U.S. Farmers Advocate for Trade in SE Asia

Jamie Johansen

Ag Supply Chain Asia 2018 took place in Surabaya, Indonesia March 20-22. The event, organized by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and U.S. Grains Council (USGC), took international attendees ‘Beyond the Horizon of Food and Agriculture.’ Relationships sit center-stage even in the international marketplace and putting a face to the U.S. farmer is pivotal for buyers of U.S. agricultural products.

This event brought buyers and U.S. farmers together to share stories, ask questions and even discuss challenges each face. I was able to sit down with a few of the farmers to learn why they are involved in such trade missions, how trade impacts their bottom line and why free trade is so important.

Meet the U.S. Farmers:
Interview with Jamie Beyer, Minnesota Farmer

Interview with Bill Bayliss, Ohio Farmer

Interview with David Droste, Illinois Farmer

Interview with Sharon Covert, Illinois Farmer

Interview with Jeff Frank, Iowa Farmer

Interview with John Longley, Illinois Farmer

Interview with Josh Miller, Indiana Farmer

Interview with Alan Moore, Michigan Farmer

Interview with Ryan Wagner, South Dakota Farmer

View and download images from the event here: USSEC SE Asia Buyers Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, AgWired Precision, Audio, Trade, USGC, USSEC

China Strikes Back

Cindy Zimmerman

From almonds to frozen edible swine offal, the majority of the 128 products on which China imposed retaliatory tariffs Monday are agricultural, making farmers bear the brunt of the reaction to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs.

“This is a tax on American farmers, brought about by protectionist trade policies,” said Farmers for Free Trade (FFT) Co-Chair Max Baucus. “American farmers appear to be the first casualties of an escalating trade war.”

U.S. exports of fruits, nuts, and wine will see a 15% tariff, while U.S. pork products were slapped with a 25% tariff, which National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) CEO Neil Dierks says is a significant blow to the industry. “China was the third largest value market, with more than $1 billion in U.S. pork being shipped there last year,” said Dierks. “We recognize that the U.S. and China are negotiating, and we are hopeful that the 25 percent tariffs on U.S. pork will be short lived.”

China added another 15% tariff on U.S. ethanol imports to an already-imposed 30% duty, making the total tariff 45%. “This one-two protectionist punch will ultimately harm Chinese consumers who are being denied access to the lowest-cost, highest-octane, and cleanest fuel on the planet,” said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen. “But it will also hurt farmers in the U.S. who have worked to build value-added markets for their commodities here and abroad.”

In an interview with AgNet West, California Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) President John Aguirre says their industry will be severely impacted by a 15% tariff. “When you talk about U.S. wine exports, you’re really talking about California,” Aguirre said. “You’re looking at about a $197 million market for U.S. wine.”

Audio: Calif. Winegrape Growers president John Aguirre

The good news is that soybeans were not on the list announced Monday, since it could mean an overall drop in U.S. soybean exports of 40 percent, according to a study commissioned by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC). FFT has been sharing videos of soybean growers who are concerned about the possible trade disruption that would cause for their number one market, worth $14 billion annually. Watch one here:


AgWired Animal, Ethanol, Exports, International, NPPC, Pork, RFA, Soybean, Trade

American Lamb Board Sets Goal of 2 Percent Annual Growth

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Lamb Board (ALB) has approved a new long range plan for 2018-2022 that sets a bold new demand growth goal.

The strategic objective of the plan is to increase demand for American Lamb by 2 percent annually over the next five years, for a total demand growth of 10 percent. Per capita consumption of lamb in the U.S. has remained steady over the past ten years at approximately one pound per person per year with nearly 20 percent of lamb consumption occurring during the spring holidays. Urban shoppers are the most likely to consume lamb with the highest consumption occurring on the East and West Coasts. In 2015, lamb demand was up 7 percent compared to 2014 and increased again in 2016 by 2.5 percent.

The Long Range Plan outlines Five Core Strategies to increase the demand for American Lamb.

• Grow awareness and increase usage of American Lamb among chefs and consumers
• Promote and strengthen American Lamb’s Value Proposition
• Improve the quality and consistency of American Lamb
• Support industry efforts to increase domestic supplies of lamb
• Collaborate and communicate with industry partners and stakeholders to expand efforts to address the first four strategies

“Using these core strategies, the ALB will create budgets and annual work plans to achieve the goals and initiatives set by the Long Range Plan. America’s lamb producers are excited about the work we’ll be doing over the next several years to increase the demand not just for lamb, but specifically for American Lamb,” says Ohio lamb producer Jim Percival, ALB chairman.

Click to see the full version of the Long Range Plan.

AgWired Animal, American Lamb Board, Lamb, Livestock, Meat

Bayer, Growers Pleased with Delaro Trials

Carrie Muehling

Participants in the 2018 Commodity Classic in Anaheim heard results of extensive trials done last year on Bayer’s Delaro fungicide. The company tested the product in more than 500 grower trials across 20 Midwestern states in 2017.

“What was actually really interesting about 2017 is that it was very, very wet in some parts of the country, particularly the Eastern Corn Belt, and it was very dry in the Western Corn Belt,” said Thorsten Schwindt with Bayer. “I think that was somewhat of actually an advantage for a demo year because it gave us a good feeling about how Delaro would perform in different seasons, like a very wet season like we had in Ohio and Indiana, or very dry like we’ve seen in Iowa or Nebraska.”

Schwindt said they saw consistency across all geographies, with a 90 percent win rate in both corn and soybeans. Yield results were also higher than growers had seen with previously used or competing products. Corn yields averaged a 12-18 bushel lift and soybeans averaged a 4-5 bushel increase.

Minnesota farmer Todd Golly trialed Delaro last year on his corn and soybean farm.

“We used aerial image to monitor it during the season and the plant’s reaction to the product. We were very excited to see that the Delaro was absorbed into the plant within 16 hours of application so it was very quickly absorbed. And then we monitored it every week through the season, and it lasted for 60 days until harvest. As a farmer, that’s kind of a dream product. It acts quickly and lasts the full season,” said Golly, who farms in the southern part of the state.

He saw a 46 bushel benefit under almost perfect growing conditions with almost no disease present. Golly plans to use Delaro again in 2018 for soybeans and for the first time on 100 percent of his corn crop.

Listen to Jamie’s interview here: Interview with Thorsten Schwindt, Bayer & Todd Golly, Minn. Grower

2018 Bayer AgVocacy Forum & Commodity Classic Photo Album



Audio, Bayer, Commodity Classic, Fungicide, Video

The Taste of Irish Dairy

Jamie Johansen

Irish stew, fish and chips or bread pudding might be the first foods you think of when Ireland pops into your head, but for many it’s butter. And to be even more specific, Kerrygold. While in Dublin at the Alltech KEENAN Great Green Getaway, we visited Ornua, Home of Irish Dairy and Kerrygold. I have to admit I hadn’t experienced Irish butter before my debut trip to Ireland a few weeks ago, now my mouth waters just thinking about it.

“We are very proud that in the U.S., Kerrygold is the number three butter brand and the number one imported butter,” said Monique Kelleher, Ornua communications manager. “What makes Irish butter or Kerrygold unique is that we have a grassed-based farming system here in Ireland. We tell our customers the story of Irish dairy farms. The story of the brand is very much the quality of milk that goes into the butter and the fact that our cows can graze outdoors up to 300 days a year.”

Kelleher said the grass gives Irish butter the yellow color and unique taste. Global food trends are something Ornua keeps a close eye on. They have discovered the U.S. consumer wants to know the providence of their food and understand how it’s produced.

