Alltech ONE Brings Together 23,000

Cindy Zimmerman

Alltech‘s annual conference was always a pretty good-sized international event, regularly drawing over 3,500 attendees from 70 countries.

This year, the company made history with the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience attracting over 23,000 participants from 117 countries.

“This is a number that we never could have dreamed to bring together in a physical format,” said Alltech president and CEO Mark Lyons in his closing keynote.

The virtual experience began this week with on-demand focus sessions, streaming keynote presentations and live Q&A chats with select speakers, and Lyons says that will continue each month with new content for attendees – and best of all, you can join anytime. “This is what we wanted to create, this community of the ONE Virtual Experience to be year round,” said Lyons in a wrap up interview. “We have 23,000 now, I’d like to grow that to double by next May.”

Listen to Lyons’ closing keynote and wrap up interview below:
Planet of Plenty: We’re in this Together
Alltech ONE Virtual closing keynote Dr. Mark Lyons (33:36)

Alltech ONE Virtual wrap up interview Dr. Mark Lyons (15:02)

Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio

AAEA May Podcast – Adapting to Change

Chuck Zimmerman

AAEA PodcastThe May AAEA Agricultural Communicators Network Podcast is now available. The topic is “Adapting to Change” and moderated by Katie Navarra, AAEA Podcast Host. I was very happy to participate in this episode.

Media businesses are having to adjust to a “new normal” amidst the coronavirus pandemic. In this episode, Progressive Farmer Editor-in-Chief, Gregg Hillyer, Chuck Zimmerman of ZimmComm New Media and Barb Anderson, a freelancer who owns Anderson & Associates, share how they have adapted their business models in response to COVID-19 while offering tips for forging ahead.

We shared some common responses to some of Katie’s questions. Here are a couple and how I responded.

How has the coronavirus pandemic impacted your business model?

Yes it has. Canceled conferences/events, significant reduction in projects due to budget constraints, inability to visit in-person at offices/facilities.

What advice would you offer to the ag communicators tuning into the podcast?

Realize that although this is an unprecedented situation we’re in, we will get through it. Find ways to stay positive and talk with people important to you who will listen and offer ideas you might not think of.

You can find links to listen/subscribe to the podcast on this page.

ACN, Audio, Media, Podcasts

Examining the Environmental Hoofprint of Beef

Carrie Muehling

While COVID-19 is presenting plenty of short-term challenges for the cattle industry, Alltech’s Dr. Vaughn Holder remains focused on a bigger picture of providing food security for a rapidly growing global population.

“The fact of the matter is that ruminants are the only animals that are able to convert feeds that are inedible to humans to actual high quality products that humans can eat, so I don’t see the beef or the dairy industry going away anytime soon,” said Holder, who serves as director for Alltech’s ruminant research group.

Holder said current research is looking at the way introducing total replacement minerals and enzyme technologies can reduce the carbon footprint on cattle farms and feedlots, resulting in better consequences for the environment. In light of COVID-19, the group is also looking at things like improving the antioxidant systems and immune systems of animals to better prepare for future challenges to the supply chain.

Holder presented during the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience.

Dr. Vaughn Holder, Alltech

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Beef, Dairy

Mitloehner on Myth Busting Mission at #ONEBigIdea

Cindy Zimmerman

Dr. Frank Mitloehner has been on a mission to debunk myths about agriculture with clear communication and data, successfully illustrating the relationships among human activities, animal digestion, food production and atmospheric chemistry. The UC Davis Animal Science professor known as @GHGGuru on Twitter will be the final Alltech ONE Virtual Experience keynote presentation this week, offering his insights on what the global coronavirus lockdown response may reveal about the impact of agriculture.

Dr. Mitloehner is a well known expert in agricultural air quality, livestock housing and husbandry and conducts research that is directly relevant to understanding and mitigating air emissions from livestock operations as well as the implications of these emissions for the health and safety of farm workers and neighboring communities.

His presentation on Clearing the Air: Debunking the Myths of Agriculture will go live Friday morning at 9:00 Eastern, and be available on-demand for ONE virtual attendees. Registration for the virtual experience is on-going with more content to be added over the next year.

In this interview, Mitloehner provides a preview of his remarks.
Alltech ONE Virtual interview with Dr. Frank Mitloehner, UC Davis (11:11)

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Environment

Syngenta Makes Leadership Changes

Cindy Zimmerman

*Updated with Hollinrake interview*

Syngenta has announced new leadership appointments supporting the growth and investment in its North America and global Seeds business.

David Hollinrake, currently regional director North America Seeds, is appointed head global Seeds Strategy and Portfolio. In his new role, David will lead long-term strategy development and planning for the global Seeds business to continue to deliver increased choice and innovative products for growers, with primary focus on the important U.S. seeds market.

David joined Syngenta in 2017 and brings nearly 30 years of experience in agriculture with numerous senior leadership roles in business development, strategic and product planning, and sales and marketing at Bayer Monsanto, Solae and Adayana Incorporated.

Listen to an interview with Hollinrake here about his new position and strategy for Syngenta’s global seed business.
Alltech ONE Virtual interview with David Hollinrake, Syngenta (14:07)

Justin Wolfe, currently regional director for Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) Seeds, will replace Hollinrake as regional director North America Seeds. Justin joined Syngenta in 2018 and has over 26 years of agricultural industry experience. Prior to joining Syngenta in 2018, Justin was with Monsanto for over 20 years, most recently as vice president Europe and Middle East Commercial Operations.

The Syngenta EAME Seeds region will now be led by Gaël Hili, currently Syngenta Crop Protection head East Europe. All appointments will be effective June 15.

Agribusiness, Audio, Seed, Syngenta

Alltech Specialists Help Producers Cope with COVID-19

Carrie Muehling

Protecting farm workers is paramount during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Jorge Delgado, Alltech on-farm dairy training specialist.

Delgado said the company is now using online platforms to train workers on dairy farms across the country how to be more efficient, productive and engaged while staying safe and healthy.

“Finding workers to milk cows is extremely difficult,” said Delgado. “If they lose even half their labor force, it’s going to be really hard to replace these people and of course it’s going to be really hard to keep milking cows.”

Delgado said while some farm owners and managers are being proactive and educating workers about COVID-19, many have not yet taken this step. Alltech is working to make this process easier by providing free informational posters and other resources to dairy farmers. Delgado said many workers on dairy farms who grew up in other parts of the world may not have had access to the education they need to understand what a virus is and how they can protect themselves. He believes taking care of workers right now is the first step to producing quality milk and healthy animals.

“At these moments we need to take the chance to train people on these COVID-19 protocols,” Delgado said. “It’s a big issue and if we don’t train people on what a virus is and how it attacks our bodies and how we can protect ourselves, we’re not doing our jobs.”

Alltech has developed a bilingual infograph pdf which can be downloaded for employers to share with on-farm workers – Alltech COVID-19 Dairy ENG SP.

Learn more in this interview with Delgado.
Alltech ONE Virtual interview with Jorge Delgado (12:16)

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Dairy

Precision Ag News 5/20

Carrie Muehling

  • Register now for “Soil Health: The Foundation for Regenerative Agriculture,” on July 30-31, 2020. Registration is required to attend. This is a free, 2-day virtual event. Join to advance the opportunity that improving soil health offers to address climate change, water quality, food production, biodiversity, and many other pressing issues.
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed rule to establish requirements and procedures for the issuance of guidance. Agricultural Retailers Association President and CEO Daren Coppock issued a statement in support of this action.
  • The Equipment Dealers Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2020 Dealer’s Choice and Gold Level Awards. The Dealer’s Choice Award is presented to the top-rated manufacturer in each of EDA’s four membership categories based on results of the annual Dealer-Manufacturer Relations Survey.
  • Wilbur-Ellis announced the launch of two new potassium fertilizer technologies, TILL-IT KOMPOUND™ and FOLI-GRO KILO®. These highly soluble, carbon-based potassium fertilizers drive bio-activation in soil or as a foliar-applied product. FOLI-GRO KILO® is a single-source potassium acetate fertilizer. TILL-IT KOMPOUND pushes both potassium and sulfur into plants through soil or fertigation applications.
  • On this World Bee Day, May 20, remember BeSure!, Growing Matters’ second annual stewardship campaign geared toward protecting honey bees and other pollinators that are critical to our ecosystem and food supply. The campaign runs through July, and we’re encouraging farmers and applicators to use best practices during the growing season to ensure pollinator health stays top of mind.
  • Unit sales of agricultural tractors and self-propelled combines in April 2020 rose in the U.S. according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, putting total unit sales year-to-date roughly flat with 2019. U.S. total farm tractor sales rose 12.3 percent in April compared to 2019 while U.S. April self-propelled combine sales inched up 4.1 percent. Only heavy-duty (100+ hp, articulated 4WD) tractors declined in unit sales in the U.S. That puts total YTD sales of all farm tractor units down 0.6 percent for 2020, and combines down 10.1 percent in the same period.
  • Benson Hill announced it has contracted 30,000 acres to advance its cutting-edge soybean varieties through partnerships in the consumer food, animal feed and aquaculture markets. Grown across a wide geography within the United States, Benson Hill’s non-GMO soybean product line combines superior nutritional qualities and oil content with highly competitive yields, offering benefits from seed-to-shelf.
  • Heliae® Agriculture continues to expand as it builds its efforts on promoting regenerative agriculture and soil health to the Delmarva, Kentucky, and Carolina regions. Chris Templeton will work with distributors to implement the PhycoTerra® product line into their recommended grower applications.
  • The Purdue Ag-Celerator will invest $100,000 in an agriculture technology startup that was selected for the investment following the semiannual Ag-Celerator Demo Day. Leaf Spec Ag Technologies took first place in the Spring 2020 Demo Day, which was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

President Trump Announces Direct Assistance to Farmers

Cindy Zimmerman

President Donald Trump Tuesday announced details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America’s farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“These payments will compensate farmers for losses related to the global pandemic caused by China,” said President Trump, who was joined making the announcement by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue and Senior Advisor Ivanka Trump.

In addition to this direct support to farmers and ranchers, USDA’s Farmers to Families Food Box program is partnering with regional and local distributors, whose work forces have been significantly impacted by the closure of many restaurants, hotels, and other food service entities, to purchase $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy, and meat and deliver boxes to Americans in need.

Beginning May 26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), will be accepting applications from agricultural producers who have suffered losses.

Payments will go directly to farmers who have suffered a five percent or greater price loss and who are facing significant marketing costs due to the coronavirus. Eligible commodities include cattle, hog, dairy, specialty crops and row crops. Payments will be limited to $250,000 per person.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall was at the White House for the announcement. “This aid can’t arrive soon enough as many farmers file for bankruptcy, facing unprecedented losses. We are grateful to the Administration and to Congress for sending aid to America’s farmers and ranchers reeling from the breakdown in distribution channels resulting from COVID-19. Although supply is strong, the shutdown of restaurants and school cafeterias caused the markets for meat, dairy and produce to shrink drastically almost overnight.”

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Marty Smith also attended the White House ceremony.

“America’s cattle producers have been hit very hard economically by this pandemic, so we’re pleased that this relief is one step closer to reaching the producers who need it,” Smith said. “Still, this is just one step and much more needs to be done to address the needs facing family cow-calf producers and stockers in the CFAP details that were released today. We will continue to push Capitol Hill for additional resources for cow-calf producers, backgrounders, and all other segments of the industry who may not sufficiently benefit from the program in its current form.”

Listen to the full announcement and press conference here:
Pres. Trump announces COVID-19 aid for agriculture

AFBF, Ag Groups, Audio, NCBA

Alltech Tackles Antibiotic Resistance in Poultry

Carrie Muehling

Managing antibiotic resistance in poultry is a key topic for Dr. Kayla Price, poultry specialist and technical manager, Alltech Canada. Price is part of the Poultry Focus Session of the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience. She said although antibiotics are being banned in many cases as growth promoters, that is only part of the story as sick animals still need treatment options.

“I think what’s still important to think about in all of this is, this is looking at antibiotics to support the growth of the animal,” said Price. “But no one was looking to take away antibiotics as a treatment, because we still have to remember that birds get sick, and we have to do what we can to be able to treat these animals so that we can continue to have healthy animals at the end of the day.”

Price said farm management is key, as is looking at regional factors when it comes to antibiotic resistance. Her presentation is on-demand for attendees and includes a live question and answer session on May 21, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. EST.

Dr. Kayla Price, Alltech Canada
AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Poultry

Future of Farming and Food in Focus at #ONEBigIdea

Cindy Zimmerman

“Farming, Food and the Shifting Horizon” will be the focus of the Alltech ONE Virtual Experience on Thursday as futurist Jack Bobo shares his insights on the challenges and opportunities awaiting us in the next era of agriculture.

Bobo is the CEO of Futurity, a food foresight company that works with food and agriculture businesses to better understand emerging food trends and consumer attitudes so they can position themselves to thrive in an ever more complex world. He makes it his business to stay ahead of the trends and detect the disruptors that trigger them.

In this interview, Bobo provides a preview of his virtual presentation on Thursday, May 21 on 9:00 AM Eastern time, which will also be available on-demand for ONE virtual attendees. The greatest thing about this virtual experience is that you can still register and not miss any of it!

Interview with keynote speaker Jack Bobo, CEO of Futurity
Alltech ONE Virtual interview with Jack Bobo, CEO of Futurity (9:48)

Alltech, Audio