Viligen™ is Alltech’s Newest Innovation for Pig Producers

Cindy Zimmerman

Alltech launched its latest technology for swine gut health at the recent ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference and producers got to learn more about Viligen™ at World Pork Expo this week.

Viligen™ focuses on enhancing gut form and function while optimizing the immune system to maintain health status. For producers with weaned pigs, Viligen promotes gut health by directly targeting the gut mucosa. When the technology is added to the diet of piglets, it prepares the immature gut for efficient nutrient absorption and rapid growth, and it encourages feed intake by providing fatty acids, prebiotic components and readily available mineral forms.

“So far, feedback from Viligen use on U.S. pig farms has been very positive,” said Russell Gilliam, Alltech U.S. swine business leader. “At Alltech, we understand that pig producers with weaned pigs are looking for technologies and solutions that lower production costs without compromising on performance.”

Read more about Viligen from Alltech and learn more in this interview with Gilliam from WPX: Interview with Russell Gilliam, Alltech, on Viligen

Coverage of World Pork Expo is sponsored by World Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by AlltechWorld Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by showriteWorld Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by hubbard
AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Health, Audio, Swine, World Pork Expo

USDA’s BioPreferred Program Continues Growth

Carrie Muehling

USDA’s BioPreferred Program continues to grow as technology brings more and more new products to the market.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in our part of the supply chain. I’m here today exhibiting and sharing information and education and outreach about the BioPreferred Program,” said Kate Lewis, deputy program manager. Lewis exhibited at the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference in St. Louis.

Lewis said the bio-based market continues to be small with about 50,000 products available right now. But she believes technological advances will spur more growth, making products more available and more affordable as time goes on.

“Given the current economic and political climate, this program is more relevant than ever,” said Lewis. “It enjoys bipartisan support because of the benefits that it brings back. Bio-based products can be more environmentally preferable as it relates to the attribute of carbon associated with it. They are definitely sustaining and bringing value to farmers who are mostly located in rural communities and contributing to the rural economy.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Kate here: Interview with Kate Lewis, USDA

2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference Photo Album

Audio, CUTC, USDA

Ibach Visits Pork Expo

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach addressed pork producers at a World Pork Expo luncheon Wednesday.

Topics Ibach addressed that are of particular interest to the pork industry included animal health, biotechnology, gene editing and trade issues. He also talked about farm bill negotiations and establishing a vaccine bank for livestock producers.

Listen to or download Ibach’s address: USDA Under Secretary Greg Ibach at 2018 World Pork Expo

2018 World Pork Expo photo album

Coverage of World Pork Expo is sponsored by World Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by AlltechWorld Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by showriteWorld Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by hubbard
AgWired Animal, Audio, Pork, USDA, World Pork Expo

2018 CUTC is a Wrap

Cindy Zimmerman

The first Corn Utilization and Technology Conference was held 30 years ago. Since 1987, CUTC has brought together leading innovators to focus on new uses for corn with the goals of expanding markets and demand while improving quality and efficiency.

National Corn Growers Association CEO Chris Novak says this year’s conference this week was another great success for the future of the industry. “Corn can be at the forefront of a biobased economy,” said Novak. “We have the opportunity to use corn and corn products to replace petrochemicals in a way that will create additional demand for our farmers and create more sustainable products.”

Listen to Novak’s wrap up interview from CUTC: CUTC interview with NCGA CEO Chris Novak

2018 CUTC Photo Album

AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio, Corn, CUTC, NCGA

FLM Harvest Will Represent Oregon Hazelnut Industry

Carrie Muehling

The Oregon Hazelnut Marketing Board (OHMB) has chosen FLM Harvest as its marketing-communications agency as the Oregon hazelnut industry experiences significant growth.

Oregon growers produce 99 percent of U.S. hazelnuts. Their acreage has more than doubled in the past five years and continues to increase by at least 8,000 acres each year. OHMB selected FLM Harvest after a competitive search to cultivate new demand within the foodservice, manufacturing, retail and consumer markets.

“As our industry expands, it is important that we continue to broaden awareness and understanding of Oregon hazelnuts’ benefits and versatility while maintaining a premium price for our growers,” said Meredith Nagely, OHMB manager. “FLM Harvest uniquely understands the food industry value chain, as well as the consumer food landscape.”

FLM Harvest also represents the Mushroom Council, National Watermelon Promotion Board and Southern Peanut Growers.

Agencies, FLM Harvest

Using Digital Agriculture to Enable a Reliable Supply Chain

Carrie Muehling

Technology is here to stay, and digital agriculture is helping farmers of all ages to better serve the processors and consumers they are supplying.

“I think we sometimes discount how well some of the older generation actually uses the technology. I think some of the older generations have grasped the technology. They are utilizing it,” said Roger Theisen, business manager for specialty corn with Corteva Agriscience. “I believe some of the younger generations are going to be able to take that information, take that technology, and maybe use it a little more specific to acre profitability, just the different things that they want to do with those acres or for their farming operation.”

Theisen said digital agriculture is helping all aspects of agriculture, from the producer to the processor to the consumer. He said using that technology can not only help farmers to realize more profit when margins are tight, but it can also help them to be better stewards of the resources they have on the farm. That same information can better serve consumers as they strive to learn more about where their food comes from and how it is being produced. Theisen moderated a panel at the 2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference in St. Louis.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Roger here: Interview with Roger Theisen, Corteva Agriscience

2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, CUTC, Precision Agriculture

Ethanol and Trade Center Stage for NCGA

Cindy Zimmerman

National Corn Growers Association president Kevin Skunes of North Dakota says he expected to be focused mainly on the farm bill this year, but trade and ethanol have “taken a lot of oxygen out of the room.”

During an interview at the Corn Utilization and Technology Conference (CUTC) this week, Skunes saiede they are disappointed that the House version of the farm bill was defeated as a result of a “non-agriculture issue” because farmers are really struggling right now. “The number one priority in a farm bill for us is a robust crop insurance program,” he said.

In this interview, Skunes also comments on trade issues, ethanol, the Bayer Monsanto closing, and more.

Interview with NCGA president Kevin Skunes

2018 CUTC Photo Album

Audio, Corn, CUTC, NCGA

2018 World Pork Expo Showcases Everything Pig

Cindy Zimmerman

The 2018 World Pork Expo is celebrating 30 years this week at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Presented by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) since 1987, this year’s expo includes a record-setting trade show, expanded seminar lineup, elite swine shows, and an abundance of delicious pork!

Organizers expect approximately 20,000 producers, employees, industry specialists and other pork professionals, including 1,000 international visitors, to participate in Expo’s three days. From the beginning, Expo has featured the world’s largest pork-specific trade show, but this year, it’s even bigger. New to Expo, the Jacobson Exhibition Center (JEC) will join the Varied Industries building to display products, services and technologies from more than 500 U.S. and international companies.

Visitors also will find more outdoor exhibits throughout the fairgrounds. The Expo’s trade show exceeds 360,000 square feet this year, making it more than 40,000 square feet larger than in 2017.

Among the exhibitors is Alltech, and we will be finding out more about the nutritional technologies they offer to help pig producers overcome challenges to support pig health and producer profitability.

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Jim Heimerl, NPPC Board President as they discuss this year’s event and that hot-button issue the U.S. pork industry is facing…trade. Interview with Jim Heimerl, NPPC President

2018 World Pork Expo photo album

Coverage of World Pork Expo is sponsored by World Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by AlltechWorld Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by showriteWorld Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by hubbard
AgWired Animal, Alltech, NPPC, Swine, World Pork Expo

Precision Ag Bytes 6/6

Carrie Muehling

  • Farm Market iD has released the 2018 Annual Update of their database. The update will provide complete details on farmers, crops, livestock and land for the 2017 crop year. The database covers 94 percent of major crop production in the United States going back more than a decade, and is collected from a combination of public and private sources.
  • As part of a 33-year effort to protect sensitive lands and improve water quality and wildlife habitat on private lands, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will resume accepting applications for the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program. Eligible farmers, ranchers, and private landowners can sign up at their local Farm Service Agency office between June 4 and Aug. 17, 2018.
  • The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has presented Statistics Outstanding Merit Awards to 29 companies for their superior participation in AEM data reporting programs.
  • Building on its SeedCommand line of planting products, Ag Leader introduces SureForce. SureForce is a new, bidirectional hydraulic down force system with hydraulic uplift. Weight on the gauge wheels of every row is sensed 200 times per second, and force is automatically adjusted up or down to maintain consistent depth in changing soil conditions.
  • HELM Agro US, Inc. announced that the California Department of Pesticide Regulations has approved HELMET and HELMET SPC herbicides for use on selected crops in that state. HELMET and HELMET SPC are HELM Agro US’ newest additions to the metolachlor herbicide portfolio. Both products deliver superior grass and small-seeded broadleaf control with the added benefit of residual activity. One application controls tough-to-manage weeds, including those resistant to glyphosate, PPO and ALS herbicides.
  • AGCO Corporation announces a development partnership with agricultural technology company AgIntegrated (AGI) to deliver ag information management systems services to AGCO customers. The partnership will enable AGCO customers to connect more easily with their agronomy service providers, create seamless data connectivity, and digitize the farm.
  • Deere & Company took legal action against Precision Planting LLC and AGCO Corporation, claiming that the companies have infringed on 12 John Deere patents. The Deere patents relate to several of the unique and inventive aspects of John Deere planting equipment, many of which are embodied in the state-of-the-art technology Deere has named ExactEmerge.
  • Concentric Ag Corporation (formerly Inocucor), a developer and producer of proprietary biological and essential plant nutrient inputs for specialty and broadacre crops, has hired Mark Trostle as vice president of global regulatory affairs. Trostle is an expert in federal, state and international regulations for crop inputs.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

Emerging Technologies: From the Feed to the Cloud

Carrie Muehling

The farms of the future will likely use Cloud computing and real-time data to monitor livestock production. These emerging technologies present a huge opportunity in places like the Asia Pacific region, where everything is growing and pig production is booming, according to Art Frio, independent pig production and nutrition consultant.

“There will be hesitation, as always. New things come at a price,” said Frio, who presented at ONE 18: The Alltech Ideas Conference. “But then again, if you look at what they want, they really want information. They really want it quick. Nowadays we have what we call the microwave generation, where nobody can wait for 10 seconds anymore. So, I guess the modern farmers, the new generation of farmers that I’m working with – even maybe outside of Asia Pacific – could be wanting all of this information as quick as possible.”

Frio said much of the information recorded on today’s farms does not get used because it’s not processed in a timely fashion. In a place like the Asia Pacific region where pork production and consumption is growing very quickly, he believes farmers will be left behind if they don’t embrace technology that will allow them to use the Cloud to gather, store and process data in real time.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Art here: Interview with Art Frio, Independent Consultant

ONE 18: The Alltech Ideas Conference Photo Album

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Swine