The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) has released a new animated video as the latest installment in ASTA’s Better Seed, Better Life initiative. The video, produced in conjunction with CropLife International, explores the history, and future, of plant breeding-from the ancient domestication of wild crops, to gene editing and beyond. Check out the video below, and share it using the hashtag #JustGrowIt.
AdFarm Founder Receives High Canadian Honor
Kim McConnell C.M., a founder of the agricultural communications firm AdFarm, was recently appointed to the Order of Canada for his leadership in promoting Canada’s agricultural industry and his support of youth, entrepreneurship and rural communities. The Order of Canada is one of the highest civilian honors, recognizing outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation.
Raised on a farm in Hamiota, Manitoba, McConnell started his communications and marketing business in the basement of his house in 1984 – eventually growing it to be one of the most awarded agricultural marketing communications firms in North America. In addition to leading numerous national and international brand and marketing assignments for several respected companies, McConnell has been a catalyst in leading industry initiatives including advancing the Canadian beef industry, developing strategic marketing plans for global commodity players, and spearheading recent efforts to build greater public trust in food and farming.
McConnell was named to the Order of Canada on June 30, 2017.
Zimfo Bytes 7/14
- MGEX continues to break open interest records. Another daily record of 105,832 contracts set after Thursday’s activity, with records set almost every day this week.
- USDA announced that a proposed amendment to the federal marketing order for cranberries allowing the Cranberry Marketing Committee to receive and expend voluntary contributions from domestic sources failed to receive a majority of processor volume, but the original cranberry marketing order, first established in 1962, remains in effect.
- Charleston|Orwig (C|O) announces the promotion of two client services team members. Alli Hartman and Matt Olson both advance from junior account executives to assistant account executives.
- Registration is open for the 31st annual Georgia Peanut Tour to be held September 19-21
Beef’s Environmental Stewardship Award Finalists
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) announced the six finalists in the Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). The award recognizes the operation’s outstanding stewardship and conservation efforts. This year’s regional winners will compete for the national award, which will be announced during the Annual Cattle Industry Convention in Phoenix, Ariz., in February 2018.
Regional Winners:
– Flying Diamond Ranch in Kit Carson, Colo.
– SFI, Inc., in Nemaha, Iowa
– Munson Angus Farm, in Junction City, Kan.
– Blue Lake Farm in Sharon, S.C.
– Jim O’Haco Cattle Company in Winslow, Ariz.
– Sterling Cattle Company in Coahama, Texas
Monsanto Call Provides Perspective on Dicamba Developments
Monsanto held a media briefing Thursday to provide perspective on recent developments with dicamba herbicides.
Monsanto chief technology officer Dr. Robb Fraley and Lisa Safarian, vice president of Monsanto North America, both participated in the call and answered questions from reporters. “Monsanto spent years developing XtendiMax® with VaporGrip® Technology to minimize the potential for off-site movement,” said Safarian. “Like many others in the agriculture community, we are concerned about the reports of potential crop injury.”
Safarian says the outright ban of all dicamba products like Arkansas has done, “will hurt more farmers and not get states any closer to an effective solution.” They are encouraged by the approach taken by Missouri and Tennessee, which have prohibited the use of older dicamba solutions, which are more volatile.
Fraley talked about visiting with farmers in the affected states this week. “The vast majority of farmers that have planted extend beans and cotton on 25 million acres in 34 states and have used the approved over the top XtendiMax® and Engenia formulations have had a great experience,” he said. Fraley admitted he saw soybean fields with “clear symptomology, especially in Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee” but stressed that there are a variety of potential causes for the damage.
You can listen to or download the briefing here: Monsanto Media Briefing
Censky Nominated as Deputy Ag Secretary
Over two months since he took office, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue is finally getting some nominations to fill USDA positions.
Late Thursday, Perdue announced that President Trump has nominated American Soybean Association CEO Stephen Censky to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.
“Our work has only just begun in delivering results for the people of American agriculture, and the experience and leadership skills of Stephen Censky will only enhance our efforts,” said Perdue. “I am extremely pleased with the nomination for this key position and am hopeful that the Senate will take it up in short order.”
Censky has been CEO of the American Soybean Association since 1996 and the association strongly backs his nomination.
“Steve has guided our organization for 21 years and in that time he has proven himself as an effective, dedicated and visionary voice on behalf of soybean farmers nationwide. Nobody in agriculture is better equipped to assist Secretary Perdue in meeting the needs of farmers with practical solutions than Steve. He is a perfect fit for this role and we give him our strongest endorsement,” said Ron Moore, ASA president from Roseville, Ill.
The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) also proudly supports Censky’s nomination. “President Trump’s pick of Steve Censky to be Deputy Secretary of Agriculture is an outstanding step forward for agriculture and the countless related markets, like biodiesel, that play a key role in supporting our economy,” said NBB CEO Donnell Rehagen.
The nomination must be approved by the U.S. Senate, which already has a backlog of about 150 presidential nominations not yet approved.
Bayer Cereals Portfolio on Display in North Dakota
The Cereals portfolio for Bayer was on display during the Showcase Plot Tour near Minot, ND. Our presenter, Kevin Thorsness, Technical Services Representative, Bayer Cereals portfolio, gave a very good overview of products for this segment.
Specific products we could see being used in the plots included Varro, Huskie Complete, Olympus and Wolverine Advanced. These products target different type of weeds and can work together for maximum performance. Kevin talks about some of the weeds that have been showing up, including some resistant weeds, which Bayer has products to combat.
This has been a challenging season according to Kevin because the weather turned dry through most of the state, although some areas are in good shape. But as he and others told me, weeds grow even if it is dry. Overall though, Kevin says their products in test plots have been performing very well.
Learn more about Bayer’s cereal portfolio in this interview: Interview with Kevin Thorsness, Bayer Cereals Portfolio
Farm Bureau and FFA Work for Ag Education
National FFA CEO Mark Poeschl and AFBF President Zippy Duvall sign a memorandum of understanding
The MOU outlines how the two organizations will work together to discover opportunities that benefit both their members and agricultural education students in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was signed in Washington, D.C. this week, during a national meeting of state Farm Bureau presidents from across the country.
Together, FFA and AFBF will attract, educate, inspire and prepare students to enter careers in the agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources industry. In addition, the two organizations will broaden the definition of “agriculturally related careers” to encompass the vastness of professions in the industry of agriculture. FFA and AFBF will determine existing connections between county Farm Bureaus and local FFA chapters as well as state Farm Bureaus and state FFA associations. The MOU also allows AFBF to serve as a member of the FFA Agricultural Policy Committee. FFA will use AFBF-branded advocacy resources and materials to train state FFA officers and find ways for FFA and AFBF members to interact during policy discussions or in policy communications.
House Ag Hearing on Specialty Crop Innovations
The House Agriculture Committee heard testimony Wednesday on technology and innovation in specialty crops as input toward the making of the 2018 farm bill.
“As we look at the farm bill through the lens of the current farm economy, innovation and technology will remain essential for farmers and ranchers to continue producing more food and fiber with fewer resources,” said Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX).
ASTA’s Andy LaVigne testifies at House ag committee hearing
“New and evolving innovations like gene editing represent exciting opportunities for agriculture,” said LaVigne. “However, if policies toward breeding methods are overly burdensome, then smaller, regional companies and the public sector will likely be precluded from fully utilizing these innovations.”
LaVigne’s opening statement prompted questioning from committee members that allowed him to elaborate on the potential for gene editing and the importance of educating the public about plant breeding. “We have an uphill road just to talk about the plant breeding methods we use today,” said LaVigne, noting that most people have little or no knowledge of genetics.
Listen to LaVigne’s opening remarks and answers to questions from Reps. Neal Dunn (R-FL) and Austin Scott (R-GA) – ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne testifies at House ag hearing
Other witnesses at the hearing included California Farm Bureau President Paul Wenger; Paul Heller with Wonderful Citrus; Gary Wishnatzki, owner of Wish Farms in Plant City, Florida; and Driscoll’s CEO Kevin Murphy. Listen to their opening remarks and those of Chairman Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) – House Ag Innovation in Specialty Crops Hearing
Animal Ag Bites 7/12
- The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and 17 other food and agriculture organizations, representing the vast majority of production agriculture, sent a letter to the Trump administration urging it to refrain from placing restrictions on imports of steel and aluminum. The organizations are very concerned that such restrictions will boomerang against U.S. food and agriculture exports.
- Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) is launching the new Producers for Progress recognition program to salute dairy producers who have demonstrated a significant commitment to the well-being of their animals by using antibiotics judiciously.
- The American Angus Association hired Clint Mefford as the organization’s director of communications. He will be responsible for establishing strategy for all communication elements, both external and internal, for the Association and its entities, Angus Productions Inc. (API), Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) and the Angus Foundation.
- The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association applaud the inclusion of language in the U.S. House’s Transportation-HUD appropriations bill that will delay for one year a requirement mandating the use of the new Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) for livestock and insect haulers.