Entrepreneurs Help Revitalize Rural Revenues
Agri-Pulse moderator Spencer Chase (left) and AgButler founder Kevin Johansen
Johansen says the company, which launched in 2020, has grown exponentially. “We have a little bit under 3,000 users on the platform and that represents 42 states,” he said. “The platform is easy to use. You can get connected with farmers and ranchers in your area but you can also search for laborers who have experience in multiple industries throughout agriculture.”
“Everybody talks about sustainable practices and protocols, but nobody addresses the real sustainable piece in agriculture and that’s the people,” said Johansen. “AgButler wants to be that sustainable piece for people in agriculture.”
Agri-Pulse Summit - Kevin Johansen interview 6:57EPA Committee Gives Ag Seat at the Table
EPA Administrator Michael Regan recently responded to recommendations from the agency’s Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Federal Advisory Committee (FRRCC) on how EPA can best support the agriculture sector’s climate mitigation and adaptation goals.
FRRCC consists of representatives appointed by the agency that provide independent policy advice and information on a range of environmental issues that are of importance to agriculture and rural communities and among the results of their recommendations to EPA is the recent creation of EPA’s Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, headed by the agency’s agricultural advisor Rod Snyder.
One of the 30 members of the FRRCC is Iowa cattle producer Bill Couser, who was selected out of more than 560 applicants. “We basically get three or four challenges every year and our job is to come together with a white paper to help EPA improve its methods of reaching out to rural America,” said Couser in a recent interview.
Couser says he was pleased to be able to host both Administrator Regan and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack together on his ranch shortly after both were appointed to the current administration. “It’s the first time in my career that I saw the heads of those two offices in the same room together. We always met with the staff,” Couser said. “We finally have a seat at the table.”
Listen to this interview with Couser from the recent American Coalition for Ethanol DC Fly-in.
Bill Couser, Iowa 5:34
DWFI Podcast 34 – Impacts of Climate Change in the US
The Fifth National Climate Assessment is federally mandated by Congress and released every four years to serve as the foremost review of research on the current and future impacts of climate change in the United States.
In this episode of the Water for Food Podcast, DWFI Director of Communications and Public Relations Frances Hayes discusses key findings of the report with three of its co-authors. DWFI Faculty Fellows Andrea Basche and Tonya Haigh co-authored the Northern Great Plains chapter, which includes Nebraska. DWFI Director of Water, Climate and Health Jesse Bell, who leads the Water, Climate and Health Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, co-authored the chapter on human health. The authors share their take on regional differences related to climate change, who is most affected by its impacts and what bright spots exist.
View the full assessment here. Find webinars on each topic hosted by the U.S. Global Change Research Program here.
Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:
DWFI podcast episode 34 57:53
The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska was founded with the mission to have a lasting and significant impact on achieving more food security with less pressure on scarce water resources by conducting scientific and policy research, using the research results to inform policy makers, and sharing knowledge through education and communication.
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Industry Ag News 3/22
AgBiome Announces Sale of Products to Certis Biologicals
AgBiome has announced sale of its products to Certis Biologicals to provide the products with new opportunities, enabling them to realize fully their transformative potential.
Founded in 2012, AgBiome embarked on a visionary journey to make a real difference in the world and emerge as a leading force in agricultural innovation. Throughout its trajectory, the company has remained steadfast in its mission to revolutionize crop protection, demonstrating that microbial solutions can rival established conventional technologies.
”AgBiome’s products, Howler and Theia fungicides, are the most effective biological fungicides with unique modes of action and efficacy similar to synthetic chemicals but with substantial environmental benefits. We are delighted that a company like Certis Biologicals, with a deep commitment to these products, will steward their future growth and development. More growers than ever will be able to see first hand the benefits of these products,” said Scott Rabe, Head of Product Development.
Both Howler® and Theia® fungicides are registered in all 50 states and deliver highly effective disease control with ultimate flexibility, including OMRI-list designation, zero-day pre-harvest interval, minimal restricted-entry interval and exemption from U.S. residue tolerances.
AEM Planning 2nd Celebration of Modern Ag in DC
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is preparing to showcase the Future of Food and Farming in the heart of Washington, DC, during the 2nd Celebration of Modern Ag on the National Mall.
On May 6-8, 2024, more than 20 AEM members will be onsite in the nation’s capital between the Smithsonian Museums to illustrate the equipment manufacturing industry’s contribution to sustainably providing for a growing world.
“AEM is honored to lead our member companies and other industry partners in showcasing the sustainability of our food system on the National Mall,” said AEM Senior Vice President Curt Blades. “This is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate how technologically advanced farms and ranches are today, as well as emphasize why the needs of rural America must be at the forefront of the policies lawmakers support.”
Blades spoke about the event during the National Ag Day celebration this week in Washington DC. Learn more in this interview.
2024 Ag Day Curt Blades interview 2:21
Precision Ag News 3/21
Ag and Food Summit Features SAF Discussion
Tim Obitts, Alder Renewables; Alan Weber, MARC-IV; Alex Menotti, LanzaJet
Alder Renewables CEO Tim Obitts says agriculture holds the key to the future for SAF. “You are above ground oil wells,” said Obitts. His company’s technology can utilize a range of sustainable woody residues, agricultural byproducts, and next-generation energy crops like miscanthus to produce SAF.
Alan Weber has been involved in the biodiesel industry for over 30 years and as founding partner of MARC-IV he is excited about innovative new oilseeds like pennycress, camelina, and brasica carinata. “Each of them very unique in how they fit in a grower’s rotation but also similar in that they help to improve soil health and the second in that those crops are being grown on acres otherwise not in production.”
LanzaJet VP of Government Affairs Alex Menotti says getting the GREET model updated to include climate smart agriculture practices is only half the battle right now for getting corn ethanol to qualify for SAF. “The other half is EPA updating their own rules to recognize the climate benefits of corn ethanol and do things like enable CCS (carbon capture and storage) which is a key enabler for alcohol-to-jet,” said Menotti, who also noted that the top legislative priority for the industry right now is getting the IRA tax credits extended.
Listen to some of their discussion here:
Agri-Pulse Summit SAF Panel One 31:11
Kevin Welsh, Airlines for America; Gene Gebolys, World Energy; Amelia DeLuca, Delta Air Lines; and Dr. Patrick Gruber, Gevo
World Energy has been in advanced biofuels for over 25 years and is now on the forefront of SAF. “Ultimately, biofuels want to fly and the reason is, that’s where you can get the best value,” said CEO Gene Gebolys. “As we work to establish this market, it won’t be a SAF market, it will be a decarbonization market.”
The GREET model remains key to making it work. “If we’re getting paid for carbon abatement and it’s a virtual attribute, how the heck do you measure it? That’s where the GREET model comes in,” said Gevo CEO Dr. Patrick Gruber. “We like real data, real science, measured, reported, verified. That’s what we have to get to.”
The Ag and Food Policy Summit was a function of Agri-Pulse Communications.
Listen to the panel:
Agri-Pulse Summit SAF Panel Two 29:26
National Ag Day Celebrated in DC
The 51st National Ag Day celebration took place in Washington D.C. Tuesday with groups gathering at USDA headquarters to recognize the individuals who feed, fuel, and clothe our nation and the world.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke in particular to the young people in attendance. “Every person who wakes up in the morning and doesn’t have to grow or harvest their own food gets to do that thanks to the small percentage of our population who work the land day in and day out,” Vilsack said. “You can choose to do whatever it is you want to do with your life because we delegated the responsibility of feeding our families and ourselves.”
2024 Ag Day Vilsack remarks 15:04
Ag Day is organized by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA), which is a nonprofit organization composed of leaders in the agriculture, food and fiber communities.
ACA Chair Jenni Badding, John Deere, says the Ag Day activities target student participation. “Each year we encourage 9th through 12th graders to submit video essays and this year the theme was ‘If you could talk to a farmer for two minutes,'” said Badding. “We had over 100 applicants and we ran the videos of the top three winners as part of the USDA event.”
Learn more about Ag Day in this interview.
2024 Ag Day Jenni Badding interview 2:59
A panel of students representing four different agricultural youth organizations spoke on the topic of “Agriculture: Growing the Climate for Tomorrow.”
Shelby Bashum, Southern Illinois Univ., Agriculture Future of America
Allison Walbrecht, Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln, National 4H
Kanyon Huntington, Iowa State University, National FFA
Anushka Tandon, Univ. of Maryland, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS)
Other speakers at the event included American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall, and Curt Blades with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers.