Ethanol and Farm Groups Getting Impatient for Answers

Cindy Zimmerman

In the wake of repeated promises and assurances from the Trump Administration, but no actions, ethanol stakeholder groups are running out of patience.

In a joint letter to President Trump today, the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, National Sorghum Producers, American Coalition for Ethanol, Growth Energy, and Renewable Fuels Association urged the administration to act immediately to restore the integrity of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and allow year-round sales of E15 and other mid-level ethanol blends. The groups also expressed concern that any benefit from year-round E15 sales and proper implementation of the RFS could be nullified if refiners are given further regulatory bailouts that undercut the spirit and intent of the law.

The letter follows comments made by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Aug. 29 that President Trump was anxious to get an answer on the RFS and E15 to announce.

“He said…we need to get this RFS straightened out and get E15 twelve months,” said Perdue. “He wants something done quickly. He said, ‘you get with that EPA Administrator and bring me something next week that I can announce.'”
Over 80 of the nation’s leading trade associations representing thousands of businesses and workers today announced the formation of Americans for Free Trade a multi-industry coalition aimed at opposing tariffs and highlighting the benefits of international trade to the U.S. economy. This new coalition will immediately join Farmers for Free Trade, the coalition backed by the nation’s largest ag commodity groups, in a multi-million dollar national campaign called Tariffs Hurt the Heartland. The campaign will focus on telling the stories of the American businesses, farmers, workers and families harmed by tariffs through town-hall style events, grassroots outreach to Congress and the administration, social media, rapid response and digital advertising.

The campaign includes a geographically searchable map (TariffsHurt.com) that allows users to find stories of job losses, deferred investments, higher prices and other negative consequences for farmers and businesses in communities across the country impacted by tariffs.

The day before, in an exclusive interview with RFD-TV on August 28, President Trump said “I’m going to be making some statements on that very soon. We’re working very hard on the ethanol situation.” He also said it was “complex because as you take care of ethanol, someone else gets hurt.”

RFD-TV Interview with Pres. Trump comments on ethanol

Last week, which was the week Secretary Perdue said the president wanted something to announce, the secretary told reporters,”We’re working feverishly to resolve the RFS issue…I think we can resolve it to the satisfaction of both our ethanol industry as well as our refinery industry,” Perdue said.

Audio from USDA – Secretary Perdue comments on RFS issue progress

But the farm and ethanol groups say time is running out for rural America, as corn prices are below the cost of production, while ethanol prices, RIN credit prices, and ethanol profit margins are falling.

“Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt already gave refiners far more than their end of a deal in the form of 2.25 billion gallons of biofuels demand destruction, and they are reaping the rewards of that windfall today,” the letter continued. “Now, with the corn and ethanol industries hurting, it’s rural America’s turn to get its end of the deal.”

AFBF, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA, RFA

National Biodiesel Celebrates Ten Green Years

Cindy Zimmerman

NBB celebrates 10th anniversary of green headquarters

On Monday, September 10th, the National Biodiesel Board celebrated 10 green years in their Jefferson City office biulding.

“The National Biodiesel Board was started here in Jefferson City 25 years ago,” said Chief Executive Officer Donnell Rehagen. “This building has served NBB for the last ten years, allowing us to grow our industry across the nation.”

In 2008, NBB moved into their home in Jefferson City after remodeling a previously vacant building on the East side of town. The office itself was designed with sustainability in mind, with energy efficient indoor lighting, recycled carpet, and solar powered outdoor lights. NBB wanted to follow biodiesel’s lead with clean, green energy. Since moving into their celebrated space, the biodiesel industry has made significant strides and continues to see progress each year.

NBB cuts ribbon on new building – 9/10/08

AgWired reporter John Davis was there when the building was opened in 2008 and did a nice job documenting the event, complete with the ribbon cutting, a tour of the building, and comments from dignitaries.

Get a blast from the past and listen to some opening day 2008 comments from Missouri’s governor at the time, Matt Blunt, and (now former) Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-MO), who remains active in the biodiesel industry.

Missouri Gov Matt Blunt, 9/10/08

Rep. Kenny Hulshof, 9/10/08
Audio, Biodiesel, Biofuels

Agencies to Hold Meeting on Lab Grown Fake Meat

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a joint meeting next month, Oct. 23-24, to discuss the use of cell culture technology to develop products derived from livestock and poultry – better known to producers as lab-grown fake meat.

The joint public meeting, hosted by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the FDA, will focus on the potential hazards, oversight considerations, and labeling of cell cultured food products derived from livestock and poultry.The first day of the meeting will focus primarily on the potential hazards that need to be controlled for the safe production of animal cell cultured food products and oversight considerations by regulatory agencies. The second day of the meeting will focus on labeling considerations.

Danielle Beck, Director of Government Affairs for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), says they are encouraged by USDA involvement in the discussion.

“Consumers depend on a regulatory system that ensures their food is safe and accurately labeled. That is why it is encouraging to finally see USDA involvement on the issue of regulating lab-grown fake meat,” said Beck. “USDA’s stringent food safety inspection processes and robust labeling protections make the agency the best choice for leading oversight of these new products. NCBA looks forward to participating in the public meeting and will continue to advocate for USDA’s primary oversight role.”

Representatives of industry, consumer groups and other stakeholders are invited to participate in the meeting. Attendees are encouraged to pre-register to attend the meeting. Pre-registration is available at the Meetings and Events page on the FSIS website.

AgWired Animal, Food, Livestock, NCBA, USDA

ASTA Requests Seed Exemption on Chinese Tariffs List

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is requesting that seeds for sowing be exempted from the proposed list of supplemental retaliatory tariffs on China.

“While we support the administration’s push for stronger intellectual property protection and enforcement globally, at the end of the day, the majority of these proposed tariffs will be levied on seeds owned by small and medium U.S.-based companies, not Chinese-owned corporations,” said ASTA President & CEO Andrew LaVigne. “For 2019, small and medium seed companies estimate tariff-related losses could range from $80,000 to $2,000,000 per company, depending on the company’s footprint in China. And the resulting cost will ultimately be felt by American farmers and consumers.”

The United States is the largest market for seed in the world, and the largest global seed exporter, and China is the second largest market for planting seeds after the U.S. ASTA has worked with the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture for over a decade and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the China National Seed Association (CNSA) with the ultimate goal of developing stronger intellectual property understanding and protection for plant breeders in China.

AgWired Precision, ASTA, Seed, Trade

Precision Ag Bytes 9/12

Carrie Muehling

  • The University of Missouri and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced that The Ohio State University professor R. Keith Slotkin, and Iowa State professor Bing Yang, have been appointed to joint faculty positions at MU and the Danforth Center.
  • Raven Industries and Topcon Agriculture, announced a licensing agreement for Topcon Agriculture’s use of the Slingshot Application Programming Interface in its various software platforms.
  • The A & L research agronomy team has developed and launched VitTellussm Soil Health, next generation Soil Health Test and recommendation package to help farmers and crop consultants make more informed decisions on application of nutrients, and managing and improving their soil. The VitTellus Soil Health test is available worldwide and can be accessed through the VitTellus website.
  • HELM Agro US, Inc. has received EPA registration for FEARLESS® and FEARLESS® XTRA herbicides, two acetochlor-based weed control tools for corn.
  • Syngenta announced the release of 32 new NK® corn hybrids for the 2019 growing season, further revitalizing the brand’s corn product lineup to support farmers.
  • Soil experts Ray Archuleta, Dave Brandt, Gabe Brown and Allen Williams, Ph.D. have teamed up to help other producers practically and successfully apply soil health-focused, regenerative agriculture systems through their new venture, Soil Health Consultants, LLC.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

Deere Adds to Tillage Lineup

Carrie Muehling

John Deere featured its 2680H High-Performance Disk at the 2018 Farm Progress Show.

For use in both spring and fall, the equipment boasts a productive top speed of 14 miles per hour and compact transport dimensions for ease of transitioning on the roadways. The medium to high intensity disk will incorporate more residue into the soil, allowing it to break down more quickly, according to Paul Richardel with John Deere.

“This was a tool that we were really proud to announce alongside of our 2660VT, knowing that both of these tools are engaging in different parts of the market from low to medium intensity. This tool, the 2680H, is addressing the medium to high intensity. We really wanted to show how they complement each other but really they’re different and are addressing different parts of our market,” said Richardel.

Options for operators include 15 different models ranging from 8-foot to 45-foot wide for use in multiple applications from orchards to row crops and commercial agriculture. The 2680H high-performance disk will be available for order beginning in the spring of 2019.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Paul here: FPS 18 Deere 2680H High-Performance Disk Interview with Paul Richardel

Deere at FPS18 Photo Album

2018 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, Farm Progress Show, John Deere

Agriculture Youth Benefit From GROWMARK Support

Carrie Muehling

Illinois FFA State Officers including Treasurer Taylor Hartke helped to bring in the flags during a moving ceremony to open the GROWMARK Annual Meeting in Chicago. The Illinois FFA members joined FFA officers from Iowa and Wisconsin and 4-H youth from Ontario in marching in the 4-H and FFA flags along with the American and Canadian flags. Hartke said FFA members across the country appreciate organizations like GROWMARK and the opportunity to learn and explore career paths in agriculture.

“The support we get from GROWMARK as well as the other family of companies in Farm Bureau is really important for our organization in propelling youth to the next level, especially when we talk about career success begin part of our motto and mission statement for FFA,” said Hartke.

She said networking opportunities and relationships like those with GROWMARK are vital for students, whether they are headed into traditional production agriculture or a career in communications, marketing or another area that supports agriculture.

Listen to Carrie’s interview with Taylor here: Interview with Taylor Hartke, Illinois FFA Treasurer at GROWMARK Annual Meeting

Audio, Cooperatives, FFA, GROWMARK

USFRA Keeping Agriculture EngAGed

Cindy Zimmerman

USFRA CEO Erin Fitzgerald and chair Brad Greenway visit BASF Living Acres at FPS18

Before they got rained out, U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) chairman Brad Greenway and new CEO Erin Fiztgerald had the opportunity to spend some time at the Farm Progress Show and highlight “Honoring the Harvest,” which elevates stewardship and sustainability on today’s farms and ranches.

“When we Honor the Harvest, it’s crucial that everyone is involved,” says Greenway. “In thinking back to 2010 when U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance was formed, every major agricultural organization and commodity group had a seat at the table. To convene a dialogue with stakeholders and the food leaders of tomorrow, strength in numbers from all of modern agriculture helped make this happen.”

In this interview, Greenway also talks about USFRA’s EngAGe App, which helps farmers and ranchers keep up with current news and trending topics in food and agriculture and amplify agriculture’s voice. Interview with Brad Greenway, USFRA chair

To find out more about the EngAGe app – how to sign up, download, use, etc. – just click here.

Apps, Audio, USFRA

Bayer’s Delaro Showing Positive Plant Health Benefits

Chuck Zimmerman

Plant health and yield results for Bayer’s Delaro, a corn and soybean fungicide, are being tracked in a collaborative trial with Aker, an in-season drop monitoring and autonomous scouting platform. During this season, comparison images are showing positive plant health benefits from Delaro.

After applying fungicide, Aker uses high-resolution drones to capture multiple images of the fields. The results give growers a map, with red areas indicating less healthy plants and green representing healthy plants. The trials will also track yield comparisons.

“Monitoring a crop in season can help pinpoint if plants are under stress from things like disease,” said Todd Golly, co-founder of Aker. “Using aerial imagery helps growers understand how to better optimize inputs, which can increase yield and profitability. It helps growers be more productive in the field.”

Golly participated in a grower panel in the Bayer tent on the first day of Farm Progress Show where we interviewed him before the show was shut down due to weather – Bayer panel farmer Todd Golly, Minnesota

“Trials in 2017 found that Delaro provided a substantial yield increase over the untreated check in corn and soybeans,” said Ray Lello, fungicides product manager at Bayer. “However, we also consistently heard from trial participants that they observed improved plant health from Delaro. That’s why we are thrilled to collaborate with Aker to track qualitative metrics like plant health in addition to the known quantitative yield results of Delaro over the untreated check in corn and soybeans. Understanding how these benefits help contribute to an overall return on investment is beneficial for growers as they look to get the most out of their corn hybrids and soybean varieties.”

Ray was also at the Farm Progress Show During the 2018 Farm Progress Show I interviewed Ray about Delaro. Listen in to learn more about the product: Interview with Ray Lello, Bayer

Bayer at the 2018 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Content Creation at the Farm Progress Show brought to you by Farm Progress Show content creation courtesy of John DeereCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by GrowmarkCoverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Bayer CropScience
Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Farm Progress Show

Teralytic Earns Ag Data Transparent Certification

Cindy Zimmerman

Soil analytics company Teralytic has completed the Ag Data Transparent certification, affirming that their data use is private, secure, and transparent. Teralytic, which recently released the world’s first wireless NPK sensor in their comprehensive soil probes, joins companies like John Deere, Farmers’ Business Network, GROWMARK, Granular and more in bringing data transparency and consumer trust to the forefront.

“The Teralytic platform collects data from the fields every single day for our farmers,” says Steve Ridder, Founder and CEO of Teralytic. “We know that this information is incredibly valuable and sensitive, and we want to reassure our users that we offer complete transparency on how we collect, use, and share data. By completing this verification, we hope more farmers have the confidence to embrace precision ag technologies to increase yield and improve soil health.”

To earn the seal, companies must complete the Ag Data Transparency Evaluator process, which is reviewed by an independent third-party administrator. These results can be viewed on the Ag Data Transparent website.

Ag Data Transparent certification allows companies that engage in and collect on-farm data to align to industry-wide principles to build trust with precision ag technology users. These core principles include: transparency in data collection, access, use, portability, availability, and retention. The non-profit Ag Data Transparency Evaluator, Inc.-formed by the American Farm Bureau Federation and other interested organizations and companies-audits each company’s ag data contracts to ensure it is transparent, upfront, and simple.

AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Technology