Plantings Report Expects More Soybeans, Less Corn

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. farmers expect to plant more soybeans and less corn acreage, according to the 2022 Prospective Plantings report released today by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Producers surveyed say they intend to plant a record high 91.0 million acres of soybeans in 2022, up 4% from last year, at the same time decreasing corn acres by 4% to 89.5 million acres.

Planted acreage intentions for soybeans are up or unchanged in 24 of the 29 estimating states. The largest increases are expected in Illinois and Missouri, where producers in each state intend to plant 400,000 more acres than in 2021. If realized, the planted area of soybeans in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin will be the largest on record.

Corn acreage decreases from last year of 200,000 or more are expected in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Record high corn acreage is expected in Nevada and South Dakota with record low acres expected in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

For wheat, all wheat planted area for 2022 is estimated at 47.4 million acres, up 1% from 2021. Winter wheat planted area, at 34.2 million acres, is down less than 1% from the previous estimate but up 2% from last year. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2022 is expected to total 11.2 million acres, down 2% from 2021. Durum wheat is expected to total 1.92 million acres for 2022, up 17% from last year.

All cotton planted area for 2022 is expected to total 12.2 million acres, 9% above last year.

Brian Hoops with Midwest Market Solutions provided commentary on the report for MGEX.
Brian Hoops, Midwest Market Solutions (5:32)

Audio, Corn, Cotton, Soybean, USDA, Wheat

Syngenta Group Sales Up 23% in 2021

Cindy Zimmerman

Syngenta Group today announced sales for 2021 grew 23 percent ($5.2 billion) year-on-year to $28.2 billion.

In 2021, Syngenta Crop Protection sales grew 19 percent to $13.5 billion with sales in North America up 14 percent. VAYANTIS®, a broad-spectrum novel seed treatment fungicide dedicated to protecting soybean and corn from key diseases such as pythium, was launched in the U.S. and Canada.

ADAMA sales grew by 24 percent in 2021, with 18% in North America, resulting in full-year sales of $5.8 billion.

Syngenta Seeds sales grew 24 percent to $4.1 billion last year with a five percent increase in North America. ENOGEN™ corn for feed saw record sales in North America, offering better digestibility for livestock as well as greenhouse gas reductions.

At the recent Commodity Classic in New Orleans, Enogen Head of Marketing and Stewardship Duane Martin talked about how livestock producers feeding Enogen® corn can see an increase feed efficiency.

Learn more about Enogen corn in this interview.
Interview with Duane Martin, Enogen (5:33)

Audio, Commodity Classic, Corn, Seed, Syngenta

Precision Ag News 3/30

Carrie Muehling

  • Following the thorough review of a proposed label amendment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved the use of Enlist One and Enlist Duo in 134 additional counties, providing growers with additional weed management options for the 2022 growing season.
  • Grower groups including the American Soybean Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Corn Growers Association, and National Cotton Council welcomed and expressed appreciation for an announcement from EPA that will restore use of Enlist herbicides to many U.S. counties.
  • Wehmeyer Seed has entered a dealership agreement with Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC, a fast-growing supplier of high-quality crop inputs. Under the new relationship, Wehmeyer Seed will carry the Meristem Crop Performance product line and become Meristem’s ally in helping Corn Belt farmers make every acre even more profitable.
  • GROWERS, a solution and service provider for ag retail, and Arva Intelligence, a leader in carbon marketing technology, announced a partnership to provide a seamless way for ag retailers to assist customers in selling carbon through Arva’s Carbon Ready program and GROWERS Rally sales platform.
  • Cotton growers have a convenient new tool to battle nematodes in-furrow with Averland® FC nematicide/insecticide/miticide from Vive Crop Protection. Averland FC combines abamectin and Vive’s patented Allosperse® nano-polymer delivery system, making it the only abamectin in-furrow solution registered for nematodes in cotton that also mixes perfectly with liquid fertilizers and other crop inputs.
  • AgSource Cooperative Services announced their acquisition of Dairyland Laboratories, Inc. Agronomy Services Division in Stratford, Wisconsin. Effective March 23, all soil, plant tissue and manure analyses, as well as nutrient management services, will be provided by AgSource. Another change for the AgSource brand was recently announced by URUS, the parent company of the AgSource and VAS brands. Effective March 1, both companies will operate as independent brands under the URUS umbrella.
  • The National Corn Growers Association released a video offering tips from perennial high-yield entrants of the National Corn Yield Contest during a breakfast at Commodity Classic in New Orleans honoring the state winners of the 2021 contest.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

ZimmCast 689 – Preview of 2022 Agri-Marketing Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

Trips on the agriblogging highway continue with the Agri-Marketing Conference coming up next week. After that conference it will be on to Lexington, KY for the Alltech ONE Conference in May.

2022 Agri-Marketing ConferenceZimmComm will be exhibiting in the Connection Point at the Agri-Marketing Conference once again, in booth 201. The ZimmComm Golden Mic will be there to conduct interviews with attendees. All you have to do is stop by and we can chat about what is new in the world of agribusiness with you. You can also stop by to enter a drawing for a blue Apple HomePod mini while you’re at it.

To get a preview of this year’s NAMA conference I’m sharing a conversation with Tom Posta, Bader Rutter, who is Chair of this year’s event.

If you would be interested in sponsoring the podcast please let me know. Just email chuck@zimmcomm.biz or message me on social media.

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

Listen to the ZimmCast here:
ZimmCast 689 - Preview of 2022 Agri-Marketing Conference (11:06)

So, that’s the ZimmCast for this week. I hope you like it and thank you for listening.

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, Agencies, Agribusiness, Audio, Media, NAMA, ZimmCast

Excitement Growing for 2022 Alltech ONE

Cindy Zimmerman

The excitement is growing for the first in-person Alltech ONE Conference (ONE) conference since 2019, featuring tracks that will uncover the challenges and opportunities in agriculture, business, health and wellness, and professional development.

Now in its 38th year, Alltech’s global agri-food conference continues to be an invaluable resource, uniting thought leaders and changemakers in an exploration of the power of science, sustainability and storytelling. This annual flagship event will be held May 22–24, both in person in Lexington, Kentucky, and virtually on a first-class platform, with live-streaming keynote and select on-demand track presentations available to ensure accessibility to everyone, everywhere.

Keynote speakers announced include Mick Ebeling, Not Impossible Labs; Paul Polman, co-author of “Net Positive”; Heather White, OneGreenThing; Nikki Putnam Badding, Acutia; Alltech Scientific Advisor Dr. Karl Dawson; and of course, Alltech President and CEO Dr. Mark Lyons.

There are several fun and exciting community events planned during ONE Weekend, including Beer Yoga, Alltech Street Science, and ONE Community Concert.

Learn more and register today – see you in May in Lexington!

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture

Webinar to Spotlight Modernizing Rural Infrastructure

Cindy Zimmerman

How can we create more jobs in Rural America?

That question is at the heart of an upcoming April 7 Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc. webinar, “Rural renaissance: How investments in transmission modernization can drive rural economic development.” This complimentary one-hour program will discuss expanding and modernizing the electrical grid in Rural America.

“As more people and companies look at escaping crowded urban areas and finding their place in Rural America, it’s important for them to have reliable infrastructure,” says Agri-Pulse Founder and Editor Sara Wyant, who will moderate the event. “Our conversation will cover not only current conditions, but we’ll discuss much-needed improvements.”

Speakers include USDA Undersecretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small, Congressman Frank Lucas, USDA Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service Chris McLean, Americans for a Clean Energy Grid executive director Rob Gramlich, and Denise Bode with Michael Best Strategies.

The webinar will take place at 11 a.m. ET and is sponsored by the Americans for a Clean Energy Grid. Speakers will address how expanding, integrating and modernizing the North American high-voltage grid can drive rural economic development. You can sign up for this free webinar by clicking on this link.

Agri-Pulse, Infrastructure, webinar

Animal Ag News 3/28

Carrie Muehling

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the launch of the Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity Technical Assistance Program (MPPTA) to provide technical assistance to meat and poultry grant applicants and grant-funded projects. Processors and applicants involved with the Meat and Poultry Inspection Readiness Grant (MPIRG) program and the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program (MPPEP) can access this technical assistance. USDA also announced it is now accepting applications for $23.6 million in competitive grant funding available through the MPIRG program.
  • Taco Bell restaurants nationwide have rolled out a dairy-based coffee creamer and a new coffee drink with support from dairy checkoff food scientists. The vanilla creamer replaces a non-dairy product and will become a permanent offering at more than 7,500 Taco Bell locations in the United States. The shelf-stable creamer also was used in the checkoff-created Pineapple Whip Freeze and Island Berry Freeze beverages that previously appeared on Taco Bell’s menu.
  • Recognizing that auctions are arguably the most profitable way today for farmers and ranchers to sell land, Superior Land Network is changing its name to Superior Land Auction. While auction services have always been part of its business, the move signals the company increased focus on providing auctions nationwide that help agricultural landowners have the best seller experience and achieve the highest sale price.
  • CattleFax elected a new slate of officers at this year’s annual business meeting on Feb. 2, which was held in conjunction with the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Houston. The new president is Pono Von Holt of Kamuela, Hawaii.
  • Smithfield Foods, Inc. announced the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) has recognized 51 of its U.S. locations with Environmental Recognition Awards and 33 of its U.S. facilities with Worker Safety Awards.
  • The American Feed Industry Association has opened registration for its popular biennial Feed Industry Institute (FII), which will be offered in a self-paced, virtual learning environment over a span of a few weeks this summer. The conference, which kicks off June 6 and culminates on Aug. 1, brings together industry newcomers to learn the fundamentals of the animal food manufacturing process – from the types of ingredients used to the animals served to federal policies that shape the output of the industry.
  • A new partnership between USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) was awarded a $1 million grant to advance adoption of soil conservation practices on farms. Pork producers can measure their cover crop adoption by using On-Farm Sustainability Reports, which are available at no additional cost to them to help document and improve their on-farm sustainability efforts.
  • The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association annual conference & trade show is scheduled for April 12-14, 2022, in Bloomington, MN. Attend either in-person or virtually.
  • The Dairy Business Association (DBA) and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative have hired Jeremy Henkels to serve as managing director, a new role for the advocacy organizations.
  • Commodity Blenders, LLC welcomes Mike Wright as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

NAMA Announces Annual Awards

Cindy Zimmerman

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) has announced the winners of its 2022 Agribusiness Leader, Ag Association Leader, and Marketer of the Year Awards.

NAMA is proud to announce Kent Harrison, Vice President of Marketing and Premium Programs, Tyson Foods, Fresh Meats, as the 2022 Agribusiness Leader of the Year. The award recognizes outstanding leadership in private, public or academic service and is conferred each year to a senior executive at an agribusiness. In 2008, Harrison joined the Tyson Fresh Meats Team as director of marketing. Today, as the vice president of marketing and premium programs, Harrison is involved in nearly all facets of the company’s domestic and international business operations.

Kasey Cronquist, President, U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC), is NAMA’s 2022 Ag Association Leader of the Year. This award recognizes outstanding achievement and excellence among senior executives who have made significant contributions to the agriculture industry in their roles with trade association or commodity organization. Soon after taking the helm at USHBC in 2019, Cronquist’s ability for long-term strategic visioning became apparent and proved vital. Through the “Grab a Boost of Blue” program, Cronquist has placed the blueberry health benefits at the center of every story told.

Lisa Homer, Senior Communications Manager, FMC, is the distinguished recipient of the 2022 NAMA Marketer of the Year Award. Awarded to an active member of NAMA and recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the field of agri-marketing. Throughout a marketing and advertising career spanning more than 20 years, Homer has spent time on the client side, agency side and as a consultant. This unique perspective, coupled with a ‘can-do’ attitude, has enabled Homer as a skilled builder and driver of brands.

These three awards are NAMA’s highest honors and will be given out at the 2022 Agri-Marketing Conference, April 6-8, 2022, in Kansas City.

Ag Groups, Agencies, Agribusiness, NAMA

New Agri-Pulse Newsmakers Spotlights Nutrition

Cindy Zimmerman

The newest episode of Agri-Pulse Newsmakers is now live and the focus this week is on nutrition and food policy.

Congress has funded a White House conference on nutrition, hunger and health, setting the stage for the first such gathering since 1969. The issue has been a longtime priority for House Ag Committee member and Massachusetts Democrat Jim McGovern, who joins this week’s Newsmakers to discuss what he hopes will come from the event and how it might shape the upcoming farm bill.

Then, a panel of experts takes a look at the current state of nutrition assistance and how a White House conference might influence the future of food policy.

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


Agri-Pulse, Food, Video

Industry Ag News 3/25

Cindy Zimmerman

  • The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply online for the 2023 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Now in its ninth year, this national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities.
  • The joint membership of the Midwest-SouthEastern Equipment Dealers Association (MSEDA), the United Equipment Dealers Association (UEDA), the Western Equipment Dealers Association (WEDA) and the Equipment Dealers Association
    (EDA) recently voted overwhelmingly in favor of moving forward with a merger of these four associations to form the new North American Equipment Dealers Association (NAEDA).
  • On March 30, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will livestream the Secretary of Agriculture’s data report briefing for the first time. This and future Secretary data briefings will stream on NASS’s YouTube channel five minutes after NASS reports are released to the public.
  • The Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will host a series of listening forums to hear from those who have experienced firsthand the effects of mergers and acquisitions beyond antitrust experts, including consumers, workers, entrepreneurs, start-ups, farmers, investors and independent businesses. The first forum will be held March 28 at 3pm ET for the Food and Agriculture sector.
  • Deadline for the Golden ARC (Agricultural Relations Council) Awards contest is coming up April 1. This program provides an opportunity for agricultural communicators to have their 2021 tactics and campaigns evaluated by marketing and public relations (PR) experts, and receive helpful feedback. To be eligible, entries must be completed in full or partially in 2021. A complete list of categories can be found at www.agrelationscouncil.org/categories.
  • The U.S. Peanut Federation joined five other agriculture organizations in support of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) as a proven intervention to address global hunger and childhood malnutrition. The organizations are requesting an additional $200 million in funding for the procurement of WHO guidance-compliant RUTF for the 2023 appropriations legislation.
  • The cost of growing crops could outpace revenue for many farmers in 2022, making it more difficult to break even despite rising commodity prices and increased demand both domestically and globally. The American Farm Bureau Federation is launching a series of Market Intel articles examining rising farm production expenses. The first report concludes that farm production costs are likely to increase 6% in 2022, which follows a 12% increase in 2021.
Ag Groups, Agribusiness, ZimmNews