Onward to the NAMA Nexus – Economies of Ag
The NAMA Boot Camp is complete and you can find some photos here. Now it’s time to look ahead for the new NAMA Nexus.
The NAMA Fall Conference is evolving into … *drumroll please* … NAMA Nexus!
This elevated, workshop-style event is designed to spark collaboration and drive real-world impact.
Rather than traditional lecture-style sessions, you’ll engage directly with peers and industry experts in dynamic, discussion-based sessions. Bring your curiosity and individual experience to the table for the best, most engaging experience.
These focused sessions will explore today’s most pressing topics and challenges — and deliver takeaways you can apply right away.
You can see the schedule here. There are great sponsorship opportunities available for NAMA Nexus! For more information, contact Jenny Pickett at (913) 491-6500 or email.
IFAJ Alltech Young Leaders 2025 Announced
Ten ‘agricultural journalists of the future’ have been selected by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) to participate in the 2025 Alltech Young Leaders program.
Now entering its 20th year, the joint initiative seeks to develop and support new and recent entrants to the profession through expert training, feedback and mentoring, delivered during a unique ‘Boot Camp’ at this year’s IFAJ Congress in Nairobi, Kenya, in October.
The ten 2025 Young Leaders are:
Aizhan Rymbayeva, Kazakhstan and Türkiye
Ben Eagle, United Kingdom
Chelsea Dinterman, United States of America
Johanna Fry, Germany
Juliet Akoth, Kenya
Keira Miller, Canada
Luíza Cardoso,Brazil
Nukanah Kollie, Liberia
Rodrigo Bonazzola, Argentina
Victoria Ellis, Australia
“Alltech has partnered with IFAJ since 2005 to support the Young Leader programme for promising agricultural journalists and communicators,” says Jenn Norrie, Alltech’s communications manager for North America and Europe. “Not only does it hone the skills of their trade, but it also provides leadership and networking opportunities to contribute to their growth and development. The opportunity to connect with these young leaders early in their careers has been significant and has created many opportunities for me to connect my Alltech colleagues around the world with IFAJ-affiliated journalists in many of the countries that Alltech operates.”
Ethanol Report on the RFS at Twenty
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 was signed by President George W. Bush on August 8 of that year at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico – symbolizing a new approach to energy economics and security, diversifying our transportation fuel supply by incentivizing ethanol and biodiesel by initiating the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
This month marks the 20th anniversary of the RFS, as well as the Renewable Fuels Association’s long history of developing, supporting, and defending this successful landmark policy. RFA summarizes the results of the RFS at Twenty, which include: lower gas prices, more energy independence, stronger farms, and cleaner air.
RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper discusses the milestone in a new blog post and in this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast. Cooper also comments on EPA’s proposal to rescind the 2009 “endangerment finding” on greenhouse gas emissions and what its impact might be for the RFS.
Ethanol Report 8-4-25 27:41The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.
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Precision Ag News 8/8
VANE Agricultural Insurance Solutions Appoints CEO
VANE Agricultural Insurance Solutions, a leading provider of custom agricultural insurance, has appointed Clayton Becker as Chief Operating Officer, responsible for overseeing the company’s day-to-day operations, driving business development, and accelerating sales growth while ensuring operational excellence.
Becker brings a wealth of experience in agriculture, with over two decades at Syngenta, and most recently, as President of Farmers National, a leading farm land management services provider. In his new role, Becker will be instrumental in translating business strategy into product strategy, building high-performing teams, and identifying new market opportunities for VANE’s innovative agribusiness revenue and balance sheet protection solutions.
“We are delighted to welcome Clayton to the VANE team,” said Don Preusser, CEO and Founder of VANE. “Clayton’s proven leadership in business development and operational execution will be critical as we continue to expand our reach and provide agribusinesses with specialized, one-of-a-kind, insurance coverage they need to protect against revenue loss due to weather events.”
Becker will also focus on fostering strong relationships with prospects, customers, and business partners, and ensuring VANE’s continued service excellence in the delivery of its unique revenue insurance solutions for agribusinesses.
U.S. Grains Council Adds BioProducts to Name
The U.S. Grains Council is officially changing its name to the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC).
“The Council stands on the precipice, and there is the opportunity for exponential growth with becoming the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council,” said Ryan LeGrand, U.S. Grains and BioProducts Council CEO and President. “The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council encompasses both the organization’s grains side and ethanol side to create one global powerhouse organization.”
The name change was passed by delegates at the 65th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting last week. The U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council was founded in 1960 as the U.S. Feed Grains Council in order to develop new markets for U.S. coarse grains and co-products. The name was changed to the U.S. Grains Council in 1998.
“We have paid special attention to choosing the right name without abandoning the 65 years of brand equity our members and our past leaders have worked so hard to create,” LeGrand said.
U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council is a non-profit organization that promotes the global use of U.S. barley, corn, sorghum and related products including ethanol and distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS).
With offices in nine countries, the Council operates programs in more than 50 countries and the European Union. The Council supports global economic development through partnerships, enabling U.S. agriculture’s profitability.
Animal Ag News 8/5
National ACT Officers Elected at Ag Media Summit
President – Emma Heiden, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D. (2nd from right) Vice President – Wyatt Morrow, Wilmington College, Wilmington, Ohio (1st on left) Secretary-Treasurer – LaKacee Lipp, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S,D. (2nd from left) Member Relations Coordinator – Lydia Hill, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Tifton, Ga. (middle) Communications Coordinator – Katrina Hageman, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa (far right)
The newly elected officers for 2025-2026 are: Emma Heiden, South Dakota State University, president; Wyatt Morrow, Wilmington College, vice president; LaKacee Lipp, South Dakota State University, secretary-treasurer; Lydia Hill, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, member relations coordinator; and Katrina Hageman, Iowa State University, communications coordinator.
National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (National ACT) is a student-led organization dedicated to fostering professional development, leadership and networking opportunities for college students pursuing careers in agricultural communications.
With chapters across the country, National ACT connects students with industry professionals, provides hands-on learning experiences, and promotes excellence in communicating agriculture’s story.
Learn more at www.nactnow.org.
Traction Ag Launches Accounting Integration with Keystone Cooperative
Traction Ag Inc., a leading provider of farm accounting and operations software, has just launched its latest billing integration with Keystone Cooperative. This new workflow enables Keystone Cooperative bills to sync directly into Traction Ag’s cloud-based platform, reducing manual data entry and ensuring accounting entries remain accurate and up to date.
The integration addresses a major need for farmers by saving time and simplifying workflows, allowing them to automatically import, review, and approve Keystone invoices directly in their accounting system, reducing manual entry and freeing up time to focus on running their operation.
Key Benefits:
● Gain clarity on paid and unpaid bills, while keeping a precise inventory of farm inputs
● Reduce paperwork and keep farm accounting streamlined and well organized
● Save time during peak billing periods
● Improve accuracy by eliminating manual data entry errors
Dustin Sapp, CEO of Traction Ag, highlighted the company’s deep commitment to farm-focused financial tools: “Traction Ag was built from the ground up for the specific demands of farm accounting. When farmers receive Keystone Cooperative bills through our platform, they’re not just logging another expense; they’re gaining full visibility into discounts, inventory, and prepaid inputs. It’s all centralized in one place. That’s what empowers farmers to clearly understand their true financial position and make more confident decisions.”
The Keystone integration is now available for Traction Ag customers. For more details, visit tractionag.com/integrations/keystone-cooperative.