Industry Ag News 3/17
Pivot Bio Unveils PROVEN G3
Agtech leader Pivot Bio just launched a new product in its line of innovative ag solutions for growers in the U.S.
Pivot Bio PROVEN® G3 joins the company’s Pivot Bio PROVEN® 40 nitrogen-fixing solution, which has been successfully used by growers on millions of acres to date. PROVEN G3, the company’s third-generation nitrogen solution for corn, will be commercially available in 2026, pending state registrations. Corn farmers had a chance to learn about the new product at the recent Commodity Classic in Denver.
“Built to enhance our industry-leading and proprietary gene-edited nitrogen-fixing technology, PROVEN G3 adds an exclusive microbe blend that increases nutrient uptake and nitrogen-use efficiency. PROVEN G3 consistently drives improved nitrogen production, seamlessly enhancing farmers’ current nitrogen programs and yield potential,” said Ryan Van Roekel, Ph.D., commercial agronomy leader for Pivot Bio.
“Pivot Bio realizes every farm presents unique challenges, including varying soil types, field conditions and nutrient-management approaches,” said Van Roekel. “PROVEN G3 was designed by some of the top scientists and agronomists working side by side with growers to adapt to these differences, allowing farmers to customize timing and placement to maximize efficiency, productivity and profitability across their diverse acres. As a weatherproof and most efficient source of nitrogen per pound, PROVEN G3 seamlessly integrates into current fertility programs.”
Listen to an interview with Ryan Van Roekel from Commodity Classic.
Classic 25 - Ryan Van Roekel, Pivot Bio 3:09
Ireland Ambassador Kicks Off Agri-Pulse Summit
Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States Geraldine Byrne Nason kicked off the annual Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit at the National Press Club this St. Patrick’s Day morning in Washington, D.C., welcoming all celebrating her country’s national holiday.
“As we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we’re also reminded that the story of Irish and American agriculture is also entwined,” said Nason, who was in the Oval Office last week when Ireland’s premier Micheal Martin presented President Trump with a bowl of shamrock. She stressed the importance of trade relations between the two countries.
“Ireland remains committed to the principles of free trade, which have underpinned our economic success,” she said. “We believe that free trade brings economic opportunities, creates well-paid jobs, fosters innovation and builds economic resiliance. And that’s all done, as we see it, best with certainty and a degree of forward planning within the framework of a rules-based international trading system. And we will continue to work with our colleagues, certainly at the European level and with the government here in the United States, to advocate for fair and free trade for agricultural communities.”
Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason 13:14Join Agri-Pulse on St. Patrick’s Day
Agri-Pulse Founder Sara Wyant at 2024 Summit
Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason will kick off the event with a special St. Patrick’s Day greeting from an important trading partner for the U.S., as the theme of the summit this year focuses on “Navigating Taxes, Trade and Technology: What’s Ahead for Food & Agriculture?”
Registration is still available on-line for the in-person event on Monday, March 17, starting at 8:00 Eastern at the National Press Club, and there is also an option to attend virtually.
Learn more about what’s in store at the 2025 Ag & Food Policy Summit in this interview with Agri-Pulse Founder and Publisher Sara Wyant.
Agri-Pulse Policy Summit preview - Sara Wyant (12:24)
Zeldin Says EPA Will Revise WOTUS Rule
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin promised Wednesday that the definition of “Waters of the United States” will be revised “once and for all.”
“The previous Administration’s definition of ‘waters of the United States’ placed unfair burdens on the American people and drove up the cost of doing business,” said Zeldin during a press event Wednesday morning. “Given the U.S. Supreme Court’s watershed decision in Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency, it is time for EPA to finally address this issue once and for all in a way that provides American farmers, landowners, businesses, and states with clear and simplified direction.”
EPA will work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure that a revised definition follows the law, reduces red-tape, cuts overall permitting costs, and lowers the cost of doing business in communities across the country while protecting the nation’s navigable waters from pollution. “It needs to be simple, it needs to be durable, totally consistent with Sackett, and built to withstand the test of time,” said Zeldin.
EPA will start its review by obtaining input from stakeholders, seeking targeted information on the key challenges that Americans are facing. The agency will also undertake a rulemaking process to revise the 2023 definition of WOTUS while at the same time provide guidance to those states implementing the pre-2015 definition to ensure consistency with the law of the land.
Zeldin was joined for the announcement by Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman (R-AR), Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Katie Britt (R-AL), Representatives Doug LaMalfa (R-CA-01) and Derrick Van Orden (R-WI-03), and American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall.
Listen to that press event below:
EPA to revise WOTUS definition 40:47
Precision Ag News 3/12
Meister Media Launches CEAg World Industry Reports
Meister Media Worldwide has announced the launch of its newest product, the CEAg World Industry Reports.
Each of the four quarterly reports will provide a deep dive into the most critical topics for growers in the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry. The first issue, focused on vertical farming, is available in print and digital editions via CEAgWorld.com, and will be distributed at major industry events and through direct outreach.
The new CEAg brand offers several products including enewsletters, the CEAg World Conference & Expo to be held on Nov. 19-21 in Durham, N.C., and Meister Custom Business Solutions.
CEAg World recently launched the 2024 Global CEA Census in partnership with Agritecture, a top-tier advisory and agriculture technology firm. The census, with nearly 1,000 downloads to date, features 450 participants across 75 countries with significant representation and perspectives from North America, Europe and Asia.
Syngenta Partners with Planet for Precision
A new partnership between Syngenta and Planet Labs PBC will allow farmers around the world to have comprehensive access to near-daily satellite imagery of their fields.
The multi-year expansion of their strategic partnership enables farmers to remotely monitor crop health, detect pest infestations, and identify disease outbreaks. The high-resolution, commercially available satellite imagery is delivered to farmers globally as part of Syngenta’s Cropwise digital agriculture platform.
Satellite imagery today plays an essential role in precision agriculture, allowing farmers to monitor plant growth across large areas, identify signs of stress earlier and manage their crops to deliver better yields and outcomes.
The collaboration will expand the current integration of Planet’s advanced satellite imagery into Syngenta’s Cropwise platform, giving farmers a further powerful tool in their precision agriculture arsenal.
The Cropwise digital platform includes a variety of tools to help farmers, from imagery and commodity applications, to financial and sustainability programs. At Commodity Classic last week, Liz Hunt, Head of North America Sustainability for Syngenta, talked about the sustainability piece.
“What we’ve tried to do is just simplify sustainability,” said Hunt. “So we actually have an app that’s available for farmers to download for free and you go through a self-assessment on sustainability for your operations. And it shows you kind of how you are scoring against six sustainable outcomes gives you some ideas…It’s nonprescriptive, but it gets you thinking about, hey, I’m already doing a lot of these things on my farm.”
Classic 25 - Liz Hunt, Syngenta 2:51Azotic Technologies Launches Grower-Retailer Advisory Panel
Growers and retailers from across the U.S. and Canada joined the Azotic North America leadership team recently to form the 2025 Envita Grower-Retailer Advisory Panel.
The panel convened seven participants both in person and virtually to discuss challenges and opportunities for Envita in 2025 and beyond. Each panelist provided a unique perspective based on their geographical location of operation and role within the agriculture industry. The group discussed product performance, opportunities and the climate for soil and plant biology-based products, marketing, technology and agricultural challenges both at present and on the horizon.
“Feedback is good, even if it’s not always what we want to hear, it’s what we need to hear to continue improving not just Envita but the service we are providing our customers,” Azotic® National Sales Manager, Scott Bishop told the panel. “Forming this panel is our commitment to providing what the industry needs.”
Panelists discussed the boom in biological products as well as the abundance of products on the market today to address the difficult decisions farmers and retailers have in deciding which products to trial. Both growers and retailers shared their insights on the importance of consistency and longevity, sharing that the more than 20 years of research backing Envita, sustained results year after year, and a direct line of communication to leadership were key drivers in both their use and promotion of the product.
The advisory panel will meet again in Indiana over the summer to tour Envita-advantaged fields and reflect on the planting and growing season. To learn more about Azotic Technologies Limited and Envita, visit Azotic.com/USA.