The Chad Colby Keynotes Tech Hub LIVE

Cindy Zimmerman

Few people know more about ag technology than The Chad Colby so he was a natural choice to keynote the Tech Hub LIVE event this week in Des Moines. Colby has more than 33,000 Twitter followers and provides regular tech segments for This Week in Agribusiness and he had lots of practical advice for the attendees. He says just something …

AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

Des Moines Welcomes Tech Hub LIVE

Cindy Zimmerman

The city of Des Moines, Iowa rolled out the red carpet this week to welcome the inaugural Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo, a brand new event to showcase the intersection between agriculture and technology. The new event kicked off with a Welcome to Iowa Party at Exile Brewing Co., sponsored by state and local business organizations that have made …

AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE

Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Awards

Cindy Zimmerman

This year the Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Awards breakfast at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference was twice as special as winners were honored for both 2020 and 2021 because last year’s conference was canceled. Pictured first are the 2020 winners who attended the breakfast. The winners were: Mark, Tim and Michael Mullen, Lower Southeast Region; Kirk Jones, Upper Southeast Region; …

Peanuts, SPGC

Update from Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member

Cindy Zimmerman

The Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee paid a visit to the 22nd Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference over the weekend to provide a policy update. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) discussed the current status on a number of issues important to agriculture including trade, estate taxes, climate policy, infrastructure, rural broadband, WOTUS, farm bill and more. …

Audio, Peanuts, SPGC

USDA Announces Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA’s Farm Service Agency will begin taking applications for the Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program (PLIP) starting next Tuesday, July 20th Livestock and poultry producers who suffered losses during the pandemic due to insufficient access to processing can apply for assistance for those losses and the cost of depopulation and disposal of the animals from July 20 through Sept. 17, 2021. …

Livestock, Pork, Poultry, USDA

RFA CEO Optimistic About Ethanol’s Future

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper told participants at the 2021 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo Wednesday that low-carbon ethanol’s “brightest and sunniest days remain ahead” despite recent judicial setbacks and a growing policy push on electric vehicles. Even after two recent disappointing court decisions, “The ethanol industry is still in a stronger position today than …

Audio, Ethanol, RFA

FLM Harvest is now Curious Plot

Cindy Zimmerman

For FLM Harvest, it’s time for a plot twist. The 12-year-old company has rebranded to become Curious Plot, a marketing, communications and consulting agency driven to find what’s next for food and agriculture. Same ownership, leadership, team members, clients and services with a new name and identity against the backdrop of rapid transformation in the food and agriculture markets it …

Agencies, Agribusiness

Benson Hill Producing More Ultra-High Protein Soybeans

Cindy Zimmerman

Benson Hill has exceeded its previous target of doubling contracted acres of its proprietary soybean varieties with partner farmers in the U.S. to grow 70,000 acres in the 2021 crop year versus 30,000 acres in the 2020 crop year. These proprietary non-GMO soybean varieties are bred by Benson Hill to be higher in protein, have benefits of omega-9 fatty acids …

Biotech, Food, Soybean

Excitement Growing for Tech Hub LIVE 2021

Cindy Zimmerman

Live events are finally coming back and the excitement is high for the inaugural Tech Hub LIVE 2021 being held July 20-21 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, IA. The intersection of agriculture and technology will come alive at this new, innovative conference and trade show that addresses digital and precision agriculture from all angles, exploring how products …

AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Technology

Corn and Soybean Acres Up

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimates 92.7 million acres of corn planted in the United States for 2021, up 2% from last year, and soybean area planted is estimated at 87.6 million acres, up 5% from last year. Harvested area for both crops are estimated to also be higher by the same percentages. The 2021 …

Corn, Cotton, Soybean, USDA, Wheat