Syngenta Seeds Gives Farmers Options

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Once again, Syngenta Seeds had a strong presence at the Farm Progress Show to give farmers a peak at the latest developments to help them get the best return on their investment every year.

“Farmers are at the heart of everything we do at Syngenta Seeds and when we think about commitment to farmers, it really comes in something that is through our people, our product pipeline and our trait pipeline,” said Syngenta Seeds North America Regional Director Eric Boeck. “In today’s agriculture, choice is really important. To have options as a farmer so that you can make the best decisions for your farm and that’s what Syngenta does.”

Some of what’s new this year for Syngenta is plans to launch a groundbreaking herbicide-tolerant soybean trait stack with M.S. Technologies. “Weed control options are really important for farmers. So what this trait is gonna allow farmers to do is harness the best of genetics, the best of yield, the best of agronomic traits, along with the new herbicide trait that’s going to give them options, at the latter part of this decade.”

Boeck is also excited about the new Durastak Corn Trait Stack. “Durastak is a new mode of action for corn rootworm, which a lot of farmers battle,” said Boeck. “It is going to be a great opportunity to experience brand new genetics with the first triple BT stack to battle rootworm.”

Learn more in this interview with Eric Boeck.
FPS25 Interview with Eric Boeck, Syngenta Seeds (3:57)

You can find a number of interviews about what’s new from Syngenta Seeds and Seedcare and Golden Harvest in our Farm Progress Show virtual news room.

2025 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Corn, Soybean, Syngenta

2025 Farm Progress Show – Day 2

Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Syngenta BaristaThere’s nothing better than stopping early by the Syngenta booth to see the baristas making great coffee drinks. I started with the cold brew with a little bit of cream. Very good and guaranteed to wake you up.

Our virtual ag newsroom on AgNewsWire has plenty of pictures and audio. I’ll be working on some more interviews and photos throughout today. The weather has probably been the best ever for a Farm Progress Show. Hopefully that will continue for the last day!

2025 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Farm Progress Show, Syngenta

USDA Deputy Secretary at Farm Progress Show

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden filled in for his boss at the 2025 Farm Progress Show Tuesday, chatting on the mainstage with Mike Pearson of This Week in AgriBusiness and answering question from farm reporters on site.

The first topic addressed was New World Screwworm in light of the latest headlines about human case in Maryland. “So the good news is, that case, which is a solitary human case, was because a citizen of this country traveled to Central America, was exposed to it there and brought it back, and it has no implications for agriculture,” said Vaden. “It’s bad for that particular human, although it’s easily treatable with modern medicine. But what we are worried about is ensuring that the fly does not enter into our cattle supply.” To that end, Vaden says USDA has shut the border to cattle from Mexico and is working with Mexican officials on a sterile fly program to keep the pests from entering the U.S.

Vaden also expressed the administration’s strong support for domestic biofuels. “I think it’s fair to say that the second Trump administration has been the most pro biofuels administration that we’ve had,” said Vaden. “We at USDA are very supportive of the Environmental Protection Agency and the proposed renewable volume obligations. We think those numbers are wonderful and are where they need to be and meet the current ability of America to produce biofuels.

On the trade front, Vaden talked about the Section 301 investigation into Brazil’s trading practices and increasing export market opportunities for corn and soybeans.

On stage and answering media questions, Vaden also discussed USDA team and nominees, agency reorganization, modernization of funds distribution to farmers, regional USDA hubs, farm bill future, commodity prices, short term relief, meetings at FPS, markets for ethanol, and staffing questions. Listen to both below:
USDA Deputy Secretary Vaden mainstage (27:18)

USDA Deputy Secretary Vaden presser (12:33)

2025 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Audio, Biofuels, Farm Progress Show, USDA

ZimmComm Recognized for Ethanol Reporting

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

ACE’s Katie Muckenhirn (R) presents award to Cindy Zimmerman

ZimmComm was honored to receive the media award from the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) last week for our “decades of dedicated reporting on the people, policies, and progress shaping the U.S. ethanol industry.”

This means a lot to us because the ethanol industry was instrumental in our company’s success and we have been able to cover the most consequential two decades in the history of the fuel since the signing of the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2005. The first photo album in our Flickr collection is the 2005 Indy 500 where it was announced they would begin using a 10% ethanol blend the following year.

We have had the privilege of being able to cover 27 ACE events since 2008, both their annual meetings and DC Fly-ins, and the pleasure of interviewing and getting to know so many of their members. After over 20 years of traveling to cover various industry events, Chuck and I are retiring from business travel at the end of 2025 and while we will not miss the airports we will miss the friends we have met on the way.

Thanks to our ACE friends for this special honor, especially Katie Muckinhern, Brian Jennings and Ron Lamberty. You are invited to visit us in Pensacola anytime!

ACE, Biofuels, Ethanol, ZimmComm Announcement

Precision Ag News 8/26

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Fast Ag Solutions, a leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of application equipment, has entered into an agreement with PTx which allows growers to order Precision Planting SymphonyNozzle and SymphonyVision products factory installed on Fast Sprayers, starting with orders in January of 2026.
  • MyLand, a leading innovator in soil health, announced it has won the 2025 AgTech Breakthrough Award for Overall Smart Irrigation Solution. The honor recognizes MyLand’s groundbreaking innovation that transforms traditional irrigation into a powerful tool for soil health restoration and farm resilience.
  • PowerPollen, the leader in breakthrough pollination technology for increased agricultural productivity and profitability, announced the launch of its next-generation fully autonomous AI-enabled precision pollen application system — a breakthrough designed to transform large-scale seed and grain crop pollination. Unveiled during a field demonstration with investors, customers, government officials and growers, the new machines build on the company’s patented pollination technology stack to deliver commercial-scale collection, preservation and application at lower cost, higher efficacy, and reduced input requirements.
  • Intelinair, the maker of AGMRI and a leader in ag data analytics and precision agriculture technology, announced it has been named the 2025 “AgTech Data Analytics Company of the Year” by AgTech Breakthrough. The honor is part of the 5th Annual AgTech Breakthrough Awards program, which recognizes the most innovative companies, technologies, and products transforming global agriculture and food technology. This marks the second consecutive year Intelinair has received this award.
  • Bushel, a software company focused on agriculture, announced it has been selected as “Farm Management Solution of the Year” in the 5th annual AgTech Breakthrough Awards program conducted by AgTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global agricultural and food technology markets today.
  • Koch Agronomic Services announces their liquid foliar product, OPTRIENT™ MoCo-Ni, is now available to growers for use in a variety of row and specialty crops across the U.S. Previously only available for fruit and nut trees, OPTRIENT MoCo-Ni improves nitrogen utilization, mitigates stress and optimizes crop performance by delivering a targeted application of molybdenum, cobalt and nickel.
  • John Deere announced the start of a strategic collaboration with the Reservoir, a California-based agricultural technology on-farm incubator platform that brings together grower networks and deep tech R&D studios to accelerate innovation in high-value crop (HVC) agriculture.
  • Registration is open for the 2025 Great Plains Water Conference held in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 18 and 19. For more information about the conference, speakers, and registration, visit go.unl.edu/waterconference.
  • The World Food Prize Foundation announced the Top Ten agritech startups selected for its inaugural Innovate for Impact Challenge, a global competition recognizing scalable, science-based innovations advancing agricultural productivity and sustainability. The semi-finalists were selected from nearly 400 submissions spanning 65 countries across all hemispheres.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    2025 Farm Progress Show Day 1

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    2025 Farm Progress ShowI always like to find a morning farm scene as the sun starts to rise at the Farm Progress Show. On the way to the show I saw this and had to stop and snap a photo. It’s a gorgeous morning and looks like we’re going to have great weather. When I left Springfield, IL this morning it was 49 degrees. What a nice change from the hot temps.

    I’ll be conducting interviews, taking photos and recording some stage audio. That will all be posted to our virtual ag newsroom on AgNewsWire.

    2025 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

    Farm Progress Show

    Animal Ag News 8/22

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The 2026 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) is less than six months away and has surpassed 629,000 square feet of exhibit space and secured more than 1,130 exhibitors. It is the largest trade show floor ever in IPPE’s history, and there is more to come.
  • The White House announced a United States-European Union Framework on an Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair, and Balanced Trade. The administration stated the Framework Agreement aims to resolve trade imbalances and maximize the U.S. and EU’s combined economic power in an ongoing process to improve market access and increase the U.S./EU trade and investment relationship. National Pork Producers Council President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio, thanked the administration for including U.S. pork.
  • The dairy checkoff is doubling down on one of the most critical windows of human development – the “First 1,000 Days” – with a multichannel strategy that positions dairy as essential for optimal brain growth and cognitive development from conception through a child’s second birthday. The initiative includes promotion across third-party media outlets and the checkoff’s consumer-facing USDairy.com site.
  • The meat science discipline has advanced by leaps and bounds under Dr. Gary Smith’s guidance. From food safety to quality beef production, it could be argued that his research findings helped save the beef industry in some of its most challenging times. College students were educated, inspired and trained to be top-notch leaders. The “Dean of Meat Scientists,” a renowned researcher and educator, has never shied away from getting in the trenches and putting in the work. For the indelible mark he left on meat science and the beef community, Smith earned the 2025 Certified Angus Beef (CAB) Industry Achievement Award, presented at CAB’s Feeding Quality Forum in Rochester, Minn., on August 24.
  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins at the Texas State Capitol alongside Governor Greg Abbott and stakeholders from across the country announced the largest initiative yet in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plan to combat the New World Screwworm (NWS). This announcement builds upon USDA’s five-pronged plan issued in June to combat the northward spread of NWS from Mexico into the United States.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announced continued support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) aggressive plan to combat the spread of New World screwworm by ramping up construction of a sterile fly distribution facility alongside a production facility at Moore Air Base in south Texas.
  • The United States Animal Health Association (USAHA) will host a timely and critical New World Screwworm symposium September 24-25, 2025 to address the growing threat of the New World Screwworm (NWS) to U.S. animal populations. USAHA is pleased to collaborate with The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) to provide a solutions-based effort to help inform stakeholders on preparedness and mitigation should it reach the U.S.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is set to begin data collection efforts for the quarterly Hogs and Pigs Survey. The survey will collect market hog and breeding stock inventories, farrowing intentions, and information on the latest pig crop. Producers should receive the survey questionnaire in late August and can respond via the Internet, by mail, or by fax. Producers who don’t respond in one of those ways will have the opportunity to complete the survey via telephone or personal interview. NASS will publish survey results in the quarterly Hogs and Pigs report on Sept. 25, 2025. These and all NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov.
  • The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program is seeking nominations for its FARM Farmer Advisory Council, uplifting farmer voices and helping shape the future of the FARM Program. FARM will accept nominations until Sept. 15; new members will be notified by Oct. 15.
  • Halter, the world’s leading virtual fencing and guidance system for cattle, has partnered with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and its charitable arm, the Foundation for America’s Public Lands (APL), to expand joint rancher and public access to BLM-managed public lands. As the largest land manager in the U.S., BLM’s collaboration with Halter marks a major milestone in bringing virtual fencing to working ranches, advancing land stewardship and grazing efficiency. The partnership includes $2.7 million in funding to support ranchers using Halter on BLM-managed land.
  • Arkion Life Sciences announced the promotion of two executives in its EgCel® IgY Technology business unit. Shawn W. Jones, PhD, has been promoted to Director of Innovation & Manufacturing, EgCel IgY Technology and Michelle Tollefson has been promoted to Director of Commercialization, EgCel IgY Technology.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    MyLand Wins 2025 AgTech Breakthrough Award

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    MyLand, a leading innovator in soil health, today announced it has won the 2025 AgTech Breakthrough Award for Overall Smart Irrigation Solution. The honor recognizes MyLand’s groundbreaking innovation that transforms traditional irrigation into a powerful tool for soil health restoration and farm resilience.

    MyLand redefines the role of irrigation in modern agriculture from a simple utility to a dynamic regenerative system that fosters healthier soils and more resilient farms.This award underscores the significance of integrating biology-first solutions with existing agricultural practices, providing measurable on-farm benefits without burdening the farmer.

    With thousands of nominations submitted from around the globe, MyLand stood out for its unique approach to improving soil health. The company’s patented in-field Systems connect directly to a farm’s existing irrigation infrastructure and introduce live, native microalgae into the water stream. As growers irrigate, microalgae are delivered directly to the soil. Growers see benefits across the board, including enhanced water use efficiency, higher yields, better quality produce, and increased resilience to stress.

    MyLand Wins 2025 AgTech Breakthrough Award“This is more than a technological innovation. It’s a shift in how we approach farm infrastructure and soil health,” said Dane Hague, MyLand Co-Founder and CEO. “Healthy soil is foundational to a farm’s success. By empowering growers to easily and rapidly improve soil health, MyLand is reshaping what’s possible in agriculture.”

    Solving Water Scarcity and Soil Health Challenges

    MyLand’s Soil as a Service™ model addresses urgent challenges faced by growers in water-scarce regions, particularly in the Southwestern United States where over-irrigation is often necessary to combat soil salinity. By restoring natural biological processes in the soil, MyLand enables farmers to optimize irrigation efficiency while enhancing long-term resilience.

    “MyLand is transforming irrigation into a regenerative tool,” said Bryan Vaughn, Managing Director, AgTech Breakthrough. “MyLand’s biology-first, irrigation-powered solution delivers measurable on- farm benefits. With the MyLand System, irrigation is made smarter by turning it into a delivery system for living biology and long-term resilience, amplifying a farm’s live, native microalgae to create healthier soil. Congratulations on being our pick for ‘Overall Smart Irrigation Solution of the Year!’”

