White House Reorganization Plans Would Change USDA

Cindy Zimmerman June 22, 2018

During an open media cabinet meeting Thursday, which was mostly dominated by President Trump commenting on the immigration issue, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Mick Mulvaney gave an entertaining summary of the administration’s plans to reorganize the government.

“It’s been almost a hundred years since anybody really reorganized the government,” said Mulvaney, before providing a couple of examples of why it needs to be reorganized. “Because of the Byzantine nature of the way we regulate in this country…if you make a cheese pizza, that is governed by the Food and Drug Administration, if you put pepperoni it, that’s governed by USDA. If you have a chicken, it’s governed by the USDA. If that chicken lays an egg, it’s governed by the FDA, but if you break the egg and make it into an omelet, that is now covered again by USDA.”

“This is stupid,” Mulvaney said simply.

Under the plan, food safety regulations would move from FDA to USDA, while rural housing would move from USDA to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and non-commodity nutrition assistance programs would move to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS), which would be renamed the Department of Health and Public Welfare (DHP).

Click here to view the administration plan and listen here to Mulvaney explain some of it at the Cabinet meeting. OMB Director Mick Mulvaney outlines reorganization plan

Audio, USDA

Hubbard’s Swine Research Facility a Valuable Asset

Carrie Muehling June 21, 2018

Hubbard‘s new Leavenworth Livestock Research Center in Minnesota gives the company an expanded opportunity to do meaningful research around swine nutrition.

The facility is a 5,000-head barn designed to house pigs from wean to finish. Two rooms offer the possibility of side by side trials in a fully filtered barn that greatly decreases any possibility of disease. The feeding system allows caregivers to deliver specific feed to each pen, and separate water lines to each pen allow for research using water treatments, as well.

This type of research center is helping Hubbard to get new products to the producer more quickly, according to Emily Fruge, swine research coordinator for Hubbard.

“We have four core values that we really go for, and that is to make our producers’ lives easier, we want to increase their competitive advantage, we want to improve their profitability, and we also want to reduce their risk,” said Fruge.

Research at the Leavenworth Livestock Research Center includes developing technologies and improving feeding programs in a realistic commercial production scenario with a focus on those core values. Fruge was at the 2018 World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa.

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Emily here: Interview with Emily Fruge, Hubbard

2018 World Pork Expo Photo Album

Coverage of World Pork Expo is sponsored by

World Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by Alltech

World Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by showrite

World Pork Expo virtual newsroom sponsored by hubbard

AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Pork, World Pork Expo

Growing Corn for Future Generations

Carrie Muehling June 21, 2018

Corn quality and related research and production techniques were among topics on the agenda at the 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference in St. Louis.

The future of the industry is a favorite subject of Dennis Maple, chairman of the National Corn Growers Association‘s Corn Productivity and Quality Action Team.

“I think we’re still going to have a big pile of corn in 30 years,” said Maple. “I think as producers we’re going to be more efficient and do a better job. Our corn breeders are going to do a fantastic job at getting us products that will produce bigger yields, and we’ll be better at water conservation and fertilizer conservation.”

Maple said younger farmers are becoming more and more important as older farmers like him need not only younger legs to help with the physical demands of production agriculture, but also younger minds to embrace the digital aspects of farming today. He said farmers continue to educate themselves on a number of important topics, from what’s happening with the Renewable Fuels Standard to how labeling affects ethanol consumption.

“Labeling is such an issue, whether it’s GMO labeling or labeling with ethanol or just anything in the grocery store, for example. Labeling is an issue,” said Maple. “Folks want to know where they’re products are coming from and how they’re produced. I think maybe more so in our younger generation that in past generations.”

He suggested consumers might be better served by a label denoting an octane rating or price octane rather than the ethanol content of a particular fuel.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Dennis here: Interview with Dennis Maple, Corn Grower

2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference Photo Album

Audio, Corn, CUTC, Ethanol, NCGA

ASTA and FFA Sign MOU

Cindy Zimmerman June 21, 2018

The National FFA Organization and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) have signed a memorandum of understanding that will align ASTA’s strategic goals and resources with the three-component model of agricultural education, providing teacher curriculum and resources; supervised agricultural experience support and mentors; and leadership and career development.

“This Memorandum of Understanding helps stress the importance of the three-component model – agricultural education, FFA and supervised agricultural experience,” said Mark Poeschl, chief executive officer of the National FFA Organization. “As we move forward in the 21st Century, we know it’s important to provide tools to our members to ensure they become tomorrow’s leaders in agriculture. This memorandum will help us sustain that growth in leadership.”

The memorandum was signed during ASTA’s recent Policy and Leadership Development conference in Washington, D.C. State FFA Officers from Maryland and Virginia also participated in the conference and shared a presentation regarding the three-component model.

ASTA, Education, FFA

DuPont Launches New Products for Fuel Ethanol Market

Carrie Muehling June 20, 2018

DuPont Industrial Biosciences used the Fuel Ethanol Workshop to showcase three new products geared toward the fuel ethanol market.

All three products are part of the XCELIS platform, which also includes an online partner community for the industry called Grain Changers. Each of these products is already available, according to Judy Underwood, global marketing leader for biorefinery business with Dupont Industrial Biosciences.

Underwood said DuPont™ SYNERXIA® THRIVE GX is a next generation yeast product for the fuel alcohol industry. A second product, DuPont™ DISTILLASE® DXT, is an advanced glucoamylase blend, designed to help customers extract even more value from liquefied grains through a combination of advanced glucoamylases, trehalase and cold cook alpha amylase.

“Starch gets trapped by the corn fiber, and the fiber presents itself as a really strong matrix,” said Underwood. “So this is a way to loosen up that fiber and let some of that starch out so that the alpha amylase in liquefaction can tackle it and solubulize it, leading to higher yields. Really good for producers that have an issue with residual starch.”

The third product, DuPont™ OPTIMASH® AX, is designed to help customers extract even more value out of nonstarch carbohydrates. It relaxes fibers to release inaccessible starch; increases ethanol yields up to one percent and is complementary to alpha amylase performance.

Underwood said launching three products this year is exciting, but the company is far from finished with innovation in this area.

“We want the audience to know that we are not done and we are still really very invested in this market. We are very invested in research and development to bring even new solutions to the market over the next months and years that will help them become more efficient and drive towards whatever goals they’re pursuing,” said Underwood.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Judy here: Interview with Judy Underwood, Xcelis

2018 Fuel Ethanol Workshop Photo Album

Audio, Ethanol

Showing Swine is Show-Rite Specialty

Carrie Muehling June 20, 2018

The World Pork Expo Junior National competition set another record this year with nearly 1,200 youth from 32 states, up from 1,050 last year, and 2,800 live hogs exhibited, an increase of 300 from 2017. Helping many of those exhibitors breed the best animals they can is what Show-Rite feeds does best.

Show-Rite Ambassador James Backman said it begins with the right genetics, but nutrition programs are vitally important. Backman said when it comes to a show like the World Pork Expo, many exhibitors have traveled many miles, and each animal will handle the trip differently.

“The most important thing is keeping those animals hydrated. Obviously, muscle has a high percentage of water or moisture in it, and if we can keep those animals hydrated, that’s going to help them stay on feed. That’s going to help them keep that fresh, bloomy look,” said Backman, who noted some of the Show-Rite products that can help exhibitors to do that.

Backman said the current trend in show pigs includes animals with taller shoulders, a unique neck set on the top of the shoulder blade, and animals that stay square to the ground. Then judges will look for shape and width that doesn’t compromise the design of the animal.

Listen to Jamie’s interview with James here: Interview with James Backman, Show-Rite

2018 World Pork Expo Photo Album

Coverage of World Pork Expo is sponsored by

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Pork, Swine, World Pork Expo

Enogen Waves Flag for Ethanol at NASCAR Race

Cindy Zimmerman June 20, 2018

For the sixth consecutive year, Syngenta Enogen sponsored NASCAR® racing at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa this past weekend.

The Iowa 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race presented by Enogen on Sunday highlighted both corn and ethanol around the track and allowed Syngenta to thank some of the farmers who are enzyme suppliers for their local plants.

Chris Tingle, head of commercial operations for Enogen at Syngenta, says Enogen premiums-to-date paid to Enogen corn growers are expected to surpass $100 million this year. “This is a milestone year for Enogen corn and we are pleased to be able to take this opportunity to say thank you to the ethanol plants and corn growers who are making this game-changing technology a success. To do so in collaboration with NASCAR makes it even more special.”

NASCAR has been supporting American ethanol since 2011 when it began using Sunoco Green E15 (15 percent ethanol) in all three touring races. Grower account lead Craig Abell had the opportunity to check an item off his bucket list when he waved the green American Ethanol flag to start the race. “Been watching NASCAR for 30 years, so I’ve prepared for this moment my entire life!” said Abell

By the end of 2018, Syngenta anticipates more than 280 million bushels of Enogen corn will have been grown on nearly 1.5 million acres and contributed to approximately 7 billion gallons of ethanol produced.

Listen to interviews with Tingle and Abell to learn more about the Enogen technology and how it is helping both corn farmers and ethanol producers be more profitable.

Interview with Chris Tingle, Syngenta Enogen

Interview with Craig Abell, Syngenta Enogen

NASCAR Xfinity Series Iowa 250 presented by Enogen Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, NASCAR, Syngenta

Precision Ag Bytes 6/20

Carrie Muehling June 20, 2018

Stine Seed Farm Inc, an affiliate of Stine Seed Company, has invested $5 million in Smart Ag Inc., an Iowa technology firm that has revolutionized automation in agriculture with the development of a full stack software platform and aftermarket kit for driverless tractors. The Stine Seed investment In Smart Ag’s Series Seed Round comes just five short months after Smart Ag unveiled its technology with the release of AutoCart, a software application that fully automates a grain cart tractor for use during harvest.
AgBiome, LLC, has recently been awarded a multi-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the area of nematology. The project, entitled “Biological Nematicides for Root and Tuber Crops,” aims to discover and develop a microbial solution for smallholder farms in West Africa to manage yield-damaging plant-parasitic nematodes.
Kubota Tractor Corporation announced the completion of a 200-acre land purchase within Phase II of Logistics Park Kansas City in Edgerton, making the company the first major tenant for the industrial park.
Syngenta Seeds facilities in Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota have been recognized for outstanding safety performance in the workplace. The Jefferson, Iowa, Syngenta Seeds production and supply facility was honored by the Iowa-Illinois Safety Council(IISC). For the second year in a row, the Jefferson site earned the Presidential Award in Hazard Recognition, one of only five recipients of this honor given annually by the IISC. Employees at the Syngenta Seeds production and supply facility in Pekin, Illinois, recently celebrated 10 years without an injury in the workplace. This achievement represents more than 670,000 hours safely worked at the Pekin site, which was also recognized by the IISC for continuous improvement with the identification and control of workplace safety hazards. The Minnesota Safety Council recently recognized the Syngenta Seeds Amboy and Dassel, Minnesota, production and supply facilities with its highest level of recognition, the Governor’s Award of Honor.
The GO In-Depth Cover Crop Event 2018 was a great success! Catch up on all the speaker presentations by visiting the Grassland Oregon YouTube channel.
Five FS crop specialists are being recognized for their work with GROWMARK’s Endure 4R Advocate award. The 2018 winners include: Tim Berkland – GROWMARK – Iowa; Gary Brandt – Gateway FS – Illinois; Courtney Mahr – West Central FS – Illinois; Sal Pustizze – GROWMARK FS – New Jersey; and Todd Wibben – Evergreen FS – Illinois.

AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

Iowa Corn Growers Attend CUTC

Carrie Muehling June 19, 2018

Members of the Iowa Corn Growers Association and Iowa Corn Promotion Board attended the 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference in St. Louis to showcase a current research project on developing monoethylene glycol (MEG) from corn.

MEG is used in products like antifreeze, plastic soda bottles and polyester clothes. It provides a renewable product and expands the market for corn.

“It’s huge. As corn growers, we keep producing more and more corn, and then we have to find some way to get rid of it. and, the checkoff dollars that we get through the corn promotion board, we try and utilize those to find new ways, new uses, new markets for the corn any way that we can,” said Pete Breck, an Iowa corn grower who is a member of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board.

The project focused on getting a renewable and bio-based product into markets where consumers are asking for it, and plastic bottles is one place that trend exists, according to Rodney Williamson, director of research and development with Iowa Corn. It’s a product that has not traditionally been made from corn. The project was part of an open innovation contest hosted by the National Corn Growers Association to generate an interest in developing new products from corn.

“We have a lot of technologies in our pipeline at Iowa Corn to continue this trend of developing new products,” said Alex Buck, industrial innovation manager with Iowa Corn. “What I would say is this has been a great example of corn growers making things for themselves, being preemptive about trying to discover new products and new technologies that they can use, and really diversify their own products. Corn farmers working for corn farmers.”

The group from Iowa also included Iowa State University students who competed in the National Corn Growers Association’s Corn Utilization and Technology Conference 2018 Poster Contest.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Iowa Corn here: Interview with Iowa Corn

2018 Corn Utilization & Technology Conference Photo Album

Audio, Corn, CUTC

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