Precision Ag News 11/7

Carrie Muehling

  • There were 212,714 farms with 53.1 million irrigated acres, which included 81 million acre-feet of water applied in the United States, according to the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey results, published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). In 2018, the irrigation survey results showed that there were 231,474 farms with 55.9 million irrigated acres, which included 83.4 million acre-feet of water. The results show that the number of farms irrigating, the amount of land irrigated, and the total water used for irrigation decreased between 2018 and 2023.
  • The 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Summit is coming up November 20-21 in Minneapolis. Bringing together farmers, suppliers, processors, brands, academia, conservation organizations and the public sector, the Sustainable Agriculture Summit is the premier sustainability event for agriculture and by agriculture, convening the collective food and agriculture value chain to learn, develop and advance a shared vision for a sustainable and resilient U.S. food system.
  • Tractors from iconic agriculture brands Case IH and STEYR have been honored with 2025 EIMA Tractor of the Year awards. This contest is a prestigious fixture for exhibitors at the International Exhibition of Agricultural and Gardening Machinery (EIMA) held in Bologna, Italy. The jury is formed of a panel of farm machinery journalists from across Europe.
  • What is the value of seed treatments to U.S. soybean farmers, and how do they feel about alternatives to seed treatments? A recent survey conducted by the American Soybean Association and the United Soybean Board sought to determine just that. The survey was conducted in July 2024 and gathered 491 online responses from farmers growing at least 150 acres of soybeans during the 2023 season across the 17 largest soybean-producing states in the United States. On average, 90 percent of soybean acres in the ASA/USB survey were planted with treated seeds. Only three percent of respondents had never planted any treated soybean seeds. Because seed treatments are so widely used by farmers, the technology impacts farms across the United States.
  • Syngenta Crop Protection, a global leader in agricultural innovation, and Maersk, a global integrator of logistics, announced the extension of their fourth-party logistics (4PL) partnership for an additional five years. This renewed collaboration underscores both companies’ commitment to responsible logistics through continuous supply chain optimization and innovation.
  • Rivulis, the leader in innovative irrigation solutions, introduced its D4000 PC drip irrigation system at the Irrigation Association Show on November 4. This revolutionary thin-wall pressure-compensated drip line is designed to make drip irrigation possible on land previously inaccessible for drip irrigation, allowing growers to maximize their productivity and profitability.
  • The National Wheat Yield Contest announced the 26 national and 94 state winners for 2024-the ninth year of the contest. This year’s contest had 516 entries, the most ever.
  • A Michigan State University researcher has received a $325,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop a yeast-based biopesticide that targets spotted wing drosophila (SWD), an invasive pest of berries and tree fruits. Julianna Wilson, an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and tree fruit specialist with MSU Extension, leads the multistate team. Partnering on the project is Molly Duman Scheel, a professor of medical and molecular genetics at Indiana University.
  • Vertiberry, a leader in sustainable indoor strawberry farming, has chosen Sollum‘s LED lighting solution for its new facility in L’Assomption, Québec. Expected to be operational by the end of 2024, the indoor/TCEA facility will serve as a test bed for Vertiberry’s innovative growing methods, which include both strawberry propagation and production.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Farm Groups Welcome Trump

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Agriculture organizations began sending congratulatory messages to President-elect Donald Trump early Wednesday, led by the American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall.

    ““Now that the American people have spoken, it’s time to put politics aside and begin the work of ensuring families nationwide can prosper,” said Duvall. “Among the most pressing issues in rural America is the need for a new, modernized farm bill. The two-year delay is unacceptable. The new administration must also address the impending tax hikes, which would crush many of America’s farmers and ranchers when stacked on top of inflation, high supply costs and market instability.”

    Trump spoke at three Farm Bureau national conventions during his previous presidency.

    National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew also offered his congratulations to President-elect Trump. “This transition to a new administration comes at a pivotal time for agriculture and rural America. At NFU, we believe that strong support for family farmers and ranchers is essential for vibrant rural communities and resilient economies… We stand ready to work with the incoming administration to build a future where agriculture can thrive, our food systems are resilient, and rural communities are supported.”

    National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. said they look forward to working with the new administration and members of Congress to advance policy that is important to corn farmers. “We especially appreciate President Trump’s recognition that homegrown fuels, like ethanol, are important for our nation’s energy security and rural economies. We are also eager to work with his administration and Congress to enact improved farm policies and programs, expand market opportunities and build on the tax policies enacted during President Trump’s first term that are beneficial to corn farmers as they face a challenging financial outlook with low prices and high costs.”

    National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane said they are excited to work with the President-Elect to “undo the harm which cattle producers have endured under four years of “Bidenomics” and restore the free-market principles which have made U.S. cattle and beef the finest and safest in the world. Despite cattle prices soaring to record highs over the previous years, producers have been squeezed by exceptionally high input costs, record inflation, and the Biden Administration’s so-called competition agenda. This is the perfect opportunity to execute a hard reset on all of these failed policies.”

    AFBF, NCBA, NCGA

    Grassley Says Lame Duck Farm Bill Unlikely

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) believes getting a farm bill through during the lame duck session of Congress is unlikely.

    “I haven’t heard of any movement during the month of October,” Grassley told reporters during a weekly call on Tuesday. “We have two weeks before Thanksgiving, we have three weeks before Christmas, and the way Schumer runs the Senate that’s only two and a half days a week so I don’t see how you can get it done.”

    Grassley says there are some bills that have to get done before the end of the year but, “I don’t hear much about agriculture.” However, he does expect to see a one year extension of the current 2018 Farm Bill.

    As far as next year’s deliberations on a farm bill, Grassley said there will definitely be pressure to cut spending until a Trump administration. If Republicans control both the House and Senate as well, he thinks it will be easier to get a farm bill but the Democrats will still fight against any food stamp reductions.

    Grassley press call 18:45

    Audio, Farm Bill, Farm Policy

    ASTA Wraps Up Forage, Turf and Conservation Seed Conference

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) wrapped up its annual Forage, Turf and Conservation (FTC) Seed Conference in Kansas City, Missouri last week.

    The meeting, held on October 29 in conjunction with the Western Seed Association Annual Meeting, gathers over 800 attendees in the conservation and grass seed sector to learn about the latest industry news, share the obstacles and the strategies to mitigate them, and explore business opportunities for the seed industry. Given the momentum surrounding conservation-related efforts, the U.S. forage, turf, and conservation sector has long been at the forefront of promoting seed as the solution for environmental initiatives.

    “There is tremendous excitement surrounding the future of the seed industry…in the forage, turf, and conservation seed space,” said ASTA Chairman Dan Foor. “To that end, ASTA has been working to provide information on cover crop demand to support its members in making real-time business decisions to supply seed to farmers and landowners.”

    The FTC Seed Conference included a full day of programming featuring speakers from the private and public sectors, offering the latest updates on cover crops, conservation programs, federal policy, and more. During closing remarks, Rob Wendell of the Native Seed Group was recognized for his four years of service as Chair of ASTA’s Environment and Conservation Seed Committee. Al Holleman of Agassiz Seed and Damon Winter of L&H Seeds were welcomed as the Committee’s new Chair and Vice Chair.

    Coming up next month is ASTA’s 2024 Field Crop Seed Convention December 10-13 in Orlando, and registration is already open for the 64th Vegetable & Flower Seed Conference, January 31 – February 4, also in Orlando.

    ASTA, cover crops, Seed, specialty crops

    ALMDA Asks USDA to Delay Animal Disease Traceability Rule

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The American Livestock Markets and Dealers Association (ALMDA) has formally requested that USDA-APHIS delay the implementation or enforcement of the final rule on Use of Electronic Identification Eartags as Official Identification in Cattle and Bison (ADT Rule), scheduled to become effective today, November 5.

    In a letter to USDA-APHIS, ALMDA requested that the implementation or enforcement of the ADT Rule be delayed at least 180 days ensure USDA, state animal health officials, veterinarians, tag manufacturers, and the entire industry are fully prepared support the ADT Rule in a way that does not reduce industry traceability, slow speed of commerce, or increase costs for livestock markets and dealers.

    ALMDA, working alongside livestock markets, dealers, order buyers, veterinarians, and state animal health officials, has identified numerous gaps in the implementation plan and communicated these to USDA officials. In September, ALMDA provided USDA with data that illustrated potential issues with the ADT Rule. As the implementation date has approached, the issues ALMDA identified are becoming a reality.

    “ALMDA understands the need to protect the U.S. livestock industry and the intent of the ADT Rule to make the traceability process faster and more accurate,” said ALMDA Chair Brian Forester, a livestock market owner from Texas. “We have been transparent with USDA and shared data from member livestock markets across the U.S. which illustrate the complexity and challenges associated with implementing the ADT Rule. At this time, livestock producers, tag suppliers, and state animal health officials have acknowledged they are not prepared to implement the rule so we believe it is in USDA and the industry’s best interest to delay rule implementation or enforcement.”

    AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Health, Beef, Livestock

    Animal Ag News 11/4

    Carrie Muehling

  • The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) confirms there is no food safety concerns about the nation’s pork supply after the detection of H5N1 influenza in swine on a small backyard farm in Oregon. NPPC continues to work closely with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services and pork industry stakeholders on disease surveillance programs.
  • The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is accepting 2025 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship applications. Ten $2,500 scholarships are awarded annually to college students who intend to pursue a career in the pork industry with aspirations to become industry leaders. CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation sponsor the scholarships. Please note the new application deadline for this year: December 13, 2024. Full eligibility and application requirements can be found here.
  • PSB Industries, a specialist in the design and fabrication of systems for dehydrating and purifying gasses and liquids, highlights the reliability and efficiency of its Deoxo and TSA Dryer Package for the livestock sector. This system provides an unparalleled solution for removing moisture and oxygen from gas streams, addressing critical purification challenges in livestock applications such as biogas production from manure digesters.
  • U.S. dairy farmers are remaining resilient in the face of H5N1 influenza outbreaks while advancing in policy areas including nutrition and milk pricing, said National Milk Producers Federation Chairman Randy Mooney at the organization’s annual meeting held in Phoenix Oct. 21-23.
  • The International Dairy Federation (IDF) awarded the International Dairy Foods Association’s (IDFA) Women in Dairy network with the IDF Dairy Innovation Awards for Innovation in Women Empowerment. The awards celebrate the global dairy sector’s commitment to innovation, showcasing forward-thinking initiatives that enhance efficiency and align with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Becky Rasdall, senior vice president of trade and workforce policy for IDFA, accepted the award at the IDF World Dairy Summit.
  • iGENDEC is an advanced software tool designed to help cattle producers understand and improve their herd’s genetics. By utilizing known genetic relationships among traits, breed differences, and a producer’s own knowledge about their herd, iGENDEC provides detailed insights into how different traits should be emphasized when selecting herd bulls. With this information, producers can make more informed breeding decisions, leading to healthier, more productive herds. Using iGENDEC can boost long-term profitability by optimizing genetic potential, improving herd quality, and increasing operational efficiency. Join the next Cattlemen’s Webinar Series to hear more about what this updated rule means for you.
  • Denali, the nation’s leading recycler of organics, revealed it transformed over 10 billion pounds of organic byproducts into natural fertilizers, according to its newly released third annual sustainability report that details findings from 2023. Additionally, the report highlights that the company collected 1.7 billion pounds of food waste of which more than 75 percent was recycled into organic, nutrient-rich animal feed or uniquely curated into customized formulations by Denali’s environmental team to address dietary concerns farmers have about their cattle.
  • The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation and United Egg Producers have released an updated economic impact study that highlights the positive impact the poultry industry has on jobs, wages, and federal and state revenue in the United States. A dynamic and integral part of the national economy, the U.S. poultry industry provides 2,012,560 jobs, $132.7 billion in wages, $663.6 billion in economic activity and $54 billion in government revenue.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Industry Ag News 11/1

    Carrie Muehling

  • Farm Foundation has added a book award to its prestigious roster of annual awards. The Farm Foundation Book of the Year Award is open to a non-fiction English language work focused on food and/or agriculture published within the last 24 months.
  • International development and research investments create benefits on multiple fronts, including improving climate resilience, food trade, infrastructure, farmers’ access to finance, and global nutrition, particularly for women, according to speakers at the event on Wednesday, hosted by Farm Journal Foundation on the sidelines of this year’s World Food Prize Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. The event, titled Avoiding a Collision: How We Can Both Nourish and Preserve Our World, covered the tension between how farmers and the agricultural industry can continue to nourish a growing global population while also helping to mitigate climate change.
  • The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) announced the 2024 Rising Stars, a group of top-performing emerging leaders in the agricultural retail industry, and a new Fan Favorite social media challenge. The ARA Rising Stars award program, sponsored by Atticus, is a meaningful way for ARA member companies to recognize employees for their work in front of hundreds of industry professionals at the annual ARA Conference & Expo and to explore new ways to hone leadership skills. This year’s award theme is Empowering Leadership through the Next Frontier, which guides the videos created by each Rising Star.
  • Four outstanding agriculture advocates were recently announced by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The 2024 GO Teamers of the Year are Laura Haffner from Kansas, Julie Hardy from Georgia, and Renee McPherson and Linda Pryor from North Carolina. These outstanding individuals have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advocating for farmers and ranchers through a variety of impactful activities.
  • Geoffrey Hawtin and Cary Fowler were honored as the 2024 World Food Prize Laureates for their work in preserving and protecting the world’s heritage of crop biodiversity and mobilizing this resource to defend against threats to global food security. Over the past 50 years, their combined efforts have succeeded in engaging governments, scientists, farmers and civil society towards the conservation of over 6,000 species of crops and culturally important plants.
  • The Charleston Orwig Collective excitedly shares its president and CEO, Marcy Tessmann, has been named a 2025 Wisconsin Titan 100 by The Titan 100 program. The Titan 100 gives this prestigious award to Wisconsin’s Top 100 CEOs & C-level executives.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing payments to agricultural producers impacted by natural disasters, including $143 million in crop insurance indemnities for Florida producers impacted by Hurricane Milton and more than $92 million for livestock producers, nationwide, who faced increased supplemental feed costs as a result of forage losses due to 2022 qualifying drought and wildfire. The payments for Milton-impacted Florida producers are for those who have Federal crop insurance coverage through the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index (HIP-WI) endorsement and the Tropical Storm (TS) option.
  • Syngenta Group announced financial results for the third quarter and the first nine months of 2024. Sales for the third quarter 2024 were $6.8 billion, flat compared to the prior year period. Syngenta Crop Protection sales were 16 percent lower at $9.5 billion in the first nine months of 2024. Seeds sales were $3.2 billion in the first nine months of 2024, down two percent year-on-year.
  • Ken Bader, longtime head of the American Soybean Association, died November 26 in Chesterfield, Missouri at the age of 90. Bader led ASA for 16 years, from 1976 to 1992, and his work led to the creation of the national soy checkoff and United Soybean Board.
  • Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer Award. The state winner will be announced at the Georgia Peanut Farm Show on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Tifton, Georgia. The award is sponsored by the Georgia Peanut Commission and BASF.
  • The United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) announces the members of Leadership Sorghum Class VII. This program, hosted by the USCP, is designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders and advocates for the sorghum industry. The first session will take place Dec. 10-12, 2024, in Lubbock, Texas, during the United Sorghum Checkoff Program Board meeting.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    AGwagon Specially Designed for Farmers and Ranchers

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Certified Ag Dealership, in partnership with Fox Factory Vehicles, recently launched the first purpose-built truck for farmers and ranchers.

    The reveal of the AGwagon was made at the Ohio State Farm Science Review in September. Certified Ag Dealership CEO Pat Driscoll says the brand-agnostic vehicle design was created from input by a team of 14 farmers with their needs in mind.

    “One of the key things those farmers talked about was easy bed access, that’s why you see the fold-away steps on the side, because we’re not getting any younger,” said Driscoll. Vehicle features include advanced suspension, rugged wheels, all-terrain tires, modular bed accessory system, Starlink Internet, off-road lighting, and customizable storage solutions.

    The idea to create the AGwagon came from a meeting earlier this year between Driscoll and Scott Vickery with Fox Factory. “He said ‘you know how farmers when they buy a truck will take it somewhere and tear parts off and put parts on to make it more agriculturally capable. Do you think there’s an opportunity to have a product like that already in the market?'” Driscoll recalled.

    AGwagon is fully customizable to meet specific agricultural needs and is available in four major brands: Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, and Ram, and comes with exclusive AgPack® discounts.

    Watch the reveal press conference on YouTube and listen to the audio below featuring Driscoll and Lyle Orwig with Certified Ag Dealership, and Scott Vickery of Fox Factory.

    AGwagon press reveal 26:27

    Audio, Technology

    Precision Ag News 10/31

    Carrie Muehling

  • U.S. farmers are using a new solution to treat soil compaction – a problem that affects over 68 million acres of farmland and significantly reduces crop yields. Unpac®, developed by Locus Agriculture, is an innovative biosurfactant soil amendment that successfully breaks up soil compaction through fermentation-derived technology. Three years of independent field trials have confirmed significant yield boosts of up to 34 percent in a multitude of crops, with an 86 percent win rate.
  • Farmers for Soil Health empowers farmers to lead the charge in sustainability—putting real money directly into their hands to drive change where it matters most: at the farm level. With enrollment now open, the program offers an opportunity for farmers to make a meaningful impact on soil health while benefiting financially. In its first year alone, 238 farmers enrolled, covering more than 78,000 acres, pushing the initiative closer to its goal of doubling cover crop adoption to 30 million acres across the U.S. by 2030. This innovative initiative, which is backed by corn, pork, and soy commodity groups, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, provides both financial incentives and technical support to corn and soybean farmers planting cover crops. The process is designed to be simple, featuring hassle-free enrollment and satellite-based remote monitoring and verification.
  • The American Soybean Association is expressing concern after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency imposed additional restrictions on farmers—a move that seems to have followed adverse comments from environmental groups. A new registration for glufosinate-P was announced October 18; however, EPA lagged in releasing the final label for that registration. The label is finally available, and with its public posting, additional, unwarranted restrictions are evident.
  • Longtime champion of agricultural conservation, Manatee County rancher Jim Strickland, has been announced as a 2025 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame inductee. His unwavering dedication to sustainable ranching practices and advocacy for the conservation of Florida’s agricultural land have made a profound impact on the agriculture industry and statewide community. Since the 1980s, the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame has honored Floridians who have made lasting contributions to agriculture and the mentoring of our youth—the future of agriculture in Florida.
  • The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) announced the launch of its application period for the 2025 Friends of NACD District Grants Program. Learn more about Friends of NACD and the District Grants Program and apply on NACD’s website.
  • Ag Leader Technology has announced the release of the next generation of the industry-leading InCommand displays. The introduction of the InCommand Go 16 and InCommand Go 10 will allow farmers to see more information and enhance the user experience in the cab, while making it simpler to stay connected across every field activity on the farm.
  • AgGateway is pleased to announce that ten college students have been selected to attend the organization’s Annual Conference in November through the Gateway to Ag Careers program.
  • The dual use of land for agriculture and solar energy production, known as agrivoltaics, presents a new opportunity for farmers, but whether it makes economic sense for growers is a complex question. A new set of analytical tools developed by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and published in the Journal of Extension helps farmers make an informed choice. The two spreadsheet-based tools can be used together or separately to assist farmers, extension educators and others who support the sector in determining whether or how to best incorporate utility-scale solar arrays into farming operations. The spreadsheets estimate costs, revenues and yields from agricultural production under different solar configurations. The tools are designed for lettuce and cranberry production but can be modified easily for other field and perennial crops.
  • ZeaKal announced that PhotoSeed™ has been validated as the first sustainability-embedded trait technology for agriculture. PhotoSeed enhances photosynthetic capacity, increasing soybean oil by 15 percent and protein by one point without compromising yield or requiring additional inputs. The technology is projected to expand the volume of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production by approximately one billion additional gallons on existing U.S. soybean acreage.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    ZimmCast 737 – Preview of 2024 AgGateway Annual Conference

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

    In this episode we’ll get a preview of the AgGateway Annual Conference that will be starting November 11th in Austin. I talked with Brent Kemp, President and CEO, about what AgGateway works to accomplish and what the schedule looks like. I’ll be there to take photos and collect some good interviews and session audio. I’ll be going straight from there to Kansas City for a day of the NAFB Convention before heading back to ZimmComm World Headquarters.

    Looking over the last years that I’ve attended AgGateway meetings it seems to just continue to growing and refining the work they do.

    That’s the ZimmCast for now. Please let me know if you have ideas for a future podcast. Just email me at chuck@zimmcomm.biz.

    Listen to the episode here:
    ZimmCast 737 - Preview of 2024 AgGateway Annual Conference (25:54)

    I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

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    AgGateway, Audio, Technology, ZimmCast