#IFAJ2016 Bayer Tour – Part 8 – ForwardFarming Initiative

Chuck Zimmerman

Bernd OlligsLet’s turn to the Bayer ForwardFarming Initiative in this episode of my tour during the IFAJ Congress in Germany. We got our look at the concept on Damianshof Farm near Neuss. Our host was farm manager Bernd Olligs. His family has managed the farm for six generations and he inherited ownership from his mother. On Bernd’s farm they grow sugar beets, potatoes, winter wheat, winter oilseed rape and winter barley.

This farm has worked in cooperation with Bayer and the ForwardFarming Initiative for over forty years. Bernd hosts visitors like our IFAJ group to demonstrate the performance and the correct efficient application of Bayer crop protection products. He’s all about combining productivity with biodiversity. Some of the ways that is accomplished include flowering strips by his fields, skylark plots, beetle banks, shrub gardens and nesting boxes for bees, owls and songbirds.

In future episodes we’ll get a closer look not only of Bernd’s farm but other ways Bayer is achieving progress in their ForwardFarming Initiative. I’m going to let the farmer tell you more below.

You can listen to the presentation here or watch below: Bernd Olligs Presentation


2016 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by Bayer
Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Farming, IFAJ, Video, Wheat

Eric Whitley Joins Protect The Harvest Board of Directors

Jamie Johansen

protect the harvestProtect The Harvest is expanding its Board of Directors with the addition of long-time social and political activist Eric Whitley.

Whitley is President and principal of Downforcemarketing LLC, a manufacturing, marketing and consulting firm working with Fortune 500 companies around the world. He is also Director of Business Improvement at Leading2Lean.com, a manufacturing software provider that drives data focused businesses. A keen social services activist, Whitley was originally a Protect The Harvest volunteer and now joins the Board of Directors.

“We are very pleased to welcome Eric Whitley to our Board of Directors,” says Brian Klippenstein, Executive Director of Protect The Harvest. “His marketing expertise will help counter the marketing programs underway by anti-agriculture activists. Eric loves spending his time fighting for American families, especially the poor, by ensuring we continue to have the most plentiful, safest and affordable food supply ever known in history – all provided by American farmers and ranchers.”

Ag Groups

Malaysian Market Resumes Import of US Corn

Kelly Marshall

usgcIt’s been five years since U.S. grain landed in Malaysia.  Member of the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) were recently on hand to welcome the first vessel of corn into the country since the drought in 2012/13.  The grain was loaded from the Pacific Northwest and was sold from one USGC member to another, destined for serval key USGC allies.

“This is an exciting opportunity,” said Kevin Roepke, USGC South and Southeast Asia regional director. “We’re able to build partnerships that help this bit of trade happen, which is a big win for Malaysia and U.S. producers.”

The vessel was seen by the industry as a “trial run” to retest U.S. quality following significant engagement from the Council to encourage readoption of U.S. grains. In particular, USGC’s quality reports issued each year to offer in-depth information to customers about the current year’s crop helped alleviate objections and some nervousness about U.S. corn quality.

According to operations employees, the recently-arrived vessel came in around 1 percent higher in moisture and with similar rates of broken corn as South American origin corn. High moisture has always been a concern for U.S. origin corn in Southeast Asia because hot and humid weather conditions make even short-term storage challenging. The cargo was reportedly loaded at roughly 13.7 percent and arrived at approximately 14.7 percent, close to the threshold of 15 percent.

USCG plans to work in Malaysian buyers to answer questions and help ensure future sales.  “Buyers want the best quality and we work hard to answer their questions and help them have confidence in buying from the United States,” Roepke said.

This is an opportunity for the U.S. to present corn of comparable quality to South America, since their crop is under pressure this year and the United States expect an abundant harvest.  If quality expectations are met the U.S. could see more business from Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries as well.

Ag Groups, Corn, Exports, Grains

Farm Credit System Celebrates 100 Years

Jamie Johansen

ZimmCast 521FCS Financial and the Farm Credit System have spent the last year celebrating their 100-year anniversary. To recognize this occasion, FCS Financial invited all of their member-owners to celebrate with them at the Missouri State Fair. Events for member-owners took place throughout the day along with receiving meal vouchers and admission tickets to the fair.

This was just one festivity FCS Financial held to commemorate a century of service to agriculture and rural communities. I was able to sit down with CEO of the Farm Credit System, Dave Janis, to learn more about the 100-year celebration and what the future looks like as they focus on their customer’s needs.

“Our mission for the last 100 years has been to provide a reliable source of credit and financial services to our members. As we look forward, we want to continue that mission for the next 100 years. We think agriculture and rural communities are specially important. We want to do our part to support it through our programs.”

Learn more in this week’s program: ZimmCast with FCS Financial

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here.

The ZimmCast

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Agribusiness, Audio, Farm Credit, ZimmCast

Agribusiness TV is Mobile in Africa

Chuck Zimmerman

Agribusiness TVDuring this year’s IFAJ Congress I met again with Inoussa Maïga, an agricultural journalist from Burkina Faso. This young entrepreneur brought my attention to a big project he’s involved with called, “Agribusiness TV.” This is the first web tv channel designed for mobile phones and dedicated to youth who succeed and innovate in the agricultural sector of Africa.

You can get their mobile app here: Google Play – Apple App Store

Agribusiness TV is starting with video reports in 4 countries in West and Central Africa: Burkina Faso, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon.

In each of these countries, a multimedia journalist works on the production of video reports on successful young entrepreneurs along the value chain. Agribusiness TV aspires to gradually cover other African countries.

Agribusiness TV is an initiative of MEDIAPROD, supported by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) through its Agriculture, Rural Development and Youth in the Information Society (ARDYIS) Project.

Take a look at the video below and let me know what you think about this project. Do we need one in the USA?



Caroline HIEN, 25 years, did not know how to read or write. But this did not stop her from creating her own enterprise and succeed in her business of making local fruit jams.

Caroline used to go to the market in Cote d’Ivoire and see that fruits were rotting there. For her, this is not acceptable and it has motivated her to transform these fruits, make it a business and create jobs for others.

Today, through her enterprise “Carol’s Confiture – homemade”, Caroline has won the first prize of the Challenge “Startupper 2016” and is planning to expand her business.

2016 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by Coverage of the IFAJ Congress is sponsored by Bayer
IFAJ, International, Media, Video

New Poll Shows Strong Support for TPP Agreement

Jamie Johansen

farmbureauA new poll from Morning Consult shows most voters favor fair trade. Which is something the American Farm Bureau Federation said all candidates should keep in mind as a congressional vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement comes closer to reality.

“Most Americans support free trade,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said, “and most farmers do, too. Exports account for almost a quarter of American farm receipts, so opposing fair trade agreements like TPP doesn’t make a lot of sense to rural America.”

Among other things, the August poll found:
· Fifty-seven percent of registered voters have a favorable view of “fair trade.”
· Fifty percent said they would be more likely to support TPP if they knew it would provide new markets overseas for U.S. farm products.
· After Americans were told TPP would increase net farm income by $4.4 billion and agricultural exports by $5.3 billion, 52 percent said they would be more likely to support TPP. More than half (51 percent) say an estimated increase of 40,100 jobs resulting from the agreement would make them more likely to support TPP.
· Fifty-two percent of voters say they would be more likely to support TPP if they knew the deal would increase annual income in the U.S. by $131 billion.
· Sixty-nine percent of voters support trade policies that will open new markets for U.S. products and U.S. farmers while less than one in 10 (8 percent) oppose.

“Most trade deals start out with loud opposition, only to fade away once the details become known,” Duvall said. “We are convinced TPP is no different: The more people know, the more they will support this vitally important agreement.”

AFBF, Ag Groups, Trade

Immigration/Farm Labor – Important in Upcoming Election?

Jamie Johansen

zp-nh1Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Is agriculture still relevant at state fairs?”

I won’t disclose my age, but I will say I have never missed a Missouri State Fair. No, I am not a carney. I was there with my dad as he managed FFA shows and exhibits, I have exhibited my own cattle and more recently have attended as media. No matter the exact reason, they were all centered around agriculture. And luckily, our pollers agreed that agriculture does and should play a large role at state fairs across the county. I hope your memories of state fairs are as memorable as mine and you do your part to make sure agriculture isn’t lost at future fairs.

Here are the poll results:

  • Yes, plays a big role – 65%
  • Yes, but minor – 11%
  • No, should play larger role – 16%
  • No need for ag – 5%
  • Don’t know – 0%
  • Other – 3%

Our new ZimmPoll is live and asks the question, How important is immigration/farm labor to election?

One of the hot topics in this year’s presidential election has been immigration. Both sides of the line have mentioned it’s impact, but few can agree on a solution. Farmers and ranchers are in a constant struggle to find farm labor and immigration laws play a big part. Let us know how important immigration and farm labor are in our upcoming presidential election.

ZimmPoll

USDA Assisting #Dairy Producers

Cindy Zimmerman

USDAThe U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced plans to purchase millions of pounds of surplus cheese to aid both hungry families and dairy producers.

The purchase of approximately 11 million pounds of cheese, valued at $20 million, will assist food banks and pantries across the nation, while reducing a cheese surplus that is at its highest level in 30 years. The cheese will be made available through USDA nutrition assistance programs, while the action is also intended to help boost the stalled marketplace for dairy producers whose revenues have dropped 35 percent over the past two years. USDA also announced that it will extend the deadline for dairy producers to enroll in the Margin Protection Program (MPP) for Dairy to Dec. 16, 2016, from the previous deadline of Sept. 30.

USDA received requests from Congress, the National Farmers Union, the American Farm Bureau and the National Milk Producers Federation to make an immediate dairy purchase. Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 authorizes USDA to utilize fiscal year 2016 funds to purchase surplus food to benefit food banks and families in need through its nutrition assistance programs.

Farm Bureau president Zippy Duvall praised the move by USDA. “The USDA’s action will help alleviate the tough realities of the market and keep family farmers in business at a time when too many are leaving,” said Duvall. “More than 1,200 family dairy farms went out of business in 2015. We greatly appreciate USDA’s taking this action to help our beleaguered dairy producers.”

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson says the stop gap aid is too little to help the dairy industry. “NFU appreciates USDA’s continued commitment to dairy producers, especially within a very tight budget,” said Johnson. “The current environment, however, has left dairy farmers struggling with severe economic strain, and it requires a more robust response.” Johnson adds that NFU is urging Congress to help USDA continue to assist dairy producers as funding allows.

While USDA projects dairy prices to increase throughout the rest of the year the agency will continue to monitor market conditions in the coming months and evaluate additional actions, if necessary, later this fall.

AFBF, Dairy, USDA

Announcing 2016 Borlaug Dialog

Kelly Marshall

World Food PrizeRegistration is now open for the 2016 Borlaug Dialog in Des Moines, Iowa. The event will be held on October 12-14 at the Marriott Downtown Hotel and will focus on the crucial role of nutrition in global food security.

The 2016 conference celebrates the 30th anniversary of the World Food Prize by bringing together international leaders, policy makers, farmers, executives, scientists, and experts to address critical food issues.

The title of the 2016 Borlaug Dialogue “Let Food Be Thy Medicine,” a quote attributed to Hippocrates approximately 2,400 years ago, best captures the ground-breaking achievement for which the 2016 World Food Prize laureates are being honored – the development and implementation of biofortification, breeding critical vitamins and micronutrients into staple crops, thereby dramatically reducing “hidden hunger” for millions.

The 2016 Borlaug Dialogue will feature presentations by two dynamic women political leaders from Africa: H.E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius and H.E. Dr. Joyce Banda, former President of Malawi, as well as addresses from Dr. Jim Yong Kim, President, World Bank Group and H. E. Akinwumi A. Adesina, President, African Development Bank Group.

View the full speaker list and register today!

Ag Groups, Events, Nutrition

A Bad Boy Stampede

Chuck Zimmerman

Bad Boy Off Road StampedeI want one of these Bad Boys! Some of us are already getting excited about fall hunting and one of these would really get us to and from our stands quicker. I have an old model Bad Boy that I’ve been hunting with for a couple years now and I love it. It’s an electric 4-wheel drive buggy.

So here’s what’s new:

Bad Boy® Off Road, a Textron Specialized Vehicles brand, is proud to announce the Stampede™ 900 4×4, a side-by-side with unmatched power, nimble suspension and handling, unrivaled hauling and storage capacity, an extraordinary driver experience and exceptional reliability.

“We designed Stampede to be industry-leading on the features that drivers told us matter most – power, a comfortable ride, and the ability to haul and store everything they need,” said John Collins, vice president, consumer for Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc..

Read all about it on the Bad Boy Off Road website.


Hunting, Video