Ethanol Report DC Update

Cindy Zimmerman

When will that “giant package” of help for corn farmers and biofuel producers impacted by small refinery exemptions be announced by President Trump?

The industry is still waiting on that word. Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Geoff Cooper was in Washington DC last week and in this edition of The Ethanol Report he gives an update on what the industry wants from the administration, Brazil’s recent modest tariff rate quota increase, and educating Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) regulators.

Ethanol Report DC Update

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Audio, Ethanol, RFA

Fungicides Offer More Than Disease Protection

Carrie Muehling

Late planting across the Midwest in 2019 exposed farmers to a different set of problems than they might have faced otherwise, especially when it comes to disease pressure.

“Late planted corn responds more to a fungicide than early planted corn does,” said Randy Myers, Fungicide Product Development Manager with Bayer. “There are a whole bunch of reasons for that. The plant itself is more vulnerable and also, the soils are usually warmer with that later planting, so with the warmer soils the pathogens are also more active. So there’s more inoculum.”

But as farmers worked to control disease, they may have increased productivity in those fields.

“One of the neat things about fungicides is, if you’ve got the right chemistries, they also trigger physiological reactions in the plant to make them more reactive and less vulnerable to stress,” said Myers.

He said the Climate FieldView platform is helping farmers to pull together the needed information to improve decision making when it comes to using fungicides and other choices. Myers was at the 2019 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Randy here: Interview with Randy Myers, Bayer

Bayer at 2019 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, Bayer, Farm Progress Show, Fungicide

Syngenta Introduces Saltro for SDS

Cindy Zimmerman

Syngenta has received EPA registration for its newest seed treatment, Saltro® fungicide.

Formulated to deliver superior protection against Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and nematodes without causing plant stress, Saltro will be available for the 2020 growing season. Saltro contains Adepidyn® fungicide, an extremely powerful SDHI mode of action, which outperforms older chemistries and provides higher potential yield.

“For the first time ever, growers will have a seed treatment option for protecting their soybeans against SDS and nematodes that doesn’t cause additional stress on the plant and enables soybeans to reach their full genetic potential,” said Dale Ireland, Ph.D., technical product lead for Syngenta Seedcare. “With Saltro, we’ve seen a statistically significant yield increase of 3 bu/A over the current standard in heavy SDS environments1. It’s definitely an upgrade for SDS protection.”

Saltro also delivers robust activity across a broad spectrum of nematode species, including Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) – the No. 1 yield-robbing pest in soybeans and a major contributor to SDS infection.

“SDS and SCN are large concerns for soybean growers,” said Ireland. “Severe SDS infection can cause up to 50% yield loss2, and SCN has cost about $1.5 billion in U.S. yield loss3. Since Saltro provides protection against both, it will complement SDS- and SCN-resistant varieties to help soybeans maximize their yield potential.”

Beyond the SDS and nematode protection Saltro provides, growers can also look forward to their soybeans having better stands, healthier leaves and more robust early-season root mass development.

Learn more at SyngentaUS.com/Saltro.

AgWired Precision, Fungicide, Soybean, Syngenta

Animal Ag Bites 9/9

Carrie Muehling

  • With the help of the egg industry, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and Agricultural Marketing Service, and academia, USPOULTRY is introducing a new shell egg washing training module. The Egg Washing Principles module discusses why eggs are washed, what the operational requirements are for effective washing and pathogen control, and what the best practices are to monitor compliance of your food safety plan.
  • The International Production & Processing Expo is launching the eighth annual Young Leaders “30 under 30” program targeting young professionals who normally would not have the opportunity to attend IPPE. The goal of the program is to engage and invest in the next generation of young professionals, between the ages of 21 and 29, who work for companies directly involved in the production and processing of poultry and meat or in the production of animal food.
  • Arrowquip’s Research and Development Team has found the key to enhancing cattle flow within a working system – light. By incorporating the patented 3E: Easy Entry & Exit System into the BudFlow® Cattle Tubs and Easy Flow® Alleys, ranchers are equipped with features that allow them to use cattle behavior and light to their advantage. More importantly, with these new 3E features, the need for cattle hot-shot prods and paddles are reduced, keeping cattle stress levels and bruising to a minimum.
  • The poultry industry is pleased the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety & Health Administration has agreed to an alliance to share information, guidance and access to training resources that will help further improve the significant gains made in poultry worker safety over the past 25 years.
  • Vets Plus Inc. announces that Durvet, Inc. (Blue Springs, MO) will distribute its Merrick’s Blue Ribbon line of nutritional supplements and electrolytes.
  • Alltech and Archbold Biological Station’s Buck Island Ranch recently formed a strategic research alliance to jointly develop beef management approaches, specifically to increase the quality and quantity of beef produced in subtropical regions while maintaining and enhancing the environment. The Archbold–Alltech Alliance brings together scientists from two different disciplines — ecologists from Archbold and ruminant nutritionists from Alltech — to understand the impact that cattle production has on an ecosystem.
  • College students are gearing up for the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s annual College Aggies Online Scholarship Competition which kicks off September 16. This year’s students and collegiate clubs are competing for more than $21,000 in scholarships and a chance to win a trip to the Alliance’s 2020 Stakeholders Summit. For more information or to sign up, visit https://collegeaggies.animalagalliance.org.
AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

American Lamb Summit Recommendations

Cindy Zimmerman

American Lamb Board officials are pleased with the recommendations that came out of the first American Lamb Summit. Sponsored by the American Lamb Board (ALB) and Premier 1 Supplies, the summit brought together 200 sheep producers, feeders and packers from all over the country to Colorado State University (CSU) in Ft. Collins, CO, August 27-28.

The summit concluded that all segments of the industry need to further improve lamb quality to keep and attract new customers and become more efficient to recapture market share from imported lamb. At the same time, production technologies and product research put industry success within grasp.

“I have never been so enthusiastic about our industry’s opportunities, but we just can’t allow ourselves to be complacent or accept status quo,” said Dale Thorne, American Lamb Board chairman, a sheep producer and feeder from Michigan. Thorne stressed, “the end-game is profitability for all aspects of our industry.”

The Summit was designed to instill relevant, meaningful knowledge that can be implemented immediately to address both current and future needs. It also sought to inspire collaboration, networking and information sharing across all segments and geographic regions of the American Lamb industry.

Read more here.

AgWired Animal, American Lamb Board, Animal Agriculture, Lamb, Meat

Zimfo Bytes 9/6

Carrie Muehling

  • CNH Industrial N.V. announced its agreement to acquire AgDNA, a leader in Farm Management Information Systems.
  • Clariant announced that it has conducted tests on approximately 30 tons of miscanthus provided by INA, Croatia’s leading oil and gas company. INA is a consortium member of the publicly funded project “GRowing Advanced industrial Crops on marginal lands for biorEfineries” (GRACE).
  • OCP North America announced that it has joined Field to Market:The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, a multi-stakeholder initiative working to unite the agricultural supply chain in defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, fiber and fuel production.
  • Lely International and Lely North America are pleased to announce that Chad Huyser has been named Regional Director, Lely International and President, Lely North America. Huyser will lead all of Lely’s North American efforts and serve as one of five Lely Regional Directors worldwide.
  • After yet another year of depressed commodity prices, uncertainty in export and biofuels markets, rapid consolidation in the food and agriculture sectors, and extreme and unseasonal weather events, nearly 400 of National Farmers Union’s family farmer and rancher members will travel to Washington, D.C., next week to meet face-to-face with administration officials and members of Congress.
  • General Mills has released version 2.0 of its regenerative agriculture tool for farmers. The open source assessment is a user-friendly tool for farmers to understand alignment between their agricultural practices and the principle of regenerative agriculture, all while tracking progress and changes. Learn more here.
  • A new video explains that GMO Answers is a campaign that answers questions about how food is grown. The goal is to make information about GMOs and agriculture easier to access and understand.
Zimfo Bytes

Bayer and Luke Bryan Team for 5th Farm Tour

Cindy Zimmerman

Luke Bryan is getting ready to play it again for Bayer and farmers.

On September 26, country music superstar Luke Bryan will once again bring his Farm Tour across America to recognize and give thanks to the American farmer with Bayer as title sponsor for the fifth year.

Bryan, the son of a peanut farmer from Georgia, launched his Farm Tour in 2009 as a way to highlight and celebrate the contributions of America’s farmers. In 2015, Bayer partnered with Luke Bryan and launched its campaign to thank farmers and help fight hunger throughout the country.

Bayer will be highlighting its annual campaign, #HerestotheFarmer, which shares in Luke’s commitment to give back to farmers and help feed our world’s growing population. Every time someone shares the hashtag #HeresToTheFarmer on social media, Bayer will donate a meal to a hungry family through Feeding America® with a goal of donating 1 million meals.

Participating in the call are Luke Bryan and Ray Kerins, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Bayer. The call is moderated by Carolyn Nagle, External Communications, Bayer. You can listen to and download here: Luke Bryan & Bayer Media Call

Audio, Bayer

Bayer Seed Treatments Protect on Multiple Fronts

Carrie Muehling

With one of the broadest and most diverse portfolios of seed treatment in the industry, Bayer is helping farmers to protect their crops against more than just insect and disease pressure.

“Being covered on multiple fronts, whether that’s against diseases, pests, nematodes, maybe it’s drought or nutrient deficiency, having a different breadth of seed treatment can really help protect against whatever unpredictability Mother Nature throws your way,” said A.J. Hohmann, U.S. Marketing Manager for Bayer’s Seed Growth Business.

Hohmann said seed treatments can also fight against nematodes, or maximize root mass with bioenhancers. He said seed treatments routinely provide a two to seven bushel yield boost, and can even bring up to a 30 bushel advantage in situations where high pressures and adverse weather conditions threaten production.

Hohmann said in addition to protecting seed, Bayer is also working to protect farmers and agriculture communities with its Farm State of Mind initiative. The focus on mental health began in May 2019 as farmers in many areas work through one of the more challenging years on record. He encouraged farmers to join in on social media with the hashtag #FarmStateOfMind or visit acceleronsas.com/farmstateofmind to share stories and find resources for managing mental health challenges.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with A.J. here: Interview with A.J. Hohmann, Bayer

Bayer at the 2019 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, Bayer, Farm Progress Show, Seed

NAMA Names Professional Development Award Winners

Cindy Zimmerman

Three marketing and agricultural leaders will be honored as winners of the National Agri-Marketing Association 2019 Professional Development Awards of Excellence during the NAMA Fall Conference, October 7-9, in St. Louis.

This year, NAMA recognizes Douglas Reynolds, Marketing and Digital Communications Leader of the United States Region for Corteva Agriscience, in the Marketing Communications area; Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Vice President of Communications for the Animal Agriculture Alliance in the area of Public Relations; and Bob Brunker, Regional Director of Sales and Marketing for J. L. Farmakis, Inc., in the area of Sales.

The early registration rate for the NAMA Fall Conference ends on September 16, so you better HUSTLE! Download the full brochure here.

NAMA

Alltech Partners with American National CattleWomen

Cindy Zimmerman

Alltech has partnered with the American National CattleWomen (ANCW) to help promote diversity among agricultural leadership with a focus on beef promotion, education and legislation.

“The American National CattleWomen organization aims to educate consumers on the beef industry and the efforts to create sustainable practices that will ensure a safe food supply for years to come,” said Evelyn Greene, president-elect of ANCW. “I’m excited to partner with Alltech, as their vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™ compliments the mission of ANCW.”

Alltech’s vision for a more sustainable future was announced during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19) in May. Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, called for collaboration across industry sectors and geographical boundaries to create a world in which there is enough nutritious food for all, resources are responsibly managed for future generations and the environment is safe for people, animals and plants.

Taking a significant step toward its sustainability and Planet of Plenty goals, Alltech recently committed to the U.N. Global Compact and nine of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including gender equality. In alignment with these commitments and in support of women in agriculture, Alltech will provide financial sponsorship to aid Greene’s campaign as president of ANCW.

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Beef