Valent Receives EPA Registration for Maverick™ Corn Herbicide

Chuck Zimmerman

ValentThis morning Valent announced that it has received EPA registration for Maverick™ Corn Herbicide, a powerful new tool for corn farmers in their fight against resistant weeds.

Maverick equips growers with three effective modes of action for long-lasting, broad-spectrum control of problematic weeds, including waterhemp, Palmer amaranth, marestail and annual grasses, as well as application flexibility from preplant up to 18-inch corn, low use rates for easy in-field handling and mixing, and excellent compatibility with atrazine.

Erick Garcia“Maverick provides use options that increase operational efficiencies and in-field performance,” says Erick Garcia, Maverick brand manager for Valent U.S.A. “Not only do the three modes of action make it a broad spectrum, long-lasting solution, Maverick also provides growers the operational flexibility they need to make the most of their weed management program.”

I interview Erick during the Ag Media Summit in Raleigh, NC to learn more about this new product. You can listen to the interview here: Interview with Erick Garcia (2:58)

You can find more on the Valent website. Erick is now the newest member of the Golden ZimmComm Mic Club!

Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Audio, Herbicide

Last Day of 2022 Ag Media Summit

Chuck Zimmerman

2022 Ag Media SummitThis is the big final day of the Ag Media Summit. Things have started out with a Newsmakers Panel on sustainability, climate change and regenerative ag. I’m recording it and the audio will be in our virtual ag newsroom on AgNewsWire.

I have a number of InfoExpo exhibitor interviews and have more to do today. These will all be in the newsroom within the next day or so as time and travel allow. And, finally I have over 300 photos in the AMS photo album so far. But today we have different sessions, organizational meeting, awards and a final banquet with more awards. So a lot more photos today.

I also got to do a Facebook Live interview yesterday with Heather Gieseke, Indigo Ag, one of the AMS sponsors. We talked about the company’s Carbon by Indigo program. It was fun and I got to use my new wireless lav mic kit from DJI. More to come on that from this agnerd.


Ag Media Summit, Audio, Video

Agri-Pulse Welcomes Newsmakers Producer

Cindy Zimmerman

Agri-Pulse Communications is proud to announce the addition of Andrew Huneke as producer of Agri-Pulse Newsmakers, a weekly news program designed to take its audience to the heart of ag policy with members of Congress, administration officials and industry leaders. Huneke will play a central role in scheduling guests, developing graphics, producing all aspects of the show, and interacting with the nation’s agricultural community.

“We’re very excited with the reception Agri-Pulse Newsmakers has received since launching in February, and now is the perfect time to fuel even more growth by bringing Andrew on board,” said Agri-Pulse Founder and President Sara Wyant. “Andrew brings the experience, energy, and passion for broadcast journalism that we were looking for to bring the show to new heights.”

Huneke has a variety of experiences in TV production, including as a news and sports producer at WBFF-TV in Baltimore and as a writer and producer with WTTG-TV in Washington, D.C. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electronic media and film from Towson University and an associate degree in mass communication from Harford Community College.

“I love bringing stories to light and helping viewers understand complex issues, and I can’t wait to bring the skills I’ve developed to the team at Agri-Pulse,” Huneke said. “Newsmakers is off to a great start, and I look forward to working with the rest of the team.”

