Members of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) meeting in Chicago this week are excited about news that an agreement has been reached on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) that could mean a vote as early as next week. “Mexico and Canada are our two biggest agricultural trading partners so we need that clear relationship,” said ASTA Chair Wayne Gale …
ASTA Announces Student Video Contest Winner
Recent Iowa State University PhD graduate Kevin Falk was honored as the grand prize winner of the Better Seed, Better Life Student Video Contest for the second year in row during the Opening General Session of ASTA’s CSS & Seed Expo 2019 in Chicago. Falk’s PhD work focuses around harnessing technology to develop high throughput phenotyping platforms and machine learning …
FMC CEO Helps Ag Retailers Unmask Business Potential
FMC has redefined itself as an agricultural sciences company positioned for growth in the North American retail market. “It is very critical for any company to get to a place where they can define themselves as mainly belonging to one specific market,” said Pierre Brondeau, CEO. “And I think we’ve chosen a market like ag today, after 10 years. We …
Basse Back at ASTACSS
The most popular session at the annual ASTA CSS & Seed Expo is always the agricultural economy update by Dan Basse, AgResource Company, and this year was no exception as he opened the general session for the seventh year. Basse offered his insights on this year’s yields, impact of African Swine Fever in China, the ABU countries (Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine), …
Research Shows Enogen Increases Feed Efficiency
New research presented by Penn State University is proving the case for Enogen® Feed, showing up to a 4 percent increase in ECM feed efficiency and no negative effect on rumen fermentation. The unique Syngenta hybrids, available from NK Seeds retailers, feature an in-seed technology that converts starch to usable sugars more quickly than other corn. The research, results of …
Animal Ag Bites 12/9
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the final interim decision for the registered use of sodium cyanide. Working with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services, the label for this predator control tool will include three additional use restrictions to promote public awareness and decrease non-target impacts. American Sheep Industry Association President Benny Cox said this announcement is welcomed by …
ZimmCast 632 – Ag Retailers Conference Leadership
In this week’s program I spoke with the leadership of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA). In the program you’ll hear from past Chair, Troy Johnson, Wilbur-Ellis, as he talks about his term leading the board. Then next up will be Rod Wells, GROWMARK, new Chair for ARA, as he talks about his outlook and plans for the coming two …
Closing ARA Panel Focuses on Retail Models
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) concluded its annual Conference & Expo in New Orleans last week with a panel discussion on Competing Retail Models moderated by Margy Eckelkamp, editor of AgPro. The panel featured Alexander Reichert, co-founder and CEO of AgVend; Dave Thomas, executive vice president of Helena Agri-Enterprises LLC; and John Demerly, CEO of CommoditAg. “Ag retailers are responding …
Ag Retailers Association Celebrates Newest Rising Stars
The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) once again recognized a group of top performers and emerging leaders as “Rising Stars” during the 2019 ARA Conference & Expo last week in New Orleans. The ARA Rising Stars program, sponsored by AGI Fertilizer Systems, is an opportunity for member organizations to nominate staff members or various experience and age to be recognized and …
AGCO Names Mose Middleton 2019 Operator of the Year
At the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) conference this week in New Orleans, AGCO Corporation named Mose Middleton of Nutrien Ag Solutions as the “2019 Operator of the Year.” The award recognizes professional operators for their hard work and commitment to their customers and their local communities. This is the 14th year for the industry award sponsored by AGCO. Middleton, a …