Miloud Araba talks Ethanol at #CUTC16

Kelly Marshall

cutc-16-araba-interviewed Miloud Araba is the head of technical services for the Enogen group at Syngenta. This week he spoke at the Corn Utilization Technology Conference, talking about the enzyme technology that creates corn grown for ethanol.

Araba says that Enogen is working with its longtime partner, Quad County Corn Processors to introduce Cellerate, a new process technology designed to enable dry grind ethanol plants to convert corn kernel fiber into advanced and cellulosic ethanol, increasing a plant’s ethanol production. “You’re not only bringing value to the ethanol plant, you’re bringing value to the farmer – the corn grower,” Araba explains. “In this case you’ve turned the farmer not only into a corn provider, but also an enzyme provider.  And so this is what we like to call a win, win, win. A win for the community, a win for the farmer, and also a win for the ethanol plant.”

He is also hearing a positive response from participants at the conference because of the simplicity of the process.  Technologies do not have to be complex to bring a lot of value is the resounding theme.

Listen to Chuck’s full interview here: Interview with Miloud Araba, Syngenta

Check out pictures from the conference: 2016 CUTC Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Corn, Ethanol, Syngenta

John Deere to Offer Nutrient Application Products

Kelly Marshall

JDJohn Deere dealers in North America will now sell and support the nutrient application products 360 Y-DROP and 360 UNDERCOVER.  The announcement came this week after an agreement between Deere & Company and 360 Yield Center.

“This innovative application technology from 360 Yield Center,” says John May, president, agricultural solutions and chief information officer, John Deere, “helps to improve timing and placement of nutrients with John Deere and Hagie application equipment, including self-propelled sprayers and toolbars. John Deere dealers will be able to provide sales and service support for these application products to help producers apply in-season nitrogen and plant health products where and when it’s needed.”

John Deere only recently announced a joint venture with Hagie Manufacturing to sell and service the Hagie high-clearance sprayer.  Now the new addition will create more alignment and innovation for sprayers.

“Demand for the 360 Yield Center nitrogen utilization products is tremendous. That’s why we are pleased with this allied distribution agreement with Deere,” says Gregg Sauder, president, 360 Yield Center. “We can now service and support more customers through the broadest dealer network in the U.S. and Canada. We have had a successful marketing partnership with Hagie and we are excited to extend this relationship to John Deere, their dealers, and their self-propelled sprayer and nutrient applicator line-up.”

Products you will soon find at your local John Deere dealership include:

360 Y-DROP gives farmers a wider window of application and more control over when and where to apply nitrogen and other nutrients to their crops. The unique design allows farmers to apply full-season nitrogen – even up to tassel – with precision placement and variable rate application.

360 UNDERCOVER helps farmers protect crops from late-season disease and insect infestations. It uses multidirectional spray nozzles and slides easily under the canopy so farmers can target fungicides, insecticides and nutrients exactly where needed for better product efficacy and improved crop health.

“John Deere now offers a more comprehensive application equipment line-up with the latest technology to help growers and commercial operators apply efficiently and accurately in all crop conditions,” says May. “Add to that our precision ag and data management technologies with the industry-leading support and service from our dealers, we’ve got an unmatched value proposition for our customers.”

Agribusiness, John Deere

Endure 4R Advocate Award Program from @GROWMARK

Cindy Zimmerman

growmark-agronomyGROWMARK has instituted a new award program to recognize the efforts of crop specialists who excel in engaging farmers by using sustainable, best-management practices.

The GROWMARK Endure 4R Advocate award was just given to five crop specialists in the FS System for working with farmers to increase their use of the 4R approach; applying fertilizers at the right source, right rate, right time and right place, and for encouraging growers to use a nitrogen monitoring program like N-WATCH.

“Nutrient management is a really important topic in the industry today,” said Lance Ruppert, GROWMARK director of agronomy marketing. “So this was a way to bring awareness to that and recognize our crop specialists who help growers manage nutrients.” The award was instituted as part of the GROWMARK Endure sustainability initiative.

This year’s winners are: Logan Haake, precision ag manager at Legacy Farmers Cooperative; Rick Klevze, Certified Crop Advisor at GROWMARK FS since 1994; Malcolm Stambaugh, crop specialist for Ag View FS; Jason Wesslund, area manager for the eastern half of Heritage FS; and Chris Snip, CCA with AGRIS Co-operative.

“We were looking for crop specialists who use the 4R system to manage nutrients – the right product, the right rate, the right placement and the right timing,” said Ruppert. “These guys are going above and beyond.”

The five crop specialists were nominated by their member companies and a selection committee comprised of individuals from the agriculture industry outside of the GROWMARK System served as judges. Winners will receive recognition for their achievement and an all-expense-paid trip with their spouse to attend the 2016 GROWMARK Annual Meeting and Agribusiness Symposium.

Listen to Lance talk more about this award and GROWMARK’s commitment to sustainability in this interview. Interview with Lance Ruppert, GROWMARK

Audio, FS System, GROWMARK, Sustainability

Saint Louis Science Center Adds Ag Exhibit

Lizzy Schultz

SLSC_basiclogo_white The Saint Louis Science Center has announced that GROW, the center’s permanent new agriculture exhibit, will open to the public this month on June 18. The exhibit will highlight the journey of food from farm to fork through 40 interactive exhibits, demonstrations, and events.

GROW is the first permanent agriculture exhibit of its size in the United States, and is designed with the intent to help visitors gain a deeper understanding of our food supply and the vital role we all play in the stewardship of our food. GROW is the Science Center’s first major addition since 1991.

“The Midwest region is filled with people and businesses who are responsible for our food supply. In fact, you don’t have to travel very far from the Science Center to see how important food and farming are to this area,” said Bert Vescolani, president and CEO of the Saint Louis Science Center. “Everyone likes to see how things grow, but when it is the food you eat, it is even more interesting. This exhibit helps connect people to the science behind all of the important elements in producing the food we eat and the challenges we face in sustaining our food supply.”

Many of the exhibit spaces will exist within the GROW Pavilion, an indoor space that features exhibits, educational programs, a bi-state agriculture map, and planned events that explore farming and its vital role in today’s complex local and global economies. Another space, the Farm Tech Field, will teach visitors all about the different ways scientists use technology to meet new challenges in agriculture. Animal Corral will allow individuals to try their hand at milking a life-sized cow, and then compare it with modern technology that allows for faster hands-free milking. On select days, local farmers will visit, bringing their animals with them. The HomeGROWn exhibit space will teach visitors all about growing food in their own backyard, and Fermentation Station will show the science behind making craft beer, wine, cheese and bread. Drop by and try our hands-on beer brewing and wine fermentation experiences.

More information about GROW may be found here.

Ag Groups, Education

Preview of the #CUTC16

Chuck Zimmerman

CUTC PostersAttendance at the 2016 Corn Utilization Technology Conference is higher than two years ago. The Chair of the committee for this year’s conference is Gene Fox, Cargill. I talked with him about the program this year.

Gene has worked with his committee to find sessions and speakers to fulfill the needs of corn growers, companies like Cargill and large food manufacturers. Some key topic areas being addressed include mycotoxins, sustainability, making high end chemicals for manufacturing processes and more. Gene says that he hopes research being displayed here will make it to the commercial market. He also hopes attendees will go home excited about what’s going on in the industry including the development of new products.

There are over 40 technical posters on display here from students as well as industry professionals. I hope to talk with several of them about their work.

You can listen to my full interview with Gene here: Interview with Gene Fox, Cargill

2016 CUTC Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, CUTC, Research

The #CUTC16 Gets Off On a Positive Note

Chuck Zimmerman

Chris NovakIn light of a lot of negativism directed toward farming today the opening speakers for the 2016 Corn Utilization Technology Conference (CUTC) were very optimistic in their outlook. Welcoming us to the 10th CUTC was Chris Novak, CEO, National Corn Growers Association. The conference is held every other year so twenty years of corn technology has been discussed in sessions just like these being held in St. Louis this week.

Chris says that the need for new technologies to utilize corn has come about since farmers realized that with technology they can create a surplus. He points to NCGA’s new strategic plan which has a focus on building corn demand.

You can listen to Chris’s opening remarks here: Chris Novak, NCGA

Kris LuttNext up on the podium was Kris Lutt, President, Sweeteners, Starches and Acidulants, ADM. Kris had a very optimistic outlook and noted several areas that will provide more opportunities for the use of corn. These include building more foreign market demand, the development of new products made from corn, increasing worldwide demand for meat, focusing more on food safety and security and continuing to develop alternatives to petroleum

You can listen to Kris’s opening remarks here: Kris Lutt, ADM

Wade EllisOur next speaker was Wade Ellis, Vice President and General Manager of Milling, Bunge North America. Wade talked about the changes in the corn market of late have pushed his company to look at alternative inputs but at the same time learn from that experience to find new ways to utilize and re-build their corn business.

You can listen to Wade’s opening remarks here: Wade Ellis, Bunge North America

After the remarks came a question and answer session from the folks attending. You can listen to the question and answer session here: CUTC Open Session Q&A

You can find lots of photos from the conference here: 2016 CUTC Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Corn, CUTC, Technology

USDA Provides Assistance to Cotton Producers

Kelly Marshall

USDAUSDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is offering $300 million in cost-share assistance payments to cotton growers to help with the cost of ginning as well as continuing expand and maintain the U.S.’s domestic cotton market.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says the announcement shows USDA continues to stand with America’s cotton producers and rural communities. “The Cotton Ginning Cost Share program will offer meaningful, timely and targeted assistance to cotton growers to help with their anticipated ginning costs and to facilitate marketing,” said Vilsack. “The program will provide, on average, approximately 60 percent more assistance per farm and per producer than the 2014 program that provided cotton transition assistance.”

Through the Cotton Ginning Cost-Share program, eligible producers can receive a one-time cost share payment, which is based on a producer’s 2015 cotton acres reported to FSA, multiplied by 40 percent of the average ginning cost for each production region. With the pressing need to provide assistance ahead of the 2016 ginning season this fall, USDA will ensure the application process is straight-forward and efficient. The program estimates the costs based on planting of cotton in 2015, and therefore the local FSA offices already have this information for the vast majority of eligible producers and the applications will be pre-populated with existing data. Sign-up for the program will begin June 20 and run through Aug. 5, 2016 at the producer’s local FSA office. Payments will be processed as applications are received, and are expected to begin in July.

Low prices and global oversupply have been affecting the market since 2011. Some producers are facing economic uncertainty, even liquidating assets to satisfy loans.  Benefits expand beyond producers, however, since affects will be felt by the broader market chain and the National Cotton Council (NCC) and American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) commend the program’s efforts to help producers overcome difficult market conditions.

“The U.S. cotton industry commends Secretary Vilsack for his efforts on making possible a program that will provide much-needed marketing assistance for our nation’s cotton producers,” said NCC Chairman Shane Stephens.

“We are especially appreciative that Secretary Vilsack took the time to work with us, the National Cotton Council and others to arrive at this special, one-time arrangement without requiring legislative action,” says AFBF President Zippy Duvall.  “This is a clear example of what we can accomplish when we work together. Our cotton farmers and the rural businesses they partner with will be better off because USDA took action to address a serious market downturn in their industry.”

American Cotton Producers Chairman Mike Tate of Alabama added, “Our producers appreciate Secretary Vilsack’s efforts in providing marketing assistance to a commodity that is suffering a serious decline in market revenue partly due to heavily-subsidized foreign competition, with no signs of the commodity prices reaching the level needed to offset their production costs. The industry will continue to work with Congress and USDA to seek long-term policy solutions that will provide stability for the cotton industry.”

The Cotton Ginning Cost-Share Program has the same eligibility requirements as the 2014 Cotton Transition Assistance Program, and also includes a $40,000 prodder payment limit, requirement to be actively engaged in farming, meet conservation compliance and a $900,000 adjusted gross income limit.  Learn more at your local FSA office or  visit www.fsa.usda.gov/cgcs.

Cotton, USDA

Forbes Media Hosts AgTech Summit

Kelly Marshall

AgTech SummitForbes Media will be hosting its second AgTech Summit on July 13-14, 2016 in Salinas Valley California.  More than 500 of the brightest and most entrepreneurial minds will be attending this two-day, invitation-only event, hoping to tackle some of agriculture’s greatest challenges.

The event is expected to bring about lively debate and offer great networking opportunities.  It will also be a site for showcasing the latest innovation for farmers and those in the agriculture industry.

Activities begin with field demonstrations and a plant tour of Mann Packing and Taylor Farms and continue with a tour of Tanimura & Antles’ farmworker housing complex.  The Innovation Showcase and Plenary Sessions are back from last year, featuring more than 35 AgTech startups.

Speakers Include Julie Borlaug, Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture, Texas A&M; Mike Macrie, SVP/ Chief Information Officer, Land O’Lakes, Inc.; Kip Tom, Managing Member and CEO, Tom Farms; Jorge Heraud, Co-founder and CEO, Blue River Technology; Dr. Ron Meeusen, Managing Director, Cultivian Sandbox; Robert T. Fraley, Ph.D., Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, Monsanto; Sara Menker, Founder and CEO, Gro Intelligence; and Bruce Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Taylor Farms, among others

“This summit is a fantastic opportunity for the AgTech community to discuss real solutions in accelerating new technologies and capabilities in farming,” said Bruce Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Taylor Farms. “We are currently in trials with eight of the participating companies we met during last year’s Forbes AgTech Summit.”

“We are convening over 500 of agriculture’s leading voices to debate, discuss and showcase innovative solutions to the most daunting challenges facing global agriculture,” said Paul Noglows, Executive Producer of the Forbes AgTech Summit. “We can think of no better place to do that than historic Main Street Salinas where the Salinas and Silicon Valley’s meet.”

The founding partner of the Forbes AgTech Summit is SVG Partners and its Thrive Accelerator. Presenting sponsors include Western Growers and the City of Salinas. Partner sponsors include Land O’Lakes, Inc. and Monsanto. Supporting sponsors include Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Driscoll’s, Novozymes, Produce Marketing Association and Taylor Farms. Hartnell College will be hosting the Field Demos at its Alisal Campus and both Mann Packing and Taylor Farms will be hosting plant tours. The official travel partner is Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Mixing Bowl is Program Partner for the Summit.

For more information, please visit http://www.forbesconferences.com/event/2016-forbes-agtech-summit/.

Agribusiness, Events, Precision Agriculture

New Faces Sought By @USFRA

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance (USFRA®) is looking for a few new faces.

USFRA Faces - Thomas Titus of Illinois, Jay Hill of New Mexico, Erin Brenneman of Iowa, Carla Wardin of Michigan, and Darrell Glaser of Texas

USFRA Faces – Thomas Titus of Illinois, Jay Hill of New Mexico, Erin Brenneman of Iowa, Carla Wardin of Michigan, and Darrell Glaser of Texas

This year, through the Faces of Farming & Ranching program search, USFRA is looking for its third class of standout farmers and ranchers who are proud of what they do and strive to be sustainable and technology-driven, eager to share their stories of continuous improvement and are actively involved in sharing those stories in public and on social media to help put a real face on agriculture and shine a light on the heart, personalities and values that are behind today’s food.

“The impact of farmers and ranchers leading the conversation about how food is grown and raised is imperative in gaining trust with today’s consumers,” said Nancy Kavazanjian, USFRA Chairwoman. “We’ve seen strides in sustainability and technology on the farm, yet misconceptions about genetically engineered (GE) crops, antibiotics and pesticides confuse consumers, so these ambassadors for agriculture are critical in setting the record straight and participating in these influential conversations about food production.”

Farmers and ranchers who grow and raise an assortment of foods through various methods, on differing scale and across all regions of the country are encouraged to apply, as it is important to show American agriculture and all of its diversity.

“People genuinely want more information about farming and ranching, and talking to people as a representative of the industry sharing the facts, but also addressing their feelings, is an interesting part of this role,” said Carla Wardin, one of USFRA’s current Faces of Farming & Ranching and a Michigan dairy farmer. “I’d encourage everyone to apply, because not only does it help you improve as a communicator, but you can also make an impact on the consumers’ view of today’s agriculture being progressive and committed to responsible practices.”

Interested farmers and ranchers can apply for the program online by July 10, 2016 and will need to include a home video of less than three minutes describing themselves and their farm or ranch. Among other criteria, farmers and ranchers must have an existing social media presence, either through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and/or a blog. A combination of public voting and USFRA judging scores will be used to determine the winners, who will be announced on November 9 at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Convention (NAFB) in Kansas City.

Social Media, USFRA

NAFB Member Dies Tragically in Auto Accident

Kelly Marshall

Gary DiGiuseppeLong-time member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters, Gary DiGiuseppe, died as a result of an automobile accident last week.  Mr. DiGiuseppe was on his way to work at KARN Radio when the accident occurred.

Gary had been a broadcaster for more than 40 years, spending time at Michigan Farm Raido Network, Brownfield Network, KWMT Radio and the Arkansas Radio Network.  He was currently serving as the morning newscaster for ‘First News with Kevin Miller” on KARN and providing daily newscasts for The Arkansas Radio Network.  He also did freelance work and his pieces were featured in several publications.

NAFB will remember Gary as an involved member, serving on multiple committees, editor of Chats, and resolutions chair.

His obituary is as follows:

Gary John DiGiuseppe, Little Rock, AR and St. Clair Shores, MI. Loving husband of Mary (Handy-Wild). Dearest father of Annie Marie and the late Andrew; step-father of James Wild. Dearest son of Leonard and Virginia DiGiuseppe. Brother of Carol DiGiuseppe-Zuniga (Dr. Jorge) and the late Joseph. Nephew of John DiGiuseppe Sr. (Joanne), Frances Chiesa (Russell), and the late Leonard Tagliavia (Gayle).

Gary attended Roeper City and Country School, De La Salle Collegiate, University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University before starting his career in journalism and radio. Gary was a deeply private man who spoke few words, expressed a tremendous writing talent, was an accomplished musician and gained national respect and recognition as a broadcaster and journalist. He loved his family, his work and held firm to important principles, never wavering. He will be missed.

Visitation Sunday, June 5, 2016, 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. at the Charles Verheydan Funeral Home, 16300 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe Park, MI. Funeral Mass Monday, June 6, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. with in state at 9:00 a.m. at St. Lucy Catholic Church, 23401 Jefferson, St. Clair Shores, MI.

NAFB