Intrinsyx Bio Partners with Syngenta for Nutrient Use Efficiency
Syngenta Biologicals and Silicon Valley biotech company Intrinsyx Bio are partnering on a new biological solution to boost crops’ nutrient use efficiency.
The collaboration will boost farmers’ access to a custom selection of Intrinsyx Bio’s proprietary endophyte formulations. Endophytes – small microorganisms that colonize in plants – fix atmospheric nitrogen directly into the plant, increasing the availability and uptake of key nutrients such as phosphorus and micronutrients that are important for plant health. This reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, offering farmers greater flexibility in their nutrient management strategies while lowering the environmental impact of farming. Formulations will be offered as seed treatment and foliar application in key agricultural crops.
“This agreement represents another opportunity to expand the reach of our ‘biology that works,’” said Greg Thompson, CEO of Intrinsyx Bio. “Partnering with Syngenta allows farmers around the world to benefit from endophytes proven mode of action and extensive field testing that improves nutrient use efficiency and increases crop yields.”
Industry Ag News 7/8
Dave Treinen, Syngenta; Second Vice Chair – Bryan Gerard, JoMar Seeds.
Precision Ag News 7/5
Huma® Expands Domestic Sales Team
Huma®, Inc. has announced new additions to its domestic sales team. The Arizona-based company, formerly known as Bio Huma Netics®, continues its global expansion as the leader in the agricultural humic industry.
The new appointments and updated staff roles are intended to establish key points of contact across geographic locations effective immediately:
Steve Walmsley:
MidSouth Regional Sales Manager
— Walmsley brings more than 17 years of experience in the humates, fertilizer, seed, and irrigation sectors. Based in Monroe, Louisiana, Walmsley will serve customers in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Missouri Bootheel.
Davin Smith:
Pacific Northwest Regional Sales Manager
— Smith has served on the Huma® international sales team for 13 years, focusing primarily on Europe and South America. With a deep understanding of Huma® products across different crops and environmental conditions, Smith will now support customers in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
Barrett Smith:
Field Marketing and Research Specialist
— Smith will focus on providing technical product support to the sales team and customers. He will also conduct field trials. With nine years of experience in domestic sales at Huma®, Smith will continue to serve customers across the eastern seaboard and New England as the Eastern Regional Sales Manager.
Ag Interests Pleased with Chevron Doctrine Reversal
Last week’s Supreme Court decision that reversed the Chevron defense is being welcomed as good news for the nation’s agriculture industry.
“Farm Bureau applauds the U.S. Supreme Court for recognizing the damage Chevron deference has caused to the federal government’s balance of power,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “The Constitution built a system of checks and balances among three branches of government, to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful. The legislative branch creates the laws, the executive branch enforces the laws, and the judicial branch interprets the laws. Chevron deference created a super-branch of government.”
AFBF deputy general counsel Travis Cushman says the most important takeaway from the case is a restored balance of power at the federal level. “The key is that agencies will no longer be able to say how much power they have. What previously happened is courts would defer to agencies for an agency’s interpretation of its power, and, after this decision, courts will now be the ones to decide that. Not the agencies themselves,” said Cushman. “So many regulations that we believe–whether it’s USDA, EPA, Labor–push the bounds of what Congress intended, and this will force those agencies to really evaluate how much authority they have to regulate and allow us to challenge them when they’ve gone too far.”
Agricultural Retailers Association President & CEO Daren Coppock says the decision is important because it will require an agency to have specific statutory authority in order to submit private citizens or businesses to a regulatory requirement. “For the past 40 years, the Chevron doctrine has provided an opportunity for federal regulatory agencies to expand their regulations beyond the intent of Congress. If Congress was not specific in limiting an agency’s authority in statute, Chevron provided deference to the agency in interpreting its own authorizing statute,” said Coppock. “For our member companies who operate under these regulations, the clarity and certainty that result from this change are very valuable.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) says the ruling reaffirms the founding principle that the judiciary, not the executive bureaucracy, must exercise its constitutional duty to faithfully interpret the law.
“The Supreme Court has made clear that we are a nation governed by the rule of law, not by bureaucratic regulators,” said Grassley in a statement. “Congress will now be under extreme pressure to be more specific when writing legislation, so that a bill’s plain text can be clearly interpreted by the courts and federal agencies when legislation becomes law. This decision brings enhanced accountability to Congress and the executive branch.”
Alltech hosts Business Seminar at WPX 2024
During World Pork Expo, which was held June 5–6 in Des Moines, Iowa, the Alltech Pork Team hosted the Business Seminar, “Challenging health and productivity: How does the U.S. lead the world in sustainable, profitable pork production?” The seminar included leaders in the agriculture industry as they discussed the U.S. pork industry’s role in global trade, animal health and sustainability.
“Alltech as a company believes that agriculture has the greatest potential to positively shape the future of our planet,” said Mark Hulsebus, sales and portfolio director at Alltech, as he welcomed attendees. “Our customers, whether you’re in pork production, or beef or poultry or aquaculture, we all have the two most important jobs in the world, nourishing the people on our planet and preserving that planet in the process.”
The panel was moderated by Hulsebus, and he was joined by Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO at Alltech; Dr. Frank Mitloehner, director at CLEAR Center, UC Davis; Maria Zieba, vice president of government affairs at the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC); and Dr. Gordon Spronk, DVM Chair Emeritus at Pipestone.
You can watch the panel discussion below.
Animal Ag News 7/1
Cotton Council Announces Don Parker Memorial Scholarship
Parker first served as Manager of Integrated Pest Management and later as Vice President, Technical Services and Executive Director of the Cotton Foundation. He dedicated his career to advancing agricultural education, promotion, and inclusivity within the agriculture industry. As a visionary leader, he championed the cause of underrepresented minorities, recognizing their immense potential to shape the future of farming. This scholarship seeks to provide permanent financial support to deserving students who aspire to achieve degrees in agricultural-related programs.
Two tax deductible opportunities exist to honor the work of Dr. Don Parker. Larger group or corporate donors may prefer to choose the permanent endowed scholarship, while individuals may wish to make an immediate impact in Fall 2025. Follow the respective links below for the two opportunities:
USDA Estimates Corn Acres Down 3%, Soybeans Up 3%
The planted acres report out Friday from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimates 91.5 million acres of corn planted in the United States for 2024, down 3% from last year, with soybean acres estimated at 86.1 million acres, up 3% from last year.
The estimate for all cotton planted area for 2024 is 11.7 million acres, 14% above 2023. Upland cotton planted is estimated at 11.5 million acres, up 14% from last year. American Pima planted area is estimated at 182,000 acres, up 24% from 2023.