Industry Ag News 5/16

Carrie Muehling

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the appointment of Erin Morris as the next Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), which operates under the Department’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area.
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2025 Communications Award winners named at this year’s Communications Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, include 16 standout states. The competition recognizes state Farm Bureau professionals from across the country for their exceptional work in communications.
  • The president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) said his organization fully supports the Trump administration’s effort to forge a new trade relationship with India, and corn growers urge the administration to include corn and corn co-products, such as ethanol and its byproducts, in any final agreement with the South Asian country.
  • The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has announced a new international education partnership between the college’s Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications (ALEC) program and the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ). The agreement formalizes plans to launch a Certificate in Global Agricultural Communications, a milestone initiative of the proposed James F. Evans Global Center for Food and Agricultural Communications.
  • National Farmers Union Foundation (NFUF) announced this year’s recipients of its prestigious annual scholarship awards. Applications for the 2026 scholarship awards will open in December 2025. For more information about the scholarships, visit the NFU website at nfu.org/scholarships.
  • The Ag Media Council earlier this year created a “state of the industry,” report to measure producer sentiment as we move into the second half of 2025. The survey asked a series of essential questions, including expected levels of growth, areas of investment, technology adoption, risk management, debt, and much more. The survey results will be presented on May 22 at 1 p.m. central. This webinar is free to NAMA members and non-members. ​Register here.
  • The Auburn University College of Agriculture and Campus Dining recently added four new container farms to its vertical farming operation. The four new farms, outfitted in shipping containers, are from AmplifiedAg, a leader in indoor agriculture. Auburn now has six container farms in operation year-round, each designated either for growing, propagation or short-term cold storage. Together, the facilities can yield 25 times more than field production.
  • The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) applauds the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture for passing Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson’s budget legislation that focuses on Investment in Rural America. Chairman Thompson’s proposed bill contained several important provisions for the U.S. peanut industry, including an increase in the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) reference price, an update for base acres, marketing loan increase, and payment limitations that reflect increased costs of production. This legislation was passed by the House Agriculture Committee last night and will soon be considered on the House floor.
  • The Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) is pleased to announce the addition of Sydney Van de Meulebroecke as its new Manager of Bioproducts Policy. In this role, Van de Meulebroecke will support the advancement of PBPC’s federal policy agenda, bringing valuable expertise in sustainability, regulatory affairs, and stakeholder engagement to PBPC’s growing advocacy efforts. She will work closely with PBPC members to address policy challenges and promote the growth of the plant-based products industry.
  • The Renewable Fuels Association announced the addition of two innovative companies, Nelson Baker Biotech and Verdova, as new associate members. Their expertise in biotech engineering solutions and field-level agricultural data will further strengthen RFA’s efforts to advance renewable fuels through technology, sustainability, and continuous improvement.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    ZimmCast 746 – ZimmComm Plans For Future

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

    The ZimmComm Team is enjoying some time in paradise right near the Gulf of America. The weather has been great and we’ve had enough rain so that everything is green and growing.

    In this episode Cindy and I discuss the changes we’re making to ZimmComm. We recently announced that we are going to retire from business travel starting Jan. 1, 2026. That has been a very big part of the work we pioneered along with the use of social media in agricultural marketing.

    But we’ve got plenty to do as we continue to distribute news releases with our AgNewsWire service. In fact, we started out with the idea of including audio files in news releases for our clients. We called them Talking News Releases and because of our background in farm radio we knew the frustration of not being able to get an interview or sound bite. When you want to have an audio interview included in your news release we will produce it and publish it with no extra cost. We’ll work with you on the interview and can also add your own audio file if you would like, including logos, photos or other images. Here is an example of our latest news release for AgTech PR for their client, PowerPollen, that includes an interview.

    To have us distribute your release to our contact list all you have to do is use your credit card on the AgNewsWire form here and then just email your release and any multi-media content to include.

    In addition to news releases we will continue to produce podcast like this one, The ZimmCast, as well as The Ethanol Report and the Daugherty Water For Food Podcast. If you would like to start a podcast just give us a call.

    We’ve still got several trips planned this year including these in July. Tech Hub Live in Des Moines, IA, Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Panama City, FL and Ag Media Summit in Rogers, AK.

    So, keep ZimmComm’s in your plans. And that’s the ZimmCast for now.

    Listen to the episode here:
    ZimmCast 746 - ZimmComm Plans for Future (24:38)

    That’s the ZimmCast for now. Please let us know if you have ideas for a future podcast. Just email Chuck at chuck@zimmcomm.biz.

    We hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

    Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

    Audio, ZimmCast, ZimmComm Announcement

    Livestock Markets and Dealers Support NWS Prevention Efforts

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Livestock markets and dealers are in strong support of recent efforts to stop the spread of the New World Screwworm (NWS) into the U.S. NWS has been recently detected in remote farms with minimal cattle movement as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 700 miles away from the U.S. border.

    This week, the Strengthening Tactics to Obstruct the Population of Screwworms (STOP Screwworms) Act was introduced in both the House and Senate to authorize funds for and direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to begin construction on a new sterile fly production facility to combat the growing NWS outbreak.

    “We are grateful to U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX) for introducing this legislation,” said Bryan Forester, Chair of the American Livestock Markets and Dealers Association (ALMDA). Forester noted, “The sterile fly production facility and related appropriations authorized by this legislation is critical to protect the U.S. livestock industry.”

    Livestock marketers and dealers also support action taken by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins on Sunday to temporarily suspend live animal imports at ports of entry along the Mexican border in response to the emerging threat of NWS.

    “While we acknowledge the temporary market challenges this decision may create, we stand behind the efforts of USDA and state animal health officials to safeguard domestic livestock production,” said Kenny Mingus, President of the Livestock Marketing Association of Texas (LMAT). Mingus added, “If halting imports is necessary to protect the U.S. livestock industry, we fully support this action.”

    ALMDA and LMAT represent the majority of Texas livestock markets and dealers which provide marketing channels for cattle, sheep, goats, horses, and other species which could be impacted by NWS. Both organizations have supported efforts to fund sterile fly production and work within state and national coalitions to educate others on NWS impacts and will continue to work closely with animal health officials for the health and security of the livestock industry.

    AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Health, Livestock, Markets

    Precision Ag News 5/14

    Carrie Muehling

  • Bayer is reorganizing its Crop Science division’s activities in the areas of crop protection production and research and development in Germany. As a result of the changes, Bayer will discontinue its activities in Frankfurt am Main after the end of 2028. The company aims to sell parts of the activities, while others will be relocated. Production at the Dormagen site will be streamlined to ensure its competitiveness for the future.
  • A scientist whose discoveries helped Brazil become a global agricultural powerhouse has been named the 2025 World Food Prize Laureate. Dr. Mariangela Hungria, a microbiologist from São Paulo, has developed dozens of biological seed and soil treatments that help crops source nutrients through soil bacteria, significantly increasing yields of major crops while also reducing the need for synthetic fertilizer. Her products are estimated to have been used across more than 40 million hectares in Brazil, saving farmers up to US$40 billion a year in input costs while avoiding more than 180 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions per year.
  • Ceres AI and Bayer Climate FieldView announced a groundbreaking partnership that will integrate CeresAI’s advanced data analytics with FieldView’s leading digital farming platform. This collaboration creates a unified data ecosystem that delivers actionable risk intelligence to farmers, insurance carriers and capital management groups, fundamentally transforming how agricultural risk is assessed and managed.
  • CropLife America (CLA) is pleased to announce that Paul Rea, senior vice president of Agriculture Solutions North America at BASF, has been appointed as chair of the CLA board of directors.
  • EarthOptics, a leader in soil intelligence technology, announced the commercial launch of its mid-infrared (MIR) carbon analysis solution—the first at-scale, registry-quality carbon test using MIR technology. This innovation slashes the cost of traditional carbon testing while delivering fast, reliable results that meet the high-integrity data needs of carbon markets, sustainability initiatives, and Scope 3 reporting.
  • GEA, one of the world’s leading providers of milking, feeding, and manure management solutions for dairy farms, will be featured in Farming Simulator 25 starting June 3, 2025, through the brand-new Plains & Prairies Pack. In collaboration with developer and publisher GIANTS Software, GEA brings cutting-edge agricultural technology to the virtual farming world for the first time. The pack includes a range of GEA machinery – including the largest manure tanker ever introduced in the game.
  • Through a new partnership with CNH, researchers and students at the Michigan State University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) will have access to the innovative New Holland T6.180 Methane tractor. A rare piece of equipment, usage of this tractor will further solidify CANR’s position as a leader in agricultural innovation.
  • Microsoft Corp. and the National FFA Organization announced the national expansion of FarmBeats for Students, a cutting-edge educational program integrating smart sensors, data science and artificial intelligence (AI) to teach precision agriculture in classrooms. Starting today, FFA teachers and students throughout the United States, including FFA chapters in 185 middle and high schools, will receive a classroom set of FarmBeats for Students kits free of charge. The kits include ready-to-use sensor systems along with curriculum for teachers and are designed for classrooms of all kinds; no prior technical experience is required. Teachers, students, or parents interested in FarmBeats for Students can purchase a kit for $35 at this link and receive free training at aka.ms/FBFS-MSLearn.
  • AgGateway and its member organizations have been setting building blocks that will enable the digitization of scale tickets across the crop production channel. In an informative 45-minute webinar, learn more about AgGateway’s work on digitized scale tickets and how to get involved.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Animal Ag News 5/13

    Carrie Muehling

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the suspension of live cattle, horse, and bison imports through U.S. ports of entry along the southern border due to the continued and rapid northward spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico, effective immediately. NWS has been recently detected in remote farms with minimal cattle movement as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 700 miles away from the U.S. border.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to close the U.S. southern border to shipments of cattle, bison, and horses, due to the continued spread of New World screwworm beyond the phytosanitary border put in place to stop its advance. Today’s announcement is the latest move to halt the spread of this invasive pest that puts the entire U.S. livestock industry at risk.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging the agency to toughen up guidance for fake meat companies that would prevent them from using misleading labels on plant-based products.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced that applications are open for three unique internship experiences for the fall 2025 semester. To learn more about these internships or apply, visit NCBA.org. Applications are due by June 30, 2025.
  • The 2025 World Pork Expo, hosted by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), invites pork professionals to connect, collaborate, and grow together. Set for June 4 and 5 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, this year’s event will once again offer industry-shaping insights, engaging sessions, and the largest pork-specific trade show in the world.
  • National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Duane Stateler, a pork producer from McComb, Ohio, released a supportive statement after the Trump administration announced a 90-day temporary tariff de-escalation on U.S. exports.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association’s (IDFA) 41st Capitol Hill Ice Cream Party on June 11 will bring together thousands of guests, including members of Congress and officials from the executive branch, for a fun event showcasing America’s favorite frozen treats.
  • Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, and Kansas Governor Laura Kelly jointly announced the $895 million expansion of Merck Animal Health’s manufacturing facility in De Soto, Kansas.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Industry Ag News 5/9

    Carrie Muehling

  • The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) is pleased to announce the launch of LaborLink, a new member benefit designed to help agricultural retailers address one of their most urgent operational challenges: securing reliable labor. Through a partnership with másLabor, the nation’s leading provider of H-2 visa services, ARA members now have direct access to expert support in navigating H-2 visa processes.
  • In honor of May as Military Appreciation Month, Kubota Tractor Corporation announced the launch of an in-store, dealer fundraising initiative aimed at supporting life-improving programs for veterans and military families through the Boot Campaign. The joint effort aims to give back to Boot Campaign’s mission-driven programs and remind us of the service and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans and military families.
  • Fifteen farm and ranch women leaders graduated from the spring session of Women’s Communications Boot Camp hosted by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The agricultural leaders completed an intensive four-day course that featured hands-on sessions focused on public speaking, working with the media and messaging. Program graduates will use their training to strategically support issues important to farmers and help tell agriculture’s story. This includes participating in local media opportunities, sharing information with elected officials and joining social media campaigns that spotlight modern agriculture.
  • Farmers are invited 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.
  • U.S. food and agricultural exports to Mexico have surged 65 percent over the past four years, making it the fastest growing export market for a host of American agricultural commodities and products. Mexico’s growth as a destination for U.S. exports has been spurred by the country’s booming post COVID-19 economy and a rapidly growing manufacturing sector. The economic upswing has allowed Mexican consumers to expand their traditional diet, and U.S. food and agricultural producers are helping meet the country’s growing demand for meat, poultry, dairy, processed foods and feed grains. In 2024, U.S. food and ag exports to Mexico climbed to $31.4 billion, slightly below Canada, the top market at $32.4 billion. According to a new research brief from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, Mexico will likely surpass Canada to claim the top spot for the first time in 2025 despite some emerging headwinds.
  • The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) has joined with 38 other leading agricultural organizations in a unified call to Congress to prioritize the reauthorization of the nation’s surface transportation programs. In a letter, the groups emphasized the critical role that a modern, efficient, and well-funded transportation system plays in supporting U.S. agriculture and rural economies.
  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins will visit the United Kingdom May 12-14. This comes after President Donald J. Trump announced, on the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe, a new trade agreement in principle that will lower tariffs, remove trade barriers, increase market access, and strengthen cooperation on economic security. The President secured major wins for American agriculture. This deal provides significant expansion in U.S. market access in the UK, creating a $5 billion opportunity for new exports for U.S. stakeholders, including U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers. Following Secretary Rollins’ trip to the UK in May, she will travel to Japan, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Italy, and India over the next five months. Other USDA Trade Missions this year include Hong Kong, the Dominican Republic, Taiwan, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mexico.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Precision Ag News 5/8

    Carrie Muehling

  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final Insecticide Strategy that identifies practical protections for federally endangered and threatened species from the use of insecticides, while providing flexibility for pesticide users and growers. The Strategy identifies mitigations aimed at protecting more than 900 species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) that EPA considers when it registers a new insecticide or reevaluates an existing one.
  • U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, reintroduced her Precision Ag Package — three pieces of legislation that will help America’s producers harness the full potential of precision agriculture.
  • AgGateway is pleased to announce that Matt Waits, long-time CEO of SST Software and current industry consultant, will deliver the keynote address on Tuesday morning, June 10 at the organization’s 2025 Mid-Year Meeting.
  • Syngenta, a global leader in agricultural innovation, and Al Dahra, a multinational agribusiness stewarding 400,000 acres of sustainable irrigated farmland with active operations across six continents, have announced a strategic partnership to implement Syngenta’s digital farm management solutions across more than 220,000 acres of Al Dahra farms in Romania, Serbia, Egypt and Morocco.
  • Corn rootworm remains one of the most damaging pests in U.S. corn production, causing an estimated $1 billion in losses each year. To help farmers get ahead of this underground threat, Bayer is launching its eighth year of The Watch, a farmer-first program that offers free tools, education and expert support to monitor corn rootworm pressure and make proactive management decisions.
  • Growers across the U.S. are replacing traditional phosphate fertilizers with Crystal Green® and seeing big results. In side-by-side comparisons, Crystal Green delivered more than 2X the amount of plant-available phosphorus versus conventional products like MAP or DAP. Farmers like Chad Rubbelke and NCGA yield contest winner Dan Luepkes credit Crystal Green for driving better nutrient uptake, improved yields, and strong ROI while reducing overall phosphorus use by up to 30 percent.
  • Ray Starling, former Special Assistant to President Trump, will headline ASTA’s Leadership Summit June 8-11, in Washington, D.C. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in professional development sessions, hear from policy leaders in D.C., and then jump right into the action with an Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill, using their newly honed skills to engage with federal lawmakers on the industry’s top priorities.
  • Alabama farmers considering investing in irrigation equipment will soon have a free, comprehensive online tool to help them decide. A new prediction model will combine weather and economic data to determine if the investment will pay dividends—or cost more than it’s worth. Researchers in the Auburn University College of Agriculture and the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station are in the early stages of an ambitious five-year research study combining different types of data to provide farmers with projections of yield and profitability, customizable down to the 2.5-square-mile parcel of cropland. The study is part of the long-running Alabama Irrigation Initiative (AII), a program formed in 2003 to help farmers boost their crop production through adoption of irrigation and improved irrigation practices. Auburn took on a leading role in the program in 2023.
  • Kynetec recently undertook an Agricultural Robotics Study with 344 US growers and livestock producers to discover their views on the use of robotics on-farm. The study found that one half of farmers view agricultural robotics favorably, 28 percent of farmers surveyed considered themselves very comfortable using technology, and 53 percent of farmers surveyed usually wait to try a new technology until it has been reviewed and have had a chance to research it.
  • Vermeer, a leader in hay and forage solutions, announced an expansion of its product line to include triple mowers, rotary rakes and a large tedder. These new products will be available for the 2025 hay season, reinforcing the Vermeer commitment to providing high-performing equipment that maximizes productivity and efficiency for hay, dairy and beef producers.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Advanced Agrilytics White Paper Focused on Transforming Global Food Production

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Precision agronomic solutions provider Advanced Agrilytics has published a new white paper titled “Transforming Global Food Production One Algorithm at a Time,” underscoring the company’s mission to revolutionize food production and agricultural sustainability with its patented sub-acre analysis technology.

    The white paper introduces TerraFraming™, Advanced Agrilytics’ proprietary sub-acre analysis platform that redefines traditional agronomy. Instead of treating fields as if every acre were the same, TerraFraming™ dissects them into microenvironments, layering data on soil chemistry, water movement, nutrient distribution, organic matter levels, topography and other datasets to deliver custom agronomic prescriptions for everything from nutrient management to seeding strategies, delivered in a “ready-to-use” format.

    Key outcomes from this methodology include:
    – >27% increase in corn yields per acre
    – >15% reduction in nitrogen use per bushel of corn produced
    – $46/A in soybean gains by year four, rising to $61/A by year 10
    – $72/A in corn gains by year four, growing to $100/A by year 10
    – 21% reduction in N₂O emissions in high-risk nitrogen loss areas

    Advanced Agrilytics CEO Kenny Avery says as the global population surges toward a projected 10 billion people by 2050, the need for efficient, sustainable agricultural systems lies in a radically new approach to crop management – predictive agronomy.

    “This white paper isn’t just a statement of intent—it’s a roadmap to how we help farmers grow more with less,” said Avery. “From Iowa to Indonesia, we believe our technology can transform outcomes for growers everywhere.”

    Learn more from Advanced Agrilytics.

    Agronomy, AgWired Precision, Food, Precision Agriculture, Technology

    PowerPollen Patents Pollen Storage Methodology

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Agtech company PowerPollen has received its latest patent for the groundbreaking process of using solid particulates blended with fresh pollen grains to protect pollen’s viability during storage. PowerPollen’s IP strategy has been a key part of protecting their innovation while rapidly scaling to support global seed companies and farmers since the company was founded in 2015.

    PowerPollen collects, preserves and applies pollen to corn, wheat, rice, and other important crops, eliminating the previously required dependency on natural pollen shedding to pollinate female plants. This process enables the ability to more reliably and cost-effectively produce high-quality seed farmers plant for crops. Corn, rice, wheat and barley rank as the top four grain crops grown globally. This patent is part of a one-of-a-kind portfolio of intellectual property PowerPollen has secured in their pursuit to increase the productivity, profitability and sustainability of modern agricultural practices.

    “Our initial key discoveries more than a decade ago – and our ongoing innovation since – has enabled PowerPollen to scale our unique pollination tech stack of collection, storage and application to commercial levels in agriculture—helping farmers and seed production partners increase yields without increasing other inputs,” said Jason Cope, Chief Intellectual Property Officer, PowerPollen. “Our discoveries changed the previously held notion that row crop pollen was not capable of being stored for any duration. The ripple effect can clearly be seen by the consistent yield improvements in fields that PowerPollen has treated with stored pollen.”

    PowerPollen holds the most patents for pollination-based technology, crop application and related innovations, based on over a decade of intellectual data and discovery and more than eight years of commercial field data and ongoing innovation and its IP strategy has been critical to develop the best technology advancements for customers.

    Learn more about PowerPollen and its patented technology in this interview with co-founder and Chief Intellectual Property Officer Jason Cope.

    Interview with Jason Cope, Chief Intellectual Property Officer, PowerPollen 9:43

    AgWired Precision, Audio, Corn, pollinators, Precision Agriculture, Rice

    Animal Ag News 5/5

    Carrie Muehling

  • The Trump Administration announced bold action to put farmers and ranchers first by dropping criminal charges against Charles and Heather Maude, a South Dakota family who has a small cattle and hog operation. The Maude family visited Washington, D.C. on April 30th for an in-person press conference where further actions being taken by the Trump Administration to limit government regulation by prosecution were shared.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and the Public Lands Council (PLC) commended U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for ending the overzealous criminal prosecution of family ranchers Charles and Heather Maude. Secretary Rollins’ announcement was welcome news both for the Maude family who have endured arduous court appearances, legal fees, and the threat of prison time, as well as for family ranchers across the West who feared heavy-handed legal pressure from the last administration.
  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that Mexico has committed to eliminate restrictions on USDA aircraft, and waive customs duties on eradication equipment aiding in the response to the spread of New World Screwworm (NWS). Due to this agreement the ports will remain open to livestock imports, however if at any time these terms are not upheld, port closure will be revisited. This agreement follows Secretary Rollins’ letter to Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Julio Antonio Berdegue Sacristan pushing for a resolution of the restrictions.
  • The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) premiered a new video series, intended to showcase the depth, breadth and diversity of the $267.1 billion U.S. animal food manufacturing industry. The videos encapsulate the important role that the over 5,600 U.S. animal food manufacturers play each day in improving livestock health and production, supporting food security and driving American ingenuity and economic progress abroad.
  • The Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) said they appreciated the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) decision to spotlight protection of common food names in the agency’s 2025 Special 301 Report.
  • Pigs produced to be resistant to one of the world’s most costly livestock diseases, using technology developed by the Roslin Institute, have been approved for sale to U.S. consumers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of a gene-editing technology that makes pigs resistant to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) for the U.S. food supply chain. This landmark approval for animal genetics company Genus, following years of development, helps meet the challenge of a disease that is endemic to most pig-producing regions. Supported by Edinburgh Innovations (EI), the University of Edinburgh’s commercialization service, the team collaborated with Genus, who also licensed novel technologies from other institutions, to produce pigs with the specific DNA change.
  • National Pork Producers Council provided comments and testimony to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as it seeks once again to revise the agency’s long controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. In both its written comments and oral testimony to EPA, NPPC noted that pork producers have been concerned about EPA’s overreach in defining WOTUS, including past efforts by prior administrations to expand federal jurisdiction over private property to capture remote drainage features, ditches, and ephemeral waterways – and millions of acres of wet spots or farmed wetlands in fields.
  • Join the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association for an insightful webinar on Thursday, May 8 at 6:00 p.m. CDT about the economic benefits of effective grazing management. Discover how strategic grazing practices can transform agricultural operations, boost productivity, and enhance profitability. Register here.
  • The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and KADIN, the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in a milestone step to deepen cooperation between U.S. and Indonesian dairy industries.
  • USPOULTRY’s 2025 Workforce Success and Engagement Conference addressed how industry human resource (HR) professionals can help improve employees’ belonging and connection to their organization, retention and recruiting best practices, ways to alleviate stress within the workplace and more.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites