Precision Ag News 9/11

Carrie Muehling

  • USDA announced funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) for fiscal year 2025. NRCS accepts applications year-round for ACEP Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE). Interested producers, landowners, and partners should apply by the next two ranking dates, Oct. 4, 2024, or Dec. 20, 2024, at their local NRCS office, to be considered for these two state-led funding cycles. In addition, any application submitted to NRCS that was unfunded in fiscal year 2024 will be automatically re-considered during the October 4 funding cycle.
  • From the stage of the Africa Food Systems Forum in Rwanda, the World Food Prize Foundation announced Dr. Dennis Beesigamukama, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Nairobi, Kenya, as the 2024 Recipient of the Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, Endowed by The Rockefeller Foundation. The announcement was made by 2021 World Food Prize Laureate Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted on behalf of the Foundation.
  • As the agricultural industry faces increasing demands for efficiency and sustainability, AgroLiquid is intensifying its collaborations with industry leaders to tackle some of the most pressing challenges in crop nutrition. By partnering with experts across various sectors, AgroLiquid is at the forefront of testing and developing innovative solutions that help farmers optimize their fertilizer use while addressing the real-world struggles they encounter in the field.
  • U.S. sales of 4-wheel-drive tractors increased 4.8 percent in August 2024 compared to the year before according to new data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. U.S. sales also increased 5.2 percent year-to-date. Total U.S. Ag tractor sales decreased 19.4 percent compared to 2023, while combine sales dropped 19.6 percent.
  • The 2024 Nebraska Water Conference will be held in Lincoln, Nebraska, on October 9 and 10. This year’s conference theme is Collaboration and Innovation in Nebraska Water. The conference will highlight successful collaborations and innovations in Nebraska water and discuss future opportunities in water research and management. Held at the Nebraska Innovation Campus conference center, this two-day event will feature discussions on emerging contaminants, drought preparedness, nutrient management, climate smart practices, nitrate research, water policy, climate water resilience, and modeling. Experts from the state and region will share their work and lead discussions on future opportunities for innovative partnerships.
  • Kubota Corporation, Osaka, Japan, through its North American subsidiary, Kubota North America Corporation, has acquired Bloomfield Robotics, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based company. Bloomfield provides a service that monitors the health and performance of specialty crops, one plant at a time, using advanced imaging and artificial intelligence (AI) to growers across seven countries and three continents.
  • The economic importance of hemp is increasing both globally and in the United States. However, because federal laws restricted hemp growth and research until recently, commercial hemp production lacks best practices for cultivation, including effective and safe pest and disease management. The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research`’s (FFAR) Hemp Research Consortium is providing a $210,000 grant to Cornell University to identify biologically derived crop protection products – biopesticides – to control hemp’s major pest and disease threats. BioWorks and the University of Kentucky (UK) are participating in the research, and BioWorks is providing matching funds for a total $420,000 investment.
  • Reinke Manufacturing, a global leader in irrigation systems and technology, today announced a $12 million investment in the modernization and automation of their manufacturing facilities to produce irrigation systems. Demonstrating its deep commitment to advanced technology, innovation, and excellence, the latest investment includes implementing advanced robotic technologies and expansion projects to increase production capacity and efficiency at its Deshler facility. Reinke is showcasing its new robotic manufacturing systems in addition to its precision irrigation technologies at Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, NE through September 12, 2024.
  • Vermeer has forged an alliance with G.T. Bunning & Sons Ltd, a UK-based leader in manure spreader manufacturing. This partnership integrates Bunning spreaders into the comprehensive Vermeer lineup serving North American hay, forage and livestock producers.
  • Rivulis Pte. Ltd., a global leader in advanced irrigation and climate solutions, today announced the opening of the largest micro irrigation production facility in North America to increase production capacity as the demand for resource-conscious irrigation solutions climbs. The addition of this new site exemplifies Rivulis’ commitment to deliver products and grower support to the expanding market while adhering to quality and sustainability measures across its supply chain.
  • The 3rd FIRA USA, co organized by GOFAR association, Western Growers and the University of California, will be held October 22-24 in Woodland, CA. The Yolo County Fair in Woodland will host an extended demo area, round tables addressing specific industry needs for automation, autonomous irrigation and perennial crops highlights, and always new robotics solutions to be showcased. Passes for FIRA USA are free of charge for growers.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Farm Foundation Hosts Farm Policy Forum

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Rod Snyder and Kip Tom

    While the Kamala Harris/Donald Trump debate took the spotlight this week, Farm Foundation hosted a forum on Monday that focused more specifically on the farm policy of each party’s candidate.

    Moderated by Kristina Peterson with The Wall Street Journal, The Agricultural Platforms of the Candidates for President of the United States featured Kip Tom, Farmers and Ranchers for Trump Coalition, for the Republican platform, while the Democratic platform was advocated for by Rod Snyder, former Senior Advisor for Agriculture for EPA in the Biden-Harris Administration. Topics covered included the farm bill, agricultural trade, environmental policy, farm labor and immigration, and biofuels policy.

    Snyder, who recently stepped down from his position with EPA, outlined the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration in the area of rural development, and pointed out the record of Gov. Tim Walz during his 12 years in Congress, “where he served 6 terms on the House Agriculture Committee and helped write three farm bills.” In his opening remarks, Snyder expressed concerns about how Trump policies on trade and immigration would impact agriculture. “Roughly 70% of ag workers in the United States are foreign born, and nearly half of those are undocumented,” said Snyder. “Trump is promising mass deportation on an unprecedented scale without any consideration for our country’s ag system, food prices, or least of all, the human toll.”

    Tom, an Indiana farmer who served as US Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture under President Trump, stressed the success of Trump’s trade policies, the impact of overregulation, and the need to control illegal immigration, as well as his concerns about reliance on foreign inputs. “Nearly 70% of the crop care products that we use in the United States are produced abroad, much in India, but primarily in China,” said Tom. “Imagine if they hit the kill switch… we couldn’t have the products that we need to fight back against the weeds, insects and diseases that we have in our crops or the the pharmaceutical or the drugs that we need for our livestock to keep them healthy.”

    Their brief opening statements were followed by a lively discussion that included questions from the audience at the National Press Club that is well worth watching. Watch the whole forum here.

    Listen to opening statements here:
    Farm Foundation forum opening statements (18:57)

    Audio, Farm Foundation, Farm Policy

    NK Offers 12 New Corn Hybrids for 2025

    Cindy Zimmerman

    With a decade of groundbreaking investments, NK is bringing stronger corn genetics and herbicide traits combined with enhanced testing to the farm faster than ever with the new 2025 NK Corn Hybrids.

    NK corn product manager Matt Dolch was at the recent Farm Progress Show to talk about the new hybrids. “We have an excellent new lineup here for 2025. We’ve launched 12 new corn hybrids here for the 25 market year ranging from 87 day to 114 day products. And we also have one brand new Enogen product bringing forward Enogen DuracadeViptera™ technology.”

    Learn more in this interview.
    FPS24 - Interview with Matt Dolch, Syngenta 2:07

    Agribusiness, Audio, Corn, Farm Progress Show, Seed, Syngenta

    Animal Ag News 9/10

    Carrie Muehling

  • Nominations are now being accepted for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Environmental Stewardship Award. Established in 1991, the Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP) annually recognizes outstanding stewardship practices and conservation achievements of cattle producers across the nation.
  • Registration for CattleCon 2025 is finally here! Hustle over to convention.ncba.org to register now and get the best deal. Now through October 1st, you can save $100 off your registration with our Super Saver Registration. Act fast because you’ll surely want to be where the beef industry meets at CattleCon 2025!
  • The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) has begun accepting nominations and applications for the fourth Cohort of the Advanced Training for Animal Agriculture Leaders. Applications and nominations are due November 17 at 11:59 p.m.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of an updated guideline that makes recommendations to strengthen the documentation that supports animal-raising or environment-related claims on meat or poultry product labeling. The action builds on the significant work USDA has already undertaken to protect consumers from false and misleading labels and to implement President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American economy.
  • The United States announced Chile has approved an agreement between the two countries that further enhances the existing U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement, which marked its 20th anniversary earlier this year and is one of the oldest agreements for both countries. The exchange of letters contained in this agreement formalize protections for U.S. cheese exports to Chile, which make up over half of all U.S. dairy exports to Chile and exceeded $55 million in 2023. At the urging of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and fellow industry representatives, the Biden Administration engaged in negotiations on an exchange of letters to attach to the existing U.S.-Chile free trade agreement (FTA) that would further protect some U.S. cheeses from losing access once the EU’s GI commitments enter into force.
  • The Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) New Product Competition for college students is accepting entries for 2025. The competition seeks innovative dairy product concepts and is open to undergraduate and graduate students in the U.S.
  • Certified Angus Beef (CAB) showcased the best Angus beef at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival in Canton, Ohio. The first weekend of August saw CAB’s involvement in two-key activations: the Enshrinees’ Gold Jacket Dinner and the Class of 2024 Unscripted & Tailgate.
  • The poultry industry has long faced various challenges and opportunities, but one issue that remains at the forefront is bird welfare. This year, the National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation, United Egg Producers and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association are joining forces again for the 2024 Live Production, Welfare and Biosecurity Seminar. Scheduled for Oct. 3-4 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Downtown in Nashville, Tenn., this seminar aims to address these ongoing concerns.
  • A new director at NOVUS is driving innovation at the intelligent nutrition company. Gaurav Shah recently joined NOVUS as the new associate director of innovation and business development. He is responsible for routing Novus’ innovation pipeline and strategy in the newly created role.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Amp Americas Dairy RNG Projects Hit Milestone

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Amp Americas, a leading dairy methane capture and renewable natural gas (RNG) company, today announced that its projects have hit the milestone of reducing more than 2,000,000 metric tons (MT) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions since 2012 – equal to the emissions of more than five natural gas-fired power plants in one year.

    Amp Americas partners with dairy farmers across the United States on projects that reduce methane emissions from dairy waste. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas – 84 times more powerful than carbon dioxide in driving global warming over a 20-year time span. Amp Americas provides an immediate, measurable and at-scale solution to methane emissions by capturing methane on dairy farms that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. Dairy RNG also reduces the cost of managing dairy waste and produces digestate that can be used as fertilizer.

    “For 12 years, we have worked alongside farmers to make a real, quantifiable impact on greenhouse gas emissions while improving the air quality in rural communities,” said Grant Zimmerman, CEO of Amp Americas. “Two million metric tons is a milestone we’re proud of, especially since there are no other near-term solutions that can tackle methane emissions like our RNG projects. We are grateful for our farm partners and excited to work with them to increase our impact. With access to new markets, Amp will develop additional projects on more and smaller farms across the United States.”

    Amp has 17 RNG projects across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, Idaho and Kansas that create well-paying jobs and help dairy farmers improve air quality and reduce risks to water quality in their rural communities. These projects will prevent 700,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions per year by the end of this year, the same climate impact as taking 166,601 cars off the road for one year. Amp Americas received the first dairy waste-to-vehicle fuel pathway certified by the EPA under the Renewable Fuel Standard and the first pathway certified by California’s Air Resources Board (“CARB”). Visit ampamericas.com to learn more.

    AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, carbon, Dairy, Energy

    Ethanol Report From Farm Progress Show

    Cindy Zimmerman

    It was a beautiful week in Boone, Iowa for the Farm Progress Show, the nation’s largest outdoor ag show. It is a show that the Renewable Fuels Association always attends because it brings out farmers from all over the ethanol-producing part of the country to see what’s new in the industry.

    RFA displayed its custom Flex Fuel Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle and an off-road flex-fuel Can Am and had staff on hand to talk about ethanol issues such as the road to E15, record exports, 45 tax credit progress, and more.

    In this edition of the Ethanol Report, Chuck Zimmerman interviews RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper and RFA Senior VP for Industry Relations & Market Development Robert White from the Farm Progress Show.

    Ethanol Report 8-28-24 16:12

    The Ethanol Report is a podcast about the latest news and information in the ethanol industry that has been sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association since 2008.

    Choose an option to subscribe

    Audio, Ethanol, Farm Progress Show, RFA

    Rivulis Opening New Micro Irrigation Manufacturing Facility

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Global irrigation leader Rivulis today announced the opening of the largest ever micro irrigation production facility in North America to increase production capacity to meet the expanding market while adhering to quality and sustainability measures across its supply chain.

    The 160,000-square-foot site in Tijuana, Mexico, was designed with the future in mind to not only meet today’s customer needs, but with production and office space capacity to enable further growth. The facility will produce Rivulis’s leading T-Tape products, known for their high standard performance in water application, flow rate uniformity, clogging resistance and materials strength growers have relied on for nearly four decades.

    The new production facility includes advanced film processing technology designed to improve product performance even further and incorporate more recycled content, with the aim to achieve a goal of at least 50 percent recycled material be used in the production of select T-Tapes. Materials used in this facility will eventually flow through a recycling center which will collect used drip tapes from farmers’ fields, with plans to recycle 100 percent of plastic scraps created in the production process.

    climate, Equipment, Irrigation

    Vermeer Expands with Bunning Manure Spreaders

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Vermeer has announced a partnership with G.T. Bunning & Sons Ltd, a UK-based leader in manure spreader manufacturing, to integrate Bunning spreaders into the Vermeer lineup serving North American hay, forage and livestock producers.

    The current Vermeer agricultural equipment range includes self-propelled balers, round balers, mowers, tedders, rakes, bale wrappers, bale processors, vertical mixers and feed wagons. The addition of Bunning spreaders extends the Vermeer equipment lineup, providing more solutions for farm operations of all sizes.

    Bunning, with a century-long history, brings valuable experience to the partnership. Both companies share a vision for meeting farmer and rancher needs through ongoing innovation and have parallel histories of quality, innovation and customer-focused solutions.

    The initial product line will cater to operations of various sizes, featuring spreaders from 300 ft3 to 1,400 ft3 (8.5 m3 to 40 m3).

    For more information about these products, please visit vermeer.com or get in touch with a local Vermeer dealer.

    AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Forage, Livestock

    Precision Ag News 9/4

    Carrie Muehling

  • The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation has been awarded a $3 million cooperative agreement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement the Pesticide Inspector Residential Training Program. This funding, effective Aug. 2, will significantly expand the nationwide educational training provided to pesticide inspectors and enforcement staff over the next five years.
  • Registration is now open for the 2025 Independent Professional Seed Association Annual Conference in Palm Springs, CA. This year, keynote speakers include Shawn Hackett, renowned Ag commodities expert; Chris Voss, former FBI hostage negotiator; and J.J. Cummings, celebrated for his transformative leadership in the U.S. Navy.
  • EarthOptics and Pattern Ag have merged, creating a category leader in soil digitization to power advanced crop management and climate sustainability. The newly combined soil intelligence company will operate under the name EarthOptics and be the authoritative source of soil insights and the leader in Predictive Agronomy.
  • Bushel, an independently-owned software technology company focused on developing digital tools for the agricultural supply chain, announced the addition of Tony Morosini to the Bushel leadership team to further expand adoption and accelerate innovation within digital payments in agriculture. Morosini joins Bushel as Chief Digital Payments Officer, bringing over 20 years of experience in the payments and fintech industry. Morosini will lead the growth and development of Bushel’s digital payment solutions, focusing on growing the adoption of digital payments on Bushel Wallet among agribusinesses and farmers.
  • Kirby Green of Daviess County, Kentucky, veteran agribusiness professional, has joined Mutiny Crop Performance as National Sales Manager. Green will immediately take responsibility for carrying out the Mutiny mission of providing quality products and prescriptive crop production solutions for farmers demanding change, as well as further build-out of Mutiny’s dealer network.
  • Ceres Imaging announced its rebranding to Ceres AI. This rebrand highlights the company’s foundation and leadership in computer vision and machine learning, which are crucial in enabling all participants in the agricultural industry – in particular large agribusinesses and financial services customers – to access quality data to make faster and more accurate data-driven decisions.
  • Syngenta Biologicals and Provivi announced a collaboration to develop and commercialize new pheromone-based biological solutions to effectively and more safely control detrimental pests in corn and rice in Asia – Yellow Stem Borer (YSB) in India and Indonesia and Fall Armyworm (FAW) in Thailand. The YSB Eco-Dispenser for India and Indonesia, and the FAW Eco-Granules for Thailand will be available to farmers starting in 2026.
  • Bayer’s national flagship brand DEKALB is proud to announce its new partnership as the Official Corn Seed of the Field of Dreams Movie Site. DEKALB DKC64-64RIB brand blend surrounds the filming site of the iconic 1989 Field of Dreams baseball movie while it continues to make dreams come true for countless baseball fans around the world. Rahe Farms of Dyersville has farmed the Field of Dreams Movie Site for more than two decades and takes great pride growing legendary corn seed at one of the most famous fields ever known.
  • Bayer announced that the company has selected Genvor Inc., a US-based crop protection business, as the recipient of its first Golden Ticket award. Genvor will receive year-long access to lab space and equipment at Bayer’s LifeHub California @AgStart, one of the premier U.S. AgriFoodTech innovation ecosystems. This will allow Genvor to connect with Bayer mentors and experts in Bayer’s global innovator network.
  • As harvest begins across the country, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) reminds farmers about the importance of taking precautions to ensure treated seed does not enter the grain supply. Seed treatments provide farmers with an economical means of protecting seeds and seedlings against early-season insect pests and diseases—resulting in stronger and more uniform stands, healthier plants and higher crop yields. Farmers and applicators know the importance of proper management throughout the entire life cycle of the seed to minimize the risk of pesticide exposure to humans and the environment. This includes removing all treated seed left in containers and equipment used to handle harvested grain.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it would deregulate the HB4 drought-tolerant trait from Bioceres Crop Solutions. The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) is thankful for the USDA’s decision to provide a robust, science-based process that affords a pathway for the cultivation of the HB4 trait in the United States, which has the potential to benefit both farmers and consumers. Access to drought-tolerant wheat like HB4 could help with global supply challenges and further enhance the sustainability of wheat by using less water and other inputs.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Animal Ag News 9/3

    Carrie Muehling

  • The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) released its annual, “Our Industry, Our Promise,” report, detailing the operational challenges facing U.S. feed and pet food manufacturers and actions the AFIA is taking to address them. The report provides an analysis of the animal food industry’s contribution to the U.S. and global economies and the forces creating an uncertain business climate. It also provides an inside look at efforts underway to usher the federal regulation of animal food into the 21st century and steps the industry is taking to better protect animal and human health while producing safer, more sustainable food.
  • National Institute of Animal Agriculture recently welcomed two new co-chairs to the Antibiotics Council: Dr. Heather Fowler from the National Pork Board and Dr. Alexandra Medley from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
  • Ralco, a leading innovator in natural animal health, is proud to announce the launch of Rapid Strike, an advanced oral drench designed to maintain health during times of calf scours, a common and costly issue for beef and dairy producers.
  • Local meat processing facilities, particularly small businesses that work with a relatively low volume of processing, are vital contributors to the food supply chain in many communities across the country. One of the primary challenges they face is how to manage the wastewater produced from their operations. The issue has been brought to the national forefront in recent years, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency examines the environmental effects of wastewater from the meat processing industry. In Michigan, these low-volume facilities often rely on decentralized wastewater treatment due to cost and lack of access to municipal centralized options. They frequently must obtain a groundwater discharge permit from a state or regulatory agency, such as the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Two projects to help small meat processors manage wastewater have been funded by the Michigan Alliance for Animal Agriculture.
  • Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative has added a new staff position to support its government affairs and permitting and regulatory departments with advocacy and outreach efforts. Erin Tomasik has joined the team as the Community Relations Manager. Among her responsibilities, she will engage, connect and collaborate with legislators and stakeholders on behalf of the association and its affiliates.
  • In April 2024, USDA-APHIS issued a final rule updating their existing 2013 regulations on animal disease traceability (ADT). The updated rule will take effect on November 5, 2024. This update now requires ear tags to be used as official animal identification for the interstate movement of covered classes of cattle to be both visually and electronically readable. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) will host a webinar entitled “Updated EID Tag Requirements for Disease Traceability” on Thursday, September 5, 2024 at 6:00PM CST. Register here.
  • The Joint Poultry Industry Safety & Health Council is currently accepting applications for the Frank Cruice Innovation in Safety & Health Award. The award is named in honor of Frank Cruice, formally of Perdue Farms, who was an active member of the Joint Poultry Safety & Health Council for more than 20 years. In addition, Cruice led the industry safety award committee and served as Council Chair from 2019 – 2021 before he retired. Award program rules, regulations and application forms are available by clicking here.
  • The International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) is accepting applications for the 13th annual IPPE Young Leaders Under 30 Award. This initiative, supported by the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), the Meat Institute and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), aims to recognize emerging leaders in the industry. The award offers recipients a chance to gain visibility at the world’s largest annual trade show focused on the production, packing and processing of meat, poultry and egg products, as well as animal feed and pet food.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites