Syngenta Shareholders Accept ChemChina Offer

Jamie Johansen May 5, 2017

China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina) announced the provisional interim results for ChemChina’s offer to acquire Syngenta.

At the end of the Main Offer Period on May 4, based on preliminary numbers, around 80.7% of shares have been tendered. Subject to confirmation in the definitive notice of interim results scheduled for May 10, the Minimum Acceptance Rate condition of 67 percent of issued Syngenta shares has been met.

The prospective timetable for the closing of the offer can be found here.

As soon as permitted by law and applicable regulations, it is intended to de-list the shares from the SIX and to de-list the ADSs from the NYSE.

Agribusiness, Syngenta

Set Sail on a Voyage of Better Seed

Cindy Zimmerman May 5, 2017

With the theme “Voyage of Better Seed,” the 2017 American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Annual Convention June 21-24 in Minneapolis will focus on science and policy issues related to the development and free movement of quality seed worldwide.

ASTA president and CEO Andy LaVigne says a number of special sessions and tours are planned for the week, including an Opening General Session panel featuring representatives from several major food companies discussing consumer food trends and a tour of Syngenta’s Seedcare Institute to see its state of the art research and training facility, but the main focus of the meeting is policy. “This year we’ve got a lot of topics in front of us with a new administration, a farm bill out there, all the issues within the farm bill, and how do we develop policy that will benefit the industry into the next year and beyond,” said LaVigne.

Plant breeding innovation is a key issue for the seed industry right now. “We continue to work closely with USDA, the administration, with EPA and FDA on what policy looks like around plant breeding innovation so it doesn’t negatively impact our ability to use tools as they continue to evolve,” LaVigne says.

This meeting is also when new ASTA officers are installed and it includes more than 400 seed industry professionals from every division of the association. Learn more in this interview and make plans to join us on the Voyage! Interview with Andy LaVigne, ASTA

Agribusiness, ASTA, Audio, Seed, Syngenta

Iowa is Next Stop for New Ag Secretary

Cindy Zimmerman May 4, 2017

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will travel to Nevada, Iowa tomorrow to tour Couser Cattle Company, give his first major farm policy speech, and host a farmer’s town hall meeting.

Couser Cattle Co. is a diversified operation that annually feeds and finishes over 5,000 head of cattle and farms 5,000 acres, producing both corn seed and soybean seed. Bill Couser is a fifth generation farmer and livestock operator and one of the founders of Lincolnway Energy, a 50 million-per-year-gallon ethanol plant.

Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Hill and other Iowa agriculture leaders will welcome “Secretary Sonny” on his first trip to Iowa as Agriculture Secretary and look forward to talking with him about how to make the farm economy and rural communities great again.

USDA

Celebrating 60 years of NAMA

Cindy Zimmerman May 4, 2017

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) is celebrating 60 years as the nation’s largest professional association for professionals in marketing and agribusiness so we decided to check in with a couple of the more “seasoned” professionals at the annual conference last week on how the organization has grown over the years.

The first person we talked to was Gary Vorpahl with Hoard’s Dairyman, which sponsored the 60th birthday party at the NAMA Connection Point last week, complete with cupcakes and ice cream, of course! Gary has been a member of NAMA since the ’70s and he says one thing that was very different about NAMA then was that is was virtually all men. Watch the video to learn more.

2017 Agri-Marketing Conference Photo Album

Coverage of the 2017 Agri-Marketing Conference is sponsored by

Agribusiness, NAMA, Video

Bayer Supports Youth Ag-Summit in Brussels

Cindy Zimmerman May 4, 2017

The Crop Science division of Bayer is proud to support the third Youth Ag-Summit and the five young people from the United States who have been chosen to participate in the Brussels, Belgium event taking place October 9-13 this year.

The young leaders are part of a delegation of 100 people from 49 countries selected to participate in a week-long think-tank focused on identifying innovative, sustainable and actionable solutions to address global food security challenges. Themed “Feeding a Hungry Planet,” this year’s summit aims to address the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals of ending hunger, achieving food security and promoting sustainable agriculture. This year’s summit will be the third that Bayer has offered to young people around the world, and represents a long-standing history of support for the next generation of leaders and innovators.

“The agricultural industry can contribute strongly to achieving some of the key U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, but this also requires the active involvement of the next generation. The Youth Ag-Summit aims to give young leaders the opportunity to foster their ideas, share best practices and explore the role of modern agriculture in feeding a hungry planet,” said Liam Condon, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and head of the Crop Science Division.

The U.S. participants are from California, Florida, Tennessee, Illinois, and Massachusetts and were chosen from essays they wrote on the topic of food insecurity, factoring in the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals. A total of 1,187 essays from 95 different countries were submitted, all of which were reviewed by a panel of industry experts, including six U.S. judges representing national youth leadership organizations such as the FFA and 4-H, academia, a former Youth Ag-Summit delegate and Bayer.

Learn more about the event and the participants from Bayer.

Bayer

Zimfo Bytes

Lizzy Schultz May 4, 2017

The American Farm Bureau Federation is now accepting applications for its 11th Women’s Communication Boot Camp class, Oct. 24 – 27 in Washington, D.C. The three-day intensive training is open to all women who are Farm Bureau members. The training offers sessions on public speaking, testifying, targeting your message and working with the media.
Larry Byrd will rejoin NCGA and the Council in Washington this week as the receptionist and administrative assistant. He will serve as the first point of contact for visitors and callers, as well as greet and direct guests to the appropriate staff members and assist them with office projects.
The National Cotton Council (NCC) announced extreme disappointment over the fact that the fiscal year 2017 omnibus appropriations bill does not include the cottonseed policy developed by the U.S. cotton industry in consultation with Congress.
The Illinois Wheat Association will host the Southern Illinois Winter Wheat Tour Tuesday, May 23. The tour will give Illinois wheat farmers an opportunity to make observations that will factor in to yield estimates of the 2017 winter wheat crop.

Zimfo Bytes

Branstad Wants “Fair and Open” Chinese Market

Cindy Zimmerman May 3, 2017

The longest serving governor in the country will be drawing on his agricultural trade experience and 30 year friendship with Chinese President Xi Jinping to serve as U.S. Ambassador to China.

During his confirmation hearing Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad was asked by Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE) what he will do to get more U.S. chickens to China.

“We’d like our chickens to go to China,” said Sen. Coons. “China is unfairly restricting U.S. chicken exports…If they’re going to join the world community through the WTO, they need to play by the rules.”

Branstad agreed that China needs to have “a fair and open market” to all commodities. “We do sell them a lot of pork, but beef is presently restricted as well…and I think there’s more opportunity for dairy,” said Branstad. “When it comes to agriculture products, this is an area that I’ve had a lot of experience in.”

The governor said he hopes to use his unique position as an “old friend” of President Xi and a trusted confidant of President Trump to positively influence the U.S.-China relationship.

Listen to Branstad and Coons here: Iowa Gov. Branstad confirmation hearing with Sen. Coons

Audio, Poultry, Trade

Grassland Oregon Offers Pastures for Pollinators

Cindy Zimmerman May 2, 2017

In response to the need to protect pollinators and support sustainable livestock farming, Grassland Oregon has introduced a new seed mixture called Pastures for Pollinators that will benefit bees, livestock and sustainable agriculture.

Risa DeMasi, co-founder of Grassland Oregon and immediate past chairman of the American Seed Trade Association says proceeds from the sales of Pastures for Pollinators will be donated to further sustainable agriculture research programs. “With over 400 million acres of pastureland in the US, we felt it was vital to develop a forage solution that would promote pollinator habitats while also helping farmers and ranchers to feed their livestock and to sustain their soil resources,” said DeMasi. Pastures for Pollinators seed mixture is available now and orders or donations can be made at www.pasturesforpollinators.com.

Learn more about Pastures for Pollinators in this interview: Interview with Risa DeMasi, Grassland Oregon, on Pastures for Pollinators

Audio, Bees, cover crops, Forage, Livestock, pollinators, Seed

Deere and Monsanto End Precision Planting Deal

Cindy Zimmerman May 2, 2017

Under pressure from the Department of Justice, an agreement between Deere & Company and Monsanto to purchase Precision Planting LLC was terminated Monday.

The department filed suit on Aug. 31, 2016, to block the acquisition, alleging that the transaction was a merger-to-monopoly in high-speed precision planting systems, an innovative technology that enables farmers to accurately plant corn, soybeans and other row crops at up to twice the speed of a conventional planter. The case was scheduled for trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago on June 5, 2017.

The Precision Planting deal was announced in November 2015 but the closing has been delayed by Department of Justice concerns. “We are deeply disappointed in this outcome as we remain confident the acquisition would have benefited customers,” said Deere Agricultural Solutions President and Chief Information Officer John May.

Two agreements related to Deere’s purchase of Precision Planting will also be terminated, including the digital collaboration agreement between Deere and The Climate Corporation, a division of Monsanto. Also ending is an agreement that would have allowed Ag Leader to expand access to and distribution of certain Precision Planting products and technologies.

“As a world leader in precision agriculture, John Deere will continue developing technology-based products and services to help customers improve the productivity and profitability of their operations,” May said.

According to Monsanto, the Climate Corporation still intends to focus exclusively on its digital agriculture platform. “The company intends to sell the Precision Planting equipment business and has spoken with several third parties that have expressed interest in purchasing it.”

Agribusiness, John Deere, Precision Agriculture

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