Poultry Industry Recognizes Leaders, Honorees

Carrie Muehling

2019 chairman of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, John Prestage (left), senior vice president of Prestage Farms, Clinton, N.C., was presented with the traditional “working man’s gavel” by outgoing chairman, Tom Hensley, president, Fieldale Farms.

The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) elected new leaders and presented several awards at the International Poultry Expo, part of the 2019 International Production & Processing Expo.

John Prestage, senior vice president, Prestage Farms, Clinton, N.C., was elected chairman of the board of directors. He previously served as vice chairman. Prestage was presented with the time-honored
“working man’s gavel” by Tom Hensley, 2018 chairman.

Greg Hinton, Rose Acre Farms, Seymour, Indiana, was named vice chairman. Mike Levengood, Perdue Foods, Salisbury, Maryland, was named treasurer. Mikell Fries, Claxton Poultry, Claxton, Georgia, was named secretary. Tom Hensley, Fieldale Farms, Baldwin, Georgia, is immediate past chairman.

USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation recognized Dr. Kenneth Anderson as the 2019 recipient of the annual Charles Beard Research Excellence Award. Tommy Bagwell, former chairman & CEO of American Proteins, received the Harold E. Ford Lifetime Achievement Award. Mike Robach, retired vice president, Corporate Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory for Cargill, was named USPOULTRY’s Workhorse of the Year.

AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Poultry

Former Sen. Tom Daschle Visits #RFANEC

Cindy Zimmerman

Tom Daschle of South Dakota been an advocate for ethanol and other biofuels for over three decades, as both a U.S. representative and senator in the 1980s and 1990s, and continuing since then as an advisor, consultant and author on issues such as climate change, food security and renewable energy policy.

As Founder and CEO of The Daschle Group, Daschle advises clients on economic, policy and political issues and remains passionate about renewable energy.

Speaking at the Renewable Fuels Association National Ethanol Conference in Orlando this week, Daschle talked about the incredible growth he has seen in the ethanol industry over the past three decades and the great respect he has for the people who have stayed the course and made it what it is today.

Listen to Daschle’s address and interview with Agri-Pulse reporter Ben Nuelle below.

NEC19 address by Tom Daschle

Interview with Sen. Tom Daschle

2019 RFA National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, Ethanol, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

Precision Ag Bytes 2/13

Carrie Muehling

  • Marrone Bio Innovations Inc., a leading developer of biological crop protection and plant health solutions, is offering a pair of products – Haven® for Plant Health and Regalia® Biofungicide – to serve California almond growers as market demand for almonds continues to boom around the globe.
  • Valent U.S.A. LLC announced the launch of MycoApply® EndoPrime® SC – a liquid formulation of the company’s leading soil enhancement product, MycoApply EndoPrime. Applied in-furrow, MycoApply EndoPrime SC contains four unique species of mycorrhizal fungi that help improve soil health, nutrient efficiency, drought tolerance and maximize yield potential throughout the season.
  • January 2019 saw increases in U.S. sales of self-propelled combines and 4-wheel-drive tractors as well as total U.S. 2-wheel-drive tractor sales compared to January last year, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. U.S. 4-wheel-drive tractor sales gained 38.2 percent in January compared to last year and U.S. January self-propelled combine sales grew 14.5 percent. View the full report here.
  • Results are in for World Ag Expo’s® Top-10 New Products Competition, sponsored by Bank of America. The winners will be showcased February 12-14, 2019, during the World Ag Expo® in Tulare, California.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

National Cotton Council Announces Leaders, Intentions

Carrie Muehling

The National Cotton Council (NCC) named its leaders for 2019 and also shared planting intentions for the coming growing season at the group’s annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

The group announced results of its 38th Annual Early Season Planting Intentions Survey, which show that U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 14.5 million cotton acres this spring. That number is up 2.9 percent from USDA’s December 2018 estimate.

Mike Tate of Huntsville, Ala., will serve as NCC chair and Kent Fountain of Surrency, Ga., will be vice chair for 2019.

Elected as NCC vice presidents are Kirk Gilkey, ginner, Corcoran, Calif., and Ron Harkey, warehouser, Lubbock, Texas. Re-elected as vice presidents are: Robert Lacy, Jr, cottonseed processor, and Kevin Brinkley, marketing cooperative executive, both from Lubbock, Texas; Joe Nicosia, merchant, Cordova, Tenn.; and David Hastings, textile manufacturer, Mauldin, South Carolina. Re-elected as secretary-treasurer is Barry Evans, a producer from Kress, Texas.

Elected to the NCC Board during segment caucuses were: Producers – Neal Isbell, Muscle Shoals, Ala.; Patrick Johnson, Tunica, Miss.; Shawn Holladay, Lubbock, Texas; Doyle Schniers, San Angelo, Texas; and Mark McKean, Riverdale, California. Ginners – Wesley Morgan, New London, N.C.; Curtis Stewart, Spade, Texas; George LaCour, Morganza, La.; Tom Pires, Riverdale, Calif.; and Drake Perrow, Cameron, South Carolina. Warehousers – Joe Tillman, Memphis, Tenn.; Jay Cowart, Altus, Okla.; Coalter Paxton, Wilson, N.C.; Joe Cain, Bakersfield, Calif., and Robert Swize, Corpus Christi, Texas. Merchants – Jordan Lea, Greenville, S.C.; Raymond Faus, Plano, Texas; William Barksdale and Jeff Johnson, both of Cordova, Tenn.; and Bobby Walton, Memphis, Tennessee. Cottonseed – Paul Scruggs, Overland Park, Kan.; Sammy Wright, Tifton, Ga.; Austin Rose, Altus, Okla.; and John Chisum and Jerrod Drinnon, both of Lubbock, Texas. Cooperatives – Keith Lucas, Lubbock, Texas; Hank Reichle, Greenwood, Miss.; Paul Bush, Glendale, Ariz.; Wayne Boseman, Garner, N.C.; and Reid Nichols, Altus, Oklahoma. Manufacturers – Anderson Warlick and James Martin, both of Gastonia, N.C.; William Bowen , Inman, S.C.; Robin Perkins, Sanford, N.C.; and Owen Hodges, Columbus, Georgia.

AgWired Precision, Cotton

2018 was Tough Year With Big Wins for Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) President and CEO Geoff Cooper told nearly 1,000 National Ethanol Conference attendees today that while the U.S. ethanol industry had a “tough year” in 2018, it “continued to deliver huge wins for consumers,” including lower gas prices, cleaner air, a more secure energy supply, and increased job creation. As part of his State of the Ethanol Industry report, Cooper also outlined RFA’s plans driving future growth and creating new market opportunities for American-made ethanol.

Looking at the long term, Cooper outlined that the RFA’s vision for the future includes not only strengthening the RFS, but also pursuing a high-octane fuel standard. “The RFS and a high-octane, low carbon fuel program are not mutually exclusive,” he said. “Rather, they can work in concert, not in conflict, to assure air quality improvements, carbon emissions reduction, and consumer savings for decades to come.”

Read it here, listen to it and watch it below

RFA president and CEO Geoff Cooper Industry Address

2019 RFA National Ethanol Conference Photo Album


Audio, Ethanol, RFA, Video

Welcome to the 2019 National Ethanol Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) 2019 National Ethanol Conference is kicking off today in Orlando with the theme “Powered with Renewed Energy.”

The annual golf tournament and networking tour are underway first off this morning. The tour is visiting Leu Gardens, an amazing 50-acre botanical oasis recognized as an historical landmark in Orlando. The venue includes palms, flowering trees, azaleas, vines, bromeliads and tropical philodendrons.

The annual golf tournament is sponsored this year by Bioleap, which provides innovative technical solutions and complete engineering services to the renewable fuels industry.

RFA President and CEO Geoff Cooper got the golf tournament off on a shotgun start and in this interview he talks about what is in store when the conference officially gets underway with the general session on Tuesday morning, including the annual State of the Industry report, which he will be delivering for the first time. Interview with Geoff Cooper, RFA CEO

2019 RFA National Ethanol Conference Photo Album

Audio, Ethanol, National Ethanol Conference, RFA

Animal Ag Bites 2/11

Carrie Muehling

  • The American Feed Industry Association and Feedstuffs announced four category winners for the 2018 Feed Facility of the Year program. AFIA congratulates Famo Feeds of Freeport, Minn., as the winner of the commercial dry livestock feed plant category; Koch Foods of Morton, Miss., as the winner of the integrator category; Quality Liquid Feeds of Clovis, N.M., as the winner of the liquid feed plant category; and Trouw Nutrition of Highland, Ill., as the winner of the premix manufacturing plant category.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Center for Public Policy released new Cost/Benefit Principles that will help guide its decision-making process on various policy proposals regarding climate change.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, has announced the winners of its 2019 Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Awards at the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans, La. You can read more on each of the award winners’ operations at https://www.bqa.org/about/bqa-awards.
  • Linda Davis, a cattlewoman from Cimarron, N.M., has received the respected 2019 Swan Family Leadership Award for her decades of service to the cattle and beef industry. The award was made at the Best of Beef Breakfast Feb. 1 during the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans, La.
  • CattleFax has introduced its annual Cow-Calf Survey. Information requested in the survey provides participants and the rest of the industry with valuable information regarding industry benchmarks and trends. The survey can be accessed here. The deadline to complete the survey is Feb. 28, 2019.
  • CattleFax elected a new slate of officers at this year’s annual business meeting Jan. 31, 2019, in New Orleans, La., held in conjunction with the 2019 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show. The new CattleFax president is Don Quincey of Chiefland, Fla., a 5th generation rancher and cattle feeder in Florida and past president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association.
AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

New Holland Roll-Belt Balers at NCBA Trade Show

Chuck Zimmerman

During the NCBA Trade Show I visited with New Holland which was just releasing new and improved Roll-Belt Round Balers. Improvements came from a recent Penn State University study on “Bale Density Effects on Baleage Quality.” I talked to Curt Hoffman, New Holland and Jessica Williamson, Extension Forage Specialist, Penn State. Jessica was one of the authors of the Penn State study.

A recent study completed by Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences confirms round bale density leads to improved cattle nutrition and producer return on investment. In the study, New Holland Roll-Belt™ round balers produced the highest-density bales in all tests compared to three leading competitors.

“This research affirms the many benefits of denser bales we have discovered through years in the field,” says Curt Hoffman, hay and forage crop packaging and marketing manager for New Holland, North America. “Not only does higher bale density improve feed quality and lower costs, it improves producer ROI through a variety of efficiency gains.”

The study found that denser bales had greater total acid production and stayed cooler through the fermentation process. This increases the whole-bale bunk life of round bales through reduced spoilage, allowing for the feeding of larger-diameter bales to the same number and size of cattle without waste. Penn State observed up to 25 more hours of bunk life due to higher bale density.

“What research has shown in the past is that with any fermented forage or any ensiled forage, typically the denser you can pack that forage, the better fermentation you’re going to have,” says Jessica A. Williamson, Ph.D., extension forage specialist for Penn State University. “[Better fermentation] overall is going to give you a better-quality product to feed your animals.”

Higher density equates to up to 39 percent fewer bales, resulting in less twine or net wrap used as well as plastic silage film, reduced labor, and less overall baling and bale-moving time in the field.

Learn more in my interview with Curt and Jessica here: Interview with New Holland

2019 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show Photo Album

Official Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show virtual newsroom

Ag Groups, AgWired Animal, Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, New Holland

Ag Retailers Have Busy Week on the Hill

Cindy Zimmerman

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) held its annual Board of Directors and Committee Meetings in Washington, D.C. this past week, which included an intense day of visits with Congressional representatives.

ARA also presented its Legislator of the Year award to members of Congress who champion legislation important to the agricultural retail industry and this year the organization recognized Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) with its 2018 Legislator of the Year award. Sen. Wicker is pictured here receiving his award from ARA President and CEO Daren Coppock (left) and chairman Troy Johnson of Wilbur-Ellis.

“We are pleased to honor two very deserving Senators this year with our Legislator of the Year award,” said Coppock. “We are grateful for their dedication and continued support of the agriculture industry.”

Senator Wicker was honored for his support on important industry issues, such as promoting precision agriculture and rural broadband deployment. Sen. Grassley was recognized for his leadership as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. A longtime supporter of agriculture and agriculture retail, this is the second time Sen. Grassley has been honored as ARA Legislator of the Year.

The big news of the week for ARA was the formalizing of an alliance between ARA, The Fertilizer Institute and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to enhance workplace and community safety. “Safety is much larger than one person or one company,” said Coppock. “Safety also means being a good steward – a good steward of the land, business, employees, and the communities in which we operate. This alliance is a positive step for ARA, TFI, and OSHA to work together on an issue that is top of mind for ag retailers.”

Coppock talks about the new alliance and ARA’s week on the Hill in this interview.

Interview with Daren Coppock, ARA CEO
AgWired Precision, ARA, Audio, Precision Agriculture

2019 IFAJ and Ag Media Summit Registration Open

Chuck Zimmerman

Registration is now open for the 2019 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress. This year the theme is “Global Connections in America’s Heartland.” The location is Minneapolis/Bloomington, Minnesota and the dates are July 27-31. You can find information and register here.

Once again the international event will overlap the annual Agricultural Media Summit in the same location and hotel venue. This allows some fantastic networking time between U.S. ag journalists and their counterparts throughout the world. You can just register for the Ag Media Summit if you so choose or better yet do a combined registration from the page I linked to above.

This is an action packed agenda with tours, professional development sessions as well as business meetings and award ceremonies for the participating organizations – AAEA/LPC/IFAJ.

I’ve written about the value to an agricultural journalists that comes from attending an IFAJ Congress before. Nothing has changed. Even though we’ll be right here in the U.S. of A, I have learned so much from interaction with other journalists not only on a professional level but also a cultural one as well. If you have not attended please consider doing so this year. You don’t even have to be a member to register!

So, take a look at the budget and get your registration in for a memorable experience.

ACN, IFAJ, LPC, Media