SMART Farmer and Food Evolution

Cindy Zimmerman

In this episode of the SMART Farmer podcast, we hear from an Academy Award nominated director who produced a documentary film that explores the debate about genetically modified organisms – better known as GMOs.

The film is called Food Evolution and Scott Hamilton Kennedy attended the recent Commodity Classic in California to talk about how he came to tell this story, with a goal to promote a more science-based conversation about food, and not to advance any particular agenda.

Kennedy calls Food Evolution, “a fully independent investigation into the topic of GMOs every step of the way, interviewing experts on both sides of the aisle and including all points of view. Some say our film is “pro-GMO” but we would counter we are simply “pro-Science” because currently every major scientific institution and all the data and peer-reviewed science tells us, as a process, it is as safe, if not safer, than any other seed breeding technique available.”

When the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) found out about Food Evolution last year, they were so impressed with the message they contacted Kennedy and licensed the film to help promote it to consumer audiences.

Download or listen to this podcast here:
SMART Farmer Podcast with Scott Hamilton Kennedy

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Audio, Biotech, GMO, Podcasts, USFRA

Ethanol Interests Shout Opposition to RIN Price Cap

Cindy Zimmerman

As concerns began to grow late last week that the Trump Administration was leaning toward a cap on prices for Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) to appease oil refinery interests, biofuel interests went into high gear to get the word out about how that action would devastate the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

A White House meeting was reportedly set for today (March 12), and then abruptly canceled, but that did not stop a rally that was set up at the farm of Bill Couser in Nevada, Iowa with just 24 hours notice. The main attraction at the rally was two industry representatives who were part of a meeting with President Trump on March 1 – fuel retailer Charlie Good and ethanol producer Rick Schwarck.

Good and Schwarck described an “intense” meeting which included other biofuel representatives, oil refiner interests, Iowa Senators Grassley and Ernst, Senator Cruz of Texas and several cabinet members. The first part of the discussion revolved around allowing 15% ethanol blends to be sold year-round by treating it the same as E10.

“If you allow us to sell (E15) year-round, nationwide, we’ll flood the market with RINs and price will take care of itself, and (the president) understood that,” said Good, noting that everyone in the room agreed that was a good idea.

“For 80 percent of the meeting, everybody agreed that it was good, good, good,” said Schwarck. But towards the end of the meeting, oil interests got more “vocal” and “abrupt” and “really ramped it up on us.”

Good says he got in the last word as he was leaving the room. “I said Mr. President…if you cap the RINs, it will gut the biofuels industry. And he said, I gotta have a deal, Charlie. And I said if you gotta have a deal, cap them at a buck 50,” said Good. “He’s a businessman and he wants to make a deal.”

Rick and Charlie talk about meeting with the president here: Rick Schwarck and Charlie Good comments

Interview with Schwarck: Interview with Rick Schwarck, Absolute Energy

Good, owner of Good & Quick in Nevada, Iowa is one of several retailers who spoke for the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) to explain how the RIN system helps them keep prices down for higher ethanol blends:
Charlie Good comments on how RIN system works for retailers


Audio, Corn, Ethanol, RFA, Video

Bayer Fighting SCN, SDS with ILeVO

Carrie Muehling

As soybean cyst nematode (SCN) continues to evolve, growers need new tools to fight against yield loss in their fields.

“Nearly all of the SCN-resistant varieties out there have the same source of resistance. And over time, the SCN is actually adapting to that source of resistance, so it’s no longer quite as effective as it used to be,” said Melissa Chu, product manager with Bayer. “So active management of SCN is a really critical recommendation to maximize yield potential for growers, and one of the ways to do that can be a seed treatment such as ILeVO.”

Early season protection is key when dealing with SCN, as well as sudden death syndrome (SDS), another primary yield robber in soybeans fields.

“ILeVO is a great solution and protects from those early season damages that can occur from SCN as well as other nematodes, and SDS,” said Jeremiah Mullock, product development manager with Bayer. “SDS is a root rot pathogen, so ILeVO protects that root rot from occurring early in the season, providing that yield potential. Later in the season, SDS symptoms can occur, but because we’re protecting from that root rot, that yield protection is still there.”

Trials of ILeVO have shown an average yield boost of 4.5 bushels per acre in affected soybean fields.

Bayer at 2018 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Melissa Chu here: Interview with Melissa Chu, Bayer CropScience

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Jeremiah Mullock here: Interview with Jeremiah Mullock, Bayer

 

Photos, video, and audio interviews from Bayer at Commodity Classic Bayer sponsor logo

 

AgWired Precision, Audio, Bayer, Commodity Classic, Soybean

Animal Ag Bites 3/12

Carrie Muehling

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has announced the appointment of 11 members and 10 alternates to serve on the American Egg Board. More information about the board is available on the American Egg Board website.
  • Under an export certificate recently negotiated between the two countries, the United States now can ship pork to Paraguay. While the South American country is a modest consumer of pork, there is potential for U.S. pork export growth to its nearly 6.9 million people, who have a per capita income greater than, for example, the Philippines and Vietnam, two large pork-consuming nations.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association will present a webinar entitled: The 4’s of Crossbreeding: Simple, Structured, Successful, and Sustainable on Thursday, March 22, 2018 at 7 p.m. CT. Click here to register.

  • The World Dairy Expo Board of Directors, Commercial Exhibitor Committee and Dairy Cattle Exhibitor Committee conducted annual meetings on March 5 and 6 at the Alliant Energy Center, Madison, Wis. These groups of business professionals, dairy producers and Expo exhibitors set new initiatives for the 2018 World Dairy Expo, October 2 through 6, in addition to welcoming new members during their respective meetings.
  • The American Quarter Horse Association elected a new Executive Committee at the 2018 AQHA Convention in Jacksonville, Florida. Read more convention coverage at www.aqha.com/convention.
  • The Angus Journal is seeking a new editor as it restructures its current editorial team. The editor will take on the day-to-day management of the print and digital components of the Angus Journal, as well as provide editorial support for other publications of Angus Media as time allows. The new editor will report to the president of Angus Media and have direct management of the editorial team, including a main role in selecting several new team members. For more information or to apply for this new position, visit the careers section of angus.org, or email careers@angus.org.
  • World Dairy Expo is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2018 Expo Recognition Awards to be formally presented at the 52nd annual event in October. The 2018 honorees are as follows: Dairy Woman of the Year – Jeanette Sheehan, Sheeknoll Farms, Rochester, Minnesota; Dairyman of the Year – Pete Kappelman, Meadow Brook Dairy Farms, LLC, Two Rivers, Wisconsin; Industry Person of the Year – Dr. Dan Hornickel and Dr. Chris Keim, Sunshine Genetics, Inc., Whitewater, Wisconsin; and International Person of the Year – Alastair Pearson, World Wide Sires China Co. Ltd, Beijing, China.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

    Bayer Makes Contribution to American Heart Association

    Carrie Muehling

    Bayer contributed over $5,000 to the American Heart Association based on 2017 sales of LibertyLink soybeans. It was a record year for LibertyLink soybeans, planted on more than 17 million acres in 2017. Weed control is the top reason farmers are planting LibertyLink.

    “We’ve seen tremendous success with Liberty in terms of growers controlling their key driver weeds,” said David Tanner, Liberty product manager at Bayer. “This is continued on the success that growers have had with Liberty in the past. We saw excellent results last year with performance, rating grower surveys. We know that when Liberty is applied according to a full program approach, which is what we really recommend, we get over 98 percent control. Really exceptional control that we’ve seen across soybeans, corn, cotton, as well as canola.”

    Growers also chose the LibertyLink system because of overall yield and ease of use.

    Bayer at 2018 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    Listen to Jamie’s interview with Jody Wynia and David Tanner here: Interview with Jody Wynia & David Tanner, Bayer

     

    Photos, video, and audio interviews from Bayer at Commodity Classic Bayer sponsor logo

     

    Audio, Bayer, Commodity Classic

    ZimmCast on GrainXchange and Supporting Checkoffs

    Chuck Zimmerman

    In this week’s program you’ll get to hear the lates episode of the GROWMARK Podcast. GROWMARK has been a long term sponsor of the ZimmCast and we thought we’d feature one of their own podcasts. You can subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and Google Play.

    Additionally, I talk with Rob McLelland and Heidi Nelson of FLM Harvest about their new initiative called Ultimate Collaboration.  Here’s more:

    A new initiative aims to spark the ultimate expression of cooperation among agricultural leaders in support of producer-funded checkoffs. Ultimate Collaboration will raise awareness of the positive impact checkoffs have on food and rural communities, and serve as a resource to farmers, program stakeholders, the general public and public officials.

    “Difficult economic circumstances facing farmers and ranchers heighten the importance of farmer-funded research and promotions that help farmers achieve common goals,” says Rob McClelland, CEO of FLM Harvest, a strategic consulting, marketing and communications agency spearheading the effort. “Ultimate Collaboration works to remind farmers, program stakeholders and the public that checkoff funds do not come from taxes but rather cooperatively from farmers.”

    FLM Harvest is seeking support from other ag businesses and agencies to start a grassroots movement.

    Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 576 - Ultimate Collaboration

    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
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    Agencies, Audio, FLM Harvest, GROWMARK, Podcasts, ZimmCast

    Generations of Farmers Mutual Hail

    Cindy Zimmerman

    As a mutual company, Farmers Mutual Hail is owned by its farmer policyholders, and the company has been run by the same family for 125 years.

    Seeing a need for mutual insurance against hail, W.A. Rutledge organized The Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Association in 1893, and his great-grandson Ron Rutledge is CEO today, but many other company employees also go back generations.

    “My father and grandfather were both presidents of the company and my great-great grandfather started the company,” said Debbie Ladehoff, FMH Vice President of Human Resources. “The entire Rutledge family is very proud to be continuing the family legacy.”

    Ladehoff says there are a number of families that have been with FMH for generations. “The company was founded on the premise of farmers and neighbors coming together to support each other during the hard times,” she said.

    Farmers Mutual Hail 125th anniversary virtual newsroom

    FMH Executive VP of Property and Casualty Patrick Faga says his family has also been part of the FMH family for generations. “FMH’s 125th anniversary is also testament to the success and staying power of the American mutual insurance model that the Rutledge family embraced and adopted when they founded the company,” said Faga.

    FMH district sales manager Chock Hefner grew up with the company. “Both my dad and my grandfather worked for Farmers Mutual Hail, so I’m the third generation in my family to be working with this company,” Hefner said. “I grew up going out and adjusting wheat fields.”

    Listen to interviews with Ladehoff, Faga, and Hefner:
    Interview with Debbie Ladehoff, Farmers Mutual Hail Interview with Patrick Faga, Farmers Mutual Hail EVP - Property and Casualty Interview with Chock Hefner, Farmers Mutual Hail sales manager

    FMH 125th Anniversary Photo Album

    Audio, Crop Insurance

    FMC Introduces New Tool to Combat Resistant Weeds

    Jamie Johansen

    FMC Agricultural Solutions introduces a new tool to combat resistant weeds, Authority® Supreme herbicide. And just in time for the 2018 growing season. The U.S. EPA and Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency have granted registration in soybeans, sunflowers and dry field peas.

    Authority Supreme herbicide provides two effective sites of action to combat some of the toughest resistant weeds. The combination of a best-in-class Group 14 PPO herbicide with the newest Group 15 herbicide molecule enables long-lasting residual control of small-seeded broadleaf weeds and grasses. The new herbicide is effective against ALS, triazine, HPPD, ESPS (glyphosate) and PPO herbicide resistant weed biotypes.

    It controls a wide spectrum of weeds including waterhemp, Palmer amaranth, pigweed, nightshade, lambsquarters, kochia, morningglories, smartweed, foxtail, barnyard grass and fall panicum.

    We caught up with Brent Neuberger, senior technical service manager for FMC at the recent Commodity Classic and he said, “Whether growers already have resistant weeds or they are trying to avoid the development of resistant weeds, the best strategy is to start clean and stay clean. With multiple sites of action and excellent residual activity, Authority Supreme® herbicide reduces selection pressure and creates a window for timely postemergence treatments.”

    Listen to Chuck’s complete interview with Brent here: Interview with Brent Neuburger, FMC

    We were also able to learn more about the capabilities of the Authority Supreme herbicide during the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show. Matt Wiggins, technical services manager, FMC, said Tennessee is beginning to see resistance on grasses and this would be a perfect product in that fight.

    “Just like all residual herbicides, we are going to need a good half inch of rain to get this product activated. It is going to be a very good, consistent and strong performer,” said Wiggins. He added that growers at the show are excited about these active ingredients and what it can offer them.

    Listen to my complete interview with Matt here: Interview with Matt Wiggins, FMC

    View and download photos from the event here: 2018 Farm & Gin Show Photo Album

    View and download photos from the event here: 2018 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    Coverage of the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is sponsored by
    Coverage of the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show is sponsored by FMC
    Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Commodity Classic, Farm & Gin Show, FMC, Herbicide

    Zimfo Bytes 3/9

    Carrie Muehling

    • National Farmers Union presented Matt Birgen, Sue Carlson and Janet Nelson with the Meritorious Service Award at the organization’s 116th Anniversary Convention. Birgen, Carlson and Nelson were selected for their outstanding leadership and service to family agriculture and to Farmers Union over the course of their lifetimes.
    • At the Farm Foundation Forum on Tuesday, March 20, university leaders will explore how challenges and the options used to address them may shape the future of education in food and agriculture. The Forum will begin at 9 a.m. EDT in the Holeman Lounge at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington, D.C. A free live audiocast will also be available.
    • See China and get a greater understanding of the country’s agricultural sector! The National Association of Farm Broadcasting’s Farm Broadcasters and Friends trip to China is scheduled for June 21-July 4, 2018. Contact NAFB Executive Director Tom Brand at tom@nafb.com or (816) 431-4032 to add your name to the list and get additional information.
    • McKenna Nielsen, of Audubon, Iowa, received the 2018-19 Soy Scholarship award, sponsored by BASF and the American Soybean Association. The scholarship is a $5,000 award presented to an exceptional high school senior who excels in both academics and in leadership roles, and plans to pursue a degree in an agriculture-related field at an accredited college or university.
    • March is National Peanut Month! The Georgia peanut industry plans to celebrate by hosting the 2018 Georgia PB&J Day at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia, and donating 10,080 jars of peanut butter to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. The event kicks off Monday morning March 12, 2018, and will be held in the south wing of the Capitol from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
    • On April 10-11, 2018, Farm Foundation and USDA’s Economic Research Service will bring together applied researchers and rural infrastructure stakeholders to examine the impact of rural infrastructure investments on economic activity and policy-related research findings. The workshop will be at the National Press Club, with sessions planned 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 10, and 8:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, April 11. For registration information, click here.
    • After 134 years of its annual convention each June, the American Seed Trade Association has taken a bold step in 2018. Registration is now open for the inaugural Policy & Leadership Development Conference.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Transparency Key for Ag Data

    Carrie Muehling

    As more and more equipment will gather information for its farmer customers, John Deere is taking that data and the questions about privacy that go along with it very seriously.

    “Data is becoming increasingly important for our customers. If you look over the past five years, data has really become a prominent part of the conversation, because customers understand how it can be utilized to make their operation better,” said Matt Olsen, product marketing manager for precision agriculture.

    Olsen said the company recognizes that with the transfer of information comes privacy concerns for farmers. John Deere is working to maintain integrity through this age of information in a number of ways, including recent certification as an American Farm Bureau Ag Data Transparent company. The certification allows customers to better understand how their data is being used by the provider.

    Listen to Jamie’s interview with Matt here: Interview with Matt Olsen, John Deere

    John Deere at 2018 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    Commodity Classic coverage made possible by
    Commodity Classic coverage made possible by FMCCommodity Classic coverage made possible by John Deere
    AgWired Precision, Audio, Commodity Classic, data, Equipment, John Deere