Vilsack Talks Trade With Mexican Officials

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack met with his counterpart Mexico Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Victor Villalobos this week to “continue cooperation on shared priorities including open trade, science-based policy making, and sustainable and climate-smart agricultural production.”

That meeting resulted in Vilsack and Villalobos announcing that the two countries have agreed to final actions to expanded access to the entire Mexican market no later than May 15 for all U.S. table stock and chipping potatoes.

The Secretaries reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting food security by facilitating trade and continuing to support rural development by expanding market opportunities for agricultural producers and their products; and enhancing plant and animal health cooperation to meet emerging threats and to promote food security.

Vilsack also met with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for over two hours to discuss a number of issues, including labor and biotechnology.

Listen to a press call with Vilsack from Mexico in which reporters also ask the secretary about CRP signup and Avian flu.
Secretary Vilsack press call (31:19)

Audio, USDA

It’s Time for the Agri-Marketing Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

2022 Agri-Marketing ConferenceIt is Agri-Marketing Conference week in Kansas City, MO. Today the Executive Committee met followed by an afternoon of NAMA Foundation Topgolf. Meanwhile on the Student’s schedule is the Student Sales Competition. The winner will be announced in the Student Orientation right before a reception.

Tomorrow things really get rolling down the track with meetings, workshops, the Best of NAMA Awards ceremony and a celebration of those awards in the Connection Point where ZimmComm will be exhibiting and conducting short interviews with attendees with the Golden ZimmComm Mic. We’ve got a drawing for an Apple HomePod mini (blue) and are donating a free news release distribution via our AgNewsWire service to the silent auction to raise money for the NAMA Foundation. Keep your eye out for more here on AgWired and we have a virtual newsroom on AgNewsWire too.

I’m taking lots of photos as you might image and just got started this afternoon. You can find my album here: 2022 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

NAMA

Field Notes from Koch Agronomic Services – Episode 18

Chuck Zimmerman

The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (Koch) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.

The experts we’ve heard from on our previous episodes have covered topics ranging from how different crops use nitrogen to the 4R’s of Nutrient Stewardship and how growers and retailers work together to choose the best input for an operation. If you haven’t checked out the previous episodes, you can find them on your favorite podcast platform.

4R Advocate Award Winners

In this episode, we’ll hear from two winners of the 2022 Fertilizer Institute’s 4R Advocate award, Shannon McClintock, a staff agronomist with MFA, and Wyatt Harris, a grower he works with in Hepler, Kansas. They’ll discuss how integrating the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework on Wyatt’s operation worked to control input costs and helped them become better stewards of the land.

You can listen to the program here: 4R Advocate Award Winners (19:42)

And to make sure you don’t miss an episode, choose an option to subscribe

For Spotify on your computer download the desktop app.

Agribusiness, Audio, Koch Agronomic Services, Podcasts, Soil

Yield Forecast Challenge Launches April 15 on AEI Premium

Cindy Zimmerman

AEI Premium, the online community for agricultural decision makers, is launching a new online contest called the Yield Forecast Challenge.

Beginning April 15, you are invited to forecast 16 questions about USDA yield estimates for corn and soybeans. The questions will span the USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports from May through November 2022.

You can earn points after each question based on how well your forecast stacked up and how often you participate. The overall winner will receive the grand prize at the end of the contest: $1,600. Additional prizes will be awarded throughout the contest.

“We’re excited to provide a new way for farmers, agribusiness leaders, farm policy wonks, and students to engage with AEI.ag,” said AEI Premium co-founder David Widmar. “This contest supports our broader mission to help agriculture decision makers navigate today’s uncertainty and information overload. The Yield Forecast Challenge will empower you to be your own guru.”

Learn more about the Yield Forecast Challenge at aei.ag/16-questions.

Corn, Soybean, USDA

Animal Ag News 4/4

Carrie Muehling

  • The National Pork Producers Council has hired Chase Adams as manager of congressional relations in its Washington, DC, public policy office. In addition, Annemarie Pender has been hired by NPPC as assistant vice president for marketing and communications in the DC office.
  • As of March 1, there were 72.2 million hogs and pigs on U.S. farms, down 2% from March 2021 and down 3% from Dec. 1, 2021, according to the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
  • National Bison Association Executive Director Dave Carter has announced that he will be stepping down as the organization’s leader after more than two decades of helping to build the business as a solid, economically growing sector within the food economy while restoring bison to native habitat across North America.
  • U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released an updated version of their legislation, the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act. The senators first introduced the bill in November. Click here to read the amended bill text.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture published the highly anticipated Origin of Livestock (OOL) final rule for organic dairy. This change to the USDA organic regulations will promote a fairer and more competitive market for all organic dairy producers, by making sure that certified USDA organic dairy products are produced to the same consistent standard.
  • The results from Alltech’s 2021 U.S. Harvest Analysis revealed that the mycotoxin risk was notably higher for forage harvested in 2021 compared to the previous year. As dairy producers are now opening their forage bunks and taking 2021 corn out of their silos, the mycotoxin risk has been found to be amplified in the total mixed rations (TMR) that are being tested in the Alltech 37+ laboratory. Almost 140 TMR samples have been tested since the beginning of January 2022, and the results show that 100% of samples contain mycotoxins, with an average number of 7.5 mycotoxins per sample.
  • The U.S Department of Agriculture announced that ranchers who have approved applications through the 2021 Livestock Forage Disaster Program for forage losses due to severe drought or wildfire in 2021 will soon begin receiving emergency relief payments for increases in supplemental feed costs in 2021 through the Farm Service Agency’s new Emergency Livestock Relief Program.
  • Sanderson Farms’ feed mill in Collins, Mississippi has been recognized as the 2021 Integrator Feed Facility of the Year by the American Feed Industry Association in partnership with Feedstuffs and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. The award, which recognizes the highest achievement in feed manufacturing facilities, was presented during the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s annual Feed Mill Management Seminar.
  • Nonprofit regional dairy council Dairy MAX announced that Marty McKinzie has been promoted to chief growth officer of the organization, responsible for business development, industry image and relations, sustainability and organizational development. Dairy MAX has additionally hired Kay Johnson Smith as chief operating officer, leading key areas of the business including consumer marketing, corporate communications, issues management, health and wellness and school marketing.
  • For advocating relentlessly for North Carolina pork producers and farmers, for educating people about the value of production agriculture, for addressing childhood hunger by getting food banks and farmers to work together, and for creating an army of producer advocates for the pork industry and agriculture as CEO of the North Carolina Pork Council, Deborah Johnson was honored with the Paulson-Whitmore State Executive Award. The award was presented by the National Pork Producers Council and National Pork Board at the organizations’ joint annual business meeting, the National Pork Industry Forum.
  • WATT Global Media has announced a Chicken Marketer of the Year will be awarded during the annual Chicken Marketing Summit, with nominations being accepted until May 1, 2022. The executive conference is scheduled for July 25-27 at the Château Élan in Braselton, Georgia.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

White House Fuel Price Plan Overlooks Biofuels

Cindy Zimmerman

Biofuel organizations are baffled by the White House “Plan to Respond to Putin’s Price Hike at the Pump” released last week that completely ignores increasing use of renewable fuels.

“It is baffling to us that President Biden continues to overlook ethanol, which is the most readily available, lowest-cost, and lowest-carbon option for extending our nation’s fuel supply,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper. “Today, ethanol is selling for $1 per gallon less than gasoline and we are sitting on record ethanol inventories and ample spare capacity; yet access to the marketplace continues to be limited by decades-old regulatory barriers that never made sense.”

President Biden has been sent letters from lawmakers, organizations, and individuals over the past month urging him to simply allowing gasoline blenders to sell E15 year-round, which could be accomplished by administrative action.

U.S. Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) led the six bipartisan Co-chairs of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus and 23 additional Members of Congress in a letter to President Joe Biden Thursday urging him to direct EPA to both allow the summer sales of E15 this year and to reverse course on proposed retroactive reductions to 2020 and 2021 Renewable Volume Obligations.

“This is one of the most simple and most environmentally friendly way to address the issue,” said Rep. Craig in an interview.

Interview with Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) (13:28)

Audio, Ethanol, RFA

Industry Ag News 4/1

Carrie Muehling

  • The Agribusiness Association of Iowa has announced that Bill Northey, former Secretary of Agriculture for Iowa, has been named as its new CEO. Northey will be succeeding Joel Brinkmeyer, who will be retiring on May 1, 2022.
  • The Animal Agriculture Alliance board of directors has announced that Hannah Thompson-Weeman, currently serving as the Alliance’s vice president, strategic engagement, has been named the organization’s new president and CEO.
  • Sixteen farm and ranch women leaders graduated from the spring session of Women’s Communications Boot Camp hosted by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Boot Camp graduates are Sharla Mortimer, Arizona; Shawn Wood, Arizona; Jana Carroll, Arkansas; Roxi McCormick, Colorado; Jennifer Duvall, Georgia; Theresa Gottbrath, Indiana; Melissa Huggett, Kentucky; Kayla Griffith, Maryland; Barbara Rogers-Scharneck, Massachusetts; Stacey Lauwers, Michigan; Emma Alexander, Missouri; Allison Cooper, North Carolina; Carie Moore, North Dakota; Melanie Fink, Pennsylvania; Megan Jernigan, Tennessee; and Sarah Scyphers, Virginia.
  • McLain Farms was named the 2021 “Grower of the Year” and long-time Director of Markets for the Georgia Department of Agriculture Bob Meyer was inducted into the Vidalia Onion Hall of Fame during the Vidalia Onion Committee 2021 awards banquet.
  • The 2022 U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook is now available on FAPRI’s website.
  • U.S. corn farmers raised the bar in 2021, setting a new record-high national average yield. To highlight the many achievements of corn farmers and explore the data, the National Corn Growers Association delves into the facts about corn production, using a historical comparison in its newest edition of the World of Corn.
  • March is National Peanut Month. Throughout the month of March, the Georgia Peanut Commission donated 10,080 jars of peanut butter to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, 10,080 jars of peanut butter to Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C., and 7,200 jars of peanut butter to Second Harvest of South Georgia in celebration of National Peanut Month. GPC also sponsored the annual ACFB Hunger Walk/Run held March 6 in Atlanta. The annual event brings approximately 5,000 attendees to help support the food bank by walking or running in the event. GPC distributed packs of peanuts to attendees and promoted the humanitarian relief efforts through Peanut Proud.
  • Farm Credit and Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) announced the winners of the 2022 Farm Credit/MANRRS VIP Scholarship.
  • As Women’s History Month comes to a close, ASTA is excited to announce the next Women in Seed Luncheon, being held as part of the NEW ASTA Leadership Summit, June 25-29 in Indianapolis. ASTA is proud to honor the women of the seed industry who have already been making history in our business for many years. Join us for a special session on cultivating leadership skills, focusing on your values and how they come into play in your work, featuring special consultant Heather Lowey.
  • The Agricultural and Biological Engineering AgrAbility Program at Purdue University has received $2,124,000 in funding for the National AgrAbility Project and $720,000 for the Indiana AgrAbility Project from the United States Department of Agriculture and National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing a solicitation for nominations to serve on its Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee. Established in 2008, the FRRCC provides independent policy advice, information, and recommendations to EPA’s Administrator on a range of environmental issues and policies that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities.
Zimfo Bytes

Agri-Pulse Newsmakers Spotlights Cattle Price Discovery Bill

Chuck Zimmerman

The newest episode of Agri-Pulse Newsmakers is now live and the focus this week is on cattle price discovery bill.

An updated piece of legislation seeks to reform the way cattle are bought and sold across the country, but the new bill includes a provision that caused two major farm groups to oppose the initial version. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., explains why the regional cash trade mandate remains in the bill and what she sees as the path forward for the legislation.

Then, a panel of beef producer group leaders explain their stances on the new bill and take a look at the state of ranchers as a whole.

Newsmakers is also available as a podcast and/or you can sign up to get free access to Newsmakers.


Agri-Pulse, Audio, Farm Policy, Livestock, Podcasts, Video

2022 IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders Announced

Cindy Zimmerman

The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) has announced the recipients of the 2022 IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders in Agricultural Journalism Award. The program, sponsored by Alltech, honors 10 young agricultural journalists and communicators who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in reporting as well as excellent potential as leaders of the industry in the years to come. The honorees were chosen by an international jury among applicants from many of IFAJ’s 56 member countries.

This year’s IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders are:
Megan Hughes, Australia, ABC
Becky Zimmer, Canada, Pattison Media
Maria Wehrle, Germany, Badischer Landwirtschafts-Verlag
Hannah Binns, Great Britain, Farmers Guardian
Tracey Donaghey, Ireland, Ulster Farmers’ Union
Tamba Tengbeh, Sierra Leone, Regional Rice Value Chain Project
Daud Abdi Daud Dimbil, Somalia, Freelancer
Cecilia Persson, Sweden, Lantbrukets Affärstidning
Yero S Bah, The Gambia, Mansa Banko Online Newspaper
Megan Schilling, USA, Successful Farming

The 10 honorees will attend the 2022 IFAJ Congress in Vingsted, Denmark, in June. The Young Leaders will also participate in a Boot Camp in the days prior to Congress which includes professional development and networking workshops and farm visits in the region.

Alltech, IFAJ, Media

NAMA Names Next Gen Winners

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) has named the winners of the Next Gen NAMA Award who will be honored at the 2022 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 6-8 in Kansas City. This award was developed to celebrate the next generation of leaders. Honorees are nominated from within their company or through chapter or national leadership.

The recipients for 2022 are:

Rachel Peabody, Director of Communications, Illinois Soybean Association –
Beginning as a publication’s coordinator, Rachel Peabody next worked in an agency setting to support Fortune 500 agricultural companies throughout the Midwest. Today, as the Director of Communications for the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA), Peabody manages a team of six, which she built from the ground up.

Brittany Phillips, Account Director, Brighton Agency –
In just five years at Brighton, Brittany Phillips has risen from an entry-level position to Account Director. Phillips’ passion to build content that accurately represents agriculture made her the perfect NAMA programming chair for the 2019 NAMA Fall Conference.

Caitlyn Ross, Account Executive, Hunt Marketing –

Where some people see a challenge, Caitlyn Ross recognizes an opportunity to shine and grow. Since her early days as an intern at Hunt Marketing, Ross has stood out from the pack. As an Account Executive, Ross is an invaluable member of her team.

Advertising, Ag Groups, Agencies, NAMA