The Global Harvest Initiative (GHI) released its 4th annual Global Agricultural Productivity Report® (GAP Report®) at the World Food Prize Symposium Wednesday before a record crowd of global scientists, agricultural industry experts, farmers, and development professionals. “This particular report focuses on value chains and what that means for farmers and consumers,” said Dr. Margaret Zeigler, GHI executive director. “We wanted …
Howard Buffett Foundation Initiatives Announced
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and philanthropist/farmer Howard G. Buffett were the stars at the World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogues today in Des Moines, launching new initiatives to address conservation, hunger and poverty issues in Africa. For one, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation has formed a partnership with John Deere and DuPont Pioneer to promote conservation agriculture adoption and …
R&D LifeSciences Supplementing O.H. Kruse Feeds
One of the companies that exhibited at the O.H. Kruse Grand Opportunities event this week was R&D LifeSciences. I visited with David Zehendner, President/CEO, pictured on right with Michael DuBois. The mission of R&D LifeSciences is to produce highly specific, proprietary feed ingredients and formulations, while solving producer problems and offering alternatives to increase their bottom line. As a base …
TATT Global Farmer Roundtable Wraps Up
The Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) Global Farmer Roundtable has come to an end, but there’s still plenty for these farmers from 14 countries to learn, see and do while they are in Des Moines, Iowa at the 2013 World Food Prize. Sixteen farmers from 14 different countries have spent the last several days together learning about not only …
Kleckner Award Presented to Indian Farmer
A highlight of the Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) Global Farmer Roundtable on Tuesday was the presentation of the first Kleckner Trade and Technology Advancement Award Fellow to V. Ravichandran, better known to friends as Ravi. He is pictured here with TATT CEO Mary Boote and chairman Bill Horan. Ravi grows rice, sugarcane, cotton and pulses on about 60 …
TATT Global Farmer Roundtable visits Couser Cattle
During the Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) Global Farmer Roundtable we went to the Couser Cattle Company. Bill and Nancy Couser with son Tim produce corn and cattle just outside of Nevada, IA. When Tim graduated from Iowa State University, mom and dad strongly suggested that he spend some time in the corporate world before returning to the …
Elanco’s Jeff Simmons has had Enough
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) and DuPont today presented the 2013 Borlaug CAST Communication Award to Jeff Simmons, president of Elanco, on the occasion of the 2013 Borlaug Dialogue hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation in Des Moines. In accepting the award, Simmons issued a challenge to solve the greatest issue of our time – food …
Marigolds Provide Lutein, Who Knew?
Kemin Industries Worlwide, that’s who knew. During the Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) Global Farmer Roundtable, we learned that Kemin is the largest grower of marigolds (yes, that not so fragrant flower you often plant in your flower beds) to extract the Lutein, a naturally occurring carotenoid – which happens to help prevent eye diseases such as macular degeneration. …
World Food Prize Winner Visits TATT Roundtable
One of the 2013 World Food Prize Laureates stopped by to visit the Truth About Trade and Technology Global Farmer Roundtable and talk about the importance of helping farmers around the world produce food more efficiently. “I’m always reminded by what Dr. Borlaug used to say, that hunger never sleeps, and that means we can’t sleep either,” said Dr. Robert …
Selling Value in a Competitive World
How do you sell value in a competitive world? That’s the question that Jay Kelley, Adayana, answered for attendees at the O.H. Kruse Grand Opportunities event today. I visited with him and Kevin Hamilton, also with Adayana, during our lunch break to get some of their thoughts on this subject. One of the things Jay suggests is listening to your …