Ag Secretary Visits Iowa
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited Iowa Monday, starting the day at an ethanol plant where she was joined by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA), Reps. Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.
Rollins also toured a hog farm, and met with soybean producers and agriculture leaders from across Iowa, before capping off the day by delivering the keynote speech at the Iowa Ag Leaders Dinner.
Rollins’ main announcement was that USDA will release obligated funding under the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP) for 543 projects totaling $537 million in 29 states. The funding had been included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
In a press availability at the Elite Octane ethanol plant in Atlantic, Iowa, Rollins addressed a number of issues including trade policy, the farm bill, and avian flu. Gov. Reynolds, Elite Octane CEO Nick Bowdish, Sen. Ernst, Rep. Nunn and Rep. Miller-Meeks also make comments in the press conference.
USDA Sec. Rollins at Elite Octane 16:17DWFI Podcast 42 – 15th Anniversary of DWFI
This special episode of the Water for Food Podcast commemorates the 15th anniversary of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute by sharing the story of its origin. You can read the full historical account here.
The 15th anniversary year will be highlighted by a celebration reception at the upcoming 2025 Water for Food Global Conference, held in Lincoln, Nebraska, April 28-May 2. Learn more at waterforfood.nebraska.edu.
Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:
DWFI podcast episode 42 6:53
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.
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Industry Ag News 3/31
2025 Agri-Marketing Conference Preview
It’s almost time for the 2025 Agri-Marketing Conference. To get a preview of all the activities I spoke with Carrie Isaacson, Broadhead, Chair for this year’s conference.
You can listen to my conversation with Carrie here: 2025 Agri-Marketing Conference Preview (11:06)
FUEL YOUR FUTURE AT NAMAPALOOZA
Get ready for the 2025 Agri-Marketing Conference — your front-row seat to the future of agri-marketing! This high-energy event is packed with fresh insights, expert-led sessions and networking opportunities designed to keep you ahead in a rapidly evolving industry. Learn from the best and make connections in the industry that last long after the conference ends!
Precision Ag News 3/28
Animal Ag News 3/27
Passing of Gene Hemphill
Cindy and I are very sad about the passing of Gene Hemphill. He was a great man who smiled a lot and always wanted to help anyone. He was also a very good friend. I don’t know how many hours or days we worked together, especially some unique projects like a trip to Jay Leno’s garage where we ate pizza with him or starting a Celebrity Tractor Race in Nashville during the CMA summer Fan Fair. We liked a lot of things in common like a good beer or maybe something stronger, while we talked for hours some times. We worked together with people like Michael Peterson and Chuck Leavell. And from a media perspective he helped so many over the years for the New Holland Farm Progress Show media tent to sponsored media room at Commodity Classic and more. I personally think it was genius since he had all these media folks interacting with him and the New Holland logo showed up on a lot of photos and videos.
Oh Lord, grant eternal rest to Gene who is no longer with us. Shine your perpetual light over his soul and to rise to you.
The obituary can be found here.
Cindy helped find some photos of Gene. I’m sure there are more and we knew him before we started taking photos. But there are some good memories in these pictures including many in the industry with Gene.
Sen. Thune Calls for Farm Bill and Year-round E15
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) took to the floor yesterday to urge Congress to help farmers who are struggling.
“Many commodity producers are bracing for the prospect of serious financial losses this year,” said Thune. “These challenges are real. That’s why last December, Congress approved relief funding for agriculture producers hit by economic headwinds, as well as those affected by natural disasters.”
But, Thune says, that is only temporary relief and no substitute for a new farm bill and the stability nationwide E15 could provide. “When I became Majority Leader, I made it clear that a full and updated farm bill would be a priority for the new Republican majority. Secretary Rollins has been clear that this is a priority for the Trump administration as well….As is a stable biofuels policy, including year round access to E15 and timely and meaningful updates to the renewable volume obligations that matter to ethanol producers in America’s heartland.”
Sen. Thune floor speech 4:35Agrauxine Teams with Syngenta to Supply Ornamental Market
Syngenta Crop Protection and Agrauxine by Lesaffre have signed an agreement to private label and exclusively distribute products STROVEQ® and SPREXIMA® in the U.S. ornamental market.
STROVEQ is a systemic resistance inducer and SPREXIMA is a biofungicide and both utilize Agrauxine’s unique strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast. STROVEQ is a systemic resistance Inducer (SRI) that acts preventively to prepare plants to defend against fungal attacks. SPREXIMA prevents disease infections by protecting fruits, flowers and wounds.
“We are extremely excited to partner with Syngenta,” states Ariel Gohlke, North American Regional Manager for Agrauxine. “This agreement is another opportunity to expand the reach of our technology. Syngenta will be an excellent partner for us to reach more markets with our unique products.”
The agreement gives Syngenta the rights to sell the products through its own distribution channels in the U.S. for the next five years.