New Efforts for House Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

House Democrats have officially introduced the Senate version of the farm bill as Republicans continue to mull their options.

Dave-LoebsackDemocrat representatives Dave Loebsack and Bruce Braley of Iowa, together with freshman Cheri Bustos of Illinois introduced HR 2498 with the exact text as the Senate Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 which passed earlier this month on a vote of 66-23.

“After voting down the farm bill last week, the House must act quickly to move the farm bill process forward. The Senate voted in a strong bipartisan fashion to move the Farm Bill forward and it is time House leaders bring up this legislation and allow a vote on the bill,” said Congressman Dave Loebsack. “I know the Farm Bill is critical for Iowa’s farmers, rural communities and economy. While the Senate legislation is not perfect, Congress must provide our farmers and rural communities some certainty. Partisan bickering will only further delay enactment of a long-term Farm Bill.”

Meanwhile, House Republicans met on Wednesday in an effort to regroup after last week’s stunning defeat of the farm bill on the House floor. No official word on what they might do, just that they want to “do something.”

Farm Bill

IFAJ Has Two Positions Open

Chuck Zimmerman

IFAJThe International Federation of Agricultural Journalists is looking for a couple of good people. It’s to support the IFAJ Strategy 2020 program. you can read all about that here (pdf).

There are two part time positions open to help administer the expanding day-to-day affairs of the organization. Here are short descriptions of the positions. You can find out more online.

General Manager – (Executive Secretary and internet network facilitator)

The general manager maintains contact with executive members, guild secretaries and the presidium.

Global Coordinator – (Coordinator strategy 2020, treasurer and guild support)

The global coordinator reports to the presidium and works to create liaisons and manage partner programs between IFAJ and agricultural journalists worldwide.

IFAJ, Media

Multiplier Effect of IFAMA Student Involvement

Cindy Zimmerman

ifama-13-studentsA panel at the Student Summit luncheon at the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IFAMA) World Forum last week showcased the “multiplier effect” that IFAMA has for the industry. It also shows the tremendous commitment of Novus International to bringing along future talent.

ifama-13-novus-tomasTomas Murtagh has been with Novus International for five years now as a business and financial analyst based in Brazil, after being involved in the student case competition in 2006. “It’s a good chance for students to sit down with industry leaders, with the Novus’, the Monsantos, the Coca Colas out there,” he said. “It’s not just networking, it’s educational as well.” It was through contacts with IFAMA that got the opportunity with Novus.

Listen to Tomas’ comments here Tomas Murtagh, Novus International

ifama-13-novus-internsYiwei Yan and Mingxuan Liu from China were on the 2012 winning student case competition team from Nanjing Agricultural University and are now both interns for the summer with Novus International. Yiwei is working with the HR department of Novus and is attending the University of Georgia, while Mingxuan (Micky), who will receive her PhD next month, was quite active at the forum greeting people and helping them get to where they were going.

“This is a big event for us to help us understand more about the industry,” said Yiwei. “From here we can know how to use our knowledge in reality and not just specialize in one single field.”

Micky’s exuberance and outgoing personality has paid off for her in helping her team win last year at IFAMA in Shanghai and with her internship this year at Novus, which has helped her see different sides of IFAMA. “This year as an intern I have a wider horizon as to what the whole of IFAMA is,” she said. “We can see what the role we are going to play and who we are going to be in the future.”

Listen to comments from Yiwei and Micky here: Novus student interns from China

Also, in case you missed it, be sure to listen to my interview with Novus CEO Thad Simons, new president of IFAMA, in which he talks about how important the IFAMA student program is to Novus and to the industry as a whole. Interview with Novus CEO and IFAMA president Thad Simons


IFAMA 23rd World Forum Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Novus International

Are You a Satellite Radio Listener

Talia Goes

Before we get to our new Zimmpoll let’s look at the results of our latest one which asked the question, “How concerned are you about the government having your private data?” Our poll results read loud and clear this week. Over half of you are now more worried that the government sees private data.

Our poll results: Sixty-nine percent said More Worried, twenty-four percent said Not Concerned, four percent said Other and two percent said Less Worried. Many agriculturalists have converted to digital data systems in order to become more efficient. Knowing the government is actively collecting private data is causing concerns in all sectors of business and that includes farming.

Untitled

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, “Do you listen to satellite radio?” Satellite radio has become more and more popular over the years. Not only is it included in many new vehicles but you can even access it over your smartphone. So do you subscribe? Has it changed your listening habits? Will this affect “regular” farm radio? Let us know.

ZimmPoll is sponsored by New Holland Agriculture.

ZimmPoll

Ag Biotech Topic of Science Event

Cindy Zimmerman

Increasing demand for major crops and the use of biotechnology in agriculture was the topic during the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture in New York on Tuesday.

The main lecturer, Dr. Stephen Long, Professor of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, said the demand for major crops is expected to rise 50 percent by 2030. He also emphasized that the use of commodities for energy as well as food and feed comes at a time when increases in yield are stagnating. However, he pointed out that new biotechnological approaches are providing opportunities to overcome these limitations, but that societal and policy acceptance of these opportunities is likely the greatest barrier.

ncga-pam-lectureA panel following the lecture included National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson, Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation president Richard Bonanno, and Director of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Sonny Ramaswamy – who participated in last week’s IFAMA World Forum.

“The continued use of biotechnology in agriculture is a key component to food security,” Johnson said. “However, we need to greatly improve the public’s acceptance of biotechnology. Agriculture needs to lead the conversation on this important topic and provide education on the advancements of the industry. Consumers should be able to make decisions based on science and facts, not fearmongering.”

The Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture at AAAS is in honor of Professor Riley’s legacy as a “whole picture” person with a vision for enhancing agriculture through scientific knowledge. The AAAS Riley Lecture addresses timely topics such as the role food, agriculture and natural resources play in providing a secure food supply and a sustainable economy.

Biotech, Farming, NCGA

Rural Radio a New Channel on Sirius XM

Chuck Zimmerman

Rural Radio SiriusXMIn case you didn’t know, both the current National Association of Farm Broadcasting President, Mark Oppold and incoming President, Janet Atkinson, will be anchoring shows on the newly announced Rural Radio, a 24/7 channel on Sirius XM. I think that’s the first time in NAFB history both have worked for the same company! The new channel (80) will launch on July 15.

What do you think about this new channel? Will it have an impact on traditional local farm broadcasting? If so, what will it be? Will this help connect rural and urban satellite radio listeners?

RURAL RADIO, channel 80, will give SiriusXM listeners all over America, whether driving a tractor cab equipped with satellite radio or driving in city commuter traffic, an unprecedented connection to the rural community. RURAL RADIO will broadcast original programming for rural audiences exclusively for SiriusXM that spans commodity market reporting, lifestyle programming, original and classic entertainment, and western sports, such as rodeo and bull riding.

RURAL RADIO launches July 15 on Channel 80, and there will be an official launch celebration August 3, with an all-day event to be held at the finish line of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which will include an attempt to set the Guinness World Record for a Parade of Pickup Trucks on the historic track, with all their radios tuned to SiriusXM channel 80.

RURAL RADIO’s broadcast operations will be based in Nashville, Tennessee along with Rural Media Group, Inc., (RMG).Corporate offices, sales, and marketing will be headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. A complete broadcast program schedule will be made available on or before July 15, 2013 at www.facebook.com/RURALRADIO80 and on Twitter @RURALRADIO80.

Veteran farm broadcasters Mark Oppold and Janet Adkinson, the current and incoming presidents of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters (NAFB) will anchor three daily, weekday shows—Commodity Wrap, Rural Evening News and Market Day Report, a live 5-hour daily program featuring reports from dedicated news bureaus located at the CME, Chicago Board of Trade, as well as from USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. Additional daily ag-related programming will be provided through RMG’s strong affiliations with the leaders in rural America, including: Farm Journal Media, owners of AGDAY, U.S. Farm Report and AGRITALK, Meredith Corporation’s Living The Country Life, various state farm bureaus, and Ag PhD featuring the Hefty Brothers of South Dakota.

