Seed Industry Met Challenges of 2020

Cindy Zimmerman

American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) President and CEO Andy LaVigne says the seed industry was able to adapt quickly to meet the challenges of 2020 and they are moving forward with new tools to reach out in new ways.

“While we had a lot of adversity there, a lot of opportunity raised its head and I think we’ve seen some really positive changes,” said LaVigne in an interview for the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB). He says going virtual has helped many seed companies reach customers in a whole new way.

ASTA has already successfully held two of its four annual meetings virtually, and two more are just around the corner – the CSS & Seed Expo December 7-9, and the Vegetable and Flower Seed Conference February 1-3.

LaVigne talks about the upcoming virtual meetings, as well as challenges and opportunities for the seed industry in this interview.
2020 NAFB Interview with Andy LaVigne, ASTA CEO (7:04)

ASTA, Audio, NAFB, Seed

LidoChem Challenges Scott’s Miracle Gro Trademark

Cindy Zimmerman

LidoChem, Inc. is fighting to protect its “Performance” trademarks in a case against Scott’s Miracle-Gro.

LidoChem and its Performance Nutrition Division filed a claim to void Scott’s Miracle-Gro trademark registrations at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for “Miracle-Gro Performance Organics” and “Performance Organics.”

LidoChem, Inc. owns 10 ‘Performance’-containing trademarks for products and programs in the professional agriculture and turf and ornamental markets. Seven of these trademarks are incontestable since they are more than five years old. The longest held trademark of Performance Nutrition® dates back to March of 2004.

LidoChem, Inc. President and CEO Don Pucillo said, “Although we attempted to settle this dispute amicably, including issuing a cease and desist letter to Scott’s, they claimed to conduct business in different business channels of commerce therefore do not cause confusion in the marketplace. Unfortunately, their widespread marketing campaign is infringing upon our brand names and image within our targeted industry sectors and sales territories clearly causing confusion among customers and distributors.”

The company founder points out that “the names, styles and overlapping markets in Scott’s new product marketing initiative are remarkably similar and have already caused confusion among customers and distributors alike. We intend to vigorously defend our family of ‘Performance’ trademarks and our good name of producing quality products and programs that are effective for our customers’ needs as well as being safe and ecologically friendly.”

Karen Tripp is the attorney representing LidoChem in the trademark case and she explains in this interview why they are taking this action and what is at stake for the 40 year old family-owned business.
Interview with Karen Tripp, LidoChem trademark attorney 5:17

Agribusiness, Audio, Fertilizer, Organic

Industry Ag News 11/20

Carrie Muehling

  • For every dollar Americans spend on their Thanksgiving dinner this year, farmers and ranchers will earn approximately 11.9 cents, according to National Farmers Union. This marks a slight decline from 2019, when farmers claimed 12.15 cents of the Thanksgiving food dollar.
  • For the first time in show history, the 2021 World Ag Expo® will be an online event February 9-11. Officials at the International Agri-Center® announced the cancellation of the live event on September 14, and spent the next month carefully weighing the implications of a digital show.
  • The United Fresh Start Foundation has launched the Season of Giving Back, a month-long celebration recognizing the charitable efforts of the produce industry and their partners this year in support the Foundation’s mission to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables for children and their families.
  • The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) announced its 2021 officers and directors elected to the AEM Board of Directors and Agriculture and Construction Equipment Sector Boards at its annual meeting.
  • Following a steep rise in COVID-19 cases throughout the Upper Midwest, both the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and Minnesota Corn Growers Association have decided their respective annual meetings, originally set to take place in-person in Mankato, will now move to an all-virtual format.
  • Agricultural students in post-secondary education are eligible to compete for up to $15,000 in total scholarship awards through the Accelerating a Generation Syngenta Scholarship Program. Syngenta invites eligible university students to apply for six regional awards of $2,500 each, now offered in partnership with the National FFA Organization. Students can apply by visiting the FFA Scholarship Portal.
  • America’s leading agriculture commodity groups and trade associations sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer asking that he and the Trump administration work to “deepen trade discussions” in order to bring about WTO compliance and removal of EU retaliatory tariffs targeting U.S. food and ag exports.
  • U.S. potato imports for the first quarter of the July 2020 – June 2021 marketing year were up 19% in total. This increase was led by a 28% increase in fresh potatoes from Canada, a 20% increase in frozen potatoes, also mainly from Canada and increasing imports from the EU.
  • The National Corn Growers Association is partnering with Chemical & Engineering News to underscore the many uses of corn, including opportunities in plant-based packaging, chemicals, and nutraceuticals. The Market Development Action Team funded this effort.
  • The Livestock Publications Council Forrest Bassford Student Award, sponsored by Alltech, honors excellence, professionalism and leadership among students. Katelyn Harbert, a senior in agricultural communications and journalism and global food systems leadership at Kansas State University, was announced as the recipient of the 2020 LPC Forrest Bassford Student Award during the LPC Annual Membership Meeting, held virtually on Nov. 9, 2020.
  • Lyle E. Orwig, announces his retirement as chairman of C.O.nxt, Hartland, Wisconsin. In 1992, Orwig joined with business partner John Charleston to co-found the communications agency Charleston|Orwig, which recently rebranded as C.O.nxt.
  • A majority of U.S. adults have a positive view of farmers’ sustainability practices, and an overwhelming majority trust farmers, according to a new national public opinion poll from the American Farm Bureau Federation.
  • The World Food Prize Foundation announced a brand refresh to the Foundation’s 33-year identity, reflecting the organization’s evolution. The new logo was developed through a collaborative process by the entire Foundation staff, and reflects the organization’s passion and mission for improving the quality, quantity and availability of food for all. The rebranding includes a top-to-bottom redesign of the Foundation website, logo, graphics, communications and correspondence.
Zimfo Bytes

Heliae® Agriculture Expands Team and Meets NAFB

Cindy Zimmerman

Heliae® Agriculture has announced the addition of three new members to the U.S. sales team who will help to lead sales initiatives in the states of Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota. In addition, the company exhibited this week at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Trade Talk for the first time.

Scott Chanley, Chad Bush and Cory Palm all join the Heliae® Agriculture team with more than 15 years’ experience in agronomy and agriculture sales. As Regional Sales Managers, Chanley, Bush and Palm will work closely with distributors and retail partners to bring awareness to the benefits of incorporating PhycoTerra® into soil health management programs.

“We are excited to continue the expansion of our sales team throughout the U.S.,” says Norm Davy, Chief Revenue Officer at Heliae® Agriculture. “With each new team member, we are increasing the resources and support growers need to begin implementing regenerative agriculture practices to help growers and retailers leverage PhycoTerra® in soil health strategies.”

Davy talked with farm broadcasters about PhycoTerra this week, along with Vice President of Ag Science Dr Karl Wyant, and Senior Field Agronomy Manager Brian Reineke. Listen to their interviews below and learn more about regenerative agriculture practices with Heliae® Agriculture and PhycoTerra®

2020 NAFB Interview with Norm Davy, Heliae Agriculture (9:09)

2020 NAFB Interview with Dr. Karl Wyant, Heliae Agriculture (15:56)

2020 NAFB Interview with Brian Reineke, Heliae Agriculture (14:39)

Audio, NAFB, Soil

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