Yield10 Bioscience Offers Winter Camelina Contracts

Cindy Zimmerman

Yield10 Bioscience, Inc., an agricultural bioscience company, today announced an open enrollment program for growers for contract production of winter Camelina. Farms located in Montana and Idaho, as well as southern Alberta (Canada) and Saskatchewan (Canada) are eligible to participate in the program.

Winter Camelina Production, Idaho, Spring 2022 (Photo courtesy of Yield10 Bioscience)

One of Yield10’s primary goals is to establish Camelina as a revenue generating winter cover crop that is also a low-carbon source of feedstock oil for use in the growing biofuels market. As a cover crop, Camelina has the potential to help reduce soil erosion, improve soil quality, and reduce nutrient run-off from land that is used for row crop production. Yield10 is developing proprietary varieties of winter Camelina that have been grown in field tests over the last three years.

Yield10 plans to contract with growers this winter for planting high-performing non-regulated winter Camelina as part of an initiative to establish pre-commercial production and offtake relationships in the biofuels market. Yield10 plans to expand the planting acreage going forward, introducing herbicide tolerant Camelina varieties to enable large acreage planting over time and is already field-testing herbicide tolerant Camelina varieties this year to identify lead and back up lines for commercial development and regulatory approval.

Yield10 has outlined a commercialization plan for Camelina as a platform crop to address three markets: Camelina oil for use as a biofuels feedstock oil; Camelina meal for use in animal feed; and longer term, PHA bioplastics produced in Camelina for use as a biodegradable plastic.

For more information on Yield10’s Camelina Opportunities for Growers, please contact Darren Greenfield, Senior Director of Seed Operations, at growers@yield10bio.com

Biofuels, Farming

Animal Ag News 6/21

Cindy Zimmerman

  • The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced new efforts to help prevent the introduction and spread of African swine fever in the U.S. Through an outreach and awareness campaign called “Protect Our Pigs,” APHIS will support commercial pork producers, veterinarians, and pig owners with information and resources to help safeguard America’s swine population and the pork industry.
  • USDA and the checkoff-founded Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to continue working toward the dairy industry’s 2050 environmental stewardship goals while addressing growing consumer demand for food that is produced in a way that’s good for the planet. The MOU, which extends and builds upon a pact originally signed in 2009, will leverage USDA programs to encourage the adoption of economically viable technologies and practices that improve sustainability and assist in addressing environmental needs of U.S. dairy farmers.
  • Mark Barnett of Kentucky-Tennessee Livestock Market, Inc. in Guthrie, Ky., was installed president of the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) at the 2022 LMA Annual Convention & WLAC, held June 8-11. Barnett will complete a two-year term leading the nation’s largest livestock marketing trade association that represents more than 800 local livestock auction markets and allied businesses.
  • The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is pleased to announce the promotion of Maria C. Zieba to vice president of international affairs. She will oversee international trade advocacy efforts on behalf of America’s 60,000 pork producers.
  • Will Epperly, from Dunlap, Iowa, was named the 2022 World Livestock Auctioneer Champion at the 58th annual competition held at Shipshewana Auction & Trading Place, Shipshewana, Ind., and presented by the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA)./li>
  • Four students have joined the Certified Angus Beef Communications team this summer as interns. The four college students are Claudia Adcock from Ohio, Lauren Mosher of Iowa, Daniela Medina and Kindle Catching, both from Texas. The up-and-coming leaders in the beef business will get hands-on experience, networking with professionals and putting their classroom knowledge to work /li>
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Health

Industry Ag News 6/17

Carrie Muehling

  • Syngenta Group announced succession plans for its leadership team. Jeff Rowe, currently President, Global Seeds, will take over the leadership of Syngenta Crop Protection, effective July 1, 2022. His former role will be assumed by Justin Wolfe, currently Regional Director North America Seeds. As members of the Group Leadership Team, the two will report to CEO Erik Fyrwald. Jeff will relocate to Basel, Switzerland; Justin will continue to be based in Downers Grove, Illinois, USA.
  • The National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Board has elected Harold Wolle to become the organization’s next first vice president for the new fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2022. Wolle grows corn and soybeans on his farm in Madelia, Minnesota, with his son, Matt.
  • CONSERV FS is excited to announce a major expansion which will more than double storage capacity and better serve customers in the Rockford, Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, area more efficiently. The groundbreaking for the Caledonia Service Center expansion will happen Thursday June 23rd at 2:30 p.m. The planned updates include a new 6,000-ton dry fertilizer building, crop protection products warehouse, and one-million-gallon bulk liquid fertilizer storage tank.
  • Mitch Van Kampen, a 10-year veteran of Curious Plot and the agency’s chief strategy officer, has been named president and CSO. In his new role, Van Kampen will focus on growth initiatives and long-term strategic direction for the organization, while continuing to provide strategic counsel to clients. He reports to Laurie Fleck, who continues as the agency’s chief executive officer and is responsible for the overall direction and performance of the agency.
  • Women in agriculture from throughout the U.S. recently gathered in Washington, D.C., for the 36th Annual American Agri-Women (AAW) Fly-In to D.C. and the 27th Annual Symposium. After a two-year absence due to COVID restrictions, the group met with elected officials and policymakers to discuss critical issues, including environmental social and governance (ESG), trade and supply chain, land use, taxation, energy and mining, and the 2023 farm bill recommendations.
  • Valent U.S.A. announced several leadership appointments within the company’s Sales and Marketing departments that are effective July 1. Matt Lawrence has been named director of retail strategy, a new role within the Valent sales organization that is focused on providing alignment of commercial strategies and leadership of sales regions. Trey Soud has been appointed director of distribution strategy. BeckyJo Smith has been named associate director of Sustainable Solutions. Jesse Rosales has been named associate director of strategic marketing and sustainability. Joe Short has been promoted to asset management lead.
  • It’s time to send in nominations for NAFB’s three prestigious annual awards. We are starting the 2022 application process earlier again this year to allow all members more time to consider the applicants you deem worthy of these high honors. Click here to submit nominations by Friday, July 1, 2022.
  • American farmland and ranchland are rapidly disappearing, threatening our food security, undermining the agricultural economy, and making us vulnerable to climate shocks. What can be done? That question is at the heart of an upcoming June 29 Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc. webinar, “Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future.” You can sign up for this complimentary one-hour program by clicking on this link.
  • The 2022 Borlaug Dialogue will be conducted in a hybrid format, with virtual and in-person participation in Des Moines, Iowa, on October 18-20, 2022. This year’s theme, Feeding a Fragile World, focuses on overcoming pervasive shocks to the global food system. The triple threat of COVID, Conflict and Climate demands addressing the multiple challenges facing the global food system now and in the future. The event will address scalable solutions for adaptation and mitigation to limit planetary warming to 1.5° C and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Register now.
Zimfo Bytes

ZimmCast 694 – Conversations from AgGateway Meeting

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

Before I start in the program I just have to brag a little. My middle daughter, who has helped Cindy and me in the past by taking photos at a couple of the events we’ve attended, just birthed her first baby, a girl, and she is the cutest thing. We’re, of course, planning to visit as soon as we can.

So this week I got on the agriblogging and podcasting highway to Altoona, Iowa for the AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting. This is the organization’s “roll up your sleeves, working meeting.” There are many topic work groups and discussions. All of which will lead to the agenda for the Annual Meeting later this year.

So, for this episode I’m going to share some of the interviews I conducted. You can find all of them and photos in the virtual newsroom on AgNewsWire.com. Let’s get started.

First up is Brent Kemp, President/CEO, AgGateway; followed by Doug Farrington, BASF, who is Chair of AgGateway; next up is Andres Ferreyra, Syngenta; next is Dennis Daggett, Enterprise Ag Strategies; and finally Jacob Crow, GROWMARK, who serves on the board of AgGateway.

As you have heard during the program, AgGateway has organized itself to be a more global organization and I think we’ll be seeing and hearing a lot more about them in the future. I’ll be on a short break from the road but will be attending the Ag Media Summit next.

I hope you enjoyed this episode and thank you for listening.

Listen to the ZimmCast here:
ZimmCast 694 - Conversations at AgGateway Meeting (27:45)

Want to sponsor the ZimmCast? Just let me know and we can talk through ideas for your company. I’m AgriBlogger on Twitter or just email me at chuck@zimmcomm.biz.

Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

Ag Groups, AgGateway, Agribusiness, Audio, BASF, GROWMARK, Precision Agriculture, Syngenta, Technology, ZimmCast

Lower Food and Fuel Cost Act Passes House

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, a diverse package of initiatives from meat packing plants to year round E15, despite opposition by the majority of Republicans. The final vote was 221-204, with seven Republicans siding with the majority and five Democrats voting against the bill.

The act includes a package of ag-related legislation, including the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act and the Butcher Block Act, focused on meat packing and cattle marketing; the PRECISE Act, aimed at access to precision agriculture technology, legislation to support specialty and row crop farmers facing skyrocketing fertilizer prices, and the Strengthening the Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Act. In addition, it includes the Year-Round Fuel Choice Act to expand voluntary sales of E-15 gasoline and a bill to expand biofuel infrastructure funding.

Debate pitted the leaders of each party on the House Agriculture Committee against each other, with Chairman David Scott blaming his Republican colleagues who he said, “have chosen to politicize this moment and tarnish our bipartisan reputation.”

House Ag Minority Leader Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson led the opposition to the bill because “simply put, this bill does nothing to lower food and fuel costs.” Thompson and most other Republicans mainly objected to the meat packing and cattle marketing portions of the act. “If this were a serious exercise, my Democrat colleagues would not have paired such an egregious example of legislative overreach with several other bipartisan, thoughtful bills,” he said. “It’s also not surprising the party of “defund the police” has also become the party of more cops for cows.”

Listen to Scott and Thompson’s opening floor remarks on the bill:
House Food and Fuel Costs Bill - Rep. David Scott 9:40

House Food and Fuel Costs Bill - Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson 5:41

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) expressed strong disappointment in passage of the bill which incorporates the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act.

“Rising food, fuel, and fertilizer prices are hurting cattle producers around the country, but Congress is relentlessly focused on political posturing through this special investigator bill,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “NCBA strongly supports fairness and transparency in the market, but Congress is wasting time with legislative proposals in search of a problem while ignoring real issues impacting cattle producers.”

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Audio, Ethanol, Food, Livestock, Meat

House Ag Republicans Introduce Farm Input Costs Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

Republican Leader of the House Agriculture Committee Glenn “GT” Thompson and GOP members this week introduced H.R. 8069, the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act. The bill requires the Biden Administration to reverse its regulatory barriers to domestic agriculture production and provide immediate relief to families across the country. Congressman Thompson was joined by more than 20 original cosponsors, including Republican Leader of the Natural Resources Committee, Bruce Westerman, and Chairman of the Western Caucus, Dan Newhouse.

The bill follows a letter sent by Mr. Thompson, Republican Leader McCarthy, Minority Whip Steve Scalise, Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, and 92 other Republicans telling President Biden that he “has neglected to take serious action to increase American production,” and by doing so, has limited “American farmers’ ability to meet global food demand.”

Rep. Thompson and colleagues held a press conference on Wednesday to discuss the legislation. In addition to Thompson, speakers include Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Dan Newhouse (R-CA), Austin Scott (R-GA), Rick Crawford (R-AR), David Rouzer (R-NC), Doug Lamalfa (R-CA), Jim Baird (R-IN), Rick Allen (R-GA), Jason Smith (R-MO), Chris Jacobs (R-NY), Tracey Mann (R-KS), John Rose (R-TN), Warren Davidson (R-OH), Fred Keller (R-PA), Lisa McClain (R-MI), Stephanie Bice (R-OK).

House Ag GOP presser on farm input bill 46:30

Audio, Farming, Fertilizer, Food

House to Vote on Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote Thursday on the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act led by Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), a package of legislation designed to address supply chain issues for the American energy and agriculture sectors, combat rising fertilizer prices and increase the availability of higher ethanol blends and other biofuels.

The legislation includes Spanberger’s Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act— also known as the Meat Packing Special Investigator Act — which would tackle anticompetitive practices and increase fairness in the American meat and poultry industry. Specifically, her bill would establish a new “Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters” at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It also includes the Butcher Block Act to expand regional livestock and meat processing capacity, co-sponsored by Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD).

The Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act also includes contributions from Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA) to help lower prices at the pump by moving forward with voluntary year-round sale of gasoline containing 15 percent ethanol — known as E-15 or Unleaded 88.

Rep. Spanberger held a press conference Wednesday with Rep. Axne, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH), Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH), Dean Phillips (D-MN), and Susie Lee (D-NV).

House Food and Fuel Costs bill presser 23:35

Audio, Ethanol, Food, Livestock, Meat, Poultry

Familiar Faces With AgGateway Staff

Cindy Zimmerman

There were several new staff members at the AgGateway mid year meeting this week in Altoona, Iowa.

