Industry Ag News 3/29

Producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant 90.0 million acres of corn in 2024, down 5% from last year, according to the Prospective Plantings report released today by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Planted acreage intentions for corn are down or unchanged in 38 of the 48 estimating states. Soybean growers intend to plant 86.5 million acres in 2024, up 3% from last year.

Syngenta Group has announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023. Syngenta Group sales for full year 2023 were $32.2 billion, down $1.2 billion or 4 percent year-on-year with fourth quarter sales $7.9 billion, up 5 percent driven by Syngenta Crop Protection and by strong growth of Syngenta Group China. Syngenta Crop Protection sales in FY 2023 experienced a modest 5 percent decrease in comparison to the previous year, totaling $15.5 billion. Syngenta Group’s biological solutions grew 11 percent in sales to $0.4 billion compared to last year and the seeds business grew 2 percent to $4.8 billion in 2023.

The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) board of directors has approved $791,639 in research project funding for the 2024-25 research budget year. This action was taken during the commission’s March board meeting. The research projects approved include 40 project proposals submitted from the University of Georgia, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will hold its biannual Data Users’ Meeting April 16 from 1-4:30 p.m. CDT, at the University of Chicago – Gleacher Center. A virtual attendance option is also available. The meeting is free and open to the public. Registration is required. The Data Users’ Meeting is held to share recent and pending statistical program changes with the public and to solicit input on these and other programs important to agriculture.

Cross Plains Solutions’ SoyFoam TF 1122™ is the first and only firefighting foam GreenScreen Certified® at the Gold level. Through their soy checkoff and the United Soybean Board, U.S. soybean farmers have supported much of the extensive testing of SoyFoam environmental and performance benefits for use as a safer firefighting foam. GreenScreen Certified, owned by the non-profit Clean Production Action, is an independent, certification program that promotes the use of PFAS-free and preferred chemicals in materials, products, and manufacturing.

U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in the agri-food industry, according to the recently published AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey. Employers ranked “Problem-Solving and Decision-Making” as the most necessary skills for all employees, followed by “Organization and Planning Skills” and “Teamwork.”

Texas A&M student Lee Thornton joined the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) as the spring policy intern. Lee Thornton grew up in Winnie, Texas on a calf-cattle ranch where he first became invested in the agricultural industry. Over the course of his NAWG internship, which concludes in May, Lee has been involved in numerous visits to Capitol Hill, NAWG’s winter meeting, Commodity Classic, and policy work related to the Farm Bill and appropriations process.

The Pecan Breeding and Genetics Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) recently completed a 2.5 million dollars laboratory modernization to accelerate pecan breeding through innovations in genetics and plant disease research. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on March 26 to commemorate the completion of the project.

At the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC) in Washington D.C., the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) once again sponsored and facilitated a special session, outlining the national incentive for biobased chemicals and renewable materials that NCGA, along with Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and other partners have been working on.

Early bird discounts are available until March 31 for the IFAJ Congress 2024 August 14 to 18 in the heart of the Swiss Alps. We look forward to your registration. This year’s IFAJ Congress promises to be a highlight for all participants. A number of farm visits off the beaten path as well as top-class speakers will be on hand to give you an insight into the latest developments in Swiss and global agriculture.