ZimmCast 659 – Communications and Research Innovations

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

In this edition of the ZimmCast, Cindy and I share a couple of feature interviews we did recently on new innovations in communications and research.

First, Cindy talked with Frances Hayes, Communications Specialist for the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska, about how they have adapted their communications strategy this year to reach a diverse group of stakeholders around the world in the middle of a pandemic. One of those new strategies is the Daugherty Water for Food podcast.

We recently sent out a news release on AgNewsWire about a company called C-Lock, which developed technology to help improve animal management, profits, and sustainability in their livestock systems and awarded Research Equipment Grants to find new ways to use their tools.

The founder of C-Lock is Dr. Patrick Zimmerman – so since we shared a surname I thought I would give him a call and find out more about it.

I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 659 - Innovations in Communications and Research (44:08)

Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

Agribusiness, Audio, Technology, University, ZimmCast

Syngenta’s Thatcher Provides Post-Election Insight

Cindy Zimmerman

Mary Kay Thatcher has been providing farm policy insight for more than 30 years, so she knows what she is talking about when it comes to election outcomes, even if this one is unusual.

As Senior Manager of Federal Government and Industry Relations for Syngenta, Thatcher provided her perspective on the “churn of the election” during the company’s media summit today. She does expect the presidential outcome to drag on for a while, but during her presentation, Thatcher used the assumption of a Biden presidency for her outlook.

Here is the full presentation, which refers to slides and includes media questions at the end.
Syngenta Media Summit presentation on election impacts (50:27)

In this interview, Thatcher comments on how the rural vote went, what to expect for House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership, and how a Biden presidency might impact biofuels, regulation, and trade issues.
Post election interview with Mary Kay Thatcher, Syngenta (10:25)

Audio, Farm Policy, Syngenta

Precision Ag News 11/4

Carrie Muehling

  • American Farmland Trust has launched online access to the methods, tools, and training resources it used in developing case studies featuring soil health successful farmers in its Quantifying the Economic and Environmental Benefits of Soil Health project funded by a USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant.
  • AgroLiquid announced Nick Bancroft stepped into the role of chief executive officer, effective November 1, 2020. Nick’s promotion comes as current CEO and AgroLiquid founder, Troy Bancroft announces his plan to transition to a more strategic role as president of the AgroLiquid Board of Directors and member of the company’s leadership team.
  • Trimble announced it will match donations up to $100,000 USD in support of global poverty-fighting non-profit organization CARE and their She Feeds the World program during the month of November, 2020. Aiming to improve access to food and nutrition for 50 million women and youth, small-scale producers and their families, She Feeds the World supports programs and projects in more than 76 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
  • Ag Leader announced enhancements to InCommand displays and its launch of guidance and steering products designed and built in-house to its year-round precision farming line-up.
  • Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. announced the appointment of prominent business leader Lara L. Lee to the Board of Directors.
  • The Natural Resources Conservation Service announced more than $14.6 million will be awarded to 24 projects to support the development of new systems, tools and technologies for production and conservation on agricultural lands.
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Administrator Kurt Thiede signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Illinois Farm Bureau President Rich Guebert, Jr. that commits to continuing collaborative efforts that recognize agricultural environmental stewardship through improved communications and outreach.
  • Radicle Growth announced that MycoTechnology, Inc. has won the Radicle Protein Challenge by Syngenta and secured a $1 million investment and BlueNalu, Inc. was named the runner-up and has secured a $250,000 investment. Radicle and Syngenta Group, a leading agriculture company helping to improve global food security, constructed this Challenge to uncover innovation and invest in two technology companies that are transforming the future of protein. The Challenge saw interest from across the globe with over 150 impressive applicants.
  • Due to scheduling changes, we will no longer offer the Nov. 5 or 19 session of the Water for Food Global Webinar Series. The “Innovations in Irrigation” session has been moved to Nov. 12. Register here.
  • The cloud-based DataConnect system that enables the exchange of machinery data between CLAAS, 365FarmNet and John Deere is now commercially available, with further partners to follow soon.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

2020 Syngenta Media Summit – U.S. Crop Protection

Chuck Zimmerman

Syngenta Crop ProtectionThe 2020 Syngenta Virtual Media Summit featured the company’s U.S. crop protection products and updates today. Here is the panel for the presentation.

Corporate Communications Lead Paul Minehart moderated the discussion:
Jeff Cecil, North America Crop Protection Marketing Head
Shawn Potter, Head of Marketing, Seedcare
Lisa Moricle, Head of Fungicides and Insecticides Product Marketing
Kevin Gesse, Head, Herbicide Product Marketing

Each presenter provided an update on Syngenta products with the media summit theme, “Leading The Way In A New Decade.”
Syngenta media summit - U.S. Crop Protection Products/Updates (39:06)

Agribusiness, Audio, Crop Protection, Syngenta

Water for Food Podcast Episode 3

Cindy Zimmerman

Daugherty Water for Food PodcastEpisode number three of the Daugherty Water for Food Podcast spotlights another woman making waves in the food and water space.

Felicia Marcus has been making waves in California water management and regulation for more than three decades. She most recently served as Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, with responsibility for drinking water, water quality, and water rights. Prior to that, as Regional Administrator of the U.S. EPA Region IX she was responsible for the range of environmental issues under EPA’s jurisdiction. Earlier, Marcus headed the Los Angeles Department of Public Works dealing with wastewater, water and solid waste recycling, stormwater management, and other environmental issues. She is currently the Landreth Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West Program.

In addition, she is active on numerous volunteer boards, including the Daugherty Global Water for Food Institute and the Sustainable Conservation Advisory Board, and has received many awards for her work and approach.

Learn more about Felicia Marcus and her work with farmers in California on water issues in this podcast: Daugherty Water for Food Podcast Episode 3

How to subscribe:

Audio, Food, Podcasts, Water, Water for Food

Agriculture Mourns Loss of Dr. Flinchbaugh

Cindy Zimmerman

Barry Flinchbaugh (left) with Charlie Stenholm at 2012 Ag Media Summit

Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, whose remarkable career in agricultural policy at Kansas State University spanned nearly a half-century, died Nov. 2 in Topeka. He was 78 years old.

The charismatic Flinchbaugh was well known as one of the United States’ leading experts on agricultural policy and agricultural economics. For more than four decades, he was a top adviser to politicians of both major political parties, including secretaries of agriculture, chairs of the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture committees, and numerous senators and state governors.

Flinchbaugh was involved to some degree in every U.S. farm bill written since 1968, and served on many national boards, advisory groups and task forces, providing input on domestic food and agricultural policy.

Flinchbaugh was also a big supporter of the Farm Foundation and served as chair of that organization in 2009. His Great Debates with former Texas Congressman Charlie Stenholm were a feature at Ag Media Summit for a couple of years.

Listen to Dr. Flinchbaugh here during a Farm Foundation Forum last year on implementing the 2018 Farm Bill.

Barry Flinchbaugh at 2019 Farm Foundation Forum
Audio, Farm Foundation, Farm Policy

Heliae® Agriculture Offering Soil Productivity Webinar

Cindy Zimmerman

Heliae® Agriculture will offer an in-depth two-day soil health webinar on November 17th and 18th on Rethinking Soil Productivity to showcase soil health opportunities for farmers in every geography.

“Soils are becoming severely degraded. It’s our mission at Heliae® Agriculture to help change that and provide growers with returns that deliver more than yield,” says Heliae President and CEO, Eric Lichtenheld. “We focus on changing soil through a regenerative approach and share our approach and solutions with growers nationwide to help aid their long term success.”

The live webinar experience will kick-off on November 17th at 10 a.m. central standard time with an in-depth discussion with renowed Rutgers University plant pathology professor, Dr. James White, who will be joined by Heliae Chief Revenue Officer, Norm Davy and Vice President of Agriculture Science, Dr. Karl Wyant. The trio will explore the soil’s microbiome through discussion and the examination of Dr. White’s research on the Rhizophagy Cycle. The session promises to offer insight into the newly discovered process of a plant’s ability to “farm” the beneficial microbes it needs and fundamental management strategies that can be implemented within any production model.

Day two, November 18, brings the Heliae® Agriculture science, research and sales team together in a discussion that focuses on the creation of a healthy soil biome. Here, the team will take a deeper look at the multitude of benefits that come from improving your soil, sharing the timeline of the PhycoTerra® Soil Amendment team’s research and discovery, and the efficacy and return on investment a regenerative approach brings to any farming operation. Both sessions will feature a dedicated live Q&A segment to allow viewers to submit questions to the panels of professionals for real-time answers.

Both sessions will feature a dedicated live Q&A segment to allow viewers to submit questions to the panels of professionals for real-time answers, and offer 4 Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) continuing education units (CEUs). Each day will also feature breakout sessions that focus on showcasing regional PhycoTerra® trial results. (Link to news release).

For more information on the 2-Day Webinar experience: Rethinking Soil Productivity or to register CLICK HERE.

AgWired Precision, Farming, Nutrition, Precision Agriculture, Soil

Animal Ag News 11/2

Carrie Muehling

  • The U.S. Trade Representative announced it is suspending $817 million in trade preferences for Thailand under the Generalized System of Preferences program because the country hasn’t made sufficient progress providing the United States with “equitable and reasonable market access” for pork products. The decision follows a 2018 petition by the National Pork Producers Council asking the USTR to review Thailand’s eligibility for the GSP program, one that offers duty-free treatment to certain goods entering the United States.
  • Marshall Reece, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Associated Milk Producers Inc. of New Ulm, Minn., has been named the new president of the American Butter Institute, gaining the position during the organization’s annual meeting, held this year virtually.
  • Addressing dairy farmers and industry representatives, Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) leaders reflected on strategically adjusting business plans due to the impacts of COVID-19, and attributed this year’s results to industry unity, agility, speed and relentless relationship building. DMI CEO Tom Gallagher said one of the year’s highlights was USDA’s per capita report that showed consumption reached 653 pounds per person in 2019, a 60-year high for dairy.
  • Vets Plus, Inc. announces it has hired Adam Yankowsky as Director of Sales. Mr. Yankowsky will oversee sales and marketing activities for the Merrick’s Blue Ribbon® line of livestock health products, the Pets Prefer® line of companion animal products and the Probios® line of probiotics. He will also supervise private label and other business development initiatives.
  • Five years after launching its initial Accelerator program, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) is gearing up for its 2021 program with the announcement of a new name, DFA CoLab Accelerator, and continued focus on helping accelerate and grow ag-tech and dairy food product companies.
  • In 2019, Lely announced plans for its new North American campus, furthering its commitment to Pella, the state of Iowa and the dairy producers across North America.
  • The American Feed Industry Association named Cassie Jones, Ph.D., an associate professor in animal sciences and industry at Kansas State University, as its Member of the Year during the AFIA’s fall Board of Directors virtual meeting.
  • The International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) is pivoting the Young Leaders Under 30 Program to an online format for 2021. The program will be called ‘IPPE Linked In With Tomorrow’s Leaders’ and is designed to recognize leadership qualities in young professionals. The program’s goal is to engage and invest in the next generation of young professionals, between the ages of 21 and 29, who work for companies directly involved in the production and processing of poultry and meat or in the production of animal food.
  • CowManager launches a new Nutrition module that provides actionable insights regarding feed and transition management on dairy farms. The module has been expanded with clear graphs and user-friendly comparison functionality. Timely notifications regarding cows at risk during the transition period, heat stress, low feed intake, and herd health help to focus a producer’s attention where it is needed most. These notifications allow the producer to approach herd management in a preventive, proactive, and precise manner, resulting in better cow health and a more productive herd.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is announcing the release of a comprehensive industry feedyard audit tool. The Cattle Industry Feedyard Audit will serve as a standardized audit tool based on the sound science and common sense established in the Beef Quality Assurance program. Though the audit tool is owned by NCBA, auditing of feedyards will only be conducted through business-to-business activity within the cattle industry. NCBA will be maintaining the tool with updates as science dictates.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

2020 AAEA Awards Program

Chuck Zimmerman

2020 AAEA Awards ProgramThe Agricultural Communicators Network, AAEA, held their annual awards program virtually this year.

The list of winners will be posted to the organization’s website after today. Here’s the list of winners.

If you missed the program you can hear the reading of the awards now if you’d like.

Just click here: 2020 AAEA Awards

ACN, Audio, Media

Virtual 93rd National FFA Convention One to Remember

Cindy Zimmerman

It may have been virtual, but over 217,000 viewers tuned in for the 93rd National FFA Convention & Expo last week. Convention attendees had the opportunity to view the live general sessions on RFD-TV, The Cowboy Channel and streaming on FFA.org, where they saw peers from across the country receiving recognition for their hard work, heard from this year’s national officer team, and even saw the FFA Band and Chorus perform.

The convention concluded on Thursday evening with the election of the new National FFA Officer team.

Students from Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois and Missouri were elected by National FFA Delegates to serve as 2020-21 National FFA Officers.

Doster Harper, an agriscience and environmental systems major at the University of Georgia, was elected national president.

Anna Mathis, an agricultural communication major at the University of Arkansas, was elected national secretary.

Paxton Dahmer, an agricultural education and leadership major at the University of Missouri – Columbia, was elected central region vice president.

Miriam Hoffman, an agribusiness economics major at Southern Illinois University, was elected eastern region vice president.

David Lopez, an agricultural communications major at California Polytechnic State, was elected western region vice president.

Artha Jonassaint, a government and global health major at Harvard, was elected southern region vice president.

FFA