Animal Ag News 12/11

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • In the USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand report for December the forecast for 2025 red meat and poultry production is raised as higher poultry and beef production are partially offset by lower pork production. Beef production is raised on a faster rate of slaughter for both fed and non-fed cattle for the fourth quarter. Pork production is lowered on a slower rate of slaughter based on data through early December. Broiler and turkey production is increased on official third-quarter production totals, partially offset by lower fourth-quarter production due to additional outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)-related culling through early December. Egg production is unchanged for 2025.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) recognized five distinguished individuals with the IDFA Leadership Award for their exceptional contributions to U.S. food, nutrition and agricultural policymaking and their strong support of the U.S. dairy industry.
  • National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council Executive Vice President for Trade Policy and Global Affairs Shawna Morris testified before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), urging the administration to leverage the 2026 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Review to ensure that the agreement’s anticipated benefits for U.S. dairy producers and exporters are fully achieved.
  • Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) unveils its 2026 Wisconsin Cheese Trends Report, offering an in-depth look at the ideas, innovations, and consumer interests set to define the dairy landscape in the year ahead. In partnership with the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (CDR), the report highlights advancements that range from circular sustainability to the growing role of cheese in holistic wellness.
  • ESPN reporter Marty Smith will headline the 2026 Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo®, set for March 27-29 in downtown Fort Worth. Hosted by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the largest and oldest livestock association based in Texas, the event brings together more than 4,000 cattle raisers from across the region.
  • Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, the second largest dairy cooperative in the country based on milk volume, appreciates the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, announced by President Trump.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    DWFI Podcast 48 – A Decade of Daugherty Water for Food Leadership

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    In this special episode, host Frances Hayes sits down with Peter McCornick, Executive Director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, as he concludes nearly a decade of leadership.

    This deep-dive conversation covers Peter’s distinguished career, from his early life on a farm in Scotland and pivotal international work in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, to what drew him to lead the Institute in Nebraska. They discuss DWFI’s greatest strategic achievements, the lasting impact of its work both globally and within Nebraska’s agricultural community, and the philosophy behind investing in student research. Finally, they tackle the most urgent challenges facing water and food security in the next decade and the legacy Peter hopes to leave behind.

    Join us for a look back at institutional growth and a look ahead at the future of global innovation for a water and food secure world.
    Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:

    DWFI podcast episode 48 37:46

    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.

    How to subscribe:

    Audio, Farming, Food, International, Irrigation, Podcasts, University, Water, Water for Food

    Inspire Expands Food and Ag Practice with Leadership Additions

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Full-service, Ohio-based national agency Inspire has hired new leadership to expand the agency’s agriculture and food practice and its capacity to grow in the industry.

    Emily Sword and Meg Becker bring unmatched experience and expert counsel that will benefit clients. They are immediately adding value by providing enhanced expertise in reputation management, industry partnerships, research-driven storytelling, and integrated marketing strategy—tailored to the unique demands of production agriculture, animal health, crop science, and food manufacturers and suppliers.

    As Vice President, Sword leads strategy and account management for Inspire’s agriculture sector. As part of a fifth-generation farm family, Sword combines deep ag sector insight with more than 20 years of experience in corporate PR, brand strategy, and strategic communications helping brands earn trust, influence stakeholders, and drive measurable growth. Sword has guided organizations through brand transformations, stakeholder engagement challenges, and large-scale marketing initiatives that unite purpose and performance.

    · Becker serves the agency as a Senior Director, where she leverages her livestock and production agriculture background to aid food and agriculture clients in building trust, elevating brands, and engaging B2B and B2C audiences with clarity and purpose. With over 10 years of agency and in-house expertise, Becker has developed and executed strategic marketing and PR strategies for a variety of brands across agriculture commodity groups, packer processors, food ingredient companies, and animal nutrition experts.

    Sword and Becker join a leadership team and deep bench of talented agriculture communicators that are committed to telling the stories of America’s farmers. O’Dwyers PR News ranked Inspire among the top five of agriculture firms in the U.S. earlier this year, and the agency was recently named to Ragan PR Daily’s Top Agencies of the Year list.

    Learn more about Inspire’s food and agriculture experience and view case studies at InspirePRGroup.com/Agriculture.

    Agencies, people

    Trump Announces Bridge Payments for American Farmers

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    During a Monday round table with cabinet members, farmers and lawmakers, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $12 billion available in one-time bridge payments to American farmers in response to temporary trade market disruptions and increased production costs.

    President Trump said the $12 billion represents a relatively small portion of what the United States is making on tariffs. “We’re going to be providing it to the farmers in economic assistance because, you know we love our farmers,” said Trump. “The relief will provide much needed certainty to farmers as they get this year’s harvest to market and look ahead to next year’s crops.”

    Of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) Program for farmers who produce Barley, Chickpeas, Corn, Cotton, Lentils, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Wheat, Canola, Crambe, Flax, Mustard, Rapeseed, Safflower, Sesame, and Sunflower. The remaining $1 billion of the $12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBA Program such as specialty crops and sugar.

    Those in attendance with the president during the announcement included Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-AR), Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), Representative Austin Scott (R-GA), Iowa farmer Cordt Holub and Lousiana rice producer Meryl Kennedy.

    Pres. Trump farmer aid announcement 30:07

    Audio, USDA

    Industry Ag News 12/8

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The Cooperative Hall of Fame will honor Kevin Still, President & CEO of Keystone Cooperative, for his visionary leadership and lasting contributions to the cooperative movement by inducting him into the Cooperative Hall of Fame in 2026. Established in 1974 by the National Cooperative Business Association and administered by the Cooperative Development Foundation, the Cooperative Hall of Fame is the highest honor the U.S. cooperative community bestows on individuals who have made heroic contributions to cooperatives.
  • The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) is proud to announce Chuck Spencer as the recipient of the 2025 ARA Excellence in Advocacy Award, recognizing outstanding leadership and commitment to advancing sound public policy on behalf of the agricultural retail industry. Spencer is GROWMARK’s executive director of corporate and government relations.
  • The Plant Based Products Council (PBPC), which represents companies and stakeholders at the forefront of innovation in the ag bioeconomy, today released its 2025 Consumer Trends Research, revealing overwhelming public support for plant-based products. This is the sixth year PBPC has conducted annual research to track consumer awareness, perceptions, and purchasing behavior related to plant-based products.
  • The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement has made U.S. corn growers more globally competitive and should be extended for 16 years, according to testimony from the president of the National Corn Growers Association before U.S. trade officials.
  • Former Virginia Farm Bureau Federation President Wayne Pryor will receive the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2026 Farm Bureau Founders Award. Bill Northey, longtime agricultural leader from Iowa, will be honored posthumously with AFBF’s 2026 Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award.
  • The American Soybean Association (ASA) is pleased to announce key updates within its Industry Relations team. Yesterday, Tracy Snider was promoted to Executive Director of State & Industry Relations and Michelle Hummel was promoted to Senior Director of Industry & Stakeholder Relations. Both Snider and Hummel are based in the ASA St. Louis office. Additionally, Kate Maher will join ASA as Director of State & Industry Relations on Jan. 5 in the Washington, D.C., office.
  • American Agri-Women (AAW) proudly presented its annual Leaven Award to Kim Bremmer of Wisconsin and Helle Goddik Ruddenklau of Oregon during the 2025 National Convention. The Leaven Award is one of AAW’s highest honors, recognizing members whose dedication, leadership, and service have greatly enriched the organization.
  • On behalf of the World Food Prize Laureates and our Council of Advisors, the World Food Prize Foundation extends its deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Jo Luck, 2010 Laureate, who peacefully passed away on November 26, 2025.
  • The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB), an organization dedicated to lead, promote and support the growth of agricultural and rural lifestyle broadcasting, announces its 2026 Board of Directors. Elections were held at the recent NAFB Convention in Kansas City, where several agriculture leaders were elected to replace outgoing board members.
  • Global meat and agriculture leaders rely on Midan Marketing to turn unrivaled industry experience and deep consumer insights into strategies that drive measurable growth for their brands. For over 20 years, Midan’s founders, Danette Amstein and Michael Uetz, have been recognized as industry thought leaders, translating industry-leading consumer understanding into tailored marketing strategies and messaging that consistently drive client revenue and results. Now, Midan is adding significant horsepower, ensuring even more powerful outcomes for clients, through its acquisition by Trozzolo Communications Group.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    BioLumic Expanding Seed Trait Platform to South America

