Heliae® Agriculture Adds Seed Treatment Product

Cindy Zimmerman

Heliae® Agriculture has announced the introduction of PhycoTerra® ST, a new seed treatment formulation designed to help the soil provide necessary water and nutrients to the developing seed and ultimately improve crop yield.

PhycoTerra® ST has a unique formulation that allows growers to tap into the potential of this product with lower user rates without sacrificing performance, providing a more consistent return on investment. The product is aimed at providing a quality carbon source to the seed/microbe interaction, which is the first “real world” point of contact for a seedling. This carbon source drives optimal microbiome around the seed, improving grower results in the field.

“Our goal at Heliae® Agriculture is to provide growers with the most effective tools to get the job done, and that means offering a seed treatment product that best fits their needs,” said Norm Davy, Chief Revenue Officer at Heliae® Agriculture. “PhycoTerra® ST is an effective product that offers growers a proven increase in yield and return on investment.”

PhycoTerra® ST has proven results on a variety of crops through testing across the major crop growing regions of the United States and Canada with an average yield increase of 6% and a proven success rate, taking yields and return on investment to the next level. In addition, this new product was designed to work in synergy with PhycoTerra® in-furrow, Heliae® Agriculture’s existing product that provides a balanced food for the soil microbiome to improve plant vigor and crop performance, even under stressed conditions.

To learn more about PhycoTerra® ST, including where to buy, please visit PhycoTerra.com.

AgWired Precision, Biologicals, Precision Agriculture, Seed, Soil

Merge Organics Launches Marketplace

Cindy Zimmerman

Buyers and sellers in the organic food sector now have a new way to work together. Merge Marketplace, a new platform designed to connect organic producers with buyers of organic products, is now live. Buyers can list what they are in search of, while sellers can list their crops, livestock, and land. This new marketplace is hosted by Merge Organics, a consulting company that helps farmers establish organic, regenerative systems and field-level transparency to organic food supply chains.

“Our goal is to connect people in the organic farming and food space to help them grow their businesses,” says Ben Adolph, Principal at Merge Organics. “Think of Merge Marketplace as Craig’s List for organic producers and buyers. Connecting food companies and manufacturers, like mills, breweries, restaurants and more, directly with farmers, streamlines the process. It should also allow farmers to increase their margins. For buyers, it allows direct access for the crops they’re looking for, and the ability to connect with the source of those products… the farmer.”

When buyers and sellers sign up for Merge Marketplace they get immediate access to all opportunities hosted in the platform. Crop producers provide all relevant information with their “Crop for Sale” posting along with their “Producer Profile.” Buyers can decide which producer to buy from and engage directly with farmers.

In addition to listing crops or livestock for sale or wanted, landowners that are looking for organic farmers to rent their land can also list those opportunities on Merge Marketplace. “Everyday we talk with landowners who are looking for organic farmers, and with the increase for organic products, farmers are looking for more ground. Merge Marketplace gives landowners and farmers the ability to connect and work out rent/lease arrangements,” says Adolph.

To mark the launch, Merge Marketplace is offering anyone who signs up before the end of January 2021, 90 days free access. With a subscription you get unlimited listings, and there are no fees associated with buying, sourcing or selling on Merge Marketplace.

Visit https://marketplace.mergeorganics.com/classifieds/ to place or search posts.

Farming, Food, Organic

2021 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook

Chuck Zimmerman

Insights from Alltech 2021 Agri-Food OutlookThe Alltech ONE Virtual Experience continues in 2021. This morning Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, spoke with a panel of experts to go beyond the numbers and explore the trends shaping the future of agri-food. The presentation focused on results from the 10th annual Alltech Global Feed Survey and the second annual Women in Food & Agriculture Survey. If you are registered for the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience you will find the presentation, along with all the topics and content that has been published during the last year. You can still register here.

The discussion focuses on five emerging trends and includes:

  • “China’s Rebound” with Jonathan Forrest Wilson, President of Asia, Alltech; and Winnie Wei Jia, Director of Customer Experience, Alltech China
  • “A Reshaping of the Supply Chain” with Eric Glenn, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain Director, Alltech; and Kathryn Britton, Senior Director of IMI Global Operations, Where Food Comes From, Inc.
  • “The Inexorable Rise of E-Commerce” with Anand Ramakrishnan Iyer, Digital Marketing Manager, Alltech
  • “Health-Conscious Consumers” with Nikki Putnam Badding, Director, Acutia and Human Nutrition Initiatives, Alltech
  • “Innovation Through Empathy and Inclusion” with Bianca Martins, General Manager, Alltech Mexico

“This has been an exceptional time for the agri-food industry,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Agriculture stood strong in the face of adversity, and the global food supply chain continues to provide one of the most basic needs for human survival. The data and insights we have gathered reflect challenges, successes and extraordinary opportunities as we chart a course for the future.”

You can listen to the discussion here: 2021 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook (40:04)

Results from the Alltech Global Feed Survey and the Women in Food & Agriculture Survey, including graphs and maps, are available on the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience platform in conjunction with the virtual session.

Agribusiness, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Animal Health, Audio

ZimmCast 664 – Beltwide & Biodiesel Conferences

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

In this week’s program we’ll hear interviews from the Beltwide and Biodiesel conferences that took place virtually this month. You can find a lot more interviews and session audio from these events in our virtual newsrooms for them on AgNewsWire.com.

Before sharing a couple of interviews that Cindy and I did I just wanted to make a comment on the significant growth of podcasting I’m seeing in the agricultural world. This isn’t just limited to agriculture though. Organizational and user and influencer produced content is everywhere. It is a good thing but it also provides people with more and more options of what they are going to listen to or watch in the limited time they have. This includes virtual events and webinars. I just saw that Apple is going to be starting their own podcast service to compete with Spotify. We’ll be keeping our eye on that as it develops. Of course, the Apple Podcast app has been around a long time. But it just allows you to subscribe to podcasts. This new service will be more about working with partners for podcast offerings. It is going to be an interesting year as what was new media isn’t new anymore.

So, let’s get a taste of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences and the National Biodiesel Conference and Expo and I’ll start with Dr. Gary Adams, National Cotton Council President and CEO, as Cindy talks with him about how the virtual Beltwide event went.

Next up I talk with Chad Stone, Renewable Energy Group VP and Chairman of the National Biodiesel Board.

If you like what you hear in the ZimmCast please subscribe in any of the major platforms. And you can also search for the ZimmComm Golden Mic Podcast too, which includes all the audio we produce, including the interviews you heard here.

If you would like to advertise in the ZimmCast or become an on-going sponsor please let me know and we’ll work out a plan just for you.

So, that’s the ZimmCast for this week. I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 664 - Beltwide & Biodiesel Conferences (23:49)

Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Audio, Beltwide Cotton, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Cotton, Energy, National Biodiesel Conference, ZimmCast

Animal Ag News 1/25

Carrie Muehling

  • After much consideration and guidance from health officials, the Board of Directors for the National Pork Board has decided the Pork Act portion of the 2021 Pork Industry Forum, scheduled for March 3-5, 2021, will be virtual. All pork producers and media are invited to attend the Pork Act Delegate Session. A detailed agenda and registration details will be available soon.
  • Phibro Animal Health Corporation is proud to announce the opening of its newly renovated plant in Omaha, Nebraska. The Omaha production facility is geographically positioned to manufacture and supply mineral nutrition products and trace mineral premixes to U.S. livestock producers. Now, an extensive facility upgrade provides the next evolution of food safety, product quality and output while enhancing our customers’ ability to meet growing consumer needs. Phibro has increased the manufacturing footprint to more than 100,000 square feet and added technology innovations that will position it to evolve alongside the industry for the next decade and beyond.
  • Armor Animal Health is expanding its reach this week and opening a new distribution center in Sioux Falls, SD. The new warehouse, located on the south side of Sioux Falls, officially opened for business on Monday, January 18.
  • Mitch Breunig received the Dairy Business Association’s Advocate of the Year honors. Breunig’s family farm, Mystic Valley Dairy, has undertaken several expansions over the years, coming up from a 50-cow herd milked in a stanchion barn beginning in 1961 to a herd of 400 cows and 1,000 acres of cropland today. Breunig was instrumental in developing Wisconsin’s Dairy Innovation Hub, an agricultural research engine through three of the University of Wisconsin System colleges.
  • Angela Baysinger, DVM, MS, Animal Welfare lead at Merck Animal Health was awarded the 4th Annual Feather in Her Cap Award from the Feather in Her Cap Association, Inc. Dr. Baysinger was recognized for her significant contribution and achievements to the animal health industry, including mentoring and developing future women leaders.
  • GENEX and Nedap introduce the new GENEX HerdMonitor® cow monitoring system. The launch is part of a new partnership between GENEX and Nedap to provide dairy farmers with trusted, innovative herd management solutions and services that add significant value to the businesses of today’s and future farming generations.
  • Alltech E-CO2 has developed the Feeds EA™ model to help feed manufacturers and producers globally measure and lower the carbon footprint of their feed. Feeds EA™ measures the environmental impact of feed production at the feed mill level by assessing the impact of existing compounds or blends.
  • BouMatic LLC, one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of milking systems and dairy farm equipment, has named Paulsen the company’s advertising agency of record. Paulsen is a Sioux Falls-based marketing firm that specializes in serving clients in the agriculture and rural lifestyle sectors.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

2021 National Biodiesel Conference is a Wrap

Cindy Zimmerman

The first ever (and hopefully last) virtual National Biodiesel Conference and Expo wrapped up last week after showing that the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry is indeed on the “RISE”. The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) hosted more than 550 biodiesel and renewable diesel producers, distributors, retailers, and other industry advocates virtually to share the direction of the industry now and in the future. During the conference, NBB celebrated the many achievements for the industry in the face of adversity.

NBB Chairman Chad Stone is proud that the biodiesel and renewable diesel industry was able to rise and move forward despite the challenges of 2020. This was the second year as chair for Stone, who is Renewable Energy Group Senior Vice President for Commercial Performance.

“We significantly increased our blend rates within the diesel pool,” said Stone. “Even though diesel was down 15, maybe 20 percent year over year, the level of demand for our fuel stayed flat even throughout the pandemic.”

Stone is very optimistic about the future of biodiesel and renewable diesel for cleaner energy solutions. “We have the honor of being part of that solution,” he said. “We see low carbon initiative really beginning to take off” on both the state and national levels.

Listen to Stone’s remarks and interview during the virtual National Biodiesel Conference and Expo this week.
2021 Biodiesel Conference interview with NBB Chair Chad Stone, REG (6:22)

2021 Biodiesel Conference remarks by NBB Chair Chad Stone, REG (13:30)

Check out the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo virtual newsroom for images, interviews, and other audio from the event.

Audio, Biodiesel, National Biodiesel Conference

Farmobile Works with ARA to Improve Supply Chain Profitability

Carrie Muehling

Farmobile is partnering with the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) to help ARA members maximize revenue when it comes to commercial fleets.

Farmobile’s Bradford Warner has a background in logistics, and he noticed when he came to the agriculture industry that it lagged behind others when it comes to efficiency and managing fleets.

“It’s been a very promising relationship, because when you have an association like ARA that’s so focused on member benefits, this is a very logical connection then to an ag tech provider like a Farmobile that’s all about empowering ag retailers to not only have good fleet data but to have good agronomy data to do what they’re doing,” said Warner, who participated in the virtual 2020 ARA Conference & Expo.

Farmobile’s Steve Cubbage said these types of metrics are relatively new compared to most precision ag or agronomy data sets that have been around for the past 20 years. He especially emphasized the importance of being able to use information coming from machines in mixed fleets, providing a common platform for customers who are managing fleets and using variable rate technology. To learn more, visit aradc.org/fleet.

Interview with Bradford Warner & Steve Cubbage, Farmobile 9:51

AgWired Precision, ARA, Audio, data

Industry Ag News 1/22

Carrie Muehling

  • The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s Feeding Minds Press released a new book, My Family’s Soybean Farm, along with a companion educator guide. My Family’s Soybean Farm is now available in paperback for purchase directly from Feeding Minds Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble online. Special bulk pricing is also available.
  • A strong majority of farmers/farmworkers say the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their mental health, and more than half say they are personally experiencing more mental health challenges than they were a year ago, according to a new American Farm Bureau poll. A presentation with additional detail on the full survey results is available here.
  • U.S. Wheat Associates has created a new film titled “Wholesome: The Journey of U.S. Wheat” that shows how the people in the export supply system maintain the wholesome, reliable character of U.S. wheat.
  • The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol welcomed its first Latin America-based members: Central America Spinning Works El Salvador, Cone Mills, Colhilados, Fabricato, Gama Textil, Global Textiles, Grupo Industrial Miro, Grupo Vivatex, Hilanderia de Algodon Peruano, Honduras Spinning Mills, Industrias Cannon de Colombia, Industrias Merlet, Industria Textil del Pacifico, Junior de Mexico (OGGI Jeans), Manufacturas Kaltex, MT Textiles, OA, Playeras Mark, Premium Knits, Quality Knits, Ropa Siete Leguas, SJ Jersey Ecuatoriano, Tavex, Textufil, Textiles Marie Lou, Textil del Valle, WT Sourcing and Zagis. Among other benefits, membership enables these mills and manufacturers to prove that the cotton fiber element in their textiles is more sustainably grown.
  • The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) shares news of the passing of Lory Williams. Williams joined NAFB at KGNO Radio in 1995 then continued her farm-broadcast career at KBUF Radio in Garden City, Kansas, until leaving there in late 2019 to take care of her husband who was ill. During her time as an NAFB member, Williams was named the 2003 South Region Horizon Award recipient, contributed to the Chats newsletter, and served as a South Region Director.
  • GROWMARK 2021 FFA Essay Contest state winners. Winners include: Maggie Handfelt of East Dubuque, Illinois, Sydney Benscoter of Marengo, Iowa, Marleigh Worden of Greenville, Michigan, Madilynn Lippa of Montrose, Missouri, Lily Wolf of Hamilton, Ohio, and Sydney Burling of Lake Mills, Wisconsin. The theme of this year’s contest was “If you could invent a new technology to improve agriculture, what would it be?” Students were encouraged to think creatively, not necessarily realistically, as they described their ideal invention.
  • Commodity Classic has set the dates for its 2021 Special Edition, which will take place March 2-5, 2021 as a digital experience. Registration will open Tuesday, January 26, 2021 at CommodityClassic.com. The registration fee is waived for the first 5,000 farmers, thanks to the generous support of sponsors. All other registrants and farmers after the first 5,000 will be charged $20.
Zimfo Bytes

Precision Ag News 1/20

Carrie Muehling

  • The InfoAg Conference is scheduled live and in person for August 3-4, 2021 at the St. Louis Station Hotel in St. Louis, MO! Sign up here to receive updates on speakers, special events, health and safety protocols and more.
  • Harvust is the winner of the seventh annual Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge, becoming the 2021 Farm Bureau Entrepreneur of the Year. AFBF, in partnership with Farm Credit, announced the winner at AFBF’s Virtual Annual Convention.
  • AgReliant Genetics announced Christy Toedebusch will join the executive leadership team as Vice President of Marketing, Digital Agriculture and Business Development.
  • Cory Atley, Ohio’s four-time crop production yield winner, announced a new brand – Advanced Yield Select Crop Inputs – for the purpose of helping growers “make the most of every dollar they spend on crop inputs on every acre they farm.” Atley, who farms more than 8,000 acres of leased and family ground, is known by many for his high yields and appearance in the reality show “Corn Warriors.”
  • To meet the constantly changing demands of the business of farming, John Deere has improved the look, feel and navigation features of its popular cloud-based system – Operations Center – to bring new levels of clarity and organization to farm data management. Another improvement John Deere made to the Operations Center is the addition of the new Work Planner feature farmers can use to streamline their work setup experience and help operators start working more quickly in the field.
  • Terra Vera has announced its launch, offering innovative solutions to replace conventional pesticides and increase product safety and consumer confidence within the agriculture industry. Using patented technologies compliant with EPA regulations, Terra Vera offers producers a safe, effective, and sustainable approach to rid crops of contaminants while preserving the quality and yield of their products.
  • Agriculture has become an expert at collecting data but continues to fall short of the economic and environmental promise the information bonanza represents. The Sustainability Ag Research Action Team (SARAT) of the National Corn Growers Association has made integrating and managing the wealth of information coming from the farm a priority for 2021.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Managing Bt Resistance in Cotton

Carrie Muehling

The Beltwide Cotton Consultants Conference featured a panel on a very important topic for cotton growers in recent years, which is managing resistance to Bt insecticides that control bollworms. One of those on the panel was Mississippi State entomologist Dr. Jeff Gore.

“An important thing that we need to always remember is that these Bt traits are still extremely valuable for us,” said Gore. “I think it’s important to just always remember that even though we’re seeing some resistance and we’re having to spray some, it’s not the end of the world. The Bt is still providing a lot of value.”

Gore encouraged growers to avoid Bt corn varieties in order to help fight Bt resistance in cotton, noting that planting Bt corn in this region do not typically see the same return on investment as planting the same varieties in other parts of the country. Although he recognized the Bt trait can also be an important tool for corn, he urged growers across the Mid-South to save it for cotton.

2021 Beltwide - Jeff Gore, Mississippi State 7:47

Audio, Beltwide Cotton, Cotton