2025 Tech Hub Live

Industry Ag News 6/20

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Whether you’ve risen the ranks or are new to agri-marketing, Boot Camp has something for you. Join fellow agri-marketers of all skill levels in Kansas City, August 6–8, for a fast-paced, jam-packed crash course in how to grow and succeed as a well-rounded professional. Sign up for NAMA Boot Camp now.
  • Brush Art Corporation, a full-service marketing agency with over 63 years of experience delivering integrated solutions to local, regional, and national clients, is pleased to announce the addition of Scott McClure as Director of Strategy.
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted agribusiness and cooperative associations at the Regional Office in Lenexa, Kansas, to discuss topics at the intersection of agriculture and EPA regulations. Together, these groups represent thousands of agricultural businesses and stakeholders across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.
  • New artificial intelligence technology is enabling agricultural retailers and farm supply cooperatives to optimize their operational performance while strengthening all-important customer relationships. In addition to broad-based AI platforms that can be leveraged to simplify everyday business operations, farm suppliers now have access to AI apps specifically designed to support field agronomy and crop production. According to a new research brief from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, AI technology offers ag retailers a new set of tools to optimize workflows, inventory management, employee performance and other key business functions. Farm supply businesses that rise to the challenge of adopting AI can also enhance their position as trusted advisors and essential partners in the ag supply chain.
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) 107th convention theme is “Imagine. Grow. Lead.” President Zippy Duvall will be the keynote speaker for the opening general session on Sunday, Jan. 11 where he will set his intention for the year ahead. His address, plus the convention’s many workshops, presentations, and events will encourage you to imagine a bright and successful future, grow within Farm Bureau, and lead in your communities.
  • Kubota North America Corporation (KNA) announced significant leadership changes following the Kubota Corporation (KBT) Board of Directors meeting held yesterday in Osaka, Japan. Effective July 1, 2025, Todd Stucke will take on new responsibilities in Japan as Deputy General Manager of Farm and Industrial Machinery Consolidated Division and Deputy General Manager of the Customer Solutions Division at KBT. He will be succeeded as President of Kubota Tractor Corporation (KTC) by Alex Woods. Stucke will continue to maintain a connection with KTC as its Chairman, and he will continue in his role as Sr. Vice President of KNA and will participate on the KNA Executive Board.
  • The North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Brett Davis as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. With a distinguished career in leadership and a deep commitment to the equipment industry, Davis is poised to guide NAEDA into its next chapter of growth and innovation.
  • 258 food and agriculture groups representing millions of American farmers, ranchers, producers, and manufacturers sent a letter calling on the Make America Healthy Again Commission to create greater transparency and input in the commission’s activities. The groups raised concerns that the erroneous representations about food and agriculture, as well as the poor evidence used to support those findings, could have been avoided if there had been greater opportunities for stakeholders to participate and provide input to the commission.
  • The American Soybean Association is recognizing exceptional soy volunteers and leaders and requests your help with candidate nominations. During the 2026 Commodity Classic, individuals will be recognized and honored for state association volunteerism, distinguished leadership achievements, and long-term, significant contributions to the soybean industry. The nomination period is open through Oct. 24. 2025.
  • Artificial intelligence is transforming every aspect of agriculture — from livestock and crop production to horticulture, forestry and sustainable land management. Kansas State University’s AI in Kansas Ag Conference will delve into how AI-driven innovations are reshaping the future of farming and food systems. Community members, researchers, agricultural businesses and local Kansas producers are invited to attend the conference. Registration is free, but space is limited to the first 200 attendees — register today.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Preview 2025 Tech Hub LIVE

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    The fifth annual Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo returns to the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines July 21-23 with the theme “TECH THAT WORKS: Driving Efficiencies for Retailer Success and Farmer Resilience.”

    Powered by the CropLife Media Group™, in partnership with the Global AgTech Initiative and AgriBusiness Global brands, Tech Hub LIVE continues to grow as the industry’s largest gathering of ag retailers, dealers, agronomists, distributors, manufacturers, consultants, and tech providers committed to advancing practical innovation in agriculture.

    Conference organizer Magda Gibson says the whole purpose of the event is to create great business, learning, and networking opportunities. “The idea is to bring together leaders across agronomy, data, automation, digital platforms to explore how technology is transforming the business and practice of agriculture,” said Gibson.

    The conference officially kicks off with the Welcome Party Monday evening, sponsored by the Greater Des Moines Partnership, which will be held this year at Principal Park, home of the Iowa Cubs. Prior to that will be the co-located Women in Ag Tech (WiAT) event, which continues to grow in popularity.

    Tuesday will include a welcome from Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, and a fifth anniversary celebration with awards, followed by the keynote address from Jeff Blair, President and CEO of GreenPoint Ag, and multiple educational and networking opportunities. “We have a great and ever-expanding expo floor, we have the Tech Talks, the Fireside Chats, conference sessions…all of our programming is focused on helping retailers do more with less but continue to innovate and grow as every dollar counts,” Gibson said.

    Wednesday includes sessions on artificial intelligence, Purdue University’s Bruce Erickson with the latest Precision Ag Adoption survey, and concluding with the popular farmers panel.

    Learn more about the 2025 Tech Hub LIVE in this preview interview and click here for registration.
    2025 Tech Hub LIVE preview - Magda Gibson (11:12)

    ag retailers, Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Events, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

    Precision Ag News 6/19

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Syngenta announced that its latest weed control solution, metproxybicyclone, has been recognized under a new chemical subclass of herbicides. The decision, by the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee (HRAC) and the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA), reflects metproxybicyclone’s distinction as the fourth generation of ACCase-inhibitors, an important class of herbicides. The third generation of ACCase-inhibitors, represented by Syngenta’s leading molecule pinoxaden, was launched in 2006; the nearly two-decade long gap in ACCase subclass innovation reflects in part the extreme challenges in finding new, effective and safe solutions.
  • MyLand announced the launch of a major initiative to help Arizona farmers conserve water and improve soil performance. The initiative will bring MyLand’s soil health technology to up to 2,400 acres of farmland across the state in collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU).
  • Radicle Growth and the supporting corn growers’ associations are thrilled to announce investments in two companies identified through the Radicle Corn Value Chain Challenge, sponsored by US Corn Farmers. The investment prize was equally split between the two finalists – Lakril Technologies and New Iridium, each of which received $750,000.
  • Kynetec, one of the leading global providers of agricultural and animal health data and insights, announces the appointment of Marcos Castro as Chief Transformation Officer.
  • A national research team led by Michigan State University has received a $500,000 grant from the United Soybean Board to develop new diagnostic tools for herbicide-resistant weeds in soybeans. The award currently covers one year but can be extended for up to three years.
  • As part of U.S. Sugar’s commitment to sustainably producing sugar for American consumers over the next 100 years, the Company announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with Everglades Equipment Group, one of the nation’s leading providers of John Deere equipment and precision agriculture technology solutions. The partnership includes the use of the latest John Deere technology solutions on sugarcane harvesters and tractors used by U.S. Sugar farmers and operators across the company’s South Florida farms.
  • CNH is proud to announce that the 2025 Red Dot Design Awards has recognized Case IH brand’s Quadtrac 715 tractor in two categories. Red Dot is one of the world’s largest design competitions with over 18,000 entries from 70+ countries recorded for this edition. The Red Dot Label is internationally sought after as a mark of quality for good design.
  • CropLife International published the 2024 Annual Report of its Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework program (SPMF), the flagship initiative created in 2021 to support and enhance ongoing implementation of the International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management (ICoC).
  • Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading innovative agtech companies, and Taranis, the global leader in AI-powered crop intelligence, announced a new partnership to support growers in adopting sustainable nutrient management practices through the Taranis Conservation™ program. This collaboration will enable Pivot Bio’s dealer network to offer Taranis Conservation services to help growers unlock NRCS funding for regenerative practices like soil testing, nitrogen stabilizers and variable rate technology.
  • Machine learning and camera sensing technology are proving how powerfully AI supports agriculture by boosting efficiency, reducing input costs, and helping farmers grow more sustainably. An innovation from CNH uniting real time crop analysis and automated spraying now comes built-in for its Case IH, New Holland and Miller brands’ sprayer portfolio.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Best AI Agents for Journalists

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    GrokSince I’m just getting started with any kind of AI agent I thought I’d use one to suggest the best AI Agents for journalists. Here’s part of the answer.

    The best AI agent for journalists depends on specific needs, but several tools stand out based on their ability to streamline research, writing, fact-checking, and transcription. Here’s a list of top options, grounded in their practical applications for journalism. Each of these are best for certain tasks like writing, research, editing, polishing and transcription. Seems like something I need although I have Cindy to proof and re-write me. And no, Cindy, is not an AI bot.

