ASTA Looks at State/Federal Political Issues

Chuck Zimmerman

The American Seed Trade Association holds a number of general sessions during its annual convention in addition to committee meetings. One of these sessions focused on the issues driving politics in the state and federal arenas. Participating were (l-r) Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey who is currently President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Edward Avalos and Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin, OFW Law Principal and former Representative from South Dakota who served on the House Ag Committee.

To get a glimpse into the discussion that was held after each of the panelists spoke I have posted a segment of their opening remarks for you here:

Listen to Secretary Northey’s comments here: Secretary Northey Comments

Listen to Under Secretary Avalos’s comments here: Under Secretary Avalos Comments

Listen to Stephanie’s comments here: Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin Comments

2012 ASTA Convention Photo Album

Ag Groups, ASTA, Audio

BASF Father and Son Great Growers

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF Great Grower Kip Tom of Indiana and his son Kyle were at the recent BASF Agricultural Solutions Media Summit, so I had the opportunity to get an update on their crops and find out more about them.

“We’re dry, there’s no question about it,” Kip told me. That was two weeks ago and they are still dry. In fact, at least 80 percent of Indiana is considered to be in a moderate drought right now. Kip says they had less than an inch of rain in both April and May.

Kip says they are very strategic in the placement of their varieties by soil type and population. “So we hope we’ve done the best job of positioning across all our fields to produce in optimal conditions, but when we get into a drought or stress condition still can produce a good crop,” he said.

The condition of the crop at Kip’s farm in north central Indiana and around the state has dropped in recent weeks from the dry conditions. “Things can deteriorate pretty fast because we have no subsoil moisture,” he said. This past week, the corn condition in Indiana was rated over 70 percent fair to good, but 24% was rated poor to very poor.

At the BASF event, Kip and his son Kyle participated in a panel that looked at the future of farming and feeding the world. Kyle believes the farmer of the future is going to be more of a businessman with a strong background in math and science. “We use math and science every day – in formulations of chemicals, on spreadsheets, doing accounting – we use those two more than anything else,” he said.

Kyle is a young farmer who has seen a great deal of changes in agriculture just in his lifetime on the farm. “I graduated high school in 1996 and went on to a four year college and when I came back we had just started talking about this GPS, this auto steer,” he said. “With the innovations that we have now, it’s really surpassed my expectations. Looking into the future, we’re looking at things we haven’t even talked about yet.”

Kip and Kyle both are active advocates for agriculture, getting out and talking to community groups and schools about farming, and talking to other farmers about how they can improve their own operations to make them more sustainable and profitable. “Part of the key of sustainability is getting the message out,” said Kip.

Listen to or download my interviews with Kip and Kyle by clicking on the links below:

Kip Tom interview Kyle Tom interview
Audio, BASF, Farming

Swanson Russell Welcomes Jennifer Remsberg

Melissa Sandfort

Swanson Russell announces the addition of Jennifer Remsberg as an account supervisor in the Omaha office. Remsberg’s agribusiness background positions her for supervising current agriculture client account teams and assisting with the agency’s new business development.

Throughout her career, Remsberg has provided strategic leadership for clients in the cattle, equine, swine and insecticide industries. Prior to joining Swanson Russell, Remsberg served as senior brand manager for Sullivan Higdon & Sink in Kansas City, Mo. While there she worked with Merial Animal Health launching Zactran (gamithromycin), for bovine respiratory disease and managing Eprinex, Ivomec, Equioxx and other parasiticides, antibiotics, NSAIDs for the ruminant and equine markets. Remsberg also held account director positions with Bernstein-Rein and VML, Inc. in Kansas City.

A Wichita, Kan., native, Remsberg holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from the University of Kansas-Lawrence. She is a member of American Advertising Federation of Kansas City and the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA). Previously, she served as secretary of the NAMA MoKan Chapter.

Advertising, Agencies, Agribusiness

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Charleston|Orwig announced six talented college students and recent college graduates have joined their team for the 2012 summer as interns: Angela Boesche, Elyse Brigman, Alisha Denomme, Amelia Eichman, Nellie Hill and Jacob Teel.
  • The Conservation Technology Information Center welcomes the organization’s newest Corporate Member, Pioneer Hi-Bred.
  • Osborn Barr welcomes Colleen Ewell and Andrew Naeger as the newest additions to the company’s expanding roster.
  • Hoosier Ag Today is proud to announce the launch of its first mobile app for the iPhone platform.
    Zimfo Bytes

    ASTA Goes National

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The American Seed Trade Association worked hard all day at their 129th Annual Convention. Then it was time to relax a little. Many members did that by traveling by water taxi to Nationals Park on the Anacostia River for a game this evening. You can find photos in the online photo album.

    Tomorrow we get back to work after an early morning Gary Arthur Memorial 5K Fun Run/Walk. Yours truly is going to try to participate. This event is named in honor of Gary Arthur, 2006 ASTA First Vice Chairman “who left this life too soon.”

    I’ve got interviews from today to share still and we’ll have lots more to come from the ASTA convention during the next several days.

    2012 ASTA Convention Photo Album

    Ag Groups, ASTA

    Winners and Losers in the Senate Farm Bill

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Most groups are saying very nice things about passage of the Senate Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 and especially the quick work done by the Senate on the legislation.

    “The bipartisan farm bill approved today by the Senate (S.3240) provides farmers improved risk management tools consistent with Farm Bureau’s core principles,” said American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman.

    “America’s farmers greatly appreciate the leadership and cooperative work by the Senate to pass the 2012 farm bill in a timely manner,” National Corn Growers Association President Garry Niemeyer said. “We would also like to thank Senators Stabenow and Roberts for their bipartisan efforts throughout the process.”

    However, since the bill passed by a vote of 64 to 35, there are at least 35 people who are not real happy with the bill, most of them are southerners and Republicans, like Saxby Chambliss of Georgia. “This bill still lacks the regional balance I have advocated for the past several months,” Chambliss said after voting against it. He and others hope that southerners will get a better deal on the House side. One amendment passed that was especially disconcerting to southern states limits marketing loan gains to $75,000.

    Of the 73 amendments that were considered by the Senate, about 45 were approved, including a couple on non-germane issues like political convention funding. The Senate rejected two dueling amendments that required 60 vote margins pertaining to EPA aerial flyovers of farm operations.

    As the action now moves to the House, committee markup has been scheduled for July 11. If the House can replicate what the Senate did – getting a bill out of committee in 4 ½ hours and get 73 amendments tackled in 2 ½ days – there is still a possibility that a bill could be passed before the current bill expires at the end of September. Anyone want to wager on it?

    AFBF, Farm Bill, NCGA

    NRCS Chief David White Receives ASTA DSA

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The American Seed Trade Association presented their Distinguished Service Award this morning to NRCS Chief David White, pictured on right with ASTA Chairman Mike Gumina. Mike says the award recognizes people who have gone above and beyond or made some special contribution to the industry. He says that in the area of conservation ASTA has had very good success.

    Chief White talking about cost sharing between NRCS and private land owners says, “You can do whatever you want with public lands but the fate of the environment rests in private hands and voluntary incentive-based conservation is where we should be.” He says ASTA members provide 90% of all the seed used in NRCS programs. He ended his comments quoting a question often posed by former Rep. Kika de la Garza, TX, “How long can a nuclear submarine stay under water?” The answer: As long as they have food.

    Listen to Chief White’s comments here: NRCS Chief David White Comment

    2012 ASTA Convention Photo Album

    Ag Groups, ASTA, Audio, Conservation, USDA

    First The Seed Foundation Report

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Do you know about the First The Seed Foundation? Here’s what it’s about.

    First the Seed Foundation (FTSF) is a not-for-profit organization established in 2008 by the American Seed Trade Association, one of the oldest trade associations in America, to inform today’s consumers and tomorrow’s workforce about the importance of the seed industry.

    At the American Seed Trade Association convention we got a report on the foundation from board member Karen Withers. She starts her report explaining what the First The Seed Foundation does. Creating a Seed Career Handbook which has been distributed to over 500,000 students across the country is among the projects conducted by the foundation. Karen says the foundation is looking for Seed Industry Ambassadors. You can find a brochure on the foundation here (pdf).

    Listen to Karen’s report here: First The Seed Foundation Report

    2012 ASTA Convention Photo Album

    Ag Groups, ASTA, Audio, Seed

    Senate Passes Farm Bill

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) calls it not the best possible bill, but “the best bill possible” – the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 passed the Senate this afternoon by a vote of 64 to 35.

    Both Roberts and Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) stressed the bi-partisan cooperation involved in getting the bill crafted and passed. “We got a 16-5 vote out of committee, bipartisan, and we did it in four and a half hours. That set a record,” said Roberts.

    Before the vote was taken, Sen. Stabenow talked about how much the new bill would save the taxpayer. “We have the opportunity to vote on deficit reduction – $23 billion dollars in deficit reduction,” she said.

    Listen to comments from Stabenow and Roberts here: Comments from Senate Floor on Farm Bill

    Audio, Farm Bill

    New Website for Alliance for Potato Research & Education

    Melissa Sandfort

    The Alliance for Potato Research and Education (APRE) is pleased to announce the launch of its new website. APRE, a not-for-profit research and education organization established one year ago today, is 100% dedicated to expanding and translating research into science-based policy and education initiatives on the role of all forms of the potato – a nutritious vegetable – in a well-balanced diet.

    The APRE website is designed as the go-to online resource for all nutrition science related to the potato.

    Visitors will have access to a wealth of regularly updated news and information on the site, including original scientific briefs, a video library featuring potato nutrition advice from registered dietitians, and comprehensive industry and government links. Other features include ongoing updates about APRE’s partnerships with USDA’s MyPlate and the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Kids Eat Right program, a full calendar of scientific and professional conferences, meetings, and more.

    Agribusiness, Potato