Syngenta Receives Registration for Tendovo™ Herbicide

Carrie Muehling

Syngenta’s Tendovo is a new pre-emergence herbicide designed to keep weeds from competing with the soybean crop early in the season. With three sites of action and three different ingredients, Tendovo will provide a broad spectrum control of up to 70 weeds.

“We’ve seen a 4 to 5 bushel an acre advantage in field trials with Tendovo,” said Pete Eure, herbicide technical lead at Syngenta, during an interview at Commodity Classic. “By controlling the tough weeds that compete with soybeans for sunlight, water and nutrients, Tendovo helps growers achieve superior potential yield and return on investment (ROI) at harvest.”

Eure said the formulation also provides lots of flexibility and can be used across trait platforms and in different geographies and soil types, as well with varying tillage systems.

Interview with Pete Eure, Syngenta herbicide technical lead (2:58)

Agribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, Herbicide, Syngenta

Precision Ag News 3/17

Carrie Muehling

  • The American Soybean Association (ASA) presented Wayne and Ruth Fredericks from Osage, Iowa, with the 2022 National Conservation Legacy Award during the annual ASA Awards Banquet at Commodity Classic.
  • The International Certified Crop Adviser (ICCA) Program and American Society of Agronomy have awarded Juan Manuel Osorio-Hernandez of Toluca, Mexico 2022 International Certified Crop Adviser of the Year.
  • As challenges in tackling weed desiccation and re-growth escalate for crop farmers, Clariant offers the support of ADJUWEX, a new high-performing set of tested products to tailor-make effective glufosinate formulations for local circumstances and needs.
  • Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC introduced new pest management technology at the 2022 Commodity Classic in New Orleans, Louisiana. The exclusive Protecta™ method promises to build fungicides and insecticides differently, relying on diligent design, expert analysis and verified results.
  • Marking a milestone in ag-tech history, High Speed ISOBUS (HSI) was demonstrated for the first time by the Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF) at its North American 2022 Plugfest during the Commodity Classic trade show in New Orleans.
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved label amendments that further restrict the use of over-the-top dicamba in Minnesota and Iowa. The amendments, requested by pesticide registrants in consultation with those states, are intended to reduce risks from the use of over-the-top dicamba, an herbicide used to control certain types of broadleaf weeds. To view the label amendments, visit docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2020-0492 at www.regulations.gov.
  • All segments returned to positive in U.S. ag tractor and combine unit sales, while Canadian harvesters and 4WD units fell according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. U.S. total farm tractor sales grew 9.2 percent for the month of February compared to 2021, while U.S. self-propelled combine sales for the month inched up 3.1 percent to 200 units sold.
  • The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) presented the fifth-annual Davidson Prize to the top three innovative products, selected from the AE50 honorees at Commodity Classic in New Orleans, La. Winning entries are: AGCO Corporations’ Fendt Rogator 900 Series Applicator; VeriGrain’s Automated Sampling & Data Management System; and John Deere’s See & Spray Select.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Syngenta Spotlights Sustainability Standard

Carrie Muehling

A new platform from Syngenta can help farmers to easily assess how sustainable their farming practices are and what changes they can begin to make in order to improve. The Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) standard enabled through its Cropwise™ Sustainability app was in the spotlight at last week’s Commodity Classic.

“Sustainability assessments do not have to be a time-intensive process — users who leverage Cropwise Sustainability typically complete a 20-30-minute farm assessment and receive immediate results,” said Liz Hunt, sustainable and responsible business head at Syngenta. “The insights are compiled in an intuitive, digital dashboard that tracks progress in areas such as crop production, water impact, soil health, biodiversity and habitat, human and animal well-being, and community leadership. Growers also have the unique option to view their results and benchmark against other app users in their area.”

While Syngenta developed the Standard with a farmer focus in mind, it also creates opportunities to share the sustainability story with consumers and stakeholders. Hunt explains more in this interview.

Interview with Liz Hunt, Syngenta Head of Sustainable and Responsible Business (6:05)

2022 Commodity Classic with Syngenta Photo Album

Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Apps, Audio, Commodity Classic, Precision Agriculture, Sustainability, Syngenta, Technology

ESMC and Benson Hill Work With Farmers in Carbon Markets

Cindy Zimmerman

Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC) and Benson Hill, Inc. have completed the first year of a carbon credit pilot program leveraging Benson Hill’s ‘farm to ingredient’ business model.

Last year, ESMC worked with soy and corn farmers across the Midwest to generate carbon credits and earn payments for reduced greenhouse gases and increased soil carbon as an outcome of their on-farm practice changes. The project with Benson Hill is unique because the company’s closed loop business model provides the capability to leverage its data aggregation from the farm through ingredient manufacturing, and streamlines the carbon credit generation process within ESMC’s program.

Debbie Reed, ESMC Executive Director, noted, “Our digitized program enables seamless enrollment and participation for farmers. The innovative model we are testing with Benson Hill allows us to develop farmer support from seed to harvest, and it enables rapid aggregation and utilization of robust data sets. This type of integrated partnership and infrastructure is critical to scale a long-term viable market that meets buyer and seller needs equally.”

Benson Hill is recruiting growers within its network for training in regenerative agriculture practices for project continuation in the 2022 season. ESMC is targeting 500,000 acres enrollment with the market program launch. ESMC’s program stacks multiple ecosystem credits, including increased soil carbon and reduced greenhouse gases, and water quality and water use conservation, to make ESMC a unique and attractive option for farmers.

AgWired Precision, carbon, Precision Agriculture

USSEC Leaders Excited About New Opportunities

Cindy Zimmerman

LtoR- Mac Marshall, Doug Winter, Jim Sutter – USSEC

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) is excited about new opportunities to build market access for U.S. soy.

“2021 was a milestone year for U.S. soy,” said USSEC CEO Jim Sutter during a press conference at Commodity Classic last week. “We reached both a crop production and an overall export record.”

Sutter, along with USSEC VP of Market Intelligence Mac Marshall and new board chairman Doug Winter, talked about the potential for opening up new markets, and what exports mean for soybean farmers.

“Our board is looking forward to building on the immense achievements in recent years,” said Winter, a farmer from Mill Sholas, IL. “And I am energized about collaborating with USSEC’s global team to enable companies to experience the full value of U.S. Soy for human consumption, aquaculture, and livestock feed in more than 80 countries around the world.”

Winter and the rest of the 2022-2023 USSEC Board of Directors were seated during the organization’s annual meeting in New Orleans last week during Commodity Classic.

USSEC Press Conference (23:43)

Classic Interview with Jim Sutter, USSEC (6:04)

Classic Interview with Doug Winter, USSEC chair (4:23)

2022 Commodity Classic with Syngenta Photo Album

Audio, Commodity Classic, Soybean, USSEC

NK Seeds Launches 2023 Field Forged Series

Carrie Muehling

NK Seeds was happy to be at Commodity Classic last week to talk about the new 2023 Field Forged Series just introduced on the heels of a great first year of the Field Forged program. The company is launching 28 total products for 2023 that have been put through extreme tests to ensure they are top performers regardless of trait package.

“When it comes to soybean performance, the proof is really in the data,” says Eric Miller, NK Soybean Product Manager. “Last year, Field Forged products with Enlist E3® soybean trait technology yielded 0.8 bushels more than Pioneer® brand products with Enlist E3 soybean trait technology in nearly 1,800 trials, and Field Forged products with XtendFlex® soybean trait technology yielded one bushel more than Asgrow® brand products XtendFlex soybean trait technology in almost 4,000 comparisons. When you consider $15 per bushel soybeans, that’s a significant ROI potential for soybean farmers.”

Miller said the adoption has been excellent and he encourages farmers to talk to a local retailer or NK sales representative about the Field Forged Series for the 2023 growing season. Learn more in this interview.

Interview with Eric Miller, NK Soybean Product Manager (2:52)

2022 Commodity Classic with Syngenta Photo Album

Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Commodity Classic, Seed, Syngenta

#Classic22 Association Leaders on Stage

Cindy Zimmerman

The 2022 Commodity Classic once again featured the leaders of each organization during the general session with emcee Mark Mayfield.

Joining Mayfield were (LtoR) National Corn Growers Association president Chris Edgington; National Association of Wheat Growers president Dave Milligan; National Sorghum Producers chairman Kody Carson; American Soybean Association president Brad Doyle; and Association of Equipment Manufacturers ag sector chair Todd Stucke with Kubota.

Enjoy their conversation here:
Classic association leaders panel (39:55)

2022 Commodity Classic with Syngenta Photo Album

AEM, Ag Groups, ASA, Audio, Corn, NAWG, NCGA, NSP

Syngenta Introduces CruiserMaxx APX Soybean Seed

Carrie Muehling

Syngenta recently launched CruiserMaxx APX, a new brand combining components of CruiserMaxx Vibrance seed treatment with picarbutrazox, a novel mode of action.

“With CruiserMaxx APX, best-in-class soybean seed treatment protection is now even better,” said Katie Jaeger, Syngenta Seedcare product lead, at last week’s Commodity Classic. “CruiserMaxx APX combines the proven Vigor Effect and RootingPower that CruiserMaxx Vibrance is known to deliver with supercharged, broad-spectrum, early-season disease and insect protection to give seedlings the strongest possible start from day one.”

Jaeger said the product will be featured in Grow More sites during the 2022 growing season and the first commercial sales will occur in Q4 of this year.

Learn more in this interview from Classic.
Interview with Katie Jaeger, Syngenta Seedcare product lead (3:00)

2022 Commodity Classic with Syngenta Photo Album

Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Commodity Classic, Crop Protection, Syngenta

Agri-Pulse Newsmakers Charts New Territory

Cindy Zimmerman

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine entered its third week last week, the new weekly agricultural video program Newsmakers from Agri-Pulse released episode five, with Sen. John Thune (R-SD) offering his thoughts on solutions to inflation, why the Ocean Shipping Reform Act is vital to U.S. agriculture, and how biofuels can help make the U.S. less dependent on Russian oil.

Meanwhile, Newsmakers host Spencer Chase, who is currently serving as president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB), was busy gathering more content for future shows at the Commodity Classic last week where Chuck Zimmerman managed to get a quick interview with him about this new program.

“We wanted to produce something that was strictly focused on food and agriculture,” said Chase. “The main thing we want to convey is good, reliable, accurate information that tells folks what is going on in Washington.”

Chase says as the program develops they would like to get more producer interaction.

Classic Interview with Spencer Chase, Agri-Pulse (4:19)

Agri-Pulse, Audio, Commodity Classic, NAFB

Animal Ag News 3/14

Carrie Muehling

  • At Pork Forum, delegates approved a change in the mandatory Pork Checkoff rate. The current rate of $0.40/$100 value per live animal will change to $0.35/$100 effective Jan.1, 2023. This represents a 12.5% reduction in the Checkoff rate.
  • For his 40 years serving U.S. pork producers, including 20 years as CEO of the National Pork Producers Council and his dedication and countless contributions to the pork industry, Neil Dierks was inducted into the National Pork Industry Hall of Fame at NPPC’s annual business meeting — the National Pork Industry Forum.
  • The National Pork Producers Council has hired Dr. Anna Forseth for the newly created position of director of animal health. She will focus on foreign animal disease prevention and preparedness, as well as antibiotic use and resistance issues.
  • The Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations package. In addition to providing funding for a number of programs of importance to U.S. beef cattle producers, the bill also maintained key provisions the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has long advocated for, such as the Electronic Logging Device exemption for livestock haulers, important EPA regulatory relief, and an extension of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting program. Also included in the package is a Cattle Contract Library pilot program, a critical tool as NCBA works to increase market transparency for cattle producers.
  • The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program released its 2021 Year in Review highlighting new initiatives and program area advancements.
  • Dairy Management Inc. CEO Barbara O’Brien provided an overview of four “bold moves” the checkoff has made with farmer and importer directors representing DMI, United Dairy Industry Association and National Dairy Promotion and Research Board at their recent meeting in San Antonio, Texas. O’Brien, who assumed the CEO position in October, spent the last four months gathering input from hundreds of farmers and other stakeholders about the checkoff’s vision and strategy.
  • In response to the introductions of Senate Bills 2716 and 949, R-CALF USA issued an in-depth guide for U.S. cattle producers and consumers to influence the timely enactment of the two key pieces of legislation – the “MCOOL and 50/14 Toolkit”.
  • Kynetec, the global leader in market and customer insights in Agriculture and Animal Health, is delighted to announce that Paul Walker has joined the company’s Executive Committee as Chief Operating Officer for Crop Market and Customer Insights.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites