An #AgVocate Example to Feed the Future

Chuck Zimmerman

What better department than R&D to fulfill the 2017 AgVocacy Forum theme “Feed the Future.” In charge of that department for Bayer CropScience is Dr. Adrian Percy.

Adrian has embraced the use of social media to help communicate to consumers, regulators and others, the benefits of the type of work Bayer does. He has been a real positive example for his team of scientists who are not used to so openly communicating about their work. He is very transparent and says that engaging with different groups has made his work even more meaningful to himself.

Listen to my interview with Adrian here or watch below: Interview with Adrian Percy, Bayer CropScience


2017 Bayer AgVocate Forum Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Social Media, Technology, Video

Bayer Talks Policy – Trade, WOTUS, Farm Bill

Jamie Johansen

News from Washington comes daily and every decision in one way, shape or form impacts our agriculture community. The Bayer AgVocacy Form provided a platform for key policy issues to be discussed and Bayer’s Federal Relations and Policy Senior Director, Jim McVaney, shared his insights into the new administration.

“The fact that agriculture didn’t play a role in the President’s speech [to Congress] is interesting. But I don’t think it’s a negative. He did not run on a platform that was heavy on ag policy. What he did was run on a platform that was heavy on regulatory reform, streamlining the process and making government more friendly to business. Every other indication he has given says it will apply to how he approaches policies that impact the farm.”

With the news of Water of the United States (WOTUS) hot off the presses, Jim said he has been in D.C. for twenty-five years and he has never seen a rule generate so much negative activity. “On the WOTUS angle, we support our customers. What the executive order does and does not do still has to shack out. I think the order is a demonstration of the President’s commitment and seriousness to fixing this regulation. At the end of the day I think we will get something that is more streamlined and collaborative with the farming community and from the states.”

Jim also hits on the 2018 Farm Bill. Listen to my complete interview to see how it’s funding impacts the world of crop protection. Interview with Jim McVaney, Bayer Federal Relations & Policy Dir

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 Bayer AgVocate Forum Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Crop Protection, Crop Science, politics

Bayer Offers Outlook on Industry, Monsanto Acquisition

Lizzy Schultz

When it comes to scientific innovation, Bayer has a longstanding reputation as a leader in the development of breakthrough technologies. New innovations, developments, and changes are always on the horizon for Bayer, and the company’s dynamic outlook was discussed during the 2017 Bayer AgVocacy Forum in a presentation from Dr. Adrian Percy, Bayer’s global head of research & development and an executive committee member of Bayer Crop Science, and David Hollinrake, vice president of North America Marketing, Bayer Crop Science.

The AgVocacy Forum was inspired by the simple but powerful conviction that the agriculture industry must strengthen the age-old bond between those who consume food and those who produce that food, and the presentation centered around Bayer’s ongoing efforts to use their innovations and developments to create a more inclusive, people-centered business model that will help bring together a disconnected society.

“The role of agriculture is more significant than ever before,” said Dr. Percy. “The exponential advances in technology that we have seen in recent years won’t solve our world’s food security and sustainability challenges by themselves, but they can go a long way in creating solutions to those challenges.”

Hollinrake discussed the global trends that will likely shape the future of the agriculture industry over the next fifteen years, the ongoing need for new innovation, the importance of Agvocacy, and Bayer’s mission to continue connecting consumers back to agriculture.

Both speakers also discussed how Bayer’s recent acquisition of Monsanto will play a key role in the creation of unprecedented, necessary technologies that will serve as solutions to the network of challenges facing the world today. “Technologically, I can’t think of a combination that could be better than what we are building, I am so excited about the possibilities of what we can create,” said Hollinrake.

Listen to the full presentation here:
Bayer Outlook Remarks at #AgVocate Forum

2017 #AgVocate Forum Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer

Aptimmune’s Barricade, A Vaccine Formulation Tech for Pigs

Jamie Johansen

Founded in 2010 by Dr. Federico Zuckermann, Aptimmune Biologics has meshed together some of the best in class technologies into a product able to deliver revolutionary results to producers. Barricade is the latest in vaccine formulation technology brought to producers exclusively by Aptimmune. Launched as an autogenous product, the intranasal mucosal inactivated vaccine for PRRS, brings together the best concepts in vaccine delivery and methodology people can use.

Aptimmune held a product launch with an audience of swine veterinarians sharing the research and science behind Barricade. There I sat down with Aaron Gilbertie, CEO, Aptimmune, who said “ZMAC cells are the macrophage which is very susceptible to PRRS. We have a patented cell line that allows us to isolate and grow the virus giving us the advantage to be able to deliver to the field a relevant autogenous product.”

Aaron said the process begins with veterinarians submitting the right isolate to partner, Iowa State University for isolation. From there it is sent to the manufacturer where it is grown to high titer and put together with a composition of nanoparticles and adjuvant. Then it’s applied through a multi-dose nasal spray applicator providing easy dose in the field.

Listen to my complete interview with Aaron to hear more about the product presentation and where you can go to learn more: Interview with Aaron Gilbertie, CEO, Aptimmune

View and download photos from the event here: Aptimmune Launch of Barricade Photo Album

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Pork, Research, Swine

Global Perspective at Bayer #AgVocate Forum

Cindy Zimmerman

With a combination of colorful graphics and quirky tweet suggestions, author and academic lecturer Dr. Vikram Mansharamani set the tone for the Bayer AgVocacy Forum with a focus on the global economy.

Mansharamani discussed three main forces driving the global economy – China, technology, and a growing, aging population. Among his suggested tweets – “OMG! @Mansharamani could depress newlyweds on their honeymoon!” Among his most tweeted remarks – “More money, more meat.” Most tweeted slide in his presentation showed increase in populations of Nigeria and India per hour – 540 and 1800 respectively.

Listen to his remarks here: Dr. Vikram Mansharamani at Bayer Forum

2017 Bayer AgVocate Forum Photos

Audio, Bayer

SMART Farmer Podcast with Chip Bowling

Cindy Zimmerman

Our new SMART Farmer podcast episode features Maryland grain farmer Chip Bowling, vice chairman of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance who was recently in Panama with the U.S. Grains Council. He talks about his family farm, which is located almost in the shadow of the DC beltway, and how he uses the latest innovation and technology to be more sustainable so his operation will stay in his family.

Listen to the podcast here: SMART Farmer Podcast with Chip Bowling

It’s a great set up for the Commodity Classic in San Antonio this week, which is where we will all be this week. USFRA will have an exhibit featuring the SMART Farm launch and USFRA’s new 360-degree video, which utilizes a virtual reality (VR)-style headset. USFRA will also sponsor a learning center session on Saturday morning, March 4 on how “GMOs and Sustainability – Go Hand ‘n Hand.” We will be visiting with a few of the SMART farmers at Classic and will feature them in upcoming podcasts.

Subscribe to the SMART Farmer podcast

Audio, Podcasts, USFRA

Check Out Deere’s Connect Mobile App

Kelly Marshall

If you’re familiar with John Deere‘s Seed Star Mobile app, get ready – the next big thing is here! Amy Pousson-Noonan was at the National Farm Machinery Show recently to launch the Connect Mobile app; a family of apps that helps monitor and learn from the performance of their planter or sprayer while its in the field.

She explains that Connect Mobile replaces Seed Star Mobile but when you download the new app it will include old data from the Seed Star program, so you’ll still be able to see information from the past. Connect Mobile is upgrading the old system with row-by-row data, simulations, populations information, easily adjusted legends, and field review for scouting, but it also has room for options being planned for the future. It will also include other operations, like harvesting, to offer even better decision-making information.

“It’s available now in the Apple app store; you can download Connect Mobile and sync that up with any Connect Mobile machine to give you in-the-field, real-time, job quality information to make sure you’re doing the best job that you can with the short time windows that you have,” Pousson-Noonan explained. The new app requires a subscription that can be obtained on John Deere’s website, but it’s being offered for free in 2017.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Amy from NFMS and check out the Connect Mobile app at the Commodity Classic trade show this week: Interview with Amy Pousson-Noonan, John Deere

2017 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by
Coverage of the National Farm Machinery Show is sponsored by FMC
Agribusiness, Apps, Audio, John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show

POTUS Ditches WOTUS

Cindy Zimmerman

The president of the American Farm Bureau Federation had the privilege of being with the President of the United States Tuesday as he signed an executive order directing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to formally reconsider the controversial Waters of the United States, or WOTUS, rule under the Clean Water Act.

“President Trump’s executive order to ditch the Waters of the U.S. rule is a welcome relief to farmers and ranchers across the country,” said AFBF president Zippy Duvall. “Farmers and ranchers have been calling for a common-sense approach to regulatory reform, and today the Trump administration responded to that call.”

“(This) is one of the rules most strongly opposed by farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers all across our land…it’s been a disaster,” said President Trump during the White House signing ceremony. “It’s a horrible, horrible rule. Has sort of a nice name, but everything else is bad.” President Trump signs WOTUS order

Immediately after the signing, new EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had the privilege of announcing the news to Farm Bureau members at the 2017 FB Advocacy Conference being held just outside of Washington DC.

Pruitt says he has already set the ball in motion with official action after the executive order was signed. “Relief is on the way with respect to withdrawing the Waters of the United States rule,” he said to applause.

“As EPA administrator, we’re going to focus on rule of law,” Pruitt continued. “No agency has power that Congress has not given them – that’s called rule of law.”

Listen to Pruitt’s comments here: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt at FB Advocacy Conference

Since the executive order was signed, we have received press releases from virtually every agricultural organization to say they are pleased, as well as from environmental groups to say they are not pleased.

AFBF, Audio, EPA, Water

It’s #AgVocate Time for @Bayer4CropsUS

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 537It is #AgVocacy Forum time prior to Commodity Classic here in San Antonio. I got to sit down with my good friend, David Hollinrake, vice president of Agricultural Commercial Operations (ACO) Marketing for Crop Science, a Division of Bayer. We’ve been having fun agvocating since even before I was part of the Google Glass program.

In this week’s episode David talks about how and why Bayer is committed to investing in the concept of agvocating. That effort has trained 1,000 people so far and he says they have a goal of 10,000. I hope you enjoy our conversation just prior to the start of today’s program.

Listen to this week’s program here: ZimmCast with David Hollinrake, Bayer

2017 Bayer AgVocate Forum Photos


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Bayer, Video, ZimmCast

AgVocates Gathering for Bayer Forum

Cindy Zimmerman

AgVocates from around the country – including the @Agriblogger – are gathering in San Antonio today for the Bayer AgVocacy Forum starting today.

This is the 12th consecutive year that Bayer has organized the forum before Commodity Classic to showcase individuals and ideas that are making a strong impact on the future of farming and food production. This year’s event will continue open discussion and engagement around critical topics, such as launching the next agricultural food revolution, embracing new and emerging technologies to achieve sustainable agriculture, addressing farm labor concerns from all sides, and more.

Among the many AgVocates on the agenda is author and academic lecturer Dr. Vikram Mansharamani who will keynote on how to navigate global economic uncertainty. Mansharamani is a frequent commentator on issues driving disruption in the global business environment. Additionally, Vivian Howard, chef and owner of Chef & The Farmer in Kinston, N.C., as well as TV star of PBS’s “A Chef’s Life,” will also join the forum to share her personal story of returning to invest in a rural American community.

2017 Bayer AgVocate Forum Photos

Agribusiness, Bayer