Where’s the #Peanut Emoji?

Cindy Zimmerman September 30, 2016

Most people who are active on social media know what an emoji is – those cute little images used in text messages, Twitter and Facebook posts. They started many years ago with the simple smiley or sad face made from the combination of colons and parentheses like this – 🙂

Now emojis are everywhere, and they’ve evolved well beyond facial expressions. Going to karaoke? There’s an emoji for that. Getting all dolled up? There’s an emoji for that. Going to a football game? Yep, there’s an emoji. There are dozens of emojis for food and animals from apples to zebras. But people who love peanuts sadly have no emoji.

That’s why Golden Peanut & Tree Nuts has launched the Where’s My Peanut Emoji? campaign to get a peanut added to Apple’s emoji keyboard.

Peanuts and tree nuts are not only delicious, but full of healthy fats, fiber, plant-based protein and loads of vitamins and minerals. We want to get this message out to the world — a world that now communicates by emoji. That’s why we’re leading the charge on making the peanut emoji happen.

Besides, think of all the great emoji combos the peanut could work with. PB & J, anyone? (insert bread, strawberry and peanut emoji) Seventh inning stretch? (insert baseball, beer, popcorn and peanut). And we’re sure you’re not above a few peanut puns. (insert Awww peanut emoji peanut emoji peanut emoji!!!)

Golden Peanut & Tree Nuts is urging peanut lovers to go to WheresMyPeanutEmoji.com and sign their petition, and then share the campaign on Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #wheresmypeanutemoji. And do it while enjoying some peanuts!

Peanuts, Social Media

Congress Ratifies Treaty Tied to Global Food Security

Cindy Zimmerman September 29, 2016

Congress made history last night by finally passing a broadly-supported international treaty to strengthen American agriculture and enhance global food security, an action endorsed by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA).

First signed by President George W. Bush, and pending for nearly 15 years, the now ratified International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (“The Treaty”) will ensure U.S. public and private sector plant breeders have secure access to global plant materials as they work to develop the next generation of plant varieties to meet the needs of a growing population.

“The Treaty is a win for the American seed industry and for agriculture innovation around the world,” said ASTA President & CEO Andrew W. LaVigne. “Ratification of the Treaty has been one of ASTA’s top legislative priorities for the past decade and has been supported by a wide range of agriculture and scientific organizations and universities. The Treaty will ensure U.S. public and private plant breeders have secure access to the materials they need to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges – from evolving plant pests and diseases, to changing climates, and feeding a growing population.”

The technical, international agreement facilitates the access and exchange of materials used to improve germplasm (seeds)–the backbone of agricultural innovation. Under the Treaty, a Standard Material Transfer Agreement ensures that the terms for access to germplasm are uniform and transparent for all contracting parties.

LaVigne added that important meetings related to the Treaty are taking place early next year, and this action by Congress the U.S. will allow the U.S. to finally have a seat at the table to protect its interests and lend its expertise.

ASTA, International, Seed

The Cuban Gold Rush

Jamie Johansen September 29, 2016

Few Americans can say they have stepped foot on Cuban soil. Even fewer can say they had the opportunity as a journalist and yet even fewer as an agricultural journalist. Luckily, I am one of those who can answer yes to all of the above. Thanks to the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA) and Alltech, I recently traveled to Cuba to learn about Cuban agriculture, tourism and the future role U.S. can play in each if the long-standing embargo is lifted.

Chicago Foods International president Paul Johnson organized and led our delegation on the week-long expedition to the nearly foreign world only 40 miles off the coast of Florida. Paul is no stranger to Cuba, making his first journey south in 1995. He helped found the U.S. Ag Coalition for Cuba which represents about 120 national groups each working collectively on individual interests with the common goal of improving trade relations with Cuba.

‘Normalizing relations’ was a coined term used throughout our stay in Cuba. The U.S. Ag Coalition for Cuba is working on a trade bill which would do just that. The extension of U.S. credit to Cuba is the key factor to future trade deals. This will allow exporters to compete with other countries and support two-way trade giving Cuba even more opportunities. However, tourism is also a crucial part of this normalization. Opening the border and allowing U.S. citizens to travel as tourist will allow Cuba to profit and then use to purchase agricultural products. The growth of tourism is a win-win for the U.S. because they will be wanting a safe, quality products.

In this week’s ZimmCast listen as Jamie Johansen talks with Paul who gives us a glimpse into the Cuban Gold Rush. ZimmCast with Paul Johnson, Chicago Foods International

2016 AAEA Cuba Photo Album

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Audio, International, Trade, ZimmCast

International Drone Expo to Host Drone Race

Jamie Johansen September 29, 2016

International Drone Expo (IDE), the largest gathering of the most innovative and leading members of the UAV community from around the globe, will hold its first annual Drone Race inside the Los Angeles Convention Center this December. MultiGP, the sanctioning body and leading drone racing league for first-person view (FPV) radio-controlled aircraft in the United States, will custom design the indoor race course for first use at the show.

The IDE Drone Race event is a two-part series. MultiGP will hand select perennial talent to compete in the SoCal Maker Convention qualification rounds at the Los Angeles Fairplex in Pomona, CA on November 5, 2016. Finalists of the SoCal Maker Convention will advance to the IDE Drone Race Cup championship at the Los Angeles Convention Center and compete on a custom designed indoor race course. The specially designed drone race course will be larger than other indoor courses with more advanced obstacles, and complete with a massive spectating area for expo attendees.

“The first Drone Racing Cup presents a great opportunity to advance the sport of drone racing in terms of technicality and popularity,” said Ned Krause of IDE. “The sport’s top talent will face a course testing all of their capabilities as they navigate some of the most challenging and creative obstacles. Plus, spectators will have unprecedented up close access to the course making for an adrenaline-pumping event.”

Drone racing is one of the many activations that will be held at the International Drone Expo. Building off of the drone race, a separate drone race mini expo will be set up to also feature the best in the industry. Also incorporated into the show is a pitchfest competition in which entrepreneurs will seek investments and opportunities for their drone concepts and products from a panel of venture capitalists. Additionally, IDE show goers are encouraged to submit their most captivating drone footage for a chance to be displayed in the main hall during the expo.

Agribusiness, Events

Zimfo Bytes

Lizzy Schultz September 29, 2016

GROWMARK and Suncor have announced that GROWMARK will purchase Suncor’s 50 percent interest in UPI, Inc. in Ontario, Canada, bringing GROWMARK’s ownership of UPI to 100 percent. The two companies also entered into long-term supply agreements for GROWMARK’s petroleum needs in Ontario.
Kent Nutrition Group and Deluxe Feeds announced an agreement where KNG will acquire the Deluxe organization on October 3, 2016, including its feed mills, retail business, and Midwest EnRG Flakes operations.
The Georgia Peanut Commission and the Georgia Bankers Association are joining forces Oct. 17-21, 2016 during the 40th annual Georgia Peanut Bank Week, where local banks and financial institutions across the state will honor Georgia’s peanut farmers and their contribution made to the state and local economies during one of the biggest times of the year: peanut harvest.

Zimfo Bytes

Agworld Offers Farm Management Program

Kelly Marshall September 29, 2016

All the precision tech in the world isn’t going to do much good unless a grower can get them to work together. That’s were Agworld comes in. The global provider of farm management software and applications has introduced Collaborative Farming Solution (CFS), a cloud-based platform that allows growers and retailers to work together.

Most farm systems were developed for specific function, explains Agworld’s President, Zach Sheely. They do field mapping or manage logistics, but they don’t necessarily play well with others.

“Agworld’s farm management program is a unique solution that integrates precision ag data, production planning, purchasing, input prescriptions, logistics, projections, budgeting and invoices in a seamless manner that allows growers and their ag retailers to work together,” explained Sheely. “We call this ‘work as one’ concept our Collaborative Farming Solution, or CFS.”

Kody Karloff is a fifth generation corn and soybean farmer from Nebraska. He’s also a prime example of how CFS can work on an operation. He uses the tools to connect his farm with his ag retailer and shares important information in real time.

“We needed to get a better understanding of our cost per acre,” said Karloff. “To achieve this goal, it’s easier if my retailer and I are working on the same platform.”

Karloff uses Frontier Coop for most of his inputs and it was the Coop that suggested CFS. Collaboration is the best way to manage a tight economy, marketing manager for Frontier Coop, Jon Brabec believes.

“Using Agworld’s CFS, we are able to streamline the data input, create a comprehensive farm plan and help Kody make more informed decisions,” said Brabec. “Information takes the emotion out of decision making. Now we can run different scenarios, create a comprehensive plan months in advance and still make changes in real time if we have to,” he added.

Karloff feels he has replaced bargain shopping inputs with better service and better solutions by working with his cooperative. The coop is better able to make the right recommendation and offer simplicity in reporting.

Right now you’ll find Karloff planning for next year on his iPad, taking into account this year’s inputs, yields and income. Commodity prices might be out of our control, but Karloff is at least confident he has the information needed to make critical decisions.

“No one knows what tomorrow may bring,” says Karloff. “But it feels better knowing that we are working together with one plan, one system, one goal in mind.”

Agribusiness, Cooperatives, data

Some Say Mega Merger Bad News

Jamie Johansen September 28, 2016

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What’s your opinion of the Bayer-Monsanto deal?”

The mega merger is still in the news and a small majority of pollers seem to believe the Bayer-Monsanto deal is bad news for the industry. As the companies work out the kinks farmers will soon see what the future holds and how this consolidation will impact their bottom line.

Here are the poll results:

Better solutions for farmers – 26%
Bad news – 37%
Consolidation is inevitable – 22%
Don’t know- 10%
Don’t care – 5%

Our new ZimmPoll is live and asks the question, How should U.S. normalize relations with Cuba?

The U.S. Ag Coalition for Cuba represents about 120 national groups each working collectively on individual interests with the common goal of improving trade relations with Cuba. Cubans seek to normalize relations with the U.S. which would include the U.S. lifting the embargo, extending credit to Cuba ensuring future trade deals and opening borders allowing U.S. citizens to travel as tourists to Cuba. Trade would open doors for U.S. agriculture and tourism would seal the deal on demand for U.S. goods. However, many believe any business with Cuba is bad business because of it’s history. Tell us how you feel…end the embargo, open-up tourism for U.S., neither or both?

ZimmPoll

Bayer Allows Belt Decision to Stand

Cindy Zimmerman September 28, 2016

The Crop Science division of Bayer today announced its final decision on whether to contest EPA’s cancellation of the insecticide flubendiamide, marketed under the trade name Belt.

Charlotte Sanson, director of registrations for the company, says they “will not engage in further legal dispute” over the matter. “Nevertheless we will continue to stand up for our growers’ access to safe, effective technologies and we will continue to push to ensure all regulatory decisions are based on the best available science,” said Sanson in a written commentary for Bayer.

Sanson says Bayer was faced with several options following EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) final ruling upholding an earlier EPA decision to cancel all flubendiamide registrations but modifying the cancellation order to allow sales of existing stocks to growers by distributors and retailers.

“As a direct result of these efforts, growers can continue to use supplies of Belt that they have on-hand and can purchase more from distributors and retailers while existing stocks last,” said Sanson. “They will however lose future access to a valuable product that even EPA had concluded posed no risk of concern to humans (either through diet or worker exposure), fish, mammals, crustaceans, mollusks, beneficial insects, pollinators, or plants.”

Bayer was also satisfied with another gain in the EAB ruling that EPA committed to never again use the “unique” voluntary cancellation condition so registrants now have a clearly defined path to challenge conditions they do not agree with.

Bayer, EPA

Hail to the New #Soybean King

Cindy Zimmerman September 27, 2016

GA farmer Randy Dowdy accepts world record soybean yield award from AJ Woodyard, BASF

Randy Dowdy of Georgia already broke corn yield records with nearly 504 bushels per acre in 2014. Now he has claimed the world record soybean yield title with 171 bushels per acre, topping Kip Cullers’ previous soybean yield record of 160 set back in 2010.

“As growers, sometimes we make high yields and sometimes we don’t,” said Dowdy at a recent press conference held by BASF. “This year, everything from weather to management decisions went right to enable a really great season.”

Dowdy says his method to achieving high yields is to identify why yield loss might occur and then do something about it. “Understanding these yield components and being a steward of the crop makes sure we’re on track to hit our yield goals,” he said.

Dowdy partnered with BASF in pursuit of higher soybean yields. “Randy came to me after breaking the corn world record,” said AJ Woodyard, Technical Crop Production Specialist, BASF. “He told me he wanted take his learnings from corn and apply them to soybeans.”

Woodyard believes this yield record of 171 bushels per acre is just a start. “Randy epitomizes the Grow Smart with BASF approach,” Woodyard said. “With Randy’s passion and willingness to push the limits of crop potential, the expectations he has for his crop will become even greater as he becomes more familiar with soybeans and hones in on his most successful strategies.”

Congratulations, Randy, on your world-record accomplishment!

BASF, Soybean

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