A familiar face in the industry, Jeremy Wilson joined the organization as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and North America Regional Director, effective January 1, 2022. Wilson replaced Brent Kemp, who was selected to serve as the organization’s President and Chief Executive Officer with the retirement of Wendy Smith at the end of 2021.

Wilson had already been actively involved in AgGateway as a board member working for EFC Systems and he brings more than three decades of diverse agriculture experience to the organization.

2022 AgGateway Mid Year - Jeremy Wilson, AgGateway 7:11

This week was Ben Craker’s first on the job as Portfolio Manager for AgGateway, succeeding Dan Berne, who retired from the organization on April 30.

Craker most recently worked at Kuhn North America as Senior Product Manager and is also deeply committed to collaborative work as a volunteer and member of agriculture organizations, including the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the Agriculture Industry Electronics Foundation, and the Agricultural Data Coalition, in addition to extensive volunteer work at AgGateway.

2022 AgGateway Mid Year - Ben Craker, AgGateway 2:43

Photos

2022 AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting Photo Album

ag retailers, AgGateway, Audio, data, Precision Agriculture, Technology

Precision Ag News 6/15

Carrie Muehling

  • To help growers address challenges this season, Grow More Experience sites across the U.S. are showcasing how agronomist expertise and flexible, innovative crop protection practices may help improve yield potential, economic return and crop safety. Those in the Midwest and Plains regions can also access insights any time through the Grow More Experience Virtual Tours. The content features local agronomic videos, photos, trial data and results.
  • Reinhold Claas, a long-standing member of the Shareholders Committee and Supervisory Board of the CLAAS Group, passed away on June 7, 2022, at the age of 91.
  • U.S. ag tractor and combine monthly unit sales in May 2022 fell below the five-year average for the first time since March 2020, while Canadian sales remained above the line, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.
  • BRANDT is rolling out two new nutrient-based seed treatments: BRANDT EnzUp® Grain ST and BRANDT SeedZone™ Zn. Designed for use on corn, wheat, rice and potatoes, BRANDT EnzUp Grain ST is a breakthrough in the enzyme category.
  • UPL, a global leader in sustainable agriculture solutions, announces a strategic collaboration with Agrauxine by Lesaffre, a subsidiary of Lesaffre company specializing in biological crop solutions. The exclusive license and supply agreement will allow UPL to commercialize a new biocontrol technology from Agrauxine in the United States.
  • Grow Pro Genetics announces the addition of three new varieties to their already strong wheat portfolio.
  • The 7th Soil Health Institute Annual Meeting is an engaging virtual event bringing people together from across the agriculture industry to share their knowledge, experience, and ideas for Scaling Up Soil Health. Register today.
  • The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) has launched a newly-redesigned, updated guide that allows farmers, land owners and others to easily locate and contact professional seed suppliers for quality environmental, conservation, and cover crop seed. The interactive Conservation, Environmental, and Cover Crop Seed Resource Guide allows buyers to find lists of specific seed types by geographic location to support production and sustainability goals.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Agri-Pulse to Host Food Security Webinar

Cindy Zimmerman

American farmland and ranchland are rapidly disappearing, threatening our food security, undermining the agricultural economy, and making us vulnerable to climate shocks. What can be done? That question is at the heart of an upcoming June 29 Agri-Pulse webinar, “Farms Under Threat 2040: Choosing an Abundant Future.”

“With the war in Ukraine, drought in the Western U.S. and ongoing supply chain disruptions, there is grave concern about our ability to produce adequate amounts of food – both in the U.S. and round the globe,” says Agri-Pulse Founder and Editor Sara Wyant, who will moderate the event. “This is a great opportunity to discuss those challenges and options for conserving and preserving our precious farmland.”

The webinar will take place at 12 p.m. ET and is sponsored by the American Farmland Trust. Speakers will address a new report from American Farmland Trust, which maps three alternative futures out to the year 2040, which will be released earlier that day. This webinar will highlight findings and what they mean for the future of agriculture.

Participants in the webinar include:
– USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Terry Cosby
– Ambassador Kip Tom, CEO of Tom Farms
– John Piotti, president of American Farmland Trust
– Katharine Burgess, vice president of land use and development at Smart Growth America (SGA).

Agri-Pulse Editor Sara Wyant will moderate. Register here.

Agri-Pulse, Food, land