Agri-Pulse Welcomes Rebekah Alvey

Cindy Zimmerman

Agri-Pulse is pleased to welcome Rebekah Alvey as an associate editor.

Alvey, who has experience covering energy and environment issues and Capitol Hill, comes to Agri-Pulse from Politico’s E&E News, where she reported on a broad swath of issues including electric vehicles and endangered species regulation, and she helped cover the House speaker race in October 2023. She earlier learned her way around Capitol Hill while with the Washington bureau of the Dallas Morning News, where she covered the Texas congressional delegation.

“We are thrilled to have Rebekah join our team and will be able to hit the ground running,” said Editor Sara Wyant. “We look forward to having her apply her data journalism skills to the complex agriculture, renewable energy, environment and food topics we cover.”

Alvey earned degrees in journalism and Arabic from Western Kentucky University, while handling multiple leadership roles at the student newspaper, the College Heights Herald. During her undergraduate studies, she spent a semester abroad at the Danish School of Media and Journalism, where she developed an interest in data journalism and political reporting. She later participated in the Politico Journalism Institute and eventually got a masters in journalism from American University.

Agri-Pulse, Journalism, people

Industry Ag News 3/29

Cindy Zimmerman

  • Producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant 90.0 million acres of corn in 2024, down 5% from last year, according to the Prospective Plantings report released today by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
    Planted acreage intentions for corn are down or unchanged in 38 of the 48 estimating states. Soybean growers intend to plant 86.5 million acres in 2024, up 3% from last year.
  • Syngenta Group has announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2023. Syngenta Group sales for full year 2023 were $32.2 billion, down $1.2 billion or 4 percent year-on-year with fourth quarter sales $7.9 billion, up 5 percent driven by Syngenta Crop Protection and by strong growth of Syngenta Group China. Syngenta Crop Protection sales in FY 2023 experienced a modest 5 percent decrease in comparison to the previous year, totaling $15.5 billion. Syngenta Group’s biological solutions grew 11 percent in sales to $0.4 billion compared to last year and the seeds business grew 2 percent to $4.8 billion in 2023.
  • The Georgia Peanut Commission (GPC) board of directors has approved $791,639 in research project funding for the 2024-25 research budget year. This action was taken during the commission’s March board meeting. The research projects approved include 40 project proposals submitted from the University of Georgia, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will hold its biannual Data Users’ Meeting April 16 from 1-4:30 p.m. CDT, at the University of Chicago – Gleacher Center. A virtual attendance option is also available. The meeting is free and open to the public. Registration is required. The Data Users’ Meeting is held to share recent and pending statistical program changes with the public and to solicit input on these and other programs important to agriculture.
  • Cross Plains Solutions’ SoyFoam TF 1122™ is the first and only firefighting foam GreenScreen Certified® at the Gold level. Through their soy checkoff and the United Soybean Board, U.S. soybean farmers have supported much of the extensive testing of SoyFoam environmental and performance benefits for use as a safer firefighting foam. GreenScreen Certified, owned by the non-profit Clean Production Action, is an independent, certification program that promotes the use of PFAS-free and preferred chemicals in materials, products, and manufacturing.
  • U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in the agri-food industry, according to the recently published AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey. Employers ranked “Problem-Solving and Decision-Making” as the most necessary skills for all employees, followed by “Organization and Planning Skills” and “Teamwork.”
  • Texas A&M student Lee Thornton joined the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) as the spring policy intern. Lee Thornton grew up in Winnie, Texas on a calf-cattle ranch where he first became invested in the agricultural industry. Over the course of his NAWG internship, which concludes in May, Lee has been involved in numerous visits to Capitol Hill, NAWG’s winter meeting, Commodity Classic, and policy work related to the Farm Bill and appropriations process.
  • The Pecan Breeding and Genetics Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) recently completed a 2.5 million dollars laboratory modernization to accelerate pecan breeding through innovations in genetics and plant disease research. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on March 26 to commemorate the completion of the project.
  • At the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference (ABLC) in Washington D.C., the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) once again sponsored and facilitated a special session, outlining the national incentive for biobased chemicals and renewable materials that NCGA, along with Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and other partners have been working on.
  • Early bird discounts are available until March 31 for the IFAJ Congress 2024 August 14 to 18 in the heart of the Swiss Alps. We look forward to your registration. This year’s IFAJ Congress promises to be a highlight for all participants. A number of farm visits off the beaten path as well as top-class speakers will be on hand to give you an insight into the latest developments in Swiss and global agriculture.
    • Agribusiness, ZimmNews

    Syngenta Anticipates Good Summer for Storen™

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Growers first heard about Syngenta’s latest residual corn herbicide Storen™ at last year’s Commodity Classic and this year Syngenta was pleased to say it is ready for use after approval in July 2023.

    “We’re in the process of working with our channel partners and the first growers that are going to use Storen corn herbicide this summer,” said Shawn Hock, Syngenta Corn Herbicide Product Lead. “We actually launched a Storen satisfaction program this year and we’re asking growers that use it to provide their experience.”

    Storen is labeled for pre-emergence and post-emergence in field corn and seed corn for more than 74 weed species, including Palmer amaranth, waterhemp, kochia, common lambsquarters, morningglory, Giant ragweed, common ragweed, and annual grasses.

    Learn more in this interview with Hock from Classic24
    Classic24 Shawn Hock, Syngenta corn herbicides 3:19

    Audio, Commodity Classic, Corn, Herbicide, Syngenta

    MyLand Announces Water Saving Data for World Water Day

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Soil health company MyLand celebrated World Water Day this year by releasing new data on water conservation benefits achieved through its Soil as a Service (SaaS) offering, demonstrating MyLand’s impact on water conservation in Arizona and California.

    MyLand partners with growers to improve soil health and soil function by harnessing the land’s native organics, resulting in profound impacts on water conservation. Increased water holding capacity and soil organic matter represent two fundamental soil health indicators of water conservation. Healthy soil can hold onto more water for longer periods, reducing the need for frequent irrigation and lowering overall water usage. On average, MyLand serviced farms stored 8,685 more gallons of water per acre foot of soil. This is primarily through increases in soil organic matter, which improve water retention, infiltration, soil structure and aggregation, while decreasing evaporation and soil erosion.

    California grows more than 33% of the vegetables and nearly 75% of the fruit and nuts produced in the U.S., using 34 million acre feet of water annually. As healthier soils can retain more water, MyLand’s Service has shown promising water conservation results in California almond production after only nine months, decreasing water use by 10 percent and increasing water use efficiency by 24% relative to control.

    In Arizona, agriculture is the largest user of water and MyLand serviced acres in that state experienced a decrease in water use by 15% in alfalfa.

    Soluble salts in soil can make it difficult for plants to extract water and uptake critical nutrients. MyLand soils showed a decrease in soil salinity by an average of 63% in California tree nuts and 68% across crops in Arizona. Soil salinity often requires flushing with water for removal, which compounds water usage.

    MyLand’s impact on water conservation extends beyond these promising results in Arizona and California. The company is also working with growers in Texas, Washington, and Florida to realize improved water usage.

    Learn more from MyLand.

    AgWired Precision, land, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Technology, Water

    Spencer Chase Moves to Corn Refiners Association

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Spencer Chase has spent the last decade helping farmers and ranchers better understand the policy process as one of the lead journalists with Agri-Pulse Communications. Now he is moving on to a new challenge as Senior Director of Communications for the Corn Refiners Association (CRA).

    In his new position, Chase will also lead the external communications and media relations efforts for the Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) with the goal of elevating the profile of both organizations.

    “Spencer brings a wealth of knowledge about the critical intersection of agriculture and journalism, and we look forward to putting that expertise to work for CRA,” said John Bode, CEO of CRA. “After working with Spencer in his previous role as a journalist for many years, we are confident he will help us grow our outreach and expand the breadth and depth of CRA’s influence.”

    “We’re excited to welcome Spencer to the PBPC team and put his talents to work to grow the advanced bioproducts industry,” said PBPC Executive Director James Glueck. “Spencer’s efforts will be critical in driving awareness of our industry and the work of the PBPC, including events like our upcoming conference.”

    Most people in the industry have gotten to know Chase as a recognized voice in Agri-Pulse content, anchoring the weekly Newsmakers video broadcast and daily DriveTime podcast. In addition, Chase has been an active leader in the National Association of Farm Broadcasting, serving as president in 2022.

    Spencer said farewell to the Agri-Pulse audience and colleagues in Friday’s episode of Newsmakers.

    (Note to Spencer: I just couldn’t decide which of the wacky photos we have of you to use, so I went with boring.)

    Ag Groups, Agri-Pulse, Agribusiness, NAFB

    Feedstocks in Focus at #Classic24

    Cindy Zimmerman

    L-R: Courtney Lawrenson, AGP; Greg Anderson, Nebraska Soybean Board; Scott Hedderich, Nuseed; Mike DeCamp, CoverCress; Alan Weber, M4; Doug Whitehead, Clean Fuels

    It was over 30 years ago that soybean farmers found a new market for their product in fuel made from soybean oil that was eventually called biodiesel, but the market for that clean fuel has expanded to include new feedstocks and opportunities.

    Clean Fuels Alliance America, formally known as the National Biodiesel Board, hosted a Learning Center Session at the recent 2024 Commodity Classic to discuss the rapid growth of biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel demand and coordinated growth of feedstocks, including new oilseed crops.

    Panelists included Doug Whitehead, Clean Fuels COO; Greg Anderson, Nebraska Soybean Board and Clean Fuels Board Member; Courtney Lawrenson, AGP and Clean Fuels Board Member; Mike DeCamp, CEO, CoverCress Inc; Scott Hedderich, Director, Nuseed; and Alan Weber, Partner, M4.

    Listen to their discussion here:
    Classic24 Clean Fuels learning session 33:56

    In an interview, CoverCress CEO Mike DeCamp said these kinds of alternative feedstocks are essential to meet the the capacity coming on line for renewable fuel production such as renewable diesel and SAF. “We need crops that can grow in between these fallow periods (that are) not in competition with corn or beans,” he said, admitting that it is going to take time to develop these crops. “At the end of the day, if we can’t give value to the grower, it’s not going to work.”

    Classic24 Mike DeCamp, CoverCress 8:58

    2024 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    AgWired Precision, Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Clean Fuels Alliance, Commodity Classic, cover crops, SAF

    Illinois Announces Center for Food and Ag Communications

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign last week unveiled plans for a global center for food and agricultural communications as part of the National Ag Day celebration.

    Named after the storied agricultural communications pioneer and Illinois professor emeritus, the James F. Evans Global Center for Food and Agricultural Communications will continue to advance excellence in this space through outreach, professional development, research, convenings, and degree programs.

    To kickstart the more than $5 million fundraising campaign that is required to establish the Evans Center, a sizable donation has been made in Evans’ name by an anonymous alumnus. An initial phase for the Evans Center will start this year in a dedicated space adjacent to a new learning innovation lab being constructed in the lower level of the College of ACES Library, Information and Alumni Center, commonly known as the Funk Library.

    The University and the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists have conducted needs assessments showing significant communications demand in areas such as strategic and critical thinking, knowledge mobilization, multi-media production processes, and leadership training. Priorities for the Evans Center will include professional development events, skills training, visiting global agricultural journalist programs, unbiased media research, executive seminars, consumer outreach efforts, and more.

    Contributions can be made online at go.aces.illinois.edu/GivetoEvansCenter.

    Education, IFAJ, Journalism

    Precision Ag News 3/27

    Carrie Muehling

  • In a move to bolster safety by users of off-highway equipment in the agriculture, construction, utility, forestry and mining industries, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) introduces a free online safety toolkit tailored to promote safety awareness, education, and training for operators of the equipment. AEM’s Safety Toolkit delivers a comprehensive suite of resources aimed at enhancing safety awareness, education, and training including: Digital Safety Manuals, Action Plans, and Training Resources.
  • Applications are now being accepted for “The Radicle Corn Value Chain Challenge sponsored by US Corn Farmers.” The Challenge sets out to invest a minimum of US $1.5M in start-up and growth companies whose innovative technologies and business models create new uses for corn and long-term sustainable demand for corn production.
  • In February GO Seed welcomed Jack Pieper as a Research Agronomist. Jack, an agronomy professional with a background in sustainable agriculture research, joined to spearhead the Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities program led by GO Seed, “Cover Crop Seed Production Grown with Climate Smart Wheat.”
  • Rantizo unveiled AcreConnect – new productivity software to help save time, bill faster, and verify work was done correctly. Available on phone and laptop, it can help to minimize downtime, office time and manual note-taking.
  • AgBiome, Inc., a leader in agricultural innovation and developer of novel biological and trait products from the Earth’s microbial communities, has announced sale of its products to Certis Biologicals. Certis, possessing global expertise, infrastructure and scale in biological crop protection, will provide the products with new opportunities, enabling them to realize fully their transformative potential.
  • Biolevel Ltd. announced it has received notification from the Organic Materials Review Institute that MaizeNP soluble powder is certified for organic corn production in the U.S. MaizeNP is a new multistrain, stress-tolerant bionutrition product that fixes nitrogen and releases phosphorous, potassium and micronutrients from the soil to make more balanced nutrition readily available to corn.
  • Huma announced the appointment of Lyndon W. Smith as the new Chairman of The Fertilizer Institute’s Biostimulant Council, effective January 1, 2024. Bringing decades of industry expertise and a profound understanding of the fertilizer and biostimulant sector, Smith is set to lead the council toward new heights.
  • Ceradis Crop Protection B.V., a global developer and marketer of environmentally friendly plant nutrition and crop protection solutions, announced that its CeraMax biological seed treatment has secured a position in WinField United’s BioVerfied program.
  • Lavie Bio and Bayer AG recently announced plans to extend joint validation trials for Lavie Bio’s biofungicides after the first year of results showed positive outcomes in addressing oomycetes – some of the most devastating plant diseases affecting crop yields worldwide.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Intelinair Successfully Completes SOC 2 Compliance

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Ag data analytics company Intelinair today announced the achievement of Systems and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2 Type 1) compliance certification, a widely recognized framework comprising standards of data security, privacy, and operational integrity.

    Ag retailer and farmer customers rely on Intelinair’s digital platforms for in-season and postseason data-driven decision-making for crop production. Current platform users can now have even greater confidence in the security and integrity from this next level of data security. Using AI and machine learning, Intelinair tracks several factors – emergence, weeds, disease, nutrient deficiency, yield and more – to provide the insights to help protect yield potential and identify sustainability opportunities.

    The SOC 2 standard was developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts (AICPA). As part of the certification process, a SOC 2 audit is performed by an accredited CPA firm and verifies that safeguards are in place to protect customer data, such as internal controls, policies and procedures and that safeguards are operational per the SOC 2 security criteria over an extended period of time.

    AgWired Precision, data, Precision Agriculture