Former Indiana governor and current president of Purdue University Mitch Daniels had some strong words for opponents of biotechnology when he addressed the American Seed Trade Association annual meeting in Indianapolis recently. “It’s bogus for people to try and alarm consumers about fictional difficulties with biotechnology,” said Daniels in an interview with Brownfield Ag News following his address. “The fight …
GROWMARK Report Studies Stocks-to-Use
A new report from GROWMARK Research challenges the commonly accepted notion that ending stocks are a primary determinant of agricultural commodity prices. In the report, GROWMARK economic and market research manager Kel Kelly shows that stocks are inversely correlated with prices, but that the correlation occurs within a limited price range, meaning that stocks do not dictate the extent of …
USDA’s Big Biobased Picture
The U.S. Department of Agriculture takes a wide angle view of the biobased product picture which encompasses several different segments within the agency. At the USB Biobased Stakeholders Dialogue last week in Washington D.C. we heard from a number of USDA officials about what they are doing to expand biobased opportunities. One panel featured Rural Business Cooperative Service administrator Lilian …
World Food Prize Honors Wheat Breeder
The selection of wheat breeder Dr. Sanjaya Rajaram as the 2014 World Food Prize Laureate was announced this week during a ceremony at the State Department where Secretary Kerry gave keynote remarks. “This is the time for a second green revolution,” Kerry said. “That’s why Dr. Sanjaya Rajaram is being honored with the World Food Prize. We are grateful for …
Millennial Views of Biobased and Sustainability
The hostess for the the USB Biobased Products Stakeholders’ Dialogue at George Washington (GW) University this week was the moderator for an important discussion about what the “millennial generation” thinks about biobased and sustainability. University sustainability director Kathleen Merrigan, who is also former deputy ag secretary, invited some current students and recent graduates to be on the panel. “What I …
BASF Announces Summer Training Series
BASF Ag Products is planning what is expected to be the largest training effort in the company’s history for this summer, reaching 24 states and focusing on weed management, application best practices and overall stewardship of BASF herbicides. “We are committed to ensuring growers’ success with new technologies,” said Luke Bozeman, Technical Market Manager, Herbicides, BASF. “The more knowledgeable growers …
Elevance Exemplifies Biobased Product Diversity
One of the many biobased product companies represented at the USB Biobased Products Stakeholders’ Dialogue this week was Elevance Renewable Sciences, which produces a wide array of materials from renewable oils like soybeans. “We make products targeted at three broad market industries,” says Andy Shafer, EVP for sales and marketing. “The consumer and industrial space where we make ingredients for …
Meet ASTA’s New Second Vice Chair
Mark Herrmann with Monsanto’s vegetable seed division is the new second vice chair of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) after elections held during the annual meeting last week in Indianapolis. “The seed industry has been an exciting place to be for the last 30 years,” said Herrmann, who has been involved with ASTA for about 20 of those 30 …
Soy Biobased About Customer Focus
The United Soybean Board is focused on the customers who use soy products – whether feed or food, fuel or new products – and that is what the USB Biobased Products Stakeholders’ Dialogue in Washington DC this week is all about. “Everything’s about the customer,” said USB director John Motter of Ohio, who is chairman of the checkoff group’s Customer …
Past and Present USDA Deputies at USB Event
The current and former Deputy Secretaries of Agriculture were together on Tuesday in Washington DC at the United Soybean Board Biobased Products Stakeholders Dialogue. It is being held at George Washington University where Kathleen Merrigan now serves as Director of Sustainability and she was pleased to host her successor Krysta Harden as keynote speaker at the event. Both Harden and …