GreenPoint CEO Keynotes Tech Hub LIVE

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Jeff Blair has been President and Chief Executive Officer of GreenPoint Ag Holdings, a joint venture in the wholesale and retail operations of proven agronomy leaders in the southern United States. His keynote at Tech Hub LIVE Tuesday focused on how the ag tech industry can adapt and advance beyond the headwinds of today’s current tough conditions.

One of his points was to utilize data better. “What I hope you take away from this is that when we talk about technology and I think this really relates to agriculture, you have to understand we talk about data all the time,” said Blair. “And the good news in today’s world, we’re getting more and more things that can take data and turn it into information. But you then have to take information and put it in context to drive intelligence, and it is that intelligence which drives decisions.”

Listen to Blair’s remarks here:
2025 THL Keynote Jeff Blair, GreenPoint Ag (46:45)

2025 Tech Hub LIVE photo album

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

Animal Ag News 7/23

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The House Natural Resources Committee held a full committee markup of several bills, including the Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) commends the House Natural Resources Committee for reporting this legislation out of committee favorably. This legislation addresses an issue that NCBA members have faced for years, as they have dealt with the devastating attacks on their livestock without the ability to protect their cattle from these predators.
  • CattleCon 2026, to be held in Nashville, Tennessee, Feb. 3-5, will feature keynote speakers two-time Daytona 500 and NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and bestselling author Jon Acuff. These two speakers will inspire and spark innovation. Sharing their unique stories and a bit of humor, they are sure to compel attendees and drum up excitement for the future of the cattle industry.
  • Thanks to a new partnership, dairy producers will soon have additional options for achieving and marketing verified greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from on-farm sustainability practices. The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), California Dairies, Inc., and Athian announced they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a “carbon intensity” protocol supported by the FARM Environmental Stewardship (ES) Program, which seeks to define, quantify and verify how production efficiencies and new practice adoption contribute to positive environmental outcomes.
  • Industry professionals gathered in Nashville, Tenn., for the 2025 USPOULTRY Hatchery-Breeder Clinic, where leading experts shared targeted strategies to optimize hatchery and breeder performance. The two-day event featured sessions on breeder nutrition, holding and transportation challenges, incubation management, chick quality, fertility challenges and the growing importance of automation and technology in streamlining operations.
  • As policymakers seek to define ultra-processed foods, review ingredients used in food processing and determine a strategy to improve the health of children, the Meat Institute and the Meat Foundation released an updated “Guide to Meat Processing” to increase understanding of meat production and the unique nature of the ingredients and processes used to make nutrient dense meat and poultry.
  • National Institute for Animal Agriculture hosted animal agriculture leaders to address challenges stemming from lameness across all food animal species and have now released a White Paper compiling the findings. The white paper can be accessed at the NIAA website and is complementary to roundtable attendees and NIAA members.
  • Farmers have until July 25 to submit nominations for the 2026 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, which comes with cash prizes and bragging rights. This is the eighth year of the contest, supported by Nestlé Purina PetCare, which celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers. Eligibility guidelines and submission requirements are available here.
  • Creekstone Farms has promoted Andrew Baltz, current Senior Vice President and General Manager, to the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). In his new role, Baltz will drive productivity and automation across plant operations, expanding the production of value-added products and future industry offerings.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Ag Tech Excellence Awards Presented

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    L-R: Grace Pan, Awards sponsor Carlton Fields; award winners Dr. Jon Bokmeyer, April Hemmes, Dr. John Fulton, Craig Rupp, Aman Anand, and Lara Sowinski, CropLife Group

    The fifth annual Tech Hub LIVE celebration Tuesday included the 2025 CropLife Ag Tech Awards of Excellence, sponsored by Carlton Fields for the first time this year.

    A new award was added this year – the Emerging Leader Award – and it was presented to Aman Anand, Senior Leader, Nutrien Ag Solutions. With over 20 years of experience spanning Fortune 100 companies, agrochemicals, land-grant universities, and global sustainability initiatives like the World Bank, Anand has a proven track record in scaling ag innovation and has integrated 60+ startups into Nutrien’s Echelon platform. Anand’s beautiful wife and young children were on-hand to see him honored.

    Listen to an interview with Anand:
    2025 Ag Tech Award winner Aman Anand (6:16)

    The 2025 Innovator Award was presented to Craig Rupp, founder and CEO of Sabanto. Rupp was raised on an Iowa farm and has over 30 years of experience in engineering, product development, and agriculture. Among his accomplishments are founding six startups, receiving 14 Patents, and being a Monsanto Senior Fellow, focusing on advanced research and development in areas like agriculture and biotechnology.

    Ohio State University professor Dr. John Fulton, Professor, was the recipient of this year’s Legacy Award for his more than 30 years pioneering precision ag leadership, including serving as President of the International Society of Precision Agriculture (ISPA). Dr. Fulton has guided 33 MS, 12 PhD students, 6 international scholars, and 43 undergraduates. He also provides guidance to the leadership of six retailers and independent consultants annually.

    The Visionary Farmer Award this year goes to fourth-generation Iowa farmer and rancher Iowa farmer April Hemmes who has operated her family’s 1,000-acre century farm for nearly 40 years. A champion for women in agriculture, Hemmes helped develop and served as the first president of Iowa Women in Agriculture and creator of multiple grant-funded initiatives. She is a global agricultural ambassador, an award-winning advocate and communicator and an ag policy and leadership voice for many commodity organizations on the national and state level.

    The final award presented Tuesday was the Educator/Researcher Award presented to Dr. Jon Bokmeyer, now Beck’s Hybrids research manager and just recently concluding five years with Advanced Agrilytics. Bokmeyer is the inventor of two granted patents – Variety Profile Index (VPI) and a corn growth efficiency system and his tools and methodologies are used across thousands of acres, shaping seed, chemical, and equipment decisions in real-world environments. He also leads high-quality field trials that integrate seed, chemistry, and equipment with spatial variability.

    Learn more about Dr. Bokmeyer in this interview.
    2025 Ag Tech Award winner Jon Bokmeyer (1:49)

    2025 Tech Hub LIVE photo album

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

    MyLand Expands Washington Soil Health Initiative with $2.4M in New Funding

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    MyLand ReleaseMyLand, a leading innovator in soil health, today announced a $2.4 million expansion to bring its Soil as a Service™ to more farms across Washington State. Through this effort, MyLand aims to help growers strengthen soil health, build climate resilience, and adopt sustainable practices at scale.

    The expansion builds on a $4.8 million program launched earlier this year in collaboration with the Washington State Department of Agriculture and Department of Commerce. Funded through the state’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA), the investment is expected to bring MyLand’s Service to 9,000 acres across the state, offering farmers access to transformative soil health technology.

    With the additional funding, MyLand will increase the program’s acreage to bring the benefits of live, native microalgae to more farms across Washington. MyLand’s Service delivers measurable improvements like stronger yields, higher quality crops, more resilient farms, and improved water efficiency.

    “This additional investment allows us to deepen our impact and bring sustainable tools to more growers across Washington,” said Dane Hague, Co-Founder and CEO of MyLand. “Washington is demonstrating what it means to lead in sustainable agriculture. This is evident not just in policy, but in real, boots-on-the-ground solutions that benefit farmers and the environment alike.”

    Eligible growers will receive the MyLand Service at no cost for the first year. MyLand is actively accepting new growers across Washington and welcomes inquiries from interested farms.

    “Healthy soil is one of the most powerful tools we have for improving farm performance and addressing climate shifts,” said Dave Booher, Senior Vice President of Sales at MyLand. “With this expansion, we’re bringing the benefits of better soil to more Washington farms, especially those most vulnerable to climate extremes.”

    Agribusiness, climate, Soil

    Women in Ag Tech Meet Again in Des Moines

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    The fourth in-person Women in AgTech (WiAT) was held on Monday July 21 prior to the start of the fifth annual Tech Hub LIVE in Des Moines. The half-day agenda was packed full of presentations, panels, and professional networking for women in the agricultural technology field.

    Susan Olson, Action Intel

    Susan Olson, founder of Action Intel, kicked off the event with her story and insights on Harnessing Innovation to Empower Women in Agriculture. She reflected on her career path that took her from rocket science to ag tech. “How I’ve progressed at different stages of my professional and personal life, it has really come through a catalyst, a guide and then execution and the influence of those guides can really help shape us and help us find that direction to get us to the next step.”

    Listen to an interview with Olson:
    2025 WiAT - Susan Olson, Action Intel (9:10)

    A panel discussion with Tami Craig Schilling, Bayer Crop Science; UNL Quantitative Life Sciences Imitative Director Jennifer Clarke; and AIFARMS Executive Director Jessica Wedow, focused on A.I. developments in agriculture. Schilling talked about how Bayer developed the GenAI model called E.L.Y. (Expert Learning for You).

    Sarah Canada, R&D Chief of Staff with Corteva, discussed her career path that involved moving from Research and Development to HR and back again, and how the company culture at Corteva encourages that kind of interdepartmental growth into new areas. Corteva is a major sponsor of WiAT and brought a big group to attend the conference.

    Another big supporter of WiAT is Agri-Access, a division of Compeer Financial, where Kelly Miller is the Director of Fintech and Retail. She led a panel on how ag tech impacts farm credit and crop insurance with ag economist Megan Roberts with Compeer and Dawn Stoppelmoor of Farmers Mutual Hail.

    Iowa farmer April Hemmes

    In the tradition of Tech Hub LIVE’s popular farmer panels, WiAT attendees had the opportunity to Ask April Anything – from Cover Crops to Career Advice. April Hemmes has been farming in Iowa for 40 years and has been active on the state and national level in numerous organizations, but she may be better known in some circles for her “combine karaoke” videos. One question she was asked was “What’s the biggest cost for a farmer?” and her answer without hesitation was “Land.”

    Listen to my interview with April here:
    2025 WiAT - April Hemmes, Iowa farmer (9:40)

    2025 Women in Ag Tech conference

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

    Industry Ag News 7/18

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

  • The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) has named veteran ag communicators Janet Adkison and Gale Cunningham as the 2025 inductees in the NAFB Hall of Fame. They will be celebrated at the Night of Honors banquet on Thursday, Nov. 20, attended by farm broadcasters and ag industry leaders during the 82nd NAFB Convention in Kansas City.
  • The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Foundation is pleased to announce that it has awarded its 2025 college scholarships, totaling $47,500, to six students studying agriculture communications. They are: Morgan Anderson, Ohio University; Jacie Ambrose, University of Nebraska-Omaha; Maci Carter, Oklahoma State University; Ella Stiefvater, South Dakota State University; Cortney Zimmerman, Oklahoma State University; and Chloe Zittergruen, Iowa State University. The students will attend and be recognized for their achievements at a special NAFB Foundation Celebration Luncheon on Nov. 19, 2025, during the NAFB Convention in Kansas City.
  • Corn Refiners Association President and CEO John Bode responded to President Trump calling for replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar in soda. “Replacing high fructose corn syrup with cane sugar would cost thousands of American food manufacturing jobs, depress farm income, and boost imports of foreign sugar, all with no nutritional benefit.”
  • The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) today launched a bold new campaign spotlighting fruits and vegetables as nature’s original prescription for better health, lower healthcare costs and longer lives. With headlines like “Before there were pharmacies, there were farms” and “Before there were co-pays, there were carrots,” the campaign delivers a direct message to U.S. policymakers: you can’t make America healthy again without fruits and vegetables.
  • The National Agri-Marketing Association is seeking nominations for its Professional Development Awards to be presented at the NAMA Nexus (formerly Fall Conference), October 14-16 at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee. Awards of Excellence will be presented in the areas of (1) Marketing Communication, (2) Product/Species Management, (3) Public Relations and (4) Sales. The awards will be presented at NAMA Nexus (formerly Fall Conference). Winners will receive complimentary registration to the meeting. Nominations are due by August 1
  • The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) recognized Rep. Adrian Smith (Neb-R) with the President’s Award today during its summer Corn Congress meeting in Washington, D.C. Smith, who serves on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, has been a legislative champion for corn growers on key issues, including international trade, tax policy and ethanol.
  • The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture proudly honors the retirement of Charlie Ingram, National Agricultural Statistics Service Program Director, following nearly 27 years of service. Charlie will retire on September 30, marking the closure of a transformative career over decades of agricultural innovation and public service.
  • Duane Simpson has assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC), succeeding longtime CEO Chuck Conner. His first day on the job came as more than 100 leaders from farmer-owned cooperatives across the country descend on Washington, D.C., for NCFC’s annual Washington Conference and fly-in, which will include meetings at nearly 160 congressional offices.
  • In response to the devastating floods that swept through Kerrville and surrounding areas of Central Texas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, Kubota North America (KNA) announced a contribution to assist in clean-up and restoration efforts with the donation of construction equipment, generators, and $100,000 to help the affected communities recover from this disaster.
  • The Georgia Peanut Commission is hosting a photo contest through Oct. 1, 2025, featuring peanut farms from across the state to fill the pages of the 2026 Georgia Peanut Calendar. Photos will also be selected to be used in various promotional projects by GPC throughout the year. Photos can be submitted in jpg format with the online entry form provided on www.gapeanuts.com by Oct. 1, 2025,
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Passing of Mike Perrine

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Mike PerrineI am sad to say that I just found out that one of my best farm radio friends, Mike Perrine, has passed. I have enjoyed every conversation and we’ve had some fun times together. Mike was a great listener and had a wonderful sense of humor. He will be seriously missed by so many people who have worked with him.

    Back in 2015 he received the NAFB Dix Harper Meritorious Service Award at the NAFB convention in Kansas City. Mike was also received into NAFB Hall of Fame in 2023. You can see a great video that was played there.


    Here’s a quote from the NAFB FB page: “Mike’s broadcast roots date back to 1959 and his career journey took him to many broadcast destinations, including WLDS, WJIL/WJVO, WKAN and AgriTalk (to name a few). He made an indelible impression on everyone who knew him. Mike joined NAFB in 1978 and served in numerous volunteer positions.”

    Update: Service will be September 20 at the Troy Methodist Church in Troy, Illinois. Visitation from 10-11:30 with the service to follow immediately after. Memorials to the NAFB Foundation or the Troy Methodist Church.

    Media, NAFB, Video

    Precision Ag News 7/16

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

  • Stakeholders are welcome to join AgGateway for a webinar update on Version 2 of the Modus lab test data standards Thursday, July 17, 10:00 – 10:45 pm Central Time. AgGateway gathered key industry stakeholders and is in the process of a significant overhaul of Modus. Late last year new versions of the soil and manure test method lists were released, and work continues to add additional features and capabilities.
  • The first National Cover Crop Variety Test Report has been released publicly. This project was led by the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture, working closely with the American Seed Trade Association and over a dozen partner organizations including seed companies, land-grant universities, as well as USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and Natural Resource Conservation Service. The intent of the National Cover Crop Variety Testing program is to identify how new and existing cover crop varieties perform in a wide variety of locations across the country. For this first-year report, data from 11 states is provided for 25 different varieties representing six different cover crop species. 
  • Understanding Ag, LLC, a leading U.S.-based regenerative agriculture consulting firm, has officially launched UA/UK, a wholly owned subsidiary registered in the United Kingdom. The new entity marks the company’s formal expansion into the UK and European markets and underscores the rapid rise of regenerative agriculture across the region.
  • The Soil Health Academy (SHA) announces that Ben Katon will serve as organizational strategist, offering planning and operational guidance as the non-profit enters a new phase of strategic growth and development.
    Katon brings valuable insight to SHA as it refines its programming, structure, and long-term vision. His appointment comes as part of a broader initiative to realign SHA’s efforts with the foundational mission established by its founders in 2018: advancing regenerative agriculture through practical, principle-based education.
  • Bayer signed a development and distribution agreement with French pheromones expert company M2i Group for the exclusive distribution of pheromone gels for the Asia-Pacific as well as the Latin America region and the United States building on its successful collaboration and related product launches in Europe and Africa.
  • Proven® Seed, the proprietary seed brand of Nutrien Ag Solutions, is expanding its canola portfolio with the launch of four new hybrids for the 2026 growing season. The additions include both LibertyLink® and TruFlex® options, each offering distinct maturity ranges, trait packages, and agronomic advantages to meet the evolving needs of Western Canadian farmers.
  • Reinke Manufacturing, a global leader in irrigation systems and technology, today announced the acquisition of Scott Specialties, Inc.’s industrial assets in Belleville, Kansas—including facilities, equipment, and real estate holdings—following the orthopedic soft goods manufacturer’s decision to close. With this strategic move, Reinke is expanding operations and extending new employment opportunities to Scott Specialties’ skilled workforce within its growing mechanized irrigation division.
  • Emergent Connext, Inc., the nation’s first carrier-grade rural IoT network and solutions integrator, announced today the successful close of its oversubscribed $5 million seed funding round. The seed round attracted a strong group of investors who share Emergent’s vision to digitally connect the most underserved industries of rural America—unlocking a new era of profitability, sustainability, and operational efficiency across agriculture, climate and energy, utilities and municipalities, and the broader rural economy.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture

    Blueberries Add Billions to the U.S. Economy

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Blueberry growers and importers deliver a powerhouse crop that contributes nearly $9.1 billion in annual economic impact to the U.S. economy, or nearly $25 million every day, according to new reports from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council (USHBC).

