2025 Tech Hub Live

Brazilian State Interested in Nebraska Water Management

Cindy Zimmerman

DWFI’s Christopher Neale, right, interprets remarks from Mato Grosso Gov. Mendes

One of the largest global producers of corn, soy, cotton, and corn ethanol is looking to Nebraska, via the University of Nebraska and the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI), for aid in mapping out the region’s available surface and groundwater resources for sustainable irrigation development.

Governor Mauro Mendes of the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, recently met with Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen during the 2023 Water for Food Global Conference to discuss opportunities for partnership between the two states.

“We are looking forward to a partnership with Nebraska, because Nebraska has the components of education, agricultural research, irrigation sector and the governance of water,” said Mendes during remarks at the conference interpreted by Dr. Christopher Neale, DWFI Director of Research. “Nebraska and Mato Grosso have similarities, they are both in the center of their countries and are both food-producing states.”

Gov. Mendes explained that sustainable irrigation expansion will play an important role in meeting its ambitious goals because it will intensify production while taking pressure off the natural ecosystems. Mato Grosso is geographically large enough to encompass both Germany and Spain combined, and eight months of rain allows for two growing seasons, which produce $21.6 billion in exports.

Gov. Mauro Mendes, Mato Grosso, Brazil, remarks translated by Dr. Christopher Neale, DWFI
2023 Water for Food remarks - Mato Grosso Gov. Mendes 24:05

Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Food, Irrigation, Water, Water for Food

Animal Ag News 5/30/23

Cindy Zimmerman

  • Nath Morris has been named the next president of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) by the board of directors. He will succeed John Starkey, who will retire in August. Starkey will remain as advisor through the end of the year. Morris has been serving as executive vice president – expo at USPOULTRY. He managed the International Poultry Expo (IPE), part of the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), and recognized by Trade Show Executive magazine as the 22nd largest U.S. trade show. He has been on the USPOULTRY staff since 2014.
  • The North American Meat Institute (Meat Institute) announced a new partnership with the Information Technology-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (IT-ISAC) on the launch of a Food and Agriculture ISAC to enhance cybersecurity for the meat and poultry industry. An ISAC is a non-profit established by critical infrastructure owners and operators to foster information sharing and best practices about physical and cyber threats and mitigation.
  • Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new research facility, known as the Forage-Animal Production Research Unit (FAPRU), on the University of Kentucky campus. The ceremony was hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture, Food and the Environment (UK-CAFE), which will house the new facility.
  • The 59th World Livestock Auctioneer Championship (WLAC) is set to take place in conjunction with the Livestock Marketing Association’s (LMA) Annual Convention June 7-10, 2023, in Punta Gorda and Arcadia, Fla. A total of 31 semi-finalist auctioneers will compete in the championship event. Reigning World Livestock Auctioneer Champion, Will Epperly, will be in attendance, along with many other former World Livestock Auctioneer Champions. Each will sell cattle during the Parade of Champions, a portion of the WLAC sale between the semi-finalist and finalist rounds. The interviews will be on Friday, June 10, and can be viewed live on www.LMAauctions.com or the LMA Facebook Live starting at 3:00 p.m. (ET).
  • Scientists have collaborated to produce the first gene-edited calf with resistance to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a virus that costs the U.S. cattle sector billions of dollars annually. The recent study published in PNAS Nexus results from a collaboration between the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), the University of Kentucky, and industry partners, Acceligen and Recombinetics, Inc.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) are now accepting applications for spring 2024 public policy internships in Washington, D.C. The internship provides students with the opportunity to work jointly with NCBA and PLC to advance policies important to the beef and sheep industries. Applicants must be a junior or senior undergraduate student, or a graduate student. A background in agriculture or the beef industry is preferred.
  • The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) is pleased to welcome Kim Atkins as its new manager of membership and engagement and Emma Bower as its summer communications intern. In addition, the AFIA adapted the titles of two of its policy staff to better reflect the depth and breadth of work they do for members on a global scale. Gina Tumbarello, who has been with the association since 2011, has been named senior director of global strategies, policy and trade, and Mallory Gaines, who has been with the association since 2019, has been named director of market access and multilateral affairs.
  • Alltech is inviting the global agriculture and agri-food industry to participate in the company’s inaugural Sustainability Insights Survey to gather insights on the issues that matter most to the agri-food value chain’s stakeholders. The survey is now open to the global agri-food industry to provide input until June 12, 2023. The results of this global research will only be presented in aggregate form and will be made available for the benefit of the agri-food industry and its partners later this year.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture

    Honor and Remember Our Military Heroes Who Lost Their Lives

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Buffalo Chip Campground Wall of Honor for Vietnam Veterans who died or where left behind.On this Memorial Day we are honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. I hope everyone knows and understands this. And if you’re wondering how many have died over time, keeping our country and citizens free, there is a lot of data you can find. At morning Mass today our priest recommended saying one decade of the rosary for our fallen soldiers. I intend to do so.

    On a related topic, I am seeing social media posts including the number of suicides of our veterans. It is a big number and again, you can find sources and studies from different time periods and definitions. Here’s a current story about this topic and I think we should keep these veterans in mind today also.

    The photo above comes from a 2011 display at The Buffalo Chip Campground during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. It includes a wall of honor with the names of our military killed in the Vietnam War and lost in action.

    Military

    Industry Ag News 5/26/23

    Cindy Zimmerman

  • In 2019, Alltech committed its team to a single, shared purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™, viewing it even more broadly as a vision for the global agri-food sector. As collaboration is essential for the achievement of shared goals, Alltech is inviting the global agriculture and agri-food industry to participate in the company’s inaugural Sustainability Insights Survey to gather insights on the issues that matter most to the agri-food value chain’s stakeholders.
  • Agri-Pulse, the nation’s leading ag and rural policy news outlet, is pleased to welcome Jana Rose Schleis to its dynamic team for the upcoming summer. Schleis will contribute across all facets of Agri-Pulse coverage, including the company’s weekly newsletter, daily online coverage and frequent multimedia updates. Schleis joins Agri-Pulse from the University of Missouri, where she recently completed her master’s in journalism. She studied investigative reporting and public policy.
  • Bangladesh has lifted fumigation requirements on U.S. cotton following a Cotton Council International (CCI)-sponsored Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture Delegation’s U.S. visit. This shift will remove a significant export barrier for U.S. cotton to Bangladesh, as well as saving Bangladeshi mills time and money as they look to the U.S. to fill their cotton fiber import needs. Bangladesh presently ranks as the No. 2 global importer of cotton, according to the USDA FAS’s global market analysis in May 2023.
  • Nicole Hasheider has been selected as the vice president of Marketing and Communications at the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). Hasheider, who previously served as NCGA’s director of Crop Inputs and Investor Relations, will manage the organization’s marketing and communications functions, member services and relationships with checkoff and industry investor partners.
  • The USDA National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS) has published the 2022 estimated peanut production for Alabama. NASS has estimated that Alabama peanut growers produced 559 million pounds of peanuts in 2022. That makes Alabama 2nd in the nation in peanut production, with Georgia ranking first. The U.S. produced 5.57 billion pounds of peanuts in 2022.
  • The National Wheat Foundation is pleased to join the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion as a MyPlate National Strategic Partner. The partnership presents a wealth of resources and collaborative opportunities, aimed to enlighten individuals about the advantages of incorporating wheat into their dietary choices.
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation recently hosted a national competition to recognize top professionals from state Farm Bureau organizations for their exceptional work in communications. New York, Illinois and Utah Farm Bureaus received the most awards overall, earning honors in several categories including writing, media relations, social media and video production. This year’s contest included 177 submissions for work produced in 2022 by state Farm Bureaus across the country.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) officials celebrated the dedication and ribbon-cutting of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). This facility, which offers the highest level of biocontainment laboratories and safety protocols, is the first of its kind in the United States and will allow scientists to study and diagnose critical animal diseases.
    • Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Zimfo Bytes

    Alltech ONE World Tour Begins in Budapest

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Budapest, Hungary, was the first stop of the Alltech ONE World Tour (ONE) this week, launching a series of international events that will be bringing the ideas and inspiration of the annual Alltech ONE Conference to the world. Discussions explored collaborative solutions to the greatest challenges facing the agri-food industry as it confronts the “4 Cs” — the major forces of climate, conflict, consumer trends and rising costs.

    Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, welcomed delegates to Budapest and challenged them to think about what comes next for the agri-food industry.

    “In times of uncertainty, it is crucial for businesses like ours to adapt and innovate,” Lyons said. “The Alltech ONE Conference is no exception. While our annual symposium has had its roots in Kentucky, USA, for four decades, we felt it was important to adapt and engage with our customers on their home ground. Thus, it is only fitting that we launch the Alltech ONE World Tour in Budapest, Hungary, which is at the center of both change and opportunity.”

    ONE Budapest attendees heard from industry experts on various topics, including insights from the dairy industry, data for profitable and sustainable agriculture, and mycotoxin management, and they were also able to attend focus track sessions on dairy, pigs and poultry. Robert Walker, European growth officer at Alltech, moderated a panel discussion featuring the species focus track speakers, who discussed how to remain profitable amid uncertainty and how the learnings from the day’s sessions can be applied to individual operations.

    The Alltech ONE World Tour will continue with stops in Dublin, Ireland, on June 19–20 and Calgary, Canada, on July 3–4, then on to the U.S., Asia, South America and the Middle East. For more information and to register for an Alltech ONE World Tour stop, visit one.alltech.com.

    Learn more about the World Tour in this interview with Dr. Lyons from the Cattle Industry Convention earlier this year.
    Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech (8:05)

    AgWired Animal, Alltech, Audio

    International Delegation Tours Nebraska Agriculture

    Cindy Zimmerman

    A diverse delegation from at least nine different countries recently had the opportunity to see Nebraska agriculture firsthand on a tour following the Water for Food Global Conference earlier this month in Lincoln, Neb.

    After three days of discussing solutions for food and water security, nearly 30 attendees stayed an extra day to visit Nebraska producers and learn about the innovation and technology in the state. Attendees represented the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Peru and Rwanda, as well as the United States. In collaboration with the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Soybean Board, and the Nebraska Cattlemen Foundation, the group toured Weber & Sons Feedlot in Dorchester, as well as Allan Tiemann’s row crop farm in Seward.

    Debbie Borg (L) on a panel at Water for Food Conference with moderator Susan Littlefield, Rural Radio Network

    The tour was initiated by Debbie Borg, a farmer and Nebraska Corn Board member, who participated in a panel at the forum. “I always tell people our farm gate is always open,” said Borg. “We need more farmers willing to open their farm gate to share their story.”

    Borg was joined on the “View from the Field” panel at the Water for Food Conference by producers from Argentina, El Salvador, Uganda, and the Philippines, moderated by farm broadcaster Susan Littlefield with KRVN/Rural Radio Network.

    Listen to an interview with Borg here:
    2023 Water for Food interview - Debbie Borg, Nebraska farmer (5:06)

    Audio, Corn, Food, Water, Water for Food

    NCBA Celebrates Supreme Court Ruling on WOTUS

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is one of many agricultural organizations thrilled with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Thursday against EPA’s controversial Waters of the United States or WOTUS rule.

    The court ruled unanimously in favor of the Sackett family in Sackett v. EPA, soundly rejecting the contentious “significant nexus” test.

    NCBA submitted an amicus brief in the Sackett case, encouraging elimination of the Significant Nexus test in exchange for a more practical standard. “In its brief to the Court, NCBA highlighted the unconstitutionality of imposing criminal penalties for violations of vague standards under the Clean Water Act. The Court recognized and reversed the Significant Nexus test, in part due to the constitutional due process risk that it created,” said Mary-Thomas Hart, Chief Counsel for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

    NCBA has been heavily involved in litigation surrounding the WOTUS rule since 2015. NCBA filed suit against the Obama-era WOTUS definition, defended the Trump-era definition that brought more clarity to what water features are included under WOTUS, and filed suit against the Biden administration’s WOTUS rule that did not include critical agricultural exemptions.

    Listen to an interview with Hart by NCBA Director of Policy Communications Hunter Ihrman.
    NCBA interview on WOTUS ruling (4:01)

    AgWired Animal, Audio, Beef, EPA, NCBA, Water

    Water for Food Conference Partners for 2024 World Water Forum

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Loïc Fauchon, president of the World Water Council, was one of more than 120 global speakers and 400 participants who gathered at the recent Water for Food Global Conference in Nebraska to discuss innovative ways to improve water and food security by increasing farmers’ resiliency to a changing landscape.

    “Water and food are two of the most important priorities of tomorrow’s world,” Fauchon said during his remarks. “We must stop ignoring that water is food.”

    The conference was produced by the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska (DWFI) and held May 8-11 in Lincoln, Neb. The 2023 conference was a partner event for the 10th World Water Forum, the world’s largest water-related forum organized by the World Water Council. It will be held May 18-24, 2024, in Bali, Indonesia.

    “The role of the forum is to be able to gather all of the water family, so it’s a huge meeting,” Fauchon said in an interview. “Water is politics because the solutions are here, we need political will. Water has to be considered as a priority.”

    Learn more in this interview with Fauchon.
    2023 Water for Food interview - Loïc Fauchon, World Water Forum (9:03)

    See more interviews and photos from the Water for Food Conference

    Audio, Food, International, Water, Water for Food

    Pluton Biosciences Closes $16.5M Series A Funding Round

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Pluton Biosciences, a startup working to discover microbes to fight climate change, has announced the close of a $16.5 M Series A funding round co-led by Illumina Ventures and RA Capital.

    “The funding will accelerate the development of Pluton’s flagship product, the Microbial Cover Crop™, through field trials and towards commercial partnerships,” remarked Elizabeth Gallegos, CEO of Pluton. “It will also enable us to expand our team, advance a microbial-derived pesticide to combat the fall armyworm, and harness the full potential of our Micromining™ platform to swiftly identify tailored solutions for agriculture.”

    Illumina Ventures’ Charles Lin, PhD, who has joined Pluton’s Board of Directors, expressed his excitement about the fund’s first AgBio investment, “In the past two decades, we have witnessed how genomics revolutionized the landscape of human diagnostics and therapeutics. We expect genomics to also enable breakthroughs in agriculture. Pluton’s Micromining™ approach, combining genomics with rigorous data science, can unlock the potential of soil microbes for more sustainable agriculture and beyond.”

    RA Capital’s Michael Gillespie, MD, has also joined Pluton’s Board of Directors, along with agricultural industry veterans Jerry Steiner and Neal Gutterson, Ph.D.

    Read more.

    AgWired Precision

    Precision Ag News 5/24/23

    Cindy Zimmerman

    • CNH Industrial and ONE SMART SPRAY, a joint venture between Bosch and BASF, have signed a collaboration agreement to integrate the latter’s advanced spraying system within CNH Industrial’s agricultural brand product portfolios. The system’s integration will be led by the Raven team and will be commercially available via the global Case IH and New Holland Agriculture brands.
    • The American Farm Bureau Federation signed two more memoranda of understanding with two agricultural equipment manufacturers, AGCO and Kubota, providing farmers and ranchers the right to repair their own farm equipment. The MOUs, which were negotiated independently with each manufacturer, follow similar agreements AFBF entered into with John Deere and CNH Industrial Brands earlier this year. Combined, the four MOUs cover roughly 70% of the agricultural machinery sold in the United States.
    • The non-profit Soil Health Academy has announced the availability of educational scholarships for leaders in indigenous and underserved communities, as well as agriculture education professionals to attend one of SHA’s three-day, on-farm soil health and regenerative agriculture schools. In addition, the grant will provide ag educators with free access to the regenerative agriculture online course, Regen Ag 101.
    • “Living Soil,” a film produced by the Soil Health Institute in 2018 – has reached a milestone of over 4 million views. The documentary has been watched in over 130 countries and has won numerous awards, including “Outstanding Excellence in Direction, Editing, and Cinematography” at the Women’s International Film Festival (2021) and “Best of Show for Environmental Films” by the Docs Without Borders Film Festival (2022). It was made possible through the generous support of The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.
    • Landus, Iowa’s largest farmer-owned cooperative and a leading retailer of agricultural inputs, announced today that it has joined The GROWERS Retail Network. This partnership connects Landus to farmers on The GROWERS App, a digital platform for farmers to connect with retailers and research input products.
    • CNH Industrial, parent company to Case IH has entered into an agreement with AGuru Machinery, a strip-tillage company based in Congerville, Illinois. With this relationship, Case IH incorporates a key partner to enhance and elevate its Strip-Till product offering with the most dependable, productive, and agronomically superior Strip-Till solutions to meet the growing demands of our customers.
    • EnGeniousAg has received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to develop low-cost instant-readout plant nitrate sensors to aid farmers in maintaining crop productivity, increasing profitability, and reducing nitrogen runoff. The EnGeniousAg in-field nitrogen sensors enable farmers to measure nitrogen levels in their crops in as little as 3 seconds.
    • Registration for the 16th Annual Conservation in Action Tour is now open. This year’s tour will take place in in Frankenmuth, Michigan, July 10-11, with the theme “Experiencing Conservation in Supply Chains” to help connect the circle from farmer to consumer. At this year’s event, farmers, input suppliers, conservation advocates and processors will dig deep and share their perspectives on sustainable, climate-smart food production. Attendees can look forward to seeing the supply chain up close and personal, including cutting edge dairy practices, specialty crops like sugar beets and dry beans, milling and processing, and more.
    • Ceres Imaging is proud to announce its commitment to increasing the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices by enrolling as a Program Supporter of Leading Harvest, an industry leader in sustainable agriculture. As a Program Supporter, Ceres joins the Leading Harvest membership that includes farmland managers, suppliers, retailers, consumer product companies, investors, and tech innovators with a shared vision of advancing the rigorously vetted and third-party verified Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard.
    • OPI is introducing an innovative new Grain Quality Sensor designed to assist farmers and commercial storage operators. This innovative sensor aims to detect biological activity in grains at the earliest possible stage, offering valuable insights and enabling proactive measures to maintain grain quality.
    • UPL Ltd., a global provider of sustainable agricultural solutions, introduces its SHENZI™ 700 WG and SHENZI™ 400 SC insecticides to the North American market to provide growers with proven solutions to protect crops against insect pests and resistance while minimizing environmental impacts. Both contain the powerful active ingredient chlorantraniliprole.
    AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture