Tech Hub LIVE Wraps With AEM Panel

Cindy Zimmerman

LtoR: Julian Sanchez, Darryl Matthews, Michael Gomes

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) brought a panel of leading agricultural industry experts to wrap up the inaugural Tech Hub LIVE conference and trade show on Wednesday.

Joining moderator and Tech Hub LIVE Conference Chair Paul Schrimpf were:
Julian Sanchez, Director, Emerging Technology, John Deere
Michael Gomes, V.P. Business Development – Agriculture, Topcon
Darryl Matthews, Senior Vice President, Trimble Inc.

The topic was “What’s Now and Next For Ag Equipment and Technology Companies” and there was a lot to discuss, from sustainability and carbon programs to the massive shift toward in-season decision making and “just-in-time” field recommendations – as well as putting the farmer first.

“We continue to be laser-focused on helping farmers manage each plant at scale,” said Sanchez, who adds that ease of use for the farmer is number one priority. “Make the technology easy, make the data easy to understand, make it all just easy and intuitive.”

Gomes says data is becoming even more critical with the focus on sustainability and climate. “Agriculture has and continues to do the right things for the environment,” he said. “It’s that documentation of practice that makes it easier to show people that we are doing the right things.”

When it comes to carbon capture and sequestration, Matthews says it’s important to find a way to make it financially sustainable for farmers. “Everybody in the industry is looking at ways that we can buy carbon offsets and capture more carbon,” said Matthews. “Agriculture is the solution to carbon sequestration and we need to be on the forefront of that.”

Listen to some comments from the three panelists here:
Tech Hub LIVE Closing panel interviews (8:43)

AEM, AgWired Precision, Audio, Equipment, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

PrecisionAg® Awards of Excellence

Cindy Zimmerman

LtoR: Jeremy Wilson accepting for his father Wade, Nic Uilk, Dan Frieberg, Michael Ott, and Paul Shrimpf

The annual PrecisionAg® Awards of Excellence were presented at the inaugural Tech Hub LIVE conference in Des Moines this week.

The PrecisionAg Alliance has sponsored the awards program since 2007 to celebrate exceptional work in research, commercialization, and adoption of precision agriculture technology and practices. Four recipients were selected for the 2021 class, joining 57 honorees from previous years. In addition, the 2020 winners were recognized during the event since the pandemic cancelled last year’s celebration.

This year’s recipients were:
Educator/Researcher Award
Nicholas Uilk, South Dakota State University

Crop Adviser/Entrepreneur Award
Michael Ott, Rantizo

Farmer Award
Wade Wilson, Olney, IL

Legacy Award
Dan Frieberg, Premier Crop Systems

Unfortunately, Wade Wilson was unable to attend the conference, so his son Jeremy with EFC Systems was honored and proud to accept the award in his place.

Listen to some brief comments from each winner.
Tech Hub LIVE Precision Ag Award winners (5:41)

Congrats also to the 2020 winners:
Dr. Ajay Sharda, Kansas State University | Educator/Researcher Award
Jason Ward, North Carolina State University | Educator/Researcher Award
Ofir Schlam, Taranis | Crop Adviser/Entrepreneur Award
Grant Strom, Dahindra, IL | Farmer Award
Eric Lund, Veris Technologies | Legacy Award

AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

2021 Agri-Marketing Conference Attendance is Strong

Chuck Zimmerman

2021 Agri-Marketing ConferenceIt has been a great to see so many friends in person at the 2021 Agri-Marketing Conference. I’ve had lots of conversations and am really glad for this opportunity to just catch up on how people come through the craziness of the last year and a half. There is a palatable vibe of excitement as we’re able to talk to people about projects and plans and learn what is new.

Between taking photos for NAMA, managing the ZimmComm booth in the Connection Point and doing Golden ZimmComm Microphone interviews there hasn’t been much time to post on AgWired. But there is more to come!

In the meantime, enjoy some of the photos of the activities here, like the Best of NAMA Award winners, receptions, networking and sessions. 2021 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

You can find all the winners of the Best of NAMA Awards here.

NAMA

Partners Make Tech Hub LIVE a Success

Cindy Zimmerman

Tech Hub LIVE would still just be a dream of Meister Media Worldwide without the support of three outstanding industry partners who are pioneering the way with the latest solutions in precision agriculture.

EFC Systems is pleased to be a founding Education Partner of Tech Hub LIVE. “Education and getting people out of their comfort zone is important,” said Ernie Chappell, founder and president. “We’re trying to make this the marriage of agronomy and technology.”

Tech Hub LIVE Ernie Chappell, EFC Systems (2:38)

Proagrica is a global provider of independent connectivity and data-driven support solutions for the agriculture industry and for them it is about increasing industry knowledge while engaging with the right strategic partners and developing relationships. “We’re always looking for ways to connect with our customers and other members of the industry,” said Director of Business Development Shawn Peterson. “Bringing data connectivity to the market is something we’re really passionate about.”

