IFAJ Congress 2020 Website Live

Chuck Zimmerman

IFAJ Congress 2020The website for the 2020 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress, is now live. The host country is Denmark. Registration will open at the end of January. The theme is: “Farming today for the society of tomorrow.” The Congress dates are 24 June – 28 Jun, 2020 with the location being Vingsted, Vingsted Skovvej.

The issue that is becoming increasingly critical is: How can agriculture produce enough food for the world’s future population without destroying the planet and climate – while at the same time satisfying consumer demands?

Under the theme ”Farming today for the society of tomorrow”, we would like to present how Danish agriculture is an important part of the solution.

There are therefore many good reasons for you to come to the IFAJ congress in Denmark in 2020.


IFAJ, International, Media

Heliae® Agriculture Connects Retailers With Regenerative Ag Options

Cindy Zimmerman

Heliae® Agriculture is introducing retailers and growers to new options for building soil health and increasing yields via native soil microbes to start the process toward regenerative agriculture.

Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming which focuses on improving soil health. Typical regenerative methods require truckloads of organic matter per acre and planting cover crops. Most recently, the introduction of foreign microbes to fields has been promoted as a tool to capture carbon.

The approach of Heliae® Agriculture products is different. The innovative microalgae-derived technology found in PhycoTerra® dramatically increases the growth of native soil microbes – making it a perfect fit for regenerative agriculture. The explosion of soil microbe growth generates positive results for crops and the soil, so farmers can get paid benefits as they improve soil health.

“Our company works with retailers to provide solutions farmers can implement on their fields without major changes to operations. There are no contracts required for use. Everyone has the ability to do what’s right for each operation,” says N.R. (Norm) Davy, Chief Revenue Officer of Heliae.

Heliae® Agriculture is showcasing the soil microbe food PhycoTerra® at the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) Conference and Expo December 3-5 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The company will also provide an introduction for a presentation by Wayne Honeycutt of the Soil Health Institute on Wednesday, December 4.

The Agricultural Retailers Association Conference and Expo is the premier event for agricultural retailers, distributors and suppliers. Learn more about Heliae® Agriculture and the PhycoTerra® soil microbe food at booth #106.

AgWired Precision, ARA, Precision Agriculture, Soil

ZimmCast 630 – Past and Present NAFB Presidents

Chuck Zimmerman

In this week’s program I talk with Rita Frazer, RFD Radio Network, now President of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting and Lorrie Boyer, KSIR, now past-President of NAFB.

Both farm broadcasters talk about the convention that just took place in KC, MO but also talk about their year as president, past and future. Lorrie was especially excited about doing the fireside chat with Secretary Perdue for example.

I hope you enjoy this episode of the ZimmCast and thank you for listening.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 630 - Past and Present Presidents of NAFB
Subscribe to the ZimmCast by clicking here.

Audio, Media, NAFB, ZimmCast

Just a Penny More for Thanksgiving Dinner This Year

Cindy Zimmerman

The cost of this year’s Thanksgiving feast is up a penny per person, but still comes in at under $5.00 each for a party of ten.

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s 34th annual survey of classic items found on the Thanksgiving Day dinner table indicates the average cost of this year’s feast for 10 is $48.91, or less than $5.00 per person. This is a 1-cent increase from last year’s average of $48.90.

The centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – costs slightly less than last year, at $20.80 for a 16-pound bird. That’s roughly $1.30 per pound, down 4% from last year. The survey results show that retail turkey prices are the lowest since 2010.

Get all the details from AFBF and watch this video with AFBF Chief Economist Dr. John Newton hitting all the highlights.


AFBF, Food, Video

Farmers in the Democratic Debate

Cindy Zimmerman

Farmers got about two minutes of airtime during the Democratic presidential candidate debate last night.

South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg was asked whether he would continue the “farm subsidies” that President Trump has authorized to help farmers struggling from the impact of the trade war with China.

“We shouldn’t have to pay farmers to take the edge off of a trade war that shouldn’t have been started in the first place,” said Buttigieg. “I don’t think this president cares one bit about farmers.”

In 90 seconds, Buttigieg brought up small refinery waivers and ethanol, corporate consolidation and climate change, before being interrupted and asked again if he would “continue those subsidies” to farmers. “Yes, but we won’t need them because we’re going to fix the trade war,” he responded.

Listen:
Presidential candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg - farmers, trade, China, ethanol (1:41)

Audio, Ethanol, Farming, politics, Trade

Mahindra New to NAFB Trade Talk

Cindy Zimmerman

Mahindra started building tractors in India in 1963 and Mahindra USA was established in 1964, but this is the first year the company has been at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Trade Talk.

Mahindra is the world’s top selling farm tractor company by numbers with 50 percent of the market in India and Senior product manager Ryan Pearcy says they are now up to number three in the U.S. for under 120 HP tractors.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Ryan to learn more about Mahindra plans to expand their dealership network in the United States.

NAFB19 Ryan Pearcy, Mahindra (6:46)

2019 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Content Creation from the NAFB Convention Thanks to
Coverage of the NAFB Convention is sponsored by FMC
Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Equipment, NAFB, Tractor

AMVAC to Launch SIMPAS System in 2020

Chuck Zimmerman

AMVAC’s Jim Lappin went on camera at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) annual Trade Talk last week to provide an update on the SIMPAS Application System, the next generation of precision, prescriptive, in-furrow application equipment launching in 2020.

The Smart Integrated Multi-Product Prescription Application System (SIMPAS) will enable farmers to prescriptively apply multiple products in one simple pass. Designed to be used with both liquid and dry products, farmers can apply fungicides, nematicides and micronutrients in furrow, at the same time and to only those parts of the field needing them.

Dispensing product from containers that utilize SmartCartridge™ technology, Lappin says SIMPAS enables farmers to prescriptively apply multiple products in one simple pass.

We have both audio and video interviews with Lappin on the SIMPAS system from NAFB.

NAFB19 Jim Lappin, AMVAC (6:35)


2019 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Agribusiness, AMVAC, Audio, Crop Protection, NAFB, Video

Precision Ag Bytes 11/20

Carrie Muehling

  • A modified JCB Fastrac has set a new world tractor speed record of 135.191 mph, which was the average of two high-speed runs conducted at Elvington Airfield in the United Kingdom and ratified by Guinness World Records. On its way to establishing the record, the machine known as Fastrac Two achieved a remarkable top speed of 153.771 mph.
  • Valent BioSciences officially launched its new biorational soil health initiative at the 4th Biostimulants World Congress in Barcelona. The launch follows more than four years of strategic investment including the acquisition of Mycorrhizal Applications in 2015, research and development, and business development to expand the company’s leading position in biological solutions for agriculture into the soil microbiome.
  • Italpollina, a world leader in the production of organic fertilizers, natural biostimulants and beneficial microbials for use in agriculture is pleased to announce a new global initiative – the launch of www.biostimulant.com.
  • Helena Industries, LLC is breaking ground on a 103,550 square foot chemical formulation and packaging facility at its plant in Des Moines, Iowa. The new facility is one of a multiphase, multimillion-dollar development project, which upon completion, will bring as many as 50 new jobs to the Des Moines area.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

Grains Council Talks Trade at NAFB Trade Talk

Cindy Zimmerman

Trade was probably the top topic at NAFB Trade Talk last week and the U.S. Grains Council was more than ready to talk about it.

Darren Armstrong, a North Carolina farmer who is currently serving as chairman of the council, discussed the need for Congress to ratify USMCA, the new agreement with Japan, potential for ethanol in China, and some of the other markets where the council is very active promoting U.S. exports.

The first time Chuck interviewed Darren was in 2009 on a USGC trade mission to Morocco, Egypt and Jordan so they enjoyed catching up and reminiscing about that trip.

NAFB19 Darren Armstrong, US Grains Council (4:26)

2019 NAFB Convention Photo Album

Content Creation from the NAFB Convention Thanks to
Coverage of the NAFB Convention is sponsored by FMC
Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Exports, Grains, USGC

Ethanol Report from #NAFB19

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association was pleased to be able to once again be a part of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) annual convention in Kansas City this past week. RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper and Vice President of Industry Relations Robert White were interviewed by dozens of farm broadcast reporters from around the country about the latest ethanol news.

In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, we hear from both Cooper and White who discuss topics such as small refinery waivers, exports, and the new custom design Flex Fuel Jeep Wrangler being showcased in a new Hauk Machines Amazon Prime video series.

Ethanol Report from NAFB (20:29)

Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes

Audio, Ethanol, NAFB, Podcasts, RFA