GROWMARK Welcomes 61 Summer Interns

Lizzy Schultz May 19, 2016

GROWMARK has announced that sixty-one college students will spend this summer exploring agricultural career opportunities as GROWMARK interns in the company’s 57th summer internship program. Interns will work at FS member cooperatives in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Ontario, Canada, as well as GROWMARK FS, Mid-Co Commodities, and the GROWMARK corporate office in Bloomington, Illinois.

Interns will work in the areas of accounting, marketing, communications, and product and service-related activities. An orientation program was held for the entire group at the GROWMARK corporate office on Monday, May 16, and all 61 will reconvene in June for an agribusiness tour. Each intern will also complete am individual project and deliver a presentation on that project in August.

“We are excited to celebrate the 57th anniversary of the GROWMARK internship program,” said Amie Hasselbring, GROWMARK university relations manager. “The program continues to be a key component in identifying and retaining top talent into the GROWMARK System. Students engage with industry professionals on important projects and have the opportunity to clarify career goals, while we get exposed to the most talented university students,” she added.

A full list of the summer interns can be found here

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Education, GROWMARK, University

ITC Study Predicts #TPP Benefits for Farmers

Cindy Zimmerman May 19, 2016

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) this week released a report on the expected impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) on various industries and agriculture fares especially well.

The report finds that, “Among broad sectors of the U.S. economy, agriculture and food would see the greatest percentage gain relative to the baseline projections, output would be $10.0 billion, or 0.5 percent, higher by year 15.”

“The ITC report provides another strong argument for why TPP should be passed this year,” said U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman. “If you are a poultry farmer in Delaware this report shows that chicken exports will increase by $174 million annually under TPP. If you are a rancher in Nebraska this report shows that beef exports will increase by $876 million annually under TPP.”

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says all studies so far have shown the strong benefits TPP would have for agriculture. “TPP would further expand the markets for our American-grown products, allowing our goods to compete on a level-playing field and reach more consumers hungry for U.S. agriculture,” said Vilsack. “If we don’t act, not only will we lose these opportunities, we will be ceding our leadership in the region to China, allowing them to define the rules that the Pacific Rim plays by. We can’t afford to delay passage; there is simply too much at stake.”

The TPP agreement is with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Trade, USDA

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes May 18, 2016

American Seed Trade Association’s new website is now live.
ET Works, parent company of the Apache Sprayer brand and one of the largest manufacturers of self-propelled sprayers in North America, has selected Lessing-Flynn to lead strategic marketing efforts for its line of Apache Sprayers.
In the fall of 2015, FFA advisors and members were challenged to share the message of agriculture through social media and using the hashtag #SpeakAg.

Zimfo Bytes

ASFMRA Offers Summer Professional Development

Kelly Marshall May 18, 2016

The American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers (ASFMRA) is putting the finishing touches on this year’s Summer Education Week (SEW). This event, scheduled for June 22-July 2 in Des Moines, Iowa, will offer education of licensure, accreditations and continuing education for farm managers, rural appraisers, consultants and agriculture students.

In addition to professional development seminars and courses, the week will also include many opportunities for networking, as well as program for young professionals.

“Summer Education Week is a great time for new members to develop professional friendships and take the required education classes for their accreditation,” says Corey Prins, ASFMRA management and consulting education committee chairman. “For the seasoned professional, it’s an opportunity to network and learn more about the latest trends in our industry.”

This year features newly redesigned curriculum for those taking classes for accreditation. The new courses are relevant to today’s agriculture, assures Skye Root, CFA, ASFMRA instructor.

For those looking to keep current the program will offer specialized management courses and programs for appraising rural residential properties, natural resources and poultry facilities. Attendees can also expect to learn about weather outlooks, ag markets and technology and data management. It also includes a tour of Iowa State University’s biomass research facility.

To learn more about the SEW schedule and to register, please visit http://www.asfmra.org/sew.

Ag Groups, Education, Events

Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for US Farmers

Lizzy Schultz May 18, 2016

The results of a new national poll released this week reveal that nearly 90 percent of Americans have a favorable view of farmers, and 92 percent feel it is important to provide them with federal funding. Positive marks from respondents also cut across party lines, showing that a strong farm policy is a bipartisan issue.

The public opinion poll was administered as a phone survey of 1,000 registered voters. The poll was commissioned by the National Crop Insurance Services, and was conducted April 3-7. The poll’s margin of error is 3.1 percent. The results are available online here.

“Americans overwhelmingly like farmers and support the programs that protect them,” explained Jon McHenry, vice president of North Star Opinion Research, the polling firm that explored the general public’s views on farmers, farm policy and crop insurance. “This response is not surprising when you consider that eight in 10 voters believe a vibrant agricultural industry was critical to the country’s national security.”

More than 70 percent of respondents said they believed farmers should help fund part of their own safety net. This cost-sharing structure is at the heart of America’s crop insurance policy, with farmers paying a portion of their insurance premiums and shouldering, on average, 25 percent of crop losses through deductibles.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents support giving farmers discounts on insurance premiums, and the vast majority agreed with the current premium and deductible amounts absorbed by farmers.

Support for farm policy and crop insurance continued to remain high even when poll respondents were read a misleading statement often used by farm policy’s critics.

“In a question providing both sides, the security argument in favor of protecting farms wins by a two-to-one margin over the argument used by farm policy opponents,” McHenry said.

Ag Groups, Crop Protection

Join us for the 18th Southern #Peanut Conference

Cindy Zimmerman May 18, 2016

After a brief excursion to enjoy the mountains in Georgia last year, the 2016 Southern Peanut Growers Conference is back on the Gulf Coast at a new location – Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach, Florida.

The 18th annual event will be held July 21-23, with sessions on peanut production, legislative issues, marketing and promotion. In addition to the conference sessions, the event focuses on the family by offering a ladies program and a golf tournament. Registration is now open – both online and by printed form.

Sponsorship opportunities for this great event are still available. If you’re looking for the best place to promote your company’s products and services to the southern peanut growing industry, this is the place to be. Join us!

Peanuts

Industry Leaders Meet In Florida for PBIAS

Lizzy Schultz May 18, 2016

Top business and industry leaders from Florida, New York, and Israel convened this week in West Palm Beach for the inaugural Palm Beach International Agricultural Summit, an event designed to raise awareness about the county’s $1.41 billion ag industry, address modern farming and its role in advancing Florida’s economy and quality of life. The Summit was presented by the Economic Council of Palm Beach County (ECPBC) and co-hosted by the Florida Chamber Foundation and Palm Beach County. More than 1000 people were in attendance.

ECPBC Chair Wendy S. Link, and Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam both gave speeches to open the event, and a series of sessions featuring an impressive roster of speakers followed immediately. Speakers included Temperince Morgan of The Nature Conservancy; Cory Reed of John Deere; Wells Fargo Chief Agricultural Economist Michael Swanson; and Shabtai Cohen, Ph.D., from the Volcani Center, who shared some of Israel’s farming innovations.

“Our key objectives were to educate the public about the county’s agriculture industry, which ranks among the top ten highest counties for agricultural revenue in the nation, and help foster a network of agricultural and non-agricultural businesses to advance the economy,” said Link. “Through this sold-out event we accomplished our goal and hopefully inspired the next gen of farmers through our engaging educational component.”

More than 300 elementary and high school students from throughout Palm Beach County were also in attendance and engaged in several different hands-on activities and breakout sessions with industry leaders. Younger students learned about the importance of agriculture through eight interactive stations on topics including hydroponics, advanced robotics, and the importance of pollinator health, and Justin Timineri, Chef for the Florida Department of Agriculture’s “Fresh from Florida” program, helped students create their own personal parfaits. A teen program called Growing our Futures addressed certification and degree requirements for various positions in the agriculture industry, including a rising demand for drone pilots.

Fabiola Brumley, chair of the summit and Palm Beach County market president for Bank of America, closed out the day with exciting news on how the bank is investing in green bonds and agtech.

“Farming is such a critically important industry for the state,” Brumley said. “It’s prudent and responsible to address the opportunities, challenges and changing technologies inherent in farming today so we can set the stage for agriculture to thrive and meet the demand for food around the world.”

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Events

FB Members Testify on EPA Concerns

Lizzy Schultz May 18, 2016

Earlier this week, three Farm Bureau members testified before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry regarding the involvement of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the ongoing Chesapeake Bay cleanup. Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Richard Ebert, former Ohio Farm Bureau President Terry McClure, and Florida Farm Bureau member Kate English, all testified before the subcommittee that they believe the EPA has failed to explain its expectations in the cleanup, and stated concerns that the organization is spreading false information about farming.

“Despite my four-year degree in animal science from a well-known and respected university and 34 years of farming while implementing modern technologies, I don’t understand EPA’s science,” Ebert said. “And no farmer can legitimately comprehend and respond to the reams of academic analyses that have been produced through these meetings and continue to perform the tasks needed to run his or her farm business.”

McClure noted that Ohio farmers work hard to reduce runoff of excess phosphorous and nitrogen from their farms.

“Farmers have invested tens of millions of dollars of their own money in establishing conservation practices on their farms,” McClure said. “Between 2006 and 2012, they have voluntarily reduced phosphorous applications in the Western Lake Erie Basin by more than 13 million pounds. As farmers are stepping up to implement conservation practices now, they are committed to finding additional solutions in the future.”

The controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule, which was finalized last May despite vehement opposition from the agriculture industry, was also brought up during testimony.

“The rule not only expands the regulatory footprint for farming and increases the uncertainty we battle daily, but it also lacks peer-reviewed sound science,” English said. “These regulations appear instead to be based on public opinion and social media trends rather than facts and science. The result is a highly unpredictable regulatory environment and uncontrolled costs when faced with compliance based on a moving target rather than a rational, science-based goal.”

Testimony of Richard Ebert
Testimony of Terry McClure
Testimony of Kate English

Ag Groups, Conservation, EPA, politics

Celebrating The Bees Behind Craft Beer

Lizzy Schultz May 17, 2016

Rogue Ales is celebrating all 7,140,289 of their honeybees with the release of two new products, Honey Kolsch and Marionberry Braggot. Both are made with honey foraged from Rogue Farms spring nectar sources including marionberry, cherry, jalapeño, cucumber, pumpkins and wildflower blossoms. This spring’s honey harvest brought its own unique flavor, and it is highlighted in both beer and braggot.

On a typical day, each Rogue Farms honeybee visits up to 1,500 flowers, gathering nectar and pollinating blossoms. Bees are a vital player in the pollination of Rogue’s proprietary palette of ingredients, as well as a vital player in maintaining the health of the food supply through their pollination of approximately one-third of the foods we eat.

“We wouldn’t be farmers without bees,” said Rogue Ales President Brett Joyce. “Pollinating everything from our marionberries to our pumpkins, and collecting nectar for our honey, our bees are the life force of Rogue Farms.”

Honey Kolsch and Marionberry Braggot will be available this June. Honey Kolsch was awarded the 2015 Best in Show at the National Honey Board’s Honey Beer Competition and will be available in 22 oz serigraphed bottles, in 12 oz bottles and on draft. Marionberry Braggot comes in 750 ml painted bottles and on draft. More information about Growing the Revolution is available here.

Ag Groups, Bees, Conservation, Environment, Food, pollinators

Meet Mark Poeschl – CEO of @NationalFFA

Chuck Zimmerman May 17, 2016

This week I visit with Mark Poeschl, incoming CEO of the National FFA Organization and Foundation. Mark officially takes over the position August 1.

Mark comes from a strong farm background and he has some significant experience in agribusiness, including on the global level. He has also been very involved in FFA.

Poeschl, a former FFA member and past state FFA president from Nebraska, brings strong business, customer service, financial, IT and global perspectives to the organization. He currently serves as vice president, group director, stakeholder engagement at Cargill, Inc., Cargill Animal Nutrition.

One of the challenges in agricultural education he sees is the need to attract and retain top quality high school ag teachers. He says there is a real shortage in that area. He wants to stress how important a role that position plays in the development of young people understanding and deciding on agricultural careers.