4-H and AFBF Partner for Ag Education

Kelly Marshall

The American Farm Bureau Federation and the National 4-H Council have announce a new partnership to support agricultural education.  The partnership will highlight the impact of agriculture  on our everyday lives, as well as encourage youth to be excited about the industry and empower them with opportunities to improve the world around them.

“For more than a century, 4-H has provided young people with opportunities to spark and grow their interests in agriculture, giving them the courage, confidence and resilience to lead,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council. “National 4-H Council is proud and excited to join forces with the American Farm Bureau Federation to help empower and develop young people with the workforce skills necessary to pursue careers in the agriculture industry.”

“Farm Bureau has a long history of investing in young people with a demonstrated interest in not only farming and ranching but also agri-business and food-related careers,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We’re pleased to build on our tradition of supporting youth in agriculture through this formal collaboration with National 4-H Council.”

The partnership officially begins in 2017.

AFBF, Ag Groups, Education

Zimfo Bytes

Lizzy Schultz

Zimfo Bytes

  • The 2017 IFAJ Star Prize Contest program has been launched with the sponsorship of John Deere and Rabobank. Deadline for submission of contest entries will be 1 February 2017. Contests are available for print, broadcast, and photography entries.
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation has appointed farmer and rancher members to the organization’s Promotion & Education (P&E) and Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee. The P&E Committee is comprised of 10 individuals representing qualifying Farm Bureau Promotion & Education states, and the YF&R Committee is comprised of 16 positions representing all regions of the U.S.
  • Aronnax Public Strategies (APS) and RDL & Associates have announced a joint venture that will provide a unique Federal and State government affairs and strategic communications service for the agriculture sector, and will creates additional opportunities and efficiencies for clients and builds on APS’ successful FedState Network model.
  • The 41st annual Georgia Peanut Farm Show and Conference is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at the University of Georgia Tifton Campus Conference Center in Tifton, Georgia, featuring free admission. All farmers and industry representatives are encouraged to attend.
Zimfo Bytes

Chicago School Growing Future Ag Careers

Cindy Zimmerman

The American Seed Trade Association Future Seed Executives (FuSE) had the opportunity to hear about an agricultural high school right in Chicago that is growing the next generation for the industry.

The Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences (CHSAS) is located just about a half hour south of the Hyatt Regency where the ASTA CSS & Seed Expo is held every year so it was a short trip for the school’s agricultural sciences chair JaMonica Marion and the three students she brought to talk to the ASTA group last week. “We are located on a farm actually in the city of Chicago,” she said of the school that opened in 1985 and includes various ag career pathways. “We are promoting career success and providing our students with outstanding opportunities to get exposure to agricultural education in an urban setting.”

The school is open to any student in the city of Chicago, but they have to apply for the opportunity. “We receive over 3000 applications a year for only 180 spots,” said Marion. The school claims a 93 percent graduation rate and an impressive 75 percent go on to major in agricultural careers. “In fact, out of the nine agricultural teachers on staff (at CHSAS), seven of those are alumni, including myself,” Marion said.

The room full of young and more seasoned agribusiness professionals at ASTA were spellbound by JaMonica’s presentation of what the school does, from the working farm, to giving back to the community and showcasing agriculture in downtown Chicago. Many were interested in how they could help support the school. “With us being a farm, we will always take seeds, we’ll always take farm equipment, if they want to make donations,” Marion said.

Learn more about the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences in this interview: Interview with JaMonica Marion, CHSAS ag teacher

ASTA CSS 2016 Photo Album

Coverage of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo brought to you by
Coverage of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo brought to you by the American Seed Trade Association and Coverage of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo brought to you by BASF Ag Products
ASTA, Audio, Education

US Challenges Chinese Quotas for Rice, Wheat, and Corn

Cindy Zimmerman

The Obama Administration has launched a new trade enforcement action against the People’s Republic of China over tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for rice, wheat, and corn. The complaint was filed with the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

“China’s TRQ policies breach their WTO commitments and limit opportunities for U.S. farmers to export competitively priced, high-quality grains to customers in China,” said United States Trade Representative Michael Froman. “The United States will aggressively pursue this challenge on behalf of American rice, wheat, and corn farmers.” USDA estimates that China’s TRQs for these commodities were worth over $7 billion in 2015.

Separately, USTR has requested that the WTO establish a dispute settlement panel to examine China’s level of domestic support for Chinese producers of rice, wheat, and corn under a WTO challenge USTRA launched in September.

Read more here from USTR

Corn, Rice, Trade, Wheat

#Farmers View GMOs as Sustainable

Cindy Zimmerman

According to a new survey of U.S. farmers and ranchers, the majority view biotechnology and GMO crops as an important solution in helping raise crops more efficiently.

The U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) and National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) surveyed over 280 farmers across the United States about their attitudes toward GMO crops and specifically the impact of biotechnology on the environment, pesticide use, and yields.

Findings conclude that farmers believe biotechnology helps raise crops more efficiently, and that the environment and sustainability practices will suffer if GMO technology utilization is reduced in crop production in the future. Seventy-eight (78%) percent of farmers foresee increased environmental impacts—including an increase in water usage and application of pesticides—if GMO seeds were not to be available to them as a choice in crop production. When asked about farmers’ ability to lessen their environmental footprint, 98 percent of those polled ranked GMO seeds at the top of their list.Read More

Biotech, Corn, GMO, NCGA, Sustainability, USFRA

IL GROWMARK Essay Contest Winner Announced

Kelly Marshall

Jill Sackville from Aldeo, Illinois has been announced the Illinois winner of the 2017 GROWMARK essay contest for FFA students.  Sackville wrote an essay to answer the prompt: “What value do cooperatives provide to today’s farmers?”

“Today’s cooperatives still play a pivotal role in farming, allowing members to obtain high quality seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, and many more essential agricultural needs. They set the pace for quality, price, and services and are a strong competitive influence in and amongst local farmers. They make the services of specialists available to farmers who otherwise would be unable to afford the extra help. Individualized products can be tailored to each of a farmer’s fields based on all manner of criteria,” Sackville wrote.

A student at Mercer County High School, Sackville is a member of the Mercer County FFA chapter.  For her efforts she will receive $500 from GROWMARK, and her FFA chapter will be given $300 in her honor.

Four state runners-up will each receive a $125 award. The runners-up and their FFA chapters are, in alphabetical order: Mikayla Busby, Monticello FFA, Monticello, Illinois; Koby Gooden, West Prairie FFA, Colchester, Illinois; Mallory Unverfehrt, Okawville FFA, Okawville, Illinois; and Garrett Williams, Flora FFA, Noble, Illinois.

This is the 24th year for the program, sponsored by the GROWMARK System and FS member cooperatives, in conjunction with state FFA leaders, to help young people develop their writing skills, learn about current issues in agriculture, and understand the unique role of cooperatives.

FFA, GROWMARK

Monsanto Shareowners Approve Bayer Merger

Kelly Marshall

Monsanto Company held a special meeting of shareowners earlier this week to vote on the merger of Monsanto with Bayer Aktiengesellschaft. The agreement states that Monsanto shareowners receive $128 per share in cash.

“We are pleased we received such strong support from our shareowners,” said Hugh Grant, Monsanto Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “This is an important milestone as we work to combine our two complementary companies and deliver on our shared vision for the future of agriculture. By bringing together our expertise and our resources to drive this shared vision, we can do even more together to benefit growers around the world and to help address broad global challenges like climate change and food scarcity.”

“The acquisition of Monsanto is driven by our strong belief that this combination can help address the growing challenges facing farmers and the overall agriculture industry today and in the future,” said Werner Baumann, CEO of Bayer AG. “Together, Bayer and Monsanto will be able to offer the new, innovative solutions that our customers need. We look forward to completing the transaction and working closely with Monsanto to ensure a successful integration.”

Based on a preliminary tabulation of the shareowner vote, approximately 99% of all votes cast, which represents approximately 75% of all outstanding shares on November 7, 2016, the record date for the special meeting, were voted in favor of the merger. Monsanto shareowners also approved the proposal to approve, on an advisory (non-binding) basis, certain compensation that may be paid or become payable to the Company’s named executive officers in connection with the merger. The final voting results on all agenda items will be filed with the SEC in the company’s Form 8-K and will also be available at http://www.monsanto.com/investors/pages/default.aspx.

Follow with Bayer/Monsanto merger at www.AdvancingTogether.com.

Agribusiness, Bayer

USDA Announces New GIPSA Rules

Cindy Zimmerman

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack yesterday announced updated regulations under the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). The “Farmer Fair Practices Rules” outline “common sense protections to restore fairness and reduce the burden for farmers seeking justice under the Packers and Stockyards Act.”

“For years, American farmers have been calling for protections against the most damaging unfair and deceptive practices confronting family farms across the country,” said Vilsack. “Poultry growers in particular are vulnerable to market risks and concentration in the processor market. All too often, processors and packers wield the power, and farmers carry the risk. Today, USDA is taking a big step toward providing the protections that farmers deserve and need.”

Joining Vilsack for the announcement were Susan Keith with USDA, National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson and Mike Weaver, president of the Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias. Listen to it here: USDA presser on Farmer Fair Practices Rule

The proposal has been met with mixed reaction from the animal agriculture industry and will have to be approved by the incoming Trump administration after the comment period.

Audio, Livestock, Poultry, USDA

DuPont Pioneer Virtual Pressers Unveil New Products

Cindy Zimmerman

With the theme of “Innovation Elevates Performance for Growers,” DuPont Pioneer used virtual press conferences this week to unveil new corn and soybean products by region, and pulled it off with technical perfection! Technical issues are common even in simple telephone press conferences, so it was amazing to see one incorporate a phone feed with a live web feed including slides and live web camera feeds of both the presenters and the media participants. Congrats to Susan Mantey and the DuPont Pioneer communications team for taking PR to a new level!

The news is that Pioneer is launching 54 new A-Series soybeans for North America; and 53 new top-yielding corn products as part of its expanded lineup for 2017 spring planting. We were plugged in to the Delta/Southeast regional presentation of the dual nationwide announcements for corn and soybeans so it focused on those products best suited for that region of the country.

Listen to it here and follow along with the powerpoint: DuPont Pioneer Virtual Presser

Audio, Corn, Pioneer, Soybean

Ag Coalition Signs Agreement with NRCS

Kelly Marshall

NRCS Chief Jason Weller (center) flanked by ag group representatives

Agribusiness and agricultural associations from across the nation, including the Agricultural Retailers Association, have joined together to promote and expand federal conservation programs.  Members of the group signed a memorandum of understanding with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to expand the reach of technical and financial assistance to extend conservation adoption and increase the overall sustainability of farming, ranching and forestland operations.

It was signed by the National Association of Conservation Districts, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, The Fertilizer Institute, ARA, American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society, Crop Science Society, Syngenta and CropLife America.

The MOU establishes “a collaborative framework for cooperative activities intended to enhance and accelerate the transfer and adoption of technologies and approaches.” Together, the partnering organizations will develop initiatives such as employee training, producer outreach, joint projects and communications efforts that advance conservation practices. Efforts will be focused on soil health and 4Rs (Right source, Right rate, Right time and Right place).

“The Agricultural Retailers Association is proud to join this collaborative effort to promote and expand conservation programs,” said ARA President and CEO Daren Coppock. “As a trusted resource, ag retailers are in a prime position to advise farmers on implementing conservation methods and tactics that improve nutrient stewardship, sustainability and profitability.”

ARA, Conservation, USDA