Zimfo Bytes

Lizzy Schultz

Zimfo Bytes

  • The American Farm Bureau Federation has expressed its appreciation to Monsanto Co. for its generous wildfire relief donation of $200,000 to be shared equally among Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas Farm Bureaus following devastating blazes that have caused more than $20 million in property damage and thousands of square miles of property loss in the four states. Kansas Farm Bureau will dedicate its $50,000 to the YF&R Wildfire Relief Fund for beginning and young farmers and ranchers in the four affected states.
  • The board of directors of the Global Farmer Network is growing with the addition of Roberto Peiretti, a fourth-generation farmer and trained agronomist from the Cordoba Province in central Argentina, Cherilyn Nagel, a farmer from Saskatchewan, V. Ravichandran, a third-generation farmer in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and Craige Mackenzie, an innovative dairy and cropping farmer from Methven, New Zealand.
  • Potatoes USA Board Members were sworn in during its Annual Meeting held in Denver CO, March 13- 16. Of those sworn in, there were 20 new producers and two new importers as well as 16 producers and one importer who were sworn into their second three-year term.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is announcing the availability of more than $6 million in funding to implement practices that will help private farmers, ranchers and forest landowners affected by the wildfires blazing in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
Zimfo Bytes

Next Generation Risk Management from #FarmBillSummit

Kelly Marshall

Agri-Pulse hosted a variety of panel discussions last week during their Farm Bill Summit, beginning with ‘Next Generation Risk Management – What Does it Look Like?’

Jeff Nalley, Agri-Pulse contributing editor moderated the event, consisting of panelists Mary Kay Thatcher, Sr. Director of Congressional Relations, American Farm Bureau Federation; Rob Larew, Sr. Vice President, Public Policy and Communications, National Farmers Union; Jim Mulhern, President & CEO, National Milk Producers Federation; Joe Glauber, Sr. Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute; Chuck Conner, President & CEO, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.

Not surprisingly, farm bills of the past, present and future garnered a lot of attention, and participants reiterated over and over that while the farm economy could certainly be better, this isn’t the 1980s. Times are hard, but not so precarious and farm bills of the past have helped to get the industry to this place with choice being a key part of today’s safety net.

You can hear the entire panel discussion here: Next Generation Risk Management Panel

Photos can be found on the Agri-Pulse website.
Agri-Pulse Farm Bill Summit photos

Ag Day, Agri-Pulse, Farm Bill

Peanut Industry Donates 30,000 Jars of Peanut Butter

Kelly Marshall

The Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) in Washington D.C. received more than 30,000 jars of peanut butter on National Ag Day. The Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, made up of Alabama Peanut Producers Association, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Georgia Peanut Commission and Mississippi Peanut Growers Association, is working with CAFB to solve issues like chronic undernutrition, heart disease and obesity. CAFB partners with 444 organizations overall to put healthy food into the hands of those who need it most.

“We have found that peanut butter is one of the most requested items by food banks nationwide”, says Caleb Bristow, Alabama Peanut Producers Association executive director and Southern Peanut Farmers Federation member. “Not only is it a high-quality product, but it is full of nutrition and tastes great. On behalf of the Southern Peanut Farmer’s Federation, representing peanut farmers all across the Southeast, we are excited and proud to have this opportunity to provide this donation to the Capital Area Food Bank.”

Ag Day, Ag Groups, Nutrition, Peanuts

Farm Faster With FMC 3RIVE 3D

Chuck Zimmerman

Rick Ekins, FMC, and I have talked about their 3RIVE 3D platform several times since it was introduced and Commodity Classic provided another opportunity. It’s a great time to talk about it too as planting season gets underway. So if you farmers want to farm faster FMC has this option for you. I think their quick facts sum it up pretty well.

  • 3RIVE 3D is a new way to deliver crop protection products for seedling defense and yield enhancement
  • Easily mounts to all major planter brands
  • Includes a 130-gallon water tank, 30-gallon product tank and all other necessary components for application
  • Mixes the right amount of product and water, minimizing the need for measuring and eliminating the need for mixing and tank agitation
  • Delivers a three dimensional, continuous Zone of Protection directly into the furrow
  • Uses low volume of water, reducing weight and refills, and speeds the progress of planting
  • Plant up to 500 acres between refills
  • Provides future opportunities for combining multiple active ingredients including insecticides, fungicides and biostimulants

You can listen to my interview with Rick here to learn more:
Interview with Rick Ekins, FMC


2017 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Commodity Classic coverage made possible by
Commodity Classic coverage made possible by FMCCommodity Classic coverage made possible by John Deere
Agribusiness, Audio, Commodity Classic, Corn, FMC, Planting, Video

Busy Week for Ag on the Hill

Cindy Zimmerman

National Ag Week was a busy one for agriculture on Capitol Hill.

NCGA 1st VP Kevin Skunes at American Coalition for Ethanol fly-in

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) First Vice President Kevin Skunes of North Dakota spent the week visiting Congressional offices on behalf of both the corn growers and the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE).

“Ethanol is our number one priority,” said Skunes. “We need to have this outlet for our corn…so we have to come out here and tell our story.”

Skunes says he was also talking with lawmakers this week about issues such as trade and planning for the next farm bill. “A robust crop insurance program is probably the number one thing we are looking for (in the next farm bill),” he said.

In this interview, Skunes also talks about NCGA’s support of Sonny Perdue for agriculture secretary: Interview with NCGA 1st VP Kevin Skunes, North Dakota

ACE DC 2017 Fly-in Photo Album

ACE, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, NCGA

Perdue Gets His Ag Secretary Hearing

Cindy Zimmerman

Accompanied by his four children and 14 grandchildren, former Georgia Governor Ervin “Sonny” Perdue III finally had his confirmation hearing before the Senate Agriculture Committee Thursday and will hopefully be confirmed shortly.

“I know there was some anxiety over whether there would be a secretary of agriculture nominee,” Perdue began. “I must say with all the humility I can muster that the president must have saved the best for last,” he joked.

Perdue’s hearing was brief and offered little drama, except a short interruption by an animal rights protester at the beginning of his opening statement. He outlined his four overall goals as agriculture secretary – to maximize opportunity of agriculture to create jobs, prioritize customer service every day, ensure a safe food supply, and protect the resources of the land.

“If confirmed, I look forward to working with the dedicated men and women of the USDA who are committed to serving the ‘People’s Department,'” said Perdue.

The nominee answered questions on a number of issues, including government regulations, trade, avian flu, and budget.

Listen to Perdue’s opening statement here: Sonny Perdue at confirmation hearing

Audio, USDA

The Importance of Crop Insurance At #FarmBillSummit

Jamie Johansen

Tom Zacharias, president of National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS), was among the speakers invited to address this week’s Agri-Pulse Farm Bill Summit in Washington, D.C.

Zacharias stressed the role crop insurance plays in ensuring a strong and vibrant agricultural sector, which is critical to the well-being of our economy and society as a whole.

“The role of both state and federally regulated crop insurance is to help provide financial stability to the agricultural sector in combination with other farm-level risk management strategies such sound marketing and good financial planning, as well as other USDA programs designed to support American agriculture,” Zacharias said.

Zacharias noted that crop insurance is the “cornerstone” of the farm safety net, and highlighted a few of the program’s key components that have contributed to its success. These characteristics include the fact that crop insurance is contractually based, that farmers have “skin in the game” and that they only receive a crop insurance payment in the event of an insured loss.

Listen to his remarks here: Remarks from Tom Zacharias, President, National Crop Insurance Services

Photos can be found on the Agri-Pulse website.
Agri-Pulse Farm Bill Summit photos

Read More

Agri-Pulse, Agribusiness, Audio, Crop Insurance, Farm Bill

Ethanol Powering CrappieMaster Boats

Chuck Zimmerman

This week I have had the opportunity to work with a team of Crappie Masters competitors to learn about their use and thoughts on putting E10 fuel in their boat. In fact, I’ll be talking with several teams at this evening’s tournament registration and meeting.

When it comes to using ethanol blended fuel in your boat engine it is important to follow manufacturer directions and actually just properly maintain your equipment. That is advice from pro fishermen like Terry Richard, picture on the left. Terry and teammate Casey Rayner will be competing in this weekend’s Crappie Masters tournament sponsored by The Renewable Fuels Association, American Ethanol, and Bass Pro Shops. It’s the Grenada Lake National Qualifier Mississippi State Championship. Terry and Casey are sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association.

Today is pre-fishing day so I got out on Lake Grenada with these guys and although the bite was slow we did have positive results, like Terry’s first ever 3 pound crappie!

I’ll have more information from this event as I talk with teams like this one about their use and experience with E10 gas in their boat engines.

You can find photos from Grenada, MS here: 2017 Crappie Masters Grenada Tournament

Ag Groups, Biofuels, Ethanol, RFA

Pro Ag Insurance Group to Acquire International Ag

Kelly Marshall

Producers Ag Insurance Group, Inc. (ProAg), announced a purchase agreement had been signed to acquire crop managing general agent (MGA) International Ag Insurance Solutions, LLC (International Ag). The transaction, which is subject to a number of closing conditions including final approvals by certain International Ag members and regulatory authorities, is expected to close by April 3, 2017.

“ProAg believes International Ag provides a complementary platform to add business from a strong group of independent agents, while improving our profitability and enhancing our diversified portfolio. This acquisition shows TMHCC’s continued commitment to the U.S. crop insurance space. We are pleased to welcome International Ag’s management team, employees and independent agents to ProAg,” said Michael Connealy, ProAg’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

“International Ag is excited about the opportunity to join the financially strong and geographically diverse agricultural risk management program of ProAg. Under the guidance and support of ProAg, we will be able to expand our product offerings and elevate the superior service our customers have come to expect,” said Rob Boysen, International Ag’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Together with International Ag, we will work through the details to provide a seamless transition for policyholders, agents and employees over the coming months,” said Kendall Jones, ProAg’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Agribusiness, Insurance

Duvall Addresses Agri-Pulse #FarmBillSummitt

Kelly Marshall

President of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Zippy Duvall addressed the participants of the Agri-Pulse Farm Bill Summit earlier this week. Using his best southern charm, Duvall addressed the issue of the upcoming farm bill, pointing out the different circumstances farmers and ranchers are in as the last bill was being written and the economic climate now.

“The biggest problem with this farm bill and writing the next farm bill will be resources,” Duvall emphasizes. “The baseline that the CBO has is not enough to have a good safety net for the food security of our country and that’s why at American Farm Bureau we’re asking for increases in that baseline so we can build a true farm bill that helps us through the next four years.”

Farmers and ranchers must remain aware of what it happening in the political area, Duvall asserts, sharing the story of two mules he once purchased to give rides to his kids. Turning his back on the animals, “Bill” and “Hillary,” ended in a wrecked wagon; disengaging in today’s political world will result in its own kind of disaster.

Listen to Zippy Duvall’s full remarks here: Zippy Duvall, AFBF

Photos can be found on the Agri-Pulse website.
Agri-Pulse Farm Bill Summit photos

AFBF, Ag Day, Ag Groups, Agri-Pulse, Audio