Agri-Pulse, Media

Animal Ag News 7/18

Carrie Muehling

  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture, is hosting a two-day webinar symposium to address concerns regarding the Asian Longhorned Tick and the pest’s possible impact on the U.S. cattle industry. The free virtual event will be held Aug. 23-24 from noon to 3:45pm (Eastern) each day.
  • Chairman David Scott announced that he will be introducing legislation to help small family farmers and ranchers and address the national crisis in our nation’s beef supply chain.
  • May pork export value equated to $65.27 per head slaughtered, down 23% from a year ago but the highest monthly average since July 2021. U.S. pork exports are still below year-ago levels, primarily due to a continued decrease in exports to China and Hong Kong. However, exports to Central America, Latin America and the Caribbean continue to grow. Click here for a comprehensive overview of key U.S. pork markets.
  • Alltech has proudly continued its commitment to supporting the Poultry Science Association (PSA) and student research, celebrating the 22nd anniversary of the Alltech Student Research Manuscript Award. This year’s award recipient was Sarah Struthers from Canada, who is currently in her third year of working toward obtaining a Ph.D. in genetics and genomics at The Roslin Institute, the University of Edinburgh and Scotland’s Rural College. Struthers is a two-time recipient, as she also received the award in 2020.
  • Superior Livestock Auction and Zoetis are collaborating to offer BLOCKYARD™ technology to cattle producers, providing a central, consistent digital source of information for every animal. For cattle buyers and sellers, that means an easy way to access and share cattle records in real time.
  • A team of Utah State University students majoring in food science answered the challenge of developing a dairy-based product for “gamers” during National Dairy Council’s New Product Competition. Students Nathan Pougher, Melissa Marsh, Chandler Stafford and Mackenzie Taylor defeated teams from Iowa State University and California State Polytechnic University-Pomona with its Moba Boba energy drink, which is 92-pecent dairy. The students earned the first-place prize of $8,000 and were recognized at this week’s Institute of Food Technologists’ FIRST (Food Improved by Research, Science and Technology) conference in Chicago.
  • The National Pork Producers Council released a new economic report highlighting how America’s pig farmers are significant contributors to the United States’ agricultural and overall economy. The report highlights pork industry value chain contributions and growth over the past five years.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

2022 Ag Media Summit Begins

Chuck Zimmerman

2022 Ag Media SummitIt is day one of the main activities for the Ag Media Summit in Raleigh, NC this year. On the weekend there were Saturday tours and on Sunday the board meetings took place for the Ag Communicators Network and Livestock Publications Council. The picture is the LPC on a break in their work.

Last evening the Famous Welcome Party featured a golf theme and lots of green since it was sponsored by John Deere. Today the opening general session will start out before professional improvement sessions take place throughout the day until the opening of the InfoExpo exhibit hall at the end of the afternoon.

I’m taking photos and will recording interviews throughout the rest of the conference and you can find the virtual newsroom we have set up for it on AgNewsWire.com.

2022 AMS Photo Album

ACN, Ag Media Summit, Audio, LPC, Media

Industry Ag News 7/15

Carrie Muehling

  • An integral part of the oversight and review process of the 2018 Farm Bill and further preparation for the 2023 Farm Bill is getting direct input from producers, stakeholders, and consumers on how various farm bill programs are working for them. House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott and Ranking Member Glenn “GT” Thompson are offering the opportunity for members of the public to submit their feedback and ideas for the 2023 Farm Bill through an online form available here.
  • You are invited to a joint cocktail reception hosted by NAMA & NAFB at Ag Media Summit in Raleigh on Monday, July 18, from 9-11 p.m. at the Rye Bar Private Room, Marriott City Center. All are welcome. Feel free to bring a prospective member or guest. No cost or registration necessary.
  • MachineryPete.com announces that Machinery Pete Auctions, its online auction marketplace for selling and buying used farm equipment, has added an agriculture tire and wheel segment to its monthly online auctions in partnership with Dawson Tire & Wheel.
  • Michael Torrey Associates welcomes Katie Naessens to the policy team. The Washington, D.C.-based firm offers effective government relations, strategic communications and issue advocacy as well as full-service association management to a growing number of clients in the food, agriculture, and forestry sector.
  • National Corn Growers Association President Chris Edgington presented the organization’s prestigious President’s Award to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) during the group’s Corn Congress meeting in Washington, D.C.
  • Delegates attending the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Congress, which was held in Washington D.C., elected five farmers to serve on the organization’s Corn Board. Taking office on Oct. 1, the start of NCGA’s 2023 fiscal year, are new board members Matt Frostic of Michigan and J.R. Roesner of Indiana.
  • Kentucky Venues welcomed Jacky Eshelby as the new Executive Director of Expositions. This position was created to oversee the planning, execution and growth of signature events at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Kentucky Venues owns and operates numerous in-house agriculture-focused events including the Kentucky State Fair, World’s Championship Horse Show, North American International Livestock Exposition, North American Championship Rodeo, National Farm Machinery Show and Championship Tractor Pull.
  • Western Growers will honor California agricultural icon John Harris with the 2022 Award of Honor. The Award of Honor is Western Growers’ highest recognition of achievement and is given to individuals who have contributed extensively to the agricultural community. With more than 50 years’ experience in ranching, farming, hospitality and thoroughbred horse racing, Harris embodies the diversity of California agribusiness. The Harris Farms Group includes Harris Fresh and the Harris Farms Thoroughbred Division, in addition to the landmark property known to all Californians on the I-5.
  • The Georgia Peanut Commission is hosting a photo contest until Oct. 1, 2022, featuring peanut farm families to fill the pages of the 2023 Georgia Peanut Calendar. Photos will also be selected to be used in various promotional projects by GPC throughout the year. Farmers from across Georgia are encouraged to submit their best high-resolution photo of their family on the peanut farm throughout the growing season. Winning entries will be selected for each month of the calendar, as well as the cover page.
Zimfo Bytes

Verdesian Adds to Peanut Farmers’ Plant Health Options

Cindy Zimmerman

“The Nutrient Use Efficiency People™” at Verdesian Life Sciences are delivering a plant health lineup for peanut farmers with the addition of Primacy ALPHA®, MicroSync®, and SEED+™ GRAPHITE to their peanut product portfolio of offerings.

The three products complement the peanut industry staple, Primo Power CL, a standard production protocol for peanut growers and researchers, which is always supplied as fresh product every year to ensure rhizobia counts are healthy and ready to go to work when the product reaches the soil furrow. In addition, improved stand counts through better inoculation and multiple selected optimized strains of rhizobia with a concentration of more than 4.5 billion colony forming units bolster plant vigor throughout the growing season.

Primacy ALPHA® is a new product for peanut growers that offers the flexibility of foliar- or soil-applied application and works inside the plant to stimulate the efficient assimilation and utilization of nutrients. The increased plant metabolism and subsequent plant growth creates a healthier and more resilient plant, able to better withstand environmental stressors, pests and disease without any of the phosphite residue risks.

“Primacy ALPHA is a great substitute for those disease prevention products that create phosphite residue,” says Larry Stauber, Verdesian Technical Development Manager. “It can get a peanut plant healthy and keep it healthy to fight off leaf spots that are relentless in peanut crops without the phosphite residue.”

Also new for peanut growers in 2022, MicroSync packs the early-season micronutrient nutrition young peanut plants need to thrive. The custom blending and uniform granule size ensures the product spreads easily and uniformly with other macronutrient applications. The long-term, slow residual allows the product to feed both a crop and the bacteria that help a crop to thrive, ensuring micronutrients are present when the crop needs them most. And with eight different micronutrient packages, the application can be customized to address almost any soil test.

Rounding out the lineup is SEED+ GRAPHITE, a trifecta of performance and utility that combines soil microbiology support, a micronutrient package and talc graphite in a convenient and easy-to-use application that every farmer needs.

Verdesian will be at the upcoming Southern Peanut Growers Conference, July 21-23 in Panama City Beach, Florida where growers are encouraged to stop by their booth and enter to win a YETI cooler, complete with all of the necessities to make it through the summer. Verdesian is proud to sponsor the SPGC opening welcome reception on July 21.

Nutrient Management, Peanuts, Soil, SPGC

Precision Ag News 7/13

Carrie Muehling

  • USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) announced an expansion of the list of counties that are eligible for double crop coverage under crop insurance. Coverage will be expanded or streamlined in over 1,500 counties to double crop soybeans and sorghum behind wheat. RMA is also working with the crop insurance industry and farm organizations to help streamline and improve the written agreements for farmers that are outside the areas where coverage has been expanded. The announcement comes as part of the Administration’s efforts to support U.S. farmers during the volatility caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
  • The Soil Health Institute announced five strategic goals it is pursuing to address climate change, regenerative agriculture, water resources, farmer empowerment, and consumer demand + policy.
  • Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the leading yield-robber of the soybean crop in North America, causing more than $1.5 billion in losses annually. The good news is soybean farmers can actively manage SCN to protect yield potential. To bring attention to the importance of active SCN management, The SCN Coalition and Valent have joined forces to encourage soybean farmers to check for SCN females attached to roots during the growing season. Watch this video to learn how to check roots.
  • Randy Dowdy and David Hula, world record holders for corn and soybean yields, are proud to announce their nationwide farming program’s rebrand to Total Acre. Formerly called Next Level, Total Acre is a 3-year program where hundreds of progressive growers learn from two of the most successful farmers in the world. The program is in its 5th year and is aimed at helping farmers achieve higher yields and enhanced ROI.
  • Great Lakes Grain announced the 13th annual Great Lakes Grain Crop Assessment Tour scheduled for August 29 to September 9, 2022. Throughout the tour, Great Lakes Grain staff and partners from AGRIS Co-operative, FS PARTNERS and Coop Embrun will scout corn and soybean fields with farmers who sign up for the tour. The team will conduct yield estimates, gauge crop progress and evaluate the overall health of Ontario corn and soybean crops.
  • U.S. and Canadian ag tractor monthly unit sales in June 2022 fell, while harvester sales grew in both countries, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. U.S. total farm tractor sales fell 8.2 percent for the month of June compared to 2021, while U.S. self-propelled combine sales for the month grew 25.3 percent to 629 units sold. The 100+ horsepower 2WD tractor segment was the only one in the black for the fourth month in a row, up 9.6 percent, indicating continued demand in row-crop agriculture.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Yield10 Bioscience Renames Canadian Subsidiary

Cindy Zimmerman

Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:YTEN), an agricultural bioscience company, today announced a name change for its Canadian subsidiary to Yield10 Oilseeds Inc. from Metabolix Oilseeds. Yield10 Bioscience is focused on innovation in oilseed crops to develop crop-based solutions to address global food security, climate change and plastic waste in the environment.

Yield10 Oilseeds was founded in 2010 and is based in Saskatoon, a city in the Saskatchewan province of Canada. This site, consisting of R&D labs and commercial greenhouse space, serves as Yield10 Bioscience’s Oilseeds Center of Excellence. Yield10 Oilseeds in Saskatoon is primarily responsible for the development and field testing of new commercial varieties of Camelina incorporating input traits such as herbicide tolerance, performance traits such as high oil content and new seed product traits such as PHA Bioplastics.

“By rebranding our Canadian subsidiary to Yield10 Oilseeds Inc. we are unifying our business under the Yield10 brand,” said Oliver Peoples, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Yield10 Bioscience. “We are taking this step now as we are placing an emphasis within our business on grower outreach and engagement to begin ramping up Camelina acres for the production of feedstock oil targeting the biofuels market and protein meal for animal feed. As we move forward, the Yield10 Oilseeds brand will signify our commitment to innovation and excellence in oilseed crops as we bring our elite Camelina varieties to market.”

Biofuels, Biotech, Seed, Sustainability

Animal Ag News 7/11

Carrie Muehling

  • The 2021 national winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award Program will be announced at a reception during the Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in Reno, Nevada, July 25-27. Established in 1991 by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the award identifies outstanding land stewards in the cattle industry.
  • At the recent Board of Directors meeting of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), the Board completed the transition of Dennis Rodenbaugh taking the helm as president and chief executive officer, as Richard (Rick) P. Smith officially stepped down on June 30 after 16 years of service. Rodenbaugh joined DFA in 2007 and has held several leadership roles throughout the organization. Most recently, he held the title of executive vice president, council operations, and president, Ingredient Solutions.
  • The National Bison Association (NBA) has announced the 2022 Throlson American Bison Foundation Scholarship, an annual scholarship that supports students pursuing studies related to the American bison. The online scholarship application is available online here and must be submitted by October 1, 2022.
  • The National Milk Producers Federation led eleven national agricultural, anti-hunger, nutrition and medical groups in a virtual listening session urging the White House to place a high priority on access to affordable, diverse and nutritious foods when it holds its Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health this September.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites