ASTA Honors Industry Leaders

Cindy Zimmerman

Son John and wife Linda accept ASTA Heritage Award for Bill Latham

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) honored seed industry ground breakers during its annual Leadership Summit this week in Sacramento.

This year, ASTA’s Heritage Award was presented to two worthy individuals: Dick Crowder and Bill Latham.

Crowder served as USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs and Commodity Programs from 1989 to 1992 before becoming the Senior Vice President of DeKalb Genetics Corporation, then President and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association. He served as Chief Agricultural Negotiator from January 2006 to May 2007 in the Bush administration. Crowder is currently C.G. Thornhill Professor of Agricultural Trade at Virginia Tech.

Bill Latham (1941-2015), Latham Seed, Inc., was raised on a grain and livestock farm in north central Iowa. After service in the U.S. Marine Corp Reserve, Bill came home to the family seed business in 1966 where he became its president. He served as President of ASTA, as well as President of the Independent Professional Seed Association and the Iowa Seed Association. Bill and his wife Linda had two sons, John and Christopher, who, along with John’s wife Shannon, are now owners of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds.

Craig Newman accepts ASTA’s Lifetime Honorary Member Award

ASTA’s Distinguished Service Award was presented to Donn Cummings, National Association of Plant Breeders. Cummings initiated the NAPB Borlaug Scholar’s Program and continues to serve as a mentor for dozens of students and aspiring plant breeders globally, currently serving as a Liaison between NAPB and ASTA.

ASTA’s Lifetime Honorary Member Award is one of the highest awards bestowed by the association and is in recognition of untiring service to ASTA, and this year’s award was given to Craig Newman, AgReliant Genetics/Finding Black Ink, LLC. As President and CEO of AgReliant Genetics Newman served as President of the Illinois Seed Dealers and Chairman of the ASTA Board of Directors.

The Seed Science Foundation’s Excellence in Science Award recognizes the outstanding achievement by a public or private researcher whose accomplishments have had an impact in the areas of Breeding Systems, Seed Quality, Seed Production and Technology, Seed Health and Pathology, Digital Agriculture, or Seed Applied Technology. This year’s award was given to Manjit Misra, Iowa State University/USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

ASTA, people, Seed

AgGateway Conducting Mid-Year Business

Chuck Zimmerman

The 2023 AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting is all about business. Working groups on various organizational resource programs are meeting this week to complete projects and work on projects still in process. In the photo are first-timer attendees getting an orientation about AgGateway before the real work starts.

Prior to this week’s meeting I spoke with Brent Kemp, AgGateway President/CEO, for a preview of the meeting and the work being done. I used it for my ZimmCast podcast which you can listen to here. 2023 AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting Preview 18:13

I’ll be taking pictures and conducting some interviews today before returning home to ZimmComm Headquarters tomorrow. You can find the photos here: 2023 AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting Photo Album

AgGateway, Agribusiness, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Technology

Animal Ag News 6/12

Carrie Muehling

  • The National Pork Board (NPB) elected four new officers for the 2023-2024 term beginning July 1. Pennsylvania pork producer Bob Ruth was elected to serve as the president of NPB. Ruth currently serves as the senior vice president for Clemens Food Group after working for Country View Family Farms for more than 20 years. He is also an active member of the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Board of Directors, PennAg and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
  • The National Pork Board announced that Dr. David Newman will assume the role of senior vice president for market growth effective June 19, 2023. In this role, Newman will lead the team of 16 professionals tasked with growing market demand internationally and domestically, as well as the organization’s health and nutrition research and outreach.
  • The U.S. dairy industry grew significantly over the past two years, adding nearly 60,000 new jobs, increasing average wages by 11 percent, and increasing its total impact on the U.S. economy by $41 billion, according to the latest economic impact report from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).
  • A nutrition incentive program that helps low-income families purchase healthy fluid milk products is expanding across Alabama. The Add Milk! program is being launched by the Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences Hunger Solutions Institute and select retailers to provide a dollar-for-dollar match for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, when they purchase low-fat or non-fat milk.
  • The National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to name Gregg Doud, a globally recognized agricultural leader, as its next president and CEO, succeeding Jim Mulhern, who is retiring at the end of the year.
  • Illinois dairy farmers are committed to building up communities experiencing food insecurity. Recognizing the hardships many families are facing, the Illinois Milk Producers Association (IMPA) donated nearly 10,000 pounds of milk, including lactose-free, between two local food banks.
  • In comments submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), R-CALF USA requested the agency immediately withdraw its proposal to allow the importation of fresh (chilled or frozen) beef from Paraguay.
  • Dustin Pendell, a professor in Kansas State University’s department of agricultural economics, was named head of the Americas region of the Collaborating Center for the Economics of Animal Health. The project is supported by the World Organisation for Animal Health, or WOAH, which has headquarters in Paris, France.
  • Kynetec, a global leader in agricultural and animal health data and analytics, has expanded its global machinery platform with the acquisition of Systematics International Ltd. Systematics International is a multi-award-winning global software development, data gathering and data analytics business who aggregate and report machinery volume statistics for world-wide closed and open data exchanges.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Industry Ag News 6/9

