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

Bayer Support at #ARA2016

Lizzy Schultz

The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) is respected throughout the agriculture industry as a support system for growers and retailers, and that support has been a key factor behind Bayer’s continued sponsorship of the organization.

“ARA is very important to us as a supplier of products for farmers and growers,” says Bayer Strategic Business Lead Al Luke during an interview at ARA’s recent annual meeting in Orlando. “ARA’s charter is to support the ag retail community, which is the trusted advisor for growers, so that partnership goes a long ways.”

Luke noted ARA’s outstanding regulatory support and work on the Hill, explaining that both retailers and growers benefit from ARA’s efforts to ensure that the regulations and the laws that are passed are beneficial to the industry. “This organization is one of the strongest organization’s I’ve seen in terms of working through Washington, D.C. to help get legislation passed that can be helpful and try to modify legislation that can actually hurt our industry,” he said

Luke also highlighted the strength of the training programs offered by the ARA, many of which are held in conjunction with Purdue University. “The ag chemical business is very technical, and it is critical for the industry that our retailers are trained and have a strong understanding of the important safety and environmental implications of these products,” said Luke.

Learn more in this interview: Interview with Al Luke, Bayer

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 ARA Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, ARA, Bayer

Sorghum Yield Winners Announced

Cindy Zimmerman

This year’s winners of the National Sorghum Producers Yield Contest have been announced and the top yield for 2016 comes in at 208.40 bushels per acre.

“The future looks really bright for the sorghum industry because of the way we’ve seen our national average yield increase and as we get closer to the 250 bushel per acre goal in this contest,” said NSP board of directors Chairman Don Bloss.

Farmers from 28 states entered this year’s contest in 10 different categories. The first place winners are:

Jim Boehlke – Bell-Key Farms of Idaho in the Irrigated Conventional-Till category with a yield of 208.40 bushels per acre; Robert Santini, Jr. of New Jersey in the Dryland No-Till category with a yield of 178.04 bushels per acre; Winter Johnston of Pennsylvania in the Dryland Conventional-Till category with a yield of 184.80 bushels per acre; Rob Robinson of Nebraska who won the Irrigated Reduced-Till category with a yield of 197.68 bushels per acre; Sam Santini, Jr. of New Jersey in the Dryland Double Crop category with a yield of 198.36 bushels per acre; Travis Walker of Missouri in the Dryland Reduced-Till category with a yield of 184.59 bushels per acre; Jeffrey Barlieb of New Jersey in the Irrigated Double Crop category with a yield of 176.33 bushels per acre; Robert & John Reznik of Texas in the Irrigated No-Till category with a yield of 188.90; Triple Creek Farm of North Carolina in the Non-Irrigated Food-Grade category with a yield of 122.89; and Ron Robinson of Nebraska in the Irrigated Food-Grade category with a yield of 197.68.

The national winners will be officially recognized at the 2017 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas at an awards dinner sponsored by DuPont Pioneer.

NSP, sorghum

Vilsack Receives Norman Borlaug Medallion

Cindy Zimmerman

Ambassador Quinn (left) and John Ruan III (right) present Borlaug Medallion to Vilsack

At a special ceremony at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in Des Moines last week, the World Food Prize Foundation honored the USDA and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack with the Dr. Norman E. Borlaug Medallion.

Ambassador Ken Quinn explained that the Borlaug Medallion, which was created to recognize institutions not eligible to receive the World Food Prize itself, was being presented to “honor the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its extraordinary development and promotion of American farming for over 150 years. “In the 10,000 year history of human agriculture, there is arguably no other organization that has done more to expand the knowledge of, and enhance the science involved in, food production than the USDA.”

At the ceremony, Vilsack and Quinn also signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the partnership of the World Food Prize and USDA and by extending the Wallace-Carver Fellowship program through 2021. The program was Secretary Vilsack’s vision to identify, educate and inspire the next generation of great scientific and agricultural leaders.

USDA, World Food Prize

Bayer Partners with ASTA for Communications

Cindy Zimmerman

Bayer’s Crop Science division announced a new partnership with the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) at last week’s ASTA CSS and Seed Expo in Chicago.

David Hollinrake, VP Marketing for North America, says the partnership involves Bayer sponsoring the ASTA Communications Committee and sharing Bayer’s successful AgVocate initiative research and materials. “It’s really about engaging farmers and engaging all agriculturalists into the conversation with the general public around the benefits of modern production agriculture,” said Hollinrake. “We’ve been able to bring over 10,000 people into the social circle so that we can become stronger agvocates with a prouder voice.”

During his address to the ASTA CSS, Hollinrake noted the similarities between the ASTA slogan “Better Seed, Better Life” and Bayer’s “Science for a Better Life” tag line. “We’ve done a good job describing the better science component, but not so good at describing the better life component.”

In our interview, Hollinrake also discusses Bayer’s proposed acquisition of Monsanto and why they believe it makes sense for farmers. “We’ve got wonderfully complementary skill sets,” he said. “Monsanto is a leader in seed, genetics and biotechnology and we have been a leader in crop chemistry and seed treatments, so combining the capabilities of both really promises greater innovation for the American farmer.”

Listen to it here: Interview with David Hollinrake, Bayer

ASTA CSS 2016 Photo Album

ASTA, Audio, Bayer

White is the New Black from @Clariant

Cindy Zimmerman

Clariant used the ASTA CSS 2016 & Seed Expo to unveil their new Agrocer White 006 Dispersion pigment. As a leader in specialty chemicals, Clariant has created this new color using titanium dioxide to enhance the coverage of seeds and to be compatible with seed treatment pesticide formulations. The new addition makes the seventh important colorants for seed coatings offered by the company.

“It adds opacity, it gives better hiding power, it can also make the colors look more vibrant, and you can get very nice shades,” said Clariant Market Segment Manager for Special Applications Mark Self during an interview at the expo this week. “What we’re also talking with different companies about is brand differentiation and marketing strategies … where they can make their colors look different.”

See the difference Agrocer White makes!

Clariant’s exhibit at the expo had samples showing in living color how the addition of the white pigment makes all the difference in coloring black seeds. “When the black seeds are colored with traditional colors, it’s very hard to see,” Self explained. “But you add just a very small amount of white, the coating pops out.”

It was first time exhibiting at the ASTA CSS event for Clariant which is a large global specialty chemicals corporation located in Switzerland and formed in 1995 as a spin-off from Sandoz. Clariant’s global technical manager for seed coloration Andreas Wacker says they have been a global leader in the seed colorant business for many years. “It’s a growing industry,” said Wacker. “Seed treatment is the area within agrichemicals which is growing the fastest.”

Learn more about Clariant in this interview: Interview with Mark Self and Andreas Wacker, Clariant

ASTA CSS 2016 Photo Album

ASTA, Audio, Seed

USDA Sends Agricultural Classification Survey

Kelly Marshall

The U. S. Department of Agriculture is seeking assistance to find all active farms and ranches in the United States.  To do this they are sending nearly one million potential farmers and ranchers a National Agricultural Classification Survey (NACS) during the month of December to find any place that produces and sells or could sell $1,000 or more of agriculture products in a calendar year.  The results of this survey will determine who is sent a census questionnaire next year.

The census of agriculture, conducted every five years by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), is the only source of uniform, comprehensive and impartial agricultural data for every county in the nation. Through the census of agriculture, producers are able to demonstrate the value and importance of agriculture, and influence decisions that will shape the future of the industry in this country.

“NACS plays an integral role in getting a complete count of U.S. agriculture,” said NASS Census and Survey Division Director Barbara Rater. “We ask everyone who receives the survey to please respond by January 30, so that we can maintain an accurate and comprehensive census of agriculture mailing list. This is an important opportunity. The census of agriculture is the leading source of facts about American agriculture. Farm organizations, businesses, government decision-makers, commodity market analysts, news media, researchers and so many others use census of agriculture data. We are ensuring that every farm and ranch has a voice.”

USDA

John Deere Prototype Electric Tractor Unveiled

Chuck Zimmerman

In advance of the Paris International Farm Show (SIMA) in France John Deere has unveiled what it says is the “First fully battery-electric high-hp tractor.” This photo is from the SIMA new products website page. I don’t have much other information at the moment but it looks like the company is doing a lot of work on the electrification of its machines using SESAM – Sustainable Energy Supply for Agricultural Machines.

You can find more details on websites like Electrek.com.

Post Update: Here is more information from a news release I just received from John Deere.

Citation Award:
SESAM: the first all-electric tractor

With its SESAM Tractor (Sustainable Energy Supply for Agricultural Machinery), John Deere presents industry’s first fully battery-powered tractor providing all functionalities and features of a standard tractor while offering all benefits resulting from electrification at the same time. The SESAM tractor is an elementary component John Deere’s vision of future energy autonomous farms.

Besides an overall outstanding efficiency, benefits from the SESAM tractor are potential use of on farm produced renewable energy and enabling new business models for farms through grid-plug-in and bi-directional charging technology. This enables farms for future services for electric power grids in rural areas.

This prototype machine produces 130kW continuous power and is based on chassis from Mannheim’s 6R series tractors. Two maintenance free electric motors operate the slightly adapted DirectDrive transmission. In standard mode one motor is used fort the drive train and the other for PTO and auxiliaries. If necessary, both motors can be linked together in order to supply full power either for driving or for PTO and hydraulic work. The speed range reaches from 3 to 50kph at full power. Addtionally, unique driver experience is provide through stepless transmission control, high torque at low speeds and highest peak power at about 400 hp.

During stand still times there are no energy losses at all. The SESAM tractor system is emission free and runs at lowest noise level what is a particular advantage when operating close to residential areas or when working at night.

Currently, one battery charge lasts for up to four operating hours in typical mixed mode operations or about 55 km of transport, while charging time is about three hours. The life time of the battery is designed for 3100 charging cycles.

John Deere