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    BioLumic is expanding its light-activated seed trait platform into South America.

    Biolumic, which programs heritable seed traits using light, has announced steps to expand its Corn xTraits™ Licensing Program, including early-stage evaluations with GDM and a collaboration with Tropical Melhoramento & Genética (TMG), two of Brazil’s leading seed companies, along with regional seed production and nursery engagement with Gro Alliance. The move builds on strong partnership and commercial momentum of xTraits in the United States, and follows BioLumic’s plan to create xTraits hubs in grain-producing regions worldwide.

    “To meet the global demand and reach of innovative seed partners and their customers, South American deployment is essential,” said Steve Sibulkin, CEO of BioLumic. “Our seed partners see an opportunity to drive higher performance in a fraction of the time and cost of alternative approaches.”

    GDM’s current engagement is focused on testing BioLumic’s technology within its own genetics as part of early-stage evaluations. BioLumic will leverage TMG’s regional breeding expertise to accelerate field evaluation and adapt its xTraits Platform for South America’s top-producing corn regions. Grupo Scheffer, one of Brazil’s largest agricultural producers and a preferred customer of TMG, will also run multi-location field evaluations across its testing network including Mato Grosso and surrounding grain geographies. This alignment between seed companies and one of their major customers creates a direct pathway to validate BioLumic corn xTraits and to ensure regional farmers get access to these types of innovations through trusted partners.

    Sibulkin says they are currently evaluating the inbred germplasm provided by its Brazilian partners, with field evaluations and hybrid nursery production scheduled for 2026. “These light-activated hybrids will be tested across both the first “Safra” and second “Safrinha” growing seasons to evaluate performance across Brazil’s major growing cycles and key grain-producing regions, including partner-aligned test locations,” said Sibulkin. Data generated through 2026 and into 2027 will support commercial launch timing aligned to partner strategies for bringing new corn xTraits to market. The company expects future expansion into soybean and ryegrass across Latin America in the near future.

    Learn more in this interview with Sibulkin.
    Steve Sibulkin, BioLumic CEO 14:12

    AgWired Precision, Corn, International, Precision Agriculture, Seed, Soybean, Technology

    NAMA is Hungry For More in 2026

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    NAMA - Hungry for MoreSatisfy your appetite for big ideas at the 2026 Agri-Marketing Conference — Hungry for More! Get registered.

    Join us on April 15–17 in St. Louis, MO, for three days of innovation, inspiration and expert industry insights designed to fuel your marketing mindset.

    This year’s conference serves up a mix of thought-provoking sessions, valuable networking opportunities, and — NEW this year! — roundtable discussion “table talks” to dive into hot topics and collaborate on real-world solutions.

    Register by December 31 and you’ll be entered for a chance to win FREE registration to the conference! If you’re selected, you can either keep the refund for yourself or share the free registration with someone you’d like to bring along.

    Ag Groups, Agencies, Agribusiness, NAMA

    Precision Ag News 12/4

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Bayer is pleased the Solicitor General supports U. S. Supreme Court review of the petition for a writ of certiorari in the Durnell case and agrees with the company’s arguments on preemption. The company believes that the backing of the U.S. government will be important to the Court’s consideration of its petition. The split among federal circuit courts in the Roundup™ personal injury litigation, on the cross-cutting question of whether federal law preempts state claims based on failure-to-warn theories, warrants review and resolution by the country’s top court.
  • Biotalys is excited to announce it has received regulatory approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its first biofungicide, EVOCA™*. This product was developed using Biotalys’ AGROBODY™ technology platform and is the first protein-based biofungicide of its kind to be approved by the EPA. *EVOCA™: Registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States. This product candidate is not currently registered for sale or use in other jurisdictions such as the European Union and is not being offered for sale.
  • Bushel Plus Ltd., a global leader in harvest optimization solutions, announces a strategic partnership with John Deere, making the Bushel Plus SmartPan™ System available to U.S. and Canadian farmers through John Deere’s North American dealer network. This collaboration brings together Bushel Plus’s proven drop-pan measurement system and John Deere’s advanced Harvest Settings Automation technology – giving farmers precise data to minimize harvest loss, optimize combine performance, and increase profitability.
  • Five Star Cooperative, headquartered in New Hampton, Iowa, has been named the 2025 recipient of The Scoop’s Business Innovation Award, sponsored by AgVend. The award was presented Dec. 3, at the Agricultural Retailers Association Conference and Expo in Salt Lake City.
  • The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) has recognized Dr. Ulrich (Bob) Trogele with the Jack Eberspacher Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating a career marked by leadership, innovation, and steadfast support for agricultural retailers. Trogele first joined the ARA Board as a representative of FMC and later served on the Executive Committee. Even after his retirement from AMVAC, where he served as an executive, Trogele continues to contribute to ARA’s success as a member of its Investment Committee.
  • The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) recognized a group of top performers and emerging leaders as part of its 2025 Rising Stars program, sponsored by Atticus, during the ARA Conference & Expo in Salt Lake City. See the full list of 2025 ARA Rising Stars here.
  • Biobest Sustainable Crop Management just released its new Product Calculator, the latest innovation to the Crop-Scanner™ web platform to help make IPM treatment planning faster, smarter and more efficient.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Syngenta Announces EPA Approval for PLINAZOLIN Technology

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Syngenta’s PLINAZOLIN® technology has received registration from the Environmental Protection Agency and is now available for use, subject to state approvals. PLINAZOLIN technology will power five separate insecticide products for use in corn, cotton, vegetables, tree fruit, cereals and more.

    Growers can purchase the new active ingredient for the 2026 growing season as a seed treatment, soil-applied insecticide or foliar-applied insecticide. Products powered by PLINAZOLIN technology are available for purchase under the following brand names:

    Opello™: This soil-applied insecticide provides revolutionary control of corn rootworm, consistently helping corn yield up to 27 bu/A more than untreated, while its highly tank-mix compatible formulation allows growers to leave equipment clogs and slowdowns in the past.
    Equento®: This insecticide seed treatment offers a flexible and compatible option to terminate wireworms and suppress other below-ground pests, ultimately improving plant stand and helping a grower’s bottom line.
    Vertento®: One of the toughest insect pest fighters in its class, this foliar-applied insecticide for cotton, peanuts and onions delivers a fast-acting, knockout punch to insect pests including plant bugs, thrips and mites.
    Incipio™: With impressive residual strength to take the guesswork out of insect control, this foliar-applied insecticide for brassica, leafy, fruiting vegetable and cucurbit crops delivers a heavy-duty takedown of tough insect pests.
    Zivalgo™: This foliar-applied insecticide can lead the way for potato and tree fruit insect pest management with unmatched, broad-spectrum control of Colorado potato beetles, codling moth, citrus thrips, spider mites and more.

    Syngenta National Executive Agronomist Craig Abell gave a preview of what Opello™ soil-applied insecticide with PLINAZOLIN® technology had to offer at the 2025 Farm Progress Show way back in August.

    “It’s an in-furrow application at planting time. It’s very flexible to use. You can use water as a carrier. You can use starter fertilizer, pop-up fertilizer. We haven’t found anything that it’s not compatible with as of yet,” said Abell. “As we look at existing insecticides and also traits, this is a tool to take pressure off of both of those.”

    Learn more in this interview from Farm Progress Show.
    FPS25 Interview with Craig Abell, Syngenta agronomist (3:16)

    Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Farm Progress Show, Insecticides, Syngenta, Technology

    Animal Ag News 12/4

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that Nevada has met USDA’s rigorous “at least equal to” food safety standard and will be joining the State Meat and Poultry Inspection (MPI) Program. Nevada’s participation expands local inspection capacity, food safety oversight, and boosts market access for small and very small processors. This vital partnership builds on USDA’s recently released suite of actions to strengthen the American beef industry.
  • Kent Bamford with Bamford Feedyard in Haxtun, Colorado, and Bob Foote with Foote Cattle Company in Bucyrus, Kansas, are the 2026 inductees in the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame. Honorees will be recognized at the 17th annual banquet on Feb. 4 during CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced that Chelsie Keys has been named senior vice president, government relations, succeeding a position held by Dave Carlin who announced his retirement from IDFA earlier this year. Keys comes to IDFA from the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, where she served as policy director for Chairman John Boozman of Arkansas. Keys has been with the Senate Agriculture Committee for a decade.
  • TARGAN, an animal AgTech company delivering next-generation solutions for the global protein production industry, has appointed Lily Parshall Wachter as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The new leader will direct the company’s financial strategy as TARGAN advances its technology priorities and expands commercially.
  • Creekstone Farms, in conjunction with Marble, is revolutionizing the meat industry’s processing capability using AI-powered automation within their Kansas facility. The addition of Marble’s Pack-Off and Box Verification technologies is reducing inefficiencies, allowing for increased sales opportunities, better decision-making with product-level analytics, and improved customer satisfaction with ​​​​automated ​sorting, ​box verification​,​ and claim traceability.
  • Holstein Association USA’s Board of Directors has approved several updates for the 2026 National Holstein Shows, following recommendations presented during the Association’s Board Meeting held November 19–20 in Louisville, Kentucky. As part of the Show Committee Report, the Board approved a newly developed Holstein Association USA Judges List Code of Conduct. This document provides guidance for all judges who are on the Holstein Association USA Judges Lists and establishes a clear process for addressing ethical matters should they arise. It will be distributed to all judges currently listed on the lists and is available online at holsteinusa.com/shows/judges.html.
  • As disease challenges like highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1), New World screwworm (NWS) and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) continue to mount, biosecurity remains a critical concern for the U.S. dairy industry. A survey of U.S. dairy farms conducted by Farm Journal gives the industry a chance to elevate its overall biosecurity standards. Read the full story about Farm Journal’s biosecurity research here.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) testified before the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) during a public hearing on the operation of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Becky Rasdall Vargas, senior vice president for trade and workforce policy at IDFA, called on U.S. negotiators to preserve the benefits of USMCA while rectifying violations and operational challenges. In addition to Rasdall Vargas’s oral remarks, IDFA submitted more detailed written comments to USTR in November, providing further recommendations for strengthening enforcement mechanisms, modernizing specific USMCA chapters, and addressing operational shortcomings that have limited the Agreement’s effectiveness. IDFA also continues to provide USTR with ongoing feedback related to U.S. dairy’s concerns with USMCA and participate in coalitions aimed at preserving a trade agreement within North America.
  • The USPOULTRY Foundation has awarded over $330,000 in student recruiting grants to 27 colleges and universities across the U.S. with poultry science or industry-related programs. Among the awardees are Cleveland Community College (CCC) in Shelby, N.C, University of Delaware, Wilkes Community College (WCC) in Wilkesboro, N.C., and Sam Houston State University (SHSU) in Huntsville, Texas.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites