US Identity Preserved Brand Introduced in Vietnam

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Identity Preserved brand is now officially a global entity with its introduction this week at an event in Vietnam.

The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) met with buyers and food producers in Saigon to introduce the new international mark designating premium crops with verifiable origins and superior products from the U.S.

“(SSGA) is here today to announce a significant certification advancement for food manufacturers to consider when purchasing ingredients for their products,” Executive Director Eric Wenberg said during a livestreamed event from the Saigon Sheraton Hotel & Towers. “We are excited to make this first official announcement in Vietnam because this is an important and growing market for high-quality foods that require high-quality ingredients.”

The U.S. Identity Preserved quality assurance plan and brand mark symbolizes a landmark advancement in the verification of trust, traceability and value for food manufacturers, processors and exporters. Since the brand was unveiled to an American audience in December 2021, a dozen U.S. companies have joined the program and are using the mark – with several more companies currently going through the application and qualification process.

Listen to comments from the event:
Eric Wenberg, executive director, SSGA;
Shane Frederick, manager of strategic programs, SSGA;
Hathairat Prachayaphiphat, Green Spot Co., Thailand;
Todd Sinner, partner, SB&B Foods (North Dakota processor/food ingredients company)
David Williams, (Michigan farmer and United Soybean Board director)

SSGA US Identity Preserved Vietnam 19:26

Audio, Exports, Food, Grains, International, Soybean

Research Reveals Farmer Concerns About Carbon Markets

Cindy Zimmerman

Are farmers ready for carbon markets – or not?

That was the question that Farm Journal’s Trust In Food™ set out to answer in its inaugural “Ready or Not? Ag Carbon Markets and U.S. Farmers” report, highlighting perspectives from 500 U.S. row crop producers on pathways and barriers to participating in carbon ecosystems.

The answer? “Not quite yet,” according to Amy Skoczlas Cole, executive vice president of Trust In Food. “Our initial findings suggest that even the most carbon-curious farmers are signaling that their participation under current market conditions would require prohibitive investments of time, effort and resources without fair financial and market returns,” she said. And that is something everyone in the carbon market value chain should take very seriously with so much being staked on it as a critical tool for addressing climate change.

The majority of farmers surveyed report serious concern about overcoming technical and financial roadblocks to success in carbon markets. In addition to more fundamental warning signs, producers fear that costs will outweigh benefits; that ongoing compliance will require too high a burden; that existing conservation ag practices will not be compensated fairly; that data will not be handled appropriately or will be difficult to collect; or that upfront investments will be a barrier to entry. More than half of farmers surveyed labeled each respective concern a “significant” challenge to carbon market entry.

Learn more in this interview with Cole and read the full report.
Interview with Amy Skoczlas Cole, Trust In Food 20:09

carbon, Farm Journal, Farming

Animal Ag News 11/1

Carrie Muehling

  • For more than three decades cattle producers have simplified their recordkeeping with a handy pocket-sized booklet from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The 2023 version of the Redbook is now available to help cattle producers effectively and efficiently record their daily production efforts, which can help enhance profitability and reduce stress levels.
  • The National Pork Producers Council has appointed Kelly Cushman as its new vice president of domestic policy. In this newly created position, Cushman will oversee U.S. government engagement, advocacy and lobbying efforts on behalf of the U.S. pork industry.
  • National Milk Producers Federation leadership unanimously endorsed a proposal to modernize the Federal Milk Marketing Order milk-pricing system at its annual meeting in Denver.
  • Ralco has announced that the Jon Knochenmus Center for Innovation is fully operational with its first research studies being conducted. Ralco purchased this 13.6-acre site in fall 2020 which now includes a swine research barn, poultry research barn, ruminant lab, radio frequency gas production system, mycotoxin testing and particle size analysis services for Ralco customers.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announces the four finalists in the 10th annual National Anthem Singing Contest, sponsored by Norbrook®. The winner receives a trip to the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans to perform the “Star-Spangled Banner” at the Opening General Session on Feb. 1 as well as during the evening event on Feb. 3. Videos of the finalists will be available for viewing and voting at https://convention.ncba.org beginning Nov. 1. The public can vote for their favorite singer once per day per person through Nov. 15, and the winner will be announced Nov. 18, 2022.
  • World Ag Expo seminars are included with the price of admission and feature experts in global agriculture. In 2023, four sessions from the University of California will focus on Dairy and Livestock with speakers coming from the Extension system and the CLEAR Center at UC Davis.
  • The Dairy Innovation Hub will hold its third annual Dairy Summit conference on November 16, hosted by UW–River Falls. Formatted for a general audience, the Summit features the Hub’s newest projects. Anyone unable to attend in person can participate through a live virtual option. Sessions will also be recorded and posted to YouTube.
  • In a strong show of support for healthy nutrition incentive programs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a significant expansion of the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives Projects, a pilot program that provides a dollar-for-dollar match to participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) when they purchase healthy fluid milk options at qualifying food retail outlets.
  • The dairy checkoff has awarded 12 academic scholarships to students enrolled in programs that emphasize dairy and who have shown potential to become future dairy leaders. The National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, through Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff, annually awards $2,500 scholarships to 11 students. In addition, the NDB awards a $3,500 James H. Loper Jr. Memorial Scholarship to one outstanding scholarship recipient.
  • Royal DSM, the global purpose-led science-based company, has announced the update of its OVN Optimum Vitamin Nutrition guidelines to deliver sustainable farming practices. OVN, produced with a low environmental footprint, improves animal health and welfare by providing animals with high-quality vitamins in the optimal amount.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

AMVAC® Partners with NewLeaf Symbiotics® for Biologicals

Cindy Zimmerman

AMVAC®, an American Vanguard® Company, is partnering with St. Louis-based NewLeaf Symbiotics® to bring new and existing biologicals solutions to North American crop markets beginning in 2023.

This collaboration will harness the complementary marketing and technical strengths of each partner to expand the application of existing products and advance the development of future products utilizing the combined technical resources of both companies. The partnership also will expand and accelerate AMVAC’s growing GreenSolutions™ biological portfolio and facilitate NewLeaf Symbiotics’ objective of securing wider market penetration.

AMVAC leverages its deep market access, its strong sales teams in U.S. crop markets, and its growing portfolio of GreenSolutions™ biologicals. In the U.S., AMVAC’s GreenSolutions recently passed the 1.2-million-acre mark for application, a milestone for the company. AMVAC previously has announced biologicals-related partnerships with 3Bar Biologics, BASF, and Azotic North America.

NewLeaf Symbiotics brings to the partnership its proprietary microbial library, continued research and development capability, and its current product offering including PPFMs – pink pigmented facultative methylotrophs – which are naturally occurring beneficial microbes that deliver a range of benefits to crops throughout the entire growing season. Leading this new class of ag biologicals is NewLeaf Symbiotics’ Terrasym® microbial inoculants, which can make crops stronger, more resilient, and more tolerant of abiotic stress throughout their life cycle.

AMVAC, Biologicals

Industry Ag News 10/28

Carrie Muehling

  • American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) announces the hiring of Dr. Samuel Crowell as the association’s new Senior Director, International Programs and Policy. In this role, Crowell is responsible for managing and implementing the association’s international programs and trade policy.
  • Brownfield Ag News is pleased to announce Carah Hart has joined the Brownfield team as Anchor/Reporter based in Mid-Missouri. A Missouri native, Carah graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism in 2012. She interned with Brownfield while attending Mizzou and most recently worked for Red River Farm Network since 2015.
  • On Nov. 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) will hold a special event to launch the U.S. Identity Preserved brand internationally and build global awareness of the assurance plan that ensures the high quality that comes from the U.S. system. The international launch is co-sponsored by the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, Wisconsin Marketing Board and Vinamilk, Vietnam’s largest dairy company.
  • Online registration and housing for the 2023 Commodity Classic will open on November 15, 2022. America’s largest farmer-led agricultural and educational experience will be held Thursday, March 9 through Saturday, March 11 in Orlando.
  • Syngenta Group announced strong financial results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2022. Syngenta Crop Protection sales grew 27 percent to $12.6 billion with North America up 17 percent; Syngenta Seeds sales grew 14 percent to $3.2 billion while North America grew 13 percent in seed sales.
  • To support the education of today’s youth as they grow into the ag leaders of tomorrow, National Corn Growers Association invites eligible students to apply for the 2023 Scholarship Programs.
Zimfo Bytes

Six Companies Compete in AgLaunch Livestock Challenge

Cindy Zimmerman

AgLaunch is hosting six livestock agtech start-ups this week solving on-farm issues for the 2022 AgLaunch365 Livestock Challenge to select up to five teams that will move forward in the AgLaunch365 Accelerator that include on-farm trials with AgLaunch Farmer Network members.

Selected teams will participate in a 12-week accelerator with opportunities to showcase at the Farm Journal Top Producer Summit in Nashville, TN and the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show in Memphis, TN. They will also be able to deploy on-farm trials with AgLaunch farmers. During these trials, AgLaunch Farmers work hand-in-hand with start-ups to trial, provide feedback, share data, and ultimately aid in the success of the company.

One of the teams participating is AgButler, a digital marketplace, bringing the gig economy to agriculture by connecting farmers and ranchers with high-quality laborers in rural communities through its online application. AgButler is addressing the growing labor challenges across rural America and was developed by Kevin and Jamie Johansen, and the team now includes Kevin’s brother Dustin Johansen.

Other teams in the Livestock Challenge:
ECOW: helps dairy farmers increase milk yield, profitability and decrease methane emissions by using insights and an internal sensor.
GenoTwin: revolutionizing biosurveillance and sustainability for livestock with advanced omics insights into infectious diseases.
Motion Grazer AI: developing an inexpensive and effective method to use camera, computer and proprietary algorithms to quantitatively evaluate animal gait, posture and condition. With an initial focus on breeding swine, real-time health data and productivity predictions for individual animals is provided.
ReproHealth Technologies: uses Embryology and Engineering to create devices to improve cattle production. Our patented intravaginal embryo culture device creates embryos in the cow, rather than the lab, and brings the ‘Lab to the Farm.’
Tracker Sled: developed patent-pending SunFarmor™ modules to stabilize farmers’ and ranchers’ energy and fertilizer costs while affording a path to carbon-free farming, increased profits, and rural economic renewal.

Livestock, Technology

Hunting with a Can-Am Defender

Chuck Zimmerman

Can-Am Defender HD10 It’s a new season, deer season that is. The founders of the Crystal Pig Hunt Club have been hunting together continuously for over 30 years. We’ve used a wide variety of vehicles to work on the property and camps to get ready each year as well as getting to our stands and bringing our harvest back to camp. That’s what we have put this loaner from Can-Am to work with on opening weekend of deer season.

It was a very successful hunt. We harvested three does and two bucks between the five of us who were able to be there last weekend. We’ll be back soon though since the annual rut for deer is at its peak during the first couple weeks of November.

The Can-Am Defender made the whole experience even more enjoyable. This unit has a cab with ac/heat, automatic windows and more great features. I’ll be writing about our experience on AgWired soon. Thank you Can-Am.

Here’s how the Defender looks in the woods: 2022 Hunting with a Can-Am Photo Album

Can-Am, Hunting

Precision Ag News 10/26

Carrie Muehling

  • New third-party proprietary data shows that NK Seeds is the nation’s fastest-growing seed brand for the period of 2019-2022. The brand attributes this rapid growth to its ongoing, significant investments in R&D and product innovation, which are helping NK continue to earn farmers’ acres.
  • The German American Business Awards announced this year’s winner of “The Coolest German Thing Made in the USA” – presented by Comcast – was CLAAS and their fourth-generation LEXION 8000-7000 combine.
  • Total Acre has formed a strategic partnership with Sound Agriculture to empower growers to optimize crop nutrient usage, maximize return on investment and pro-actively promote climate-smart commodities, aiming to reduce nitrogen usage by 10 million pounds.
  • Rob-See-Co, an independent seed company located in Elkhorn, Neb. acquired Federal Hybrids, an Iowa-based seed company. This acquisition positions Rob-See-Co as the 14th largest corn seed company in the United States.
  • The National Wheat Yield Contest (NWYC) is announcing the winners for the 2022 contest, which is the seventh year the National Wheat Foundation has held the contest. This year we had a contest record yield of 231.37 bushels per acre that was achieved by Rylee Reynolds in Twin Falls County, Idaho. Rylee’s 231 bu/ac tops the prior contest record of 211 bu/ac in 2019. Rylee and his dad, Gary, both placed as National Winners in the winter wheat irrigated category. Additionally, the Pacific Northwest (PNW) had some great wheat this year; all 4 of the Bin Buster winners are from the PNW.
  • Nitricity, the agtech startup revolutionizing nitrogen fertilizer production, announced the close of its Series A investment capital raise at $20 million. This fundraising round was led by Khosla Ventures and Fine Structure Ventures with additional participation from Energy Impact Partners, Lowercarbon Capital, and MCJ Collective. Nitricity electrifies and distributes the production of nitrogen fertilizer. The Nitricity approach uses a new technology for regionalized nutrient production using low-cost solar or wind. This marks a major difference from the existing nitrogen supply chain, which is highly centralized and uses fossil fuels and costly transportation.
  • AgTrax, a software company for accounting and advanced grain bin management, was honored to host Kansas Governor Laura Kelly & Kansas Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Beamat its downtown Hutchinson, Kan. headquarters recently for talks on ‘Agriculture & Economic Development in Central Kansas.’ The company is the fastest-growing software developer of its kind and was named the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce 2021 Business of the Year.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Animal Ag News 10/24

Carrie Muehling

  • A nutrition expert, an innovative dairy farmer and a global food-security leader shared how animal agriculture and dairy can be part of world climate and hunger solutions in a panel discussion side event at the World Food Prize. The panel also discussed the upcoming U.S. hosting of the 2023 International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit in Chicago, the world’s biggest global dairy conference.
  • PIC and the National Pork Board announced they are teaming up to develop a framework that will demonstrate the critical role genetics play in creating a more sustainable protein supply.
  • With ranchers continuing to produce high-quality beef at notable marks and consumer demand staying strong, Certified Angus Beef closed its books on the second-highest sales year of record.
  • Boehringer Ingelheim announced the launch of its proprietary barn monitoring technology, SoundTalks®, which offers swine producers a new tool to detect and respond to respiratory disease up to five days earlier than conventional methods.1 Early detection with SOUNDTALKS has been shown to lead to earlier treatment and recovery, resulting in improved productivity and reduced costs.
  • Make plans to attend the 30th annual Cattlemen’s College, sponsored by Zoetis, which precedes the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, Feb. 1-3, in New Orleans. This premier education experience draws more than 1,000 attendees every year, and includes two days of learning, idea sharing and networking.
  • Laton, CA dairy farmer Melvin Medeiros, a family farm-owner of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), was named the National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) Farmer Communicator of the Year at the organization’s annual gathering of dairy-cooperative communicators. Tillamook earned top overall communications honors among NMPF member co-ops.
  • Wayne-Sanderson Farms’ senior vice president and general manager of retail, Bob “Pic” Billingsley, has been inducted into the Mississippi Poultry Association’s Hall of Fame during the association’s 85th annual convention. With this induction, Billingsley becomes the 36th member of the Mississippi Poultry Hall of Fame, which is comprised of individuals who contributed to the growth of the poultry industry as the state’s largest agricultural commodity.
  • The “butter board” food craze that has become a viral sensation is rooted in dairy checkoff strategy. Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) assembled a “Dairy Dream Team” consisting of chefs, recipe developers, “foodies,” gamers and lifestyle influencers who have a combined 25 million social media followers. They are joined by another 100-plus influencers who work with state and regional checkoff teams and are tasked with presenting unique recipes and ways dairy can be enjoyed by consumers, particularly Gen Z (ages 9 to 24). A TikTok video featuring steps to create a butter board has generated millions of views and coverage from some of the country’s largest news and entertainment outlets, including Good Morning America, New York Times, CNN and Bon Appetit.
  • With rising costs eroding dairy margins despite high farm milk prices, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is urging farmers to sign up for maximum 2023 coverage under USDA’s Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program, an important component of federal dairy risk-management programs supported by NMPF. USDA has announced that DMC signup is open, with a deadline of Dec. 7.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

CSS & Seed Expo 2022 Says Farewell Chicago

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is saying “Farewell Chicago” after CSS & Seed Expo 2022 is held this December 5-8. After 77 years of holding this event in Chicago, and specifically, 45 years at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 2022 will be the last year that this historic event will be held in that location before it moves to the Hyatt Regency Orlando in 2023.

ASTA President and CEO Andy LaVigne says it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to the Windy City. “There’s two towers in the Hyatt that we use there, we moved in when the first tower was just built,” said LaVigne.

To honor this long legacy, and particularly companies that have been participating in the conference for many years, ASTA will host a special “Legacy Walk.” ASTA is also asking for all previous attendees to send along their stories, memories and photos for a special archive collection that’s being created for presentation during the event. Memories and Legacy Walk sponsorships must be sent in by November 1.

The program this year is packed with important sessions on timely topics. Dan Basse will once again provide his annual Agricultural Economy Report during the first general session on Tuesday, and the final sessions on Thursday include a look at the Global Foresight for agriculture, conservation and foreign policy with former United Nations Ambassador and Indiana farmer Kip Tom, as well as a session on the Political Lay of the Land going into a very busy 2023. “Trying to look at the farm bill as we go forward,” said LaVigne. “We’ve got a midterm election that’s going to impact who’s on the Senate and House ag committees…in the Inflation Reduction Act we’ve got significant money in conservation programs, how does that carry over to the farm bill?”

Learn more about what’s in store for the final CSS & Seed Expo in Chicago in this interview with LaVigne.
ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne previews CSS & Seed Expo 9:58

ASTA, Audio, Seed