National Ethanol Conference Going Digital

Cindy Zimmerman

One of the very last live, in-person events to be held this year in the agriculture industry was the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) 25th annual National Ethanol Conference in Houston. The 26th annual NEC however, will be an all digital format. Information about the conference can be found on the NationalEthanolConference.com website.

In this edition of the Ethanol Report podcast, we hear about the digital decision from RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper, who participated in the recent virtual National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) Trade Talk. RFA Director of Special Projects and Events Mary Giglio provides more details about the 2021 NEC, and RFA Vice President of Industry Relations shares some of the good news for ethanol in 2020.

Ethanol Report on 2021 NEC (25:56)

The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.

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Audio, Ethanol, National Ethanol Conference, Podcasts, RFA

Benson Hill Expands Soybean Processing with Rose Acre Farm

Cindy Zimmerman

Benson Hill is collaborating with family-owned Rose Acre Farms to optimize its soybean processing capacity in Seymour, Indiana, and build out the supply chain for high-protein, high-oleic, low anti-nutrient soybeans. The partnership opens a new pipeline for plant protein ingredients and supports Benson Hill’s plans to scale soybean production and grower relationships.

This collaboration will allow local growers to tap into price premiums for food- and feed-grade identity-preserved, non-GMO soybeans, and support Benson Hill as it meets growing demand for high-protein animal feed and plant protein ingredients for plant-based foods. The new collaboration will also support jobs in the area and boost the local economy.

Benson Hill’s portfolio of high-quality soybean varieties delivers a full range of in-demand premium attributes, including better digestibility, heart-healthy omega fatty acids, and higher protein that serve the plant-based food, healthy oils, animal feed and aquaculture markets.

Benson Hill has partnered with growers to contract more than 30,000 acres of premium soybeans this growing season, including significant acreage in Indiana. To minimize cost and the carbon footprint of transportation, Benson Hill sought out Rose Acre Farms as a partner to develop a processing facility in close radius to its grower partners. This announcement will also support Benson Hill’s plans to significantly increase its future contract acres in the area. Benson Hill and Rose Acre Farms are now actively enrolling interested growers for the 2021 growing season.

Read more about this exciting new partnership.

Farming, Feed, Food, Soybean

Heliae Agriculture Partners with WinField United Canada

Cindy Zimmerman

Saturday, December 5, was World Soil Day and Heliae® Agriculture celebrated by announcing a new collaboration with WinField® United Canada to bring new value to ag retailers through assisting farmers’ transition to regenerative agriculture practices.

Through this collaboration, WinField United will integrate the PhycoTerra® soil microbe food into their comprehensive product and technology offerings, starting November 19, 2020.

“At WinField United, we are helping to shape the future of Canadian Agriculture, as we get started with regenerative agriculture,” says Greg McDonald, General Manager at WinField United Canada. “We believe this partnership with Heliae® Agriculture will allow us to support retailers and farmers in Canada with innovative new technology that will provide regenerative agriculture solutions, as well as benefits for farmers that extend far beyond yields.”

Heliae® Agriculture is focused on developing microalgae products and bringing them to the market. The groundbreaking development of PhycoTerra® provides a balanced food for the soil microbiome to improve plant vigour and crop performance, even under stressed conditions.

Eric Lichtenheld, President and CEO of Heliae remarked, “This partnership opens the doors to Canadian farmers for an opportunity to improve soil structure to see dividends today while building the soil for future generations.”

Read more about this collaboration

AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture, Soil

ASTA CSS and Seed Expo Kicks Off Monday

Cindy Zimmerman

The biggest seed industry event of the year kicks off Monday, December 7, as the American Seed Trade Association presents the annual ASTA CSS and Seed Expo with a state-of-the-art virtual format that is almost like being there.

The organization has already conducted two virtual member meetings this year and Jennifer Crouse, ASTA Senior Director of Meetings and Services, says they have put a great deal of effort into making this event engaging for attendees. “What they are going to experience in our virtual event is geared toward as much interpersonal interaction and engagement as possible,” said Crouse.

She says they had some fun designing their custom platform to be like the Chicago Hyatt hotel where the meeting is normally held, but with some upgrades like putting the Big Bar right in the middle of the trade show and having fields of corn outside the windows instead of downtown Chicago. “But one of the biggest things strategically is that we are going to extend the life of this … there’s going to be several months where you can visit the trade show.”

Monday’s agenda starts with a general session featuring a panel of speakers from the industry’s largest companies, each presenting their company’s perspective on what lies ahead for the seed industry after a year of upheaval for the entire world. That sets the stage for three full days of informative sessions and trade show visiting.

Registration and more information can be found here. Learn more about what is in store next week in this interview with Jennifer.
ASTA Interview with Jennifer Crouse on Seed Expo (7:05)

Find more interviews and information from the expo on the AgNewsWire virtual newsroom.

ASTA, Audio, Seed

Beef Drool Log Returns for the Holidays

Carrie Muehling

Fans of the Hallmark Channel can look for the return of the popular Beef Drool Log as they watch holiday movies throughout the month December. The successful online video from last year is now also a 15-second television advertisement.

“The stars have kind of aligned for us,” said Alisa Harrison with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor with the Beef Checkoff. “It really came down to the right network, the right creative, the right time and the right price tag.”

More than 50 commercials will air during the 6-week timeframe, capitalizing on a time when consumers are cooking more meals at home due to the ongoing pandemic. Harrison said another exciting development is the fact that recipes found on the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. website are now shoppable, meaning consumers can click on any recipe and be taken to an online shopping cart for a local grocery store, where they can choose those ingredients and have them delivered or available for curbside pickup locally.

Harrison believes the trend towards home grocery delivery and online ordering of food is here to stay, and the beef industry wants to help consumers better understand how beef is produced and the value it brings to their tables.

“Our goal is to make sure that beef demand stays high and that consumers continue to love beef,” said Harrison, who participated in the National Association of Farm Broadcasting virtual Trade Talk event.

2020 NAFB Interview with Alisa Harrison, NCBA 13:14

Animal Agriculture, Audio, Beef, Beef Checkoff, Meat, NAFB, NCBA

Industry Ag News 12/4

Carrie Muehling

  • Brownfield Ag News is proud to partner with the University of Missouri Extension for their 2021 Agricultural Market and Policy Outlook Webinar.  The webinar is scheduled for December 8, 2020. The registration fee is $20 and a link to register can be found at www.brownfieldagnews.com.
  • The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance added one new member to its Board of Directors, re-elected another and tabbed Bob Sinner of North Dakota-based SB&B Foods as new board chair during its 2020 Annual Meeting on Thursday. Raquel Hanson of Pipeline Foods was elected to one of two open seats on the board, and Keith Schrader of Wheeling Grain Partnership was re-elected to the other open seat.
  • Join us January 10-13, 2021 for the 2021 American Farm Bureau Virtual Convention. For the first time ever, registration fees are being waived to give you the opportunity to experience one of ag’s premier events from the comfort and safety of your home. Register now.
  • FLM Harvest has significantly expanded its global reach and ability to leverage local market insights from around the world by joining Worldwide Partners, the world’s largest and fastest growing network of independent advertising and marketing agencies.
  • For the first time in its history, GROWMARK, Inc. held its 2020 Annual Meeting in a virtual online event. Hundreds of people from across North America, including shareholders, boards of directors, and friends of the GROWMARK System all participated in the interactive live broadcast.
  • On Sat., Dec. 5, Discovery Park of America will open “AgriCulture: Innovating for Our Survival” in the museum and heritage park’s Simmons Bank Ag Center.
  • The NAMA Foundation Online Auction is open for bidding! The deadline to submit bids is December 31. Proceeds from the Online Auction support Student NAMA and the future of agri-marketing. The Online Auction can be accessed through the NAMA website. Click here to view the packages and start bidding!
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ZimmCast 661 – Going Virtual with ARA in 2020

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

The Agricultural Retailers Association annual 2020 ARA Conference & Expo went virtual this year Dec. 1-2. Ag professionals from across the country went “All In For Ag Retail” with interactive workshops, engaging networking opportunities, and a 3D Expo Hall. During the event the ZimmComm Team collected relevant screenshots, conducted interviews with speakers, award winners and staff.

