Nebraska USFRA Food Dialogues to Focus on GMOs

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) is joining with the Nebraska Soybean Board to host a “Food Dialogues: Pivoting the GMO Conversation” at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln September 6 from 1:00-2:30 pm.

Among the Dialogue participants will be Hilary Maricle, a Nebraska cattle, corn, pig and soybean farmer and CommonGround volunteer; and USFRA Face of Farming & Ranching Jeremy Brown, an organic cotton farmer from Texas.

The Dialogue will be livestreamed on USFRA’s Facebook page for those unable to be there in person. Find out more here.

AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Soybean, USFRA

Bayer at Work to Combat Citrus Greening

Chuck Zimmerman

During the 2017 Citrus Expo I visited with Adrian Percy, Bayer, about the partnership announcement between Bayer and the Citrus Research and Development Foundation to combat citrus greening disease. Adrian says that Bayer is uniquely qualified to take on the disease because of its long history in disease control and a great range of fungicide products and also work in the biologicals space.

The need to find a solution is significant according to Adrian since the Florida citrus industry has seen a fifty percent drop in production in the last ten years due to the effects of the disease. He says there will probably be a number of elements to a final solution that will come out of the project which is in an initial three year agreement period.

You can listen to my interview with Adrian here to learn more: Interview with Adrian Percy, Bayer

You can find photos from the event here: Bayer/CRDF Press Conference Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Citrus

U.S. Grain Inspection – What to Expect

Jamie Johansen

One of the breakout sessions during the 2017 U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange provided an overview on how the soy and grain inspection system operated. This gave U.S. growers a better understanding of how their grain was managed once it left the farm and more importantly provided international buyers with the information needed to ensure they were getting a quality product.

Director, USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) Office of Dept. Initiatives and International Affairs, Byron Reilly, said, “The federal grain inspection service is an impartial third party to the sale of a contract. We don’t see the particulars of the contract. We only look at the grain quality requirements that the buyers want us to look for.”

Reilly also reminds parties involved that the cost of these services is included in the price per ton. His office also helps organizations like U.S. Soy Export Council (USSEC) with their market development activities in other countries holding hands-on grain inspection seminars with attendees.

Listen to my complete interview with Reilly here: Interview with Byron Reilly, USDA, GIPSA

You can find photos from the event here: U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange Photo Album

Ag Groups, AgWired Precision, Audio, Exports, GIPSA, Grains, Soybean, Trade, USDA, USSEC

Shifting to High Octane Ethanol Future

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual conference last week included a panel on shifting to high-octane fuel.

First, Trey Binford, product manager of North America Dispensers at Wayne Fueling Systems, discussed the infrastructure component. He explained why Wayne differentiated itself as the first equipment manufacturer to exclusively offer fuel dispensers UL-listed for E25 to gasoline retailers in North America.

Brian West with the Fuels, Engines and Emissions Research Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory shared the testing underway on engines to help demonstrate the benefits of high-octane fuel to help automakers meet fuel economy and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets.

Finally ACE members heard from Adam Gustafson, partner at Boyden Gray & Associates, who is helping lead an effort to enable automakers and consumers to experience the benefits of high-octane fuel.

ACE Executive Vice President Brian Jennings moderated the panel discussion – listen to it here: ACE Conference Octane Panel

2017 ACE Conference Photo Album

ACE, Audio, Ethanol

Nebraska Proudly Hosts #USSoyExchange

Jamie Johansen

To kick off the 2017 U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange, Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley provided opening remarks to the international and domestic soybean audience. I was able to speak with the Lt. Governor who shared how proud the state is of its agricultural industry. He said, “It’s really the backbone of our economy. We like to grow things.”

“It’s a big deal for us to have so many importers, people from a variety of countries here to learn more about agriculture in Nebraska. We want them to learn about the safety and quality we have in the production of our goods. I think as they spend more time here, they will want to buy more and more of our goods,” said Lt. Governor Foley.

The state’s water supply and growing conditions are also something to brag about. Finding more international markets helps Nebraska build its economy and hosting conferences like this gives a voice to the farmers and ranchers throughout the state.

Listen to our complete conversation with Nebraska Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley here: Interview with Nebraska Lt. Gov. Mike Foley

You can find photos from the event here: U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange Photo Album

Ag Groups, AgWired Precision, Audio, Exports, Markets, Soybean, Trade, USSEC

Animal Ag Bites 8/21

Kelly Marshall

AgWired Animal, Animal Bites

Moving More Ethanol Exports

Cindy Zimmerman

U.S. ethanol exports are setting records this year and that is due at least in part to the efforts of the U.S. Grains Council ethanol advisory team, chaired this year by Jim Glavin, CEO of Lakeview Energy.

Galvin spoke at the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual conference last week in Omaha about some of the global headwinds and tailwinds for exports. “Number one, we’re looking at trying to double exports,” said Galvin, noting the industry is expanding at a rate of about three percent a year.

At the same time, Galvin says the U.S. ethanol industry has lately become a victim of its own export success, with major markets like China and Brazil restricting imports this year.

Listen to Galvin’s presentation and interview below.

Audio files:
Interview with Jim Galvin, Lakeview Energy
Jim Galvin, Lakeview Energy, remarks

2017 ACE Conference Photo Album

ACE, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, USGC

New Brownfield Reporter for IN and OH

Cindy Zimmerman

The newest anchor/reporter on the Brownfield Ag News team is Amie Sites who will cover Indiana and Ohio for the multi-state radio network.

Amie grew up in Walton, Ind. She majored in journalism and creative writing at Indiana University. Her passion for telling the stories of others led her to become a reporter for various newspapers including the Standard-Speaker, Pharos Tribune, and Indiana AgriNews, where she found a love for telling the story of the agriculture industry.

Amie received third place for Best Breaking News Story in the National Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Contest in 2016 and third place for Best In-depth Feature or Feature package from the Hoosier State Press Association Foundation Better Newspaper Contest in 2014.
Brownfield Ag News creates and delivers original content across multiple media platforms.

Media

GROWMARK and COFCO Announce Grain Partnership

Cindy Zimmerman

GROWMARK and COFCO officials sign agreement

A new grain partnership was created on Friday between agricultural cooperative GROWMARK, Inc. and global supply chain agribusiness COFCO International Limited (CIL) providing a direct link from farmers in the Midwest to the global marketplace, and China in particular.

“We now have a direct pipeline from our growers to the end user,” said Brent Ericson, GROWMARK Senior Vice President, Member Business, who notes that China is the largest soybean importer in the world and the second largest agricultural export market for the United States.

The partnership includes joint ownership and operation of the barge, truck, and rail terminal at Cahokia, Ill., with frontage on the Mississippi River, as well as a grain origination agreement. The facility has 6 truck receiving lanes, a railroad loop track spanning 34,500 feet with two rail pits, allowing for simultaneous unloading of two shuttle trains of grain and grain products, and two 1,600 t/hour barge loading belts serving two barge loading docks.

Ericson believes Cahokia will play a key role in originating grain for the international markets driving global demand, and provide a win-win situation for both organizations. “It’s a really impressive facility in an area that there’s a lot of grain that moves through on its way to the Gulf of Mexico,” said Ericson.

CIL’s Cahokia facility receives grain via rail and truck for transloading to barges destined for export. The site is served by the Alton & Southern railroad and is able to receive product from all Class I railroads.

Audio file: Interview with Brent Ericson, GROWMARK

AgWired Precision, Audio, Exports, Grains, GROWMARK, transportation

Trade Offers Stability for Rural Economies

Kelly Marshall

Jason Hafemeister, Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Trade & Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) addressed the attendees of the 2017 U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange, bringing a message of greater trade opportunities for America’s farmers.

“A substantial part of our farm income comes from foreign markets,” said Hafemeister. “So we at the department are always looking for ways to expand and grow on foreign market opportunities and we’re happy to have a chance to meet with potential buyers here today to talk about the virtues of American products. We’re a reliable supplier of high-quality product and can compete on price. This is a good opportunity to remind folks of that.”

Rural America needs a strong farm base for it’s economic stability, and growth in rural areas increases the health of the overall economy. According to Hafemeister, one of the best ways to do that is to improve the customer base by removing barriers for trade around the world.  Currently the USDA is meeting with Canada and Mexico to improve NAFTA. Their first goal is to do no harm, but also to improve trade access, specifically into Canada with poultry and dairy. Removing barriers to China, Japan, and Vietnam are also high on Hafemeister’s list.

“Prices go up and prices go down,” Hafemeister said, but broadening the customer base takes pressure off domestic supply and will help address the current difficult climate.

To hear more, listen to Jamie’s full interview here: Interview with Jason Hafemeister, USDA

You can find photos from the event here: U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange Photo Album

AgWired Precision, Audio, Soybean, Trade, USDA