The National Corn Growers Association recently joined with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the American Seed Trade Association to host officials from EPA and USDA for demonstrations on planting practices, seed treatments, and equipment innovations in an effort to help them understand modern farming. The event took place on the working farm of NCGA Chairman Chip Bowling in Newburg, Maryland, which is about an hour from the nation’s Capitol, and included demonstrations from companies such as John Deere, Case, and Bayer. Take a look at the video to see how it went.
Soil Health Institute to Unveil Soil Health Action Plan
The Soil Health Institute (SHI) will unveil the Soil Health Action Plan at 9 a.m., May 18, at the First Amendment Lounge, National Press Club, Washington, DC. The nationwide plan evolved after four years of stakeholder input, beginning with the Soil Renaissance in 2013. Agricultural industry thought leaders, farmers, ranchers, scientists, government agency leaders, and non-governmental organizations provided input into the plan, which will be used to drive advancements in soil health.
Speakers will include:
– Wayne Honeycutt, President and CEO of the Soil Health Institute
– Bill Buckner, President and CEO of the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
– Keith Alverson, 6th generation farmer and National Corn Growers Association board member
– Leonard Jordan, Acting Chief of the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
– Jerry Lynch, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of General Mills
– Michael Doane, Director of Working Lands, The Nature Conservancy
Agricultural and conservation leaders indicate soil health must emerge as the cornerstone of land use management decisions throughout the world during the 21st century, in part, due to increased extreme weather events, increased demand for food to sustain a growing population, and the decrease in arable farmland. Enhancing soil health allows us to improve water quality, increase drought resilience, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve farm economies, provide pollinator habitat, and better positions us to feed the nine billion people expected by 2050.
Through the Eyes of a Farmer Series
The Georgia Peanut Commission is showing farming from the perspective of a farmer with a video series titled, “Through the Eyes of a Farmer.” This episode features a visit with Lee Cromley, farmer from Bulloch Co. Cromley in partnership with his brother, farms cotton and peanuts.
You can find more in the series on the Georgia Peanuts Facebook page or the Georgia Peanut Commission YouTube page.
FMC Appoints Mike Harper Industry Relations Manager
Welcome Mike Harper in his new role with FMC Agricultural Solutions as Industry Relations Manager. He will lead the company’s industry association relationships, facilitate industry stewardship and advance FMC industry goals.
Harper joins the marketing team from the company’s Agricultural Solutions sales team where he served as a retail market manager in Missouri for 37 years, selling and servicing retail and wholesale accounts in the crop protection sector. Over the years, he has supported various FMC marketing segment teams and assisted with intern training and coordination. Harper has been actively involved in the MO-Ag Industries Council board and the Certified Crop Advisors State Board of Missouri. Harper is a graduate of Purdue University. He and his wife Bobbi will continue to reside in Columbia, Mo.
Bayer Agrees to Give Up Liberty for Monsanto Deal
Bayer announced this week that the company received conditional approval of its proposed acquisition of Monsanto in South Africa, conditions that include the “divestiture of Bayer’s global Liberty Link trait technology and the associated Liberty branded agro-chemicals business.”
Bayer has agreed to these conditions and is evaluating how best to execute the imposed divestiture. As previously communicated, Bayer has been anticipating that regulatory authorities could require certain divestitures. Bayer will continue working with regulators globally with a view to receiving approval of the proposed transaction by the end of 2017.
The Liberty Link technology competes directly with Monsanto’s Roundup Ready and was developed to address weeds that have become resistant to the Roundup herbicide glyphosate.
At the recent Bayer AG annual stockholder’s meeting, CEO Werner Bauman said the company is making good progress in seeking regulatory approval for the transaction and has already submitted applications for clearance to almost all of around 30 authorities. “As our businesses are highly complementary in terms of both products and geographical focus, and there are only a small number of overlaps, we remain confident that we will be granted all the necessary clearances,” Baumann said. Overall, Bayer remains confident of closing the transaction before the end of 2017.
SMART Farmer John Deere
We are already up to episode number seven in our SMART Farmer podcast series and this week our subject is John Deere, the company.
John Deere was not a farmer, but he was a real person who started innovating for farmers back in 1837 when he designed a newfangled kind of plow that helped pioneers break through rich Midwest soil. Bev Flores is Media Relations Manager for John Deere and took part in a U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance panel at the 2017 National Ag Day event in Washington DC where she talked about SMART Farming.
In this podcast, Bev talks about how John Deere helps farmers farm smarter: SMART Farmer Podcast with Bev Flores, John Deere
AEM’s John Rozum Elected to NAMA Leadership
The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) has elected John Rozum, director of ag events for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), to the NAMA Executive Committee.
Rozum was elected a vice president of the executive committee and is president of the NAMA Badger chapter who received the Outstanding Professional Chapter Award from the Student NAMA organization during the 2017 Agri-Marketing Conference. He is also past chair of the NAMA Chapter Services Committee, and a member of the organization’s conference planning committees.
His work for AEM trade shows and exhibition collaboration includes Commodity Classic, National Farm Machinery Show, CONEXPO-CON/AGG and ICUEE-The Demo Expo, and he is show director for the International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE).
“John has actively participated in NAMA at the local and national level, known for his energy and enthusiasm, and we welcome him in this new leadership role,” said Jenny Pickett, NAMA executive vice president and CEO.
“John is a valuable member of our exhibitions and events team, helping AEM facilitate customer connections, deliver superior customer service and work for the benefit of all industry stakeholders,” said AEM President Dennis Slater.
“NAMA offers agribusiness and marketing professionals a wonderful opportunity to learn and network with their peers, and I am honored to be selected,” said Rozum.
A Secretary Sonny Day in Iowa
It was a sunny day in Iowa Friday for the visit of new Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue at Couser Cattle Company.
The Secretary was welcomed by Bill, Nancy and Tim Couser, as well as Iowa Senators Joni Erst and Chuck Grassley, and Rep. Steve King. Looking comfortable in worn jeans, the new secretary bragged about the value of American agriculture and the great job USDA does to help farmers and ranchers do their jobs. “Our new motto is Do Right and Feed Everyone,” Perdue said. “We want to let farmers farm and let ranchers ranch.”
USDA is doing an amazing job providing content from Secretary Sonny’s many appearances, with some especially good photos. Check out their photo albums on Flickr. Watch the Facebook Live video on Iowa Agribusiness Radio. Download audio of Perdue’s introduction and remarks here: Sec. Perdue visit to Iowa
Syngenta Shareholders Accept ChemChina Offer
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.
Set Sail on a Voyage of Better Seed
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