Industry Ag News 4/25

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced $340.6 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture disaster assistance to deliver relief to farmers, ranchers and rural communities impacted by natural disasters that have caused devastation across the country. In support of President Trump’s January executive order, which expedited assistance to communities who were left behind by the Biden Administration, Secretary Rollins is delivering critical aid through the USDA Disaster Assistance Fund to provide immediate relief to communities that have waited far too long to receive the aid they need to recover.
  • AgCareers launched the Application Motivation Survey in late 2024 to assess what entices candidates to apply and what deters them from completing the process. The analysis found that salary/benefits information was the most critical detail for employers to include in a job advertisement and the most encouraging to apply for candidates. Only 32 percent of candidates said they would apply to a job posting that did not include salary details.
  • Nine individuals will make up the second cohort of the American Agri-Women (AAW) Road to influence. The Road to Influence (RTI) is a program developed by AAW designed to provide a bold and innovative personal development experience for AAW members. The program is designed to identify and overcome limiting beliefs and behaviors, ultimately yielding stronger leaders for AAW and beyond. The 2025 cohort kicked off their journey on April 6 in conjunction with the AAW Mid-Year meeting in Grapevine, TX.
  • Brownfield’s Melanie Rice was named president of the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) during its 2025 Convention held in Kansas City, Missouri. With more than sixteen hundred members, NAMA is the nation’s largest professional association for professionals in marketing and agribusiness. Melanie is set to assume the role of NAMA president on May 1, 2025. Melanie has been a Marketing Strategist for Brownfield Ag News since 2018. She works with national, regional, and local clients to help them connect their brand messages with farmers and those who live in Rural America.
  • Following a national search, Mykel Taylor was named head of the Auburn University Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, effective April 15. She had served as interim head of the department since fall 2024.
  • Connor Henry of Stuttgart, Arkansas, is the recipient of the 2025-2026 Soy Scholarship award, sponsored by the American Soybean Association and BASF. The ASA/BASF Soy Scholarship is a $7,000 award presented to an exceptional high school senior who excels in both academic and leadership roles and who plans to pursue a degree in an agriculture-related field of study at an accredited college or university. The scholarship is open to children and grandchildren of ASA members.
  • The World Food Prize Foundation announced that it will send 16 students abroad for the Borlaug-Ruan International Internship program at renowned international research centers and NGOs this summer. These exceptional students hail from six U.S. states, Honduras and The Netherlands. The 2025 Borlaug-Ruan intern cohort will delve into issues related to global food security, sustainability and development during their eight-week internships at leading international research centers and development organizations in Costa Rica, India, Kenya, Mexico, China and Taiwan.
  • Meister Media Worldwide, the leading agriculture media and events company, has been named a national finalist for the 2025 Azbees American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) Awards of Excellence for editorial content in American Vegetable Grower.
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau presented House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA) with AFBF’s Golden Plow award. The Golden Plow is the highest honor the organization gives to sitting members of Congress. This is the second Golden Plow award for Chairman Thompson. He was previously honored in 2014.
  • Agri-Pulse is pleased to announce a new webinar, “Economic Stakes: How Thoroughbred Racing Fuels Rural Economies” on May 19 at 12:30 CT/1:30 ET. Free registration is available here. The webinar is sponsored by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, and the Breeders’ Cup.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Precision Ag News 4/25

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Virtual registration remains open for the Water for Food Global Conference April 28 – May 2, 2025 at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center. The conference theme is “A Resilient Future: Water and Food for All,” focusing on the next generation of research, smart technology, policy development through three focus areas. The conference provides ample academic, practice and policy content and a full schedule can be found on the conference website.
  • There’s still time to register for the Conservation in Action Tour, May 6-7 in Sioux Falls. See the full agenda that includes 35+ other presenters, hands-on demonstrations at multiple farm stops, a VIP tour of the USGS EROS Center, a gripping keynote presentation by A-10 Thunderbolt pilot Kim “KC” Campbell May 6 during the opening banquet celebration, and so much more.
  • More than 650 farm advisors from across the U.S. participated in a survey on cover crops, shining light on how—and how frequently—they advise growers on cover crops. A report on the survey was released by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), SARE, and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA). This is the eighth national cover crop survey conducted by those groups since 2012 and the first to focus on advisors. The American Soybean Association also contributed to this report. All National Cover Crop Survey reports are available here.
  • Join top seed industry leaders at the 10th Seed Congress of the Americas, taking place from September 29 to October 1, 2025, in the breathtaking setting of Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. Early registration: $380 until April 30!
  • AgGateway is pleased to announce that the agenda is now available to review for the 2025 North America Mid-Year Meeting. This year features more sessions taking place on Monday morning, in addition to an all-day Entity ID Working Group meeting on Thursday, 12 June as a follow up to the in-person session held in Charlotte, NC in March.
  • Farmers in the Upper Midwest are advancing their sustainable farming efforts, as highlighted in the latest annual conservation survey supported by Farmers for Sustainable Food. The survey results showcase the conservation practices utilized by farmers across Wisconsin and Minnesota, revealing ongoing progress and positive environmental impacts. This is the seventh consecutive year of documenting conservation practices with farmer-led groups, showing the farmers’ dedication to ongoing improvement and improving soil and water quality.
  • The Equipment Marketing & Distribution Association (EMDA) is proud to announce its dedicated and dynamic Board of Directors, a team of industry leaders committed to shaping the future of the agricultural and related equipment sectors. This passionate group works diligently to support the growth of EMDA members and foster collaboration across the industry.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Registration Open for Agri-Pulse West Issues Summit

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Registration is now open for the Agri-Pulse Food & Ag Issues Summit West in Sacramento, June 10, at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento.

    This is the fourth year for the event focused on issues such as food and ag trade, technology, and labor of greatest importance in California and other western states.

    There is a virtual option for the event and early bird pricing is available until May 10. Click here to register.

    Agri-Pulse, Events

    Animal Ag News 4/22

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • In just its second year, the American Royal Spring Livestock Show is already seeing remarkable momentum. The 2025 event saw significant growth in participation and prize money, drawing exhibitors from across the country and reinforcing the American Royal’s commitment to advancing youth involvement in agriculture and livestock exhibition.
  • McFaddin Ranch was presented with the Texas Environmental Stewardship Award at the 2025 Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo held in Fort Worth April 11-13. The award recognized exceptional stewardship and innovation of the South Texas cattle ranch. This 2025 Texas Environmental Stewardship Award is presented as a joint effort between Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and Texas Grazing Land Coalition.
  • Register now for one of three 2025 Stockmanship and Stewardship tour stops. This year, each event has a heightened focus on biosecurity planning in addition to the popular low-stress cattle handling demonstrations and facility design sessions. No matter where you raise cattle in the country, these regional events are tailored to each region and are sure to teach you something new to take back to your farm or ranch!
  • Entering the program’s third year, Trust In Beef welcomes two new partners, National Grazing Lands Coalition and EarthOptics, to bolster the technical expertise provided by the coalition’s existing partners including ABS, Merck Animal Health, Ducks Unlimited, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Enogen/Syngenta, Tyson Foods and U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.
  • Barentz Animal Nutrition, a manufacturer of animal feed and proprietary products such as MegAnion® and K-Carb Plus®, is excited to announce the continued investment into its technology, equipment, and people with the addition of a new dryer to increase efficiency. This investment will allow Barentz Animal Nutrition to deliver more product and value to its customers.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Industry Ag News 4/18

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • New consumer research from The Center for Food Integrity (CFI), in partnership with FMI – The Food Industry Association, challenges conventional wisdom about what’s considered credible and “true” in today’s food system. Most revealing: authenticity often outweighs science in shaping consumer trust. The research, “Truth Defined: Mapping Consumer Beliefs in Food & Agriculture,” identifies five distinct consumer segments, each with unique definitions of what’s true for them when it comes to food and how it’s produced. The findings provide the food and agriculture industries with a strategic roadmap to identify the most influential consumer segments and engage with credibility, forging stronger connections, inspiring informed conversations and building trust.
  • The 2025 U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook is now available on FAPRI’s website. This report summarizes baseline projections for agricultural and biofuel markets prepared using market information available in January 2025. S&P Global’s January forecasts showed economic growth slowing in 2025, and interest rates declining. The baseline reflects policies in place in January 2025. It does not reflect any subsequent policy changes. In particular, the projections do not make any attempt to include the impacts of changes in U.S. tariffs or retaliation. The baseline is intended to serve as a reasonable point of reference for evaluating alternative scenarios; it is not a prediction of future market conditions or policy choices. The current farm bill provisions are extended through the projections.
  • Join the Livestock Publications Council for the next Coffee and Collaboration on Wednesday, April 30 at 12 p.m. CT. The topic is “Driving Attention: Using Data to Increase Audience Engagement” with speaker Jen Richter, VP, Digital O&O, Farm Journal. 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.
  • The AgCareers Roundtable offers a distinctive industry-specific educational and networking experience focused on the talent pipeline in agriculture and food. This unparalleled event brings together industry and education stakeholders to address challenges and exchange ideas for agriculture and food sector success. The 23rd Annual AgCareers event will take place on August 5-7, 2025.
  • Accolades for an interactive tool more than 30 years in the making and its corresponding media campaign — that’s what the two first place “Best of NAMA” awards from the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) represent for The SCN Coalition. The SCN Profit Checker won first place in Digital Tools and the campaign promoting the calculator placed first in Media Relations.
  • The results of a soy industry project to examine the impacts of a potential seed oil ban in the U.S. food supply are in—and the answers are not good. The seed oil study was funded by the United Soybean Board and conducted by the World Agricultural Economic and Environmental Services. WAEES maintains agricultural economic models that allow it to examine potential industry changes, and what it found forecasting a ban was this: The seed oil industry, which primarily includes soybean, canola, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, rice bran, safflower and sunflower, would see a sizable drop in consumption for domestic products while imported palm oil would likely flourish. Meantime, consumers would have a hard time making apples-to-apples substitutions given price surges, product availability, allergen issues, and usage constraints (just like you cannot use an orange in apple pie, not all fats and oils are created equal).
  • Some of the important tax policies that are helping farmers maintain profitability are in jeopardy if the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 is allowed to expire this year. Provisions like the Qualified Business Income Deduction, 100% Bonus Depreciation, and the increased Estate Tax Exemption are critically important to producers across the country. In this podcast episode, listen to two of the National Corn Growers Association’s foremost experts about how these policies benefit farmers… and what we can do to preserve them.
  • Kubota Tractor Corporation announced a ‘groundbreaking’ partnership with multi-platinum, award-winning artist Post Malone. The collaboration will see Kubota provide a range of equipment to manage Post Malone’s expansive property, while also becoming an official sponsor of the artist’s highly anticipated Travelin’ Tailgate, a unique fan experience accompanying select dates of his upcoming nationwide stadium tour.
  • The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City will recognize Greg Krissek and Don Nikodim with the group’s prestigious Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence at a luncheon on May 15 in Kansas City’s historic Union Station.
  • The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation (SPFF) proudly welcomes the South Carolina Peanut Board to join the federation. Formed in 1998, SPFF was established to allow Southeastern peanut producers to speak with a unified voice on legislative issues and partner with other state peanut organizations for leadership development and coordinated research funding.
  • Global seed innovator Sakata Seed America proudly announces the launch of Bimi, a new consumer brand of baby broccoli now available in the U.S. and Canada. Already a recognized name across global markets, Bimi® delivers the premium taste, texture, and nutrition today’s consumers crave in a high-quality, zero-waste vegetable.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Ethanol Report on E15 Optimism

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    U.S. sales of E15 reached a record 1.24 billion gallons in 2024, an increase of 11% over 2023, according to a Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) analysis of data released by state agencies in Minnesota and Iowa.

    While it appears the Trump administration will have to continue the practice of issuing waivers this summer to keep E15 at the pump, there are several reasons for optimism that this will be the last year that will be necessary.

    In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, RFA Chief Economist Scott Richman discusses a recent blog post he authored on the current growth of E15 and the potential for boosting the blend nationwide.

    Ethanol Report 4-16-25 24:07

    Audio interviews, presentations and photos from the NEC can be found in the conference virtual newsroom.

    The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.

    Choose an option to subscribe

    Audio, Ethanol, RFA

    Precision Ag News 4/16

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA) is introducing a webinar series on the five key opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture identified in the “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative” report that was published late last year. Those opportunities include nitrogen fertilizer management, soil carbon management, the crop production and yield gap, animal production and management, and efficient energy use. Within each of these broad categories, there are a number of currently available practices and emerging technologies that can positively impact emissions while improving both production and profitability. A webinar will be conducted for each of the five starting with nitrogen fertilizer management, which will be held Wednesday, April 23, from 2 – 3:30 p.m. CT.
  • Following the landmark report from the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) and ahead of a day-long event in Washington marking the report’s release, champions of agricultural innovation released statements hailing the report’s recommendations and pledging partnership to pursue the Commission’s goals. The report – Charting the Future of Biotechnology: An Action Plan for American Security and Prosperity – underscores the need for urgent action to prevent the American biotechnology sector from lagging behind foreign competitors, including China. NSCEB lays out six pillars for action and 49 recommendations to help achieve that goal, including making biotechnology a national priority and mobilizing private sector investment.
  • Novonesis, a world-leading biosolutions company, recognizes the importance of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) report as a pivotal milestone in charting a bold path forward for American biotechnology. Novonesis applauds the NSCEB’s deep investigation of unlocking U.S.-led biotechnology in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
  • Syngenta announced the names of three foliar-applied insecticide brands for its in-season insect management portfolio in the U.S. today. Upon approval by the Environmental Protection Agency, these foliar insecticide products are anticipated to manage insect pests in cotton, vegetables, tree fruit crops and more. Isocycloseram, which has been approved for use in other countries, will act by contact and ingestion, providing rapid feeding cessation. Leveraging this novel active ingredient in IRAC Group 30, will also provide growers with a new resistance management option.
  • IUNU, a leading innovator in AI and machine vision technologies transforming agriculture, announced the close of its $20 million funding round led by S2G Investments, with participation from Farm Credit Canada and Lewis and Clark Partners.
  • Paine Schwartz Partners-backed HGS BioScience, a global leader in the production of extracted humates in both granule and liquid form, has acquired Earthgreen Products, Inc., and the world-renowned Menefee Mining Corporation. The company is now able to elevate the quality and performance of its humic and fulvic acid lineup, providing growers with a broad range of products in multiple formulations to improve soil health. Together, HGS now has the deepest and most versatile portfolio of patented extracted granule, powder and liquid products in the industry.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    South Carolina Joins Southern Peanut Farmers

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation (SPFF) has expanded to include another state, proudly welcoming the South Carolina Peanut Board to join Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi.

    “The South Carolina Peanut Board is excited to join the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation to offer the South Carolina peanut industry so many opportunities,” says Richard Rentz, chairman of the South Carolina Peanut Board. “By joining SPFF, South Carolina is taking a step towards the peanut industry working together as a whole.”

    SPFF was established in 1998 to allow Southeastern peanut producers to speak with a unified voice on legislative issues and partner with other state peanut organizations for leadership development and coordinated research funding. Initially organized by the Alabama Peanut Producers Association, the Florida Peanut Producers Association and the Georgia Peanut Commission, the federation welcomed the Mississippi Peanut Growers Association in 2008.

    The peanut farmers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina produce 73 percent of the nation’s peanuts. In 2024, farmers in the five states produced an average of 3,560 pounds of peanuts per acre.

    The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation coordinates the annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference, the Peanut Leadership Academy, congressional member and staff relations, as well as research initiatives. Additionally, SPFF publishes the Southeastern Peanut Farmer magazine which is distributed to peanut farmers across the Southeast.

    Peanuts, SPGC

    ZimmCast 745 – ZimmComm News & NAMA/NAFB Interviews

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

    In this episode I’m going to share a couple of interviews from the NAMA Agri-Marketing Conference. One is with Gardner Hatch, Executive Director, NAFB and Debbie Boyle, Vice President, Kynetic. They talk about a new NAFB listener survey. Then I have an interview with Melanie Rice, Brownfield Ag News, about becoming the new President of NAMA.

    Before I do this I’m going to talk about a ZimmComm announcement Cindy and I published last week. Basically, we are retiring from business travel starting at the end of 2025. Besides our 21 years with ZimmComm we traveled a lot for many years before we started ZimmComm.

    We founded the company in 2004 as the first social media-based agricultural communications company and pioneered “event blogging” for farm and biofuels conferences, capturing the sights and sounds in photos and interviews. Nearly 225,000 photos and countless interviews and miles later, we have decided to hang up our traveling bags and spend more time at home. A lot of people look to retire to travel the world. We’ve been blessed to see all the places we ever wanted and more!

    We plan to continue our AgNewsWire news release service as well as AgWired.com, Energy.AgWired.com and our podcasting and other audio production services. We’re just giving up the travel portion of our work.

    So, let’s get back to podcasting. I’ll start out with the NAFB survey and then words from our new NAMA President.

    Listen to the episode here:
    ZimmCast 745 - ZimmComm News & NAMA and NAFB Interviews (9:40)

    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:

    Audio, Media, NAFB, NAMA, ZimmCast, ZimmComm Announcement

    Animal Ag News 4/15

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio, released a statement praising U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) for introducing the Food Security and Farm Protection Act, which averts a disastrous patchwork of contradictory state-by-state farm regulations that would hit hardest small and medium-sized pork producers.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) welcomed the introduction of the bipartisan Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 in the House. This legislation is led by Rep. John Rose (R-TN) and Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL), who represent districts where producers are facing immense burdens from black vulture overpopulation.
  • Thousands of cattle raisers, landowners, wildlife managers and industry partners from across the Southwest gathered in Fort Worth for the 2025 Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo, an annual event hosted by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. A highlight of the multi-day event came when U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins addressed attendees during the association’s Annual Membership Meeting.
  • Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) Leadership Development Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization committed to future generations of land and livestock stewards and leaders, announced the TSCRA Gilly Riojas Memorial Internship Program.
  • Join the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association for an insightful webinar where industry experts delve into the critical aspects of beef safety and production. Dr. Trey Patterson, CEO of Padlock Ranch, will share his extensive experience in and effective production practices. Patrick Linnell from CattleFax will offer an overview of market trends and the economic impact of maintaining high standards in beef production. Dr. Pat Mies from Tyson will discuss the latest advancements in detecting and preventing foreign object contamination in beef processing, while Dr. Trent Schwartz from West Texas A&M will provide insights into research and innovations that enhance beef safety and quality.
  • Animal monitoring systems are a trusted solution for accurate heat detection, but their impact extends beyond that. By improving overall reproductive efficiency, these systems boost pregnancy rates, cut costs and help dairies maximize profitability. Dairies across the U.S. are seeing benefits beyond heat detection. Contact your local GEA dealer to learn more.
  • The Joint Poultry Industry Safety Award Program is now accepting applications from poultry industry facilities that have demonstrated exceptional safety programs. This award program is open to members of the National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation, and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. Eligible facilities include poultry processing plants, further processing facilities, egg processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills, animal support services and rendering facilities. To qualify, applicants must have implemented innovative and effective safety programs as well as have maintained injury and illness rates below the industry average for three consecutive years. Award program rules, regulations and application forms can be accessed here. The application deadline is May 2.
  • Seven universities recently participated in the 76th USPOULTRY Foundation Ted Cameron National Poultry Judging Contest, held at Mississippi State University (MSU). Texas A&M University (TAMU) won the high team overall category, and the University of Arkansas (U of A) took second place. Additionally, Reagan Barnett from TAMU won the high individual overall category, with Andy Cornell from U of A finishing second. The program also recognized Dennis Mason, U of A, a long-time poultry judging contest coach for nearly 50 years, on his upcoming retirement.
  • USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation have approved $380,000 for four new research grants at four institutions through the Comprehensive Research Program. The research funding was approved by the boards of directors of both organizations, following recommendations from the Foundation Research Advisory Committee (FRAC).
  • USPOULTRY will hold its annual Financial Management Seminar on June 16-18 in Amelia Island, Fla. This year’s program will cover diverse topics including leading through change, exports and economic updates, labor and immigration impacts, consumer trends and artificial intelligence as the future of finance.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites