The Soil Health Partnership embarks on its fifth year of participating in dozens of field days across 12 states this summer and fall. For a list of field days and to register, visit www.soilhealthpartnership.org.- The 14th International Conference on Precision Agriculture (ICPA) is wrapping up in Montreal, Quebec. The conference is presented by the International Society of Precision Agriculture. The final Oral and Poster programs are posted on the 14th ICPA website, including over 250 oral presentations, 30 industry talks, and 20 plenary session talks.
- Exporting tree nuts and other specialty crops to EU countries has just gotten simpler for growers in California and throughout the US with an increased maximum residue level (MRL) limit EU ruling based upon residue data developed by IR-4 and almond, pistachio, and walnut grower groups under a USDA grant with support from Verdesian Life Sciences.
- FMC has received confirmation from the EPA that Anthem®MAXX herbicide has been cleared for inclusion with XtendiMax® with VaporGrip® Technology and Engenia® herbicides. FMC herbicide tank-mix options now include the following herbicide products: Anthem MAXX, Authority® First DF, Authority® Elite, Authority® XL, Authority® MAXX, Authority® MTZ DF and Authority® Assist.
- AMVAC Chemical Corporation has announced the purchase of the Bromacil herbicide business in the United States and Canada from Bayer Crop Science. This transaction is unrelated to the acquisition of Monsanto by Bayer, and financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
EPA Releases 2019 Biofuel Proposal
The Environmental Protection Agency released its proposal for 2019 biofuel obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Tuesday, maintaining the statutory level for corn ethanol while increasing advanced biofuels, but failing to address the small refinery exemptions that have decimated demand and effectively lowered the required amount of biofuels to be blended.
Under the proposed rule, conventional renewable fuel volumes would be maintained at the implied 15-billion gallon target set by Congress for 2019, the advanced biofuel standard would be increased by almost 600 million gallons over the 2018 standard – including an increase of 100 million gallons for the cellulosic biofuel standard and a 330 million gallon increase for the biomass-based diesel standard for 2020.
EPA is also “taking comment on a host of ways to improve market transparency, including by limiting who can participate in the Renewable Identification Number (RIN) market and the length of time a RIN can be held.”
The ethanol industry would be more pleased with the rule if it had addressed the gallons lost due to refinery waivers, according to Renewable Fuels Association president and CEO Bob Dinneen. “The agency had language in the proposal until about two days ago that would have, at least for future small refinery waivers, created a more transparent process by which those gallons would have been reallocated,” said Dinneen. The proposal was scheduled to be released last Friday but delayed at the last minute, reportedly because the oil industry was against the reallocation plan.
Listen to Dinneen’s reaction to the proposal: Interview with RFA CEO Bob Dinneen on EPA 2019 RVO proposal
Camso Hosts VIPs at Remanufacturing Facility
The latest remanufacturing capabilities and Camso facility was showcased to customers, community leaders and media this month in Emporia, KS. Remanufacturing is available for tracks taken from friction drive tractors, and for midroller wheels of all tractors as shown in this image.
During the one-day premier, Camso welcomed guests and took them on an exclusive guided tour of the facility to witness firsthand the wheels and tracks remanufacturing process. Company executives and plant personnel provided an in-depth overview of this innovative program and explained the benefits of remanufactured agricultural tracks and wheels to customers and distributors as part of the company’s product lineup.
“Guests saw the high level of quality put into every Camso product, along with our extensive product testing and quality control processes,” said Martin Lunkenbein, Service and Aftermarket Sales Executive Director – Agriculture at Camso. “As the industry leader in tracks, Camso has the knowledge and technology to ensure the most effective remanufacturing of these agricultural products that is possible.” Lunkenbein said these events provide partners with an exclusive look at Camso’s level of product expertise, knowledge and technology, in addition to providing them with the evidence they are receiving the best value and customer support.
This past March Camso launched its certified remanufactured tracks and wheels program to help customers get multiple lives from their tracked machine’s used wheels and tracks. Camso tracks are remanufactured from the best, longest-lasting carcass in the industry and use the same Camso original materials and quality. Remanufacturing is available for tracks taken from friction drive tractors, and for midroller wheels of all tractors.
To give multiple lives to a product that they’ve always trusted, customers can call 1-844-CAMSOAG, email or visit Camso.co for more details about the certified remanufactured wheels and tracks program.
Keeping Up With Corn Research
While the content shared during sessions at the 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference was very technical, it was valuable to Mark Sponsler, Executive Director of the Colorado Corn Growers Association.
“Behind any market development effort, and at the root or the base of any new technology that represents market demand, there has to be a foundation of solid research,” Sponsler said.
Sponsler uses the opportunity to learn where the research is headed and what the future holds for corn and potential markets for corn. Whether it is the future of cellulosic ethanol or the development of corn-based products to replace those currently derived from petroleum, it’s information that Sponsler wants to know.
He said Colorado is like many other states that are looking to redefine the focus of research investments and sometimes choosing between funding production technology or product development. Often the budget of one state association is not big enough to do both. Sponsler said many times several states will work together on projects that expand markets for corn, using ethanol production and promotion as a prime example of that kind of effort.
Interview with Mark Sponsler, Colorado Corn Growers AssociationNational FFA and AgriNovus Indiana Announce Blue Room
The National FFA Organization and AgriNovus Indiana have joined together to announce the “Blue Room” will debut at the 2018 National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis Oct. 24-27.
The Blue Room is the kickoff to Blue 365, an initiative that will bring this same innovation into classrooms and impact more than 650,000 members nationwide. FFA student members are the future leaders of the food industry, which is relying on this generation to meet unparalleled challenges to feed a growing world population.
The 17,000-square-foot interactive Blue Room will center on the challenges facing our community—from respecting the planet to the urgent matter of feeding the world. This cutting-edge approach will focus on experiential learning and thought-provoking exposure to the convergence of agriculture, technology, human health, engineering, and more.
Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture division of DowDuPont, and Elanco are also proud participating sponsors of The Blue Room and supporting partners of AgriNovus Indiana.
Making the Blue Room announcement Monday in Indianapolis were National FFA CEO Mark Poeschl, AgriNovus Indiana president and CEO Beth Bechdol, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, and FFA alumnus Loren King. Listen to their remarks here: National FFA and AgriNovus Indiana Announce Blue Room
Alltech’s Total Replacement Technology Boosts Performance
Research from Alltech shows that replacing inorganic trace minerals with the same minerals in an organic form can provide huge benefits for swine producers.
Alltech’s Total Replacement Technology (TRT) includes feeding plant-based trace minerals like the company’s Bioplex product, according to Russell Gilliam, U.S. Swine Business Manager.
“So that animal is able to absorb that mineral better, which leads to us not having to feed as much, which reduces mineral interactions in the digestive tract,” said Gilliam. “But most importantly, it increases performance in those sows and it allows us to lower our cost of producing a weaned pig.”
Gilliam added that producers using TRT on average see a one-fourth of a pound increase in birth weights, translating to a gain of one and a half pounds at weaning. He said removing the inorganic mineral portion of the diet actually yielded a better response from the Bioplex minerals included in the diet, which means increased performance over all. Alltech’s research includes studies over the entire life of sows looking at total lifetime performance.
Interview with Russell Gilliam, AlltechDoggett Interim CEO for NCGA as Novak Joins CropLife America
Jon Doggett has been named interim CEO for the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) starting August 1, taking over for Chris Novak, who becomes president and CEO of CropLife America (CLA) in August.
Novak will become just the fifth staff leader of CLA in its 85-year history on August 20. He replaces Jay Vroom, who has been CEO since 1989 and announced his plans to retire last year. Novak has served as NCGA CEO since October 2014, after six years as CEO of the National Pork Board.
Doggett has been with NCGA since 2002 and has served as Executive Vice President since 2014. Prior to that, he served as Vice President, Public Policy, and continues to manage the organization’s 11-person Washington office and lead its public policy efforts.
Raised on his family’s Montana ranch, Doggett has substantial knowledge of production agriculture and more than 30 years of agricultural policy experience. Before joining NCGA, Doggett served 11 years at the American Farm Bureau Federation, where he was the Bureau’s lead lobbyist on a number of public policy issues, including ethanol, climate change, land use, conservation, and endangered species. Doggett also worked for the National Cattleman’s Beef Association/Public Lands Council and served as senior legislative assistant for former Montana Congressman Ron Marlenee.
An announcement regarding the formal search process for a permanent CEO will be made at a later date.
Animal Ag Bites 6/25
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue has announced the appointment of 10 members to fill vacancies on the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board. More information about the board is available on the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board page on the AMS website, including a link to the Board’s membership under the heading Organizational Structure.- The Institute for Feed Education and Research announced the addition of Robert Cooper as its executive director, effective June 18. IFEEDER, the American Feed Industry Association’s public charity, focuses on research and education to support the feed industry.
- Louisiana State University received a $4,000 grant from the USPOULTRY Foundation. The grant was awarded to the university to aid in their efforts to recruit students interested in studying poultry science and was made possible in part from an endowing Foundation gift from Sanderson Farms. The grant money will be used to continue the Summer Poultry Institute held annually at the university. The three-day institute is open to high school students and teaches poultry anatomy, embryology, biology, nutrition, grading and processing.
- The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, recently hosted three On the Farm professional development events for leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as well as health education. Events were designed to introduce educators from primarily urban areas to the beef industry in Fort Worth, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Portland, Oregon.
Technology Continues to Evolve for Corn Sweeteners
Innovations in the corn sweetener industry were among those on display at the 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference in St. Louis. Companies like Novasep were on hand to present the latest information and technology they have on processes like glucose/fructose separation.
“We have made and work on drastic changes and optimization of this technology which opens new areas of application for our customers,” said Damien Brichant, Americas General Manager, Industrial Biotech, Novasep.
Brichant said many other sugars and amino acids are now purified with this technology, which continues to evolve.
“This is clearly an industry which is shifting from only food applications to much more industrial applications with a lot of innovation into it, so that’s great news,” he said.
Listen to Chuck’s interview with Damien here: Interview with Damien Brichant, Americas General Manager, Novasep
GROWMARK Promotes Sustainability with Endure Initiative
GROWMARK‘s Endure 4R Advocate Awards program and Enduring Farms program are working together to recognize individuals for using best management practices and to tell that story to those outside of agriculture who want to know how farmers are practicing stewardship on their land.
GROWMARK Director of Agronomy Marketing and Agronomy Services Ryan White says they continue to grow the programs, and for good reason.
“In the end, what we want to do with this program is to always find ways to work with farmers to improve, to tell the great story that farmers are already doing,” said White. “There are so many farmers who already put good practices – outstanding practices – to work every day to manage crop nutrients and crop inputs. Lifting those folks up as the best examples of what’s happening out there, and telling their stories to those outside our industry is very important, but it’s also great within our industry because we have those people that are doing exemplary work that we can point to.”
GROWMARK just recognized five FS crop specialists with the Endure 4R Advocate Awards. Earlier this year the company awarded 26 farmers with the Enduring Farms recognition. White said these individuals truly are leaders in the industry who work every day to do the right thing for their clients and on their farms.
Interview with Ryan White, GROWMARKCongratulations to the 2018 Endure 4R Advocate award winners:
• Tim Berkland – GROWMARK – Iowa
• Gary Brandt – Gateway FS – Illinois
• Courtney Mahr – West Central FS – Illinois
• Sal Pustizze – GROWMARK FS – New Jersey
• Todd Wibben – Evergreen FS – Illinois