2nd Celebration of Modern Ag is a Success

Cindy Zimmerman

More than 15,000 people visited the National Mall this past week for the second Celebration of Modern Agriculture spotlighting the Future of Food and Farming.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) partnered with member companies and ag organizations to hold the three-day event which featured combine harvesters, milking equipment, sprayers and planters, irrigation equipment, tractors big and small, as well as dozens of interactive and hands-on exhibits.

“In 2022 we really had the proof of concept when we had 15 equipment manufacturers and 21 ag groups,” said Nick Tindall, AEM senior director of regulatory affairs and ag policy. “This year, even more, with 25 equipment manufacturers and 31 ag groups, just to tell that story of how production agriculture is able to provide for a growing world while keeping environmental stewardship at heart.”

More than 80 pieces of equipment were displayed across the National Mall, including ground-breaking innovations such as self-propelled sprayers, robotic sensors, the next generation of alternative fuel tractors, an automated aerial crop protection system, and the world’s first fully automated soil laboratory.

Learn more in this interview:
AEM Ag on the Mall - Nick Tindall, AEM 3:29

2024 Celebration of Modern Agriculture on the Mall

AEM, Ag Groups, AgWired Precision, Audio, Equipment, Precision Agriculture

MyLand Adds Two New Directors of Grower Relations

Cindy Zimmerman

Soil health company MyLand has added two new Directors of Grower Relations to enhance support for an increasing number of growers across Texas, California, and Washington State.

Landon Gheer will partner with MyLand’s valued growers throughout Texas, and Gilbert (Gil) Rodriguez will join the California team for growers across the state and the Pacific Northwest. Both report to Dave Booher, MyLand’s Senior Vice President, Sales.

“Landon and Gil will be valuable additions to our team and for our growers across Texas and California,” said Booher. “With more growers turning to MyLand to support their soil health, we remain committed to our promise of Exceptional Service. Landon and Gil will help ensure that our growers receive the best service in the industry.”

The Directors, Grower Relations at MyLand are primarily focused on building and expanding relationships with current growers, potential new customers, and industry leaders to drive the growth of the organization. Their efforts will ensure MyLand’s commitment to Exceptional Service is achieved, and they will act as the voice of the customer within the organization, ensuring continuous optimization of the MyLand Service.

people, Soil

Future of Food & Farming Focus on Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

AEM’s Kip Eideberg with Reps. David Rouzer (R-NC) and Dusty Johnson (R-SD)

“All Crop Rows Lead to Washington” was the title of a Wednesday panel discussion on the National Mall led by Kip Eideberg of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) with Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and David Rouzer (R-NC). The topic was the farm bill and its importance to rural America and the nation as a whole. The panel was part of this week’s Celebration of Modern Ag on the National Mall sponsored by AEM.

“It’s not just food security, it’s also national security,” said Rep. Rouzer of North Carolina. “I would argue that Title I, the commodity title, is really the most critical component of a good and strong farm bill.”

Rep, Johnson, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, said he expects the next farm bill to have a bigger focus on conservation. “I think this farm bill is going to acknowledge the importance of working lands conservation even more than past farm bills have,” he said.

The House Ag Committee is hoping for a markup by the end of this month yet.

Listen to their discussion here:
AEM Ag on the Mall - Reps. Dusty Johnson, SD & David Rouzer 39:40

2024 Celebration of Modern Agriculture on the Mall

AEM, AgWired Precision, Audio, Farm Bill

Precision Ag News 5/8

Carrie Muehling

  • The United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) announces the recognition of three scientists as finalists for the 2024 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals. Research Leader Yan Ping (Judy) Chen and Research Entomologist Jay Evans, both of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland, are recognized for their transformative efforts in revolutionizing bee disease diagnosis and treatment. Tara McHugh, Pacific West Area Director in Albany, California, is also recognized for her visionary leadership and pioneering contributions to the development of novel healthy processed food products. You can support ARS scientists by voting for Chen, Evans and McHugh online.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), and Nebraska Innovation Campus held a groundbreaking ceremony to launch the construction of the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture. The state-of-the-art research center will be located on Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, Nebraska. It will primarily focus on the challenges and opportunities in agricultural innovation for the 21st century.
  • Women in Ag Tech provides opportunities for women to engage both face-to-face and virtually by cultivating a collaborative community through access to mentorship programs, idea exchanges, and collaboration with professionals and organizations within our industry. Attend the next in-person meeting at Tech Hub LIVE and join us on July 29th for this important gathering of women across our industry.
  • For more than 15-years, the CropLife Ag Tech Awards of Excellence, sponsored by the Global Ag Tech Alliance, has honored individuals who demonstrate exceptional work in the use and adoption of precision and digital agriculture technologies and practices. There will be one winner from each of the following categories: Crop Advisor/Entrepreneur, Educator/Researcher, Precision Farmer, and Ag Technology Legacy. The award program has honored more than 60 individuals and organizations since the program commenced in 2007. View past recipients of the CropLife Ag Tech Awards of Excellence. The winners will be honored during the awards ceremony at the 2024 Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo July 29 – 31 in Des Moines, Iowa.
  • The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) announced the launch of its cutting-edge CommodityMap platform, a cloud-based tool designed to predict environmental and social priorities in agricultural supply chains. Available for free and open to the public, this innovative platform empowers businesses to make informed decisions and take action towards sustainability in their sourcing practices.
  • OPI, the global leader in grain storage management, is revolutionizing grain monitoring again, this time in reverse—with simplified handheld grain monitoring for tech-averse farmers who want to take a first step toward automated data collection.
  • GROWERS, a leading provider of agricultural technology to farmers, retailers, and manufacturers, is excited to announce a significant enhancement to its platform: an innovative rewards and loyalty program. This program is designed to streamline and improve the agricultural input supply chain. Now fully integrated into the GROWERS platform, this brand-agnostic, technology-enabled rewards and incentive program, aligns the interests of farmers, retailers, and manufacturers. It promotes true loyalty and more efficient operations throughout the agricultural sector.
  • Syngenta Group is extending its leadership in fungicides with the success of its patented ADEPIDYN technology (trademark for active ingredient: pydiflumetofen). Following its recent registration in Great Britain, farmers in more than 55 countries globally are now able to access this powerful fungicide, with strong sales across continents reflecting farmer demand for effective control of a broad range of crop diseases. The company is on track to achieve one billion US dollars in sales of products containing ADEPIDYN technology, marking the first time its active ingredient achieves this milestone in only eight years.
  • Celebrating a remarkable milestone, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) proudly announced the launch of its 60th annual Yield Contest on Wednesday, May 1. This iconic event—spanning six decades—has been a testament to the ingenuity and dedication of corn growers across the nation.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    AEM President Pleased to Promote Ag Technology

    Cindy Zimmerman

    AEM president Megan Tanel does media interviews on the Mall

    The Celebration of Modern Ag on the National Mall this week is the second time the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has coordinated this kind of event to showcase farming equipment and technology and AEM president Megan Tanel says it’s much bigger than in 2022.

    “I think we made a bit of an impact the first year,” said Tanel. “People … really enjoyed being able to come out, have some conversations, climb on some equipment and learn something new.”

    In addition to agricultural equipment and exhibits from ag organizations, the event has featured panel discussions on a variety of topics. This morning, Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and David Rouzer (R-NC) will discuss the Farm Bill and impacts on Rural America during a panel discussion moderated by Kip Eideberg, Executive Vice President of Government & Industry Relations and Global Public Policy for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

    Tanel says they hope to continue these kinds of educational events in the future. Listen to an interview with her below:

    AEM Ag on the Mall - Megan Tanel, AEM President 4:22

    2024 Celebration of Modern Agriculture on the Mall

    AEM, Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Equipment, Farm Journal, Farming

    Ag on the Mall Informs and Educates

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Ag on the Mall panel on sustainable water use

    The Association of Equipment Manufacturing (AEM) is celebrating Modern Ag on the National Mall this week with a showcase of equipment, technology, information and education about the Future of Food and Farming.

    In addition to displays from over 25 equipment manufacturers and 30 organizations, there are panels each day on the main stage devoted to important topics related to agricultural production, such as autonomous equipment, precision crop protection use, and sustainability through technology.

    The first panel on Monday tackled the topic of sustainable water use with representatives from irrigation companies Valley, Netafim, and Lindsay. Listen to their conversation below.

    Valley – Tyler Fields; Netafim – Jim Ed Beach; Lindsay – Jason Parker
    AEM Ag on the Mall - Sustainable water use panel 39:47

    2024 Celebration of Modern Agriculture on the Mall

    AEM, AgWired Precision, Audio, Irrigation, Sustainability, Water

    Animal Ag News 5/6

    Carrie Muehling

  • At 1 p.m. EDT on May 8, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will host a free, public Agricultural Data Webinar to spotlight available data for recently discontinued programs. Speakers at the event include Lance Honig, Agricultural Statistics Board (ASB) chair, and Troy Joshua, ASB executive director and director of NASS’s Statistics Division. Data from other NASS products as well as from USDA’s Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency will be discussed. Attendees will have the opportunity to submit questions during the Q&A section. Register to attend at www.nass.usda.gov/Education_and_Outreach/Meeting/index.php.
  • The Meat Institute has created a best practices document to help the meat and poultry industry prevent child labor and identity fraud. The document, the “Meat and Poultry Industry Best Practices: Workforce Age Verification” can be found here.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is announcing a staff change in their Washington, D.C. office. Sigrid Johannes, currently serving as Director of the Public Lands Council and NCBA Government Affairs, has been promoted to Senior Director of Government Affairs. Along with this promotion, Sigrid will take on a new portfolio including lab-grown meat, cattle health and welfare, food safety, and animal disease traceability.
  • With baseball and softball season underway and the kickoff to summer grilling season fast approaching, the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand, funded by the Beef Checkoff, is excited to announce the perfect partnership between beef and baseball/softball as a proud partner of the Little League World Series this year.
  • U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry, along with Representative Jim Costa (CA-21), Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry, and U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), led 70 of their colleagues in penning a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, urging him to reverse the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to cancel or discontinue several National Agricultural Statistics Service reports.
  • New school meal standards announced by the USDA include major steps to promote the health of America’s children through school meals. The new standards will be gradually updated to include less sugar and more flexibility in menu planning between Fall 2025 and Fall 2027, according to the USDA announcement. Included in the updates was the continuation of allowing schools to offer flavored and unflavored milk to students. The new guidelines recognize the important role milk plays in providing the essential nutrients students need, such as calcium, vitamin D and potassium. The update did include a new limit on the amount of added sugar allowed in the milk, a requirement school milk processors have committed to meeting the limit on added sugar.
  • Tony Rice testified before USTR on how U.S. trade policy can strengthen supply chain resiliency and ensure that U.S. dairy continues to grow as a global leader. The U.S. dairy industry exported more than $8 billion worth of products in 2023, supporting thousands of jobs and contributing significantly to the national economy. Rice in his testimony highlighted the need for a more proactive U.S. trade policy agenda that aggressively tackles global trade barriers and enhances market access to key partners.
  • Nine universities recently participated in the 75th USPOULTRY Foundation Ted Cameron National Poultry Judging Contest, held at Louisiana State University (LSU). Texas A&M University won the high team overall category, and The Ohio State University took second place. Additionally, Cade Davis with Mississippi State University won the high individual overall category, with Marissa Askew from Auburn University finishing second.
  • Alltech announced that the company will serve as the primary importer and distributor of Agolin products in the United States and Canada beginning May 1, 2024. Agolin’s high-quality essential oil blends are scientifically proven to optimize feed intake and performance, including improved milk and meat production, for both ruminant and non-ruminant animals.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Ag on the Mall Showcases Future of Food and Farming

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The Future of Food and Farming on the National Mall kicked off today on the National Mall to showcase America’s equipment manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, and innovators, working together to drive the tradition of producing more with less environmental impact.

    The event is coordinated by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and is held the National Mall to allow the public, lawmakers, and federal employees to interact with the equipment and get an up-close look at the machines that are often only seen on America’s farm fields. “The real intent of this event is to bring the message of the innovation that is occurring in the ag industry today to Washington,” said AEM Ag Chair Bill Hurley, AGCO vice president, global government affairs.

    USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small welcomed visitors to the event on Monday and talked some about how agriculture has changed since USDA was created in 1862. “For one thing, there were a lot more farmers in terms of the population of the United States, and that’s part of the reason why it was called ‘The People’s Department,'” said Torres Small. “We’ve been able to feed the world with the innovation that farmers have brought to food production.”

    The Future of Food and Farming takes place today through Wednesday, May 8, with exhibits open from 9am – 5pm on the National Mall near the Smithsonian Metro. Over 50 agricultural equipment manufacturers, associations and trade groups on hand to talk about how they help produce food, fiber and fuel for the nation and the world.

    AEM Ag Chair Bill Hurley, AGCO vice president, global government affairs
    AEM Ag on the Mall - Bill Hurley, AGCO 4:34

    Remarks from USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small
    AEM Ag on the Mall - USDA Deputy Secretary Torres Small 7:45

    2024 Celebration of Modern Agriculture on the Mall

    AEM, Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, Equipment

    Rabo AgriFinance Names New Head of Rural Business Economics, NA

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Rabobank subsidiary Rabo AgriFinance has named John Steeves as its new Head of Rural Business Economics, North America, effective May 1, 2024.

    Steeves, a financial services veteran with more than thirty years of experience, will relocate from Edmonton, Canada, to Rabo AgriFinance’s headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. He succeeds the current Head of Rural Banking, Shawn Smeins, who retires on May 15 after 31 years with Rabobank in several North American roles.

    Most recently, Steeves served as the Executive Vice-President of Banking at Canadian Western Bank following his role as Senior Vice-President for Prairies / Northern Alberta Regions. He led the commercial, personal and cash management business for Northern Alberta and later oversaw all banking activities across Canada. His transformative leadership revamped the sales force and personal banking teams, launched a broad agriculture banking business and initiated revenue optimization strategies.

    Steeves said, “Rabo AgriFinance’s reputation of leadership across the entire food value chain starts with our people and I look forward to driving a differentiated employee experience while nurturing a pipeline of future talent.”

    Agribusiness, people

    Industry Ag News 5/3

    Carrie Muehling

  • In the presence of U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield and U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small, the UN General Assembly declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. The resolution, and the U.S. government’s efforts to generate support for it, were spearheaded by USDA and garnered more than 100 co-sponsors, underscoring the global importance of uplifting women throughout the agriculture sector.
  • Agriculture Future of America announces new board leadership. For the past two years, the board has been led by Gwyn Schramm, North America Talent and Human Resources Lead at Bayer Crop Science. In March, Schramm’s term ended, and AFA welcomed Scott Kay, Vice President, BASF Agricultural Solutions, as the new board chair.
  • The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) named 10 outstanding young agricultural journalists to receive the IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders Award. The awards will be presented at IFAJ’s Global Congress in Interlaken, Switzerland, in August 2024.
  • Syngenta Group sales for the first quarter of 2024 were $7.4 billion, down $1.8 billion or 20 percent compared to a strong first quarter 2023. Syngenta Crop Protection sales in the first quarter 2024 fell by 24 percent to $3.2 billion compared with a very strong first quarter 2023. Syngenta’s Crop Protection, driver of approximately 40 percent of Syngenta Group’s sales, declined amidst a still challenging crop protection market. Syngenta Seeds overall was 8 percent lower than in the first quarter last year.
  • Agri-Pulse is pleased to promote Executive Editor Philip Brasher to the position of Editor-in-Chief, effective May 1. He will be responsible for overseeing the entire editorial team for daily, weekly and special project coverage.
  • Brownfield Ag News is pleased to announce Erin Anderson has joined the Brownfield team as Anchor/Reporter for Indiana and Ohio. She is a former NAFB Foundation scholarship recipient and a two-time NAFB Foundation intern. Erin currently resides in rural Rankin, Illinois with plans to move to the Greater Lafayette, Indiana area.
  • AGCO Corporation is excited to announce the eighth annual Massey Ferguson Sowing Good Deeds contest. The award recognizes charitable services, civic involvement and educational activities of local Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association (PRCA) rodeo committees to their schools, towns and the greater ag community. Nominations for 2024 are now open and will run through September 1, 2024. Finalists will be announced October 11, 2024, with the grand prize winner named at the PRCA Awards Banquet in Las Vegas, Nevada, on December 4, 2024. The winning rodeo committee receives a new Massey Ferguson 4700 Series tractor, valued at over $60,000, as part of the prize package.
  • The Georgia Peanut Commission’s referendum received reaffirmation with a vote of 91.99 percent during the recent referendum, held March 8 through April 8, 2024.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is announcing a staff change in their Washington, D.C. office. Sigrid Johannes, currently serving as Director of the Public Lands Council and NCBA Government Affairs, has been promoted to Senior Director of Government Affairs. Along with this promotion, Sigrid will take on a new portfolio including lab-grown meat, cattle health and welfare, food safety, and animal disease traceability.
  • The Corn Refiners Association announced the hiring of Shawna Newsome as its Vice President of Food Policy. In this role, Newsome will leverage her years of expertise in food and agriculture policy to deliver science-based solutions for CRA’s members in the legislative and regulatory arena and represent the organization in critical coalitions.
  • A long-time veteran of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Casey Bean will join the American Sugar Alliance (ASA) as the organization’s trade consultant on May 1. Bean will work with ASA to analyze the complex global trade issues that impact U.S. sugar farmers and shape America’s no-cost sugar policy.
  • The SCN Coalition’s National Nematode Day campaign, sponsored by BASF, Bayer, Nufarm and Syngenta, took home first place in the Unique Sponsorship Campaign category at the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) “Best of NAMA” awards show.
  • The North American Millers Association, U.S. Wheat Associates, National Association of Wheat Growers, and American Bakers Association are joining the Celebration of Modern Agriculture on the National Mall near the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) headquarters on May 6, 7, and 8, 2024. The event will showcase the constant improvement in American agriculture from farmers, ranchers, equipment manufacturers, and input innovators on the cutting-edge of science and technology.
  • The California Walnut Board (CWB) and California Walnut Commission (CWC) are pleased to announce that Christine Lott has been named director of integrated communications. As Director of Integrated Communications, Christine will work proactively to help drive more visibility to activate sales for California walnuts.
    • Zimfo Bytes