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

EOS Offers Remote Sensing Data for Agriculture

Cindy Zimmerman

Earth Observing System (EOS), a Menlo Park based startup, has released a unique cloud-based platform called EOS Crop Monitoring, which provides solutions for farmers and all sectors of the agriculture supply-chain.

EOS Crop Monitoring allows its partners to extract valuable insights from remote sensing data, including crop types classification maps, crop yield forecasts, field boundaries, vegetation indices, crop conditions, soil moisture and weather data on a field, regional or country scale. It includes both historical and current observations allowing for quick identification of a field’s performance throughout the growing season as well as high-risk areas affected by weather conditions.

EOS Crop Monitoring features include reliable algorithms for more accurate agriculture statistics estimation, crop yield prediction, a seasonal overview of current and historic crop conditions to manage risks and evaluate crop performance. With an extensive global satellite imagery database, EOS’ data analytics provides its partners with new, expanded capabilities, such as the ability to monitor crop production rates in any crop zone at any given time in both numerical and imagery formats.

EOS’ solutions are available in North America, Europe, and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and are currently being developed in Asia, Middle East and North Africa, and South America by applying its own cutting-edge methods and algorithms.

Learn more from EOS.

AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture

Farmers Intend to Plant Less Corn and Soybeans in 2018

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. farmers are expected to plant more soybean acres than corn but overall intentions are down slightly from the record year in 2017, according to the Prospective Plantings report released today by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant an estimated 89.0 million acres of soybeans and 88.0 million acres of corn in 2018. Soybean acreage is one percent less than 2017 and the corn acres are down 2 percent from last year. If realized this will be the lowest planted corn acreage since 2015.

Planted acreage intentions for soybeans are down or unchanged in 20 of the 31 estimating states. The largest increase is expected in Indiana with 6.10 million acres, an increase of 150,000 acres from 2017. If realized, the planted area of soybeans in Indiana, Kentucky, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin will be the largest on record.

All wheat planted area for 2018 is estimated at 47.3 million acres, up 3 percent from 2017 but the second lowest all wheat planted area on record since records began in 1919. Winter wheat planted area, at 32.7 million acres, is up slightly from both last year and the previous estimate. Area planted to other spring wheat for 2018 is expected to total 12.6 million acres, up 15 percent from 2017. Durum wheat is expected to total 2.00 million acres for 2018, down 13 percent from last year.

All cotton planted area for 2018 is expected to total 13.5 million acres, seven percent higher than last year.

NASS’s acreage estimates are based on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March from a sample of approximately 82,900 farm operators across the United States.

Commodity research analyst Brian Basting of Advance Trading provided commentary on the report today for MGEX and said the trade was surprised by many of the numbers, especially wheat: Brian Basting, Advance Trading comments on Prospective Plantings

Audio, Corn, Soybean, USDA, Wheat

Deere Introduces 60 Foot No-Till Drill and ProSeries™ Openers

Cindy Zimmerman

Small-grain and oilseed producers can now plant more acres faster and more accurately with the introduction of the 60 foot 1895 No-Till Air Seeder from John Deere, which is 40 percent wider and incorporates many new technologies designed to improve seed and fertilizer placement, while decreasing soil disturbance and maintenance demands.

Highlighted features of the 60-ft. (18.29m) 1895 Seeder include the new ProSeries™ Openers, RelativeFlow™ blockage warning system, TruSet™ in-cab downforce pressure control, and larger, high-floatation tires for less soil compaction when operating in the field. When combined with an air cart and NH₃ wagons, the 1895 provides the ultimate single-pass seeding system for producers of small grains and oilseeds.

The new ProSeries Openers, which replace the 90 Series Openers, will be available for the first time on the wider 1985 and expanded to other models in the future. These performance-driven openers feature a serrated closing wheel option for better seed and fertilizer sealing, narrow and flexible press wheels along with a narrow seed boot for reduced soil disturbance while ensuring more precise seed placement.

Learn more from John Deere.

AgWired Precision, Equipment, John Deere

NCGA President Working Hard for Ethanol in DC

Cindy Zimmerman

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Kevin Skunes has probably spent more time in Washington DC over the past month or so than on his farm in North Dakota, working hard to protect the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and the important market of ethanol for corn growers.

Last week, Skunes joined the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) in visits to Congressional offices. “For the fly-in we go to offices that we wouldn’t normally go to…states that might not be as friendly to ethanol,” said Skunes during an interview at the fly-in.

Since before Commodity Classic, NCGA has been working to educate the administration about Renewable Identification Numbers (RINS) and why they are so important to the overall success of the RFS. “RINs do matter to farmers,” Skunes said. “I think that over the last month and a half, they have come around to see that it would be very detrimental to cap the price of RINs and I hope that we are making some headway.”

Listen to that interview here: Interview with NCGA president Kevin Skunes

2018 ACE DC Fly-in Photo Album

NCGA this week submitted formal comments to the U.S Department of Justice opposing the proposed settlement between Philadelphia Energy Solutions and the EPA regarding the outstanding RFS compliance obligations the refiner has included in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. That situation is what originally brought the RIN price issue to the attention of the administration.

Skunes tweeted on Tuesday this week that he had a chance to visit with Vice President Pence about the RFS. “He said we are looking for a “win, win” solution, I asked him if we could meet to talk about what that solution looks like! He said let’s talk!” Skunes tweeted on Tuesday.

ACE, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA