Preview of 2021 Farm Progress Show

Chuck Zimmerman

Farm Progress ShowIt is time for the 2021 Farm Progress Show. The activities kick off Tuesday morning and I’ll be on-site.

To get a preview of this year’s live and in-person event I spoke with Show Manager, Matt Jungmann. Conditions in the fields look great, the exhibitors are finalizing set up and it looks like a big crowd will be on hand.

For over 50 years, the Farm Progress Show has connected farmers from across the globe with agriculture’s leading companies. With hundreds of exhibitors, there’s no better place to engage with the latest farm products and the specialists who developed, tested and designed them. Whether you are looking to innovate with the latest ag-technology, learn from industry experts, or share your farming legacy with your family, the Farm Progress Show has it all.

Interview with Matt Jungmann, National Events Manager, Farm Progress Companies
Interview with Matt Jungmann (10:02)

Audio, Farm Progress Show, Farm Shows

Animal Ag News 8/30

Carrie Muehling

  • Harris Teeter announced that the company is selling its Hunter Farms dairy processing plant to Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Inc. The sale is expected to close Aug. 30, 2021.
  • With less than five months before the Commonwealth of Massachusetts intends to enforce its proposed Regulations Implementing the Act to Prevent Cruelty to Farm Animals, the North American Meat Institute has urged the Commonwealth to delay enforcement and allow time for the proposed rule to be made final so livestock producers and packer processors can understand the final rule and make any required changes to their operations.
  • Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is recognized as the 2021 Training Partner of the Year by IPAP. The award recognizes the dairy checkoff’s efforts to educate food industry professionals across the country about the Wisconsin dairy story, from farm to menu.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is offering college students a unique behind-the-scenes experience through its annual convention internship program. The 2022 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, the largest annual meeting of the U.S. beef cattle industry, will take place Feb. 1-3, 2022, in Houston.
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh announced the establishment of a $400 million Dairy Donation Program on a call with Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow. The DDP, established by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service in accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, aims to facilitate timely dairy product donations while reducing food waste.
  • Protein is a critically important part of a basic diet but how can the global animal protein sector continue to sustainably feed a growing and increasingly hungry world? That question is at the core of the upcoming forum, Sustainable Solutions for Zero Hunger by 2030: A Vision for Animal Agriculture, scheduled virtually for 12-5 p.m. ET on September 14, 2021.
  • The 2021 Cattle Industry Convention may have just wrapped up after moving to August, but the 2022 event is returning to its regularly scheduled time slot in February. The 2022 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show will be held Feb. 1-3, in Houston, with the theme of “Gone to Texas”. With only a few short months until the next convention, planning is already underway to create a unique experience in a new host city.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

Industry Ag News 8/27

Carrie Muehling

  • Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a proclamation declaring the decade of 2020-2030 as The Decade of Agriculture in Idaho. He is the first U.S. governor to issue such a proclamation. Gov. Little’s announcement is part of an effort spearheaded by U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action, which calls upon leaders across the food and agriculture sector to endorse a shared vision: A resilient, restorative, economically viable, and climate-smart agricultural system that produces abundant and nutritious food, natural fiber, and clean energy for a sustainable, vibrant, and prosperous America.
  • NAMA has extended the entry deadline for the Best of NAMA awards to allow for additional challenges in preparing entries. The Call for Entries is live on the web now. You can view all the rules online and print out a PDF of the Call for Entries. The deadline is October 22. Don’t forget, you must be a NAMA member to enter.
  • Start making plans to attend the 2021 NAFB Convention. Join more than 650 agricultural industry leaders November 17-19 in Kansas City for three days of learning, newsmaker sessions, networking, and more.
Zimfo Bytes

Pro Farmer Estimates Top USDA Forecasts

Chuck Zimmerman

Pro Farmer Crop Tour 2021Prior to this week’s Farm Journal Field Days, Pro Farmer, a division of Farm Journal, conducted it’s 29th annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour. To learn about the results I spoke with Brian Grete, Pro Farmer, about the data they collected across seven key midwestern states for corn and soybeans. You can listen in here.

Interview with Brian Grete, Pro Farmer – Summary of 29th Pro Farmer Crop Tour
Interview with Brian Grete (6:33)

Here are some estimates:

Corn: Pro Farmer estimates the 2021 U.S. corn crop at 15.116 billion bu. based on an average yield of 177 bu. per acre. That would be up from USDA’s August estimate of 174.6 bu. per acre.

“Areas east of the Mississippi River are pacing to have very strong yields based on what we saw during Crop Tour,” said Pro Farmer’s Brian Grete. “The drier and drought-stricken areas to the west still have a lot of potential if they receive additional moisture in the coming weeks.”

Soybeans: Pro Farmer estimates the 2021 U.S. soybean crop at 4.436 billion bu. with a national average yield of 51.2 bu. per acre, up from the 50 bu. per acre USDA estimated Aug.12.

“From what I’ve seen, the soybean pod counts have been pretty rock solid so far,” said Grete. “On some of the soybeans, I would say we’re still measuring yield potential because they still need to plump up and if they get rains to plump up those pods, the yield is going to rise.”

The Pro Farmer Crop Tour, which informs the Pro Farmer national yield estimates, concluded successfully Thursday. The Tour was carried out by a dedicated group of crop scouts that sampled more than 3,300 fields across seven key Midwest states, a record number of samples in the Crop Tour’s 29-year history. For additional information on the 2021 Crop Tour go to www.profarmer.com and www.agweb.com.

You can find more interviews I’ve conducted with Farm Journal Field Days participants on AgNewsWire here.

Audio, Corn, Farm Journal, Soybean

Precision Ag News 8/25

Carrie Muehling

  • Beck’s announces the purchase of the Bayer processing plant in Beaman, Iowa, for the use of soybean production and processing. The fully operational site in Grundy County will provide Beck’s with soybean seed processing capabilities and additional warehousing.
  • GROWMARK celebrates the work of the three Illinois producers just named 2021 Master Farmers by Prairie Farmer magazine. This year’s Illinois Master Farmers are: Kent Hodel of Metamora; Kenneth (Kenny) Hartman of Waterloo; and Paul Taylor of Esmond. GROWMARK and FS are sponsors of the Master Farmer awards in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Northeast Atlantic States. The three winning Illinois producers are GROWMARK/FS System customers.
  • Pro Farmer, a division of Farm Journal, shared its much-anticipated production estimates for the 2021 U.S. corn and soybean crops after analyzing information from the 29th annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour and other sources. Pro Farmer estimates the 2021 U.S. corn crop at 15.116 billion bu. based on an average yield of 177 bu. per acre. That would be up from USDA’s August estimate of 174.6 bu. per acre. Pro Farmer estimates the 2021 U.S. soybean crop at 4.436 billion bu. with a national average yield of 51.2 bu. per acre, up from the 50 bu. per acre USDA estimated Aug. 12.
  • Rob-See-Co, an independent seed company located in Elkhorn, Neb. acquired Masters Choice, an independently owned seed corn provider based in Southern Illinois. The acquisition enables Rob-See-Co to provide premium seed products designed for animal feed, and expand current product offerings to new geographies through the Masters Choice brand.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Something is Brewing at the 2021 NAMA Fall Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

2021 NAMA Fall ConferenceRegistration is open for the 2021 NAMA Fall Conference.

Something’s Brewing in St. Louis October 4-6 with NAMA. You don’t want to miss Fall Conference – it’ll inspire you to push yourself and your company forward as you prepare for a new year with excellent educational sessions and unbeatable networking opportunities. Sign up today!

Keynotes to Keep You Focused for Success
Karen Post will show you how to bounce back from challenges better than ever to experience radical recovery and a return to glory. Hear Christopher Carter’s secrets to gaining credibility with body language so that people buy you – and will buy your product or service.

Breakouts with Big Ideas and Practical Advice
Get tips on building a brand that sticks, find out what you need to know about carbon and learn from a local company’s case study. Plus, the Grand Champion Best of NAMA Winner will provide the inside scoop on what helped them create such an outstanding campaign.

Fall Conference wraps up with a view from the C-Suite. Anthony Osborne leads North America Marketing for the Crop Science Division of Bayer. He’ll share insights and thoughtful observations on the industry, and discuss emerging trends and issues.

Make Connections That Matter
From the Gateway Ag Tour and Opening Reception to a special event at Brighton Agency, there are fantastic opportunities for you to network with NAMA friends and colleagues and have fun.

Book your hotel room before the cutoff on September 13 and register for the 2021 NAMA Fall Conference now! The hotel for this year’s Fall Conference is The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis. The room rate is $200.

NAMA

Animal Ag News 8/24

Carrie Muehling

  • For years, World Dairy Expo® has been the place to introduce new ideas and innovations to the global dairy industry. The World Dairy Expo Tech Spotlight takes this tradition to the next level by creating a platform, both virtually and in Madison, for dairy technology start-ups to formally present their ideas to dairy producers around the globe. The 2021 World Dairy Expo Tech Spotlight will be hosted virtually on September 16 at 1 p.m. (CST) with free event registration available now at https://www.wdetechspotlight.com/ This online component will be followed by an in-person event during World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin on September 28 at 10:30 a.m. (CST).
  • The Dairy Business Association and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative issued a statement in support of an announcement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack that $350 million will be used to help dairy farmers who lost revenue due to the pandemic.
  • Anyone who owns livestock in Texas, including horses, cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, fowl and honey bees in a managed colony, need to be aware of key changes to the Texas Farm Animal Liability Act that will be effective Sept. 1, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agricultural law expert. The Texas Legislature passed and Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 365, making important changes to the Texas Farm Animal Liability Act, said Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agriculture law specialist, Amarillo. Previously, a sign was required only for farm animal professionals, but farm and ranch owners and lessees must also now hang a sign at or near their arena, corral or stable to get the statute’s protections.
  • The Iowa Corn Promotion Board® (ICPB) was proud to sponsor Cornivore, the corn-fed steer, at this year’s 39th Annual Governor’s Charity Steer Show on Saturday, August 14, 2021, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa. This year’s steer was accompanied by the incoming Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) President Lance Lillibridge, a corn and beef producer from Vinton, Iowa, and Tate Haughenbury, a high school junior from Coggon, Iowa.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

2021 NAFB Convention Registration is Open

Chuck Zimmerman

2021 NAFB ConventionIt is already time to look ahead to the NAFB Convention!

Start making your plans to attend the 2021 NAFB Convention today. Join more than 650 agricultural industry leaders November 17-19 in Kansas City for three days of learning, newsmaker sessions, networking, and more.

NAFB Convention kicks off Wednesday morning, November 17. Click here for additional Convention information.

Early-Bird Registration is now available. Be an early bird! Register by Thursday, September 30, 2021, and you will be entered for a chance to win one of five $100 giveaways. All full convention registrations are eligible. See website for more details. Early registration sponsored by WinField United.

The Westin Crown Center Room Block is open. Be sure to reserve your hotel room today at the Westin Crown Center. The 2021 NAFB Convention rate at the Westin Crown Center is $159 plus taxes/night. Our 2021 room block closes Tuesday, October 12. Click here for the 2021 hotel room block.

Media, NAFB

Field Notes from Koch Agronomic Services – Episode 13

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.

Soil Cation Exchange Capacity

In this episode, we’ll debunk another myth with the help of Koch Agronomic Services. Listen and learn about soil cation exchange capacity, or CEC, and its impact on nitrogen management. Koch’s technical agronomist Derek Rapp and senior agronomist Edwin Suarez discuss what you need to know about soil CEC, the common misconceptions growers have and why knowing your CEC number is a critical component for growers as they develop their nitrogen management plan.

You can listen to the program here: Soil Cation Exchange Capacity (13:25)

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, Podcasts, Soil

USDA Adopts Market Transparency Policies Backed by NCBA

Carrie Muehling

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association continues work toward and support policies that will help those working in all areas of the cattle industry.

“There is no such thing as a silver bullet, one size fits all, policy solution to these issues. It’s going to have to be a multi-faceted broad approach where we kind of take little chunks out of the marble until we get to the finished statue at the end,” said NCBA’s Tanner Beymer.

Beymer said new USDA reports are providing more transparency into the base price when it comes to cattle markets. He said there is currently a supply and demand imbalance at the fed cattle level, and more processing capacity is needed. Beymer pointed out the importance of continued work towards price discovery, as well as other market drivers like transparency and confidentiality.

CIC2021 Interview with Tanner Beymer, NCBA 8:06

Cattle Industry Convention virtual news room.

2021 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show Photo Album

AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, Livestock, Marketing, Markets, NCBA