Tech Hub LIVE Shawn Peterson, Proagrica (5:24)

WinField United and Truterra jumped on board as a Tech Hub LIVE partner because of their goal to deliver innovative solutions to help farmers. “We’ve always wanted to be on the leading edge with information and leading technologies,” said Mark Olson with Winfield.

Olson and Brent Hall with Truterra talk about what they do in this interview.

Tech Hub LIVE Winfield/Truterra interview (2:57)

AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

Precision Ag News 7/21

Carrie Muehling

  • Pivot Bio announced the close of a $430 million Series D funding led by DCVC and Temasek, bringing the total equity raised to more than $600 million. The funding will fuel the company’s accelerating release of disruptive products focused on replacing the $60 billion of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer sold each year just to sustain corn, wheat, and rice.
  • Calyxt, Inc. announced the appointment of Michael A. Carr as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective July 27, 2021. Mr. Carr will also serve as a member of Calyxt’s Board of Directors. Mr. Carr was most recently the Vice President of M&A, Strategy, and Innovation at Darling Ingredients, Inc., a global developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients and renewable energy.
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is accepting online applications for the 2022 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge through Aug. 20. This national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies that are providing innovative solutions to either traditional or new/emerging challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. Farm Bureau will award $165,000 in startup funds.
  • To help farmers achieve the highest yield potential, Golden Harvest is launching its first-ever Gold Series, a line of soybeans that feature exclusive genetics in high-demand trait platforms. Available for the 2022 season, the new lineup includes Enlist E3® soybeans and XtendFlex® soybeans. Gold Series soybeans include exclusive genetics from Syngenta Seeds, which has one of the longest-running soybean breeding programs in the United States.
  • AgriDigital and Trader PhD launched a U.S. distribution partnership synching AgriDigital’s harvest and inventory management platform Waypath with Trader PhD’s Ag marketing services.
  • AgriTech Corp. has partnered with Auburn University on an Auburn-branded SoilKit®, with proven results backed by Auburn research. This is the first time a public, land-grant university has partnered with a private company to deliver digital, easy-to-understand soil test results to homeowners, landscapers, farmers and municipalities.
  • nurture.farm is scaling and expanding its global reach as a part of the OpenAg™ network. The OpenAg™ network was conceived by UPL Ltd, a world leader in sustainable agriculture.
  • Bushel announced an integration with EFC Systems’ FieldAlytics agronomy and farm planning software. This integration will allow growers to easily access FieldAlytics through their grain facilities’ mobile app powered by the Bushel platform. Full integration to EFC’s Merchant Ag is slated for 2022.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

The Chad Colby Keynotes Tech Hub LIVE

Cindy Zimmerman

Few people know more about ag technology than The Chad Colby so he was a natural choice to keynote the Tech Hub LIVE event this week in Des Moines.

Colby has more than 33,000 Twitter followers and provides regular tech segments for This Week in Agribusiness and he had lots of practical advice for the attendees. He says just something as simple as upgrading your iPhone to the latest version can increase your productivity tremendously. “If you have an iPhone 7 or 8 and you saw on the screen the difference between an 8 and a 12, you realize that you’re not far behind, you’re way far behind,” said Colby.

Colby says technology can be either practical or disruptive but he encourages farmers to not be afraid to try new things and take some risks. Learn more in this interview.

Tech Hub LIVE Chad Colby interview (7:38)

AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

Des Moines Welcomes Tech Hub LIVE

Cindy Zimmerman

The city of Des Moines, Iowa rolled out the red carpet this week to welcome the inaugural Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo, a brand new event to showcase the intersection between agriculture and technology.

The new event kicked off with a Welcome to Iowa Party at Exile Brewing Co., sponsored by state and local business organizations that have made it a priority to encourage agricultural events in particular to come to Des Moines. Representatives from America’s Cultivation Corridor, Ames Chamber of Commerce, Iowa State Research Park, the Iowa Economic Development Authority, and the Greater Des Moines Partnership personally attended the party to meet and welcome conference attendees.

“This is absolutely in our back yard,” said Mark Laurenzo with the Iowa Economic Development Authority. “Working on this event has really allowed us to put a focus on the center of the Midwest, the center of North America, and a place to do business for precision agriculture.”

Tech Hub LIVE is a perfect fit for the mission of America’s Cultivation Corridor, according to executive director Billi Hunt. “We’re all about lifting up innovation in the state and connecting it to the world, but also connecting the world’s agriculture innovation to Iowa,” said Hunt.

The pre-conference agenda on Monday included a field trip to Couser Cattle Company at The Modern Ag Farm, in Nevada, Iowa, a fully integrated farming operation featuring everything from row crop production to animal ag and ethanol. The conference officially kicks off Tuesday morning for a full two days of the latest in digital and precision agriculture.

Listen to interviews with Laurenzo and Hunt below.

Tech Hub LIVE Mark Laurenzo, Iowa Economic Development (4:08)

Tech Hub LIVE - Billi Hunt, America's Cultivation Corridor (4:33)

AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE

Animal Ag News 7/19

Carrie Muehling

  • The U.S. District Court in South Carolina dismissed a challenge to the Navigable Waters Protection Rule (NWPR) and granted a remand without vacatur, ensuring the rule remains in effect until the Biden Administration finalizes a new rule. NCBA, along with other agricultural groups, are engaged in litigation across the country to defend the NWPR and are pleased with this key legal victory.
  • Germany’s federal agriculture ministry confirmed the first cases of African swine fever (ASF) on farms. The disease was confirmed on two farms in the eastern German state of Brandenburg, which borders Poland. The farms include an organic farm with 200 pigs and a small farm with just two pigs. All pigs have been euthanized. Previous ASF cases in Germany had only been found in wild boars.
  • The annual Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show brings producers and their families from across the country together for education, entertainment and excitement. This year’s event, Aug. 10-12, in Nashville, Tenn., also provides an opportunity for the industry’s youth to gather, learn and share ideas. To encourage young producers to participate, Culver’s is sponsoring FFA Day at the NCBA Trade Show on Thursday, Aug. 12. The first 250 FFA members to register will receive complimentary NCBA Trade Show admission, courtesy of Culver’s. A significantly discounted trade show registration rate of $30 per person is available to FFA members when the free tickets are depleted.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) noted the introduction of misguided legislation entitled the Farm System Reform Act by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA). NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane gave the following response.
  • As countries roll back COVID-19 restrictions, foreign market demand for beef is becoming a bright spot for U.S. producers. With record U.S. beef production forecast this year, U.S. beef exports are forecast to strengthen their position in the global marketplace. Meanwhile, lower production in Australia and tighter exportable supplies from Argentina are expected to limit the global availability of beef. For 2021, U.S. beef exports are forecast to reach a record 1.5 million metric tons (mt) carcass weight equivalent (cwe), up 16 percent compared to last year and 8 percent above the 2018 high.
  • The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs has released its draft US-RSPE Sustainability Framework for chicken, turkey and egg supply chains for public comment. The first public comment period for the US-RSPE Sustainability Framework runs for 45 days, from July 16—August 31, 2021. US-RSPE will make revisions and open a second public comment period for 30 days in the fall, from September 23—October 22, 2021, before public launch in early 2022. Submission instructions and reference documents are available at us-rspe.org/framework.
  • Dr. Joseph Scimeca, Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Scientific Affairs for the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), issued a statement on IDFA’s formal objection to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration final rule to amend and modernize the standard of identity for yogurt.
  • The Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) board of directors re-elects Jeff Strassburg as Board Chair at its annual reorganization meeting. Strassburg is a fifth-generation dairy farmer from Wittenberg representing District 9 (Menomonee, Shawano and Waupaca counties). He, along with the newly elected Executive Committee, will lead the organization through the next fiscal year, which began July 1 and will conclude June 30, 2022.
  • Noble Research Institute recently hired Joseph Pokay IV as general ranch manager. Pokay brings more than 13 years of full-time production agriculture experience to Noble, specializing in regenerative ranching practices.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Awards

Cindy Zimmerman

2020 Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Award WinnersThis year the Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Awards breakfast at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference was twice as special as winners were honored for both 2020 and 2021 because last year’s conference was canceled.

Pictured first are the 2020 winners who attended the breakfast. The winners were: Mark, Tim and Michael Mullen, Lower Southeast Region; Kirk Jones, Upper Southeast Region; Van Hensarling, Mid-South Region and Aaron and Glen Martin, Southwest Region.

2021 Farm Press Peanut Efficiency Award WinnersThe 2021 winners were: Dan Ward, Upper Southeastern States; Armond Morris, Upper Southeast Region; Dan West, Mid-South Region and Tony Dill, Southwest Region. Tony passed away last fall due to complications from COVID19 and his family was in attendance to accept his award.

Learn more about the winners from Farm Press.

Check out the SPGC Blog for other news from the conference.

2021 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Peanuts, SPGC

Update from Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member

Cindy Zimmerman

The Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee paid a visit to the 22nd Annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference over the weekend to provide a policy update.

Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) discussed the current status on a number of issues important to agriculture including trade, estate taxes, climate policy, infrastructure, rural broadband, WOTUS, farm bill and more.

Remarks from Senator John Boozman (R-AR) (29:58)

Press gaggle with Sen. Boozman (R-AR) (6:50)

2021 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

Audio, Peanuts, SPGC