Blazing Trails Theme for @Better_Seed Meeting

Cindy Zimmerman

asta-2016A trail blazing joint convention of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) with the Oregon Seed Association this year will highlight the diverse seed industry of the Beaver State.

“Oregon is known as the cool season grass capitol of the world,” says ASTA Chair Risa DeMasi of Grassland Oregon, who will be hosting this year’s meeting. “Over 90 percent of the cool season grasses are produced here in the Willamette Valley. Besides that we’re producing over 220 different crops. We’re extremely diverse.”

asta-risaThe annual meeting will be held in Portland, which is located on the north end of the Willamette Valley, an area of about one million acres of farmland extending 100 miles to the south. The event will include the opportunity for a bus tour to give participants the chance to experience Oregon’s crop diversity first-hand.

DeMasi says the “Blazing Trails” theme of the convention will highlight the unique issues and opportunities facing the industry. “Look at the new technology and innovations that our industry is bringing to the world and affecting everyone’s quality of life, we truly are blazing trails in a number of ways,” she said.

Registration for the 133rd annual ASTA annual convention June 18-22 is still available and Risa encourages everyone in the industry to join us – and check out the new and improved ASTA BetterSeed.org website at the same time.

Interview with Risa DeMasi, ASTA Chair
ASTA, Audio, Seed

Agrievolution Alliance Strengthens Global Industry Support

Kelly Marshall

AgrievolutionThe Agrievolution Alliance is a global network of agricultural equipment manufacturers made up of more than 6,000 member companies.  The group has now announced the newest addition to their ranks, the National Association for Agricultural, Forestry and Landscaping Machinery (ANSEMAT) of Spain.  ANSEMAT represents 63 agriculture equipment manufacturing companies and 124 total companies.  This brings Alliance’s total to 14 equipment organizations from across the globe.

“We look forward to ANSEMAT’s participation in the Alliance as we continue to grow in scope and provide a valuable global voice on behalf of the industry,” said Anita Sennett, director, agriculture product management for the North American-based Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and Alliance Secretariat.  “Our main message to the public and government officials is the essential role of agricultural machinery to improved quality of life and economic gains: advances in mechanization provide the increased productivity and efficiencies that farmers around the world need to feed and clothe the world.”

The addition of ANSEMAT also means more global market data will be available to members through the Agrievolution Statistics Program (ASP).

The program is a 40-year-old global data exchange among 17 companies that earlier this month officially voted in the Alliance as Secretariat to facilitate and help expand the program while receiving data for its members in return. AEM will act as Statistics Secretariat on behalf of the Alliance.

The Agrievolution Statistics Program is open to AEM and Alliance member companies, providing global product-specific market data to those reporting into the program, which currently covers five products: tractors, combines, forage harvesters and two types of hay balers. The program may be expanded in the future to include additional product categories.

Membership in Agrievolution Alliance offers market data, with biannual global sales and outlook reports, global conferences offering market and economic information, and advocacy for the industry.

AEM, Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Equipment

Vets Turn Focus on Soil Health

Lizzy Schultz

one-16-fink Several international experts in animal health and nutrition were present at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, where their expert testimony on the solutions to the wide array of challenges facing animal production could be heard by a global audience. Prof. Johanna Fink-Gremmels, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and expert in Veterinary Toxicology who works with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) traveled to the conference from the Netherlands in order to speak to audiences on the future of animal health, which she believes must begin to become more holistic.

“When we have previously talked about the food chain, we have always been talking about food security and food safety, but as we are being confronted with antimicrobial resistance as one of the biggest global challenges facing our world, we have to find additional means and tools to analyze it and to stop it,” said Dr. Fink-Gremmels during an interview at the conference. “And in the frame of these activities, we are beginning to look into the food chain and having a one health approach, where we focus on caring for people, as well as having another view of animal production and a focus on the environment.”

Dr. Fink-Gremmels discussed this one health approach in her special session during the conference, titled “A Holistic View of the Food Chain.” She discussed the future role of veterinarians in finding solutions to problems like antibiotic resistance, and that many of these solutions may easily be found within our soil.

“I’m talking this week about the link between animal production, antimicrobial resistance, and people, which is the environment, and my message lies behind using the soil to help take care of all of these things, so we don’t only have healthy people and animals, but happy people and animals,” she said.

Listen to Lizzy’s full interview with Dr. Fink-Gremmels here
Interview with Dr. Johanna Fink-Gremmels, EFSA

View and download photos from the event here:2016 ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference Photo Album

Ag Groups, Alltech, Animal Health, Audio, International, Soil, Veterinary

China – #ONEBigIdea for Beef

Jamie Johansen

one-alltech-16-275The industry of agriculture has an international consumer base, and so many agribusiness professionals are looking into the international opportunities available within their sector and their business. Ian Lahiffe, New Business Development Director for Alltech China hosted several special sessions during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, to discuss the opportunities that exist within the country of China, especially for the beef industry.

China’s consumption of beef is increasing at an incredible rate compared to the stagnant rate of beef consumption currently seen in America and Europe, yet 0.5 percent of the beef consumed in China is produced domestically. The U.S. does not currently have access to export beef to China, but Lahiffe believes that the international respect U.S. branded beef currently holds would make the products incredibly marketable in China should access to the country eventually be granted.

“Within ten years, per capita beef consumption could double, which means that they would need an extra seven million tons of beef per year,” said Lahiffe in an interview during the ONE conference. “What other market is there with that kind of latent consumption? It could become our largest market if we are able to gain access to export our products there.”

In the meantime, Alltech is doing a significant amount of work with the Chinese beef industry, with hopes to help improve and increase their domestic production and build a healthy, sustainable beef sector within the country.

“China’s beef sector isn’t on a large scale yet, they’re struggling with financing and the areas of animal nutrition and health, so we have a strong presence over there right now, we’re offering them a lot of support.” said Lahiffe. “We’re building a beef farming institute to train the future beef farmers of the industry, and we also recently brought a group of 20 Chinese beef farmers to Amarillo, Texas, to see the beef sector there.”

Listen to Lizzy’s full interview with Ian here:
Interview with Ian Lahiffe, Alltech China

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio, Beef, International

Research Says Americans Prefer Hot Dogs On The Grill

Jamie Johansen

hot dogNew research commissioned by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) suggests that Americans prefer their dogs straight off the grill. Of the 90% of Americans who say they prepare hot dogs, 63% say grilling is their favorite way to cook a hot dog. Other cooking methods included steaming (12%), microwaving (9%) or frying in a pan (8%).

NHDSC estimates that Americans will consume more than seven billion hot dogs between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. That is a lot of hot dogs. Since today is Memorial Day. The count has begun and I am sure many of us have already added to that number.

“Hot dogs are the staple of an American summer,” said NHDSC President Eric Mittenthal. “The smell of a hot dog cooking on the grill awakens us from the soggy spring doldrums and arouses joyful memories, as well as a growling stomach.”

The research was conducted online in May 2016 among more than 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older by Harris Poll for the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC).

While Americans are most likely to grill a hot dog, the research also finds that many people prefer to enjoy it inside their home with 34 percent of hot dog eaters saying that’s their favorite place to eat a hot dog, Twenty-two percent prefer eating hot dogs in their backyard, while 19 percent most enjoy their hot dogs while tailgating or inside a sporting event. Thirteen percent of hot dog eaters say they are best enjoyed at a picnic.

“Home is where the heart is, so it’s no surprise that Americans are primarily enjoying hot dogs at home,” said Mittenthal. “No matter where they eat one, we know it is with a smile on their face.”

Ag Groups, Food

I AM USFRA – Gene Stoel

Cindy Zimmerman

i-am-usfra-webThird generation Minnesota farmer Gene Stoel has served on the board of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance (USFRA) for three years now and he considers it time well spent for him representing his family and his fellow farmers.

“To me it’s very important to tell people what it is we do, why we do the things we do and help them better understand where their food comes from,” Gene says.

usfra-mn-stoelStoel, who represents the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, says he has been impressed with the consumer research that USFRA has funded to help farmers communicate their message better. “They research the things that consumers want to know about farming and also the messages that resonate with consumers in the most positive way,” he said. Gene also notes that USFRA shares that research with member affiliates like his state checkoff funded organization so they can use it on the local level.

Gene and his family farm are featured on the USFRA website talking about his commitment to sustainability, which he takes very seriously and wants consumers to understand how important it is to him and future generations of farmers. “To me, that’s sustainability, being able to pass your operation on to the next generation,” he says.

Learn more about Gene and his commitment to USFRA here: Interview with Gene Stoel, Minnesota farmer

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Audio, Soybean, USFRA

What Does a Bayer Monsanto Buyout Mean for Ag?

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How concerned are you about feeding 9 billion by 2050?”

It is obvious people have strong opinions about this. Few are in the middle. However, a strong majority believe we should be taking this challenge very serious and agriculture has an opportunity with some pressure to do so in a sustainable way.

Here are the poll results:

  • Very concerned – 57%
  • Slightly concerned – 6%
  • Not concerned – 28%
  • Won’t ever reach 9 billion – 9%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, What would a Bayer Monsanto buyout mean for ag?

Bayer AG made a $62 billion bid to acquire Monsanto Company this month that was rejected by the board of the St. Louis-based agribusiness giant, but the door was left open for further negotiations. With ChemChina in the process of acquiring Syngenta, what do you think about the possibility of two major agricultural companies like Bayer and Monsanto becoming one?

ZimmPoll

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

Zimfo Bytes

The Digitalization of Agriculture

Jamie Johansen

one-alltech-16-464-editedEmerging technologies are knocking on the doorsteps of agriculture daily. One of these is facial recognition, not necessarily new when used with humans, but a cutting-edge concept in animal agriculture. David Hunt, co-founder of Cainthus, a company dedicated to digitizing ag practices, spoke to attendees of ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference about ways we can all take advantage of new developments in digitalization, automation and the cloud.

“As far as I know, we are the only company in the world that is able to tell the difference between one cow and another simply from how it looks and how it moves. Once you can tell one cow from the herd, you are able to track, monitor and build analytics based on it’s behavior. Hopefully, this will enable farmers to farm more profitability.”

This technology has only recently been economically viable in agriculture because imaging sensors have become cheap, along with data storage and transfer. David said one of the biggest cost-savors to the producers is lameness detection. Since facial recognition allows for 24/7 monitoring, the moment an animal shows signs of lameness it is spotted. Feed efficiency and general behavioral analytics are two other examples of data being collected.

There is no doubt we are living in a digitized world. David believes 20 to 30 years from now we will be talking about this era as the digitalization revolution, similar to industrial and agricultural revolutions in the past. He said he would advice any farmer to implement any technology today that is affordable on a $1/acre or $1/head that gives you digital data capture on your farming operation.

Learn more about facial recognition and the digitalization of agriculture in my complete interview iwth David: Interview with David Hunt, Cainthus

View and download photos from the event here: 2016 ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference Photo Album

Agribusiness, Alltech, Audio, data, Technology

New Bill Would Address On-Farm Fuel Storage

Cindy Zimmerman

Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has introduced legislation that would modify EPA regulations regarding on-farm fuel storage. The bill, known as the Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship (FUELS) Act, is co-sponsored by Committee Chairman Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK).

fischer“I am proud to introduce the Senate-version of the FUELS Act, which would provide relief for farms and ranches with on-farm fuel storage from unnecessary regulations meant for oil refineries,” said Sen. Fischer.

According to Fischer, EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations were originally designed for major oil refineries, but over the past several years, the agency has threatened to subject the agriculture community to these regulations. The FUELS Act would exempt farms with 10,000 gallons or less of storage from the SPCC rule. In addition, it would exempt farms with an aggregate above ground storage of 10,001 to 42,000 gallons and/or no history of spills, and all aggregate above ground storage tanks for animal feed ingredients, regardless of capacity.

In 2014, Senator Fischer successfully brokered a bipartisan provision in the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 that addressed the EPA’s SPPC rule by providing an immediate 6,000-gallon exemption for agriculture producers. The provision also required the EPA to conduct a study to review and determine the most appropriate level of exemption for on-farm fuel storage between 2,500 and 6,000 gallons, based on significant risk of discharge to water. In June 2015, the EPA published its study on the SPCC rule, which raised further concerns that farms would still be significantly impacted by SPCC requirements.

Environment, EPA, Farming