2021 Alltech ONE Ideas Conference Stays Virtual

Cindy Zimmerman

In 2020, the Alltech ONE Ideas Conference was the first to test the new waters of virtual events. This year, the global agri-food conference will again be in a virtual format on May 25–27.

Now in its 37th year, Alltech’s flagship event continues to be an invaluable industry resource, with unmatched content and innovative ideas, inspiration and motivation from world-class speakers. The virtual platform provides on-demand tracks, streaming keynote presentations and live Q&A chats with select speakers — and this year, it will also offer an interactive networking experience, allowing attendees to connect with their peers from around the world.

“We are on the cusp of a new golden age of agriculture, a time when our spirit of innovation will inspire an even greener revolution,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “The Alltech ONE Ideas Conference is a connection point for changemakers to exchange ideas that will shape the future of agri-food and our planet.

The conference typically attracts over 3,500 attendees from more than 70 countries to Lexington, Kentucky, but last year the first Alltech ONE Virtual Experience attracted more than 21,500 registrants from 126 countries, with continued registration throughout the year and engaging new content released monthly. This year’s virtual event features tracks in the aquaculture, beef, business, crop science, dairy, equine, health and wellness, pet, pig, and poultry sectors.

Registration for ONE is now open.

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Animal Health

CUTC Moved to 2022

Chuck Zimmerman

The Corn Utilization & Technology Conference (CUTC) has been moved to June 6-8, 2022 and it is because of the continuing situation with COVID-19. What is definitely continuing are statements and posts from a variety of sources that seem to completely contradict each other. It is definitely a nightmare for meeting and event planners. On the one hand you have customers and members who would gladly meet in person and on the other you have facilities with restrictions making it impossible to hold a meeting and companies that still have travel bans on their employees.

The National Corn Growers Association will, however, have a “special virtual CUTC session on May 13, 2021, 10 a.m. CT, “Funding for Research, Development and Commercialization”. This will be a FREE event, featuring panelists that can speak to a wide range of funding opportunities and mechanisms.” You can register for it here.

Speaking for many people I know, I can’t wait until we can get back together in-person without fear of this virus.

Ag Groups, Corn, CUTC, NCGA, Technology

Animal Ag News 3/29

Carrie Muehling

  • Registration is now open for the 2021 World Pork Expo presented by the National Pork Producers Council. Pork producers and other industry professionals will gather for three days of networking, education and innovation on June 9-11 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Attendees, media and exhibitors can register by visiting the World Pork Expo website.
  • Dr. Lon Whitlow, professor emeritus, NC State University, leads a webinar titled “An Introduction to Mold and Mycotoxins: Toxic Effects and Preventative Management” to provide producers with mold and mycotoxins identification, prevention and treatment techniques. The webinar is available for free at Phibro Academy, Phibro Animal Health Corporation’s digital information platform, and can be accessed here: https://academy.pahc.com/catalog/info/id:349.
  • Select Sires and the J. R. Simplot Company’s Animal Sciences division are pleased to announce Simplot’s SimVitro® HerdFlex™-branded beef embryos are now available through all Select Sires member cooperatives nationwide.
  • At its March board meeting, the FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative Board of Directors reviewed approved policies and identified this year’s top priorities. During the cooperative’s ninth annual meeting held on February 12, cooperative delegates approved new policy in several key areas, including federal milk order reform, international trade policy, incentive programs, and commodity advertising, research, and promotion programs. Policies adopted at the meeting guide the legislative agenda for the cooperative in the year ahead.
  • Cattle producers are encouraged to submit their best calving season photos to the company’s Calving Season Sweepstakes for a chance at daily prizes to help power through the calving season. Zoetis is asking cow/calf producers to enter the sweepstakes at CalvingSeason.com by submitting pictures of their calves. All calving photos are welcome, whether it’s late-night shots from the barn, kids helping with the new animals, cows with baby calves, or producers simply caring for their calves by bottle-feeding or wrapping them in blankets. Every qualifying photo submitted to CalvingSeason.com through May 21, 2021, will earn entry into the sweepstakes. There is a limit of one photo submission per day during the sweepstakes. Zoetis will draw daily winners to receive a prize package consisting of a Zoetis-branded cooler full of helpful things to get through calving season, with an approximate retail value of $225.
  • Americans are buying more beef, pork, poultry, and lamb than ever as increased time at home during the pandemic sent meat grocery sales soaring by 20% from 2019 to 2020. The national analysis shows that three out of every four Americans agree meat belongs in healthy, balanced diets (up by nearly 20% since 2020), and 94% say they buy meat because it provides high-quality protein.
  • Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association, gave video comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a food purchase and distribution program to succeed the Farmers to Families Food Box Program created in 2020. In the three minutes allotted to him, Dykes advocated for dairy products to remain a primary component of USDA’s food purchase program for their unparalleled health benefits, and he provided recommendations to the department on crafting a program that does not distort dairy markets.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

Industry Ag News 3/26

Cindy Zimmerman

  • Farm Journal announces Courtney Yuskis has been promoted to senior vice president, Enterprise Solutions. Yuskis will lead the data-driven technologies that power Farm Journal’s market analytics, insights and activation solutions, including the company’s Trusted Intelligence Platform.
  • Alltech, a global leader in the animal health industry, is applying its more than 40 years of scientific innovation and proven nutrition expertise to human health. Launching on March 24, Acutia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Alltech, combines science and sustainability to provide high-quality supplements that enhance everyday nutrition and improve long-term wellness.
  • As the industry emerges from a full year under the COVID-19 cloud, a clear majority (88%) of equipment manufacturers report a positive outlook for 2021, according to a new survey released by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. More than half (55%) of the respondents from leading equipment manufacturers expect sales to increase or remain stable despite the ongoing impact of the global pandemic.
  • The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has reached the milestone of welcoming more than 300 brand, retailer, mill and manufacturer members since it opened enrollment six months ago..
  • Gate 39 Media, a full-featured marketing agency and technology consulting firm dedicated to serving the financial and agricultural industries, has announced the addition of Kaitlin Vrsek as its new Agricultural Marketing Strategist.
  • AdFarm has launched a US-focused consultancy, Calibrate, aimed at providing strategic insights and advising for businesses marketing to agricultural producers. Calibrate by AdFarm will serve business clients by helping them align more effectively to their agricultural audiences – ensuring content is authentic and accurate, generating quality producer insights that are informative and actionable, and refining how they leverage ag channels.
  • American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist Dr. John Newton has been tapped to serve as Chief Economist for Ranking Member Boozman on the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Agribusiness, Zimfo Bytes

Field Notes From Koch Agronomic Services – Episode 11

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.

Spring Planting

In this episode, we look at preparing for spring planting. You’ll hear from two experts: Jared Miller, master agronomy advisor for MKC and Garrett Buschjost, territory business manager for Koch Agronomic Services. They’ll discuss the impact unpredictable spring weather has on nitrogen and the solutions available to growers to address nitrogen loss.

You can listen to the program here: Spring Planting (11:29)

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, Nutrient Management, Soil

USDA Announces Pandemic Assistance for Producers

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA has unveiled a new initiative for farmers, ranchers and biofuels producers impacted by COVID-19 market disruptions – Pandemic Assistance for Producers (PAP).

USDA is dedicating at least $6 billion toward the new programs. The Department will also develop rules for new programs that will put a greater emphasis on outreach to small and socially disadvantaged producers, specialty crop and organic producers, timber harvesters, as well as provide support for the food supply chain and producers of renewable fuel, among others. Existing programs like the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) will fall within the new initiative and, where statutory authority allows, will be refined to better address the needs of producers.

USDA will reopen sign-up for CFAP 2 for at least 60 days beginning on April 5, 2021. The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has committed at least $2.5 million to improve outreach for CFAP 2 and will establish partnerships with organizations with strong connections to socially disadvantaged communities to ensure they are informed and aware of the application process.

Listen to Secretary Vilsack announce the new initiative to farm broadcasters. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack on Pandemic Assistance for Producers (9:53)

Learn more from USDA.

Audio, USDA

ZimmCast 667 – Feeding the Economy & Fueling Your WiFi

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

Since it is Ag Week and we just celebrated Ag Day I want to say thank you to farmers and everyone in the food and agribusiness industries for helping feed the world.

Ag Week emphasizes the importance of agriculture and in this program I’m sharing a conversation about a new impact study of the food industry to the U.S. economy. It’s titled, “2021 Food and Agriculture Industries Economic Impact Study.” To learn more about it I visited with Connor McKoy, Communications Director for the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. The study is impressive and there is a whole website dedicated to it and making the information simple to navigate.

After that discussion I move on to how farms and rural households can enhance and extend their wifi coverage with new products from Ayrstone Productivity. Bill Moffitt, President, talks about their newest Ayrmesh products.

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

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 667 - Feeding the Economy & Fueling Your WiFi (26:01)

If you like what you hear in the ZimmCast please subscribe in any of the major platforms. And you can also search for the ZimmComm Golden Mic Podcast too, which includes all the audio we produce.

If you would like to advertise in the ZimmCast or become an on-going sponsor please let me know and we’ll work out a plan just for you.

Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

Agribusiness, Audio, Technology, ZimmCast

EPA Chief Shares Climate Agenda

Cindy Zimmerman

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan told the Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit he is looking forward to working with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the Biden Administration climate agenda.

“I’m enthusiastic about the future of our partnership, identifying areas where we can be helpful as well as how we can work on advancing climate smart agriculture practices together,” said Regan.

Ag and Food Policy Summit - EPA Admin Michael Regan (23:45)

Agri-Pulse, Audio, EPA

Precision Ag News 3-24-21

Cindy Zimmerman

  • Syngenta announces its newest corn and soybean seed treatment, VAYANTIS® fungicide, has received EPA registration. VAYANTIS® fungicide contains the active ingredient picarbutrazox, a completely new systemic fungicide seed treatment developed to protect seedlings from key blight and damping-off diseases, such as Pythium and Phytophthora, in many different cropping systems.
  • The American Soybean Association (ASA) presented Brian Ryberg from Buffalo Lake, Minnesota, with the 2021 National Conservation Legacy Award during a virtual ASA Awards Program on March 16.
  • Meristem Crop Performance Group and Planet Earth Agronomy announced a new strategic product development alliance designed to bring innovative biological products to American farmers. Under the relationship, Meristem and Planet Earth will work closely to develop and market yield-enhancing technology.
  • Since global COVID-19 pandemic has made having reliable and strong Internet access in homes and businesses, and across farms and ranches, Ayrstone is proud to introduce a new compact product line to make that easier. The AyrMesh Hub2x2C and AyrMesh ReceiverC are designed for easy set up and use by people with farm backgrounds.
  • Conservation’s Impact on the Farm Bottom Line is a new report from Soil Health Partnership (SHP) that details the financial impact of conservation tillage and cover crop usage among Midwest corn and soybean growers.
  • U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action (USFRA) celebrated National Ag Day by announcing the growing list of companies, organizations and individuals who have joined the Decade of Ag, an initiative centered around investing in the next generation of agricultural systems, restoring our environment, and regenerating natural resources.
  • The Mosaic Company and AgBiome have announced a strategic collaboration, aiming to discover, develop and launch novel biological approaches to enhancing soil fertility. The collaboration will support the development of innovative agricultural technologies that help growers increase nutrient use efficiency and ultimately minimize fertilizer loss to the environment.
  • With resistant weed control far and away the issue of greatest importance to ag retailers serving corn farmers, AMVAC has a wide portfolio of herbicides to help address weed resistance in corn – including Impact Core® and Sinate® Herbicide, both introduced to the market for 2021.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

National Agriculture Day 2021

Cindy Zimmerman

National Ag DayPresident Joe Biden has proclaimed today, March 23, as National Ag Day, the fifth year that The White House has publicly recognized National Ag Day as a salute to the contributions of America’s farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. The proclamation highlights how American agriculture has stepped up over the past year to ensure a safe and abundant food supply and highlights that ag will play a critical role in combating climate change.

National Ag Day activities were virtual this year instead of in-person in Washington, DC. On the program were two state governors with messages about today’s celebration.

First up was Governor Laura Kelly (D-KS): Governor Kelly Remarks

And next was Governor Mike Parson (R-MO): Governor Parson Remarks

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recorded a video to celebrate this week in honor of farmers and ranchers.


Ag Day, USDA, Video