Administration Officials Address Commodity Classic

Cindy Zimmerman

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan both addressed a record crowd Friday at the Commodity Classic in Houston, Texas.

Secretary Vilsack disappointed many in the audience who expected an announcement on the revised GREET model necessary for agriculture to benefit from tax credits for Sustainable Aviation Fuel under the Inflation Reduction Act. “Obviously we’re not in a position today to announce the guidance that will be coming forth from the Treasury Department as it relates to the Sustainable Aviation fuel and the tax credits that will be available in 2023 and 2024 and the tax credits that will go in place in 2025 and beyond. Now, the reason we’re not is because we’re measuring twice and cutting once. We want to make sure that the latest and best information is utilized in the modeling that will inform the Treasury guidance.”

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack remarks
Classic24 Vilsack remarks 22:48

While EPA is also part of the Interagency Working Group tasked with revising the GREET model, Administrator Regan was at Classic to announce the first EPA Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. “I’m excited also that this office will be led by Rod Snyder, who has served in as my senior advisor for Agriculture since 2021. We have someone competent who’s been on the job coming into this job and he’s going to do an awesome job for not only EPA, but for all of you as well. With Rod’s leadership and with the establishment of this new office, we will ensure agriculture and rural stakeholders have a continual seat at the table at EPA for many years to come.”

Classic24 Regan remarks 8:43

Secretary Vilsack and EPA Administrator chat with Chandler Goule
Classic24 Vilsack and Regan fireside chat 22:15
Sec. Vilsack and Admin. Regan press conference
Classic24 Vilsack-Regan presser 17:40

2024 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Audio, Commodity Classic, EPA, USDA

Industry Ag News 3/1

Carrie Muehling

  • The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Dr. Basil Gooden as USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development. Dr. Gooden has served as Director of State Operations for Rural Development since July 2021 and will fill the under secretary position left vacant by Xochitl Torres Small, who was confirmed in July 2023 as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.
  • The Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI) Foundation announced that its building will be named after Bill Northey and simply called “The Northey Building”.
  • Craig Curry, 70, a Protect The Harvest advisor since 2013, succumbed to a lengthy battle with health issues on Feb. 3. A Greenwood, Ind., resident, Curry provided Protect The Harvest with the management of regulatory, legislative and litigation issues on national, regional, state and local animal welfare, property rights, food security, environmental and non-government organization (NGO) matters.
  • Elite Octane — a leader in the biofuel industry, producing 150 million gallons of bioethanol annually — joined the nation’s leading biofuel trade associations, the Renewable Fuels Association and Growth Energy.
  • Alltech is proud to continue to partner with the Women in Food & Agriculture (WFA) Mentorship Program. Applications are now open for new mentors of any gender and for female mentees from across the global food and agriculture sector. Now in its fourth year, the free-to-join program is dedicated to supporting women across the global food and agriculture sector by providing invaluable mentorship opportunities and has proven to be a beacon of support for women seeking guidance, advice and networking opportunities in their careers.
  • Meister Media Worldwide announces the launch of CEAg World, the new and innovative multi-media global business “Advancing Food Under Cover.” This global brand will represent and unify all the emerging industry segments of crops grown in controlled environments, including greenhouses, hoop houses and high tunnels, operations using shading or netting, vertical farms, container farms, and more.
  • A federal District Court in Arizona vacated the registration for over-the-top (OTT) applications of dicamba on dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton. OTT dicamba products Xtendimax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF) and Tavium (Syngenta) were all included in the decision which is national in scope. The Agricultural Retailers Association disagrees with this decision. It removes a determination that should be made by a science- based regulatory agency to a federal court, and the timing of the decision will be extremely disruptive to ag retailers, distributors, manufacturers and farmers who made plans to use these products in 2024.
  • The National Cotton Council is extremely disappointed in a ruling by the Arizona Federal court that vacates the label for over-the-top use of dicamba products for the 2024 crop. The impacts of this ruling will be felt across the Cotton Belt as dicamba-tolerant varieties account for more than 75 percent of U.S. cotton acres.
  • Members of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers elected a new leadership team during the organization’s annual meeting held February 8 in Champaign, IL with Elizabeth Strom being named the new president.
  • Saying U.S. farmers depend on the strong demand that comes with expanded market access, the National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Corn Congress passed a consensus statement encouraging federal officials to pursue trade opportunities and invest in foreign market development to ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in corn production and trade.
  • National Farmers Union (NFU) President Rob Larew was appointed by President Biden to the White House Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN).
    • Zimfo Bytes

    USDA and EPA Leaders Today at Classic

    Cindy Zimmerman

    At the general session this morning in Houston, Commodity Classic attendees will hear from both USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and EPA Administrator Michael Regan in an unprecedented appearance that is expected to announce the updated GREET model that would allow corn-based ethanol to qualify as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) credits.

    Mary Kay Thatcher, Federal Government and Industry Relations for Syngenta, says speculation is they will be bringing good news. “They both requested to be here so you have to believe that in an election year, you don’t bring bad news,” said Thatcher. “The speculation is that Administrator Regan will indeed announce something about the GREET model.”

    However, Thatcher says it may take some time to figure out the details of the announcement. “I suspect it’s going to be so darn complex…it’s really going to take a few days to read the fine points.”

    It is likely that Regan will also address the recent court decision vacating the registrations of Dicamba products and EPA’s subsequent order to allow existing stocks to be used by farmers. Thatcher says that is a major issue for growers right now. “It affects both our seed side and crop protection,” she said. “I’m told EPA says 90 percent of the Dicamba is out of the stocks of people like Syngenta, but I’ve got a lot of farmers telling me they have prepaid for their dicamba but are not getting it.”

    Thatcher says EPA could make an announcement about whether they will allow the companies to release dicamba stocks in inventory or if they will appeal the decision.

    Listen to this interview with Thatcher and stay tuned for the news from Classic today.
    Classic24 Mary Kay Thatcher, Syngenta 5:29

    2024 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    Audio, Commodity Classic, Corn, Ethanol, Syngenta

    DPH Bio Offers BioAgonomics™ to Redefine On-Farm Value

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Mick Messman, DPH Biologicals, at 2024 Commodity Classic

    At Commodity Classic in Houston, Texas this week, DPH Biologicals announced the expansion of its science-first, data-verified approach with a multi-year effort to quantify the comprehensive value potential of biologicals.

    “DPH Bio has been committed to science that yields results from day one. Based on multi-year field research and through collaborations with our partners, we aim to provide customers a deeper understanding of the distinct value potential unlocked by biologicals,” said Mick Messman, President and CEO of DPH Bio, speaking at the annual event for corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum producers. “Historically, return-on-investment has been measured by the cost to increase yield. However, our customers see the long-term value that biologicals deliver, such as improved soil health, water use efficiency, disease control, and plantability.”

    A review of 107 corn trials conducted over three years using TerraTrove SP-1 Classic revealed increased fertilizer efficiency in addition to average yield increase of 2.5 bu/A.

    “Although yield is an important metric, we believe it’s critical for growers to be able to measure the holistic value of biologicals in the field and across their entire business,” said Messman. “As we expand our portfolio and industry partnerships, we are pioneering the concept of ‘BioAgonomics’ to capture and maximize the full value proposition of biological solutions. As we further analyze the data, we are seeing some interesting trends based on management practices and soil conditions.”

    For example, in a multi-year study, SP-1 averaged 6.5 more bushels per acre in high-yield, 220-bushel per acre corn in the Midwest.

    Learn more in this interview with Mick Messman:
    Interview with Mick Messman from Commodity Classic 5:46

    Growers at Commodity Classic are invited to visit DPH Bio at Booth 6945 on the third floor of the George Brown Convention Center. In addition, the company plans a series of workshops, including a CropLife webinar on March 5th.

    Agronomy, AgWired Precision, Audio, Biologicals, carbon, Commodity Classic, Corn

    Precision Ag News 2/28

    Carrie Muehling

  • A recent survey by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) found that an added 10.5 million acres of cover crops will be planted in the next five years as a result of USDA’s Partnerships for Climate Smart-Commodities projects. The program, announced in February of 2022, was established to support conservation practices, particularly for small and underserved producers. ASTA’s survey focused on cover crop acres through the lifespan of the projects, using numbers provided by the respective projects leads.
  • Harvest Returns, an online platform for agriculture investing, announced a partnership with Good Agriculture, a farmer-first, tech-enabled company focused on helping agriculture producers manage the business side of their operations. The partnership entails customer referrals between the two companies for their respective services.
  • Bushel released its annual State of the Farm Report, sharing the voice of the U.S. farmer with preferences and opinions on farming practices, grain marketing strategies, and technology usage and perceptions. Bushel is an independently owned software technology company focused on developing digital tools for the agricultural supply chain. Started in 2017, the Bushel State of the Farm Report is based on one of the largest farmer surveys in the industry.
  • Purdue University’s Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) has launched its new interactive chilling hours tool. Growers now can more closely monitor accumulated chilling hours, an important factor that tracks how long fruit plants have been exposed to an ideal range of cool temperatures throughout the dormant season.
  • SweetWater Technologies Powered by Gripp has launched a new business partnership opportunity for the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs. The enterprise, a turn-key, owner-operator drone business, is targeting young agricultural partners carving out their own niche within the farming industry and providing them an active way to contribute to their family’s existing farm operations.
  • Today marks 10 years since the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created regional Climate Hubs, which were established to help support the agricultural producers and rural communities make climate-informed decisions. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is highlighting how these regional climate centers – bolstered by President Biden’s historic climate agenda – are helping farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and communities address the threats of climate change.
  • SVG Ventures| THRIVE, a global venture and innovation platform, and Alberta Innovates, the innovation engine of Alberta, Canada, join forces to unveil the Climate Challenge – a ground-breaking initiative aimed at accelerating innovation at the intersection of agriculture and energy to combat climate change and create a sustainable future.
  • Registration is now open for the 17th annual Conservation in Action Tour, hosted by the Conservation Technology Information Center on June 10-11 in Arkansas, with Memphis, TN as the hotel base. Delve into Arkansas’s conservation efforts through farm tours and hands-on demonstrations.
  • The American Soybean Association congratulates this year’s regional winners of the 2024 Conservation Legacy Award: Brad and Joyce Doyle, Weiner, Arkansas (Southern Region); Jacob Kaderly, Monticello, Wisconsin (Upper Midwest Region); Donald Morse, Birch Run, Michigan (Northeast Region); and Chris Von Holten, Walnut, Illinois (Midwest Region).
  • Syngenta announced that it has a new seed treatment in development for soybeans and cotton, which will be called Victrato. Upon approval by the Environmental Protection Agency for registration, which is anticipated by the 2025 growing season, the new seed treatment will introduce targeted technology to stop nematodes, Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) and Cotton Root Rot (CRR) without harming beneficial organisms.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    ZimmCast 726 – Clean and Renewable Fuels

    Cindy Zimmerman

    ZimmCastThe push for everything to be more carbon neutral and sustainable has never been stronger, and that continues to increase the demand for clean and renewable fuels.

    Clean Fuels Alliance America and the Renewable Fuels Association have both held their annual conferences this year to focus on the challenges and opportunities for the U.S. biofuels industry. The Clean Fuels Conference was held in Fort Worth and the National Ethanol Conference took place in San Diego.

    This episode of the ZimmCast includes comments from leaders of both organizations, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and representatives from the two major players in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry – Gevo and LanzaJet.

    Listen to the episode here:ZimmCast 726 - Clean and Renewable Fuels (22:25)

    That’s the ZimmCast for this week. I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

    Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

    Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Clean Fuels Alliance, Ethanol, National Ethanol Conference, RFA, ZimmCast

    Agri-Pulse Celebrates 20 Years

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Agri-PulseIt was great to catch up with good friends Sara Wyant and Al Johnson of Agri-Pulse while at the National Ethanol Conference last week in San Diego.

    We have known Sara and Al for a very long time and are sharing the significant milestone of 20 years for both of our companies this year. In this interview, Sara and I chat about 20 years of Agri-Pulse and the upcoming Agri-Pulse Ag & Food Policy Summit: Reviving Rural Revenues on March 18 at the National Press Club.

    During the 2024 Ag & Food Policy Summit, we’ll explore a wide variety of options, from local food systems to biomanufacturing, environmental markets and the potential to increase overseas demand. We’ll wrap up with a panel of policy analysts who’ll explore some of the outside influences that are impacting the future of food and agriculture’s ability to stay economically sustainable.

    Interview with Sara Wyant, Agri-Pulse
    Agri-Pulse, Audio

    National Ethanol Conference Wrap Up

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The 29th National Ethanol Conference held in San Diego California last week may go down as one of the best and most timely industry meetings ever, setting the stage for major decisions that hang in the balance this year, including year-round availability of E15 and a revised GREET model that will determine ethanol’s role in sustainable aviation fuel.

    The Renewable Fuels Association was pleased to welcome USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to the NEC this year, as well as Doug McKalip, Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative. This edition of the Ethanol Report includes comments from both of them, as well as RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper, RFA Chairman Erik Huschitt of Badger State Ethanol, Dr. Michael Wang with Argonne National Laboratory, and RFA Senior VP, Industry Relations & Market Development Robert White.

    Ethanol Report 2-26-24 19:10

    2024 National Ethanol Conference Virtual Newsroom

    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, National Ethanol Conference, Podcasts, RFA

    Animal Ag News 2/26

    Carrie Muehling

  • USDA announced that the 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) sign-up will open Feb. 28 and run through April 29. For more NMPF resources related to the DMC program and other federally backed risk management programs, visit here.
  • The Dairy Business Association, Wisconsin’s leading dairy advocacy group, held its sixth annual Dairy Day at the Capitol event in Madison. Over 30 DBA members, both farmers and other corporate professionals, gathered at the Wisconsin State Capitol to advocate for the state’s dairy community.
  • San Antonio, Texas, will host CattleCon 2025, the largest cattle industry event in the country, Feb. 4-6, 2025. Thousands of cattlemen and women will gather to learn, conduct business, network and have fun.
  • To deepen meat industry coordination and government collaboration in Canada, Mexico and the United States, the Canadian Meat Council (CMC), Consejo Mexicano de la Carne (COMECARNE), and the Meat Institute signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that formalizes the three associations’ ongoing work to improve trade, reduce regulatory barriers and enhance information exchange within North America. The organizations also finalized a Joint Statement of Coordination that emphasizes their collective commitment to addressing foreign animal diseases, sustainability and non-tariff trade barriers.
  • Smithfield Foods has donated $100,000 to fund a mobile food retail market that will provide fresh food in food deserts throughout southeastern North Carolina. The donation to Ripe for Revival, a nonprofit founded to address food insecurity in North Carolina, was used to purchase a bus that has been transformed into a mobile food market. The bus will offer fresh, local, healthy food to the public, including many families experiencing food insecurity, at pay-what-you-can prices. Smithfield’s donation brings Ripe for Revival’s fleet up to a total of five buses.
  • Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the oldest and largest livestock association in the Southwest, announced the TSCRA Leadership Development Foundation, a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to develop future land and livestock stewards and leaders. The TSCRA Leadership Development Foundation will support high school and college programs, internships, young professional development opportunities and grant programs.
  • Sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY), the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and the Meat Institute, the annual Animal Agriculture Sustainability Summit brought together more than 125 attendees to hear the latest on how the meat, poultry and egg, animal feed and pork industries are advancing their sustainability programs. The summit was held during the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Ga.
  • U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) recognized six poultry farms that were nominated for the annual Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award at the International Poultry Expo, part of the 2024 International Production & Processing Expo. The award is given annually to recognize exemplary environmental stewardship by family farmers engaged in poultry and egg production.
  • The Joint Industry Safety and Health Council recognized four poultry facilities with the Frank Cruice Innovation in Safety & Health Award at the 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE). The facilities were recognized for a significant advancement in operational excellence in a safety and/or health innovation.
  • During the 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), six researchers presented their findings from recently completed research projects funded by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and its Foundation as part of the TECHTalks sessions offered during the Expo. All the researchers’ presentations have been made available on USPOULTRY’s YouTube channel and can be viewed at youtube.com/USPOULTRY.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    DWFI Podcast 33 – Economic Cost of Drought

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Aakanksha Melkani, a postdoctoral research associate at the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI), researches the economic implications of drought in the United States, specifically on agricultural sectors. In this edition of the Water for Food Podcast, we are sharing an episode of Nebraska on Tap, a podcast produced by the Middle Republican Natural Resources District in Nebraska. Host of the show, Heather Dizmang, discusses Aakansha’s findings so far, as well as her time in Africa studying maize production.

    Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:
    DWFI podcast episode 33 20:58

    The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska was founded with the mission to have a lasting and significant impact on achieving more food security with less pressure on scarce water resources by conducting scientific and policy research, using the research results to inform policy makers, and sharing knowledge through education and communication.

    How to subscribe:

    Audio, Podcasts, Water for Food, Weather