2025 Tech Hub Live

Soil Regen Co-Owner Breaks National Dryland Corn Yield Record

Cindy Zimmerman

Soil Regen is proud to share that co-founder and first-generation farmer, Russell Hedrick has submitted an entry of 459.51 bushels per acre to the North Carolina Corn Growers Association, a result that beats the current national yield record of 442 bushels per acre held by Francis Childs.

“The average corn yield for Catawba County is somewhere between 100 and 124 bushels an acre according to USDA NASS data,” Hedrick says, adding that his yield climb didn’t happen overnight.

“This all started five years ago when Richard Linton, the previous Dean of NC State University, challenged us to push our yields to see what was possible in our state, chasing 400-bushel corn,” he says. “It’s taken us all five years – we’ve seen some 400s on the yield monitor trying new techniques but seeing a field average over 400 has taken us five.”

To learn more about Hedrick’s road to 459-bushel per acre corn and the soil health journey that has paved, make plans to visit this year’s Big Soil Health Event, December 6-7, 2022 in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Corn, Soil

Precision Ag News 11/16

Carrie Muehling

  • In a letter to congressional leadership, more than 300 agriculture, environment, academic, infrastructure, and other stakeholder groups are calling on Congress to reaffirm federal pesticide preemption on labeling and packaging. Failing to do so, the groups warn, could hold disastrous consequences for our food security, the environment, public health, vital infrastructure, and other uses where pesticides provide important societal benefits.
  • Sentera, the industry leading ag analytics platform powered by machine learning, announced the launch of its 65R Sensor, an ultra-high-resolution aerial sensor purpose-built for drone integrations.
  • Bayer announced the acquisition of German biotech start-up Targenomix. The spin-off of the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI MPP) uses novel systems biology and computational life science tools to identify new modes of action for crop protection compounds.
  • Experienced ag agronomist and seed rep Aaron Diederich has joined Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC, one of the fastest-growing crop input suppliers in America. Diederich becomes Meristem’s Sales Rep and dealer coach in Kansas and other Plains states, operating out of Hanover, Kansas.
  • Traction Ag Inc., the first cloud-based accounting software delivering solutions to growers across the Midwest, announced its acquisition of Granular Business, a Corteva Agriscience product. Granular Business is farm financial management software focused on helping farmers become more profitable and efficient.
  • Combine harvester sales report double-digit gains in October for both the U.S. and Canadian markets, while total tractors fell in both countries according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Total U.S. ag equipment unit sales stayed above the 5-year average for the third month since April 2022. U.S. total farm tractor sales fell 10.8 percent for the month of October compared to 2021, being dragged down by a 23.6 percent drop in the sub-40hp category.
  • Syngenta Crop Protection was recognized as a winner in 5 award categories at the annual Crop Science Awards, a strong endorsement of its best-in-class scientific, technological and leadership contributions within the global crop protection industry.
  • The DJI Agras T40 spray drone hit the United States market in October 2022. This new flagship model is an upgrade from the DJI Agras T30–still considered an industry leader. Thanks to a donation from Agri Spray Drones, Alabama Extension at Auburn University is the first land-grant institution in the U.S. to begin agriculture research using the new T40 model.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Farm Bureau Reports Thanksgiving Dinner Up 20%

Cindy Zimmerman

It should be no surprise to anyone who buys food that the cost of this year’s traditional Thanksgiving dinner is higher, but 20 percent may be an even bigger jump than some expected.

The American Farm Bureau’s 37th annual survey for the cost of a classic Thanksgiving feast for 10 this year totals $64.05 or 20% more than last year’s average of $53.31. But it is still a relative bargain compared to other countries at less than $6.50 per person.

The turkey alone is up 21 percent from last year, at $28.96 for a 16-pound bird, but there are always bargains to be had this time of year. According to USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, the average per-pound feature price for whole frozen turkeys was $1.11 the week of Nov. 3-9 and 95 cents the week of Nov. 10-16, a decline of 14% in just one week; and the share of stores offering feature prices rose from 29% to 60%.

“General inflation slashing the purchasing power of consumers is a significant factor contributing to the increase in average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner,” said AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan. General inflation has been running 7% to 9% in recent months, while the most recent Consumer Price Index report for food consumed at home reveals a 12% increase over the past year.

“Other contributing factors to the increased cost for the meal include supply chain disruptions and the war in Ukraine,” Cryan said. “The higher retail turkey cost at the grocery store can also be attributed to a slightly smaller flock this year, increased feed costs and lighter processing weights.” Cryan said the supply of whole turkeys available to consumers should be adequate this year, although there may be temporary, regional shortages in some states where avian influenza was detected earlier this year.

AFBF, Food

GreenPoint Ag Embracing Data Challenges

Cindy Zimmerman

“Advancing Agribusiness: Embracing the Challenges Ahead” was the title of the keynote address at this week’s AgGateway Annual Conference presented by Jeff Blair, President and CEO of GreenPoint Ag, a retail operation serving farmers across 10 southern states. Based in Decatur, Alabama, GreenPoint Ag operates 114 retail and wholesale agronomy locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas.

Blair believes the agribusinesses industry must aggressively face challenges and pursue opportunities in the crop production sector that help farmers find new ways to add value to their operations. “We have all these incredible platforms coming out to gather this data, but to turn it into something that is really beneficial for the farmer, you’ve got to have data standards to convert it to information and ultimately to intelligence to help the farmer,” he said in an interview after his presentation. “Farmers know incentives…at the end of the day you can’t ask a farmer to just go save the planet and give up their economics.”

Listen to an interview with Blair from the AgGateway meeting here:
AgGateway keynote Jeff Blair, GreenPoint Ag 6:43

Find more interviews posted in the AgGateway Annual Conference virtual newsroom.

2022 AgGateway Annual Meeting Photo Album

AgGateway, Agribusiness, Agronomy, AgWired Precision, Audio, carbon, Precision Agriculture, Technology

AgGateway Changes Chairs

Cindy Zimmerman

New AgGateway board chair Feroz Sheikh, Syngenta, receives gavel from outgoing chair Doug Farrington, Adar Technologies

AgGateway leadership changed hands at the organization’s annual meeting in Clearwater Beach, Florida this week, as Feroz Sheikh of Syngenta became the new chairman, succeeding Doug Farrington, formally with BASF and now with ADAR Technologies.

Sheikh, who is Syngenta’s Chief Information and Digital Officer, says the need for data standards in the agriculture industry is critical. “AgGateway, with its large membership pool, has the responsibility to bring everybody together,” he said. “The other important element is evangelizing and making it known what standards exist… and helping organizations adopt these standards.”

Sheikh adds that standards are also important for the future of sustainability and carbon reduction. Listen to an interview with him below.
AgGateway chair Feroz Sheikh, Syngenta - interview 5:43

Doug Farrington recently became the chief operating officer for Wyoming-based start-up ADAR Technologies, which is focused on dehydration and sanitization to help companies lower costs, add revenue, and achieve their carbon reduction goals.

“The technology was invented four years ago and it’s basically taking a known fact of science that when you move things at the speed of sound you get a separation of moisture,” said Farrington. He used the example of shrimp husks, a waste product that ADAR Technology can convert into a useable, and organic, high-protein supplement powder for the agriculture and livestock industry.

Learn more in this interview with Farrington.
AgGateway past chair Doug Farrington, Adar Technologies 4:07

Find more interviews in the AgGateway Annual Conference virtual newsroom.

2022 AgGateway Annual Meeting Photo Album

AgGateway, Agribusiness, Audio, data, Syngenta

Animal Ag News 11/14

Carrie Muehling

  • The finalists for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association 10th annual National Anthem Contest, sponsored by Norbrook have been chosen. Now it’s your turn to vote! The winner will sing the Star-Spangled Banner during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show Opening General Session and the Friday Night Event in New Orleans, LA. Vote once per day for your favorite finalist.
  • To help reduce the financial burden of attending conventions and meetings, the National Cattlemen’s Foundation and Cargill created the Rancher Resilience Grant, which is administered by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The grant reimburses producers for registration fees and other expenses at specific educational events, including Cattlemen’s College during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans.
  • The 139th Annual Convention of Delegates of the American Angus Association assembled November 7, 2022, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Five directors were elected to the board of directors, as well as a president/chairman and a vice president/vice chairman of the board. Jonathan Perry will serve as treasurer for the 2022-2023 term. Elected officers are Chuck Grove, Forest, Virginia, president and chairman of the board and Barry Pollard, Enid, Oklahoma, vice president and vice chairman of the board.
  • Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, one of the largest dairy co-ops in the country, and Minnesota Milk Producers Association, a state advocacy group, jointly announced a new agreement to strengthen the two organizations’ work on behalf of their farmers. Effective immediately, Minnesota Milk has chosen Edge to replace the administrative and program services currently provided by Midwest Dairy.
  • With the support of partners across the industry, Certified Angus Beef awarded an annual record $70,000 in scholarships to 20 students pursuing careers at the ranch, in meat science, in a research lab or supporting agricultural business and marketing. The Colvin Scholarship Fund recognizes students for the commitment and energy they bring to agriculture, their education and community involvement. Young leaders with bright ideas for making the best beef even better earned five production agriculture, ten undergraduate and five graduate scholarships in 2022.
  • Applications are being accepted until March 10, 2023, for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association 2023 Environmental Stewardship Award. Established in 1991, the Environmental Stewardship Award Program annually recognizes outstanding stewardship practices and conservation achievements of cattle producers across the nation.
  • Phibro Animal Health Corporation announces the launch of its new podcast series, “You Herd Right,” available now from the Apple Store, Google Podcasts, Spotify and other popular podcast platforms.
  • The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is now accepting applications for the 2023 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship awards. Ten $2,500 scholarships are awarded to students annually who intend to pursue a career in the pork industry with aspirations to become industry leaders. The scholarships are sponsored by CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation.
  • Three emerging livestock industry leaders received welcomed financial support this month as they were named recipients of the 2023 Throlson American Bison Foundation scholarship.
AgWired Animal, Animal Bites, Animal Health

NCBA Praises White House Food and Ag Security Focus

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) praised the signing last week of the National Security Memorandum to Strengthen the Security and Resilience of U.S. Food and Agriculture, which will allow the federal government to identify the threats facing our food supply and enhance national preparedness and response.

“Our agricultural sector faces a variety of threats that could inhibit cattle producers’ ability to bring beef from pasture to plate,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “NCBA appreciates the Biden administration’s focus on identifying threats and developing new ways to mitigate them. Together, we can protect our industry while ensuring that all Americans have access to wholesome foods like beef.”

The memorandum instructs top government officials, including the Secretaries of State, Defense, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security, the Attorney General, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to identify threats to the food and agriculture sector and coordinate with federal, state, local, and tribal governments to develop responses.

Ahead of the memorandum signing, Woodall attended a pre-briefing at the White House that included discussion of key security issues for the cattle industry—tools like the National Veterinary Stockpile, which helps prevent the spread of disease and aids recovery, and cybersecurity and worker training programs that support the continued operations of other members of the beef supply chain.

Listen to an interview with Woodall conducted by NCBA staff member Hunter Ihman.
NCBA CEO Collin Woodall interview 5:34

AgWired Animal, Audio, Beef, Food, Livestock, NCBA, Security

Industry Ag News 11/11

Carrie Muehling

  • Veteran strategic communications professional Mace Thornton has joined Stratovation Group as partner and COO to lead integrated client services, Cameron Camfield, founder and CEO of the Stratovation Group announced.
  • Syngenta team members received Honorary American FFA Degrees during the 95th Annual National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. The 2022 honorees from Syngenta are Head of Global Seeds Strategy and Portfolio Head David Hollinrake, Head of North America Seeds Sales Service Operations Dawn Dietz, and East Heartland Commercial Unit District Manager Tim Hoberty.
  • The average price of diesel is $5.32 per gallon, more than $1.50 above the same time last year. While prices are below the $5.81 peak in June, the high cost of fuel is hitting farmers hard as they navigate the fall harvest season. American Farm Bureau Federation economists analyzed the factors driving up fuel prices in the latest Market Intel report.
  • Conservation Technology Innovation Center welcomes Ryan Heiniger as its new Executive Director. Heiniger is a fourth-generation Iowa farmer, wildlife biologist, and non-profit leader. CTIC board president Mark White of Syngenta says Heiniger’s combination of on-the-ground conservation experience and history of leadership in conservation-oriented organizations made him the perfect choice for the role.
  • Skye Root, founder of Root Agricultural Advisory in Boise, Idaho, was named the 2022 Professional Farm Manager of the Year. The award, co-sponsored by Syngenta, Farm Journal’s The Scoop magazine, and the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA), recognizes farm managers who display excellence in client service and a commitment to agriculture.
  • Farm Foundation, an accelerator of practical solutions for agriculture, will host its next virtual Forum, What to Expect From the 2023 Farm Bill, on Tuesday, December 6, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. CDT.
  • AMVAC, an American Vanguard Company, announced the fourth annual Cotton Industry Advancement Scholarship winners. A total of seven students were selected from applications received across the country. Each scholarship recipient was awarded $2,000.
  • American Agri-Women (AAW) recently elected its national officers at its 2022 national convention in Bozeman, Mont. AAW, a national coalition of farm, ranch, and agri-business women, is in its 48th year of advocating for agriculture. Arlene Kovash of Oregon Women for Agriculture; is the new secretary. Jean Goslin of Kansas Agri-Women; is VP of Education. These women will serve two-year terms. Continuing on the national board for the second year of their two-year term is Heather Hampton+Knodle, Illinois Agri-Women, who serves as president. Rose Tryon VanCott, California Women for Agriculture, first vice president; Laura Hart, Texas Agri-Women, vice president of communications; Kathy Goodyke, Minnesota Agri-Women, treasurer; and Karolyn Zurn will continue her role as past president.
  • The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture announced ‘I LOVE Strawberries’ was named as a winner in the inaugural 2022 Good Housekeeping’s Best Kids’ Book Awards.
  • Jim Prevor has suddenly passed away from heart failure after being stricken by a heart attack and stroke. On this earth for merely 61 years, Jim was a force of boundless energy and enthusiasm for the perishable food and fresh produce industry in which he was born and carried a rich family legacy. Jim is survived by his wife Debbie, sons William and Matthew, and loving extended family and friends. Founder of PRODUCE BUSINESS magazine in 1985, just a couple years after his education at Cornell University, Jim saw the need for a publication to inform and educate the buying segments of the fruit and vegetable industry.
Zimfo Bytes

Precision Ag News 11/11

Carrie Muehling

  • First announced at the company’s annual Winter Conference in January, Precision Planting LLC’s new sprayer technology, ReClaim, is now available for purchase. ReClaim, which is focused on improving sprayer operation and environmental safety, completed beta testing this spring and summer.
  • American Farmland Trust released its updated CaRPE Tool™ and the first of a series of briefs to help states estimate greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction opportunities from the implementation of climate-smart cropland and grazing land management practices. The tool and state-specific briefs, which summarize the carbon benefits of climate-smart practices and provide state and federal policy recommendations to increase their adoption, are now available. These briefs are designed to help policy makers and land managers prioritize efforts for cost-effective climate benefits available from the agricultural sector.
  • To help farmers and retailers better prepare for success while using the Enlist® weed control system during the upcoming growing season, Corteva Agriscience is once again hosting monthly webinars through March 2023. Monthly applicator and special series webinars are now open for registration, and continuing education credits will be awarded to qualifying participants.
  • The Sustainability Consortium reportedthat between 2016 to 2021, The Sustainability Insight System (THESIS) assessments of product manufacturers have improved 48% overall. This is an indication that the systems and processes put in place to respond to 600+ THESIS product category assessments are creating positive changes in manufacturers’ practices and supply chains, leading to an overall improvement in scores. In their 2022 Impact Report, The Power of Science-Based Action, TSC details the reasons behind some of the uptick of both retailers and suppliers making science-based commitments to sustainability.
  • Two more leading agronomic professionals have joined Meristem Crop Performance, one of the fastest-growing crop input suppliers in America. Cameron Edwards will serve farm businesses in Ohio as sales representative and Mason Troendle becomes sales representative serving farm operations in Iowa.
  • NuCicer announces the closure of an additional seed investment round. The funding, led by Leaps by Bayer, the impact investing arm of Bayer AG, alongside Lever VC, Blue Horizon, and Trellis Road follows an earlier investment round led by Lever VC in October 2021. It will allow NuCicer to scale production of its first-generation chickpea varieties with 75 percent higher protein content, targeting to reduce chickpea protein ingredient costs by 50 percent, and expand existing work with downstream partners and customers to bring affordable, sustainable plant proteins to end-consumers in 2023.
  • Golden Harvest released new corn hybrid performance data and agronomic management recommendations to help farmers make plans to increase corn yield potential next year. With elite corn genetics and proactive strategies to manage soil fertility and corn rootworm pressure, farmers can lay the foundation now for a successful 2023 season.
  • The American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America have launched a new online site called Decode 6, which provides free educational resources in carbon and ecosystem services for people in the agricultural and environmental sectors. Decode 6 is the source for unbiased, science-based information to evaluate today’s opportunities in carbon and ecosystem services practices and markets.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Onward to the AgGateway Annual Meeting

Chuck Zimmerman

2022 Ag Gateway Annual MeetingI’ll be on the agriblogging highway this weekend for the AgGateway Annual Meeting. This will be my first time attendance and I’m looking forward to seeing members I know and meeting news ones. There is a very full agenda of technical sessions and more discussions of industry standards and guidelines. The standards were discussed at the mid-year meeting by committee and this meeting will include ideas coming out of that effort and others that have come up since then.

It’s kind of like an agnerd convention when you consider the types of technical sessions on topics like data linking, irrigation standards, laboratory data, crop protection, retail, traceability and more. My goal is to interview participants on these topics and issues and hopefully in terms that are easy to understand. I’m going to start using #AgGateway2022 as a hashtag unless someone has an objection.

Learn more about what the meeting is all about in this interview Cindy did with AgGateway EVP/COO, Jeremy Wilson:
AgGateway annual conference preview 13:47

Ag Groups, AgGateway, Audio, Crop Protection, data, Irrigation, Nutrient Management, Precision Agriculture, Technology