the worst travel experiences ever, and now that Delta and Southwest have both changed their policies and benefits, we just said enough is enough, we’re staying home with the dogs!

    We’re not going away – we’re just implementing a work from home policy!

    ZimmComm Announcement

    FieldX Introduces Groundbreaking Equation-Based VRT Software

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    FieldX Inc., an agronomist-owned software company serving U.S. and Canadian crop consultants, is proud to announce the launch of FieldX® VRT, an advanced tool for creating equation-based variable rate fertilizer prescriptions.

    FieldX VRT streamlines the development of complex, equation-based VRT plans – enabling agronomists to manage batch workflows with minimal clicks. According to newly appointed CTO, Clint Ingram, “Our software is built to reduce clicks and support entire processes in batch.”

    “Unlike social media, which keeps you glued to the screen, FieldX VRT’s goal is efficiency,” Ingram adds. “Open the software, complete your work quickly, and move on.”

    Key features of FieldX® VRT include:
    – Template-based workflows: Save and recall complete setting templates for each step to eliminate redundant data entry.
    – Formula-friendly interface: Use formulas in familiar Excel-style syntax, with tooltips to ensure accuracy.
    – Seamless integrations: Import soil test results automatically via lab integrations.
    – Nutrient crediting: Account for previously applied or concurrently planned products in prescriptions.
    – User-friendly editing: Quickly fine-tune nutrient and product rates.

    To learn more, visit fieldx.com, email info@FieldX.com, or call 919-926-7001.

    Agronomy, AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture, software, Technology

    Industry Ag News 12/17

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Beginning in late December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will spend several months gathering information about farm economics from farmers and ranchers throughout the United States, as the agency conducts the third and final phase of the 2025 Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS).
  • Farm Journal has announced three finalists for the prestigious 2026 Top Producer of the Year Award, honoring some of the most progressive and successful farm operations in the country. The winner and finalists will be formally recognized at the 2026 Top Producer Summit, agriculture’s premier executive-level conference for elite farmers and ranchers, which is set for Feb. 9-11 in Nashville, Tenn. Also presented at the event will be the Next Generation Award and Women in Agriculture Award.
  • American Soybean Association leader and North Dakota soybean farmer Josh Gackle testified before the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) during a public hearing to review China’s follow-through on commitments made as part of the 2020 U.S.–China Phase One Agreement.
  • During its annual election meeting in St. Louis, the American Soybean Association Board of Directors voted in the executive committee members who will lead the organization through the coming year’s top advocacy priorities, including the farm economy, biofuels, inputs, trade, markets and other critical policy issues for U.S. soybean farmers.
  • “Analyzing the Health and Economics of Seed Oils” is a webinar being presented by Agri-Pulse, the Soy Checkoff and the American Soybean Association. It will be held Thursday, Dec. 18 at 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m. ET. Click here to register.
  • Farmer-leaders of the United Soybean Board (USB) elected Brent Gatton from Bremen, Ky., as the new chair during the organization’s December board meeting in St. Charles, Mo. He’s joined by nine newly elected farmer-leaders to serve alongside him on the Executive Committee for the upcoming year.
  • The Georgia Peanut Commission hosted a photo contest throughout 2025 to fill the pages of the 2026 Georgia Peanut Calendar. Peanut farmers and industry representatives from across Georgia were encouraged to submit their best, high-resolution photo from the farm for a chance to feature the photo in the 2026 calendar.
  • Land O’Lakes, Inc., one of the nation’s largest farmer- and member-owned cooperatives, announced a $1 million hunger relief investment aimed at supporting rural communities ahead of the holiday season. Grants will go to 15 Feeding America® partner food banks across Land O’Lakes’ member-owner and employee footprint, as well as to Feeding America. This commitment effectively doubles the cooperative’s 2025 hunger relief impact, building on nearly 4 million meals already provided this year.
  • Farm Credit Bank of Texas (FCBT) announced the appointment of Brandon Blaut as chief executive officer (CEO), effective January 1, 2026. Blaut’s selection by the FCBT Board of Directors follows the previously announced retirement of current CEO Amie Pala. Blaut brings extensive leadership experience to the role, having served as the bank’s chief financial officer and chief operating officer.
  • Florida’s Peanut Butter Challenge collects 32,773 jars of peanut butter spreading hope to the state’s hungry. The challenge is a collaborative effort of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, with support from the Florida Peanut Federation, the Florida Peanut Producers Association and community partners throughout the state. All those jars add up to 44,564 pounds of peanut butter.
  • The Farm Progress Show has been honored as the Trade Show News Network (TSNN) B2B Show of the Year, a prestigious recognition that underscores its transformative role in advancing agriculture. The 2025 Farm Progress Show brought together 161,000 attendees and 548 exhibitors, showcasing new equipment, precision ag technologies and sustainable solutions that are shaping the future of farming. With initiatives like career fairs, mental health resources, Women in the Field programming and live field demonstrations, Farm Progress created a dynamic space where innovation, education and advocacy intersect.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Precision Ag News 12/15

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, alongside U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced a $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program to help American farmers adopt practices that improve soil health, enhance water quality, and boost long-term productivity, all while strengthening America’s food and fiber supply.
  • National Association of Conservation Districts applauds USDA’s streamlining of conservation programs, particularly the opportunities for stronger private-public partnerships. Conservation districts across the country are already helping landowners and operators adopt regenerative systems that improve soil function, enhance productivity, and support emerging market opportunities. Many districts are also advancing these efforts through Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) grants, positioning producers to meet growing supply chain sustainability goals.
  • The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) recognized Brooke McMullin, Executive Vice President at International Raw Materials, with the ARA Distinguished Service Award during the ARA Conference & Expo, attended by more than 600 agricultural industry professionals.
  • BioLumic, the only agricultural biotechnology company that programs heritable seed traits using light, announced steps to expand its Corn xTraits™ Licensing Program into South America. This includes early-stage evaluations with GDM and a collaboration with Tropical Melhoramento & Genética (TMG), two of Brazil’s leading seed companies, along with regional seed production and nursery engagement with Gro Alliance. The move builds on strong partnership and commercial momentum of xTraits in the United States, and follows BioLumic’s plan to create xTraits hubs in grain-producing regions worldwide.
  • Syngenta‘s latest insect control tool, PLINAZOLIN® technology, has received registration from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is available for use, subject to state approvals. PLINAZOLIN technology will power five separate insecticide products for use in corn, cotton, vegetables, tree fruit, cereals and more.
  • National Sorghum Producers is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 Sorghum Yield Contest, including Bin Buster awardee Chris Santini from Warren County, New Jersey, securing the contest’s highest 2025 yield at 239.93 bushels per acre.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Land O’Lakes Doubles Down on Hunger Relief for the Holidays

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Land O’Lakes, Inc. today announced a $1 million hunger relief investment aimed at supporting rural communities ahead of the holiday season. Grants will go to 15 Feeding America® partner food banks across Land O’Lakes’ member-owner and employee footprint, as well as to Feeding America. This commitment effectively doubles the cooperative’s 2025 hunger relief impact, building on nearly 4 million meals already provided this year.

    Food banks nationwide report increased demand from their local communities and need can rise even further during the holiday season. Rural food banks and food shelves, in particular, face higher rates of food insecurity and have to meet the need across a larger geographic area.

    “As a farmer-owned cooperative, hunger relief is central to our philanthropic mission,” said Land O’Lakes CEO and President Beth Ford. “While we support these efforts throughout the year, we’re proud to double down on our hunger contributions during the holiday season to do our part to serve families when the need is so incredibly high.”

    Demand for food assistance rises consistently at the end of the year as families prepare for winter and the holidays. This additional support will help regional food banks maintain reliable access to food during a time of year when more households seek assistance.

    This $1 million investment will help provide the equivalent of more than 4 million meals. According to the USDA, $1 can provide 1.7 to 4 meals to households facing hunger through the food banks supported; $1 also provides at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of partner food banks. For product donations, 1.2 pounds is the equivalent of one meal.

    Agribusiness, Cooperatives, Food

    ZimmCast 754 – Roadrunner Marketing Launched in Fall

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast. I’m Chuck Zimmerman.

    We’ll have a final ZimmCast podcast at the end of the year. But in the meantime…

    I’m sharing an interview with Josh Turney, founder of Rooster and Roadrunner. I did ask if he’ll be starting another bird name company soon. You’ll have to listen to hear his answer.

    RoadrunnerRoadrunner just recently went live in mid November and Josh describes why. “In operating Rooster since 2017, we’ve seen several companies waver in the space between hiring staff, hiring freelancers and hiring an agency,” says Josh Turney, founder of Rooster and Roadrunner. “Roadrunner is developed to be the middle ground, bringing smart, efficient solutions and access to more experts when and if needed.”

    As we get closer to the Christmas and New Year holidays Cindy and I hope you have a wonderful time. I’m sure you’ll hear from us soon.

    Listen to the episode here:
    ZimmCast 754 - Roadrunner Marketing Launched in Fall (12:12)

    That’s the ZimmCast for now. If you have some exciting news in the agrimarketing world, feel free to contact me for the next episode. Just email Chuck at chuck@zimmcomm.biz.

    We hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

    Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

    Agencies, Audio, Marketing, ZimmCast

    Animal Ag News 12/11

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • In the USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand report for December the forecast for 2025 red meat and poultry production is raised as higher poultry and beef production are partially offset by lower pork production. Beef production is raised on a faster rate of slaughter for both fed and non-fed cattle for the fourth quarter. Pork production is lowered on a slower rate of slaughter based on data through early December. Broiler and turkey production is increased on official third-quarter production totals, partially offset by lower fourth-quarter production due to additional outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)-related culling through early December. Egg production is unchanged for 2025.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) recognized five distinguished individuals with the IDFA Leadership Award for their exceptional contributions to U.S. food, nutrition and agricultural policymaking and their strong support of the U.S. dairy industry.
  • National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council Executive Vice President for Trade Policy and Global Affairs Shawna Morris testified before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), urging the administration to leverage the 2026 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Review to ensure that the agreement’s anticipated benefits for U.S. dairy producers and exporters are fully achieved.
  • Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) unveils its 2026 Wisconsin Cheese Trends Report, offering an in-depth look at the ideas, innovations, and consumer interests set to define the dairy landscape in the year ahead. In partnership with the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (CDR), the report highlights advancements that range from circular sustainability to the growing role of cheese in holistic wellness.
  • ESPN reporter Marty Smith will headline the 2026 Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo®, set for March 27-29 in downtown Fort Worth. Hosted by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the largest and oldest livestock association based in Texas, the event brings together more than 4,000 cattle raisers from across the region.
  • Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, the second largest dairy cooperative in the country based on milk volume, appreciates the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, announced by President Trump.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    DWFI Podcast 48 – A Decade of Daugherty Water for Food Leadership

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    In this special episode, host Frances Hayes sits down with Peter McCornick, Executive Director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, as he concludes nearly a decade of leadership.

    This deep-dive conversation covers Peter’s distinguished career, from his early life on a farm in Scotland and pivotal international work in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, to what drew him to lead the Institute in Nebraska. They discuss DWFI’s greatest strategic achievements, the lasting impact of its work both globally and within Nebraska’s agricultural community, and the philosophy behind investing in student research. Finally, they tackle the most urgent challenges facing water and food security in the next decade and the legacy Peter hopes to leave behind.

    Join us for a look back at institutional growth and a look ahead at the future of global innovation for a water and food secure world.
    Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:

    DWFI podcast episode 48 37:46

    The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska was founded with the mission to have a lasting and significant impact on achieving more food security with less pressure on scarce water resources by conducting scientific and policy research, using the research results to inform policy makers, and sharing knowledge through education and communication.

    How to subscribe:

    Audio, Farming, Food, International, Irrigation, Podcasts, University, Water, Water for Food

    Inspire Expands Food and Ag Practice with Leadership Additions

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Full-service, Ohio-based national agency Inspire has hired new leadership to expand the agency’s agriculture and food practice and its capacity to grow in the industry.

    Emily Sword and Meg Becker bring unmatched experience and expert counsel that will benefit clients. They are immediately adding value by providing enhanced expertise in reputation management, industry partnerships, research-driven storytelling, and integrated marketing strategy—tailored to the unique demands of production agriculture, animal health, crop science, and food manufacturers and suppliers.

    As Vice President, Sword leads strategy and account management for Inspire’s agriculture sector. As part of a fifth-generation farm family, Sword combines deep ag sector insight with more than 20 years of experience in corporate PR, brand strategy, and strategic communications helping brands earn trust, influence stakeholders, and drive measurable growth. Sword has guided organizations through brand transformations, stakeholder engagement challenges, and large-scale marketing initiatives that unite purpose and performance.

    · Becker serves the agency as a Senior Director, where she leverages her livestock and production agriculture background to aid food and agriculture clients in building trust, elevating brands, and engaging B2B and B2C audiences with clarity and purpose. With over 10 years of agency and in-house expertise, Becker has developed and executed strategic marketing and PR strategies for a variety of brands across agriculture commodity groups, packer processors, food ingredient companies, and animal nutrition experts.

    Sword and Becker join a leadership team and deep bench of talented agriculture communicators that are committed to telling the stories of America’s farmers. O’Dwyers PR News ranked Inspire among the top five of agriculture firms in the U.S. earlier this year, and the agency was recently named to Ragan PR Daily’s Top Agencies of the Year list.

    Learn more about Inspire’s food and agriculture experience and view case studies at InspirePRGroup.com/Agriculture.

    Agencies, people