Precision Ag Bytes 1/23

Carrie Muehling

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that all Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices nationwide will soon reopen to provide additional administrative services to farmers and ranchers during the lapse in federal funding.
  • The Soil Health Academy recently announced its line-up of school locations, dates and topics, as well as the availability of scholarships for its 2019 schools. Dates, locations and more information are available at soilhealthacademy.org.
  • Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, announced plans for commercial launches of Enlist E3™ soybeans in Brazil, Canada and the United States, beginning in 2019. The Company also announced plans to expand the launch of Qrome® products across the U.S. Corn Belt.
  • Arysta LifeScience recently announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved ZOLERA® FX Fungicide for use in wheat production.
  • Farm Dog Technologies, a precision agriculture platform for pest and disease management, is now providing free access to its digital platform for all Extension Agents. For more information, Extension Agents can reach out to Farm Dog at extension@farmdog.ag.
  • The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers recognized three new agricultural innovations pioneered by Case IH, further solidifying Case IH as an industry-leader in agronomic design. The innovations are: Case IH AFS Soil Command™ seedbed sensing technology and agronomic control technology; Precision Disk™ 500 double shoot (DS) air drill with simultaneous single-pass seeding and fertilizing; and Axial-Flow® 250 series combine with new AFS Harvest Command™ combine automation system.
  • A new partnership will bring together TRACKER, part of Bass Pro’s White River Marine Group with Textron, a global leader in innovation and technology.
  • The Soil Health Institute has selected six project scientists and a statistician/database manager to oversee evaluation of soil health indicators at more than 120 long-term agricultural experiment sites across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

ZimmCast 606 – Audio & Analytics

Chuck Zimmerman

The end of 2018 made for a busy time with family but also a time to reflect on the year with our AgNewsWire service and AgWired. I get asked all the time about how many people we reach, how many people listen, who are they and more. It’s just not a simple question to answer. But I took a stab at some of the numbers to share with you in this week’s program. I didn’t get into them all. For example, I didn’t go into the videos we publish via Facebook or YouTube and I didn’t go into the photos we publish on Flickr. There are some big number there and those are actually pretty easy to see when you just watch or look at our photo albums.

I’m open to ideas any of you may have on how to best create this kind of statistical information, especially in some kind of reporting mechanism. Right now I’m back to looking everything up separately and aggregating it into a document. Services I have used no longer exist or have made radical changes to their product and pricing. A lot of the web privacy scandals have really created havoc in terms of collecting data.

But besides boring old number I also am including some audio from a couple of recent events where we created virtual ag newsrooms which you can find on AgNewsWire. First up will be Dr. Fred Moore, BASF, Cotton Trait Development Manager. He talks about current and new trait positions during the BASF APT Summit. Then I have an interview with NCGA Chairman, Kevin Skunes, about the Soil Health Partnership and the Summit we attended in St. Louis, MO.

I hope you enjoy this week’s program and thank you for listening.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 606 - ZimmComm Analytics & Audio

Audio, BASF, Corn, NCGA, Soil, Soil Health Partnership, ZimmCast

Regional Breakouts Give Growers More Information

Carrie Muehling

Growers at the 2019 BASF APT (Agronomic Performance Trials) Summit welcomed an opportunity to hear about trial results from across their region, and not just the ones on their individual farms.

BASF Regional Agronomist Dr. Craig Bednarz presented in one of the regional breakout sessions with growers.

“With each of the growers that we work with every year, we share the data with them from their individual farms,” said Bednarz. “So, this is an opportunity for us to share more of the data with them for the entire area. For instance, in my area this past year I worked with 32 growers, so this is an opportunity to share all of that data with all the growers in the southern High Plains region.”

Bednarz said this past year they tested four experimental varieties. FiberMax 2398GLTP was one of the top performing varieties across his area. Another variety that performed well was FiberMax 1621GL. Bednarz said the regional sessions also provide an opportunity to learn ways to be more efficient while doing trials on the farm.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Craig here: Interview with Dr. Craig Bednarz, BASF

2019 BASF APT Summit Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Cotton

Animal Ag Bites 1/21

Carrie Muehling

        • In response to erroneous reports in the news and (mostly) on social media, the National Pork Producers Council is reminding pork producers and consumers that federal meat inspectors are working in meat packing plants despite the government shutdown. NPPC and other livestock groups a year ago urged Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to deem as essential USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspectors. Also continuing to operate during the shutdown are USDA Market News Service staff who produce the twice-daily livestock mandatory price reports, which are the sole source of market information on sales to packers of cattle, hogs and lambs and on the subsequent sale of meat products.
        • The National Pork Producers Council said it cannot support a trade agreement between the United States and the European Union that does not include agriculture, after the European Commission issued draft negotiating mandates to EU member states that doesn’t include talks on agriculture.
        • The International Production & Processing Expo will be held Feb. 12–14, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. IPPE offers attendees access to the latest in protein and feed technology through exhibits and educational programing. TECHTalks are free, 20-minute technical presentations, offered each day at IPPE. See the schedule here.
        • Mike Gauss has been named president for Kent Nutrition Group (KNG) effective January 1, 2019. John Thorpe, previous president of KNG, has been promoted to president and chief operating officer for Kent Corporation, the parent company for KNG, Grain Processing Corporation, Kent Precision Foods Group and Kent Pet Group.
        • More than 50,000 cattle producers have been certified through the Beef Quality Assurance program’s new online learning system since it was first offered in February 2017.
        • Jarrod Blackburn recently joined the Vita Plus Loyal team as a dairy specialist. Based in central Wisconsin, Blackburn will provide customized feed and nutrition strategies as well as management expertise for every area of the dairy farm.
        • Sullivan Higdon & Sink’s work for Twist’d Q Seasonings & Rubs, Merck Animal Health, Bayer and Shatto Milk Company was recognized by the Best of NAMA (National Agri-Marketing Association) Awards, Region II, during an awards banquet in Kansas City.
        • Birko launches its Elite 360® Precision Application Technology at the International Production and Processing Expo in Atlanta.
        • Culver’s restaurant chain is covering the registration fees of the first 250 FFA members and advisors for FFA Day at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trade Show on Friday, Feb. 1, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The FFA Day sponsorship is made possible through Culver’s Thank You Farmers® Project.
        • Cheese, dairy, milk and yogurt processing have long been an integral part of the PROCESS EXPO trade show and the 2019 event, taking place October 8-11, 2019 in Chicago’s McCormick Place.
        • Chad Zuleger has joined the Dairy Business Association’s policy team. Zuleger has worked in Wisconsin legislative offices, for private companies and with a trade association during 22 years of government affairs work.
        • Vytelle announced a partnership with global livestock reproductive services innovator Sexing Technologies® (ST) for the use of ST’s proprietary reverse semen sorting technology.
        • The top 10 teams of the Food Science and Technology Career Development Event have been invited to attend the International Poultry Expo, part of the 2019 International Production & Processing Expo, as a result of the USPOULTRY Foundation’s ongoing initiative to further attract students to the poultry and egg industry.
        • The Center for Consumer Freedom sent a letter to State’s Attorney Michael O. Twigg in Cumberland, Maryland, urging for a full and thorough investigation of the animal liberation group PETA for felony wiretapping based on a judge’s ruling in a federal court case. The letter can be read here.
        • The American Feed Industry Association is pleased to see the Donald Trump administration include agriculture in its trade negotiating objectives with the EU, but cautions against seeking these objectives in stages, rather than in a single negotiation.
        • The 2019 Stakeholders Summit will be May 8-9 in Kansas City. To view the agenda and register, visit AnimalAgAlliance.org/Summit. Early registration discounts are available through February 1.
AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

Soil Health Rooted in Data

Cindy Zimmerman

The theme for the 2019 Soil Health Summit was “Rooted in Data, Growing Success” and gathering data about soil health practices has been the focus of the Soil Health Partnership (SHP) since the beginning.

SHP lead scientist Maria Bowman presented some of the latest data they have gathered. “A lot of our farmers are improving their soil organic matter and that’s a key soil health indicator,” said Bowman. “We’ve been finding that our farmers are increasing soil organic matter from about a third to a half percent during their first few years in the program.”

Even more importantly, early in-field research shows no statistically significant yield drag from using cover crops.

Listen to the interview and presentations below to get more details.
SHS19 Interview with Maria Bowman, Soil Health Partnership

Opening General Session – A New Year in Soil Health – Dr. Shefali Mehta, Dr. Maria Bowman
Opening General Session - 1

2019 Soil Health Summit Photo Album

Read more from the Summit on the Soil Health Summit blog.

AgWired Precision, Audio, Conservation, cover crops, Soil, Soil Health Partnership, Sustainability

FMC Launches Lucento™ Fungicide for 2019 Season

Cindy Zimmerman

FMC Corporation has officially launched Lucento™ fungicide for the 2019 growing season. The launch was announced after Environmental Protection Agency granted FMC registration for Lucento in corn, soybeans, peanuts, sugarbeets and wheat.

Lucento fungicide encompasses two separate modes of action (flutriafol, FRAC Group 3, and bixafen, FRAC Group 7) to deliver broad-spectrum disease efficacy, fungicide resistance management, plant mobility and long-lasting residual control. Lucento fungicide is the only proven tank-mix of SDHI bixafen and FMC-patented flutriafol active ingredients (AI), offering novel disease control not previously available to U.S. row crop growers.

“Lucento fungicide provides superior control especially under heavy disease pressure, which can be attributed to its good mobility in the plant. A highly systemic fungicide, it harnesses both acropetal and translaminar movement providing uniform leaf distribution and disease protection,” stated Nick Hustedde, technical sales representative for FMC. “Ultimately, this pairing of bixafen and flutriafol delivers excellent prevention in the newer plant growth where the disease could spread.”

Additionally, Lucento fungicide is very active on diseases that have developed resistance to strobilurins, like late leaf spot in peanuts and frogeye leaf spot in soybeans.

“With Lucento fungicide, growers are able to rely less on strobilurins and stem future resistance risk. We’re seeing dual mode of action fungicides consisting of a strobilurin and another AI failing to control disease because the only effective piece in the product is the non-strobilurin component,” said Brent Jacobson, product development manager, fungicides for FMC. “Strobilurin resistance is growing, both in relevance and geography, and growers need new tools to counter this challenge and protect yield potential during the critical grain and pod fill stages.”

Here are some interviews about Lucento for more information:

Leaf Spot is FMC Disease of the Year
Interview with Nick Hustedde, FMC

FMC Updates from 2018 Ag Media Summit
Interview with Brent Jacobson, FMC, on Lucento fungicide

FMC Georgia Field Day Spotlights Lucento for Peanuts
Interview with Bruce Stripling, FMC

Triazole Chemistry Sets Lucento Apart –
Interview with Matt Wiggins, FMC Technical Service Manager

AgWired Precision, Audio, Corn, FMC, Fungicide, Peanuts, Soybean, Wheat

President Recognizes Farm Workers in Border Plan

Cindy Zimmerman

President Donald Trump presented a detailed plan to the public on Saturday in an attempt to end the government shut down and strengthen border security.

“Both sides in Washington must simply come together, listen to each other, put down their armor, build trust, reach across the aisle, and find solutions,” the president said as he laid out a compromise incorporating many elements important to Democrats, such as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS). He also noted that the measures he is proposing will still allow temporary farm workers into the country.

“Our farmers and vineyards won’t be affected because lawful and regulated entry into our country will be easy and consistent,” said Trump.

Audio – President Trump border security and farm workers

Audio, labor

New Cotton Varieties on the Horizon

Carrie Muehling

Cotton growers are looking forward to some new varieties coming in the near future, including the transition to a brand new chemistry not currently used in cotton.

“It’s huge, because it brings forward a new tool for them to use in their program right now that they don’t currently have,” said Dr. Fred Moore, BASF Principal Trait Development Manager for Cotton.

Moore was speaking of the addition of the trait with HPPD tolerance. He said growers participating in the Agronomic Performance Trials (APT) program are important partners in terms of testing new varieties and understanding expectations at the farm level. He presented at the BASF APT Summit, held just prior to the 2019 Beltwide Cotton Conferences.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Dr. Fred Moore here: Interview with Dr. Fred Moore, BASF

Listen to Dr. Moore’s presentation here: Presentation by Dr. Fred Moore, BASF

2019 BASF APT Summit Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, BASF, Cotton

ONE: Alltech Ideas Conference Announces Speakers

Cindy Zimmerman

ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19) returns to Lexington, Kentucky May 19-21 this year with Bear Grylls and Chris Zook to anchor the event’s 35th annual exploration of transformative ideas.

Bear Grylls, one of the most recognized faces of survival and outdoor adventure, will take the ONE19 mainstage. Grylls starred in seven seasons of the Discovery Channel’s Emmy Award-nominated “Man vs. Wild” television series, which became one of the most watched shows on the planet. The BAFTA award-winning host trained in martial arts from a young age, and his survival skills were later perfected during his service in the 21 Special Air Service Regiment. When a free-fall parachuting accident left him with a broken back, Grylls’ grit and determination guided his long recovery. He went on to become one of the youngest people to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Chris Zook is a best-selling author of books on leadership and business strategy and an advisory partner at the renowned consulting firm Bain & Company. Zook specializes in guiding companies to find new sources of profitable growth and renew themselves internally to become more adaptive and entrepreneurial. He was included by the Times of London in its biannual list of the “50 Most Influential Global Business Thinkers.” He was also named “one of the most interesting strategic thinkers working today” by “The Financial Times Guide to Strategy.”

Alltech’s flagship conference is attended annually by nearly 4,000 people from over 70 countries who gather to dream bigger and explore solutions to improve their businesses and the world around them. Additional ONE19 speakers and session topics will be announced shortly.

Learn more and register at one.alltech.com by Jan. 31 to save $300.

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Events

Zimfo Bytes 1/18

Carrie Muehling

  • Farm Foundation‘s Food and Agricultural Trade Resource Center has released four new papers focused on trade principles shaping international agreements, as well as an analysis of the importance of trade to the U.S. economy.
  • Rhea + Kaiser has added Debbie Cozzi to its Media team as a Media Buyer and promoted Sarah Sikorski to Digital Media Planner/Buyer.
  • Bunge Limited announced that Brian Zachman has been named President of Global Risk Management, effective January 14, 2019.
  • The Ag Media Summit Steering Committee (owners reps) is seeking additional proposals for management of AMS. For more information, click here.
  • While the government shutdown is preventing key USDA agricultural reports from being released, Barchart continues to provide price transparency to farmers and agribusinesses. Through the cmdtyIndexes product, Barchart is empowering American farmers and grain processing firms with the data they need to help make the most informed decisions possible during this time of limited government information.
  • Inari, a company that is revolutionizing plant breeding through tapping natural genetic diversity, announced that William W. Helman IV has been appointed to its board of directors. Helman is long associated with Silicon Valley venture capital firm Greylock Partners and a member of the Ford Motor Co. board of directors.
  • The Association of Equipment Manufacturers unveiled a new brand identity to reflect how its more than 1,000 members build momentum for the industry.
  • EFC Systems, Inc., a leading provider of solutions for Agricultural Retailers, is pleased to announce an expanded commitment to serving retailers with the addition of Joe Neumann as our Vice President of Sales and Marketing.
  • American Agri-Women presented Jenny Stelmach of Owensboro, KY the LEAVEN award at the recent American Agri-Women’s National Convention held in Springfield, Illinois. The award is the organization’s highest honor for its members.
  • The National Biodiesel Board announced it has hired David W. Cobb as Director of Federal Affairs.
Zimfo Bytes