    “The new reports reaffirm what our industry has long recognized—blueberry growers have a powerful and positive impact on the U.S. economy,” said Kasey Cronquist, president of the USHBC. “Thanks to the ongoing commitment of growers and our import partners, blueberries are available to consumers year-round, contributing to spending that helps create and maintain thousands of jobs and delivers billions in economic activity nationwide.”

    “The economic impact of blueberry growers is both far-reaching and deeply rooted in the U.S. economy,” said Cronquist. “From job creation to tax revenue, blueberry growers fuel sustained economic activity in every region of the country.”

    In the United States specifically, the U.S. highbush blueberry industry accounts for $6.7 billion in annual economic impact, or about $18.3 million per day, while creating and sustaining 49,260 full-time equivalent jobs supported by the business activities of U.S. growers. Additionally, U.S. highbush blueberry growers generate nearly $2.4 billion in labor income each year, equating to about $6.7 million per day, and indirect business taxes generated by grower spending totals nearly $193.1 million annually, or $529,000 per day, not including income taxes.

    Learn more from USHBC and in this interview with Cronquist.
    Interview with USHBC president Kasey Cronquist 13:14

    Audio, specialty crops

    Animal Ag News 7/15

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

  • USDA launched a new, modernized Midwestern Food Safety Laboratory in St. Louis this week to bolster USDA’s efforts to combat foodborne illness. This better positions USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which is responsible for ensuring meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled, to protect the nation’s food supply. FSIS will continue to work in close collaboration with partners like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ensure the safety of the entire food supply chain. 
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation has extended its deadline until July 25 for farmers to submit nominations for the 2026 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, which comes with cash prizes and bragging rights. This is the eighth year of the contest, supported by Nestlé Purina PetCare, which celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers.
  • Creekstone Farms has promoted Andrew Baltz, current Senior Vice President and General Manager, to the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). In his new role, Baltz will drive productivity and automation across plant operations, expanding the production of value-added products and future industry offerings. Prior to joining Creekstone Farms in 2024, Baltz held several leadership positions within Tyson Foods including Director of Engineering and Director of Automation.
  • USPOULTRY is offering to its members a first-of-its-kind Sanitation Safety for the Poultry Industry certification program designed for workers across all parts of the poultry industry. The goal of the certification program is to provide safe and sanitized working conditions to produce poultry products. Developed and reviewed by a team of industry specialists and Georgia Tech Safety, Health and Environmental Services professionals, the training offers a third-party certification to cover sanitation safety.
  • Cattle producers from across the country were recognized during the industry’s Summer Business Meeting in San Diego through the 2025 Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). Regional award recipients were honored for their commitment to conservation and stewardship. The national winner will be announced during CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee, in February. The 2025 ESAP Regional winners are:
    Region I: Whispering Hills Farm, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky; Region II: M&D Overstreet Ranch, Kathleen, Florida; Region III: Smith Family Farms, Bankston, Iowa; Region IV: McFaddin Ranch, Victoria, Texas; Region V: G&G Livestock and Cathey Cattle Company, Polson, Montana; and Region VII: Wine Glass Ranch, Imperial, Nebraska
  • Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins congratulates the dairy industry’s commitment to eliminate artificial food dyes from their ice creams. This is a voluntary, proactive pledge to eliminate the use of Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 from ice cream and other frozen dairy desserts by 2028. Rollins joined leaders from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, and others at the USDA headquarters in Washington to announce the Commitment and participate in a special celebration of ice cream, where crowds enjoyed complimentary ice cream in recognition of National Ice Cream Day occurring on Sunday, July 20.
  • With a new reported case of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz in Mexico last week Secretary Rollins ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately just days after it had been reopened. The new case in northern Veracruz indicates screwworm has traveled 160 miles northward of the location where sterile flies are currently being dropped. As the screwworm continues to move north through Mexico the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) urges USDA to immediately begin work on a sterile fly facility in the United States.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture