Two ASTA Chairs Reflect on Industry

Cindy Zimmerman

asta-13-chairsThe current and incoming chairmen of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) are pleased with the state of the industry and looking forward to a bright future.

Blake Curtis, Curtis & Curtis, has served as the chairman of the organization for the past year, which he says has gone by very quickly. “It has been a year of successes,” he said. “A number of things our past chairman put into effect we’ve been able to finish up this year – the strategic plan, intellectual property rights protection bureau – these are on-going projects that we’ve been able to bring to fruition and implement.”

Newly-elected chairman Craig Newman, president and CEO of AgReliant Genetics, is especially excited about the future of the industry and ASTA’s Future Seed Executives (FuSE) program. “I’m one of the mentors of one of the students and actually our company has already hired three of that group already,” he said.

Nashville has been a great venue in the heartland for the convention and both Craig and Blake are really looking forward to racing into the future for next year’s convention in Indianapolis.

Both Blake and Craig have lots more to say in this interview: Interview with Blake Curtis and Craig Newman

ASTA 2013 Annual Convention

Agribusiness, ASTA, Audio, Seed

Getting More Nutrients From A Pig’s Diet

Joanna Schroeder

I caught up with Aidan Connolly, vice president of corporate accounts with Alltech, recently while he was in Des Moines, Iowa for the 25th Anniversary of the World Pork Expo. I peppered him with questions from feed prices to the importance of nutrients in the diet to some of the diseases the pork industry is addressing and got the low down on some key issues affecting hog producers across the U.S. and the globe.

wpx13-alltech-connollyThe interview was kicked off with concerns about this year’s harvest – too much rain in the Midwest has caused many farmers to be quite late in planting – and how this might affect feed prices. Connolly explained that many things affect feed prices, but mainly it comes down to supply and demand. He believes the demand side will stay very strong and foresees continued growth in China. However, Connolly said from his view, he remains optimistic about the harvest.

He stressed the important of getting the nutrients out of the diet. He believes the industry needs to be very concerned about intestinal health, gut health – the need to keep the pig healthy. “We need to be looking at any technologies that can improve feed efficiency.”

Alltech has products to help just this, including various enzymes and Actigen™. They are also working with antioxidants – all things Connolly said help the pig absorb nutrients better. “Basically I would say to any hog producer today, spend the money to improve feed conversion. It’s money well spent.”

Listen to my interview with Aidan Connolly here: Getting More Nutrients From A Pig's Diet

Visit the 2013 World Pork Expo photo album.

Alltech, Audio, Pork, Swine, World Pork Expo

Lowell Catlett talks future at ASTA annual meeting

Maggie Seiler

asta-2013-CatlettThe 130th American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting opened today with a look into the future of the seed industry provided by Dr. Lowell Catlett, the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Home Economics at New Mexico State University. Catlett is a self-professed “weirdo” who provided his perspective on what it takes to look to the future with optimism and to be prepared to face the challenges of a growing world.

Catlett painted a picture of a world that is searching for ways to live longer and more fruitfully. He pointed to agriculture as a wonderful place to be for this development. “You want to have healthy people you can’t separate them from plants and animals and people,” Catlett said. He emphasized that agriculture has the plants and the animals and the people the world needs to stay healthy. Many times throughout his presentation, Catlett called today the “golden age of agriculture” and challenged those in the room to embrace it and keep moving forward.

I caught up with Catlett following the opening ceremony and you can listen to my interview with him here: Interview with Lowell Catlett

Also take a listen to his full keynote presentation here: Lowell Catlett Keynote

ASTA Annual Meeting Photo Album

Agribusiness, ASTA, Audio, Seed

New Holland TLB Popular Due to Versatility

John Davis

new-holland-ce-9Doing it all with one piece of equipment is something both farmers and construction workers would like to do, which explains why one of the most interesting pieces of equipment at the New Holland Construction Media Event held recently at company headquarters in New Holland, Pa., was one of their tractor-loader-backhoes. Jon Hume, product specialist with New Holland, told Chuck about one of their most popular TLB models, the B95c.

“The reason it is very popular is it has a lot of unique features,” Jon said, including a straight-arm loader and the ability to put multiple attachments with quick couplers on the front. Moving back, he said you’ll notice a big roomy cab with air conditioning and heat and a four-speed transmission with a top road speed of over 22 mph. “And as you swing around to the backhoe, the important part, we have mechanical controls or this one has pilot controls [that] allow us to have different change patterns between backhoe and excavator,” so that different operators can change patterns with a flip of the switch.

Jon said it’s all these features and more that really separate New Holland from the competition.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Jon here: Interview with Jon Hume

New Holland Construction Equipment Media Event Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, New Holland

ASTA at the Grand Ole Opry

Cindy Zimmerman

The opening reception for the 130th American Seed Trade Association annual convention was held at the Grand Ole Opry and the entertainment was provided by an up-and-coming country artist who is now starting to get so popular that he is having less time for his job as a Syngenta Seeds sales rep. Not coincidentally, the reception was sponsored by Syngenta Seeds.

http://agwired.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/asta-13-levi.jpg“>asta-13-leviLevi Riggs is an Indiana native who has been with Syngenta Seeds for five years. “In February I stepped into a seed adviser role so I’m actually a dealer selling to local farmers around my area and really focusing in on that and country music,” Levi said.

He grew up on a dairy farm, studied Ag Econ at Purdue, and worked as an intern with Golden Harvest prior to its purchase by Syngenta Seeds, but he always loved music. “I sang with the Purdue Varsity Glee Club and I just had a passion for country music,” which Levi said led him to put a band together and start singing at county fairs.

Last night was the first time that Levi, with his sister Lauren and brother-in-law, played the Grand Ole Opry but with songs like “Born to Farm” it probably won’t be the last! “Corn and beans, green and red machines, he was born to farm!”

Listen to our interview with Levi here where he signs part of “Born to Farm” – Interview with Syngenta Seeds singer Levi Riggs

Check him out at LeviRiggs.com or on Facebook.

Watch the video that Meghan Grebner with Brownfield Ag News shot of Levi singing “Born to Farm.”

ASTA Annual Meeting Photo Album

Agribusiness, ASTA, Audio, Seed, Syngenta

New Holland Excavators Good for Ag & Construction

John Davis

new-holland-ce-10During the recent New Holland Construction Media Event at company headquarters in New Holland, Pa., company officials emphasized how this year, they are integrating their agricultural and construction lines of equipment. One of those items that falls into that category of being useful in either world is their E55B excavator, which Peter Nelmes, construction equipment specialist for New Holland CE Specialist, explained during an interview with Chuck that the quiet, rubber-tracked 5.5-metric ton with auxiliary hydraulics is a very flexible excavator/crawler.

“It’s very versatile because of the size and because of the swing radius on it,” he said. “It’s where you can’t get a larger machine in to do a job, where you’d have to get people to come in and hand dig it, this one will do it.”

Several features set this machine apart from its competition, including a tremendous drawbar force, good for pushing up and down hills and moving materials with a dozer blade, as well as great swing torque.

While most would think of this for construction and landscaping, Peter said he expects that this could be very handy on the farm.

“A lot of times if you have to dig trenches along the side for your dairy farm or cleaning out bins, these are compact enough to be able to get in, and they can move the bulk of the stuff out from where you can’t reach with a skid steer over corral pens and put it where you can get it with your larger equipment.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Peter here: Interview with Peter Nelmes

New Holland Construction Equipment Media Event Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment, New Holland

ASTA Convention Tackles Industry Issues

Cindy Zimmerman

asta-13-signThe American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is holding its 130th annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee this week and it goes without saying that the organization is facing issues today that members at that first meeting never even dreamed about.

“It’s really exciting when we look at 130 years of all the issues that impact the seed industry and how the industry has changed just over the last 10-15 years, let alone 130,” said ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne.

asta-13-andyToday the big issues for the industry include dealing with new breeding methods, handling of seed treatment, and advocating for the seed industry on the local, national and even international level.

On the national front, Andy says they are kicking off a new seed industry advocacy program to help members become more involved in legislation and regulatory issues; and on the international front they are continuing to make progress on what is know as “The Accord” – an industry-wide effort to address the opportunities and the challenges associated with biotechnology patent expiration. “The whole program will be up and running by the end of this year and the opportunity for generic products to come into the marketplace or be stacked will be there,” said Andy, just in time for the first commercial biotech event to come off patent.

Find out more in this interview with Andy: Interview with ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne

The official photo album is started and we will also be keeping a page on AgNewsWire.AgWired.com where all audio files will be posted.

Agribusiness, ASTA, Audio, Seed

2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion Dustin Focht

Chuck Zimmerman

2013 WLAC Dustin FochtA big congratulations to Dustin Focht, Stillwater, OK, who is the 2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion! Here’s a photo of Dustin. The Runner up Champion is Blaine Lotz from Edna, Kansas and the Reserve Champion is Brian Little from Wann, Oklahoma. We had a fantastic group of 31 contestants for this honor. It’s the Super Bowl of livestock auctioneering and I’m proud to have had the opportunity to be a judge for the interview portion of the competition.

As the 2013 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion Dustin will be driving that truck he’s standing in front of. He’s also holding his Gist Belt Buckle and will also receive a Champion Sculpture, $5,000, Hand-tooled leather briefcase, World Champion Ring, Golden Gavel Award and James Reid, Ltd. Money Clip. Dustin will make a lot of appearances around the country in the coming year. Maybe he’ll be in your area soon. If so, please say hello and meet an awesome representative of the livestock auction market industry.

If you’d like a short sample of yesterday’s ring competition I shot a video clip of the first contestant before I had to hit the road. I’ve got plenty of early photos from Montgomery Stockyards in the photo album too. I also have more interviews to share from the LMA Annual Convention too.

2013 LMA/WLAC Photo Album

Ag Groups, Livestock, LMA, Video

Off to ASTA

Cindy Zimmerman

asta-130What better place is there than Nashville to celebrate 130 years of the seed industry’s strong roots while charting a path for the progress and innovation of our present and future?

I am heading to the 130th American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting at the Gaylord Opryland and joining me will be AgWired summer intern Maggie Seiler. Among the events we will be covering for you at ASTA will be an address by nationally known agriculture economist Lowell Catlett, who will kick off the convention on Monday morning, followed on Tuesday by a State of Agribusiness panel discussion. There will be lots of focus on trends, challenges and opportunities, here and abroad, facing seed companies, large and small, over the coming year.

Breakout sessions will feature up-to-date reports on intellectual property rights, phytosanitary issues, food safety and seed stewardship and more. In addition, ASTA will also hold its annual elections and welcome in new leadership for the coming year.

Stay tuned to AgWired for full coverage and all audio and photos will also be posted on AgNewsWire.AgWired.com.

Agribusiness, ASTA, Seed

Industry Celebrates First Year of Feeding for 30

Cindy Zimmerman

feeding-30At World Pork Expo, Purina Animal Nutrition was celebrating the first anniversary of its Feeding for 30 program, adding new partners to further the the industry goal of achieving 30 pigs per sow per year.

We launched it one year ago in partnership with Zinpro,” says Elena Lindemann, lactating livestock marketing director with Purina Animal Nutrition. “And this year we added another partner, DSM Nutritional Products.”

“When we created the Feeding for 30 program, we knew that properly feeding sows promotes their health and well-being – allowing better potential of achieving 30 healthy piglets weaned each year,” she added.

At World Pork Expo, Feeding for 30 presented a sow nutrition and management seminar designed to help producers achieve 30 pigs per sow per year. Organized as an interactive peer-to-peer forum, a panel of pork producers and swine nutritionists shared new tips and management insights, and answer questions. Producers can find out more at FeedingFor30.com and on their Facebook page.

Listen to my interview with Elena here: Interview with Purina's Elena Lindemann

Animal Health, Audio, Pork, Swine