The American Angus Association announces the addition of Kathy LaScala as Angus Productions Inc. corporate sales manager. LaScala began her role Jan. 3 and will be overseeing industry sales operations to ensure profit maximization and realization of sales targets.- The Missouri Department of Agriculture is spearheading an initiative to get more beef in schools across the state, with support from local beef producers, meat processors, Opaa Food Management, and the Missouri Beef Industry Council. MoBeef for MoKids connects local schools with area producers and processors that donate beef products to be used in the school lunch program.
- Two men who dedicated their lives to furthering the American wool industry have been chosen as 2018 recipients of the Wool Excellence Award. Mark Kent and Dr. Carl Menzies were selected for the annual honor by the Wool Roundtable and will be recognized at the 2018 ASI Annual Convention in San Antonio. Kent will be honored posthumously as he died unexpectedly at age 55 on Sept. 24, 2017. He became President of Kent Manufacturing Co. at age 29 and was the fifth generation in his family to lead Kentwool. Menzies served as director of research at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo from its opening in 1971 until his retirement in 1996.
ZimmCast on January Ag Events
2018 has already started off with a bang at the American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention in Nashville with the first appearance by a U.S. president in over 25 years and some pretty exciting mainstream media news coverage of agriculture.
Jamie was there to take it all in and she talks about the experience in this edition of the ZimmCast, which also includes previews of two other big events happening this month – the 25th National Biodiesel Conference in Fort Worth, and the Cattle Industry Conference and NCBA Trade Show coming up at the end of this month in Phoenix.
Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast 571 on January Ag Events
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Proud Part of the Cattle Community? Attend #CattleCon18
There is no question cattlemen and women across the country are in need of some sunshine. I fit into that mix and know where we all can get some in just a few weeks. Let’s all Blaze a Trail to Phoenix, AZ for the 2018 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show January 31 – February 2. Believe it or not, it’s not too late to register. We just spoke with NCBA’s Senior Vice President, Industry and Member Services, Marvin Kokes, to get all the details.
Prior to the actual kickoff of the event will be the 25th Anniversary of Cattlemen’s College. “We have sessions that really help producers learn from experts across the industry. Topics include everything from genetics to managing calves to forage production. People can take home really practical information and that is what we really pride ourselves on,” said Kokes.
Attendees will also be treated to the Pioneer Women, Ree Drummond, who is the opening general session speaker. (Who do I need to talk to for a chance to interview her?…wink, wink)
“CattleFax will be doing a three-hour outlook session on Thursday morning, helping people really understand what is going on in this market, what are some of the things cattle producers can look forward to in the coming months,” Kokes said. Attendees will also hear from former MLB Pitcher, Jim Abbott, who will share his motivating story of success, despite having been born without a right hand.
To engage cattle producers, NCBA has held a couple of contests over the course of the year. One was the National Anthem Contest where a young lady from Western Kansas won. She will be singing it a couple times during the convention. A Cowboy Poet Contest ties into the Comedy Club taking place Friday night and I believe voting is still taking place for members to vote for their favorite.
Business also takes place. Committees meet on all topics including environmental issues, taxes, and the international market. Kokes reminds us those meetings are open and anyone can attend and stay up-to-date on the beef community.
Many aspects to the event draw different attendees, but they all make a point to visit the trade show a number of times during the three-day event. Kokes said space has actually been sold out for over six months, over seven acres in size. Still wondering if the trade show deserves your attention? Here are 40 reasons NCBA thinks you should stop by!
Join us in Phoenix as we bring you the official Virtual Ag Newsroom for #CattleCon18 and listen to Chuck’s complete chat with Marvin here: Interview with Marvin Kokes, NCBA
National Biodiesel Conference to Celebrate 25 Years
The biodiesel industry is heading to Fort Worth January 22 – 25 for the silver anniversary of the National Biodiesel Conference & Expo.
“Every conference we’ve sponsored has been an exciting event for our industry,” said National Biodiesel Board (NBB) CEO Donnell Rehagan. “But this one is obviously going to be special as we take the opportunity to not only recognize the milestones we’ve passed over the last two-and-half decades, we’ll also look forward to meeting the challenges ahead as the industry continues to grow and plays an even greater role in America’s ever more critical energy sector.”
One of this year’s highlights will be a session with the filmmakers who premiered “Hot Grease” at the DOC NYC film festival before its debut on the Discovery Channel last November. The feature length documentary tells the story of biodiesel’s rise and the industry fight for survival in the face of numerous public policy challenges.
The public is also invited to the conference to explore the event’s Conference Central, where they can learn all about how biodiesel is made from an increasingly diverse mix of resources such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil and animal fats, and to participate in a “ride-and-drive” with vehicles provided by area dealers and equipped with the latest diesel engines. A Texas driver’s license is required for local residents to attend free of charge.
Learn more in this interview: Interview with NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen
Zimfo Bytes 1/12
The Agricultural Relations Council will hold a webinar entitled Growing Your Tribe on January 18 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. EST. Vance Crowe, Director of Millennial Engagement at Monsanto, shares what tribes are about and how organizations can expand their tribal connections by identifying tribes and recruiting tribal natives.- The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City will host an Ag Innovation Forum on February 22 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the American Royal in Kansas City. This session will be especially helpful to those on the path to entrepreneurship, as well as anyone trying to keep pace with emerging technologies. The program includes entrepreneurs from the region and related businesses who provide the necessary ingredients for success. Click here for registration information.
- GAP Connections (GAPC) is proud to announce a new certification program that distinguishes tobacco growers in the marketplace who adhere to GAPC’s standards for socially responsible agronomic, environmental and labor practices. For more information on the GAPC certification program or to begin the certification process, visit gapconnections.com or call (865) 622-4606.
- L.L. Bean, the Freeport, Maine-based retailer of outdoor gear and apparel, has confirmed its commitment to sourcing responsible cotton by joining the Cotton LEADS program. The leading global retailer joins more than 470 program partners that acknowledge the ongoing sustainable gains by United States and Australian cotton growers.
- Peanut producers can improve the bottom-line of their farming operation with knowledge, connections and information gained at the 42nd annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference, held at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center, Jan. 18, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today announced the appointment of six individuals to serve on the National Honey Board. More information about the board is available on the National Honey Board page on the AMS website and on the National Honey Board website.
- As part of its ongoing commitment to support the next generation of agricultural leaders, Case IH is awarding three new Farmall 50A tractors and six large tool chests with $500 Case IH parts gift cards to finalists in each category of the 2018 American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Young Farmers & Ranchers awards program. The winners were announced at the AFBF’s 99th Annual Convention held this week in Nashville, Tennessee.
- The Alltech Facebook #CDNPicMeONE18Contest offered Canadian producers the opportunity to submit their favorite farm photo for a chance to win a trip to ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE18), held in Lexington, Kentucky, May 20–23, 2018. The winner with the most Facebook likes is Rhonda McCarron from Antigonish, Nova Scotia. McCarron and a guest will receive free registration and travel expenses paid to ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference.
- broadhead has hired Angie Skochdopole to join its Engage team as a media director. Skochdopole will lead engagement planning for several of the agency’s agriculture clients.
- Lee Enterprises Consulting is pleased to announce the additions of Corinne Young, Chris Guske and Tim Davies to its team.
- The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) has announced that Martin Williams, a full-service advertising agency in Minneapolis, MN, is now a Sustaining Partner. NAMA Sustaining Partners receive all the sponsorship benefits of a Platinum Level Sponsor plus additional benefits including complimentary registrations at national events, use of the SustainingPartner logo in advertising and promotion, recognition on NAMA website, advertising on digital signage at the annual conference as well as logo and verbal recognition for all three national NAMA events.
The Farmhouse Movement – Magazine and Movement
I found this magazine, The Farmhouse Movement, on a store rack and the name made me buy it. I think it was our local Winn Dixie. I have not had time to read much yet. I’m planning to do that on a plane tomorrow.
But, I thought I’d bring it to your attention to see what you think. As I’ve looked at the website and in the first edition of this magazine it’s more of a movement. It appears to be in a very starter stage so I guess if the community grows we’ll learn more.
Here’s an excerpt explaining the movement:
We believe there is a movement happening in our generation. That many of us are drawn to the concepts, beauty, simplicity, and personality of a well-loved place from yesteryear… a place we call: the farmhouse. A place that is less about the farm, and more about the house.
We believe it’s the epitome of days gone by and the expectation of what lies ahead. That within its walls, the farmhouse represents a foundation of our culture and a freeing of our hearts.
So, what do you think of the concept? Feel free to comment.
New Bayer Cotton Varieties Focus on Yield
Five new Bayer cotton varieties are available in limited quantities for 2018 planting to give growers more options.
“Choosing the right variety for the right field to harvest the right yield is paramount to successfully managing a cotton crop,” says Jason Wistehuff, Bayer product manager for FiberMax® and Stoneville® cotton. “These new varieties combine with our existing variety lineup to ground the season in sound science.”
The new 2018 varieties for FiberMax are:
FM 2498GLT – Adapted to the High Plains, Rolling Plains, Oklahoma, South Texas and East Texas.
FM 2574GLT – For dryland production on the Rolling Plains, also offers high gin turnout
The new 2018 varieties for Stoneville:
ST 5471GLTP – Broadly adapted for the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Delta and South Texas.
ST 5818GLT – Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Delta and South Texas.
ST 5122GLT – Widely adapted to the Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Delta, East Texas and Northern Rolling Plains.
“Our variety lineup is proof of our commitment to deliver varieties with the high yield potential, premium quality, herbicide tolerance and disease and insect resistance growers need to choose the right seed for the right field,” Wistehuff says.
Wistehuff talked about Bayer’s commitment to cotton in a recent interview with Chuck at the new Bayer Cotton Breeding Station in Lubbock, Texas: Interview with Jason Wistehuff, Bayer
Precision Ag Bytes 1/10
BRANDT has released a product finder mobile app, available for iOS and Android. The BRANDT Product Finder app will give users the ability to search and mine BRANDT’s entire portfolio of US agriculture products. Each BRANDT product will feature a label, safety data sheet and brochure. Users will be able to save documents for quick retrieval and offline viewing by adding them to their “library”. There are more than 300 products in the BRANDT portfolio.- The BioAg Alliance, Monsanto’s and Novozymes’ collaboration to improve crop harvests through products containing naturally-occurring microbes, has announced an updated research and development pipeline. Among the highlights is the Corn BioYield 2 project, which advanced to Phase 4 (pre-commercial) in The BioAg Alliance R&D pipeline and is expected to be branded as Acceleron B-360 ST, pending regulatory approvals. The BioAg Alliance also announced the achievement of a significant milestone in the Corn BioYield 3 project. Over the past four years, researchers have screened thousands of microbes across multiple sites to find out which microbes deliver the highest increase in crop yield. A small group of top performers have now been selected for commercial evaluation and development.
- Dr. B. Todd Campbell, a research geneticist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center in Florence, S.C., is the recipient of the 2017 Cotton Genetics Research Award. The announcement was made during the 2018 Beltwide Cotton Improvement Conference, which convened as part of the National Cotton Council-coordinated 2018 Beltwide Cotton Conferences. In recognition, Dr. Campbell received a plaque and a monetary award.
Trump Puts Rural America in the Spotlight
President Trump’s address to the American Farm Bureau Federation 99th annual convention this week in Nashville definitely brought agriculture some positive publicity, mentioning the word farmers over 25 times in his speech, more than any of the previous three presidents in all of their official speeches combined. Granted, that is just a guess but I feel safe in saying that if someone were to be able to fact-check it!
Farm Bureau estimates 7400 watched the president’s speech in person or on the Livestream, and thousands more have watched it since. Among those watching from home was former AFBF president Bob Stallman, who said it was the first convention he has missed in 30 years. The speech was also carried live by RFD-TV, Fox News and CBS. Agri-Pulse and RFD-TV were both granted interviews with the president. It was definitely a very big deal.
President Trump’s commitment to rural America with the signing of two presidential orders that will help increase broadband access out in the countryside, something that his Rural Prosperity Task Force made a high priority, was also a very big deal to many of the thousands at the event. Jamie interviewed a number of attendees to get their reactions, including FFA and 4H members, state Farm Bureau presidents, the Missouri Director of Agriculture and Mrs. Zippy Duvall. Listen to some of the comments here: Reaction to President Trump at #AFBF18
The Future for LibertyLink
Bayer’s Credenz soybeans including LibertyLink traits performed well in 2017 despite less than ideal weather conditions in many areas.
“Across the board, maybe not every segment of geography had the most ideal weather for soybean production, but as a general rule, results were really positive,” said Monty Malone, soybean agronomy leader for Bayer. “Yields were high – a lot of excellent potential. Our new products performed well. We’re excited about some new things that Bayer is bringing forward in our current flagship trait of LibertyLink. We’re also excited about the performance and future developments of traits that we’re bringing forward maybe next year or the year after.”
Malone said LibertyLink will be the base foundation trait of all herbicide stacks, including those of competitive companies, moving forward. Growers continue to adopt the LibertyLink trait at a fast pace, with its market share growing from roughly five million U.S. acres in 2015 to an addition four million acres in 2016. 2017 was the best year ever for LibertyLink, as it was the highest rated soybean trait platform and added another five million acres of market share. Indications for 2018 from market research and grower intentions point to another four to six million acres of growth, according to Jody Wynia, U.S. seed and trait product manager for Bayer CropScience.
“About four years ago, we developed a platform that we wanted to have Liberty Link enabled on every trait platform in the marketplace,” said Wynia. “And as you look forward to around 2020, it will be in every major trait platform,” said Jody Wynia, U.S. Seed and Trait Production Manager for Bayer CropScience. “LibertyLink, because of the weed control and the performance that growers are seeing, and the adoption rate, is going to be that platform that’s a foundation for every trait system.”
Wynia said Bayer is divesting the entire LibertyLink platform to BASF, contingent on the close of the Monsanto purchase. He said customers at the grower and retail level should expect a smooth transition and very little change to the past experience they have had with LibertyLink.
Cindy interviewed both Malone and Wynia at last month’s ASTA 2017 CSS and Seed Expo. Listen to them both here:
Interview with Monty Malone, Bayer
Interview with Jody Wynia, Bayer
2017 ASTA CSS and Seed Expo photo album