Earning Consumer Trust in Food Production

Carrie Muehling

The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity exists to help the food system earn the trust of consumers. Its U.S. counterpart has been working towards the same thing since 2007.

“To really earn trust, it has to start by doing the right thing – having trusted assurance systems – and then communicating. And you can’t do one pillar on its own without the other,” said Crystal McKay, president of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity. “So, I think where we need to get to in this to really move the bar on trust is showing our hearts first and facts second. The connecting with shared values. If we think about something like environment, for example, or animal welfare, no one cares more about that than farmers. But the public hasn’t heard that yet.”

McKay said 93 percent of the population in Canada and the United States knows little to nothing about farming, and it’s difficult to get public attention or engagement until there is a problem. Although agriculture is a technical industry, farmers and other food stakeholders cannot educate their way to public trust. McKay said the food industry needs to collaborate from farmer to processor to retailer and connect with the emotional side of the consumer first, then following with science and factual information. She said the time has never been better to have a conversation about food and agriculture, but noted it needs to start with listening.

McKay said it’s a mindset shift to consider the food business no matter what part of the supply chain one is in. She called it a whole food system business challenge that requires working together, as public trust should be viewed as a base for growth and innovation.

Listen here for Chuck’s interview with Crystal: Interview with Crystal McKay, Canadian Center for Food Integrity

ONE 18: The Alltech Ideas Conference Photo Album

Alltech, Audio, Food

Animal Ag Bites 6/4

Carrie Muehling

  • The National Pork Producers called for a swift resolution of the United States-China trade dispute, paving the way for increased U.S. pork exports to the world’s largest pork-consuming nation. According to Iowa State University Economist Dermot Hayes, U.S. pork producers have lost $2.2 billion on an annualized basis due to events leading up to and following China’s 25 percent punitive tariffs in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on aluminum and steel.
  • There’s still time to register for the 2018 World Pork Expo! It’s the 30th year and registration is free to journalists covering the event. Request your official media badge and parking pass now.
  • This June, in honor of National Dairy Month, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy is partnering with nearly 40,000 family farms, processors and dairy brands to spotlight the many people who are devoted to dairy. The month-long celebration will kick off year two of the Undeniably Dairy campaign and will rally communities from coast to coast to salute people’s passion for dairy. Since launching one year ago, the multi-year Undeniably Dairy campaign has sought to reignite consumers’ love for dairy while helping to bring them closer to the farm and to the people behind their favorite dairy foods.
  • The USPOULTRY Foundation research advisory committee met in Atlanta earlier this spring to review the next round of research pre-proposals. At the meeting, three new members were elected to serve on the committee, including Lynn Bagley, Pitman Family Farms; Dr. Roy Brister, Tyson Foods, Inc.; and Dave Townsend, Pilgrim’s Corp. Leaving the committee were Dr. Don McIntyre, Diamond V, and Dr. Tom Frost, DSM Nutritional Products.
AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

CCA Institute 2018

Chuck Zimmerman

Cooperative Communicators Association president Nickie Sabo, AMPI, conducted the new member orientation at the start of this year’s CCA Institute in Fort Worth. The last time I attended this conference was in 2010 but I’m here this year as a new member so I’m learning a lot and will be collecting some interviews to help us all learn more about this organization.

The program is all about professional improvement with many sessions, some fun, and a night of honors. I visited with Nickie to learn more about CCA and the Institute: Interview with Nickie Sabo

I will be collecting photos and sharing here: 2018 CCA Institute Photo Album

Audio, Cooperatives

Alltech Focused on Fish Nutrition, Sustainability

Carrie Muehling

Scientists in the field of aquaculture are working to produce a premium product sustainably, and nutrition is a key part of that goal.

At ONE 18: The Alltech Ideas Conference, Dr. Philip Lyons shared some challenges and successes of the aquaculture industry with participants.

“I think the biggest challenge is that at the moment a vast majority of feeds for carnivorous fish are made up of raw materials that are derived from the wild environment,” said Lyons, research scientist at Coppens International, an Alltech company. “From wild fish stocks, fish meal still makes up a large proportion of aqua feeds. And we really need to think of innovative ways to replace these because it’s not environmentally sustainable to take fish from the sea and put it into formulated diets for farmed fish and it doesn’t make sense to do that.”

Lyons said Alltech has already had some success with removing the fish oil component and replacing that with micro algae to get the same level of performance. But the protein side is still a challenge that the whole industry has to overcome. The company is actively looking at alternatives and conducting trials to see the digestibility of those alternatives in fish. Replacements with potential include insect meal and high protein bacterial meal.

Lyons said the company is also fine tuning mineral nutrition, as mineral requirements published for fish are old and outdated. Phosphorous retention is another focus to be sure there is no excretion of excess phosphorous into the environment. He is also excited about a new project researching gut health in fish.

Listen to Jamie’s interview here: Interview with Dr. Philip Lyons, Coppens International

2018 ONE 18: The Alltech Ideas Conference Photo Album

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Aquaculture, Audio, Nutrition

Preview of the 2018 CUTC

Chuck Zimmerman

The 2018 Corn Utilization and Technology Conference is about to start in St. Louis, MO. This event is held every other year and features technical presentations on various topic related to corn and uses for corn. The theme this year is, “Increasing efficiency across the supply chain to enable new products.”

On the CUTC Planning Committee as Co-Chair is Nathan Danielson, BioCognito. I spoke with him to get a preview of who should attend and what the key topics are for the presentations this year. He also talks about the sponsoring companies and poster presentations which are part of the agenda.

You can still register on-site for the CUTC which is being held beginning Monday morning, June 4 at the Sheraton Westport Chalet Hotel. You can find information on the agenda and location on the CUTC website.

As I have done at past conferences, I will be conducting interviews with presenters to get some key takeaways from their topics and research. That and a lot of photos will be published in a virtual newsroom on AgNewsWire.

Listen in to my conversation with Nathan to learn more: Interview with Nathan Danielson, BioCognito

AgWired Precision, Audio, Corn, CUTC, NCGA, Technology

More News from John Deere

Cindy Zimmerman

John Deere made several new equipment announcements this week, including three combine updates already featured.

The new W170 windrower for canola growers makes swathing faster and easier in heavy crop and hilly conditions.

With 46 inches (116.8 cm) of ground clearance and 12-inch (30.48 cm) wider walking beams, tall windrows can flow easily beneath the machine’s frame and are corralled by a new swath compressor. The swath compressor forms loose crop into a tight, uniform windrow, making it easier for a combine to pick up, eliminating the need for a canola roller.

The narrow 5075GL High Value Crop Tractor is ideal for more dense orchards and vineyards.

With 75 engine horsepower, there’s plenty of power to pull flail mowers, rotary cutters, spray tanks and trimming equipment, and to push harvest bins in hilly terrain.

Finally, the new John Deere Bale Mobile App helps growers improve efficiency, identify bale characteristics and track yield data for easier decision making.

Using John Deere Bale Mobile, producers can capture yield and other relevant data for hay. When used in conjunction with a John Deere 1 Series Large Square Baler (L331 or L341 model), equipped with optional moisture and weight sensors, the new app processes moisture and weight data into useable information for baling, loading and overall farm management.

AgWired Precision, Equipment, John Deere

Zimfo Bytes 6/1

Carrie Muehling

  • The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has launched an update to the My American Farm game, “Ag Across America.” The updated version features 100 new questions highlighting agricultural diversity across the nation, including videos of real American farmers asking questions. The Ag Across America app is available for free download in the iTunes App Store and in the Google Play Store. It can also be played online at www.myamericanfarm.org.
  • Tractor Supply’s “Follow Us to the Fair” Tour is once again embarking on an 11,000-mile cross-country journey to state and county fairs, making 24 stops in 14 states over the next six months. Now in its fourth year, the nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer is sending its road team on an excursion that begins June 1 in Kentucky and concludes Nov. 10 in Nevada. The “Follow Us to the Fair” Tour will also celebrate local 4-H and FFA youth through Tractor Supply’s second annual “Great Neighbor” Essay Contest.
  • Following publication on May 25 of the final commitments given by Bayer to the EU Commission, KWS SAAT SE issued a non-binding offer to Bayer AG for its global vegetable seed business, which operates primarily under the name Nunhems. KWS is thus renewing a non-binding bid it made in January 2018 and is offering Bayer and its shareholders attractive terms and conditions for the sale of the vegetable seed business. In order to complete the transaction with Monsanto, Bayer AG had assured the antitrust authorities that it would sell crop science businesses, including its vegetable seed business.
  • The American Soybean Association announced the selection of Wendy Brannen as director of policy communication, based in its Washington, D.C. office. Brannen comes to ASA after two years serving as executive director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission in California. She previously directed consumer health marketing and public relations at the U.S. Apple Association and also served as executive director of the Vidalia® Onion Committee.
  • Textron Off Road has introduced the all-new, pure-utility 2018 Prowler Pro and Prowler Pro XT. Built in Thief River Falls, Minn., both models deliver quiet gas power and unmatched reliability for tackling the toughest jobs and handling the most-extreme hunts.
  • Farmers Business Network, Inc. announced the launch of its Commodity Crop Marketing platform to help farmers make better decisions when marketing their grain. FBN Commodity Crop Marketing offers the following products and services to help make the grain marketing process simpler, more efficient, and transparent: FBN Cash Grain Management, FBN Market Intelligence, FBN Brokerage, and FBN Cash Contracts.
Zimfo Bytes

John Deere Introducing Updated Harvest Equipment

Carrie Muehling

A new track system and a new draper lineup are among updates to harvest equipment coming from John Deere.

A new track system is now fully suspended, offering the ability to transport up to 25 miles per hour from field to field. Track widths are available in 30-inch or 36-inch options. The company now also offers seven draper headers to better serve farmers, especially those harvesting higher volume crops like canola or other small grains.

“It really is just adding additional versatility to this draper,” said Matt Badding, technical marketing manager for harvesting equipment. “A lot of producers want to cut both on and off the ground. Perhaps they have both wheat, and then they have some lentils, or some soybeans or edible beans, and so they want that versatility of having one head to be able to go on and off the ground, and that’s really what we focused on.”

Badding said the company continues to enhance the MyOperations app and encouraged users to look for updates this summer and fall. He said 2019 combine models will be on display at 2018 fall farm shows with full production beginning on the combine and the draper line in fall 2018.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Matt here: Interview with Matt Badding, John Deere

AgWired Precision, Apps, Audio, Equipment, Harvest, John Deere

Poultry Researchers Tackle Woody Breast Syndrome

Carrie Muehling

A growing problem for the poultry industry is woody breast syndrome, a muscle myopathy that affects the most popular cut of poultry.

While it doesn’t pose any harm to the consumer or the bird, it results in a product that is not palatable. In 2017, woody breast syndrome cost the U.S. poultry industry an estimated $200 million. Due to changes in government regulations, that number could grow to $500 million in losses in 2018. The problem is even more prevalent in European countries and in Brazil. Researchers are still trying to identify a cause.

“We need to look at this issue from a multi-faceted approach,” said Dr. Rebecca Delles, an Alltech research scientist who presented at ONE 18: The Alltech Ideas Conference. “I think everybody has been hoping for this silver bullet to solve every single issue, but we’re not going to see it. It’s probably not going to happen. We need geneticists to work with us, we need the managers of these poultry farms to work with us, and ultimately, we also need to reexamine the nutrition and what we’re feeding these birds and how we’re raising them to solve this issue.”

Delles said meat scientists are collaborating across the globe to address woody breast syndrome, as poultry is now the number one meat consumed worldwide. They believe genetics play a part, but are not the sole cause of the problem. Other factors may include hatchery conditions, management, and diet.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Dr. Delles here: Interview with Dr. Rebecca Delles, Alltech

ONE 18: The Alltech Ideas Conference Photo Album

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio, Meat, Poultry

Bytes: Tech That Feeds Us

Carrie Muehling

KEENAN CEO Robert Walker explored the future of technology and data as it relates to agriculture and the food chain at ONE 18: The Alltech Ideas Conference.

“Ag tech is shrinking the food chain,” said Walker. “It’s making communication up and down the food chain a lot better, quicker, and ultimately that is going to be to the benefit of every member of that food chain, and especially to the consumer at the very end.”

While KEENAN mixer wagons already feature technologies that help farmers to work with nutritionists as they ensure they are feeding the correct rations for optimum performance from their cattle, Walker said there are more capabilities to come. He said data collection right now is focused at the farm level, and used primarily by the farmer. But Walker believes stakeholders up and down the food chain from feed mills to processors to retailers and even consumers could benefit from data collection and analysis that is already taking place on many farms. It appears digital technologies like blockchain might even further shorten the food chain.

Walker said farmers are passionate about what they do and will collaborate if there is benefit to doing so. He said data sharing needs to happen only with the farmer’s permission, but also pointed out that others might share the in the costs of data collection. He said Alltech companies want to move from a descriptive approach to a predictive approach when it comes to collecting data as they work to better meet the needs of their customers.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Robert Walker here: Interview with Robert Walker, KEENAN

2018 ONE 18: The Alltech Ideas Conference Photo Album

AgWired Animal, Alltech, Animal Agriculture, Audio, KEENAN, Technology