FMC Announces New Arc™ Farm Intelligence Platform

Chuck Zimmerman

FMC Corporation Arc™ Farm Intelligence PlatformFMC Corporation just announced the launch of Arc™ farm intelligence, an exclusive precision agriculture platform that enables growers and advisors to more accurately predict pest pressure before it becomes a problem.

Arc™ farm intelligence is the first mobile platform to use predictive modeling based on real-time data to help ensure the right crop protection products are applied precisely where and when they are needed to improve sustainability, optimize crop yield and enhance grower return on investment (ROI).

I spoke with Brian Angeli, FMC Chief Strategy Officer and Treasurer, about the new platform. We talk about what makes it a first in the ag industry and how it will integrate with other FMC precision offerings in the future as well as other ag applications. The platform is focused on insects first with plans to expand in the future. You can learn more about the new offering in our interview.

You can listen to my interview with Brian here: Interview with Brian Angeli, FMC

AgWired Precision, Audio, FMC, Insecticides, Precision Agriculture

Precision Ag News 6/17

Carrie Muehling

  • Share the story of how conservation is part of your farm operation and you could be recognized with a Conservation Legacy Award. The awards recognize farm management practices of U.S. soybean farmers that are both environmentally friendly and profitable. The Conservation Legacy Awards are sponsored by the American Soybean Association (ASA), BASF, Bayer, the United Soybean Board/soybean checkoff and Valent U.S.A. All applications must be submitted by Sept. 1, 2020.
  • To help growers face another challenging year, Syngenta will share the latest crop management technologies and best practices at Grow More™ Experience and Golden Harvest® Agronomy in Action sites across the United States. Updates from sites across the country will be posted on KnowMoreGrowMore.com in the Field Trials section.
  • The newest issue of New Ag International is now online.
  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement on Secretary Perdue Statement on Dicamba Plaintiffs’ Attack on EPA Order: “USDA supports the actions taken by the EPA to respond responsibly to the decision of the Ninth Circuit regarding Dicamba. At a time when the security of the food supply chain is paramount, the Center for Biological Diversity and its allies seek to cripple American farmers and further limit their ability to feed, fuel, and clothe this nation and the world. The Ninth Circuit should not allow plaintiffs’ hostility against the American farmer to cloud the fact that the EPA’s actions follow both legal precedent and common sense.”
  • The Soil Health Institute is accepting submissions for a virtual Video Poster Session during its 5th Annual Meeting, July 30-31, 2020. Video poster submissions must be no longer than three minutes, self-contained, self-explanatory, and relevant to soil health. The submission period will remain open through 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time, Tuesday, June 23, 2020.
  • Overall unit sales of agricultural tractors and self-propelled combines in May 2020 rose in the U.S. according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, with smaller machine sales growth overpowering declines in the bigger segments and combines.
  • Leading soil scientist Dr. Rattan Lal was announced as the 2020 World Food Prize Laureate for developing and mainstreaming a soil-centric approach to increasing food production that conserves natural resources and mitigates climate change. The 2020 Laureate Announcement Ceremony featured pre-recorded remarks from the U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue with World Food Prize Foundation President Barbara Stinson announcing the name of the Laureate.
  • The GROWMARK System is pleased to recognize the 2020 Endure Advocate award winners. The Endure Advocate award is given to FS Crop Specialists who engage in 4R Nutrient Management and Sustainable Farming Practices with their grower customers.
  • New self-service features on farmers.gov will help farmers and ranchers manage their conservation activities online. Farmers now be able to view, download, and e-sign documents, request conservation assistance, view technical references and submit questions, access information on current and past conservation practices, and view detailed information on all previous and ongoing contracts, including the amount of planned and received cost-share assistance.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Field Notes from Koch Agronomic Services – Episode 4

Chuck Zimmerman

Welcome to Episode 4 of the Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services, where we break down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less. Crop science experts and others in the agriculture industry will discuss topics ranging from nitrogen loss and soil health to ways growers can increase operational efficiencies.

The Decision-Making Process

In this podcast, two retailers discuss the decision-making process that agronomists walk growers through each year. Field Notes from Koch Agronomic ServicesDonnell DeLosh, agronomy production supervisor for Country Partners Cooperative, and Thad Russell, field sales agronomist with Central Valley Ag, talk about the information most important to growers when deciding how to protect their nitrogen investments. Discover how and when they start those conversations and what products are working for their growers.

You can listen to the program here: The Decision-Making Process

And to make sure you don’t miss an episode, choose an option to subscribe

For Spotify on your computer download the desktop app.

Audio, Koch Agronomic Services, Podcasts, Soil

Virtual is the New Reality

Chuck Zimmerman

Virtual is the new reality for 2020.

As events continue to be cancelled or postponed this year, it’s becoming obvious that conferences and meetings going forward will have at least some component of virtual content to provide for people unable to make it in person.

ZimmComm has been doing virtual meetings and conferences since 2005 – it’s really our specialty.

When we go on-site to a conference, creating audio, video and photo content for media, attendees, and others, what we have have been doing is creating a virtual experience of the meeting for people who can’t be there, or those who want to see or hear it again. It’s why we call AgNewsWire the “virtual newsroom” for agricultural news and events.

Here are a few examples:

Virtual newsroom on AgNewsWire
2019 ASTA CSS & Seed Expo
Customized blog for conference
National Biodiesel Conference blog since 2006
Customized webpage for conference
Cattle Industry Conference
Interviews to supplement virtual conference
Alltech ONE Virtual Experience
Exhibitor content to share from trade show
AMVAC at 2019 Commodity Classic

Companies are restricting travel – we can help create a virtual experience for a trade show. Reporters are also being restricted in their travel, so what we do is even more important to increase your media exposure at events. We are brainstorming lots of ideas with clients so give me a call 573-230-3024 to see how we can help you.

ZimmComm Announcement

Animal Ag News 6/15

Carrie Muehling

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue applauded the safe reopening of critical infrastructure meatpacking facilities across the United States. As of June 9, across the cattle, swine, and broiler sectors, processing facilities are operating more than 95% of their average capacity compared to this time last year. In fact, beef facilities are operating at 98%, pork facilities are operating at 95%, and poultry facilities are operating at 98% of their capacity compared to the same time last year.
  • Ag Property Solutions announced it has entered into an agreement with Agrimesh Technologies, a Canadian livestock production and technology equipment provider, to distribute its Seelow product, a laser sensor Feed Monitoring System.
  • Select Sires is excited to announce the hiring of Skylar Buell as communications specialist. A native of Temperance, Mich., Buell graduated from The Ohio State University in May 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communication and a minor in dairy science.
  • USPOULTRY’s Women’s Leadership Conference, scheduled for Aug. 13-14 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida, showcases the experiences of successful women in all levels of the industry who will share their perspectives and insights on effective leadership. As USPOULTRY is currently planning to move forward with the seminar, the health and safety of everyone who attends is a top priority. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local governments regarding COVID-19 will be followed, and regular updates will be provided to all stakeholders if the situation warrants.
  • Cheese organizations and entrepreneurs across the U.S. are banding together in an unprecedented effort to save small cheese companies from financial ruin and to prevent the collapse of a beloved staple of the American diet. Under the banner Victory Cheese, several industry organizations, thought leaders and entrepreneurs have joined forces, including the Oldways Cheese Coalition, Culture Media, the Good Food Foundation , American Cheese Education Foundation and the Specialty Food Association. The task force also includes representatives of many leading producers, distributors and retailers as well as influential organizations from the largest cheese producer states, like the California Artisan Cheese Guild, Vermont Cheese Council, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and other state cheese guilds.
  • The Dairy Calf and Heifer Association will present a webinar titled Raising the Bar on Passive Transfer on Thursday, June 18, at 1:00 p.m. Central time. Dave Cook, technical services manager for Milk Products, and Adam Geiger, research nutritionist – dairy and colostrum, for Zinpro Corporation, will share the keys to achieving passive transfer in calves.
  • Vaxxinova US (formerly Epitopix) announces Vaxxon® SRP® Klebsiella as the new name for KLEBVax SRP, a mastitis vaccine recently marketed by Huvepharma USA.
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

Industry Ag News 6/12

Carrie Muehling

  • Beck Ag, Inc. is bringing its U.S.-recognized experience and expertise for creating and executing data-driven go-to-market strategies in the agriculture space north of the border. The announcement from Beck Ag CEO Richard Bettison coincides with the appointment of David Webb as the General Manager of Beck Ag Canada.
  • Alabama Peanut Producers Association donated 14,400 jars of peanut butter to the Alabama Food Bank Association to assist eight regional food banks with feeding their communities. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on hunger-relief efforts around the state, and peanut butter is a favorite item for food banks.
  • At its monthly meeting, the Farm Credit Administration board received a quarterly report on economic issues affecting agriculture, together with an update on the financial condition and performance of the Farm Credit System as of March 31, 2020.
  • Leading soil scientist Dr. Rattan Lal was announced as the 2020 World Food Prize Laureate for developing and mainstreaming a soil-centric approach to increasing food production that conserves natural resources and mitigates climate change.
  • The National Cotton Council is grateful for EPA’s quick action enabling cotton producers to use existing stocks of three dicamba formulations this season following the recent court decision to vacate the products’ registrations.
  • Joshua Bell, cotton grower from West Texas, is recognized for his idea in response to an invitation from BASF for cotton growers to share their best on-farm innovations. The idea was first inspired by the chemical tank blocking the tractor headlights and making it difficult to work at night. Bell decided to use material he already had on the farm to make a brace to mount on the tractor weight instead of changing the tractor lights. The innovation also gives him the ability to “grab and go” with a chemical tank – significantly decreasing the amount of time needed to change tanks or using one specific tractor for a particular job.
  • National Farmers Union Foundation announced the 2020 recipients of the Hubert K. & JoAnn Seymour and Stanley Moore Scholarship awards. Applications for the 2021 scholarship awards will be available through NFUF in December 2020. More information about the scholarships is available on the NFU website at NFU.org/education/scholarships.
  • The arrival of Coronavirus/COVID-19 changed the outlook of conferences and meetings for 2020. Soon after people started getting seriously ill and the WHO declared a pandemic in early March, events started to rapidly change into virtual formats. Join Hannah Thompson-Weeman (Animal Agriculture Alliance), Kristy Mach, (Gardner & Gardner Communications), and John Blue (Truffle Media Networks) for an Agricultural Relations Council webinar to learn about how events handled the shift and how events through early 2021 will most likely have some form of virtual included.
  • Agriculture investment platform Harvest Returns has reached the milestone of raising over $5 million in global private placement farming opportunities.
  • Glen Albert Brandt, founder of BRANDT, Inc., passed away peacefully at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, IL early Sunday morning. He was 94.
  • In one of the first nationwide seed giveaways of its kind, HiLo Seed Co. will award 1 million hemp seeds to U.S. farmers by the end of 2020. The first round of winners were selected on March 31, and each will receive at least 15,000 HiLo Autopilot 1.0 hemp seeds. HiLo Seed Co. was an exhibitor in the inaugural Hemp Pavilion at the 2020 World Ag Expo® in Tulare. To enter the Million Hemp Seed Giveaway or to see a list of winners, visit hilohempseed.com/million-hemp-seed-giveaway.
  • An overwhelming majority of Midwest producers are choosing propane for grain drying compared with other energy options, according to a new survey from the Propane Education & Research Council. The survey also revealed the widespread use of propane among producers on their farm and in their homes.
  • Farm Journal announced the launch of a major new “COVID-conscious” farm show experience called Farm Journal Field Days, set for Aug. 25-27, 2020, on farms in eastern Iowa and northwest Ohio. The interactive Farm Journal Field Days includes a three-day Virtual Pavilion that runs concurrent with full-day on-farm demonstrations and programming.
Zimfo Bytes

COVID Cuts Revenue Prospects for Corn Crop

Cindy Zimmerman

A new analysis from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is projecting a drastic drop in 2020 revenues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic with impacts persisting into 2021.

NCGA President Kevin Ross says the latest analysis projects a $59 per acre average revenue decline for the 2019 corn crop and an $89 per acre average revenue decline for 2020, compared to pre-COVID-19 projections. “It equates to the lowest crop revenues since 2006 for corn farmers,” said Ross.

The analysis was conducted by Dr. Gary Schnitkey of the University of Illinois using projections for 2019, 2020, and 2021 for pre-COVID and post-COVID scenarios. It follows previous analysis built on market numbers to date, along with estimates of state-level impacts, conducted as part of NCGA’s efforts to better understand the economic impact of the global pandemic on the corn industry and work to create solutions to help corn farmers and their customers recover from the financial impacts of this crisis.

The analysis was shared with Congressional leaders this week to help them in the development of future legislative efforts to mitigate the pandemic’s impact and help farmers and their customers recover.

Ross commented on the analysis during a press call with the Renewable Fuels Association about the one year anniversary of President Trump’s visit to an Iowa ethanol plant.

NCGA president Kevin Ross on revenue loss analysis for corn crop 1:33

Audio, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA

President Trump at Iowa Ethanol Plant – One Year Later

Cindy Zimmerman

SIRE CEO Mike Jerke, President Trump and RFA CEO Geoff Cooper on June 11, 2019

It was one year ago today that President Donald Trump made a victorious visit to Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy (SIRE) ethanol plant in Council Bluffs, Iowa, to celebrate regulatory changes that would finally allow year-round retail sales of 15% ethanol (E15). At the event, the President also heard from farmers and ethanol industry leaders about the devastating impact of RFS compliance exemptions being granted to small refineries.

In an open letter to President Trump on today’s anniversary, the Renewable Fuels Association called on him to reject attempts to grant the oil industry more waivers from renewable fuel obligations.

“Mr. President, we need your help,” wrote RFA CEO Geoff Cooper. “We ask that you stand up for the Renewable Fuel Standard. Please direct your EPA to abide by the January court ruling and end the abuse of the refinery waiver loophole. You stood by us, farmers, and consumers when you directed EPA to allow year-round E15. Now, we humbly ask that you stand with us again and ensure ethanol demand is not eroded by illegal refinery waivers.”

In a press call today, Cooper was joined by SIRE CEO Mike Jerke, and National Corn Growers Association president and Iowa farmer Kevin Ross to reflect on the past 12 months and where the industry is now.

Along with RFA economist Scott Richman, they discuss the successful increase in sales of the E15 blend, along with the continuing demand destruction from small refinery waivers despite successful court challenges, continued attacks against the Renewable Fuel Standard and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ethanol industry.

Trump ethanol plant visit anniversary press call 37:26

Audio, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA, RFA

Precision Ag News 6/10

Carrie Muehling

  • The Agricultural Retailers Association and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives called on the Environmental Protection Agency to further clarify the agency’s cancellation order on use and distribution of dicamba products. A copy of the letter can be found here.
  • The agenda for this year’s Soil Health Institute virtual Annual Meeting, Soil Health: The Foundation for Regenerative Agriculture, is now available online.
  • BioLumic Ltd. announced the appointment of Steve Sibulkin as Chief Executive Officer. Based on decades of experience in the agriculture and technology industries, Sibulkin will lead the company’s global expansion and accelerate its UV light treatment innovation based on the groundbreaking BioLumic photogenics platform.
  • John Deere announced it has enhanced the integrated technology of its new 5R and 6M Utility Tractors to give customers an easy, cost-effective way to view AutoTrac™ Automated Guidance System information without having to purchase a separate display.
  • TerrAvion’s high-resolution imagery data that powers digital agronomy announces that its data now lets growers do stand counts on corn, soybean, and other analytics on the Agremo platform. The ability to use TerrAvion’s cost-effective imagery for stand counts with a high confidence rate, enables farmers to know exactly what is going on in their whole field versus the traditional way of stand counts by spot-checking.
  • Calyxt, Inc. announced that its high oleic low linolenic soybean has been deemed a non-regulated article under the “Am I Regulated?” process by Biotechnology Regulatory Services of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.
  • Cover crop application company GO SEED has developed the Cover Crop Information Map to provide a free, centralized platform for knowledge exchange.
  • American Farmland Trust and its partners have developed a new and innovative model to reduce nutrient and soil sediment runoff on leased farmland in the Great Lakes region. By engaging women landowners, their operators and farm retailers, the team is expanding the use of conservation practices to improve soil health and reduce runoff in the Great Lakes Basin. Pilots for the model took place in the Portage and Toussaint River Basins in northwestern Ohio and the Genesee River Basin in western New York.
  • Ag Property Solutions announced it has entered into an agreement with Agrimesh Technologies, a Canadian livestock production and technology equipment provider, to distribute its Seelow product, a laser sensor Feed Monitoring System. This partnership will allow APS to offer a cost-effective feed bin inventory solution to its customers.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

Farm & Biofuel Groups Challenge Retroactive RFS Waivers

Cindy Zimmerman

Nine leading biofuel and farm organizations sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler Tuesday asking him for answers on what is seen as a new effort to undermine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

During a Senate hearing last month, administration officials confirmed their consideration of retroactive small refinery exemptions (SREs) covering previous years. The “gap-filings” are designed to reconstitute a continuous string of exemptions for select oil companies “to be consistent with the Tenth Circuit decision,” thus circumventing court limits on new oil industry handouts at the expense of farmers and biofuel producers.

“These ‘gap filings’ appear to be little more than the latest in a string of oil industry tactics designed to subvert the law and sidestep a court order to uphold the RFS,” wrote the Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, the National Biodiesel Board, the National Corn Growers Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Soybean Association, the National Farmers Union, the American Coalition for Ethanol, and Fuels America.

The letter notes the devastating impact coronavirus restrictions have had on both the biofuels industry and farmers. “Backfilling SREs to circumvent a court decision would exacerbate market uncertainty at a time when rural communities already face unprecedented economic challenges.”

Read the letter.

ACE, AFBF, Ag Groups, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Ethanol, RFA