Huma® CEO Named Chair of TFI Biostimulant Council

Cindy Zimmerman

Huma® CEO Lyndon Smith was recently named chairman of The Fertilizer Institute’s Biostimulant Council.

Smith has been involved in the humic space and with TFI since the mid-90s. “Huma®’s long-standing participation with TFI has provided me an opportunity to understand the intricacies, challenges, and untapped potentials of the fertilizer and biostimulant industry. It’s a unique privilege to be part of an organization that encourages collaboration over competition, where industry players unite for a common cause – to elevate ourselves, the industry, and to collectively address challenges on both governmental and industry fronts.”

The Biostimulant Council’s mission is to advocate for regulatory reform in the U.S. biostimulant industry, aiming to separate it from the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). This move would facilitate state regulation under The Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO), ensuring a standardized approach and recognition of biostimulants.

“Lyndon steps into this role during an incredibly exciting time for biostimulants. Growers are increasingly being asked to do more with less and biostimulants can play an important role in maximizing crop yields while minimizing environmental impacts,” said TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch. “More growers are looking to include biostimulants into their nutrient management plans and the TFI Biostimulant Council is working hard to increase grower adoption, as well as grower confidence through the Certified Biostimulant Program.”

Ag Groups, Biologicals, Fertilizer, people

Animal Ag News 3/26

Carrie Muehling

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state veterinary and public health officials, are investigating an illness among primarily older dairy cows in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico that is causing decreased lactation, low appetite, and other symptoms. As of Monday, March 25, unpasteurized, clinical samples of milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas, as well as an oropharyngeal swab from another dairy in Texas, have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is aware that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in samples collected from dairy cattle in the United States. Importantly, the agency confirmed there is no threat to human health, and milk and meat remains safe to consume. USDA has confirmed that affected dairy cows do not appear to be transmitting the virus to other cattle within the same herd.
  • The number of Americans who describe themselves as meat eaters (80 percent) and the number of households that purchase meat (98 percent) remain steady from 2023, while the number seeking to decrease meat consumption has fallen by 20 percent since 2020, according to the 19th annual Power of Meat report released by the Meat Institute and FMI—The Food Industry Association.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative have reopened the Colombian market for U.S. poultry and egg product exports, culminating several months of collaborations with the Colombian Institute of Agriculture to resolve this trade barrier. U.S. Trade Representative’s office has reopened the Colombian market for U.S. poultry and egg product exports, culminating several months of collaborations with the Colombian Institute of Agriculture to resolve this trade barrier.
  • After years of product development and field testing, AgBoost announced the global commercial expansion of its cloud-based data analysis platform that helps cattle producers interpret genomic data for selective breeding, health, market value and nutrition management.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) responded to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) release of the updated greater sage ground management plans. These plans will shape public land use across 10 different states and tens of millions of Western acres. After completing revisions to the plans in 2015 and again in 2019, the agency is currently amending 77 separate land use plans across the West, and could potentially designate millions of acres as new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs). Despite this incredibly expansive scope, the BLM provided only 90 days to comment on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and only 60 days to comment on proposed ACECs.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) thanked the U.S. Senate for passing a resolution to block Paraguayan beef imports. The resolution comes in response to a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rule that lifted the longstanding ban on Paraguayan beef imports despite the country’s concerning animal health track record.
  • Continuing to support the next generation of leaders in the beef industry, Certified Angus Beef (CAB) will give a record amount of $100,000 in scholarships across three categories this year. College students with a passion for agriculture and a drive to innovate are encouraged to apply for this scholarship opportunity. Applications for the 2024 Colvin Scholarship are now open and will close April 30. Interested students can learn more about eligibility criteria and apply by visiting https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/recruiting/.
  • The 147th Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo drew to a close on Sunday, wrapping up the three-day event packed with industry updates, awards, entertainment and the welcoming of new Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association leadership. The Cattle Raisers Convention & Expo drew 4,300 attendees to downtown Fort Worth March 22 – 24. The agenda featured three prominent main-stage sessions addressing pivotal topics such as agricultural policy, a 2024 weather forecast and a market outlook.
  • dsm-firmenich, the leading innovator in nutrition, health and beauty, and Agrifirm, a leading agricultural cooperative, announce their strategic partnership to create a platform for poultry performance optimization, focused on health and sustainability.
  • Zoetis celebrated a contributory milestone in 2023 with its continuation of support to Folds of Honor. Rounding out the second half of 2023, Zoetis exceeded $1 million in donations in its two years of support for the organization. Proceeds from the sales of select Zoetis products continue to raise funds for Folds of Honor scholarships.
  • USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation are accepting nominations for the Dr. Charles Beard Research Excellence Award through July 1. The goal of the award, which has been presented since 2013, is to recognize outstanding completed research projects, funded by USPOULTRY or the USPOULTRY Foundation, that have made a significant positive impact on the poultry industry.
  • The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) announced Anne Miller as winner of the prestigious Paulson-Whitmore State Executive Award. This award, jointly developed by NPPC and the National Pork Board (NPB), honors exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment exhibited by state executives within the pork industry. Miller served as the Montana Pork Producers Council executive director from 2004-2022.
  • Applications are being accepted for college scholarships that are awarded by America’s dairy farmers and importers through the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB). Eleven scholarships worth $2,500 each will be awarded, in addition to a $3,500 James H. Loper Jr. Memorial Scholarship to one outstanding recipient. NDB funds, in part, Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program. Applications can be found at usdairy.com/about-us/dmi/scholarship. Completed applications must be received no later than May 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. CST.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Entrepreneurs Help Revitalize Rural Revenues

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Agri-Pulse moderator Spencer Chase (left) and AgButler founder Kevin Johansen

    The topic for the recent Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit was Revitalizing Rural Revenues, exploring a wide variety of options, including a panel on rural entrepreneurs like Kevin Johansen who founded AgButler, a gig economy platform that serves as a solution to a rural labor shortage in America.

    Johansen says the company, which launched in 2020, has grown exponentially. “We have a little bit under 3,000 users on the platform and that represents 42 states,” he said. “The platform is easy to use. You can get connected with farmers and ranchers in your area but you can also search for laborers who have experience in multiple industries throughout agriculture.”

    “Everybody talks about sustainable practices and protocols, but nobody addresses the real sustainable piece in agriculture and that’s the people,” said Johansen. “AgButler wants to be that sustainable piece for people in agriculture.”

    Agri-Pulse Summit - Kevin Johansen interview 6:57

    Agri-Pulse 2024 Ag & Food Policy Summit Photo Album

    Agri-Pulse, Apps, Audio, labor, people

    EPA Committee Gives Ag Seat at the Table

    Cindy Zimmerman

    EPA Administrator Michael Regan recently responded to recommendations from the agency’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC) on how EPA can best support the agriculture sector’s climate mitigation and adaptation goals.

    FRRCC consists of representatives appointed by the agency that provide independent policy advice and information on a range of environmental issues that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities and among the results of their recommendations to EPA is the recent creation of EPA’s Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, headed by the agency’s agricultural advisor Rod Snyder.

    One of the 30 members of the FRRCC is Iowa cattle producer Bill Couser, who was selected out of more than 560 applicants. “We basically get three or four challenges every year and our job is to come together with a white paper to help EPA improve its methods of reaching out to rural America,” said Couser in a recent interview.

    Couser says he was pleased to be able to host both Administrator Regan and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack together on his ranch shortly after both were appointed to the current administration. “It’s the first time in my career that I saw the heads of those two offices in the same room together. We always met with the staff,” Couser said. “We finally have a seat at the table.”

    Listen to this interview with Couser from the recent American Coalition for Ethanol DC Fly-in.
    Bill Couser, Iowa 5:34

    ACE, Animal Agriculture, Environment, EPA, Ethanol, Livestock

    DWFI Podcast 34 – Impacts of Climate Change in the US

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The Fifth National Climate Assessment is federally mandated by Congress and released every four years to serve as the foremost review of research on the current and future impacts of climate change in the United States.

    In this episode of the Water for Food Podcast, DWFI Director of Communications and Public Relations Frances Hayes discusses key findings of the report with three of its co-authors. DWFI Faculty Fellows Andrea Basche and Tonya Haigh co-authored the Northern Great Plains chapter, which includes Nebraska. DWFI Director of Water, Climate and Health Jesse Bell, who leads the Water, Climate and Health Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, co-authored the chapter on human health. The authors share their take on regional differences related to climate change, who is most affected by its impacts and what bright spots exist.

    View the full assessment here. Find webinars on each topic hosted by the U.S. Global Change Research Program here.

    Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:
    DWFI podcast episode 34 57:53

    The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska was founded with the mission to have a lasting and significant impact on achieving more food security with less pressure on scarce water resources by conducting scientific and policy research, using the research results to inform policy makers, and sharing knowledge through education and communication.

    How to subscribe:

    Audio, climate, Food, Podcasts, Water, Water for Food

    Industry Ag News 3/22

    Carrie Muehling

  • The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City will honor the late Cliff Becker and Dr. Scott Brown with the group’s prestigious Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence at a luncheon on May 16 in Kansas City’s historic Union Station.
  • The Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Center for Risk Management Education and Research at Kansas State University announced the agenda for the third Agricultural Commodity Futures Conference. The conference is scheduled for April 11-12 in Overland Park, Kansas. Register for AgCon2024.
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation and Louisiana Farm Bureau presented Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) with AFBF’s Golden Plow award. The Golden Plow is the highest honor the organization gives to sitting members of Congress.
  • USA Rice filed a petition with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) to cancel the trademark registration for “RightRice” from Planting Hope Brands on the grounds that it was deceptively misdescriptive and deceptive. In late November, the TTAB granted USA Rice’s petition, canceling the trademark registration. Among other things, that means that RightRice can no longer can use the “R” in a circle symbol. Planting Hope Brands will have to change its packaging and marketing accordingly.
  • Cargill awarded a three-year grant of $3.15 million to the National FFA Organization in support of its commitment to shape future agriculture leaders. The grant supports a variety of National FFA Organization programs and events during the three-year period (from 2023 to 2025), including the organization’s sustainability platform; the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) pathway; and the Living to Serve program. During the National FFA Convention & Expo, the grant supports a booth, the rodeo and travel grants for career development event (CDE) participants. In addition, the funding supports the American FFA Degree and the American Star Awards.
  • In response to recent devastating wildfire outbreaks impacting much of the Texas Panhandle and parts of Oklahoma, several Farm Credit System organizations, including AgTrust Farm Credit, have joined forces to contribute funds to support extensive recovery and relief efforts. Pledges will benefit the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Disaster Relief Fund and county-level efforts recommended by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
  • COMMON GROUND traveled to Austin for this year’s South By Southwest conference where Filmmakers Josh and Rebecca Tickell were joined by Adrian Grenier. This special event was in partnership with @kisstheground and @makersmark. Star Hill Farm, where Maker’s Mark bourbon is crafted, is the world’s first distillery to achieve Regenified Tier 2 certification and has pledged its grain to be sourced from Regenified certified farms by 2025.
  • According to the 2023 Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle MonitorTM Survey, the majority of consumers (82 percent) say they plan to purchase the same (62 percent) or more (20 percent) pairs of denim in the next 12 months compared to last year. Cotton Incorporated created the Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program in 2006 as a call to action to recycle old denim and give it purpose by transforming it into something new.
  • The 2024 U.S. Agricultural Market Outlook is now available. Prices for many farm commodities have fallen sharply from their 2022 peaks, contributing to lower farm income and slower food price inflation. While market uncertainty persists, projected prices decline further for crops harvested in 2024, and net farm income falls to the lowest level since 2020.
  • At the opening banquet of the 122nd Anniversary Convention, National Farmers Union (NFU) presented Rodney Allebach of Minnesota, Linda Jones Borton of Ohio and Dennis Rosen of Wisconsin with Awards for Meritorious Service to Farmers Union and to American Agriculture, the highest honor presented by Farmers Union.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    AgBiome Announces Sale of Products to Certis Biologicals

    Chuck Zimmerman

    AgBiome has announced sale of its products to Certis Biologicals to provide the products with new opportunities, enabling them to realize fully their transformative potential.

    Founded in 2012, AgBiome embarked on a visionary journey to make a real difference in the world and emerge as a leading force in agricultural innovation. Throughout its trajectory, the company has remained steadfast in its mission to revolutionize crop protection, demonstrating that microbial solutions can rival established conventional technologies.

    ”AgBiome’s products, Howler and Theia fungicides, are the most effective biological fungicides with unique modes of action and efficacy similar to synthetic chemicals but with substantial environmental benefits. We are delighted that a company like Certis Biologicals, with a deep commitment to these products, will steward their future growth and development. More growers than ever will be able to see first hand the benefits of these products,” said Scott Rabe, Head of Product Development.

    Both Howler® and Theia® fungicides are registered in all 50 states and deliver highly effective disease control with ultimate flexibility, including OMRI-list designation, zero-day pre-harvest interval, minimal restricted-entry interval and exemption from U.S. residue tolerances.

    Agribusiness, Biologicals, Fungicide

    AEM Planning 2nd Celebration of Modern Ag in DC

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is preparing to showcase the Future of Food and Farming in the heart of Washington, DC, during the 2nd Celebration of Modern Ag on the National Mall.

    On May 6-8, 2024, more than 20 AEM members will be onsite in the nation’s capital between the Smithsonian Museums to illustrate the equipment manufacturing industry’s contribution to sustainably providing for a growing world.

    “AEM is honored to lead our member companies and other industry partners in showcasing the sustainability of our food system on the National Mall,” said AEM Senior Vice President Curt Blades. “This is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate how technologically advanced farms and ranches are today, as well as emphasize why the needs of rural America must be at the forefront of the policies lawmakers support.”

    Blades spoke about the event during the National Ag Day celebration this week in Washington DC. Learn more in this interview.
    2024 Ag Day Curt Blades interview 2:21

    AEM, Ag Day, Audio

    Precision Ag News 3/21

    Carrie Muehling

  • The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) updated its guide assisting farmers, landowners, and others to easily locate and contact professional seed suppliers for quality environment, conservation, and cover crop seed. The interactive Environment, Conservation, and Cover Crop Seed Resource Guide helps buyers find dealers for specific seed types by geographic location to support production and sustainability goals.
  • Join the Nebraska Water Center and Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District on June 17 and 18 to get up close and personal with water and natural resources in southeast Nebraska.
  • UPL Corporation Ltd., a global provider of holistic and sustainable agricultural solutions, and Radicle Growth, a company-building platform investing in early-stage agriculture and food technologies, are delighted to announce SOLASTA Bio as the winner of ‘the Radicle Natural Plant Protection (NPP) Challenge by UPL’, securing a $1M investment, with the runner-up, Impetus Ag, receiving a $750,000 investment. The Challenge sought to identify entrepreneurs advancing natural and biological solutions and saw applications from 237 start-ups.
  • Solinftec, a global leader in artificial intelligence solutions and sustainable agricultural practices, has announced that its Solix Sprayer Robot is now commercially available to farmers, cooperatives and ag-retailers, and will be on farms around the country this month. In addition to Solinftec’s existing Solix Scouting Robot, the newer Solix Sprayer is designed to detect and spray weeds.
  • Biotalys, an Agricultural Technology company pioneering protein-based biocontrol solutions for sustainable crop protection, and Novonesis, a global leader in biosolutions, have unveiled a comprehensive, long-term collaboration agreement. This partnership encompasses the production, global supply, and certain commercialization rights of EVOCA NG, slated to be Biotalys’ inaugural margin-generating biofungicide.
  • Pioneer brand seed from Corteva Agriscience reaffirms its leadership in seed technology by advancing more than 60 new corn hybrids for 2024, offering farmers exceptional yield potential and industry-leading insect protection and herbicide-tolerant traits, where enabled. This year’s class expands the availability of Pioneer brand Vorceed Enlist corn and introduces PowerCore Enlist and PowerCore Ultra Enlist corn.
  • FloraPulse, the first easy-to-install water sensor that provides accurate and low-cost water-sensing technology, is enhancing the lives of farmers and researchers who want real-time data that will enable them to make the quick, accurate decisions that will benefit their crops.
  • Bayer announced the pilot of an expert GenAI system to benefit farmers and up-level agronomists in their daily work. The company has been using proprietary agronomic data to train a large language model (LLM) with years of internal data, insights from thousands of trials within its vast testing network, and centuries of aggregated experience from Bayer agronomists around the world.
  • ZeaKal announced the successful development of its groundbreaking PhotoSeed technology in corn, improving the crop’s oil and sustainability profile without compromising yield or protein. With the immediate implementation of PhotoSeed corn’s route to market, ZeaKal aims to redefine the value proposition of this vital crop for growers, industry, and consumers alike.
  • Mycorrhizal Applications LLC, a leading company that provides biological solutions for the horticulture industry, is excited to welcome three new team members to support its product development, research, trade events, and marketing.
  • Lavie Bio Ltd., a leading ag-biologicals company that develops microbiome-based, computational-driven bio-stimulant and bio-pesticide novel products and a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd., announced that Ceres Global Ag Corp., a global agricultural, energy and industrial products merchandising and supply chain company, has chosen Lavie Bio as a supplier in its sustainability programs with grain producers. Ceres will integrate Lavie Bio’s bio-inoculant, Yalos, into its regenerative agriculture initiatives across the USA and Canada.
  • CropX Technologies, a leading provider of digital farm management, announced an API integration with WiseConn, a global leader in precision drip irrigation solutions, to further improve data gathering and analytics for farmers worldwide. WiseConn users will be able to seamlessly incorporate the CropX system into their precision irrigation network. WiseConn irrigation systems are used throughout North and South America, Europe and Australia.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Ag and Food Summit Features SAF Discussion

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Tim Obitts, Alder Renewables; Alan Weber, MARC-IV; Alex Menotti, LanzaJet

    Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) was the topic of two panels at Monday’s “2024 Ag & Food Policy Summit: Revitalizing Rural Revenues” in Washington D.C. and there was a lot of discussion surrounding the GREET model, changes in the RFS, carbon sequestration, corn ethanol, and new feedstocks.

    Alder Renewables CEO Tim Obitts says agriculture holds the key to the future for SAF. “You are above ground oil wells,” said Obitts. His company’s technology can utilize a range of sustainable woody residues, agricultural byproducts, and next-generation energy crops like miscanthus to produce SAF.

    Alan Weber has been involved in the biodiesel industry for over 30 years and as founding partner of MARC-IV he is excited about innovative new oilseeds like pennycress, camelina, and brasica carinata. “Each of them very unique in how they fit in a grower’s rotation but also similar in that they help to improve soil health and the second in that those crops are being grown on acres otherwise not in production.”

    LanzaJet VP of Government Affairs Alex Menotti says getting the GREET model updated to include climate smart agriculture practices is only half the battle right now for getting corn ethanol to qualify for SAF. “The other half is EPA updating their own rules to recognize the climate benefits of corn ethanol and do things like enable CCS (carbon capture and storage) which is a key enabler for alcohol-to-jet,” said Menotti, who also noted that the top legislative priority for the industry right now is getting the IRA tax credits extended.

    Listen to some of their discussion here:
    Agri-Pulse Summit SAF Panel One 31:11

    Kevin Welsh, Airlines for America; Gene Gebolys, World Energy; Amelia DeLuca, Delta Air Lines; and Dr. Patrick Gruber, Gevo

    The second panel focused on the role of the airlines. “Sustainable aviation fuel is the only lever we have at this point to decarbonize,” said Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer, Delta Air Lines.

    World Energy has been in advanced biofuels for over 25 years and is now on the forefront of SAF. “Ultimately, biofuels want to fly and the reason is, that’s where you can get the best value,” said CEO Gene Gebolys. “As we work to establish this market, it won’t be a SAF market, it will be a decarbonization market.”

    The GREET model remains key to making it work. “If we’re getting paid for carbon abatement and it’s a virtual attribute, how the heck do you measure it? That’s where the GREET model comes in,” said Gevo CEO Dr. Patrick Gruber. “We like real data, real science, measured, reported, verified. That’s what we have to get to.”

    The Ag and Food Policy Summit was a function of Agri-Pulse Communications.

    Listen to the panel:
    Agri-Pulse Summit SAF Panel Two 29:26

    2024 Agri-Pulse Ag and Food Policy Summit Photo Album

    Agri-Pulse, Audio, Biofuels, carbon, Corn