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

Secretary Perdue in Florida

Chuck Zimmerman

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue visited the Citrus Expo in Fort Myers, Florida this week to learn more about citrus greening and hold a farm bill listening session with Congressman Tom Rooney of the local district.

The only opportunity for reporters to ask questions of the secretary was a short, crowded, disorganized gaggle that covered a wide range of non-agricultural topics. But I did get to ask him the first question – when does he expect to have a full USDA in place?

“The president has put forth some tremendous nominations and we are hopeful that as soon as the Senate gets back in session in September the ag committee will take these up,” the secretary said. “I’m the only presidential-appointed, Senate-confirmed person at the USDA today.”

You can listen my press gaggle question here: Secretary Sonny Perdue Q&A

Sonny Perdue Visits Citrus Expo Photos

AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio, USDA

Zimfo Bytes

Kelly Marshall

  • American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture and the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization have signed a memorandum outlining their plans to create a more agriculture literate society. They will focus on opportunities for students to purse higher education and career opportunities in food and agriculture science and provide resources to K-12 teachers.
  • The National Sorghum Producers have selected their board of directors.  Don Bloss was re-elected chairman, Dan Atkinson was re-elected vice chairman, and Kendall Hodgson was elected treasurer.  Larry Dahlsten and Tom Willis were elected to three-year terms on the board.
  • A new poll from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers shows the overwhelming majority of Americans believe that investing in infrastructure will improve the U.S. economy.  Most adults strongly support modernizing infrastructure and believe the investment will improve their quality of life.
Zimfo Bytes

Feed A Bee Plantings Happening Coast to Coast

Kelly Marshall

The Bayer Bee Care program launched the grant initiative, Feed a Bee in 2015 with a goal of planting 50 million flowers. They’ve now distributed more than 3 billion wildflower seeds and the organization is moving forward with a grander goal- to facilitate forage plantings or enhancements in every state by the end of 2018.

This Saturday will be an important step in that goal; August 19th has been dedicated National Honey Bee Day and Feed a Bee will celebrate with plantings from three of their accepted proposals. Starting in Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, New York and then on to North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, and finally finishing in Placer Land Trust’s School Park Community Garden in Auburn, California, the day will highlight the work being done to help honey bees.

So far, proposals from 34 states have already been accepted, but Feed a Bee is still looking for more partners. “We want everyone applying, whether we’ve already funded those states or not we’ll still consider the projects,” says project manager, Dr. Becky Langer.  “But the states we need attention on that we have not received applications from are: Wyoming, Vermont, South Dakota, Rhode Island, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Kansas, Hawaii, Delaware, Alaska, and New Mexico.”

Learn how to become more involved by listening to my full interview with Dr. Langer here: Interview with Dr. Becky Langer, Bayer Bee Care

AgWired Precision, Bayer, Bees

NE Gov Highlights Value-Added Ag and Ethanol

Cindy Zimmerman

Duane Kristensen, Chief Ethanol; NE Gov. Ricketts; NDA Director Greg Ibach; Energy Office Director David Bracht

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts highlighted Nebraska value-added agriculture efforts during a press conference at the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) annual conference held in Omaha.

“The ethanol industry is a prime example of how we can add value to the agriculture commodities that we grow right here in Nebraska,” said Governor Ricketts. “Through the process of turning corn into ethanol, several other co-products are produced, including distillers grains, corn oil, corn syrup, and dry starch. This is the type of value-added agriculture that helps create jobs, increase demand of locally-grown commodities and attract new businesses which is all part of growing Nebraska.”

Governor Ricketts, chairman of the Governor’s Biofuels Coalition, is a strong advocate of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) to help provide stability and certainty for partners in the ethanol industry.

Joining the governor were Duane Kristensen with Chief Ethanol Fuels, NE Agriculture Director Greg Ibach and Energy Office Director David Bracht. Watch the full press conference below.

2017 ACE Conference Photo Album


ACE, Biofuels, Corn, Ethanol, Video