    Carrie Muehling

  • USDA has appointed two former members of Congress to serve in senior staff positions. Former Iowa Representative Cindy Axne has been appointed Senior Advisor for Rural Engagement, Delivery and Prosperity. Axne previously served as the U.S. House Representative for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District from 2019 to 2023. Former Arizona Rep. Tom O’Halleran has been appointed Senior Advisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Previously, O’Halleran served as the U.S. House Representative for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District from 2017 to 2023.Both were members of the House Agriculture Committee.
  • The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council tabbed Traverse County farmer Tom Frisch as its chair during the organization’s June board meeting. Frisch replaces Bird Island farmer Joe Serbus, who stepped down after two years as chair.
  • Veteran agricultural educators Jim Morgan of Louisburg, Kansas and Deanna Schnuck of Boonville, Missouri have been selected by the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City to receive the group’s Distinguished Service Award.
  • 40 Square Cooperative Solutions is encouraging Minnesota’s statewide agribusiness community to cool off by visiting 40square.coop to complete a census form and learn about the organization’s affordable health plan options. Prospective plan participants can also email info@40square.coop to receive a quick rate estimate.
  • The National FFA Organization’s Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) will take place from June 6-July 22 at the Omni Shoreham, with six weeklong sessions for FFA members to choose from. More than 2,000 FFA members from throughout the country are expected to attend the 2023 conference, the second-largest student experience that National FFA hosts each year, only behind the National FFA Convention & Expo that draws more than 70,000 attendees.
  • American Farmland Trust released two new white papers that further illustrate its priorities to increase adoption of conservation practices in the next Farm Bill. These priorities include the creation of a federal match to help states and Tribes build up their soil health programs, and increased support for farmer-to-farmer education to accelerate adoption of conservation practices.
  • Farm Credit Administration Board Chairman and CEO Vincent Logan announced the selection of Maribel Duran as chief of staff for the Farm Credit Administration.
  • Libbie Johnson joined the Alabama Peanut Producers Association as executive director on June 5.
  • The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association announced a new Communications Manager, Emma Koehler. Koehler is a recent graduate from the University of Northern Iowa and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Digital Media: Journalism. She also has a degree and background in Precision Agriculture.
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    ZimmCast 712 – IFAJ Congress Preview

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast. I’m Chuck Zimmerman.

    IFAJ World Congress 2023It is going to be a very active June into July for ZimmComm, with a variety of on-location events. One of those is the annual IFAJ World Congress which is being held this year in Alberta, Canada. I will be there and I believe this will be my 10th IFAJ Congress. These events are very well planned and packed with business, professional development and farm tours.

    To get a preview of the activities I spoke with Jessika Guse, co-chair of the planning committee.

    I’ll be taking a lot of photos throughout the Congress and hope to have time and internet to get them up asap. I’ll be doing the same immediately after the Congress when I stay in Calgary for the Alltech ONE World Tour stop.

    Listen to the ZimmCast here:
    ZimmCast 712 - 2023 IFAJ World Congress (25:59)

    Thank you to Alltech for making it possible for me to attend this year’s IFAJ Congress. And to keep up on social media, use this hashtag #IFAJ23.

    That’s the ZimmCast for now. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

    Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

    Alltech, Audio, International, Media, ZimmCast

    USDA Under Secretary Leads Trade Mission to Japan

    Cindy Zimmerman

    USDA Under Secretary Alexis Taylor (center) with state ag officials from Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska, and North Dakota

    USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor led a trade mission to Japan this week with representatives from 11 state departments of agriculture, numerous farm organizations, and 40 agribusinesses looking to connect with future business partners in Japan.

