USFRA Unveils New Sustainability Officers Program

Carrie Muehling

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance created the Sustainability Officers Council to provide food companies with access to the farmer and rancher perspective about sustainability in food and agriculture. (PRNewsfoto/U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance)

Six farmers and ranchers selected by the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance will help to provide food companies with the farmer and rancher perspective when it comes to sustainability in food and agriculture. The new Sustainability Officers Council allows companies to speak with a farmer or rancher before shifting sourcing decisions that could result in fundamental changes in farmers structures.

USFRA is pleased to announce six new Sustainability Officers:
Kyle Bridgeforth – Alabama crop farmer
Tom Crave – Wisconsin dairy farmer
Cassidy Johnston – New Mexico cattle rancher
Nancy Kavazanjian – Wisconsin crop farmer
Hilary Maricle – Nebraska cattle, pig, corn and soybean farmer
Leon Sheets – Iowa pig, corn and soybean farmer

“As former chairwoman of the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, I look forward to serving voluntarily as one of the Sustainability Officers and highlighting how all farmers make environmental sustainability a priority,” said Nancy Kavazanjian, Wisconsin crop farmer. “These farmers and ranchers serve as a great representation of today’s agriculture — making continuous improvement a priority by utilizing technology to enhance animal welfare and conserve our natural resources.”

As part of the Sustainability Officers Council, these six farmers and ranchers will participate in conversations with food companies and retailers, offering data, research and knowledge about modern agricultural practices on today’s farms and ranches. In addition, the Officers will participate in USFRA’s Food Dialogues panel discussions at The Sustainable Consortium (May 1-3 in Chicago, Ill.), National Restaurant Association Conference (May 19-22 in Chicago, Ill.) and Sustainable Brands (June 4-7 in Vancouver, B.C.).

Ag Groups, AgWired Animal, USFRA

An Audio Magazine as Podcast?

Chuck Zimmerman

When I see a creative idea it is worth sharing. I have lots of people ask about how to come up with ideas for regular podcast episodes. I don’t think it’s difficult but I understand that concern. So here’s an idea that I think worked really well.

Matt Wetterson, GROWMARK (AgWired sponsor), produces a regular podcast, The GROWMARK Podcast, and his latest episode uses the organization’s quarterly magazine for content. Listen to the program to hear the stories from the current issue. They are read to you and are very interesting. I think it makes you want to subscribe to the publication! It definitely makes it easier for people to consume who don’t have time to sit down and read it.

Listen to the podcast here: GROWMARK Podcast - SOURCE Magazine

I really like this idea. How about you? Would you listen to a magazine on your mobile device?

Audio, GROWMARK, Podcasts

ZimmCast 582 – More Members of the #GoldenMic Club

Chuck Zimmerman

In this week’s program I’m featuring some new members of the #GoldenMic Club. These folks got their first opportunity to be interviewed with one of our Golden ZimmComm Microphones during the Agri-Marketing Conference.

Featured are Curt Dennison, Curt Dennison Photography; Daniel Lamoureux, LaTerre and Jeffrey Ross, Ross Creative Works.  I visited with Curt while Jamie did with Daniel and Jeffrey.

If you would like to join the club or schedule the Golden ZimmComm Microphone at your event please contact me. I’ll offer ideas for how we can amplify your marketing campaigns.

Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 582 - More #GoldenMic Club Members

I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here. Use this url in iTunes or your favorite news reader program/app.

The ZimmCast

sponsored by
The ZimmCast podcast is sponsored by GROWMARK
Locally owned, globally strong.
Audio, NAMA, Photography, ZimmCast

Growth Energy Ads Urge E15 Action

Cindy Zimmerman

Growth Energy has launched a new radio and digital ad campaign telling listeners in the Midwest that it’s “make or break time” for the rural economy.

The ads encourage farmers and ethanol stakeholders to call on President Trump to lift federal restrictions on the sale of E15 fuel blends, a move that would boost farm income amid the sharpest agricultural downturn since the 1980s.

“Outdated regulations kick back in on June 1st, cutting consumers off from a lower-cost product that supports farmers and rural manufacturing,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “President Trump promised Midwest lawmakers that he would fast-track a long-overdue fix, but oil lobbyists have held E15 hostage for years, and the White House needs to hear from rural communities. Too many American farmers are struggling to make ends meet, but we can deliver immediate relief by simply letting consumers make their own choices about American-made biofuel.”

Each year from June 1 to September 15, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules governing Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) limit the sale of E15 in many markets around the country, under guidelines that were drafted before E15 hit the market. The result is lower demand for biofuels and the crops that are used to make them during the summer months of vacation travel tim

Listen to the ad here: Growth Energy E15 radio ad

Audio, Ethanol

New USDA Program for Producers Hit by Hurricanes

Cindy Zimmerman

Flooded citrus groves in Florida after Hurricane Irma

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced details this week on eligibility for a new USDA disaster program, 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP). USDA will also provide $340 million through a block grant to the State of Florida specifically for Hurricane Irma losses to citrus production expected during the 2018 through the 2020 crop year to provide reimbursement for the cost of buying and planting replacement trees.

The WHIP program will help producers in at least nine states with recovery of their agricultural operations due to hurricane and wildfire damage with $2.36 billion that Congress appropriated through the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. “While USDA has a suite of disaster programs as well as crop insurance available to help producers manage their risk, Congress felt it was important to provide extra assistance to our nation’s farms and ranches that were the hardest hit last year,” Secretary Perdue said. “At President Trump’s direction, our team is working as quickly as possible to make this new program available to farmers in need.”

In the video below, Perdue comments on the Florida citrus aid, along with Florida Governor Rick Scott and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. In addition, AgNet Media’s Abbey Taylor interviewed Perdue about the details. AgNet interview with Perdue on hurricane loss program


Audio, Citrus, USDA, Video

New Executive Committee for NAMA

Chuck Zimmerman

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) announced the new Executive Committee for 2018-2019. Pictured is new President, Sheri Seger (right), being handed the gavel from now past President Amy Bradford, GROWMARK. Here’s the full list of members:

PRESIDENT
Sheri Seger, Chicago Chapter
DTN/The Progressive Farmer

PRESIDENT-ELECT
Scott McClure, Gateway Chapter
Brighton Agency

SECRETARY/TREASURER
Sara Steever, Northern Prairie Chapter
Paulsen

VICE PRESIDENT
Laura Svec, Midsouth Chapter
Corteva

The following are continuing on as Vice Presidents of the Executive Committee for the 2018-2019 year: Sue Lee, Fastline Media Group; Deron Johnson, FLM Harvest; Sharon Larson, CHS, Inc.; and John Rozum, Association of Equipment Manufacturers.

NAMA

BVLOS Will Open the Skies

Chuck Zimmerman

In case you didn’t know, BVLOS stands for Beyond Visual Line Of Sight. It’s something you can’t do commercially flying a drone right now. However, PrecisionHawk, working with the Federal Aviation Administration, has conducted research on conducting BVLOS and summarized it in a new report. Image from the PrecisionHawk website.

PrecisionHawk Inc., a leading provider of drone technology for the enterprise, today announced the release of its final Pathfinder Report – a blueprint for enterprises to conduct Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. The fieldwork was performed in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and MITRE under the Pathfinder Program. The report outlines a comprehensive safety case and standards to fly drones BVLOS and has yielded critical information to the FAA regarding drone operations.

“The final report determined that there are three necessary components for BVLOS flight operations: detection, safety, and drone operator training,” stated Dr. Allison Ferguson, director airspace research at PrecisionHawk. “Technology must be integrated to identify cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft, pilots must be aware of existing airspace classes, temporary flight restrictions, and no-fly zones, and pilots must receive BVLOS-specific training to ensure a safety ecosystem around BVLOS drone flight.”

I do not use my drone commercially and right now I’m mostly confident when I can see it but the more I get used to flying, I can see the value in being able to do so with commercial products for agricultural operations that would not be possible without BVLOS. PrecisionHawk is offering consulting, training and has also announced a multi-rotor BVLOS drone platform. You can find out more about these services here.

AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture, Technology

ASTA Policy and Leadership Conference Next Month

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) will be in Washington, D.C. June 9-13 for the new ASTA Policy & Leadership Development Conference.

This new event combines ASTA’s annual convention, which has been held each June in different locations for the past 134 years, and the organization’s annual Storm the Hill lobbying day on Capitol Hill.

Educational session tracks will cover: Innovation; Trade/International; Sustainability; and Leadership Development. Featured speakers will include representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, World Wildlife Fund, U.S. Grains Council, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Field-to-Market Sustainability Initiative, and much more. In addition to in-depth educational sessions, the conference will showcase all-new “Lightning Talks” – fast-paced, 15-minute segments featuring the latest inside news from political leaders, industry innovators, and more. The week will conclude with ASTA members visiting Congressional offices to discuss seed industry legislative priorities.

Registration is now open to “Make Your Voice Heard” in Washington, D.C.

ASTA, Seed

Precision Ag Bytes 5/2

Carrie Muehling

  • The American Soybean Association applauded the Commerce Committee for moving forward the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018. ASA President and Iowa soybean grower John Heisdorffer issued the following statement: “ASA welcomes the Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018 and thanks Sens. Wicker and Klobuchar and Representatives Lotta and Loebsack for introducing legislation which understands the unique needs of growers in rural America. We urge swift passage in the U.S. Senate as wireless broadband connections in the field support on-farm operations and in turn rural communities. This legislation is important to rural America and soy growers everywhere.”
  • Smithers-Oasis Company announces its partnership with Agrilyst, leading provider of a software as a service (SaaS) product for greenhouses and vertical farms that allows growers to track crops, labor, inventory and other metrics. Oasis Grower Solutions products will be included in Agrilyst, and offered to growers that subscribe to the software, which helps them manage their crops and provides data-driven insights to make more profitable production decisions.
  • AgGateway and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have forged an agreement to work together on data projects to benefit American farmers in the transition to digital agriculture. The current agreement will consist of a series of efforts over the next 20 months; all results of the collaboration will be made publicly available. Specifically, the collaboration is designed to provide both parties with the opportunity to better serve the American farmer by: 1) Aligning USDA and AgGateway data elements and data standards; and 2) Developing procedures within the USDA that align with the use of precision ag technology and data used by producers and agri-businesses.
  • Tractor maker John Deere and India’s biggest conglomerate, Tata Group, have agreed a groundbreaking initiative to provide machinery to as many as 100,000 smallholder farmers in the troubled Niger Delta region. The deal is the culmination of a seven-year project by Nigerian collective farming business, Alluvial Agriculture, to address the systemic problems that leave most African smallholder farmers in poverty and threaten food security across the developing world. Alluvial’s solution focuses on aggregating smallholders to create a nucleus of minimum efficient scale and the necessary education, mechanization, inputs and market access.
  • Tractor Supply Company‘s ninth annual Spring Paper Clover Campaign recently raised more than $956,000 through customer donations to benefit 4-H youth across the country. As a result, thousands of 4-H youth will have opportunities to learn valuable leadership skills through camps, conferences and leadership events. Since its start, the company’s biannual fundraiser has collectively generated more than $13.9 million in essential funding.
AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture

Deere Announces New Sprayer and Hagie Updates

Carrie Muehling

John Deere‘s new R4044 Sprayer offers a lightweight, 1,200-gal. capacity option for customers wanting to reduce crop and soil impact.

“Oftentimes, application windows are very narrow, so having a sprayer that can quickly handle the jobs with less crop damage or impact on the soil is a big advantage,” explained Doug Felter, product marketing manager for John Deere application equipment. “The addition of the R4044 to the 4-Series family fills that need perfectly.”

The company is also announcing changes to model year 2019 Hagie sprayers, now powering the largest Hagie STS Sprayers by 6.8L PowerTech John Deere diesel engines. A redesign of the engine compartment and hood on the STS10 and STS12 accommodates the new engines, while incorporating a new tool box and air intake scoop.

“Commonality of engines across all John Deere and Hagie Sprayer platforms makes sense from a customer service perspective, making it easier and convenient for customers to get their sprayers serviced by their local John Deere dealers, no matter which brand they own,” Felter said.

For more information on the changes and updates to Hagie Sprayers for model year 2019, as well as other sprayer innovations from John Deere and Hagie, contact your local John Deere dealer or visit JohnDeere.com/ag.

AgWired Precision, John Deere