ZimmCast from 2018 NAMA Fall Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

This week the ZimmCast, sponsored by GROWMARK, will focus on the 2018 National Agri-Marketing Association Fall Conference.

With 195 registered this was a very successful conference and one of the largest. From the comments I was hearing and from my own viewpoint it was also one of the best programs I can remember. The theme was Grow North – Bringing Fresh Ideas To Market.

This week’s program features interviews with Melanie Rice, Brownfield Ag News, who is the Chair of the NAMA Fall Conference committee; Jerry Gennaria, Brighton Agency, recipient of the PDA for Excellence in Marketing Communications; John Robinson, NCBA, recipient of the PDA for Excellence in Public Relations and Laurie Fleck, newly appointed President/CEO of FLM Harvest.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 598 - NAMA Fall Conference

You can find lots of photos from the event here: 2018 NAMA Fall Conference Photo Ablum

The ZimmCast

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Audio, Marketing, NAMA, ZimmCast

Bayer Announces Care4Cattle Grant Winners

Cindy Zimmerman

During a panel discussion on animal health at the Bayer Future of Farming Dialogue this week, Bayer announced the winners of its new Care4Cattle grant initiative program.

In March 2018, Bayer launched the initiative in collaboration with the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) to recognize and support innovative-thinking livestock professionals who have created new ways of advancing beef and dairy cattle well-being on the farm.

The initiative received over 100 entries across 37 countries and the winners selected to jointly receive the EUR 30,000 Care4Cattle grant funding were from Australia, Brazil and the United Kingdom.

Dr. Dominique van der Saag from Australia was selected for her research into novel ways in which calves could self-administer analgesia after standard husbandry procedures which can often cause animals stress both during and after.

Brazil Professor Mateus Paranhos da Costa’s study into the effects different weaning methods can have on the well-being of beef calves, was the second project granted funding by the Care4Cattle initiative.

The third winning submission was from The Cattle Lameness Academy in the United Kingdom to create a modular training platform using videos, where they can support farmers in dealing with the rising threat of lameness.

In this interview, Dr. Almut Hoffmann, Head of Farm Animal Products Marketing at Bayer Animal Health, talks about the program and the three winners – Interview with Dr. Almut Hoffmann, Bayer Animal Health

Bayer Future of Farming Dialogue 2018 Photo Album

AgWired Animal, Animal Health, Audio, Bayer

Zimfo Bytes 9/21

Carrie Muehling

  • The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) announces Neil Caskey has been selected to serve as NCGA Vice President of Communications, beginning Monday, October 15. Caskey will build upon the organization’s ongoing communications efforts to create and increase opportunities for corn growers. Caskey currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Osborn Barr.
  • Corteva Agriscience™, the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, announced a series of changes to its leadership structure, starting with appointing James C. Collins, Jr., as chief executive officer. The leadership team reporting to Jim Collins will include Rajan Gajaria, executive vice president of Corteva Agriscience’s Business Platforms; Tim Glenn, executive vice president, chief commercial officer; Greg Friedman, Corteva’s executive vice president, chief financial officer; and Cornel Fuerer, senior vice president, general counsel.

  • The National Association of Farm Broadcasting recently announced it has reached an all-time high of 851 members, surpassing its high-water membership mark of 790 reached in 1984.
  • UnitedAg announced Kanthi Gunturi as the new Chief Financial Officer. Gunturi brings 15 years of finance and professional experience from various organizations like KPMG and Duke Medical Center.
  • The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) officially unveiled its new logo, new look and new office space. CRA also redesigned its website, www.corn.org, to put the spotlight on issue advocacy and the industry’s economic impact.
  • Media registration for the 91st National FFA Convention & Expo is now open. To register for the event, which will be held in Indianapolis, Oct. 24-27, 2018, please visit: https://register.ffa.org/profile/74386
  • Garth Brooks, the reigning Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year, will take the stage in Indianapolis for a private show at this year’s 91st National FFA Convention & Expo.
  • The 22nd annual Plains Peanut Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 22 in Plains, Georgia, home of President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter.
  • BRANDT is recharging its turf and ornamental business, introducing four new territory sales managers to represent the BRANDT®, GRIGG™, and BRANDT® iHammer T&O product lines. Ryan Jerome will be based near the BRANDT headquarters in Springfield, IL, managing sales in the Midwest. Tom Breiner will cover the Northeast US. Chris Quinlan will cover the upper Midwest and Canada. Amy Dearinger will manage sales in the South Central US.
  • A new CoBank Knowledge Exchange Division report, “Broadband Partnerships,” addresses some of the long-standing challenges to building broadband networks such as the high cost to entry, tax and legal implications, and even the lack of investment incentives.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Study Shows Ag Retailers Face Cover Crop Challenges

    Carrie Muehling

    A new study shows growing demand for cover crops, but agricultural retailers continue to face challenges when it comes to expanding that market.

    The study, conducted by Datu Research, LLC, found 89 percent of ag retailers have offered cover crops and services in the past two years to farmers who use them to anchor the soil between growing seasons. The practice has shown benefits in the areas of soil erosion, fertility, water retention, weed and pest control.

    “Ag retailers and Certified Crop Advisers are a trusted go-to source for farmers,” said Dr. Angel Cruz, lead author of the study. “We wanted to understand their role in promoting cover crops and see what it would take to expand that role.”

    The survey, developed in cooperation with the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), was distributed to ARA members and Certified Crop Advisers in the Midwest. Many respondents reported offering their customers cover crop advisory services (83%), selling cover crop seed (56%) and cover crop termination services (44%).

    Still, these products and services account for less than five percent of total revenue, the study found. Many respondents described mutually reinforcing challenges: a lack of customer demand, insufficient evidence of cover crop benefits in their region, and “uncertain or negative profitability.”

    “Ag retailers have always worked to assist their farmer customers in conservation practice implementation,” said ARA President and CEO Daren Coppock. “The adoption of cover crops will continue at a slower rate until farmers can see the true value in the practice. Our retailer members appreciate the survey results and any subsequent findings to work with their customers in making the best decisions for their operations and the environment.”

    ARA will launch its Sustainability Programming for Agricultural Retailers and CCAs (SPARC) initiative, which includes the utilization of cover crops and other conservation practices, at its upcoming Conference and Expo on Thursday, November 29. For more information, please visit www.aradc.org/conference.

    AgWired Precision, ARA, cover crops

    Bayer Donates to Support Smallholder Farmers

    Cindy Zimmerman

    In an effort to support smallholders in Africa, Bayer made a donation of EUR 700,000 to the One Acre Fund during the Future of Farming Dialogue this week in Germany.

    Monika Lessl, Head of Corporate Innovation and R&D for Bayer presented the donation to One Acre Fund Director of Business Development Sarah LaHaye, who had just participated in a panel on social innovation.

    One Acre Fund is a non-profit social enterprise supplying smallholder farmers with the financing, tools and training they need to succeed. The donation will allow One Acre Fund to pursue two innovative services for farmers in Kenya and Rwanda: improved poultry products and digital technologies. At scale, these innovations could reach nearly 600,000 smallholder farmers in Kenya and Rwanda.

    Listen here to the presentation and comments from Lessl, LaHaye, and Liam Condon. Bayer One Acre Fund Donation

    Bayer Future of Farming Dialogue 2018 Photo Album

    Audio, Bayer

    Bayer Crop Science President Talks Glyphosate

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Glyphosate was on the table as U.S. agricultural journalists attending the Bayer Future of Farming event in Germany had the chance to sit down with Liam Condon, Bayer AG Board of Management member and Crop Science division president.

    It was the very end of a very long day and Condon was able to joke about the jury verdict that came out a week before Day One of the new company formed with the acquisition of Monsanto by Bayer. Comparing August 21 to opening up gifts on Christmas, Condon said the verdict was a “gift they hadn’t asked for” like a sweater they really don’t want to wear, but now they just have to deal with it.

    “Our position is unequivocal” regarding the safety of glyphosate, said Condon. “Any product we sell has got to be safe.”

    Moving forward, Condon says he is just excited about the potential of the new company.

    Listen to Condon’s comments here: Interview with Bayer President Crop Science Liam Condon

    Bayer Future of Farming Dialogue 2018 Photo Album

    AgWired Precision, Audio, Bayer, Crop Protection

    Bayer Defends Glyphosate at Future of Farming

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The $289 million glyphosate jury verdict just before the Bayer-Monsanto deal was finalized last month was a big topic of discussion this week at the Bayer Future of Farming Dialogue at the company’s global headquarters in Monheim, Germany. In fact, a last minute panel scheduled at the very end of a full day of presentations was standing room only – as Bayer AG announced on Tuesday it is asking the California state court judge to overturn the verdict.

    The panel included (LtoR) UK farmer Guy Smith, Deputy President for the British National Farmers Union; Jesus Madrazo, Bayer Head of Agricultural Affairs and Sustainability, Crop Science; and Bill Reeves, Bayer Regulatory Policy and Scientific Affairs.

    “We are very confident about the safety of glyphosate,” Madrazo said emphatically. “This product has an impeccable safety record.”

    It was a very lively discussion with some very tough questions – good and timely content here: Bayer Future of Farming Glyphosate Panel

    Bayer Future of Farming Dialogue 2018 Photo Album

    Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Bayer, Crop Protection, Farming, Herbicide

    2019 National Ag Day Announced

    Carrie Muehling

    The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) will host the 46th anniversary of National Agriculture Day on March 14, 2019. This year’s theme is “Agriculture: Food for Life.”

    Major events happening in conjunction with National Ag Day will include a program at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. and a Taste of Agriculture Celebration in the nation’s capitol.

    These events honor National Agriculture Day and mark a nationwide effort to tell the true story of American agriculture and remind citizens that agriculture is a part of all of us. A number of agricultural associations, corporations, students and government organizations involved in agriculture are expected to participate.

    National Ag Day is organized by the Agriculture Council of America. The ACA is a nonprofit organization composed of leaders in the agricultural, food and fiber community, dedicating its efforts to increasing the public’s awareness of agriculture’s role in modern society.

    The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:

    · Understand how food and fiber products are produced
    · Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products
    · Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy
    · Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry

    In addition to the events in Washington, DC on March 14, the ACA will once again feature the Ag Day Essay Contest. The winning essay will be presented on National Ag Day.

    Visit www.agday.org for more information on National Ag Day in 2019.

    Ag Day, AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision

    Preview of Export Exchange 2018

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Around 500 attendees from at least 38 countries are expected to be at Export Exchange 2018, coming up October 22-24 in Minneapolis. The event, which brings together international buyers and U.S. sellers of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), was started in 2019 by the U.S. Grains Council and the Renewable Fuels Association.

    In this edition of The Ethanol Report podcast, RFA Executive Vice President Geoff Cooper previews this year’s event and the impact trade negotiations with some of the biggest markets for U.S. DDGS might have on exports.

    Ethanol Report Preview of Export Exchange

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    Audio, Ethanol, Exports, Feed, RFA, USGC

    Precision Ag Bytes 9/19

    Carrie Muehling

    • Registration is now open for AgGateway’s Annual Conference, “Get Plugged In”, coming November 12-14 to the Sheraton Austin Hotel at The Capitol, Austin, Texas. More information is available on AgGateway’s 2018 Annual Conference webpage, found under “Events” at www.AgGateway.org.
    • Sakata Seed America announces phase one completion of the Sakata Seed America Woodland Innovation Center: a new research and production facility in Woodland, California. The Sakata Seed America Woodland Innovation Center is an $18.5M investment comprised of 219 acres in Yolo county.
    • Registration is open for the 30th Independent Professional Seed Association Annual Conference in Indian Wells, CA for January 8-10, 2018. The 2019 IPSA Conference will host over 400 independent professional seed providers, representing nearly 100 seed companies from more than 25 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico.
    • The Plant Genomics & Gene Editing Congress: USA takes place in just two weeks time and will be closing registrations soon. Discover more about the meeting in Philadelphia here: www.global-engage.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Plant-Genomics-Biocontrol-USA-2018-Agenda.pdf.
    • U.S. sales of tractors and combines remained positive in August, according to the latest report from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Here is a link to the full report online.
    • The latest English edition of New AG International magazine is now available online.
    AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes