Truterra Launches First Farmer-Owned Carbon Program

Cindy Zimmerman

Truterra today announced the launch of TruCarbon, the first farmer-owned carbon program.

Truterra is the sustainability business subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, one of America’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives, and TruCarbon is a new program that will help farmers generate and sell carbon credits to private sector buyers. The program is designed to provide both the best experience for farmers and a novel approach for carbon credit buyers to incentivize change at scale.

TruCarbon offers buyers carbon credits that are created using leading soil and conservation science, and precision data and verification methods. The program offers farmers a streamlined experience, making it easier for them to develop and sell carbon credits so that they can focus on crop production and caring for the land. Through the Truterra Insights Engine data platform, the new TruCarbon program provides farmers and their trusted ag retailer advisors a powerful soil health planning suite of tools to help them decide what is best for their business while optimizing their fields’ carbon credit potential. TruCarbon also maximizes the value and return for farmers with premium carbon credit value.

TruCarbon is launching with Microsoft as its first secured buyer to purchase carbon in 2021 to help meet their commitment to be carbon negative by 2030. For this initial launch, participating farmers may receive $20 per ton of carbon with payments this summer. Qualifying farmers may be compensated for carbon sequestration retroactively up to five years based on the soil health practices they adopted in prior growing seasons. Truterra will handle soil testing and other activities designed to ensure maximum credit quality and value. Farmers can begin the information and enrollment process by visiting https://www.truterraag.com/CarbonSurvey.

For more information about TruCarbon and how to get involved, visit: https://www.truterraag.com/Carbon.

Read more here.

AgWired Precision, Cooperatives, Environment, Precision Agriculture

Senators Question EPA Nominee on RFS and WOTUS

Cindy Zimmerman

The Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule and the Renewable Fuel Standard were two topics Environmental Protection Agency nominee Michael Regan addressed during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday.

Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) called WOTUS the “one that everyone ought to be concerned about because that’s the number one issue.”

Regan, who currently serves as North Carolina Secretary of Environmental Quality, said he hopes we can learn from both the Obama-era and Trump-era WOTUS rules. “As a state secretary, I’ve been on the receiving end of both. I’ve had conversations with farmers about both and I think that we do have a clear opportunity to look at how we protect our water quality while not overburdening our small farmers.”

Regan hearing - Sen. Inhofe 1:33

Regan promised that the RFS will be a priority for the new administration. “You have my commitment that we will look at the RFS program and we will introduce some transparency into that program. We will let science lead us and we will follow the letter of the law as it was intended for that program.”

Listen to Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) question Regan about biofuels and water issues.
Regan hearing - Sen. Duckworth 1:51

Regan hearing - Sen. Ernst 5:38

Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, climate, EPA, Ethanol, Water

Precision Ag News 2/3

Carrie Muehling

  • CommoditAg has added two new suppliers, YieldMaster Solutions and Attune Agriculture, to further expand its line of high-quality farm products. CommoditAg now offers new biostimulants and biologicals from YieldMaster Solutions and an adjuvant system from Attune.
  • Syngenta Crop Protection is collaborating with artificial intelligence and deep learning company Insilico Medicine to accelerate the invention and development of new, more effective crop protection solutions that protect crops from diseases, weeds and pests, while also protecting ecosystems.
  • February 3rd marks the 40th anniversary of Exacto, Inc., an innovative turnkey chemical manufacturer with roots in agriculture, turf and ornamental, and industrial vegetation management sectors.
  • AGCO has joined the NEVONEX partner network as part of AGCO’s continued strategy to make it easier for farmers to work seamlessly across their farm.
  • Syngenta Group achieves milestone of 125 million acres of farmland actively managed by growers using the Group’s digital services. Syngenta Group is the only agricultural company to have leading digital service platforms in the top four agriculture markets: The United States, Brazil, China and Eastern Europe.
  • The National Corn Growers Association is launching the Consider Corn Challenge III open-innovation contest, looking for participants to answer the call and submit proposals for new uses of field corn as a feedstock for producing sustainable chemicals and products with quantifiable market demand.
  • Ag-Analytics and Davide Cammarano, Purdue associate professor of agronomy, have announced a recently established research partnership. Using precision agriculture data, Cammarano’s research team will develop farm management strategies that optimize economic outcomes for businesses and individuals.
  • Agri-Pulse’s eBook, “Agriculture’s Sustainable Future: Feeding more while using less” seeks to answer common questions and where the industry might be going regarding sustainability.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Preview of the 57th CIRB Annual Meeting

Chuck Zimmerman

2021 CIRB Annual MeetingThe Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau is holding its virtual 2021 CIRB Annual meeting tomorrow February 4, hosted on Zoom. CIRB’s 57th Annual Meeting will feature distinguished speakers, such as Dr. John Newton from American Farm Bureau Federation and Jim Wiesemeyer from Pro Farmer, to provide updates for the crop insurance industry.

You can find the agenda here.

A virtual newsroom has been started on AgNewsWire to host content from the event. To start, I spoke with Perry Harlow, CIRB’s new Manager of Membership & Events, to get a preview.

Interview with Perry Harlow, CIRB (7:10)

Coming up next Tuesday, February 9, CIRB will co-host a virtual joint convention with National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) and American Association of Crop Insurers (AACI). The agenda includes dynamic speakers from the crop insurance industry and recognize those individuals who have served the industry for many years.

Click for more information on the joint agenda.

Ag Groups, Audio, Insurance, Virtual

AgWiki Launches Equity Crowdfunding Campaign

Cindy Zimmerman

AgWiki, a new tech company in the field of agriculture information, announces the launch of its equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine. AgWiki’s mission is to have a central place where everyone in food production around the globe can connect and exchange ideas, information, and expertise. The platform already boasts nearly 3000 active users.

AgWiki CEO Randy Krotz said it has been an exciting year for the startup. “We have completed dozens of enhancements to the online platform while bringing together farmers and researchers from 19 countries,” said Krotz. “We are pleased to be part of an SEC-regulated crowdfunding initiative enabling us to connect with potential investors who share our vision and commitment for growing food sustainably through the sharing of agricultural techniques and practices.”

Krotz says the timing for AgWiki’s crowdfunding campaign is critical. “We were sought out by StartEngine, which felt like a shot of adrenaline for our funding efforts. StartEngine provides exposure to pre-IPO companies like AgWiki and allows investors a straight-forward path to owning stock in the company.”

The funds from the crowdfunding campaign will be used to accelerate user growth and facilitate the continued development of the online platform. “Connecting the entire world of agriculture is a monumental and necessary task,” said Krotz. “As farmers and ranchers, researchers, agronomists, and dieticians build relationships and continue to educate each other, all food producers and consumers will benefit.”

To learn more about AgWiki and the opportunity for equity investment during the current limited-time funding round, visit https://startengine.com/agwiki.

Agribusiness, Farming, Food

Vilsack Ready to Return to Old Job in New Times

Cindy Zimmerman

Former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appeared before the Senate Agriculture Committee Tuesday to be questioned about his goals if confirmed to return to his old job as the new Secretary of Agriculture.

Joking that he realized it was Groundhog Day and he was “back again,” Vilsack noted that “this is a fundamentally different time.”

In his opening statement, Vilsack outlined four “why not? moments” or areas where agriculture can make a difference for the future – climate change, food security and nutrition insecurity, market openness and competitiveness, and inequities in USDA programs.

Vilsack hearing - opening statement (4:36)

Vilsack discussed his plans for the biofuels industry in response to a question from Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

Vilsack hearing - biofuels (1:37)

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) asked Vilsack how he will support biofuels in the White House when the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is up for re-authorization in 2022 amidst a strong push for electric vehicles.

Vilsack hearing - EVs (3:05)

Audio, Biodiesel, Ethanol, USDA

Yara Celebrates 75 Years in North America

Cindy Zimmerman

Yara North America is celebrating its 75th anniversary as a leading crop nutrition solutions provider, working toward a mission to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet by helping farmers produce better, healthier crops through nutrition fertilizers, industrial products and digital farming tools.

“Since 1946, Yara North America has been committed to being the crop nutrition company of the future, and we’re extremely proud of all of the significant strides that we’ve made within the industry. In 1946 our export of fertilizer to the U.S. helped rebuild a war-torn Norway as well as create an offtake market for U.S. crops on the return. Being a core contributor to the food value chain has always been our DNA,” said Magnus Ankarstrand, President of Yara North America.

Yara’s crop nutrition solution approach is centered around supporting grower profitability through efficient nutrient application to grow their best crop, while also protecting the environment by promoting proven 4R Nutrient Stewardship Practices. Over the years, Yara has made a number of contributions to the industry, most notably introducing YaraLiva® Calcium Nitrate in 1946, and the launch of a patented micronutrient coating technology, YaraVita® PROCOTE®, in 2018. Both of these products are cornerstones of Yara’s portfolio, along with a homogenous nitrogen and sulfur product, YaraVera® AMIDAS®, as well as the YaraVita® foliar nutrition line. In addition to the most comprehensive crop nutrition portfolio in the industry, the organization’s commitment to the future has sparked a focus on digital farming tools to enhance grower practices across all aspects of the cropping system. Such digital tools include the launch of the Farm Water Advisor App, which is a newer innovation to help growers better manage their irrigation, and Atfarm, a remote crop monitoring tool that uses satellite images and is currently under development.

To join in the 75th anniversary celebration, Yara is inviting friends to share a photo, video or memory about working with the Yara team, or that represents a nostalgic moment they’ve had as part of the agriculture community. Tag @cropnutrition.yaraUS or @cropnutrition.yaraCA on Facebook, or @Yara North America on LinkedIn and #YaraNorthAmericaCelebrates75, and they will send you a Yara 75th Anniversary hat**While supplies last.

Learn more about 75 years of Yara North America.

Farming, Fertilizer, Nutrient Management, Precision Agriculture

Animal Ag News 2/1

Carrie Muehling

  • There were 93.6 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of Jan. 1, 2021, according to the Cattle report published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The Cattle report and all other NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov/Publications.
  • Cargill announced the expansion of its value-added protein footprint through the acquisition of ProPortion Foods, a food manufacturer that supplies a variety of innovative fully cooked products, portion control steaks and marinated ready-to-grill meats. Through the purchase, which closed in December 2020, Cargill gains two further-processed protein plants in Round Rock, Texas and Vernon, California.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) hailed the introduction of bipartisan legislation to create new opportunities for cattle producers and processors to market beef products. Introduced by U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R – At-Large, S.D.) and Henry Cuellar (D – 28th Dist., TX), the Direct Interstate Retail Exemption for Certain Transactions (DIRECT) Act of 2021 would allow retail quantities of meat processed under state-inspection to be sold across state lines through e-commerce, providing beef producers and local processors alike with more options to market direct-to-consumers.
  • Homestead Dairy of Plymouth, Ind. was recognized as the 2021 Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year at the International Dairy Foods Association’s (IDFA) Dairy Forum. The award is presented each year by IDFA and Dairy Herd Management magazine. Homestead Dairy is one of the largest robotic farms in North America and has been a family owned and operated dairy for more than 75 years in the state of Indiana. Brian and Jill Houin and their 14 family members have created a blueprint for how to operate a large dairy with a focus on animal health, sustainability and efficiency.
  • The Poultry Health Management School is going virtual for its 20th anniversary. During the May 24-25 school, participants will learn about poultry housing and management – this year’s theme for the school. Registration for students begins February 1 at 10 a.m. CST at PoultryHealthSchool.com.
  • In January 2021, the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine, as well as the Veterinary Drugs Directorate of Health Canada, added Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae to the approved label indications for Aivlosin® (tylvalosin) Water Soluble Granules (WSG). Complete label information is available at pharmgate.com.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

2021 IFAJ Contests deadline is February 19

Chuck Zimmerman

IFAJIt is that time if you want to enter the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Awards program.

IFAJ contests recognize the world’s best ag journalism. Reflecting the many ways agricultural journalists and communicators reach their audiences around the globe, IFAJ’s contests celebrate excellence in print, photography, audio, video and online media.

IFAJ’s award program is part of the Federation’s deep commitment to professional development. Participating and reviewing the entries provides all our members opportunities to learn from colleagues around the world and appreciate exposure to some of the industry’s best work.

IFAJ, Media

AEM Releases Precision Agriculture Study

Chuck Zimmerman

AEM Precision Ag StudyAs the use of precision agriculture techniques and technology grows, so do the benefits to the the environment. Here’s a new study showing those benefits.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), in partnership with the American Soybean Association, CropLife America, and National Corn Growers Association, released a study quantifying how widely available precision agriculture technology improves environmental stewardship while providing economic return for farmers.

Precision agriculture leverages technologies to enhance sustainability through more efficient use of critical inputs, such as land, water, fuel, fertilizer, and pesticides. Farmers who use precision agriculture equipment use less to grow more.

The Environmental Benefits of Precision Agriculture study highlights how policies and technological advancements can help farmers increase these outcomes.

“We are living in a new age of agriculture, and today’s precision technology on equipment can have an enormous positive impact on farmers and the environment,” said Curt Blades, Senior Vice President of Agriculture at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. “One of our goals at AEM is to encourage the adoption of these technologies by more farmers, so they can all reap the benefits as we continue to focus on sustainability.”

Ag Groups, Precision Agriculture