Syngenta #RootedInAg Winner Announced

Chuck Zimmerman

2020 Syngenta RootedInAg WinnerHannah Borg, 22, of Wakefield, Nebraska, is the 2020 Syngenta #RootedinAg Contest grand prize winner. You can see her entry video here. In her heartwarming entry, Borg pays tribute to the matriarch of their sixth-generation family farm — her 86-year-old grandmother, Lois Borg

Borg is the seventh #RootedinAg Contest winner. She was chosen from a hearty pool of applicants and two other strong finalists with her testimony that moved both online voters and a panel of judges. The number of submissions this year was one of the largest – and one of the most difficult to rank, said Pam Caraway, Syngenta marketing communications lead.

“Thank you to everybody who took the time to share their story. Each submission was a delight to read or watch. Each story gives us confidence in the future of agriculture, thanks to those who take the time to teach us,” Caraway said.

This annual competition from Syngenta invites growers and other ag industry professionals across the nation to describe the person who most nourished their agricultural roots for their submission entry.

To learn more about the program and the entries this year I spoke with Pam Caraway, Syngenta marketing communications lead. Interview with Pam Caraway, Syngenta (10:23)

Agribusiness, Audio, Syngenta

New Podcast Compares 80s Farm Crisis to Now

Cindy Zimmerman

*Updated with audio*
AEI Premium, the online community for agricultural decision makers, has just launched a new podcast series that digs into one of the most infamous events in American agriculture history and how we can learn from it.

“Escaping 1980” explores the causes, impacts, and lasting effects of one of the most infamous events in American agriculture history, the 1980s farm crisis.

Hosted by rural journalist Sarah Mock, “Escaping 1980” features agricultural economists Brent Gloy and David Widmar as they travel back in time to answer an important question: is today’s fretful farm economy showing signs of another crisis ahead?

“The way we remember the ’80s informs the way we think about the farm economy today,” said AEI Premium co-founder and “Escaping 1980” co-host David Widmar. “But to figure out if today is as bad as the 1980s, we have to start by answering a different question… what, exactly, happened during the 1980s?”

Escaping 1980 is a great series for farmers, agribusiness leaders, farm policy wonks, and others who love history.

Episodes are available to stream now at aei.ag/escaping1980 along with additional reading about the topics discussed on the show. “Escaping 1980” is available on your favorite podcast platform.

AEI is exhibiting at the virtual NAFB Convention Trade Talk this week and David Widmar talks about the new podcast in this interview.
2020 NAFB interview with David Widmar, AEI (7:04)

Ag Economics, Audio, Podcasts

Virtual NAFB Convention Kicks Off

Cindy Zimmerman

Yippee! It’s yet another virtual convention – I’m sure everyone is super excited to pretend you are walking through the lobby of the Westin in Kansas City and seeing all the folks you may only see this one time a year. Hugs and kisses all around!

If you are missing that NAFB Convention experience and want to see your friends and colleagues, check out the NAFB Through the Years photo album with over 1,000 photos from conventions since 2007. If you are feeling really nostalgic, look through the complete albums in the NAFB photo album collections, which has over 5,000 from the conventions, plus a few Washington Watch albums too. Share your favorites with the hashtag #NAFB20 #NAFBMemories.

Lovely Rita Frazer with RFD Radio is the 2020 president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting and she has had a year like no other NAFB president has ever had. But she has definitely made the best of it and she is very proud of the work that president-elect Gale Cunningham and the NAFB staff did in getting together a top notch virtual event setting a new high bar for how it should be done.

Rita says she is missing the hugs from the NAFB family, “we are the hugging-est bunch of people” – as we all are. Listen to my interview with Rita here:
2020 NAFB Interview with president Rita Frazer, RFD Radio (10:19)

Audio, NAFB

Precision Ag News 11/18

Carrie Muehling

  • A virtual InfoAg conference, brought to you by The Fertilizer Institute, is scheduled for December 15-17, 2020 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. EST. Register here.
  • The 2nd anniversary of Living Soil, a documentary film about the soil health movement in the United States, celebrates its surpassing 1 million views. The 60-minute film, which is available for free on YouTube, captures the history – and significance – of the soil health movement, beginning with painful images of the Dust Bowl, and then transitioning to personal experiences of innovative women and men who are managing their land to enhance soil health.
  • Over the last four years, the National Corn Growers Association has homed in on sustainability initiatives completing a full assessment of its checkoff-funded organizational efforts and initiatives, NCGA CEO Jon Doggett told attendees of Field to Market’s Fall Plenary & General Assembly Meeting in his Keynote Address. The key to this effort was the formation of a Climate Task Force that invested two years working with industry partners to develop recommendations. Doggett says many of those recommendations are being implemented, but a big development was forming a Corn Sustainability Advisory Group to carry on their work.
  • AgroLiquid has added a new liquid phosphorus product, springuP™ to its crop nutrition portfolio. This quick-release, readily available product helps growers get their crops off to a strong start.
  • Farmobile LLC announced that The Fertilizer Institute is supporting through outreach the advancement of agronomic and machine-collected data for ag retailers seeking to take advantage of Variable Rate Application technology, 4R practices and sustainable agriculture for growers. The topic is being explored during the virtual 2020 Sustainable Ag Summit, November 18-19, 2020.
  • With increased corn rootworm pressure on corn crops throughout the Central and Northwest Midwest this year, which is projected to persist in 2021, growers will have plenty of choices for corn rootworm protection to accommodate a variety of equipment and agronomic needs next year, according to Nathaniel Quinn, AMVAC Marketing Manager for Corn, Soybeans, and Sugar Beets. Quinn says AMVAC offers corn growers a deep “bench” of corn rootworm, seed-, and seedling-attacking pest solutions in the following delivery or application options.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

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