    “As one of the largest world economies, Japan is one of the top and most reliable trading partners for the United States. Every year for over the past two decades, Japan has imported at least $10 billion worth of U.S. food and agriculture products, reaching a record-high $14.6 billion in 2022. This shows that there is a continuously growing demand for U.S. products in Japan, providing U.S. exporters with a tremendous opportunity to expand their exporting,” said Under Secretary Taylor. “On this agribusiness trade mission, we have many incredible businesses joining this delegation to showcase the strength of U.S. food and agriculture products. Japanese consumers are especially interested in high-quality, health-oriented products, and I am confident that U.S. businesses can meet and exceed these expectations.”

    “We enjoy a really strong bilateral trade relationship with Japan,” said Taylor during a phone press conference Thursday. “Japanese consumers are discerning. They are seeking out high quality products.”

    USDA Under Secretary Taylor on Japan trade mission 23:09

    Audio, Exports, Trade, USDA

    Athian Names New VP of Sales and Marketing

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Athian has named Corey Scott of Scandia, Minn., an experienced livestock sustainability professional, as Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

    Prior to joining Athian, Scott spent 15 years in food agriculture, most recently with Truterra LLC, the sustainability division of Land O’Lakes. She received her Executive MBA and undergraduate degrees from the University of Minnesota and Carlson School of Business. In 2023, she was selected as one of GreenBiz’s 12 Women Cultivating Sustainable Food Systems and earned a U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award for her work in collaborating across the dairy supply chain to provide on-farm investment in sustainable practices and reduce dairy’s overall environmental footprint.

    Athian’s mission is to help the beef and dairy value chains capture and claim carbon credits earned through sustainability efforts by aggregating, validating, and certifying, greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, and monetizing those reductions through the sale of carbon credits. The company recently announced the completion of its seed funding round with investments from two strategic partners, DSM Venturing, the corporate venture arm of Royal DSM, and California Dairies, Inc.

    AgWired Precision, AI, Dairy, Livestock, people, Precision Agriculture, Technology

    Precision Ag News 6/7

    Carrie Muehling

    • American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) President & CEO Andy LaVigne gave this statement regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement of its final rule on Plant Incorporated Protectants (PIPs).
    • As part of an expanding 2023 webinar series, the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) invites you to join them June 9 at 1:00 pm Eastern for “Scaling Up Conservation Agriculture: An Exploration of Challenges and Opportunities in Michigan.”
    • Trilogy Networks, the leader in AI-powered precision agricultural infrastructure and data-driven farming solutions, and MLGC, an ultra-high-speed broadband and business services provider, announced the Dakota Innovation Corridor Project (Dakota*ICP), a multimillion-dollar commitment to dramatically advance the adoption of data-driven farming practices across North Dakota.
    • To meet the demands of today’s high-yielding rice varieties and tighter harvesting windows faced by farmers, John Deere offers a new rice package for model year 2024 X9 1000 combines that can harvest up to 3,200 bushels per hour. The rice package features enhanced wear parts of key components inside the combine. The tougher coatings and stainless-steel parts can better withstand the abrasiveness of hybrid rice varieties when compared to previous models.
    • John Deere is offering a new 1725C CCS 12-row/30 stack-fold planter along with four 1725C non-CCS planters that include 12-row/30, 12-row 36/38, 12-row 38/40 or 16-row/30 configurations. Each 1725C planter features an enhanced John Deere designed frame with convertible hitch, giving farmers more compatibility options between various tractors fitted with a Cat 3 or 4N hitch.
    • CJB Applied Technologies, LLC, announces the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted a residue tolerance exemption for benzyl alcohol when used in pesticides applied to crops and raw agricultural commodities pre- and post-harvest. Trials show enhanced active ingredient (AI) performance of products formulated using the patented art specific to benzyl alcohol, which CJB Applied Technologies intends to license to agricultural chemical formulators and product manufacturers.
    • Syngenta Crop Protection’s Seedcare business introduces EQUENTO, a novel seed treatment that provides outstanding control of various soil pests while helping farmers increase the sustainability of their farming operations.
    • Precision Laboratories, LLC, a provider of specialized chemistries for the agricultural industry, and Direct Enterprises, Inc. (DEI), a distributor focused on value-added products for seed producers and conditioners, have entered into a distribution agreement that expands market access for seed-applied technologies.
    • FieldWatch, Inc., a non-profit company that promotes improved communication and stewardship among crop producers, beekeepers and pesticide applicators, announces the expansion of its SeedFieldCheck registry into new states for the 2023 growing season.
    AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

