#YouthAgSummit Explores Innovation in an Age of Acceleration

Carrie Muehling

Innovation can mean different things, but Bayer Crop Science Head of Research and Development Adrian Percy describes it this way.

“For me, it’s bringing value to growers,” Percy said. “It’s bringing something new that they need, that will actually help in their operations, perhaps make them more efficient, help them perhaps access different markets, but it’s also about bringing something that’s acceptable to consumers and that’s a lot of what we talked about today.”

Percy addressed youth delegates at the 2017 Youth Ag Summit, sharing his excitement about advancements in areas like precision agriculture and plant breeding. He was inspired by working with the youth delegates in attendance.

“What inspires me is the energy, the hope, the passion for what they’re doing. They’re discovering things about themselves and what they want to do in life. They’re seeing agriculture as a tremendous place to be,” he said.

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Adrian Percy here: Interview with Adrian Percy, Head R&D Bayer Crop Science

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 Youth Ag Summit Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, Bayer

The Future of Eating Digitally

Carrie Muehling

Caleb Harper describes himself as an anti-disciplinary person who did not succeed in the traditional school setting. But his ideas and his curious mind eventually landed him at MIT, where he now is Principal Investigator and Director of the Open Agriculture (Open Ag) Initiative at the MIT Media Lab.

Harper addressed 100 youth in attendance at the 2017 Youth Ag Summit with a message about the fourth ag revolution and eating digitally. He talked about climate democracy, sharing that today’s world contains the access to data and computing power that could allow the creation of climates for agriculture in places where those don’t already exist. Harper says the face of the next generation farmer is also important.

“People totally undervalue and just don’t understand how incredibly complex the world of agriculture is. So, incentivizing that young person to even think there is the potential for a career out there is part of what I love doing,” Harper said.

Harper encouraged young people to stop talking and start creating.

Hear more of Jamie’s interview with Caleb Harper here: Interview with Caleb Harper, MIT Media Lab

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 Youth Ag Summit Photo Album

AgWired Animal, Audio, Bayer

AEM Pulls Out of NFMS Venture

Cindy Zimmerman

KSFB CEO Jason Rittenberry and AEM President Dennis Slater sign letter at 2017 NFMS

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has withdrawn from a proposed collaborative venture with the Kentucky State Fair Board (KSFB) for the National Farm Machinery Show, which was announced in February at the 2017 show.

AEM and KSFB had signed a letter of intent and announced a verbal agreement under which AEM would assist with the management and co-production of the annual indoor farm machinery show which has been held at the Kentucky Expo Center in Louisville for 52 years. However, according to AEM, “the two parties were not able to reach a final agreement on how to proceed forward and as a result, AEM’s Ag Sector Board has decided to withdraw from the proposed venture with the KSFB for the National Farm Machinery Show.”

Jason Rittenberry, who signed the agreement for KSFB and launched its rebranding as Kentucky Venues in March, resigned from his position as president and CEO last month after less than a year on the job.

“In today’s competitive marketplace, it is important for companies to leverage their presence at trade shows into sound investments,” said John Lagemann, chair of AEM’s Ag Sector Board. “With that in mind, we remain hopeful that we can continue to find ways AEM and the KSFB can collaborate going forward for the benefit of the industry.”

AEM reaffirms its commitment to provide ways for its members to have meaningful engagement with farmers, including its existing relationship with Commodity Classic and additional educational events.

Post Update: Chuck talks with Curt Blades, senior vice president, AG services, AEM, about the announcement: Interview with Curt Blades, AEM

AEM, NFMS

Precision AgBytes 10/11

Kelly Marshall

  • EFC Systems, Inc., a leading provider of solutions for agricultural retailers, has announced the purchased of AgSolver Inc.’s assets.  The acquisition has led to a new Agronomic Planning and Sustainabilty division, headed up by Dr. Dave Muth as Vice President.
  • With anhydrous ammonia prices looking good this fall, AgXplore is encouraging growers to take a look at a product called NZONE GL, a non-detrimental, calcium-based formulation that’s safe to handle. Studies show the product reduced leaching by 47 percent and delivered an average of 12 bushels more per acre.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service plans to invest in 48 new, multi-year projects that build vital infrastructure and conserve natural resources in 20 states or territories through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program.
AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes

Senator Grassley Rallies for Biodiesel

Cindy Zimmerman

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) visited the Renewable Energy Group (REG) biodiesel plant in Newton, Iowa Tuesday to rally the industry in opposition to proposed EPA actions that would cut volumes of biodiesel under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

“This proposal would drastically undermine biodiesel production,” said Grassley. “Most importantly, it’s contrary to statements made by candidate and President Trump. Whether it’s biodiesel or anything else, I believe a platform isn’t just to run on, it’s also to stand on.”

In late September, EPA put out a “Notice of Data Availability” seeking input concerning potential reductions for biodiesel under the RFS, on top of freezing biodiesel levels for 2019 in the formal proposed rule and decreasing levels for advanced biofuels, which includes biodiesel.

Grassley also talked about his American Renewable Fuel Jobs Creation Act bill, which would extends the biodiesel tax incentive, which expired at the end of 2016, for three years and changing it from a blenders’ to a producers’ credit. The change would ensure that the tax credit incentivizes domestic production without subsidizing imported fuel.

Listen to Grassley’s comments here: Sen. Grassley biodiesel rally comments

Audio, Biodiesel, EPA

Farmers Edge and Planet Bringing Daily Imagery to the Farm

Cindy Zimmerman

Global decision agriculture leader Farmers Edge™ today announced a strategic partnership with global satellite data company Planet to provide game-changing global monitoring data and platform capabilities to farmers.

Planet operates the world’s largest fleet of earth imaging satellites and Farmers Edge is now a sole distributor for Planet in key agricultural regions, with the right to use and distribute high-resolution, high-frequency imagery from Planet’s three flagship satellite constellations. Farmers Edge customers will be among the first to take advantage of field-centric, consistent, and accurate insights from satellite imagery.

Farmers Edge president and CEO Wade Barnes says this partnership equips Farmers Edge growers with the most comprehensive, most frequently updated, high-quality field imagery in the industry. “At Farmers Edge, providing our customers with the most concise, comprehensive, and consistent data is at the core of what we do,” said Barnes. “We understand the need for more image frequency, that’s why we are partnering with Planet. Daily imagery is a game-changer in the digital ag space.”

Barnes adds that retailers, co-ops, equipment dealers, agronomists, and other important farmer advisers can now “partner with Farmers Edge and leverage this industry changing capability within their business.” Interview with Wade Barnes, Farmers Edge president and CEO

Planet’s unique ability to receive data from nearly 200 satellites daily could help solve agricultural challenges around the world.”We’re able to collect the entire earth on an almost daily basis,” says Andrew Pylypchuk, Planet account executive for agriculture. This will allow farmers to see their fields as they never have before “on the right date, at the right time, and allow them to take the right action.” Comments from Andrew Pylypchuk, Planet account executive for agriculture

Nebraska Farmers Edge grower Randy Uhlmacher says daily imagery can mean catching a problem early enough to prevent yield loss. “We’ve had so much cloudy weather, if you are running once a week and it happens to be cloudy that day, it could be several weeks before you get an image again,” he said. “The more often you can do it, the faster you can pick up changes in your fields.” Interview with Randy Uhlmacher, Nebraska farmer and Farmers Edge user

AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Technology

Alltech Dairy Specialist Knows Cow Comfort

Carrie Muehling

Cow comfort is priority for Tom Lorenzen, dairy specialist with Alltech. Lorenzen visits dairy farms with the goal of looking for problem areas and finding solutions when it comes to the basic needs of the animals.

“Cows don’t lie,” says Lorenzen. “I look and listen to the cows.”

Lorenzen says clean water and a full feed bunk after milking are important to keeping cows happy and healthy. He took the opportunity during the 2017 World Dairy Expo to share some priorities when it comes to cow comfort, including correct free stalls, proper ventilation and adequate parlor space.

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Tom Lorenzen here: Interview with Tom Lorenzen, Alltech

2017 World Dairy Expo Photo Album

Coverage of World Dairy Expo is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Alltech  Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Hubbard Feeds
AgWired Animal, Alltech, Audio, World Dairy Expo

Bayer Invests in Youth for Future of Ag

Jamie Johansen

This week there are 100 youth delegates from 49 countries working together to generate innovative and sustainable solutions to global food security challenges and come up with concrete new ideas to drive agricultural progress across the globe. It’s a tall order for the 3rd Youth Ag Summit sponsored by Bayer, but Liam Condon, President of Bayer Crop Science, is optimistic they are up to the challenge.

“We want them to look at real problems that real farmers are facing in real areas today and come up with potential solutions…and we will support them to implement those ideas,” said Condon.

He says the goal of the summit is two-fold. First, each individual is to come up with three things that they promise they are going to implement themselves in their own homes, such as reducing food waste. Secondly, they work as a group on challenges linked to United Nations sustainable development goals and the best ideas will be supported by Bayer.

Learn more in this interview –
Interview with Liam Condon President of Bayer Crop Science

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 Youth Ag Summit Photo Album

Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Audio, Bayer, Food, Sustainability

WMMB Focusing On Exports, Consumer Trust In Coming Year

Carrie Muehling

This year’s World Dairy Expo was the first for Chad Vincent in his role as CEO of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB). Vincent says the organization continues to invest checkoff dollars to drive trust, sales distribution and awareness of Wisconsin cheese and other dairy products.

He says exports and emerging markets are a priority, with a focus on Asia and North Africa. But the message to American consumers is just as important at a time when it can be difficult to tell fact from fiction.

“We want to tell the honest truth about farming and farmers and dairy. When people see it coming from the farmers and they hear the truth, it helps us deflect a lot of the misinformation that’s coming at them today and coming at them in the future.”

WMMB also shares that message with students in schools across the country through the Fuel Up To Play 60 program, in partnership with the NFL.

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Chad Vincent here: Interview with Chad Vincent, WMMB

2017 World Dairy Expo Photo Album

Coverage of World Dairy Expo is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Alltech  Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Hubbard Feeds
AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Audio, World Dairy Expo

Keenan Alltech Offers Nutrition Solutions

Carrie Muehling

Visitors to the Keenan Alltech booth at the 2017 World Dairy Expo told National Sales Manager Dan Gard that they appreciate the uniformity of the mix they get when using any of Keenan’s five mixers on their farms. Gard says consistency drives performance on the farm, whether it is a small farm or one of the larger dairies in the country.

Keenan InTouch Nutritionist Eva Griffin says technology plays a big role in today’s mixing systems.

“The farmer knows exactly what to feed the cows, how much to feed and how long to mix it for. The beauty is that a lot of that is in the Cloud, as well, so behind your machine on farm is a whole nutrition support service,” says Griffin.

Griffin says the paddle mixer is a unique design that provides a gentle mixing process, protecting the structure fiber of the mix and working with nature and not against it.

Listen to Jamie’s interview with Dan Gard and Eva Griffin here: Interview with Dan Gard & Eva Griffin, Keenan Alltech

2017 World Dairy Expo Photo Album

Coverage of World Dairy Expo is sponsored by Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Alltech  Coverage of the Farm Progress Show is sponsored by Hubbard Feeds
AgWired Animal, Alltech, Audio, Nutrition, World Dairy Expo