USSEC Provides Sustainability Verification

Jamie Johansen September 8, 2016

Sustainability is in nearly every conversation concerning agriculture these days. Therefore, it was no surprise the U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange tackled the topic as well. The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) held a Sustainability Forum focused on how to practice sustainability throughout the entire soy value chain. USSEC Marketing Director for Market Access, Rosalind Leeck, spoke with me about the sustainably grown U.S. soybean and their Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP).

“SSAP really evolved out of a demand placed upon the industry from the European Union. When we started looking at what the European customers were asking us we realized we had a great story to tell. We soon started to document everything the farmers were doing from a regulatory standpoint that they were required to do as well as the voluntary actions they did on their farm to make sure they maintained a sustainable business.”

Rosalind reminded those in attendance how sustainability encompasses more than just the environment. She said we should picture a three legged stool. Social sustainability, economic sustainability and environmental sustainability are all equally important.

Through SSAP, USSEC has created tools for customers around the world. These tools answer their questions about the soy products they buy because they understand different parts of the world are concerned about different things. “We have tried to capture all the good things we are doing so when our customers buy U.S. soy they can verify how the product was produced.”

Listen to my complete interview with Rosalind to learn more about SSAP here: Interview with Rosalind Leeck, USSEC

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 US Soy Global Trade Exchange Photos

Ag Groups, Audio, Soybean, Sustainability, USSEC

AEM Talks Right to Repair at #FarmProgressShow

Cindy Zimmerman September 8, 2016

As the farmer’s “right to repair” farm equipment has become a headline story even in mainstream media, manufacturers are trying to get the facts out to dispel the hype.

At the Farm Progress Show, representatives from the Equipment Dealers Association (EDA), the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), and the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association (INEDA) held a press briefing to talk about the issue.

AEM Senior Director of Government and Industry Relations Nick Tindall says proponents of right-to-repair are spreading the myth that farmers can’t even change the oil in their own equipment. “Farmers today can do the vast majority of what they need to do on the farm,” said Tindall. “They own their machines and they can work on them.”

To an extent, that is. “To where there are a few instances – and we’re talking about computer codes mainly – where it is restricted, a lot of it has to do with the Environmental Protection Agency and emissions standards,” said Tindall. “It’s the law and we can get in some serious trouble if our equipment doesn’t meet it and our dealers can get in some serious trouble, even if a third party makes a modification to it.”

The other important issue to consider is proprietary coding. “Because in today’s equipment, that’s where all the research dollars are,” Tindall explained. “It’s extraordinarily technical work that requires dealers to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in training and equipment to keep up with the standards.”

Learn more in this interview: Interview with Nick Tindall, AEM

2016 Farm Progress Show Photos

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AEM, Audio, Equipment, Farm Progress Show

Zimfo Bytes

Lizzy Schultz September 8, 2016

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has announced plans for the department’s annual USDA Data Users’ Meeting, where statistical and non-statistical agencies will update data users on recent and pending changes in various data and information programs important to agriculture, and will seek comments and input on these programs.
Osborn Barr has announced three new hires. John Meyer was named the agency’s new business development director, Nicole Phillips will serve as Group Director and will lead the Monsanto account and equipment portfolio of business for the agency, and Zach Arnold was hired into the position of Group Creative Director at Osborn Barr.
FFA chapters from 42 communities in 26 states recently received up to $1,200 in funds from the National FFA Organization’s Living to Serve: Environmental and Emergency Preparedness Grant Program and have begun their semester-long projects that intend to tackle an environmental or emergency preparedness issue in their communities.
The deadline to submit your application for a Conservation Legacy Award has been extended until Sept. 15. Make sure to apply today to win a trip to the 2017 Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas.

Zimfo Bytes

Apply for the Global Youth Ag Summit

Lizzy Schultz September 8, 2016

Bayer, along with two Belgian young farmers associations, Groene Kring and Fédération des Jeunes Agriculteurs (FJA), are inviting young thought leaders from around the world to apply to attend the third Global Youth Agriculture Summit from October 9 to 13, 2017 in Brussels, Belgium. Interested young leaders, aged 18 to 25, are invited to apply for participation. Essay applications will be accepted here until January 13, 2017.

At the summit, about 100 selected young delegates from around the world will engage in an open discussion on one of the world’s most challenging questions: How do we sustainably feed a hungry planet?

Applicants are asked to submit an essay on the underlying causes of food insecurity and the effect it can have on a growing population. Key selection criteria include the ability to demonstrate original ideas and passion to help shape the future.

“We are delighted to co-host the next Youth Ag-Summit in Brussels,” says FJA’s secretary general Guillaume Van Binst. “FJA aims to mobilize stakeholders, organize advocacy, and address both farmers and the general public. And where better to do so than at this prestigious global event?” Groene Kring national chairman Giel Boey agrees. “Brussels, is an ideal location for this seminal gathering of young farmers to help us face up to the future of agriculture and of feeding the world,” he says.

The Summit’s long-term goal is to inspire delegates to act on the challenges facing our global food supply, and action is clearly needed to improve young people’s knowledge about agriculture, since many young people are disconnected from farming and give little thought to where their food comes from.

“Bayer is committed to encouraging young people to learn about agriculture and to inspire the next generation of ag visionaries. With initiatives like the 2017 Youth Ag-Summit, agricultural scholarships and experimental learning at our student labs and online, we want to encourage young people to learn more about sustainable agriculture and food supply whereby the vital role of science and innovation is highlighted,” says Bernd Naaf, Head of Business Affairs & Communications and Labor Director at Bayer.

Ag Groups, Bayer, International

USFRA Research Focuses on Consumers and Sustainability

Cindy Zimmerman September 8, 2016

Sustainability is the biggest buzz word of the day when it comes to food. That’s why the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) has spent a lot of time this year researching just what sustainability means to consumers and their food choices.

USFRA Randy Krotz says they found out that while there seems to be no consistant definition of sustainability, most consumers associate sustainability with four key areas. “We found out if you talk about air, soil, water and habitat, it connects with consumers,” said Krotz during an interview at Farm Progress Show last week. “They’re wondering what we as agriculturalists are doing that impacts the environment.”

The research finds that younger consumers in particular are literally hungry for information about food. “Millennials are looking for information at a rate that we almost can’t keep up with,” said Krotz. “We’ve got to be transparent, we’ve got to tell our story, and we need to do it because 75 percent of consumers are concerned about where their food is coming from.”

USFRA was sharing this sustainability research with producers at Farm Progress Show and providing training on ways to use it to create productive, positive dialogue about the industry.

Learn more from Randy in this interview: Interview with Randy Krotz, USFRA

2016 Farm Progress Show Photos

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Audio, Farm Progress Show, Research, Sustainability, USFRA

#IFAJ2016 Tour – Part 11 – Bayer Wheat

Chuck Zimmerman September 8, 2016

In this next episode of my stories from the 2016 IFAJ Congress Bayer Tours we’re going to learn about wheat production. In this ForwardFarm tour stop Cristiane Henk talks about Bayer crop protection products for wheat on the Damianshof Farm. Wheat is the biggest crop in the world in case you didn’t know that.

Wheat can be affected by many different pathogens and the wheat product portfolio for Bayer addresses many of them like fungi and insects. Christiane shows us how Bayer’s products helped this farm deal with yellow rust which was especially prevalent this year.

Besides crop protection Bayer is also working on new wheat hybrids but not at this farm. However, the company does have 7 R&D locations around the world for this type of research.

You can listen to the presentation here or watch below to learn more: Christiane Henk, Presentation

2016 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

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Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, IFAJ, Video, Wheat

Agrible Alien Rooster Lands at #FarmProgressShow

Cindy Zimmerman September 8, 2016

The Agrible alien rooster and MiniZ became good friends at the Farm Progress Show last week and helped us learn more about Agrible’s “alien technology” on the farm.

“It really is so far ahead and so foreign to a lot of people that it just seems alien,” said Agrible sales director Jason Little.

Among Agrible’s alien technology products is the free Find My Seed™ tool which combines searchable data from over 300,000 third-party seed trial plots covering 23,000 different seed varieties. “It’s an independent seed trial aggregator,” said Little. “Based on the criteria, it will search the data base and come back with the hybrids that have the highest yield advantage.”

Agrible just expanded Find My Seed™ to include five additional crop types. In addition to corn and soybeans, Find My Seed now includes thousands of varieties of wheat, barley, peanuts, oats, and cotton. Find My Seed makes it easy for growers to find the right seed based on the factors that are important to them, such as location, soil type, seed technology, brand and more.

Learn more about Agrible in this interview: Interview with Jason Little, Agrible

2016 Farm Progress Show Photos

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Audio, data, Farm Progress Show, Technology

Demand for Aquaculture Creates Demand for #USsoy

Jamie Johansen September 7, 2016

Did you know that aquaculture is the fastest growing animal production system in the world today? Or that aquaculture is the fastest growing utilization area for soy protein ingredients? Aquaculture and U.S. soybean production easily fit hand-in-hand. While I was at the U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange I quickly realized the relationship aquaculture and the soybean community have formed and understood the extreme potential for growth on both ends.

Colby Sutter, Marketing Director, Aquaculture & Customer Focus, U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), sat down with me to share more about this growth. “Aquaculture is an industry that has been growing at a rapid pace for the last nine years. It has grown 10% per year, which means more and more feed is needed. More high quality, consistent protein are needed for these aquafeed ingredients. U.S. soy with it’s sustainability and consistent supply really fits that need perfectly.”

USSEC has boots on the ground globally providing technical assistance, sharing the latest in new technologies and training. Colby said that was just one aspect as to why international customers choose U.S. soy. “Our protein, our actual ingredient is of a higher protein. Our amino acids are better. We offer a more sustainable product and now with the U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol, we offer people the ability to have certified U.S. sustainable soy, which is more and more important in food products.”

China is leading the world in seafood production and they are a net importer, as well. Colby said they are also seeing a lot of growth in Southeast Asia and surprisingly, they are seeing growth in Latin America. “That is where we, as USSEC, are really focusing. There we have great marketshare. We have put a lot of emphasis in working on our program there and helping to see that aquaculture industry grow because that will be straight U.S. soy going into that market.”

Listen to my complete interview with Colby here: Interview with Colby Sutter, USSEC

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 US Soy Global Trade Exchange Photos

Ag Groups, Aquaculture, Audio, Feed, Soybean, Sustainability, Trade, USSEC

New Holland SmartTrax™ II Upgrades

Chuck Zimmerman September 7, 2016

At Farm Progress Show last week, New Holland announced expansion of the SmartTrax™ offering for model year 2017 T9 Series tractors with the SmartTrax™ II Standard Track and Deep Traction Lug options and new belt traction lug.

“We heard from a number of customers who were searching for a similar solution at a lower acquisition cost, and we listened,” said Dan Valen, Cash Crop Marketing Segment Lead at New Holland. “The new Standard design offers a cost-effective alternative to the premium Hi-Idler, featuring the same benefits with the exception of the aggressive approach angle.”

Both the Hi-Idler and Standard modules are available with Agricultural lug tread or new Deep lug tread for added traction on the T9.600, T9.645 and T9.700 vehicles. The Agricultural lug tread has a tread height of 2 inches, while the Deep Lug tread height is 2.6 inches, making it ideal for very wet conditions or in loose or softer soils where traction is difficult to achieve. Both track belts are designed with a 153.3mm (6 inch) tread spacing, which improves traction in wet or soft ground conditions and optimizes tread cleanout in muddy or sticky field conditions.

Learn more about this new offering in the audio and video links from FPS below:

Listen to Dan’s presentation here: Presentation by Dan Valen, New Holland

You can watch Dan’s presentation below:

2016 Farm Progress Show Photos

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Audio, Equipment, Farm Progress Show, New Holland, Video

Why #USSoy? These Customers Answer

Jamie Johansen September 7, 2016

The U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange & Midwest Specialty Grains Conference welcomed hundreds of decision-making global U.S. soy customers to this year’s event to further the relationship building process and put a face to the American soybean producer. International leaders were able to meet one-on-one with key U.S. trading partners and visit soybean farms throughout the midwest.

I met many over the three-day event, but sat down with Samuel Kwame Ntim Adu, CEO, Yedent Agro Group, who traveled here from Ghana. Yedent processes soy and maize and serves as a supply chain partner for the World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) and American Soybean Association (ASA) in Ghana. Pictured with Samuel is Executive Director of WISHH, Jim Hershey.

Samual said he came on this trip to identify businesses where relationships could be built with WISHH. “WISHH is an arm of the U.S. agency that tries to encourage soy consumption outside of the U.S in both humans and animals. Ghana is an emerging market with a growing income, growing middle class and where health issues have become a certain proposition. It’s a great time for U.S. soy processed products.”

Learn more about Ghana’s emerging soy market and why this conference was so important for Samuel in my complete interview here: Interview with Samuel Kwame Ntim Adu, Yedent Agro

I also caught up with one of the international customers representing the America’s and calls Colombia home. Mauricio Campillo is CEO of Solla, which produces soybean and soybean oil for animal feed and pet foods. Solla customers are located in Central America and throughout the Caribbean. Mauricio said their customers are feeding soy products in areas of aquaculture, poultry, swine and cattle.

The bottom line for buyers is a quality product. So, why U.S. soy? “We use the soybean products because they are the core ingredient to produce the feed to feed animals in Colombia. We import from the United States because they produce a very good product and logistics are very good for our country.”

It was Mauricio’s first time to the global trade event and he said it was a very good opportunity to get an update on all the things that are happening in soy globally. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a photo of Mauricio, but you can listen to my complete interview to learn more about the soybean market throughout Central and South America here: Interview with Mauricio Campillo, Solla

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 US Soy Global Trade Exchange Photos

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, Food, International, Soybean, USSEC

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