    BioLumic and Gro Alliance Bring UV Light Technology to Row Crops

    Cindy Zimmerman

    BioLumic™ and Gro Alliance today announced a partnership to utilize ultraviolet (UV) light seed treatment technology for corn and soybean seed production.

    Based on 20 years of science and seven years of large-scale field validation, BioLumic’s proprietary light treatment technology regulates genetic expression in plants to improve yield, crop quality, root growth and plant resilience across specific cultivars.

    Since 2021, BioLumic has tested light-treated corn and soybeans seeds on more than 3,000 United States field plots, averaging yield increases of 15% in corn and 12% in soybeans.

    “UV light signaling is the next frontier in plant science, changing the paradigm of crop production gains without solely relying on genetic modification, chemical inputs or time-intensive breeding programs,” said Steve Sibulkin, CEO of BioLumic. “Based on their longstanding record of rapid adoption of scalable innovation, partnering with Gro Alliance and their network of corn and soybean farmers and seed companies means we can rapidly deploy light-activated seeds that increase farmer profitability and contribute to a more sustainable global food production system.”

    BioLumic founder and Chief Science Officer Jason Wargent, Ph.D. in front of a BioLumic light-treatment unit

    The partnership will deploy BioLumic’s light treatments platform in the seed production facilities of Gro Alliance, North America’s largest independently-owned contract corn and soybean seed producer, supplying seed production and breeding services for more than 100 different organizations around the world.

    “We are excited to partner with BioLumic to bring this game-changing technology, which delivers a step-change in crop yields and quality, to market,” said Jim Schweigert, president of Gro Alliance. “This innovation enables farmers to improve their financial and environmental performance, helps seed companies deliver on their ESG goals and creates more climate-resilient crops.”

    The technology was first developed for seedlings in large-scale specialty crops, such as lettuce, broccoli, strawberries and tomatoes. “Discovering that the same technology activated seeds as well as seedlings was a ‘eureka’ moment,” said Jason Wargent, Ph.D., founder and Chief Science Officer at BioLumic. “It opened the door to broad-acre, commodity production of crops like soybean and corn benefiting from the same remarkable results of UV light treatment that we had developed for seedlings.”

    The partnership will start at Gro Alliance’s Mt. Pulaski, Illinois production facility and expand across the Midwest starting in 2025. Later this year, select seed companies will be given access to BioLumic Light Treatments for their cultivars and the in-seed treatment will be commercially available to the broader market in 2024.

    Learn more about BioLumic in this interview with CEO Steve Sibulkin.
    Interview with BioLumic CEO Steve Sibulkin 11:40

    AgWired Precision, ASTA, Audio, Corn, Crop Protection, Precision Agriculture, Seed, Soybean

    Keynote Speakers Announced for AgriBusiness Global Trade Summit

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The AgriBusiness Global Trade Summit for crop protection, biologicals, and plant and soil health, is pleased to announce the opening keynote presentation by Derek Oliphant and Allister Phillips of AgbioInvestor. The summit will take place on 9-10 August 2023, at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura, Florida, United States.

    The keynote presentation titled, “Recent Developments and Future Outlook for the Crop Protection and Seed Industries,” will provide a comprehensive analysis of the current market trends and a detailed look at the key drivers behind future developments in the crop protection and seed sectors. Oliphant and Phillips, Founding Partners of AgbioInvestor, will share insights into regulation, crop economics, biologicals, new technologies, and more.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Derek Oliphant and Allister Phillips as keynote speakers at the AgriBusiness Global Trade Summit,” said Renee Targos, Conference Chair and Editor of AgriBusiness Global. “Their expertise and insights will provide invaluable perspectives on the current state and future directions of the crop protection and seed industries. Delegates can expect to gain valuable knowledge and networking opportunities to further their business interests.”

    For more information and to register for the AgriBusiness Global Trade Summit, please visit the event’s official website at www.TradeSummit.com.

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