International Drone Expo to Host Drone Race

Jamie Johansen

PrintInternational 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

Zimfo Bytes

  • 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

agworldAll 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

zp-nh1Our 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

bayer-logoThe 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

#DeleteToFeed Hungry People with Land O’Lakes

Chuck Zimmerman

Delete to FeedHere’s a creative idea to help feed hungry people. Land O’Lakes has created the Delete to Feed campaign. Their announcement says that there are 1 in 6 U.S. kids facing hunger and more than 42.2 million food insecure people across the country. That’s a large challenge right there.

So how does Delete to Feed work? To start with, during this Hunger Action Month, Land O’Lakes is teaming up with Feeding America and sending a challenge to foodies everywhere. The challenge is to get foodie people to log in to their Instagram account and find a food or meal picture they are willing to delete; go to DeleteToFeed.com and press the Get Started button; approve terms and Instagram connection; then delete the pic from the Instagram account. DeleteToFeed.com will then create a badge like mine from our AgWired Instagram account and you’re done. Land O’Lakes takes it from there. For every instafood pic deleted through DeletetoFeed.com, 11 meals will be donated to Feeding America, until Land O’Lakes reaches the goal of 2.75 million meals!

That’s huge I say. Huge.

When you’re all done, share your badge to get friends and family to join in. What do you say?

Cooperatives, Food, Social Media

Hail to the New #Soybean King

Cindy Zimmerman

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

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

Egg, Dairy & Chicken Prices Down, Beef Too

Jamie Johansen

screen-shot-2016-09-27-at-8-10-50-amThe American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) Fall Harvest Marketbasket Survey indicates lower retail prices for several foods, including eggs, whole milk, cheddar cheese, chicken breast, sirloin tip roast and ground chuck.

The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $49.70, down $4.40 or 8 percent compared to a survey conducted a year ago. Of the 16 items surveyed, 13 decreased and three increased in average price.

Egg prices dropped significantly due to production recovering well from the 2014 avian influenza, according to John Newton, AFBF director, market intelligence. Milk prices are down substantially, particularly compared to record-highs in 2014, due to the current global dairy surplus.

“Dry conditions in the Northeast and Northwest the last few years likely contributed to smaller supplies and higher retail prices for apples,” Newton said. In addition, he said salad prices are up due to lower output particularly in California and Arizona.

The year-to-year direction of the marketbasket survey tracks with the federal government’s Consumer Price Index report for food at home. As retail grocery prices have increased gradually over time, the share of the average food dollar that America’s farm and ranch families receive has dropped.

“Through the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. Since then, that figure has decreased steadily and is now about 17 percent, according to the Agriculture Department’s revised Food Dollar Series,” Newton said.

Using the “food at home and away from home” percentage across-the-board, the farmer’s share of this $49.70 marketbasket would be approximately $8.45.

According to USDA, Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food, the lowest average of any country in the world. A total of 59 shoppers in 26 states participated in the latest survey, conducted in September.

AFBF, Ag Groups, Food, Markets

Re-energizing The @OfficialNAMA Brand

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMAThe National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) brand is getting re-energized thanks to a fresh look at the organization’s mission, especially why it exists and membership value. Sounds very logical for an organization of members involved in agricultural marketing!

Here’s are NAMA’s key pillars:

  • Focus on agriculture
  • Agri-marketing education that increases skills
  • Connections that advance careers
  • Student involvement that secures the future

Here is the brand promise:

We are leaders in agri-marketing, connecting brands, agencies, publishers, media companies, students, business leadership, faculty, sponsors and exhibitors through interactive and engaging experiences that increase knowledge, recognize achievement and build relationships, to ensure personal and industry growth.

NAMA plans for regular fresh information that will be posted across all channels. Below is a video that was just published during the NAMA Fall Conference about the Agri-Business Education Foundation (ABEF).


NAMA, Video

FMC Creating More Minutes

Chuck Zimmerman

FMC MinuteWe’ve got our minutes back. As in The Minute, brought to you by FMC.

FMC Corporation will produce 12 new episodes of The Minute to help growers prepare for the 2017 season. The Minute series is designed to provide growers and retailers timely information about current agronomic issues impacting their businesses.

“Our host, Jake Turner, is back traveling the country, talking with industry experts and growers about best practices, new technologies and emerging trends,” said Aaron Locker, FMC marketing director. “Growers have told us how much they enjoy The Minute, and we are pleased to bring it back with new information and ideas to help them prosper.”

For every new episode posted to http://www.fmcminute.com, five winners will receive a $100 Visa® gift card. Registered viewers of The Minute by FMC are automatically entered to win each time they view an episode.

Here’s what you’ll find in the first new episode now online:

Creating an optimal yield environment for your corn takes a combination of modern genetics, crop protection products and fertilizers. Host, Jake Turner, and Dr. Fred Below, a crop physiologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, discuss how a strong start is key to achieving high yields.


Agribusiness, FMC, Video