    Importantly, the MyLand System requires no change in grower practices. The unit is fully installed, managed, and maintained by MyLand, operating in the background without adding complexity to a farmer’s daily operations. Its ability to retrofit into existing irrigation infrastructure makes it a scalable and easy-to-adopt solution for farms of all sizes.

    “This award is a strong validation of the work we’re doing alongside growers every day,” said Hague. “As a pathway to healthier soil and greater grower ROI, irrigation can offer much more than water delivery. We are honored to be recognized for creating solutions that growers can easily adopt, scale, and sustain.” Winners of other AgTech Breakthrough categories include ADM, Bayer Crop Science, Bloomfield Robotics, Moleaer, and Pivot Bio, placing MyLand among the top innovators shaping the future of food and agriculture.

    To learn more about MyLand and its award-winning approach to regenerative agriculture, visit www.myland.ag.

    Agribusiness, Irrigation, Soil

    Intelinair Named “AgTech Data Analytics Company of the Year”

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    IntelinairIntelinair, the maker of AGMRI and a leader in ag data analytics and precision agriculture technology, today announced it has been named the 2025 “AgTech Data Analytics Company of the Year” by AgTech Breakthrough. The honor is part of the 5th Annual AgTech Breakthrough Awards program, which recognizes the most innovative companies, technologies, and products transforming global agriculture and food technology. This marks the second consecutive year Intelinair has received this award.

    Driving Innovation in Precision Agriculture

    Intelinair’s flagship platform, AGMRI, is a crop analytics solution designed to help farmers and ag retailers make data-driven decisions throughout the growing season. Processing more than 500 terabytes of agricultural data annually, AGMRI integrates aerial imagery, AI-powered analytics, weather data, machine performance metrics, and field-level agronomic information to deliver actionable insights for yield optimization and sustainable farming practices.

    Key AGMRI capabilities include:

    Personalized dashboards and interactive field maps

    AI-powered scouting tools and field scanning capabilities

    Real-time alerts for early detection of crop threats

    Postseason yield analysis to inform next season’s strategies

    By continuously improving AI models each season, AGMRI identifies crop emergence
    challenges, weed pressure, nutrient deficiencies, and disease outbreaks, while also showing how agronomic and operational decisions—such as planting date or hybrid selection—impact final yields.

    Industry Recognition

    “This award reflects the value AGMRI brings to on-farm decision-making,” said Tim Hassinger, CEO of Intelinair. “Our platform goes beyond detecting issues to show how practices like planting dates, hybrid choice, and input timing impact yields—helping growers and ag retailers refine strategies and consistently improve results.”

    “AGMRI eliminates the guesswork, supporting confident decision-making across every crop stage. The agricultural landscape is rapidly evolving, with timing, precision, and adaptability being critical. Even with enormous amounts of aerial imagery and field data, growers struggle with understanding yield-reducing threats, whether in season or post-season,” said Bryan Vaughn, Managing Director, AgTech Breakthrough. “Intelinair’s platform bridges the gap between data and action, helping growers and trusted advisors protect yield potential and drive results.”

    Learn more at intelinair.com or visit its social media channels.

    Agribusiness, Agronomy, data, Precision Agriculture

    PowerPollen Unveils Autonomous Ground Fleet

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Pollination technology leader PowerPollen has launched a breakthrough fully-autonomous, AI-enabled precision pollen application system designed to transform large-scale seed and grain crop pollination.

    Unveiled during a field demonstration with investors, customers, government officials and growers, the new machines are built to deliver commercial-scale collection, preservation and application at lower cost, higher efficacy, and reduced input requirements. The compact design improves maneuverability and transporting to other commercial acres while the battery-powered core of the system supports long operation times with minimal soil compaction and canopy damage.

    The unmanned ground vehicles use machine vision in combination with precision spraying to optimize pollen distribution, delivering up to double yield improvement with less than half the pollen required compared to traditional hand or mechanical methodologies. Operating as autonomous units that travel row-by-row in coordinated fleets, the machines can be deployed and monitored by a single field operator, dramatically reducing seasonal labor needs while minimizing equipment footprint.

    “We designed this autonomous pollen application system to work in literally any environment, from smallholder farms in India to massive commercial operations in Brazil,” said Jason Cope, PowerPollen Chief Intellectual Property Officer. “By combining scalable technology with compact, efficient form factors, we’re enabling growers everywhere to access the benefits of precision pollination and data-driven crop improvement.”

    Learn more about how PowerPollen’s on-demand pollination technology works at www.powerpollen.com.

    AgWired Precision, Corn, pollinators, Precision Agriculture, Technology