2024 Ag Tech Awards of Excellence

Cindy Zimmerman

The CropLife Ag Tech Awards of Excellence have honored individuals who demonstrate exceptional work in the use and adoption of precision and digital agriculture technologies and practices for over 15 years and once more Tech Hub LIVE was pleased to pay tribute to four more outstanding individuals this year.
2024 THL CropLIfe Awards 12:21

Precision Crop Advisor/Entrepreneur of the Year – Lindsey Ross, Precision Ag Manager, Legacy Coop
With over 12 years of experience in the world of precision agriculture, Ross’s skillset has evolved from mainly technology diagnostics to integrating the agronomic aspect to help further growers’ success in the field with Legacy Coop. “I’m very passionate about what I do,” said Ross. “Caring for my customers, making sure they are lowering their inputs, increasing their yields, putting more dollars back in their pocket, is what drives me to do what I do everyday.”

2024 THL Lindsay Ross, Legacy Coop 2:44

Legacy in Ag Technology – Lanny Faleide, President, Satshot

Lanny Faleide was a pioneer in remote imagery and has been professional vendor of satellite imagery in the precision ag industry for 30 years now, making him a legend in the industry. “To all of you building your companies in the precision ag field, the key to success is not quit,” said Faleide. “I’m still amazed at what I do.”

2024 THL Lanny Faleide, Satshot 6:55

Precision Farmer of the Year – Blake Matthews, Matthew Land & Cattle

Blake Matthews farms with his father and brother in Idaho and started his precision farming journey back in 2010 by integrating biologicals, plant hormones and sound nutrition into his operation. “When I started out on this journey it was not necessarily to improve the environment…we mainly did it to see if we could do it,” he said.

2024 THL Blake Matthews, Matthew Land & Cattle 1:37

Educator/Researcher of the Year – Nancy Bohl Bormann, Ph.D. Candidate, University of Minnesota
Nancy Bohl Bormann farms with her husband in north central Iowa and just completed her PhD in Land and Atmospheric Science at the University of Minnesota. Her research project created a manure nutrient test data base (Manure DB). “This is all publicly available on the Manure DB website today,” said Bohl Bormann. “It was a great experience that launched me more into this data space.”

2024 THL Nancy Bohl Bormann, University of Minnesota 3:11

2024 Tech Hub LIVE Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

Women in Ag Tech Meet Again

Cindy Zimmerman

The third successful in-person meeting of the one-year-old Women in AgTech (WiAT) was held on Monday prior to the kick off of Tech Hub LIVE in Des Moines. Attendance at the WiAT was strong and very diverse, with first-time attendees, new women in the ag tech space, and plenty of experienced professionals to share their career journeys.

Keynote speaker Wendy Srnic, Vice President of Biotechnology for Corteva Agriscience, provided the group with a good working knowledge of what gene editing is, and what it is not, so they can be informed as the technology is more widely adopted.

“In issues like technology and food, women are the thought leaders,” said Srnic, who brought her 13-year-old daughter Mirjana and many of her female Corteva colleagues to the WiAT meeting. “Women are concerned about feeding their families healthy food and they want to know what goes into producing those foods…there will be gene edited foods available to select, it’s already starting to enter the marketplace.”

2024 THL WiAT interview Wendy Srnic, Corteva 8:24

“Turning networking on its head” was the intriguing title for remarks from Jacquelin Kiple of John Deere who gave everyone some interesting new ideas to consider when it comes to your professional network.

“I have grown exponentially because of people I have met through my network, projects I would never have been offered and opportunities to learn and do something different,”” said Kiple.

2024 THL WiAT speaker Jacqueline Kiple, Deere 4:28

Women in Ag Tech held its first in-person meeting at the 2023 Tech Hub LIVE conference and the second at the VISION conference in January. All women working in the agricultural technology space are welcome to join. Find out more here.

2024 Tech Hub LIVE Photo Album

Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

Precision Ag News 7/31

Carrie Muehling

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the Watersheds report, which provides data that supplement the 2022 Census of Agriculture, Volume 1. Watersheds is the first of six Subject Series reports to be released for this Census of Agriculture. The Watersheds report breaks down select ag census data – including farms, land in farms, land use and practices, fertilizer and chemical use, and select commodities – by the 6-digit Hydrologic Unit Code (watershed) boundaries, providing data users yet another way to review and compare ag census information.
  • CNH announces its new Global Leadership Team (GLT), which is empowered to carry out faster and more effective delivery of its strategic priorities for profitable long-term growth globally in the Agriculture segment. The Construction segment will operate as a distinct business unit inside CNH with increased autonomy.
  • Over the past 30 years, K-State researchers have partnered with local producers to study, hone and implement precision agriculture techniques. The close partnership between K-State researchers and local farming partners was recently on full display as the capstone tour of the International Conference on Precision Agriculture, hosted this year in partnership with K-State. Hundreds of preeminent experts in precision agriculture from more than 40 countries spent several days in Manhattan, where they shared some of the latest research and innovation in the field.
  • SweetWater Technologies CEO Chad Gripp announced the launch of the company’s first group of independently-owned and operated franchises. The announcement marks a milestone in SweetWater Technologies’ mission to elevate agronomic practices through innovative business practices and cutting-edge drone technology.
  • Dozens of FFA chapters around the United States are getting a new classroom resource for the 2024-25 school year as part of a Microsoft grant. The grant will help FFA members and advisors launch a new version of FarmBeats for Students, a hands-on education program built around precision agriculture that Microsoft developed in collaboration with the National FFA Organization.
  • The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) had strong representation at the recent National Association of Plant Breeders’ 2024 meeting. Dr. Sam Crowell attended the meeting on behalf of the association and gave a presentation explaining how plant breeders play an invaluable role in the seed industry, and they collaborate on domestic and international policy issues that impact both plant breeders and seed producers.
  • The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in August 2022, created a sustainable aviation fuel tax credit. This tax credit, called 40B due to its section in the IRA, is in effect for 2023 and 2024. The 40B credit amount is based on the carbon intensity from a lifecycle analysis for the specific sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) obtaining the tax credit. Read more from the National Corn Growers Association.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    McKinney Keynotes Tech Hub LIVE

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Attendees of Tech Hub LIVE in Des Moines this week were treated to a real TED Talk – given by the one and only Ted McKinney, who currently serves as CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, but has a background that started on the farm, moved into agribusiness, and then into government, as Indiana Director of Agriculture and as Under Secretary of Agriculture for Trade under President Trump.

    One of McKinney’s main messages was that he believes we can address climate change globally with climate smart agriculture and still increase productivity. “Production ag, including forestry, is actually a solution to climate change challenges,” said McKinney.

    “I have been witness on our own farm and in my industry days to the advancement of innovation across the board,” he said during an interview after his address. “And based on what I have been hearing and then what I saw at this conference in the types of companies here and what they’re doing, it’s mind blowing. So I’m juiced because I see it has not stopped. In fact, I’d say innovation is accelerating.”

    In his remarks and interview, McKinney also comments on the lack of a farm bill, trade issues, and opportunities for Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

    Ted McKinney, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA)
    2024 THL Ted McKinney, NASDA, remarks 51:49
    2024 THL Ted McKinney, NASDA, interview 13:19

    2024 Tech Hub LIVE Photo Album

    Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

    Animal Ag News 7/29

    Carrie Muehling

  • In its mission-driven work to provide the U.S. animal food industry with tools to support industry members in developing and advancing internal sustainability programs, the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) has added new materials to its Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit. The new resource defines 16 material issue areas identified as important for consideration in animal food industry sustainability efforts.
  • The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) released a new economic contribution report detailing the significant impact America’s pig farmers have on the United States’ agricultural and overall economy. The report highlights the pork industry’s value chain contributions and trends in production and industry structure.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) issued supporting statements following the House passage of H.R. 8998, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) confirmed that efforts to prevent ultra-processed, lab-grown protein from showing up in the diet of the American armed forces were successful, following news that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is not pursuing lab-grown protein projects for human consumption.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced 30 exceptional dairy industry professionals from IDFA member companies who have been selected for the sixth cohort of the NextGen Leadership Program, a premier, year-long development program for emerging dairy leaders. Cohort 6 was selected based on their experience and scope of responsibility within their organizations. The group represents the broad diversity of the industry’s next generation of leaders from every dairy industry segment and region of the country.
  • USDA’s plan for modernizing the Federal Milk Marketing Order system aligns well with the principles outlined in National Milk Producers Federation’s own proposals, NMPF economists Peter Vitaliano and Stephen Cain said in a Dairy Defined Podcast. Still, analysis is ongoing, and NMPF will be suggesting improvements during a public comment period that lasts through mid-September.
  • The Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) board of directors announces the seating of nine board members and the Fiscal year 2025 Executive Committee. The DFW board re-elected Janet Clark, District 16 from Rosendale, as Board Chair for her third consecutive year. Clark, along with 24 peer-elected Wisconsin dairy farmers, will lead the organization through the next fiscal year, from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
  • EmGenisys, Inc., an animal health company that aims to improve the success rates of embryo transfer (ET) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) for cattle producers, announces a partnership with SMART Reproduction earning the team a National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant. Together, their project will “improve domestic small ruminant reproduction through computer-assisted embryo analysis”.
  • At the recent USPOULTRY Hatchery-Breeder Clinic in Nashville, Tenn., industry experts gathered to share strategies for enhancing hatchery performance during the two-day event. Attendees received valuable insights into implementing quality assurance programs, managing diseases, improving communication between hatchery and breeder personnel and improving ergonomics with robotics.
  • Dr. David Wicker, vice president of live operations at Fieldale Farms Corporation, was honored with the 2024 Poultry Science Association (PSA) Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award, sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY). The award recognizes outstanding contributions by an industry leader. In addition to sponsoring the award, USPOULTRY also makes an annual contribution to the PSA Foundation on behalf of the recipient.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Industry Ag News 7/26

    Carrie Muehling

  • Save your seat and wallet with Early Registration for the 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Summit. A discounted rate of $700 is available through July 31, along with single day passes and further discounted rates for farmers, government employees, and students.
  • Tuesday, August 6, is the last day for early bird pricing on your NAMA Boot Camp registration. Sign up now to save $100 and join us in Kansas City August 20–22.
  • The World Food Prize Foundation welcomed 14 exceptional college students last week to Washington, D.C., celebrating the culmination of the World Food Prize Foundation Wallace-Carver Fellowship, in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This summer, the Foundation selected 14 students for the distinguished Wallace-Carver Fellowship, offering them the opportunity to collaborate with world-renowned scientists and policymakers through paid fellowships at leading USDA research centers and offices nationwide.
  • As of Aug. 1, 2024, the West Coast Office of U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) will be located at the World Trade Center, Suite 1125, 121 SW Salmon Street, Portland, OR 97204. USW is the export market development organization for the U.S. wheat industry.
  • This summer, Texas A&M student Laney Ferrell joined the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) as their policy intern. Laney is from Seguin, Texas, and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness with a certificate in International Trade in Agriculture and a minor in Financial Planning.
  • For more than 50 years, thousands of FFA members from across the country have converged in our nation’s capital each summer to engage with legislators, hone civic engagement and leadership skills, and create community impact projects to take back to their cities and towns. The National FFA Organization’s Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) took place June 4-July 20 at the Omni Shoreham, with six, week-long sessions for FFA members to choose from. FFA welcomed 1,610 members from 44 states at the 2024 conference, the second-largest student experience that the National FFA Organization will host this year, only behind the National FFA Convention & Expo which is anticipated to draw more than 70,000 attendees.
  • The Livestock Publications Council’s fundraising committee is trying something new this year — a reverse raffle. Participants will be entered in a drawing for multiple cash prizes, including the $3,000 top prize. Tickets are limited and cost $50 each. Winners will be drawn during the Monday Night Mingle at Ag Media Summit, but you don’t have to be present to win. Click here to purchase.
  • After building and growing Nufarm in North America for the past 9 1/2 years, Brendan Deck will return to Australia in December 2024. In his new role, Brendan will continue to support Nufarm as a strategic advisor to the Group, utilizing his considerable commercial and product experience. Brendan will be succeeded as Regional General Manager, North America by Ken Barham, effective October 1, 2024.
  • Twenty cotton producers from the Mid-South and Southeast will observe cotton and other agriculture-related operations in California’s San Joaquin Valley the week of July 28 as part of the National Cotton Council’s 2024 Producer Information Exchange (P.I.E.) Program.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    U.S. Peanut Federation Policy Update

    Cindy Zimmerman

    It was four years ago that the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association and the National Peanut Buying Points Association joined together to create the United States Peanut Federation, which is piloted by long-time peanut industry lobbyist Bob Redding who provided a policy update at the recent Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Savannah.

    Besides the farm bill, Redding talked about the need to increase exports. “Whether Republicans or Democrats control the White House next January, we’re likely to see increased tariffs, particularly with China. This will be impactful to a number of commodities, either directly or indirectly with peanut, so we might as well face that and brace up for it,” he said. “We worked really hard with the US Peanut Federation to build relationships both in the House and Senate with senior members who are involved in trade policy and we have to increase our export efforts with regard to peanuts.”

    In his expectations for a farm bill at this point, Redding said, “We will likely see a farm bill action will be after the election in lame duck session and we’re hopeful the final bill will be similar to the House bill.”

    Bob Redding, peanut policy update 35:25

    2024 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Photo Album

    Audio, Peanuts, SPGC

    Precision Ag News 7/25

    Carrie Muehling

  • Tech Hub LIVE is thrilled to announce that the exhibit hall is officially sold out, showcasing a dynamic range of exhibitors and sponsors who will be present to share their innovative products and services. This year’s event July 29-31 in Des Moines promises to be an exceptional gathering of industry leaders, with an impressive list of partners and sponsors contributing to a robust and engaging program. In addition The Women in Ag Tech (WiAT) community is gearing up for its third in-person meeting taking place at Tech Hub LIVE on July 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Building on the success of last year’s launch, this one-day event continues to provide a platform for women in ag tech to connect, engage, and build a supportive community.
  • Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $90 million in 53 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) projects, which support the development of new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands. This year, increased funds were available because of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which is funding CIG projects that address climate change, with a particular focus on innovative solutions to reduce livestock emissions of enteric methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
  • The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), joined by five other commodity groups, sent a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo asking her to consider the impacts on farmers as she reviews a petition by the agricultural chemical company Corteva that would place duties on imports of the herbicide 2,4-D.
  • It is now easier than ever to access trusted, factual agricultural data with AgriSearch Assistant Powered by Stratovation Group. Now available to all ChatGPT users, AgriSearch Assistant was created with a vision to develop a simple way to secure a wide range of government-related, education, and other pertinent agricultural data with a high degree of confidence – for free.
  • Taranis, the global leader in crop intelligence, announces the launch of the industry’s first AI-powered agronomic engine, Ag Assistant. Using multimodal AI, Ag Assistant promises to revolutionize service and management opportunities for ag retailers and the growers they serve by providing unprecedented timeliness and accuracy in addressing in-season threats. The advancement introduces a new approach to AI-powered farm management.
  • Monarch Tractor, creator of the MK-V, the world’s first fully electric, driver-optional smart tractor and Wingspan Ag Intelligence farm management platform, has announced a history-making $133 million Series C, making it the largest funding raising round in agricultural robotics history.
  • Ornamental plant growers in Alabama feeling the squeeze of a competitive labor market may soon find help in an unexpected form. An AI-powered robot, currently in development at Auburn, will be able to inventory thousands of plants while also collecting data on plant growth, pests and diseases. A team of researchers from the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station was recently awarded $300,000 by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to develop the robot. The project addresses a major issue faced by growers: the inefficiency of having humans manually count tens of thousands of plants each season.
  • The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) announced $2.6 million in grant funding awarded to eight projects that advance the adoption of safer, more sustainable pest management. The department awarded $1.72 million in Research Grants to fund projects that advance integrated pest management (IPM) knowledge, tools and practices. DPR additionally awarded $942,000 in Alliance Grants to fund projects that promote or increase sustainable pest management though the implementation, expansion and adoption of effective, proven and affordable IPM systems or practices.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Tech Hub LIVE Ready to Take Off

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The highly anticipated Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo, powered by CropLife Media Group®, is ready for take off July 29-31, 2024, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

    Organizers announced that the exhibit hall is officially sold out, showcasing a dynamic range of exhibitors and sponsors who will be present to share their innovative products and services. Back once again this year as Education Sponsor is Ever.Ag. Ben Sloan, VP of Products and Strategy, says they consider that sponsorship to be a great opportunity for them to connect with a wide variety of attendees. “We have efforts in the dairy and livestock space, we have efforts in the financial services and risk management space, and we really work in the agribusiness space and there’s a clear synergy and connection between all of those three legs of the stool,” said Sloan, who will be giving a presentation on how to better leverage insights and data.

    This is the third time the event has been hosted in Des Moines, which has welcomed them with open arms between the Greater Des Moines Partnership, Iowa Economic Development Authority, ISU Research Park, and America’s Cultivation Corridor. “There’s probably not a better fit for America’s Cultivation Corridor than Tech Hub LIVE,” says Executive Director Billi Hunt. “Over the last ten years, we have seen a 40% increase in food and ag businesses located in Iowa, nearly 10,000 patents happening for our industry, and over 175% increase in venture capitol coming to our industry in Iowa.” The Iowa welcoming party will be a Top Gun-themed event at at the Ricochet in downtown Des Moines.

    In addition, the third in-person meeting of Women in Ag Tech (WiAT) will be taking place at Tech Hub LIVE on July 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Building on the success of last year’s launch, this one-day event continues to provide a platform for women in ag tech to connect, engage, and build a supportive community.

    Registration and other information can be found at TechHubLIVE.com. Learn more in these preview interviews with Hunt and Sloan.

    2024 THL - Ben Sloan, Ever.Ag 6:06
    2024 THL - Billi Hunt, America's Cultivation Corridor 6:50

    AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture, Tech Hub LIVE, Technology

    Farm Financial Conditions are Rough

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The House Agriculture Committee convened a hearing Tuesday to hear from farmers and rural lenders about the state of financial conditions in farm country.

    Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) painted a depressing picture in his opening remarks. “Declining prices and cash receipts, escalating natural disasters, and increasing input costs have created a perfect storm that will compromise the foundation of our agricultural economy. We are living through the largest two-year decline in farm income in history,” said Thompson. “At the end of 2024, total farm sector debt will be the highest the U.S. has seen since at least 1970. Most farmers and ranchers, including those here with us today, are likely to be worse off financially by years’ end.”

    The president of the Minnesota Corn Growers was one of the witnesses presenting testimony at the hearing.

    “Unless conditions change, I believe we’re heading into a perfect storm, a storm that I don’t think will be fully appreciated until early next year when farmers try to get loans but are unable to do so because they cannot demonstrate the ability to cash flow,” said Dana Allen-Tully, Ph.D., owner of a diversified family farm near Eyota, Minnesota, speaking on behalf of the National Corn Growers Association and state groups.

    “We have to have policies in place that reflect the realities of farming today,” Allen-Tully said. The stakes of farming are so incredibly high – higher than I ever remember them to be. We are putting everything we have on the line every single year for very thin and oftentimes negative margins.”

    Listen to comments from Thompson and Allen-Tully below.
    House Ag Committee Chair Thompson opening remarks 6:48
    MN Corn Growers President Dana Allen-Tully 5:37

    Audio, Corn, Farm Bill, NCGA