Listen to my complete interview with Monique to learn more about the Kerrygold brand and how Ornua brings the unique taste of Irish dairy to the world. Interview with Monique Kelleher, Ornua

View and download photos from the trip here: Alltech KEENAN Great Green Getaway Photo Album

Great Green Getaway Coverage Sponsored by Alltech & KEENANKeenan logo
Agribusiness, AgWired Animal, Alltech, Audio, Dairy, Food

ASTA Pleased With USDA Decision on Gene Edited Plants

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is pleased with the clarification made by USDA last week regarding oversight of plants produced through innovative new breeding techniques, including gene editing.

“The (USDA) announcement really clarifies the practice they’ve had had ongoing for the last couple of years in that products created through gene editing don’t need to go through pre-market, regulatory process that transgenic and biotech products do,” said ASTA president and CEO Andy LaVigne.

USDA has no plans to regulate plants that could otherwise have been developed through traditional breeding techniques, as long as they are not plant pests or developed using plant pests. “If you can get to creating a new variety using techniques used today, using gene editing, they are equivalent,” said LaVigne. “If you use gene editing to create a new transgenic, if you bring in foreign DNA, that will still have pre-market regulatory requirements.”

Learn more in this interview. Interview with ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne

ASTA, Audio, Plant Breeding, Seed

Animal Ag Bites 4/2

Carrie Muehling

  • Various forms of robotic milking are helping sustain small to medium sized dairy farms amid broader industry consolidation and improving labor efficiency for some larger operations according to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Division. A brief video synopsis of the report, “Automatic Milking Systems: Keeping Smaller Dairies in the Game” is available here and the full report is available at CoBank.com.
  • The March Dairy Market Report is now available. Driven by a $2.00/cwt. drop in the U.S. all-milk price, the monthly margin under the Margin Protection Program (MPP) fell by $2.27/cwt. over the two months from November to January, to just over $8.00/cwt. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, enacted earlier this year, made significant changes to the MPP and created additional risk management options for farmers.
  • Rose Acre Farms, the nation’s second largest egg producer, has contributed $200,000 to Purdue University’s new animal sciences complex dedicated yesterday on the school’s campus. Rose Acre Farms employs several alumnae from Purdue University’s Department of Agriculture and Animal Sciences and works with the institution on research projects involving agriculture and animal welfare.
  • Dairy checkoff scientists who work onsite at McDonald’s headquarters have helped the chain launch new items that continue its commitment to elevate dairy and provide customers with great-tasting menu choices. Scientists working for Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff, collaborated with members of McDonald’s culinary team to create McDonald’s Signature Crafted Recipes sandwiches and the Egg White Delight McMuffin, which will now feature sharp white cheddar cheese slices that are more than 30 percent larger than the pasteurized process version previously used. McDonald’s also launched limited-time-offer McCafe Turtle Coffee Beverages, which join a McCafé lineup that offers dairy in 90 percent of its items.
  • Eggs in Schools conducted an in-depth interview with school nutrition dynamo April Liles, R.D., S.N.S., who brings a spirit of fun and creativity to the school nutrition program at the Waltham Public Schools in Waltham, Mass. Liles’ advice is presented in a series of blog posts designed to share best practices with school nutrition professionals seeking tried-and-true methods to help increase Average Daily Participation. Find all of the blog posts at aeb.org/blog/eggs-in-school-blog.
  • Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture and the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) have announced an agreement establishing mutual recognition of the value and importance of each organization’s work and a commitment to foster an increased level of collaboration. In the agreement, USRSB agreed to recognize the role Field to Market plays in defining sustainable production for feed commodities utilized in beef production. In the same way, Field to Market agreed to recognize USRSB’s role in defining sustainable beef production.
AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

IFAJ International Education Opportunity

Chuck Zimmerman

Hey ag journalists. Here’s an opportunity from the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists: Field days in Turkey.

Originating in Germany, the Field Days provide a hands-on insight into crop production – novel varieties, new production techniques, plant protection, live machinery demonstrations, research in action – with participation from a range of exhibitors. The objective is to provide farmers and advisers with valuable decision-making information.

The German organisation DLG (which is responsible for Agritechnica) is extending a limited number of invitations to IFAJ members on a first come first served basis to participate in its Field Days in Turkey this year. The event is being held 120km from Istanbul in Luleburgaz-Turkey from May 9-12, 2018. The organisers will cover hotel accommodation for two nights. There will be an English interpreter. Upon request, additional field/farm visits could be organised (arable and/or livestock), including to the nearby HATTAT tractor factory.

Participants will arrive on May 8th and stay for two nights. Confirmed ‘big name’ exhibitors include Bayer, BASF, SumiAgro, Adama, alongside domestic names. Find more information here: http://www.tarlagunleri.com/eng/

If you are interested in being added to the invitation list please send an e-mail to the IFAJ Global Office globalcoordinator@ifaj.org by April 6th.

IFAJ, International

Bayer and 4H Study Shows Need for STEM Education

Cindy Zimmerman

A new study released last week found that more than 80 percent of high school science teachers surveyed think agricultural science is important, but only 22 percent say it makes up at least some of their lesson plans.

In the study, conducted by Bayer and the National 4-H Council, less than half of the teachers surveyed felt qualified to teach agri-science and believe there is less emphasis placed on learning this particular STEM industry today as compared to 15 years ago.

Bayer and National 4-H Council also conducted a survey of more than 1,000 parents of high school students. The survey found that 86 percent of parents agree it’s important for the country’s future success to encourage pursuit of careers in the agricultural industries, and 68 percent said the industry provides exciting career opportunities. However, nearly 70 percent of respondents do not believe their children will pursue a career in agri-science, even though data from the United States Department of Agriculture shows tens of thousands of jobs each year in agriculture go unfilled by qualified candidates.

Bayer and National 4-H launched Science Matters in August 2017 with a goal to equip at least 25,000 students in urban, suburban and rural areas alike with the tools and support they need to deepen their understanding of science.

The initiative just launched a new way to show your support for 4H, STEM and Science Matters – stickers now available for iMessage users! Check them out and start using them today!

Bayer

Zimfo Bytes 3/30

Cindy Zimmerman

  • The Tractor Supply Company Mobile Fair Tour is looking for 4-H and FFA youth who showcase what it means to be a great neighbor. Originating last year, the “Great Neighbor” Essay Contest is an experiential component of the retailer’s Mobile Fair Tour—a 24-stop journey across the United States that will begin its route June 1 in Kentucky and conclude Nov. 10 in Nevada.
  • UnitedAg, a member-owned agricultural trade association representing more than 800 organizations in California and Arizona, has awarded a record $100,250 in scholarships to 86 students from its member-affiliated agricultural families statewide. Provided through UnitedAg’s Agribusiness Education Foundation (AEF), the 2018 awards raise the organization’s historical scholarship total to over $1.4 million since AEF was founded in 2000.
  • Three farmers from a field of 10 finalists introduced will receive $10,000 for their community and a trip for two to their dream sports field as winners of the Power to Do More contest, sponsored by Resicore® corn herbicide from Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™. To vote for your favorite finalist, visit PowerToDoMore.com daily and share the voting website with your family, friends and community until Sunday, April 22.
  • American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall received the Distinguished 4-H Alumni Medallion at the ninth annual National 4-H Council Legacy Awards. Duvall joins a prestigious group of 4-H Distinguished Alumni Medallion recipients, including such 4-H alumni as Facebook “news feed” inventor Andrew Bosworth, actress and producer Aubrey Plaza, songwriter and musician Jennifer Nettles, and professor and best-selling author Temple Grandin
  • A workshop on April 10-11 workshop on Economic Returns to Rural Infrastructure Investments will feature a keynote address by USDA Deputy Secretary Steve Censky, as well as presentations by researchers, economists and industry leaders. A collaboration of Farm Foundation and USDA’s Economic Research Service, the workshop will examine current research on the impact of rural infrastructure investments on economic activity.
Zimfo Bytes