Media

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

Novozymes Acquires TJ Technologies

Joanna Schroeder

Novozymes has signed a definitive agreement to acquire TJ Technologies Inc. based in Watertown, South Dakota. The move was made in an effort to continue to build Novozymes LogoNovozymes’ business in the BioAgriculture sector. TJ Technologies specializes in bioyield enhancement.

“With this acquisition we continue to build our business within sustainable bioagriculture. TJ Technologies Inc. is a frontrunner in bioyield enhancers, and this acquisition will further underpin Novozymes’ position, while strengthening commercial access,” said Thomas Videbæk, Executive Vice President of Novozymes and head of Business Development. “Combining our existing products and leading global name with TJ Technologies’ strong and proven portfolio, brands and regional market coverage will strengthen the joint company’s commercial position in important crop markets.”

tj_technologies logoTJ Technologies was founded in 1978 and develops and markets proprietary microbial and micronutrient products for agriculture. It is a significant participant in the U.S. market for bioyield enhancement products, with a strong position in seed treatment of corn as well as other important crops.

“With its proven portfolio of products and new pipeline opportunities, TJ Technologies’ talented employees will add solid experience and knowhow to Novozymes, which can leverage its leading position to bring the existing products to market, and further develop new innovation and growth opportunities for the bioagriculture market,” added Videbæk.

Agribusiness, Biotech, Corn

New Effort to Repeal Death Tax

Cindy Zimmerman

death-tax-1While all eyes were on the farm bill in the House last week, Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Representative Kevin Brady (R-TX) re-introduced legislation to permanently repeal the federal estate tax, better known as the death tax.

“We don’t think death should be a taxable event,” said Thune, Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and member of the Senate Finance Committee. “We think you ought to give family farmers and ranchers and small business people those who work hard to build up that over a lifetime, the opportunity to pass that on to the next generation.”

“Can you imagine, you work your whole life to build up a next egg, to build up a family owned farm or business and when you die Uncle Sam swoops in and takes nearly half of everything you worked your life to save for,” asked Brady, chairman of the Joint Economic Committee and a senior member of the House Ways & Means Committee. “The Death Tax remains the number one reason family owned farms and businesses don’t survive to the next generation and it’s time to end this immoral tax once and for all in America.”

estate-tax-noemRep. Kristi Noem (R-SD) told her personal story of how the death tax affected her family farming operation when her father was killed in a farm accident when she was just 21 years old. “I was shocked when I got a bill from the federal government that said because a tragedy happened to my family, I now owed them thousands of dollars,” she said. “For ten years I paid on a loan to pay the federal government what I owed them and it made it very difficult for our family business to survive. It made me angry and actually it’s the reason I ran for office.”

estate-tax-steveFormer National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president Steve Fogelsong of Illinois says he is a first generation rancher whose children have helped pay to build up the family operation. “And then when I kick the bucket, they’re going to get to do it all over again and pay for that – that doesn’t make any sense,” he said, adding that “farmers and ranchers aren’t a very bright bunch” because instead of taking vacations in Cancun or buying luxury cars they take the money they make and “plow it right back into that dirt.”

The video of last week’s press conference is below and here is a partial audio file with the opening statements of the members of Congress – Thune, Brady, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Noem, and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) – with Steve’s remarks at the end. 6/19/13 Death Tax Press Conference

Audio, NCBA, Video

Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Dr. Robert Fraley

Cindy Zimmerman

New on Agri-Pulse this week:

open-micDr. Robert Fraley was just named a winner of the 2013 World Food Prize for his role in revolutionary biotechnology discoveries. His career has several parallels with Dr. Norman Borlaug and his passion is as intense. Fraley talks about the use of plant biotechnology to feed a growing population, addressing global hunger and the challenges of gaining acceptance of technologies that change the status quo. He also comments on biotech wheat containing the Roundup Ready trait that was recently identified on an Oregon farm.

Listen to the Agri-Pulse Open Mic interview with Dr. Fraley here.

Agri-Pulse, Agribusiness