AgWired | Page 561 | News and information from the world of AgriBusiness

Measure, Model, Fix – Big Data’s Role in Animal Ag

Jamie Johansen December 7, 2016

When the term ‘big data’ is used in agriculture, we generally think crops. However, we are hearing it more and more in animal agriculture circles. “Big data and models: Are they really useful in disease management?” turned the conversation towards swine health at the 2016 North American PRRS Symposium as Dr. Jim Lowe, University of Illinois, took the stage during Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedia, Inc.’s sponsored session.

After working to control PRRS for 20 years, Dr. Lowe began to question if there were other ways to look at it. Engineers work with complicated systems at a number of levels. Dr. Lowe simply asked how they solve problems, “We teach engineers to think in this pattern, which is measure what the system is doing, model it up so you can understand and try your interventions and then go fix it.”

Vets are trained to solve the problem today. We naturally want things fixed quickly. As PPRS has become more complicated, Dr. Lowe said taking a broad approach has shown value. But how do we leverage the data in animal health?

“To make that happen, there are four steps. We have to think about how we aggregate the data and how do we build those collaborations to allow the aggregation to happen. Then, how do we use sophisticated modern tools to do the analysis. Finally, how do we synthesize the information and give it back to producers in a way they can drive decisions by it.”

In my complete interview with Dr. Lowe hear more about the use of practical, simple solutions that can be driven to the field today and changes made tomorrow. Interview with Dr. Jim Lowe, University of Illinois

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 BIVI PRRS Seminar Photo Album

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

Changing of the Chairs at #ARA2016

Cindy Zimmerman December 7, 2016

Premier Ag CEO Harold Cooper hands the ARA Chairman’s Gavel to BRANDT COO Tim McArdle

Premier Ag CEO Harold Cooper hands the Chairman’s Gavel to BRANDT COO Tim McArdle

A new chairman for the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) took the gavel last week during the organization’s annual meeting in Orlando.

BRANDT Chief Operating Officer Tim McArdle received the gavel from Harold Cooper, CEO of Premier Ag Co-Op, and will serve a one-year term. “I’m incredibly humbled to take on this role and I look forward to working with ARA to provide leadership for our industry,” said McArdle. “I see my job as helping our industry maintain our freedom to operate in a highly regulated environment.”

McArdle is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Retailers Association, Fluid Fertilizer Foundation, Responsible Ag and AgGateway. He also serves on the BRANDT Board of Directors.

In an address to the audience at the annual meeting, McArdle touched on the importance of ARA and other industry groups and the strength of previous ARA leadership.

“I’ve seen firsthand the scale of professionalism of the staff at ARA during my tenure on the executive committee,” he said. “You guys are out there amongst the people all the time, actively engaging with the industry to find out what is important for us to act on.”

Listen to McArdle’s full address here:
Changing of the ARA Chairs

2016 ARA Conference & Expo Photo Album

Coverage of the ARA Conference and Expo is sponsored by

ARA, Audio

Moving the Middle at #ASTACSS

Kelly Marshall December 7, 2016

Tim Hassigner with Dow AgroSciences was at ASTA CSS & Seed Expo to talk with members of the seed industry about the gap in information between themselves and consumers.

“It’s definitely a time when there’s more questions and concerns related to food, but […] information sharing can make a difference,” he told the audience durning the morning session.

The consumer voice is on the rise. Despite this summer’s passage of the Labeling Law, a growing number of people, especially women and moms, told the Center for Food Integrity that food production in the U.S. is on the wrong track. Fortunately, Hassigner says, many of those opinions aren’t fixed.

Among the general public, roughly one third of consumers are for GMOs, one third are against, and one third are undecided. When one such group was assembled for a debate on the topic, opinions at the end of the event were reported as approximatly 60 percent for, 30 percent against, and 9 percent undecided.

“What occurred here is we moved the middle,” Hassigner explains. “When information is shared it has a significant impact on the middle.”

In the effort to inform the public, Hassigner encourages members of the seed industry to find a partner in the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA). It was only with their help the Labeling Law was achieved.

Listen to Hassigner’s here to learn more: Tim Hassigner, Dow AgroSciences

ASTA CSS 2016 Photo Album

Coverage of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo brought to you by

and

Coverage of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo brought to you by BASF Ag Products

ASTA, Audio, GMO

#JustGrowIt Video Unveiled at #ASTACSS

Cindy Zimmerman December 7, 2016

A new video that puts a face on plant breeders was unveiled by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) during the opening general session of its CSS 2016 & Seed Expo in Chicago Tuesday.

The “Mom, Gardener, Plant Breeder” video is the latest initiative in ASTA’s “Better Seed, Better Life” communications program and it features Jessie Alt, a mother, home gardener, and professional plant breeder—along with her two daughters who help out with their home garden.

“The seed industry has a great story to tell, and this video helps us do that,” said ASTA President & CEO Andrew W. LaVigne. “Jessie, like all of our plant breeders, is passionate about producing new and improved varieties of nutritious crops in a sustainable manner to meet the needs of local farmers and American families.”

This video is part of a larger advocacy and social media campaign to share information with consumers about the importance of seed improvement and its connection to quality of life. As we work to solve the challenges that farmers face, create a more sustainable food supply, and increase choices for American families at the grocery store, it all starts with a seed, and better seed means better life.

Listen to ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne interview Jessie and her family during the ASTA-CSS general session: ASTA-CSS General Session

Watch the video below and share it online with the hashtag #JustGrowIt.

ASTA CSS 2016 Photo Album

Coverage of ASTA CSS and Seed Expo brought to you by

and

ASTA, Seed, Video

Deere Appoints Beverly Flores Media Relations Manager

Chuck Zimmerman December 6, 2016

Congratulations to Beverly Flores for her new role with John Deere. I think the legacy of the Magic Man, Barry Nelson, is in good hands. I wonder if he ever taught Beverly a few card tricks! LOL.

Beverly Flores, formerly manager of external communications for John Deere’s Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG), has been named media relations manager for John Deere Ag & Turf Division for Region 4. Flores takes over for Barry Nelson, who retired at the end of October.

Previously, Flores was responsible for creating and managing a consistent global messaging platform for precision ag technologies targeting both internal and external audiences. In this role she worked closely with marketing communications, media relations, and employee communications to deploy clear, concise messaging to the technology media and external stakeholders. She has held several other positions within Deere, including manager, Public Affairs John Deere Financial and Iowa, where she represented John Deere’s issues in the Iowa Capitol; John Deere Financial on state issues; and co-chaired the John Deere Farm Bill team. During her 16 years at John Deere, Flores also has held various product marketing and territory manager positions within the John Deere Ag & Turf Division.

In her new role, effective immediately, Flores maintains her external communications responsibilities for ISG and takes over product public relations and media relations activities, special events and sponsorships for John Deere Ag & Turf for the United States and Canada. She also is responsible for ag-related social media and publications including the Furrow, Homestead and Leader magazines.

Agribusiness, John Deere

Poll Shows Support for Water Infrastructure Bill

Lizzy Schultz December 6, 2016

A national poll released by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) found that voters strongly support federal funding for water pipelines and waterways and resources that prevent drinking water contamination crises, like those that occurred in Flint, MI. Congress reached an agreement on the legislation late yesterday, but still have funding issues to work out.

These findings were part of a national poll commissioned by AEM to gauge voter perceptions and attitudes about United States water infrastructure broadly and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016 specifically, a major water infrastructure resource authorization bill currently awaiting final passage in the lame-duck Congress.

“Improving and modernizing U.S. infrastructure overall, and in this case, water infrastructure, continues to be a bipartisan priority among voters,” said Dennis Slater, AEM President. “Congressional leaders in both the U.S. Senate and House are to be commended for taking action on their respective versions of a 2016 WRDA bill, but should reach consensus on a final version before the 114th Congress adjourns.”

A number of key findings identified in the poll include:

A majority (54 percent) of registered voters say that U.S. water infrastructure is in fair or poor condition.
Nearly seven out of 10 (67 percent) of the surveyed population believe that the federal government should spend somewhat more or much more on water pipelines and waterways.
More than seven out of every 10 (74 percent) registered voters either support or strongly support Congress passing WRDA.
A clear majority (73 percent) of registered voters are either somewhat or much more likely to support WRDA when they learn that it might prevent drinking water crises such as the one in Flint, MI.

The national poll was conducted as part of AEM’s ongoing efforts to develop a long-term national vision for U.S. infrastructure through its Infrastructure Vision 2050 initiative.

An analysis of the poll results is available here.

AEM, Ag Groups, Water

Topguard® EQ Fungicide at #ARA2016

Cindy Zimmerman December 6, 2016

FMC Corporation just launched its new Topguard® EQ fungicide premix last month so it was a hot topic at the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) convention last week.

Topguard® EQ fungicide with FMC’s patented flutriafol is rapidly taken up by the plant and distributed throughout the leaf to control the spread of disease.

“We’re launching it in the 2017 planting season for corn and soybeans but it’s going to have a fantastic label…so we’re really excited about what Topguard EQ is going to bring to the table,” says FMC Southern Regional Business Manager Matt Hancock.

“What we’ve done is put our Topguard fungicide together with azoxystrobin so we’ve got that recognized plant health care benefit, but we’ve also got the longest lasting, most systemic triazole on the market in that product,” Hancock explained. “So we’re really getting a one-two punch.”

Topguard EQ fungicide is the only premix of azoxystrobin and flutriafol, a triazole fungicide patented by FMC, and is registered on more than 20 crops including soybeans, corn, wheat, cotton, vegetables and nuts for the 2017 season. Learn more in this interview: Interview with Matt Hancock, FMC on Topguard EQ

2016 ARA Conference & Expo Photo Album

Coverage of the ARA Conference and Expo is sponsored by

ARA, Audio, FMC, Fungicide

Ag Economic Outlook at #ARA2016

Cindy Zimmerman December 6, 2016

If there is one word to describe the current economic outlook for agriculture it would probably be uncertain, according to Terry Barr, Senior Director for the Knowledge Exchange Division of CoBank.

“We’re entering into a fairly dynamic period of uncertain political and economic realities,” said Barr, who spoke to a standing room only crowd at last week’s Ag Retailers Association annual meeting in Orlando. “We’re in transition politically, we’re in transition economically, we’re finishing out this commodity super-cycle, so there’s a lot of things on everybody’s plates trying to plan for the future.”

Barr says the global dynamics of agriculture are coming more into play. “It’s a more difficult period than we’ve been through – ag’s enjoyed a pretty good run here – and now we’ve got some tough challenges and adjustments to make,” he said.

Get the major takeaways from Barr’s talk at ARA in this interview: Interview with Terry Barr, CoBank

2016 ARA Conference & Expo Photo Album

Coverage of the ARA Conference and Expo is sponsored by

ARA, Audio

Swine Health Monitoring Project Update

Jamie Johansen December 5, 2016

The 2016 North American PRRS Symposium took place over the weekend in Chicago, IL and researchers and swine vets from across the globe gathered to continue the control of the deadly swine disease. Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica Inc. (BIVI) once again sponsored a session focused on prevention.

Bob Morrison, University of Minnesota, started off the morning by giving an update on the Swine Health Monitoring Project (SHMP).

The project started five years ago through a collaboration of veterinarians looking to share data about PRRS with hopes to improve prevention efforts. 29 participants and 1000 sow farms currently share their data to the project and receive a weekly report on the shared data.

“One of the key elements is to try and watch and determine and know when the PRRS virus is becoming more active in the field, and that seems to start every fall,” he said in an interview following the session. “That data has been so repeatable, and it has allowed us to review our biosecurity earlier in the fall to try and take steps to decrease a farms risk of infection.”

Learn more in Jamie’s full interview with Bob here:
Interview with Bob Morrison, University of Minnesota

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 BIVI PRRS Seminar Photo Album

Animal Health, Audio, Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine

Happy World #SoilDay!

Cindy Zimmerman December 5, 2016

In 2002, the International Union of Soil Sciences made a resolution proposing the 5th of December as World Soil Day to celebrate the importance of soil as a critical component of the natural system and as a vital contributor to human well being. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has made it an annual campaign which aims to connect people with soils and raise awareness on their critical importance.

The Soil Health Partnership (SHP), an initiative of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), is encouraging farmers to take some time today to consider ways they can improve soil health. “Soil health is the next frontier in agricultural sustainability,” said SHP director Nick Goeser. “Restoring organic matter through practices like growing cover crops will help soil sequester more carbon while making it more resistant to drought, and more resilient to flooding. These are important goals worldwide as the population grows.”

Not sure where to start? Take a few minutes to watch this fun and informative white board video, “Farmers to the Rescue: How Healthy Soil Can Save the Planet.”

Conservation, NCGA, Soil, Soil Health Partnership, Video

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