ZimmCast 629 – Farming Hemp in Florida

Chuck Zimmerman

This week I attended the inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Expo in Orlando. Hemp has become a hot topic in agriculture today since so many states have created legislation allowing it to be grown and more are in the process. That includes my home state of Florida.

I asked all the people I spoke with or interviewed during the Conference how USDA’s announced interim final rule on the Domestic Hemp Production Program would affect the budding industry and their company or organization. It appears that Florida and USDA are taking big steps to help create some certainty for farmers to grow a product that can be made into thousands and thousands of products.

Included in the program are: Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, Director of Cannabis, Holly Bell; Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Jerry Frankhauser; Geoff Whaling, Chairman of the National Hemp Association; and Coordinator of the Florida Industrial Hemp Conference, Gene Jones. You can find more interviews in our virtual ag newsroom on AgNewsWire here.

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

BTW. Feel free to contact me if you have ideas or suggestions for a future program. I’m always open to what would be of interest.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 629 - Hemp Farming in Florida
Subscribe to the ZimmCast by clicking here.

Ag Groups, Audio, Farming, hemp, ZimmCast

Secretary Perdue Talks Mexico Trade

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue led a trade mission to Mexico this week to investigate new opportunities with our nation’s largest bilateral trading partner and second-largest export market for agricultural products.

The secretary was joined by the heads of six state departments of agriculture: Bryan Hurlburt of Connecticut, Celia Gould of Idaho, Joseph Bartenfelder of Maryland, Chris Chinn of Missouri, Doug Goehring of North Dakota, and Derek Sandison of Washington. Other participants included representatives from various companies and organizations, including Alltech, Almond Board of California, Renewable Fuels Association, U.S. Grains Council, U.S. Soybean Export Council, and USA Rice.

Secretary Perdue held a call regarding the trade mission on Thursday where he also talked about USMCA, immigration and farm labor, disaster aid, and trade aid. Listen or download below.
USDA Secy Perdue press call on Mexico trade mission (18:16)

Audio, Exports, Trade, USDA

Ethanol Powered Jeep Wrangler Debuts in Vegas

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Kenny Hauk of Hauk Designs unveiled a new project at the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas this week that highlights the benefits of higher ethanol blends in high performance vehicles – a Flex Fuel Jeep Wrangler with more than 1,000 horsepower using a high-octane, low-carbon fuel containing up to 85 percent ethanol (E85).

Fans can watch the Hauk team design and build the RFA flex-fuel Wrangler in a special “Hauk Machines” Amazon Prime video series now airing. Since August, a series of five-minute mini-episodes have been airing on RFA’s Facebook page as a preview.

“This project is all about educating different consumer groups in a fun and innovative way,” said RFA Vice President for Industry Relations Robert White. “At RFA, we want to push the boundaries to show the potential of ethanol as a fuel for a wide variety of vehicles and demographics, especially when special interests tell us it can’t be done. Ethanol is a high-powered fuel that is perfectly suited for on road and off-road applications. It also helps keep our air and water clean, something important to off-road enthusiasts and conservationists. Kenny Hauk is the perfect person to help us tell this story and educate consumers globally through social media, television and at future events.”

White says plans are underway to get the one-of-a-kind Wrangler on the road for special events and shows around the country, to showcase the power and opportunities behind ethanol. He talks about the project in this interview:

Interview with Robert White on Flex Fuel Jeep Wrangler (8:11)

Audio, Ethanol, RFA

Zimfo Bytes 11/8

Carrie Muehling

  • New Holland is supporting agricultural non-profit organizations in the U.S. and Canada in conjunction with its Great New Holland Haytools Giveaway. The National FFA Foundation and 4-H Canada will be recognized as the beneficiaries in the U.S. and Canada respectively. For every entry New Holland receives, the brand, with a corporate match from CNH Industrial America LLC, will give $2 to FFA (if the entrant is located in the U.S.) and $2 to 4-H Canada (for entrants located in Canada) up to $100,000 USD. The final donations will be given in May 2020 at the conclusion of the giveaway. Producers can enter the giveaway at trade shows, their local New Holland Dealers, via text codes by texting BLUE to 31313 in the U.S. or 393939 in Canada, or via the contest website at newhollandgiveaway.com/BLUE.
  • Nominations are now open for the Outstanding Georgia Young Peanut Farmer. The state winner will be announced at the Georgia Peanut Farm Show. Applications are due to the GPC office by Monday, Dec. 2, 2019. The award application is available online at www.gapeanuts.com or by contacting Joy Crosby at 229-386-3690 or joycrosby@gapeanuts.com.
  • Make plans to attend the 44th annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020, from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia. The one-day show is free and open to all farmers and industry representatives to attend.
  • CommoditAg welcomes two new leaders, and introduces new roles to current team members. Ben Van Nostran, Chief Operating Officer, brings a 20-year career spanning marketing, sales and strategy leadership roles in U.S. and global markets to his role as COO. Kait Sheehan joined the CommoditAg team as the Marketing Manager. Karen Whitt serves as the Chief Financial Officer for CommoditAg, and Cheryl McWhorter recently assumed the role of CommoditAg Technology Manager. Harley Rensing joined the team in 2018 as Business Operations Associate and was named Customer Care Manager at the end of October 2019.
  • The World Food Prize announced the public launch of the Archive of the Foundation President, Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn. The Archive, which represents his entire 52 year public career, can be found at www.ambassadorkennethquinnarchive.org.
  • The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) was recognized last week for 50 years of support of the National FFA Organization at the organization’s 92nd annual convention held in Indianapolis.
  • The Michigan Agri-Business Association (MABA) Board of Directors announced Chuck Lippstreu has been selected to lead the association upon the retirement of current MABA president Jim Byrum in February 2020. He will join the association effective January 2
Zimfo Bytes

Hemp Research Important to Production Progress

Carrie Muehling

Hemp research is moving quickly in order to support industrial production of the crop, according to Jerry Fankhauser, Industrial Hemp Program Logistics Coordinator, Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, UF-IFAS.

“We’re moving as quickly as we can into a commercial environment with less than a year’s worth of research data. That’s a tall order,” said Fankhauser, who spoke at the inaugural Florida Hemp Conference in Orlando.

He said more than 20 faculty members at UF-IFAS are now engaged in some level of industrial hemp research, trying to understand what genetics might be adapted for growers in the state of Florida and what production systems they might use to grow different cultivars of hemp. They’re also working to understand the invasive potential of the crop and looking at possible pesticides that could eventually be registered for use with industrial hemp. Fankhauser said the USDA’s Interim Final Rule moves the process along even further.

“It means that now it really looks like an agricultural commodity. It’s going to be a permitted activity in our fields and greenhouses and growth rooms across Florida, and growers are going to need to understand what the rules are, what the limitations are,” he said.

The pilot project he is working on is just one aspect of research that is happening. Fankhauser said further collaboration as interest in industrial hemp production continues to grow.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Jerry here: Interview with Jerry Fankhauser, UF-IFAS

2019 Inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference Photo Album

Audio, hemp

National Pork Board Study Assesses China Market

Cindy Zimmerman

A new report from the National Pork Board defines China’s growing need for protein and details ways U.S. pork can fill the immediate protein gap. The new report, Pork 2040: China Market Assessment, also reveals the impact that African swine fever (ASF) is having on both China’s short- and long-term protein needs and how the Chinese pork industry and supply chain will change as a result.

According to the research, U.S. pork is poised to help fill the urgent short-term protein needs that ASF is creating in China due to the decrease in China’s domestic pig population. However, by 2025 Chinese pork production will have rebounded, and farms will have had time to rebuild and become more modern. The report outlines key steps that pork exporters can take now to increase exports to China in the short-term and defines a strategy to meet long-term demands. A few highlights from the report include:

Short-term – With the current ASF outbreak, the U.S. export industry will need to work hard to capitalize on the potential market share it can garner. The demand in the short term will be for pork cuts, variety meats and carcasses. Exporters also should use the benefit of time to build loyalty with both Chinese processors and consumers.
Long-term – As 2025 approaches and Chinese domestic production rebounds, Chinese pork will replace most of the import growth seen during the ASF outbreak. However, U.S. exporters can use these next five years to build customer relationships, value around their products and to differentiate themselves as a preferred supplier in the long-term.

Read more from the National Pork Board.

Exports, Meat, Pork, Pork Checkoff

Plant-Based Fake Meat Ad Points to Truth

Chuck Zimmerman

Plant-Based Fake MeatI don’t know about you but I like to know what’s in my food. When it comes to meat I prefer it to be made out of meat and not a bunch of processed ingredients. I also think it’s important for consumers to be given good information that they can make intelligent decisions with. That’s why I like this new ad from the Center for Consumer Freedom. The organization placed a full-page ad in The New York Times showcasing quotes from nutrition and medical professionals on plant-based meat’s healthiness—or lack thereof. Apparently 76% of Americans think “plant-based” foods are healthy but CCF is pointing to experts who urge caution about fake meat.

Companies that manufacture meat analogues are trying to latch on to clean eating trends by calling their products “plant-based.” In reality, these ultra-processed products, which can have dozens of ingredients, don’t grown on vines—they’re made in factories. As one dietitian puts it, “It’s not like you’re eating vegetables.” The National Institutes of Health recently found ultra-processed foods cause weight gain.

The ad, which can be found here, is the latest addition in CCF’s campaign to raise awareness of what’s in “plant-based meat.” Additional information, such as blogs and an ingredient comparison tool, can be found at CleanFoodFacts.com. Additional ads have run in The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post.

CCF managing director Will Coggin commented: “The fake meat industry has tried to play down the ultra-processing of these products by comparing them to yogurt or apple pie. But there’s a big difference between homemade baked goods and Frankenfoods created in labs.”

Food, Meat

Hemp Industry Pleased with USDA Rule as First Step

Cindy Zimmerman

With the release just last week of USDA’s interim rule for the U.S. Domestic Hemp Production Program, it was a big topic of discussion at the inaugural Florida Industrial Hemp Conference & Exposition this week in Orlando.

National Hemp Association chairman Geoff Whaling says the rule is a good first step. “This was a herculean lift for them (USDA) because they …. had to deal with ten federal agencies that have been absolutely against hemp and the legalization of it,” said Whaling.

Listen to his take in this interview:
Interview with Geoff Whaling, National Hemp Assoc. (15:22)

Also this week, the Hemp Industries Association (HIA®) 26th Annual HIACON was held in Charlotte, North Carolina. HIAF Executive Director Ray Mazzie said, “While the new regulations provide direction in the interim for farmers and others involved in the industrial hemp market, HIAF remains cautiously optimistic. It’s important for those with a stake in the industry to continue to weigh in on the proposed rules during the 60-day rulemaking process.”

Florida Industrial Hemp Conference photo album

Audio, Cannabis, hemp

Precision Ag Bytes 11/6

Carrie Muehling

  • Raven Industries, Inc. announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire majority ownership of DOT Technology Corp., a leader in autonomous agriculture solutions. The investment will align under the Company’s Applied Technology division in support of its recently announced strategic growth platform, Raven Autonomy™.
  • Raven Industries, Inc. announced it has acquired Smart Ag Inc., a technology company that develops autonomous farming solutions for agriculture. This acquisition is part of Raven Autonomy™, the Company’s strategic growth platform to become the industry leader in autonomous agriculture solutions, announced earlier this week.
  • Radicle Growth and Corteva Agriscience announced the launch of The Radicle Challenge by Corteva, to be hosted at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit. Together, Radicle and Corteva will identify a promising agtech startup that is solving agricultural challenges with novel technology solutions and support its success. Entrepreneurs with technologies across the agricultural landscape who are solving problems with breakthrough technology solutions are invited to apply to take part in the Challenge between now and December 6, 2019.
  • Case IH is expanding its tillage lineup with the new Speed-Tiller high-speed disk. Designed to create a high-efficiency, agronomically correct seedbed that helps plants thrive, the Speed Tiller is a true dual-season tool for primary and secondary tillage.
  • CNH Industrial N.V. announced its agreement to acquire ATI Inc., a global manufacturer of rubber track systems for high horsepower tractors and combine harvesters. This acquisition will provide Case IH customers with access to industry-leading track technology, extending the available range and enabling them to tailor their choice based on their specific floatation, suspension and traction requirements.
  • Farmers and contractors operating fleets of machinery from different brands will in the near future be able to securely exchange and view machine data through a common interface called DataConnect. DataConnect is the first direct, manufacturer-independent solution that enables the seamless, automatic and real-time exchange of important machine data between the various machine brand platforms. With John Deere, CLAAS, CNH Industrial and 356FarmNet as part of the initiative, producers operating Deere, CLAAS, New Holland, Case IH or Steyr brand farm equipment can easily access and view basic machine data elements including current and historical machine location, current fuel tank level, working status and forward speed from these connected machines via the portal of their choice.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

BASF Announces Collaboration with WinField United

Cindy Zimmerman

BASF and WinField® United, the crop inputs and insights business of Land O’Lakes, Inc., have announced a new digital farming collaboration.

The two companies will establish a single sign-on connection from WinField United’s ATLAS® platform to the BASF xarvio™ digital platforms, starting with xarvio SCOUTING, a mobile application that can quickly identify weeds and diseases with a click of a smartphone. Over time, growers and retailers will also have the ability to synchronize data between the xarvio and WinField United platforms, saving time with data entry while combining agronomic insights into one place.

“Given the tremendous workloads retailers and growers carry out, both groups will be pleased with the ease of use made possible through this collaboration,” said Paul Rea, Senior Vice President, BASF Agricultural Solutions North America. “WinField United customers will be able to utilize xarvio systems without having to create new credentials, enhancing their experience with both platforms.”

Learn more from BASF.

AgWired Precision, BASF, Precision Agriculture