    For journalists new to AI, start with HyperWrite’s AI Journalist for its tailored approach, or Perplexity for research-heavy tasks. Pair with Grammarly or Otter.ai for editing and transcription to cover all bases. Always double-check AI outputs to uphold credibility and accuracy.

    Now, what do you think? Do you use any of these? Are there others you like better and why? I’ll pass it along.

    AI

    Pivot Bio and Taranis Partner for Conservation Efforts

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Ag technology companies Pivot Bio and Taranis are announcing a new partnership to support growers in adopting sustainable nutrient management practices through the Taranis Conservation™ program.

    The collaboration will allow Pivot Bio’s dealer network to offer Taranis Conservation services to help growers unlock funding from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for regenerative practices like soil testing, nitrogen stabilizers and variable rate technology.

    The partnership is focused specifically on enhancing growers’ access to CSP and EQIP programs by supporting the use of Pivot Bio’s flagship product, PROVEN® 40 for Corn, a microbial nitrogen solution designed to sustainably replace a portion of synthetic nitrogen, particularly fall and spring applications that are more prone to loss. Taranis Conservation will equip Pivot Bio dealers and their growers with expert guidance, digital recordkeeping and USDA-aligned documentation to increase funding success rates and promote long-term profitability.

    The unique service simplifies access to government conservation incentives with no upfront cost and a model that only charges when funding is secured. It’s fully aligned with USDA CSP and EQIP guidelines and designed to meet emerging compliance standards for low carbon intensity (CI) scoring. The partnership enables dealers across the Pivot Bio network to immediately begin referring customers to the Taranis Conservation service. Participating growers retain full agronomic autonomy while benefiting from expert guidance and streamlined access to conservation funding.

    For more information on how growers using Pivot Bio’s nitrogen solutions can benefit from conservation funding or to get started, visit go.taranis.com/pivot-bio.

    Agronomy, AgWired Precision, Conservation, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Technology

    Animal Ag News 6/16

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The Meat Institute called for the processing sector, a critical part of the meat and poultry supply chain, to be included in the Trump Administration’s plans for a stable and legal agriculture workforce.
  • The University of Idaho released the finalized results of their 10-year study looking into the impacts of grazing on greater sage grouse populations. The study concluded that cattle grazing does not negatively impact greater sage grouse and can only benefit the species through building robust habitat, increasing forage, and reducing invasive grasses that lead to catastrophic wildfires.
  • Thousands of ice cream enthusiasts—including members of Congress, federal officials, and Capitol Hill staff—came together at the International Dairy Foods Association’s (IDFA) 41st Annual Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party. Held at Union Square Park on Capitol Hill, the popular summertime celebration provided attendees with America’s favorite and newest ice cream flavors, floats and novelties.
  • The week of June 2 was an emotional one for Dean Edge. On Tuesday, he celebrated the life of Blair Vold, the mentor who gave him one of his first chances to sell. By Saturday night, Edge was named the World Livestock Auctioneer Champion.
  • Dairy farmers from across the nation approved a new initiative to boost dairy exports and welcomed a new cooperative member as well as new farmer-leaders at the National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors meeting.
  • Four graduate students researching in areas that benefit dairy cooperatives and farmers are receiving scholarships as part of the 2025 NMPF National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program, with one being honored through a scholarship created this year.
  • Farm Journal has announced that Drovers was recently named as the official media partner of “The Future of Beef Show.” Episodes are now available on Farm Journal TV, Farm Journal’s YouTube channel and Farm Journal NOW with new episodes dropping biweekly starting June 17. Connecting people and ideas while shaping the future of the cattle industry, “The Future of Beef Show” is a video podcast hosted by Jim Johnson of “Brands and Barbed Wire” along with Ian Wheal, CEO and founder of Breedr, and Jessica Sperber, University of Nebraska feedlot specialist. Together with an inspiring lineup of guests, they share stories from the forefront of modern beef production and show how technology and data can make all the difference while staying true to the values that define the beef industry.
  • The Voice of Milk, a collaboration between the Dairy Business Association, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and Minnesota Milk Producers Association, announced a new addition to its member services team. Andy Welti joins as a Strategic Account Manager to support members of the independent dairy organizations in this multi-state collaboration, amplifying the voice of dairy farmers across the Midwest.
  • As the cattle cycle turns, the nuances of record-low herd numbers and economic challenges have been at the pinnacle of conversations in cattle country. But conversations at the meat case? They’ve turned to rising beef prices. For Certified Angus Beef (CAB), supply and demand are instrumental pieces of the business—and this spring, business was good. Record-setting good. In an otherwise tough time in the beef business, sales and supply records have been a bright spot. The positive numbers mean that quality beef production has not let up, and beef demand is holding. Consumers have proven the value proposition: the good stuff is worth a little more money, for a better eating experience.
  • In the poultry industry, a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) can be a powerful tool for improving safety and operations, but knowing when to use it is just as important as how. As part of a technical reference series, USPOULTRY has assembled a practical guide on how to conduct an RCA and various RCA methods used to identify the root cause of an issue. The Practical Guide to Root Cause Analysis is available to USPOULTRY members only and can be obtained by visiting the USPOULTRY Training Resources webpage and clicking on the Food Safety tab.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Industry Ag News 6/13

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is partnering with the Farm Credit Council for the launch of a new mentorship program called On Deck. The program connects seasoned grower leaders with young and beginning agriculturalists to build NCGA’s roster of champions.
  • The National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Corn Board has elected Matt Frostic, of Applegate, Michigan as the organization’s next first vice president for the new fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2025.
  • The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) is pleased to announce that Allison Rivera will join the Association as vice president, government and industry affairs, starting June 30.
  • The American Seed Trade Association honored industry pioneers during the 2025 ASTA Leadership Summit, which took place in Washington, D.C., June 8 – 11, 2025. Awardees were recognized in the following categories: Heritage, Distinguished Service, Lifetime Honorary Member, and Excellence in Science.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will be conducting the annual Mushroom Inquiry to document the past growing year. Mushroom growers will be contacted about growing areas, production, and value of sales for the 2024-2025 season as well as growing intentions for the coming year. Growers should receive a questionnaire by early July. Survey respondents are encouraged to use the Respondent Portal at agcounts.usda.gov. The information provided by survey respondents will be used for statistical purposes only. In accordance with federal law, responses will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed in identifiable form. The data will be published in the annual Mushrooms report to be released on Aug. 21, 2025. These and all NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov.
  • Join the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) on June 19 for Leading in Uncertain Times and learn how changing what you focus on can drive profound change. Amy Bradford, former NAMA President, and founder of Cultivate Resilience Coaching, shares a simple yet highly effective framework that zeros in on what drives our behavior, and how working with that knowledge leads to lasting change. NAMA Members attend for free. Non-members are $50. Register here.
  • The World Food Prize Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of 2017 World Food Prize Laureate and outgoing President of the African Development Bank Akinwumi Adesina to the Foundation’s Council of Advisors.
  • The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City has selected veteran agricultural educators Melisa Bertz of LaCygne, Kansas, and Dr. Jim Hutter of Springfield, Missouri, as recipients of its 2025 Distinguished Service Award.
  • Join the Livestock Publications Council for the next Coffee and Collaboration on Wednesday, June 18 at noon CT. 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. Join the Zoom Meeting here.
  • In the ever-increasing importance of advocating for the farmers of today and tomorrow, the Kansas Soybean Association announces its opening for a director of communications to lead the comprehensive strategy for grower outreach in the state. Refer to the position description for further details on requirements and information on how to apply.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    MyLand Launches Water Conservation Initiative in Arizona

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Soil health innovator MyLand has announced the launch of a major initiative to help Arizona farmers conserve water and improve soil performance. The initiative in collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU) will bring MyLand’s soil health technology to up to 2,400 acres of farmland across the state.

    Funded through a $3 million allocation from the Arizona Water Conservation Grant Fund (WCGF), the project is authorized by the Arizona Governor’s Office and administered by WIFA. It is designed to help growers adopt sustainable practices that improve soil health, enhance water-use efficiency, and support the long-term sustainability of Arizona agriculture. Arizona State University is playing a key role in evaluating and communicating the impact of the project.

    “We are excited to be part of a program that brings water conservation resources directly to Arizona growers,” said Dane Hague, Co-Founder and CEO of MyLand. “This initiative reflects our mission to empower farmers through sustainable practices that not only improve soil health and productivity but also help protect water, one of Arizona’s most valuable resources.”

    MyLand’s patented service delivers live, native microalgae via existing farm irrigation to activate the soil’s natural biology to reduce water demand and help farmers manage salt accumulation in irrigated fields. In addition, the ASU Center for Hydrologic Innovations is using advanced monitoring tools to measure crop water use efficiency across control and MyLand-serviced plots.

    The ASU Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems aims to extend the project’s impact into broader regional networks through its outreach program to local farming communities. The initiative supports Arizona’s broader water conservation goals, including reducing groundwater depletion, improving irrigation efficiency, and promoting sustainable farming practices statewide. Currently, the program covers melons, pistachios, corn, rosemary, cotton, dates, and alfalfa.

    AgWired Precision, Irrigation, land, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Sustainability, Water

    Precision Ag News 6/11

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Veteran’s Carbon Holdings (VCH) announced it will distribute $1.1 billion in direct payments to U.S. farmers and landowners who bury organic carbon over the next nine years. Established in 2024, the newly launched Carbon Development Program provides farmers and landowners across the Midwest and Western United States with an innovative method to generate a great deal of money and substantial annual income, sequestering organic carbon in agricultural soils.
  • The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is pleased to announce that industrial biotech luminaries Drs. Doug Cameron and Chris Guske will be judges for Consider Corn Challenge V. Cameron and Guske have been instrumental in discovery, development, scale-up, financing and on-going management of numerous biotech technologies. Their participation as judges brings decades of expertise in identifying and commercializing successful products to the Consider Corn Challenge V winner selection process.
  • As part of Bayer Crop Science efforts to deliver an even more personalized, insight-driven experience for farmers ahead of a decade of unprecedented innovation in seed and crop protection, Channel is unveiling several new initiatives to deliver more performance and value to the farmer. To provide an even deeper level of support and service, Channel will introduce a Sales Agronomist role in Summer 2025. Channel is also launching a new monthly Profit Planning series featuring subject matter experts who will tackle timely, relevant topics aimed at helping farmers optimize every acre.
  • Built on the same Axiom AI infrastructure and leveraging GROWERS’ proprietary transaction and loyalty data, the Predictive Insights Engine synthesizes years of historical behavior with current activity to generate actionable insights, including churn prediction, customer engagement scoring, and product adoption forecasting. These insights are now being integrated directly into the GROWERS Loyalty Platform, enabling sales teams, marketers, and executives to anticipate customer behavior and take proactive action.
  • Performance Nutrition, a specialty provider of innovative agricultural and turf fertilizers and crop protection products, announced today that it has expanded its Prudent line of urea phosphite-based fertilizers with the commercial launch of two new products. Both products are now available for purchase through Performance Nutrition’s distribution partners throughout the United States.
  • Pro Farm Group has received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) coveted Green Chemistry Challenge Award for Design of Safer and Degradable Chemicals.
  • The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) Hall of Fame welcomed two remarkable individuals during the 2025 Conservation in Action Tour on May 7 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Dwayne Beck, Ph.D., and David Brandt (awarded posthumously) were the first farmers inducted into the CTIC Hall of Fame. Their lifetime of work has advanced conservation agriculture and inspired generations of producers to be more efficient, profitable, and sustainable.
  • Addressing the International Grains Council conference in London, CropLife International President and CEO Emily Rees called for global value-chain cooperation in the face of geopolitical volatility, focusing on the core role of plant-science technology as the driver to meeting future food productivity needs.
  • Sollum Technologies is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Optimal, a leader in AI greenhouse control. This collaboration integrates Sollum’s 100 percent dynamic LED lighting with Optimal’s AI climate and irrigation control platform, enabling growers to precisely execute their desired growing strategy under rapidly changing weather conditions.
  • Southern Illinois University (SIU) will serve as host for research presentations on Tuesday, June 17 at the SIU-Carbondale University Farms. They plan to focus on research funded by the Illinois Nutrient Research and Education Council (NREC).
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Interview with AI Moderator of The Ag Rundown

    Chuck Zimmerman 1 Comment

    I’m going to start by confessing that I have not used AI. Well, actually that is on purpose since a lot of things are now inside applications that we’ve been using for a long time. Maybe it is time to learn more and here’s one way.

    Have you heard of The Ag Rundown podcast? Using an AI moderator, it is a daily brief to keep you informed about the latest trends and updates in the agriculture industry. And yes, the moderator has a name. The program is produced by Mad Mule Media.

    In fact my first question for the interview is this – Alex, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? Just listen in to the interview for more Q&A.

    Listen to my interview with Alex Rivers: Interview with Alex Rivers, The Ag Rundown

    You can listen on the website or subscribe. Here are a few options:

    Apple Podcasts
    Podbean
    Spotify

    So. There you have it. AI, Agriculture, Podcast, News and More. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this very unique project that is ready for prime time. I’m Chuck Zimmerman. A real human.

    Audio, Media, Podcasts