Precision Ag News 6/19

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Syngenta announced that its latest weed control solution, metproxybicyclone, has been recognized under a new chemical subclass of herbicides. The decision, by the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee (HRAC) and the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), reflects metproxybicyclone’s distinction as the fourth generation of ACCase-inhibitors, an important class of herbicides. The third generation of ACCase-inhibitors, represented by Syngenta’s leading molecule pinoxaden, was launched in 2006; the nearly two-decade long gap in ACCase subclass innovation reflects in part the extreme challenges in finding new, effective and safe solutions.
  • MyLand announced the launch of a major initiative to help Arizona farmers conserve water and improve soil performance. The initiative will bring MyLand’s soil health technology to up to 2,400 acres of farmland across the state in collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU).
  • Radicle Growth and the supporting corn growers’ associations are thrilled to announce investments in two companies identified through the Radicle Corn Value Chain Challenge, sponsored by US Corn Farmers. The investment prize was equally split between the two finalists – Lakril Technologies and New Iridium, each of which received $750,000.
  • Kynetec, one of the leading global providers of agricultural and animal health data and insights, announces the appointment of Marcos Castro as Chief Transformation Officer.
  • A national research team led by Michigan State University has received a $500,000 grant from the United Soybean Board to develop new diagnostic tools for herbicide-resistant weeds in soybeans. The award currently covers one year but can be extended for up to three years.
  • As part of U.S. Sugar’s commitment to sustainably producing sugar for American consumers over the next 100 years, the Company announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with Everglades Equipment Group, one of the nation’s leading providers of John Deere equipment and precision agriculture technology solutions. The partnership includes the use of the latest John Deere technology solutions on sugarcane harvesters and tractors used by U.S. Sugar farmers and operators across the company’s South Florida farms.
  • CNH is proud to announce that the 2025 Red Dot Design Awards has recognized Case IH brand’s Quadtrac 715 tractor in two categories. Red Dot is one of the world’s largest design competitions with over 18,000 entries from 70+ countries recorded for this edition. The Red Dot Label is internationally sought after as a mark of quality for good design.
  • CropLife International published the 2024 Annual Report of its Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework program (SPMF), the flagship initiative created in 2021 to support and enhance ongoing implementation of the International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management (ICoC).
  • Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading innovative agtech companies, and Taranis, the global leader in AI-powered crop intelligence, announced a new partnership to support growers in adopting sustainable nutrient management practices through the Taranis Conservation™ program. This collaboration will enable Pivot Bio’s dealer network to offer Taranis Conservation services to help growers unlock NRCS funding for regenerative practices like soil testing, nitrogen stabilizers and variable rate technology.
  • Machine learning and camera sensing technology are proving how powerfully AI supports agriculture by boosting efficiency, reducing input costs, and helping farmers grow more sustainably. An innovation from CNH uniting real time crop analysis and automated spraying now comes built-in for its Case IH, New Holland and Miller brands’ sprayer portfolio.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Best AI Agents for Journalists

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    GrokSince I’m just getting started with any kind of AI agent I thought I’d use one to suggest the best AI Agents for journalists. Here’s part of the answer.

    The best AI agent for journalists depends on specific needs, but several tools stand out based on their ability to streamline research, writing, fact-checking, and transcription. Here’s a list of top options, grounded in their practical applications for journalism. Each of these are best for certain tasks like writing, research, editing, polishing and transcription. Seems like something I need although I have Cindy to proof and re-write me. And no, Cindy, is not an AI bot.

    For journalists new to AI, start with HyperWrite’s AI Journalist for its tailored approach, or Perplexity for research-heavy tasks. Pair with Grammarly or Otter.ai for editing and transcription to cover all bases. Always double-check AI outputs to uphold credibility and accuracy.

    Now, what do you think? Do you use any of these? Are there others you like better and why? I’ll pass it along.

    Update:

    Here’s one AI agent that was recommending to me after they read this post. Send along any that you would like to add to this list. Thanks.

    AlphaSense

    AI

    Pivot Bio and Taranis Partner for Conservation Efforts

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Ag technology companies Pivot Bio and Taranis are announcing a new partnership to support growers in adopting sustainable nutrient management practices through the Taranis Conservation™ program.

    The collaboration will allow Pivot Bio’s dealer network to offer Taranis Conservation services to help growers unlock funding from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for regenerative practices like soil testing, nitrogen stabilizers and variable rate technology.

    The partnership is focused specifically on enhancing growers’ access to CSP and EQIP programs by supporting the use of Pivot Bio’s flagship product, PROVEN® 40 for Corn, a microbial nitrogen solution designed to sustainably replace a portion of synthetic nitrogen, particularly fall and spring applications that are more prone to loss. Taranis Conservation will equip Pivot Bio dealers and their growers with expert guidance, digital recordkeeping and USDA-aligned documentation to increase funding success rates and promote long-term profitability.

    The unique service simplifies access to government conservation incentives with no upfront cost and a model that only charges when funding is secured. It’s fully aligned with USDA CSP and EQIP guidelines and designed to meet emerging compliance standards for low carbon intensity (CI) scoring. The partnership enables dealers across the Pivot Bio network to immediately begin referring customers to the Taranis Conservation service. Participating growers retain full agronomic autonomy while benefiting from expert guidance and streamlined access to conservation funding.

    For more information on how growers using Pivot Bio’s nitrogen solutions can benefit from conservation funding or to get started, visit go.taranis.com/pivot-bio.

    Agronomy, AgWired Precision, Conservation, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Technology

    Animal Ag News 6/16

    Carrie Muehling

  • The Meat Institute called for the processing sector, a critical part of the meat and poultry supply chain, to be included in the Trump Administration’s plans for a stable and legal agriculture workforce.
  • The University of Idaho released the finalized results of their 10-year study looking into the impacts of grazing on greater sage grouse populations. The study concluded that cattle grazing does not negatively impact greater sage grouse and can only benefit the species through building robust habitat, increasing forage, and reducing invasive grasses that lead to catastrophic wildfires.
  • Thousands of ice cream enthusiasts—including members of Congress, federal officials, and Capitol Hill staff—came together at the International Dairy Foods Association’s (IDFA) 41st Annual Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party. Held at Union Square Park on Capitol Hill, the popular summertime celebration provided attendees with America’s favorite and newest ice cream flavors, floats and novelties.
  • The week of June 2 was an emotional one for Dean Edge. On Tuesday, he celebrated the life of Blair Vold, the mentor who gave him one of his first chances to sell. By Saturday night, Edge was named the World Livestock Auctioneer Champion.
  • Dairy farmers from across the nation approved a new initiative to boost dairy exports and welcomed a new cooperative member as well as new farmer-leaders at the National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors meeting.
  • Four graduate students researching in areas that benefit dairy cooperatives and farmers are receiving scholarships as part of the 2025 NMPF National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program, with one being honored through a scholarship created this year.
  • Farm Journal has announced that Drovers was recently named as the official media partner of “The Future of Beef Show.” Episodes are now available on Farm Journal TV, Farm Journal’s YouTube channel and Farm Journal NOW with new episodes dropping biweekly starting June 17. Connecting people and ideas while shaping the future of the cattle industry, “The Future of Beef Show” is a video podcast hosted by Jim Johnson of “Brands and Barbed Wire” along with Ian Wheal, CEO and founder of Breedr, and Jessica Sperber, University of Nebraska feedlot specialist. Together with an inspiring lineup of guests, they share stories from the forefront of modern beef production and show how technology and data can make all the difference while staying true to the values that define the beef industry.
  • The Voice of Milk, a collaboration between the Dairy Business Association, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and Minnesota Milk Producers Association, announced a new addition to its member services team. Andy Welti joins as a Strategic Account Manager to support members of the independent dairy organizations in this multi-state collaboration, amplifying the voice of dairy farmers across the Midwest.
  • As the cattle cycle turns, the nuances of record-low herd numbers and economic challenges have been at the pinnacle of conversations in cattle country. But conversations at the meat case? They’ve turned to rising beef prices. For Certified Angus Beef (CAB), supply and demand are instrumental pieces of the business—and this spring, business was good. Record-setting good. In an otherwise tough time in the beef business, sales and supply records have been a bright spot. The positive numbers mean that quality beef production has not let up, and beef demand is holding. Consumers have proven the value proposition: the good stuff is worth a little more money, for a better eating experience.
  • In the poultry industry, a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) can be a powerful tool for improving safety and operations, but knowing when to use it is just as important as how. As part of a technical reference series, USPOULTRY has assembled a practical guide on how to conduct an RCA and various RCA methods used to identify the root cause of an issue. The Practical Guide to Root Cause Analysis is available to USPOULTRY members only and can be obtained by visiting the USPOULTRY Training Resources webpage and clicking on the Food Safety tab.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Industry Ag News 6/13

    Carrie Muehling

  • The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is partnering with the Farm Credit Council for the launch of a new mentorship program called On Deck. The program connects seasoned grower leaders with young and beginning agriculturalists to build NCGA’s roster of champions.
  • The National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Corn Board has elected Matt Frostic, of Applegate, Michigan as the organization’s next first vice president for the new fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2025.
  • The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) is pleased to announce that Allison Rivera will join the Association as vice president, government and industry affairs, starting June 30.
  • The American Seed Trade Association honored industry pioneers during the 2025 ASTA Leadership Summit, which took place in Washington, D.C., June 8 – 11, 2025. Awardees were recognized in the following categories: Heritage, Distinguished Service, Lifetime Honorary Member, and Excellence in Science.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be conducting the annual Mushroom Inquiry to document the past growing year. Mushroom growers will be contacted about growing areas, production, and value of sales for the 2024-2025 season as well as growing intentions for the coming year. Growers should receive a questionnaire by early July. Survey respondents are encouraged to use the Respondent Portal at agcounts.usda.gov. The information provided by survey respondents will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with federal law, responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form. The data will be published in the annual Mushrooms report to be released on Aug. 21, 2025. These and all NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov.
  • Join the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) on June 19 for Leading in Uncertain Times and learn how changing what you focus on can drive profound change. Amy Bradford, former NAMA President, and founder of Cultivate Resilience Coaching, shares a simple yet highly effective framework that zeros in on what drives our behavior, and how working with that knowledge leads to lasting change. NAMA Members attend for free. Non-members are $50. Register here.
  • The World Food Prize Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of 2017 World Food Prize Laureate and outgoing President of the African Development Bank Akinwumi Adesina to the Foundation’s Council of Advisors.
  • The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City has selected veteran agricultural educators Melisa Bertz of LaCygne, Kansas, and Dr. Jim Hutter of Springfield, Missouri, as recipients of its 2025 Distinguished Service Award.
  • Join the Livestock Publications Council for the next Coffee and Collaboration on Wednesday, June 18 at noon CT. This free monthly webinar is moderated by Jennifer Shike and Angie Stump Denton. No registration is necessary! It’s open to members and non-members. Join the Zoom Meeting here.
  • In the ever-increasing importance of advocating for the farmers of today and tomorrow, the Kansas Soybean Association announces its opening for a director of communications to lead the comprehensive strategy for grower outreach in the state. Refer to the position description for further details on requirements and information on how to apply.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    MyLand Launches Water Conservation Initiative in Arizona

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Soil health innovator MyLand has announced the launch of a major initiative to help Arizona farmers conserve water and improve soil performance. The initiative in collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU) will bring MyLand’s soil health technology to up to 2,400 acres of farmland across the state.

    Funded through a $3 million allocation from the Arizona Water Conservation Grant Fund (WCGF), the project is authorized by the Arizona Governor’s Office and administered by WIFA. It is designed to help growers adopt sustainable practices that improve soil health, enhance water-use efficiency, and support the long-term sustainability of Arizona agriculture. Arizona State University is playing a key role in evaluating and communicating the impact of the project.

    “We are excited to be part of a program that brings water conservation resources directly to Arizona growers,” said Dane Hague, Co-Founder and CEO of MyLand. “This initiative reflects our mission to empower farmers through sustainable practices that not only improve soil health and productivity but also help protect water, one of Arizona’s most valuable resources.”

    MyLand’s patented service delivers live, native microalgae via existing farm irrigation to activate the soil’s natural biology to reduce water demand and help farmers manage salt accumulation in irrigated fields. In addition, the ASU Center for Hydrologic Innovations is using advanced monitoring tools to measure crop water use efficiency across control and MyLand-serviced plots.

    The ASU Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems aims to extend the project’s impact into broader regional networks through its outreach program to local farming communities. The initiative supports Arizona’s broader water conservation goals, including reducing groundwater depletion, improving irrigation efficiency, and promoting sustainable farming practices statewide. Currently, the program covers melons, pistachios, corn, rosemary, cotton, dates, and alfalfa.

    AgWired Precision, Irrigation, land, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Sustainability, Water

    Precision Ag News 6/11

    Carrie Muehling

  • Veteran’s Carbon Holdings (VCH) announced it will distribute $1.1 billion in direct payments to U.S. farmers and landowners who bury organic carbon over the next nine years. Established in 2024, the newly launched Carbon Development Program provides farmers and landowners across the Midwest and Western United States with an innovative method to generate a great deal of money and substantial annual income, sequestering organic carbon in agricultural soils.
  • The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is pleased to announce that industrial biotech luminaries Drs. Doug Cameron and Chris Guske will be judges for Consider Corn Challenge V. Cameron and Guske have been instrumental in discovery, development, scale-up, financing and on-going management of numerous biotech technologies. Their participation as judges brings decades of expertise in identifying and commercializing successful products to the Consider Corn Challenge V winner selection process.
  • As part of Bayer Crop Science efforts to deliver an even more personalized, insight-driven experience for farmers ahead of a decade of unprecedented innovation in seed and crop protection, Channel is unveiling several new initiatives to deliver more performance and value to the farmer. To provide an even deeper level of support and service, Channel will introduce a Sales Agronomist role in Summer 2025. Channel is also launching a new monthly Profit Planning series featuring subject matter experts who will tackle timely, relevant topics aimed at helping farmers optimize every acre.
  • Built on the same Axiom AI infrastructure and leveraging GROWERS’ proprietary transaction and loyalty data, the Predictive Insights Engine synthesizes years of historical behavior with current activity to generate actionable insights, including churn prediction, customer engagement scoring, and product adoption forecasting. These insights are now being integrated directly into the GROWERS Loyalty Platform, enabling sales teams, marketers, and executives to anticipate customer behavior and take proactive action.
  • Performance Nutrition, a specialty provider of innovative agricultural and turf fertilizers and crop protection products, announced today that it has expanded its Prudent line of urea phosphite-based fertilizers with the commercial launch of two new products. Both products are now available for purchase through Performance Nutrition’s distribution partners throughout the United States.
  • Pro Farm Group has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) coveted Green Chemistry Challenge Award for Design of Safer and Degradable Chemicals.
  • The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) Hall of Fame welcomed two remarkable individuals during the 2025 Conservation in Action Tour on May 7 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Dwayne Beck, Ph.D., and David Brandt (awarded posthumously) were the first farmers inducted into the CTIC Hall of Fame. Their lifetime of work has advanced conservation agriculture and inspired generations of producers to be more efficient, profitable, and sustainable.
  • Addressing the International Grains Council conference in London, CropLife International President and CEO Emily Rees called for global value-chain cooperation in the face of geopolitical volatility, focusing on the core role of plant-science technology as the driver to meeting future food productivity needs.
  • Sollum Technologies is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Optimal, a leader in AI greenhouse control. This collaboration integrates Sollum’s 100 percent dynamic LED lighting with Optimal’s AI climate and irrigation control platform, enabling growers to precisely execute their desired growing strategy under rapidly changing weather conditions.
  • Southern Illinois University (SIU) will serve as host for research presentations on Tuesday, June 17 at the SIU-Carbondale University Farms. They plan to focus on research funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC).
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Interview with AI Moderator of The Ag Rundown

    Chuck Zimmerman

    I’m going to start by confessing that I have not used AI. Well, actually that is on purpose since a lot of things are now inside applications that we’ve been using for a long time. Maybe it is time to learn more and here’s one way.

    Have you heard of The Ag Rundown podcast? Using an AI moderator, it is a daily brief to keep you informed about the latest trends and updates in the agriculture industry. And yes, the moderator has a name. The program is produced by Mad Mule Media.

    In fact my first question for the interview is this – Alex, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Just listen in to the interview for more Q&A.

    Listen to my interview with Alex Rivers: Interview with Alex Rivers, The Ag Rundown

    You can listen on the website or subscribe. Here are a few options:

    Apple Podcasts
    Podbean
    Spotify

    So. There you have it. AI, Agriculture, Podcast, News and More. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this very unique project that is ready for prime time. I’m Chuck Zimmerman. A real human.

    Audio, Media, Podcasts

    ZimmCast 747 – Preview of 2025 IFAJ Congress

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

    In this program we’re going to get a preview of the 2025 IFAJ Congress which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, October 15–18.

    After our preview I’m going to add a most recent example of how you can make your news release talk. More at the end.

    So, let’s get started. I have Steve Werblow, IFAJ President and Aghan Daniel, MESHA, the coordinating organization. First up is Steve followed by Daniel.

    IFAJ Congress 2025They give us details about the Congress and the location it will be held as well as who can register and attend the Congress. You can find the schedule here. And you can register here.

    Daniel and his organization will certainly have a variety of interesting places to see and of course, talk to ag journalists from around the world. If you haven’t attended an IFAJ Congress I can’t recommend it enough.

    So, before I close I include an interview with Performance Nutrition. The company had us distribute a news release for them and we worked with them on an interview to add a voice to their message. We’re getting more requests for this. Their interview is included and you can find the full release on AgNewsWire.com.

    It’s easy to include an interview with your release on AgNewsWire by sending us an interview audio file or have us conduct the interview for a small fee. And if you have question just contact me at chuck@zimmcomm.biz.

    Listen to the episode here:
    ZimmCast 747 - Preview of 2025 IFAJ Congress (28:35)

    That’s the ZimmCast for now. Please let us know if you have ideas for a future podcast. Just email Chuck at chuck@zimmcomm.biz.

    We hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

    Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

    Ag Groups, Audio, IFAJ, International, Media, ZimmCast

    Animal Ag News 6/9

    Carrie Muehling

  • The third webinar in USFRA’s series on the five key opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture identified in U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action’s “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative” report will be held Tuesday, June 17 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. CT. The focus is on the challenges and opportunities in animal protein production.
  • The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) is committed to its mission of being the voice of the U.S. animal food industry, influencing policy and connecting people. Given the evolving needs of its 650 feed and pet food industry members, along with projected growth within the organization’s many leading educational programs, networking events and requests for expert analysis, the AFIA is embarking on an organizational realignment. The restructuring will enhance the impact, operational efficiency and stakeholder engagement of the association.
  • The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) is pleased to announce that Megan Underwood has returned to serve as the Communications Coordinator. In her role, Underwood will lead the communication efforts of the association, serve as the editor of Gelbvieh World and The Profit Picture, and assist the marketing team in developing the national advertising campaign.
  • A new collaborative initiative, Hogs for Hunger, is set to tackle food insecurity in Northeast Missouri by supplying area food pantries with locally produced pork. This innovative program is a partnership between Missouri Farmers Care, the Missouri Pork Association, and United Way of the Mark Twain Area. Both Missouri Farmers Care and United Way of the Mark Twain Area have overseen efforts to get more locally donated pork into pantries. By teaming up with the Missouri Pork Association, the organizations are creating a larger scale, streamlined process to increase the efficiency and outcomes of their efforts.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) released the updated Dairy Delivers® report, reaffirming the U.S. dairy industry’s immense contributions to the nation’s economy and quality of life for American families and communities. According to the 2025 analysis, dairy supports over 3 million American jobs, $198 billion in wages to American workers, and nearly $780 billion in economic impact to the U.S. economy.
  • Several thousand White House employees and Administration appointees were treated to delicious ice cream novelties this afternoon at the White House Summer Social—an appreciation event on the White House Lawn thrown by the Trump Administration for administration officials. Members of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) donated more than 4,600 novelties for the event.
  • BarnTools announced the launch of BinTalk Pro, a next-generation feed monitoring system that delivers near real-time insights, unprecedented accuracy, and comprehensive operational oversight for poultry and swine producers. With updates every 15 minutes, 16 times more frequent than the industry standard, BinTalk Pro enables growers and integrators to detect issues as they develop and prevent costly feed interruptions before they impact production.
  • Poultry industry leaders recently convened in Nashville, Tenn., for USPOULTRY’s 2025 Poultry Processor Workshop, where the spotlight was on leadership, technology, biosecurity and operational excellence. The event offered attendees strategic insights into elevating plant performance, ranging from effective team management and disease prevention to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and preventive maintenance. Presenters stressed that to improve results in every part of the process, teams need to work together, build strong systems and put people first for long-term success.
  • At the 2025 World Pork Expo, leaders from the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) delivered a clear message: the pork industry’s future will be strengthened by a united, proactive approach to advocacy. During a live panel discussion and media briefing, NPPC leaders outlined how a comprehensive, coordinated strategy is delivering results for America’s pork producers.
  • The National Milk Producers Federation applauded the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry for supporting by voice vote the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, a vital piece of legislation for increasing student milk consumption and nutrition access.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites