AMS Session Features Farm Policy Experts

Cindy Zimmerman

Three agricultural policy experts with a combined century of experience took a look at the Post-Election Farm Road during the Ag Media Summit yesterday.

Mary Kay Thatcher of Syngenta, who could arguably be called the Queen of Farm Policy with a prior 30 years with American Farm Bureau Federation, was joined by National Association of Wheat Growers Chief Executive Officer Chandler Goule and Michael Torrey Associates Executive Vice President Tara Smith on the panel. Together they explored key trade and regulatory issues and how they impact U.S. farmer profitability and freedom to operate.

Great discussion between good friends with lots of interesting insight. Listen to a part of their conversation below or watch the whole thing as part of your Ag Media Summit registration.
AMS Farm Policy session (9:03)

Ag Groups, Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Policy, Syngenta

Syngenta Media Summit – US Seeds R & D

Chuck Zimmerman

The final live event of the 2020 Syngenta Media Event last week focused on U.S. Seeds Research & Development.

Speakers were:

Gusui Wu, Head, Seeds Research, Syngenta
Laura Potter, Global Head of Analytics & Data Sciences, Syngenta
Warren Kruger, Head Field Crops Seeds Development North America, Syngenta

Syngenta Media Summit U.S. Seeds R&D (59:12)

Agribusiness, Audio, Plant Breeding, Seed, Syngenta

Ag Climate Alliance Unveils Policy Recommendations

Cindy Zimmerman

A diverse alliance of groups representing farming, forestry, food, government and environment today unveiled a set of recommendations to guide the development of federal climate policy.

The Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA) was formed in February 2020 by four groups that now co-chair the alliance: American Farm Bureau Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, and National Farmers Union. The alliance has since expanded to include FMI – The Food Industry Association, National Alliance of Forest Owners, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and The Nature Conservancy.

Together, the group developed more than 40 recommendations based on three principles: agricultural and forestry climate policies must be built upon voluntary, incentive-based programs and market-driven opportunities; they must promote resilience and adaptation in rural communities; and they must be science-based. These recommendations share an overarching goal to do no harm. Climate policies will impact farmers, forest owners, ranchers, rural and limited-resources communities, wildlife and natural resources and must be thoughtfully crafted to account for any potential inequities, consequences and tradeoffs.
Read more about the recommendations.

Listen to the press announcement here with representatives from each organization:
Ag Climate Alliance announcement (34:25)

AFBF, Ag Groups, Audio, climate, Environment

Animal Ag News 11/16

Carrie Muehling

  • A shipment of breeding pigs from Henderson, Tennessee took off for Sao Paulo, Brazil recently, representing the first load to utilize the Livestock Export and Inspection Facility (LEIF) at St. Louis Lambert (STL). The LEIF-STL facility has been approved as a Port of Embarkation and Export Inspection Facility since 2017, but recent focus by a number of entities including the State of Missouri has brought success. The National Center for Beef Excellence secured a Missouri Agriculture Small Business Development Authority grant to lend assistance to STL and the Midwest Cargo Hub Commission in standing-up and promoting the facility.
  • A newly released Bureau of Labor Statistics annual report for 2019 shows U.S. meat and poultry packers and processors continued their lengthy track record of reducing worker injuries, reaching a new all-time low for injuries. The BLS report released final 2019 incidence rates for non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses recorded with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
  • The Dairy Business Association has announced the program lineup and keynote speakers for Dairy Strong, one of the Midwest’s premiere conferences for the dairy community, on Jan. 19-21.
  • The checkoff-founded Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy announced a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that will open doors for increased collaboration in areas of mutual interest and allow the agency to gain a deeper understanding of and support for U.S. dairy farmers and the broader dairy community’s environmental sustainability efforts.
  • Working Ranch Magazine introduces the WR Podcast, with host Justin Mills. Each episode includes a brief news update, livestock market outlook, and a long-range weather forecast, as well as major issues that affect the livestock industry across the country.
  • Select Sires invites farmer-owners to visit the cooperative’s new website to access exciting news, sire announcements and the enhanced dairy sire search tool. The website has been refreshed with a modern design, improved functionality and responsive, mobile- friendly technology. Users can now view the website using a mobile device or tablet, as well as a desktop computer.
  • Alltech will host a focus session entitled “Africa: The Power of Partnerships” on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 8 a.m. EST. Access the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience here.
  • The National Pork Board announced the launch of AgView, a technology solution to help the U.S. pork industry respond faster than ever before possible in the event of a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak. The web-based tool will allow participating producers to easily share their farm’s FAD status updates and pig movement data with state animal health officials. The opt-in, no-fee technology – funded by the Pork Checkoff – will allow for contact-tracing of infected animals to help rapidly contain or regionalize a potential FAD outbreak.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

Syngenta Media Summit – U.S. Seeds

Chuck Zimmerman

Syngenta Media SummitThe 2020 Syngenta Virtual Media Summit concluded last week with a focus on the company’s U.S. seed business.

The live summit presentation on November 11 featured “U.S. Seeds Present and Future: A look at early harvest results and sneak peek at corn and soybean advancements” Speakers were:

Eric Boeck, Head of Marketing For U.S. Seeds, Syngenta
G.W. Fuhr, Head of U.S. Branded Sales and Biofuels, Syngenta
Travis Kriegshauser, Strategic Soybean Marketing Manager, Syngenta
Drew Showalter, Strategic Marketing Manager – Corn, Syngenta

Syngenta Media Summit U.S. Seeds (50:36)

Agribusiness, Audio, Seed, Syngenta

Industry Ag News 11/13

Carrie Muehling

  • Agri-Pulse is pleased to announce that Danielle Brinkmann has joined the digital media company as its western sales associate.
  • The 56th installment of the National Corn Growers Association’s National Corn Yield Contest is drawing to a close, so you must submit your harvest results by November 30 to be included in the 2020 rankings. Harvest entries can be submitted online here. Login for the site is your membership number and postal code. The contest email address is ncyc@ncga.com if any assistance is needed.
  • The National Corn Growers Association submitted formal comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week to ensure future access and continued success with the use of Bt technology.
  • The National Corn Growers Association will accept applications for a broad variety of college and graduate programs but act now. Applications are due on December 4, 2020.
  • The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) and Alltech have announced the call for nominations for the IFAJ-Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism. The award will be presented during the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience in 2021. Entries must be made via an online application form. Deadline for entries is December 18, 2020.
  • IFAJ members are welcome to participate in the Fourth African Conference of Science Journalists, which will be held online on November 17-20. Registration is free.
  • Plastomics Inc., an agricultural biotech start-up developing the next generation of trait delivery technology, has been awarded a competitive grant from the United Soybean Board (USB) to develop disease resistant soybeans. Plastomics’ novel trait delivery system harnesses the natural powerhouse of the cell – the chloroplast – to efficiently build higher yielding crops to help farmers nourish the growing global population.
  • Effective immediately and as part of the previously released John Deere Smart Industrial organizational announcement, the Agriculture & Turf Division has expanded and reorganized its public relations team.
  • Created as a free platform exclusively for farmers and other agricultural professionals, AgFuse has introduced major new features including AgAnswers and The Leaderboard to help community members share information and build solid networks.
  • Come together with the potato industry and leading potato industry representatives as we connect online at this year’s Potato Expo 2021. All the excitement you have come to expect from the potato industry event of the year will stream live, January 5-7.
  • This year’s Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute annual report features not only the outcomes and impacts of FY2019-2020, but also celebrates the institute’s 10-year anniversary. The report highlights the achievements of a decade of collaborative work both in Nebraska and around the globe.
  • The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has been invited to join Cotton 2040. Convened by sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future, the Cotton 2040 coalition is a unique partnership that brings together representatives from standards, producers, brands and retailers, and existing industry initiatives specifically to build on and accelerate collective action to scale up and overcome barriers to sustainable cotton uptake across multiple standards.
  • National Industrial Hemp Council announced it received $200,000 in U.S. Department of Agricultural Market Access Program funding to support export market development of industrial hemp.
  • Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer. The state winner will be announced at the Georgia Peanut Farm Show on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021, in Tifton, Georgia. The award is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission and BASF. Applications are due to the GPC office by Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020.
  • The California Walnut Board encourages growers to participate in an upcoming referendum vote to amend the Federal Marketing Order for walnuts. The proposed amendment would provide authority for the CWB to conduct a credit-back program. Specifically, it would authorize the CWB to credit handlers for eligible market promotion activities of 70¢ per $1 of spend, up to a cap of available dollars based on prior year crop acquisitions.



Zimfo Bytes

Post-Election Implications for Agriculture

Cindy Zimmerman

The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City’s November 12 webinar took a look at the results of the November 3 election and the implications for agribusiness.

The panel featured farm policy analyst Sara Wyant, founder of Agri-Pulse Communications; Blake Hurst, president, Missouri Farm Bureau Federation; and Ron Seeber, president and CEO for the Kansas Grain and Feed Association, Renew Kansas Biofuels Association, and Kansas Ag Retailers Association. Phil Karsting, Senior Policy Advisor, Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz, and former Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator under President Obama, was a surprise guest.

Wyant delved into the outcome of elections across the country and where support was strongest for each presidential candidate, as well as how the pollsters got it so wrong.
KC AgBiz webinar - Sara Wyant (11:53)

Hurst focused on the outcome of Missouri races and ballot initiatives, as well as how the rural vote did in other parts of the country such as Minnesota where House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson lost his race.
KC AgBiz webinar - Blake Hurst (5:06)

Seeber discussed the important race in Kansas to replace Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Pat Roberts, which was won by Roger Marshall, and what a Biden administration might mean for biofuels.
KC AgBiz webinar - Ron Seeber (10:42)

Karsting offered his thoughts on a Biden administration and transition.
KC AgBiz webinar - Phil Karsting (6:26)

Agribusiness, Audio, politics

Get Ready for Ag Media Summit

Cindy Zimmerman

Yes, it was supposed to be held months ago. Yes, it’s virtual. And, yes, that is sad. But what’s great about Ag Media Summit is that a big part of it is professional development and there are plenty of excellent educational sessions on tap this year for the virtual event November 16-17.

Writing, photography, and video workshops are scheduled over the two days of the summit, with some very talented industry professionals, like Jamie Johansen with Honey Creek Media who will be on a panel about freelancing. She started her freelance career with us way back in 2012 and is the poster child for how to build a successful freelance career. Also, Chuck and I will be presenting a workshop on the benefits of Virtual Newsrooms for both companies and organizations, and reporters.

Make sure to catch the newsmaker session on Tuesday with post-election and policy insight from industry experts who are familiar names. Mary Kay Thatcher, senior manager, federal government and industry relations at Syngenta, hosts the panel of DC insiders Chandler Goule and Tara Smith, with a collective century of experience in ag policy issues. In this session, you will hear experts decipher the outcome of the election and what the first 100 days of the next Congress holds.

If you are missing everyone (who isn’t?) and want to take a walk down memory lane back to the days when we used to get together in person, we put together a highlight reel of photos from the past 15 years of Ag Media Summits. How many times are you in there?

Ag Media Summit 2005-2019

That is just a fraction of all the Ag Media Summit photos we have taken over the years. If you want to see them all, we have a collection page with all of the albums.

Ag Media Summit photo albums collection

And if you have not registered yet, click here and do it now!

ACN, Ag Media Summit, LPC, Photography

Precision Ag News 11/11

Carrie Muehling

  • USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has completed and published updates to its set of national conservation practice standards, which offer guidelines for planning, installing, operating and maintaining conservation practices used by farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners nationwide. Fifty-eight standards have been updated or revised since August.
  • A new agricultural app makes it easier for farmers to keep barn equipment running efficiently, saving time and money on unexpected repairs and production downtime. The Rakr application is a free app that manages, schedules and tracks preventative maintenance on all barn equipment, and calculates the cost savings when recommended maintenance is complete.
  • This fall, Salford is releasing HALO, a next generation tillage product line that adds to Salford’s extensive line of tillage and application equipment. HALO is a new Salford tillage platform, which allows for new combinations of ground engaging equipment, narrow transport, and single point adjustments, which make for faster, easier field setting.
  • GSI is introducing the addition of either a 30-degree or 45-degree bend section to its VersaLoop round tube chain conveyor that provides more flexibility to maximize the space and efficiency of grain handling systems.
  • Increased corn rootworm pressure on corn crops throughout the Central and Northwest Midwest in 2020 suggests there will be a need for more application of corn soil insecticides in 2021, according to an extensive survey of agricultural retailers conducted in September by AMVAC®, an American Vanguard® company. Respondents, surveyed both online and in phone interviews, compared this year’s CRW pressure to that of 2012, after which, use of soil-applied insecticides was elevated for the three seasons of 2013-2015.
  • CommoditAg, the agriculture industry’s premier, trusted online retailer of high-quality farm products, has added Topcon as its newest supplier offering precision management tools to bring efficiency and productivity to nearly every phase of the farming operation. CommoditAg offers three precision feed management hardware and software tools, including Digi-Star Connected TMR, Digi-Star Pro Feeder TMR, and Digi-Star Expert TMR.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

USDA Lowers Forecast for Corn and Soybeans

Cindy Zimmerman

The November World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates from USDA show lower forecasts for domestic production of both corn and soybeans.

This month’s 2020/21 U.S. corn outlook is for lower production, reduced feed and residual use, larger exports, and smaller ending stocks. Corn production is forecast at 14.507 billion bushels, down 215 million with a reduction in yield to 175.8 bushels per acre. Corn exports are raised 325 million bushels to 2.650 billion, which if realized would be record high. Projected feed and residual use is lowered 75 million bushels based on a smaller crop and higher expected prices. With supply falling and use increasing, corn ending stocks for 2020/21 are down 465 million bushels to 1.7 billion, which if realized would be the lowest since 2013/14. The corn price is raised 40 cents to $4.00 per bushel

The U.S. soybean outlook for 2020/21 is for lower production and ending stocks. Soybean production is forecast at 4.17 billion bushels, down 98 million on lower yields. Lower yields are reported for several major producing states, including Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, and Nebraska. With reduced production, soybean ending stocks are projected at 190 million bushels, down 100 million from last month. If realized, soybean ending stocks would be at the lowest level in the past seven years.

Corn, Soybean, USDA