Nebraska Water for Food at 8th World Water Forum in Brazil

Cindy Zimmerman April 4, 2018

The 8th World Water Forum, held in Brazil last month, drew more than 20,000 participants from 170 countries to focus on the challenges and solutions to ensuring water security around the world. The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska (DWFI) coordinated the Water for Food track of sessions with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

The institute organized a High Level Panel on Water for Food, moderated by DWFI executive director Peter G. McCornick, featuring international leaders who shared their views and experiences on ways organizations and nations can work together to improve food security and successful farming production, conserve natural resources and mitigate the effects of climate variability.

“We are building awareness of the urgent importance of looking at water issues differently, especially when it comes to agriculture,” said McCornick. “If we’re not including agriculture in the water security challenge, we’re ignoring 70 percent of the equation, and missing the opportunity to increase resilience in our food systems. Nebraska has a lot of expertise to share, as well as a lot to gain through our involvement with the many partners participating in the World Water Forum – developing potential projects that will further our goal of ensuring water and food security.”

DWFI also held a side event to discuss ways in which organizations can support farmer-led agricultural production, including access to irrigation for small-scale farms.

Listen to my interview with McCornick here: Interview with Peter McCornick, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute

AgWired Precision, Audio, International, Irrigation, Water, Water for Food

Farm and Ethanol Groups Slam RFS Waiver for Big Refiner

Cindy Zimmerman April 4, 2018

A Reuters report about EPA exempting one of the country’s largest oil refiners from complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) touched off a backlash from farm groups and ethanol organizations Tuesday.

The National Farmers Union (NFU) was first to respond to the report that Texas-based Andeavor received small refiner economic hardship waivers for three of its 10 refineries that exempted them from complying with 2016 blending obligations. NFU President Roger Johnson called the alleged actions “deeply disturbing,” noting that waiving RFS requirements for large refining corporations undercuts the effectiveness of the law. “What’s equally disturbing is that these actions have purportedly been taken without any transparency, which violates central tenets of responsible governance,” said Johnson. Andeavor reported a $1.5 billion net profit last year and the waiver was reportedly granted earlier this year.

“Providing a small refiner waiver to a company like Andeavor is laughable and abandons the commitment of President Trump to protect the RFS,” said Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) president and CEO Bob Dinneen. “Suffice it to say we are exploring all our options to return the RFS to what the statute intended and what the President has supported.”

The impact of the waiver removes additional Renewable Identification Numbers (RIN) from the total 2016 obligation, effectively reducing the total Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) for the year.

“Since EPA refuses to disclose which refiners get these RFS exemptions, it blurs the transparency of the RIN market giving an advantage to refiners receiving waivers,” said American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings. “Waiving RFS obligations based on ethanol use thresholds violate the intent of the RFS and invite litigation.”

The waivers impact both ethanol producers and corn farmers, who are facing their fifth year of prices at or below the cost of production. “Granting these waivers significantly reduces the number of gallons of fuel blended with ethanol hurting rural economies and the nation’s corn farmers,” said National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) president Kevin Skunes of North Dakota. “When refiners aren’t meeting their blending obligations, corn farmers pay the price.”

Two of the Andeavor refineries receiving the waivers are in North Dakota and one in Utah.

ACE, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA, RFA

Precision Ag Bytes 4/4

Carrie Muehling April 4, 2018

Dr. Henry Nguyen, a Curators’ distinguished professor of plant sciences in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, has employed NRGene‘s DeNovoMAGICTM to assemble two genomes of soybean: “Lee,” a Glycine max variety, and a Glycine soja accession PI 483463. In addition to the United Soybean Board, funding for the sequencing project was provided by three private companies: Bayer CropScience, DOW AgroSciences and Monsanto.
Semtech Corporation, a supplier of high performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms, announced that Teralytic, a manufacturer of wireless soil sensors, implemented LoRa devices and wireless radio frequency technology (LoRa Technology) in its wireless sensor to detect nitrogen, phosphate and potassium (NPK) levels in soil to help farmers reduce waste and to improve crop yields. Teralytic launched its LoRa-enabled NPK soil sensor at the recent World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in San Francisco on March 20, 2018.
The National Corn Growers Association partnered with the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council to conduct a study on the benefits of poultry exports to corn. The study, conducted by World Perspectives, Inc., entitled “Corn and Poultry: A Great Partnership,” outlined the benefits realized by America’s corn farmers from exports of poultry and eggs.

AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

U.S. Farmers Advocate for Trade in SE Asia

Jamie Johansen April 3, 2018

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.

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

China Strikes Back

Cindy Zimmerman April 3, 2018

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 April 3, 2018

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 April 2, 2018

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 April 2, 2018

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 & KEENAN

Agribusiness, AgWired Animal, Alltech, Audio, Dairy, Food

ASTA Pleased With USDA Decision on Gene Edited Plants

Cindy Zimmerman April 2, 2018

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 April 2, 2018

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

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