2020 ARA Virtual Conference & ExpoProviding us with a wrap-up of the conference is ARA Chairman, Rod Well, GROWMARK. He summarizes the activities and talks about future priorities for the organization.

You can still register if you would like to see on-demand presentations/sessions.

So, that’s the ZimmCast for this week. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 661 - Going Virtual with ARA in 2020 (16:07)

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Ag Groups, ag retailers, Audio, Virtual, ZimmCast

ARA Conference Wraps Up with Post-Election Panel

Cindy Zimmerman

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) concluded its annual Conference & Expo this week with a panel featuring industry experts sharing insights on what impact the 2020 election results will have on the ag retail industry.

The Scoop’s Margy Eckelkamp moderated the closing panel discussion featuring insights on the impact the 2020 election results will have on ag retailers and their farmer customers with panelists such as ARA’s Richard Gupton and ARA members Scott Rawlins with Wilbur-Ellis and Chuck Spencer with GROWMARK, Inc.

Listen below to interviews with the three panelists but if you want to see their great presentations, registration is still open to be able to access ARA Conference session recordings to watch on demand.

Interview with Richard Gupton, ARA (7:54)

Interview with Chuck Spencer, GROWMARK (11:46)

Interview with Scott Rawlins, Wilbur-Ellis (6:30)

ag retailers, ARA, Audio, GROWMARK, politics

Golden Harvest Seeds Ready for 2021

Carrie Muehling

Growers choosing Golden Harvest Seeds will have a strong portfolio backed by consistent customer service in 2021.

Better than expected yields in some areas and market rallies are providing some optimism heading into the new year, said Dave Young, head of marketing.

“I think a lot of farmers were very happy with soybean yields, probably happier than they had a right to do with some of the weather experiences we had. Corn, also, a little more segmented by pocket but a lot of people were really happy. Even with some of the drought we had, we had some great yields off of some pretty droughty soils,” said Young, who participated in the National Association of Farm Broadcasting virtual Trade Talk event.

Young said the company’s agronomy book is available again this year.

“We brought that back last year. There was a hiatus of a number of years, but if you go on goldenharvestseeds.com, you can download that and it’s real world agronomy data that’s compiled by our agronomy research team. It’s relevant, it’s real, and it’s a great resource for growers.”

He said seed advisors are available to help all season long and also touted the company’s Golden Advantage financing program that is continuing after great success in 2020.

2020 NAFB Interview with Dave Young, Golden Harvest 4:40

Audio, Seed, Syngenta

Water for Food Podcast – Episode 4

Cindy Zimmerman

Daugherty Water for Food PodcastThe fourth episode of the Daugherty Water for Food Podcast features a woman who is literally in the backyard of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln.

Meghan Sittler is Director of the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, located about 15 minutes from downtown Lincoln, which focuses on conservation of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem and the birds that rely on it.

Meghan joined the center two years ago with a background that included eight years as the Coordinator of the Lower Platte River Corridor Alliance, and most recently she served as the Domestic Water/Wastewater Management Educator with UNL Extension where she helped to facilitate and coordinate a statewide partnership focused on the protection of Nebraska’s water resources.

Meghan also has close family ties to Spring Creek Prairie as her parents Lyle and Alice farmed land nearby and her sister and brother-in-law currently farm there. Her father was a member of Spring Creek Prairie’s stewardship advisory board and her parents received much recognition over the years for their conservation ethic they passed on to her.

Get to know Meghan and how her parents influenced her career path in this podcast: Daugherty Water for Food Podcast Episode 4

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Audio, Conservation, Farming, Podcasts, Water, Water for Food