This year’s Poultry Protein & Fat Seminar, sponsored by USPOULTRY and the Poultry Protein & Fat Council, will be held October 5-6, 2017 at the Marriott Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri.- The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is accepting applications for their Marketing Ambassador Program that combines social media and the cattle industry. Applications are due Tuesday, August 29th.
- Donal Lucero of Los Lunas, New Mexico, has joined the Certified Hereford Beef team as the Southwest regional brand manager and Laura Losche is the new education and information services coordinator with the American Hereford Association.
- The National Pork Board is in its third year hosting their America’s Pig Farmer of the Year award. The organization has just announced the expert judging panel for 2017.
- Keven Polman replaces John Adent as President of Patterson Animal Health. Adent left the company last month to purse other leadership opportunities.
International Buyers of U.S. Soy Convene in Omaha
Next week, U.S. soybean farmers will have the opportunity to meet the international buyers responsible for purchasing the 60% of soybeans exported from the U.S. each year. The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) will host its 5th annual U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange Aug. 15-17 at Omaha’s CenturyLink Center. It will be our second year to cover the event and we thought we would get a preview of the conference from Jim Miller, USSEC chairman of the board.
“The United States is a top supplier of the world’s soy, thanks to the sustainable, consistent supply and exceptional composition that U.S. soybean farmers provide. To maintain this leadership position, it’s imperative that we meet and exceed our customers’ demands. This event opens an important dialog that spans the soy value chain, from the U.S. soybean farmer to the end user,” said Miller.
They are expecting over 250 international buyers representing 50 countries and about 350 U.S. soybean farmers to attend the conference focused on relationship building and education. Jim said there are many myths and unknowns about U.S. soybean production and this event serves as the perfect location to tell the story and paint the picture of U.S. production.
“Anytime we can have the international customers come to the U.S. and visit directly with farmers and hear the farmers story firsthand, it’s a great opportunity to dispell those myths,” said Miller.
Following the event in Omaha, groups of international attendees will visit U.S. farms for a firsthand glimpse of sustainable U.S. soybean farming practices. Listen to my complete conversation with Jim here: Interview with Jim Miller, USSEC Chairman
Zimfo Bytes 8/11
The National Corn Growers Association is accepting entries for their fourth annual Fields-of-Corn Photo Contest. Photographs are due by November 30, 2017.- Registration is now open for the World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium, being held in Des Moines, Iowa on October 18-20, 2017. This year’s theme is “The Road out of Poverty.”
- The American Seed Trade Association has announced their Farm & Lawn Seed Conference in conjunction with the Western Seed Association Conference. It is scheduled for November 5-6 in Kansas City, Missouri.
USDA Forecast Optimistic Despite Conditions
U.S. farmers are expected to produce a record-high soybean crop this year, according to USDA’s August Crop Production report released Thursday. Soybean production is forecast at 4.38 billion bushels, up two percent from last year, while corn growers are expected to decrease their production by seven percent from last year, forecast at 14.2 billion bushels.
Soybean yields are expected to average 49.4 bushels per acre, down 2.7 bushels from last year, while the average corn yield is forecast at 169.5 bushels per acre, down 5.1 bushels from last year. Yields for both crops are expected to be lower or the same in the major producing areas, but record high in non-traditional states like Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
But with corn condition ratings the lowest they have been since the 2012 drought, some analysts believe the yields will be lower than USDA is saying now. “It seems like they’re being very conservative with this,” said Doug Werling of Bower Trading during the MGEX crop call following release of the report. “You can’t have a crop condition rating that continues to fall and a yield that improves or only falls marginally two months in a row. It just doesn’t really add up.”
Werling also comments on the wheat production forecast, which is down 25 percent overall.
Audio file: Crop commentary from Doug Werling of Bower Trading
The August report also includes the first production forecast for U.S. cotton, at 20.5 million 480-pound bales, up 20 percent from last year.
Adam McClung Recognized as Transformational Leader
It is still hard to believe our friend and fellow ag communicator is no longer with us. We wanted to share the latest information from the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association remembering Adam’s life and spirit. We send continued prayers to his family and close friends.
– Adam McClung Recognized as Transformational Leader –
Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association (ACA) Executive Vice President Adam McClung passed away August 6, 2017, at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. McClung succumbed to a brief, but severe illness. The unexpected passing sent shockwaves through the cattle industry in Arkansas and throughout the country.
McClung was known as a transformational leader, according to ACA President Jerry Christie. “Adam was one of a kind. His larger than life personality and unwavering dedication to the farm and ranch families of Arkansas was unparalleled,” said Christie. “Adam took this association to a whole new level. Under his leadership, we dramatically increased membership, effectiveness in the state legislature and created Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Class. Most importantly, Adam cared about cattle producers and made sure this association was member driven and member run. His passion was contagious.”
Adam first served ACA as director of membership before eventually becoming the executive vice president in 2009 after serving one year with the Oklahoma Beef Council as director of industry relations. His success was noticed throughout the country. McClung’s policy savvy and ability to draft innovative legislation that would truly advance the state’s cattle industry was evident by other state cattle organizations following his lead and pushing McClung’s ideas in their respective states. McClung honored tradition but pushed change when it was necessary to improve the cattle industry. His relentless efforts to bring positive change to the beef cattle industry spurred the White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to recognize him in 2014 as just one of 15 “Champions of Change” leaders from across the country.Read More
Panther Pro Herbicide from Nufarm
Nufarm’s Panther® Pro herbicide for soybeans was on display during the Info Expo at the 2017 Ag Media Summit in Snowbird, Utah. Nufarm Communications Specialist, Emilia Villacis, said the product fights broad spectrum weed control in burndown, pre-plant and pre-emergent applications; and residual control of weeds in crop-fallow and non-crop bare ground uses.
Panther Pro will hit the market this fall in time for growers to start planning for the 2018 growing season providing residual control of more than 60 weeds.
Learn more about Nufarm and why they attended Ag Media Summit in Chuck’s complete interview with Emilia here: Interview with Emilia Villacis, Nufarm
View and download photos here: 2017 Ag Media Summit Photo Album
Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by
ZimmCast with Owner of Legendary Buffalo Chip
The Legendary Buffalo Chip near Sturgis, SD is packed again for the 2017 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The Chip now has a permanent self serve fuel dispenser which pumps a 93 octane E10 blend which Rod “Woody” Woodruff, owner of The Chip, describes as jet fuel for motorcycles. During the event the dispenser is the site of Free Fuel Happy Hours, 1-4pm, Tuesday – Thursday.
For several years now the Renewable Fuels Association has been a sponsor at The Chip and has used this free giveaway of fuel to bikers as an educational and promotional opportunity. In this week’s program I not only talk with Woody as he pulled up to be first in line to fill his tank but also Robert White with RFA. They talk about the opportunity and what it means to everyone involved.
I hope you enjoy the program and thank you for listening!
Listen to the ZimmCast here: ZimmCast with Rod Woodruff & Robert White
Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here. Use this url in iTunes or your favorite news reader program/app.
The ZimmCast
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Plant Growth Regulators – An Essential for Plant Growth
Chief Chemist and GLobal Director of Compliance for Stoller USA, Dr. Ritesh Sheth, was at the 2017 Ag Media Summit representing Stoller during the Info Expo. A new product they were spreading news about was their Fortified Stimulate Yield Enhancer Plus, a plant growth regulator (PGR) for optimal yield production.
“The reason we are launching this product is that it is the only product on the market that has four plant growth regulators in a stable formulation. We are trying to educate farmers that PGR’s are essential,” Dr. Sheth said.
Farmers know seeds, nutrients and pesticides are essential, but likely don’t consider PGR’s. Dr. Sheth said that PGR’s regulate how well the nutrients are taken up. They are similar to a human bodies hormones, which control our overall health. He also stressed the beauty of this product – it’s good for all crops.
The PGR’s or hormones found in Fortified Stimulate Yield Enhancer Plus are cytokinin (CK), gibberellin (GA), and two auxins (IAA and IBA) formulated in the ideal ratio of 2:1:1 which adapts through time: initially CK, GA, IAA for triggering plant growth, then: CK, GA, IBA for developing better yield characteristics.
Listen to Chuck’s complete interview with Dr. Sheth here: Interview with Dr. Ritesh Sheth, Stoller
View and download photos here: 2017 Ag Media Summit Photo Album
Coverage of the Ag Media Summit is sponsored by
PERC Announces New Propane Farm Incentive Program
If you’ve been thinking about switching to propane, now is the time, says Cinch Munson, director of agriculture business development at the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC). The Propane Farm Incentive program has been newly revised, taking it from a two-step process to one-step where farmers receive their application packet from the dealer when they purchase a piece of qualifying equipment. “We wanted to make things easier,” Munson said.
The purpose of the program is to offset the costs of purchasing propane-powered equipment and to gather valuable information about increasing efficiency and the development of new equipment. Currently propane equipment in the ag space includes irrigation engines, prime power generators, heating systems for greenhouses and animals, and a few grain dryers. To find a list of qualifying purchases, visit www.propane.com/farmincentive.
Two new offerings have also been brought to market by Origins Engines. The new 5.7 L and 6.2 L engines provide higher horsepower that was previously lacking. “We’re pretty excited to see that come to market because more choices are always a benefit for the consumer,” Munson told Cindy.
As with all good things, this offer will come to an end. Currently it’s set to continue through 2017, but if you’re thinking about it, do it now, Munson advised. There are lots of positives and very few negatives.
“It’s a good size incentive on an engine that, in most every case, costs considerably less than the latest Tier 4 engines. So by choosing propane you save money on the cost up front. Participating in the Farm Incentive Program you save even more money, and then the operating costs on those engines- we’ve seen over the last five years- by using propane instead of diesel, an operation can save 30 to 50 percent on their operating costs.”
Listen to Cindy’s full interview with Munson here: Interview with Cinch Munson, PERC
Precision Ag Bytes 8/9
Submit nominations now for The Fertilizer Institute’s 2018 4R Advocate program to recognize farmers and retailers promoting the 4R Nutrient Stewardship principles. Nominations are due October 31, 2017.- Syngenta has entered into non-exclusive licensing agreements with Dow AgroSciences LLC and M.S. Technologies, L.L.C. for the Enlist E3 Event in soybeans in North and Central America, and the Conkesta Enlist E3 stack in soybeans in Central America, with options for global rights for both. The company has also entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Dow AgroSciences for global rights for Enlist in corn.
- Online forms for the 2017 National Corn Yield Contest with the National Corn Growers Association are now available. Entrants are asked to report within two weeks of their final yield check or by Nov. 17, whichever comes first.
- Trevor Mecham has joined precision irrigation management systems company, Hortau, as Vice President of Business Development.