Trump a Future Farmer?

Cindy Zimmerman February 2, 2016

Donald Trump was “honored” that he placed second in the Monday caucuses in Iowa and expressed his love for the state during his speech to supporters last night, with a parting note that he could become a farmer.

“Iowa, we love you, we thank you, you’re special,” said Trump. “We will be back many, many times – in fact, I think I may come here and buy a farm – I love it!”

Listen to Trump’s remarks here: Donald Trump after Iowa Caucuses

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas finished a strong first in the caucuses, despite heavy campaigning against him by the Iowa ethanol industry and even Governor Terry Branstad saying it would be a “big mistake for Iowa to support him.” Still, America’s Renewable Future, headed by Branstad’s son Eric, took a positive tone on the caucus results, noting that 100% of Democrats and “more than two-thirds of Republicans are caucusing for a pro-ethanol, pro-RFS candidate.”

“We feel good about our results. The vast majority of our candidates and the vast majority of caucus-goers realize the economic, national security, and environmental benefits of the (Renewable Fuel Standard),” said Eric Branstad. “And even though Sen. Cruz’s position would be devastating to our economy and tens of thousands of Iowans’ livelihoods, even he, who has accepted more donations from oil than any other candidate and is personally invested in oil companies, claims that he’s pro-ethanol and wants to eliminate oil subsidies. That’s a sure sign how important the RFS and ethanol are.”

Audio, Ethanol, politics

Record-Setting Attendance at IPPE

Lizzy Schultz February 2, 2016

The 2016 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) saw an estimated 30,000 poultry, meat and feed industry leader attendees from all over the world. The show also hosted a record-setting 1,301 exhibitors in more than 464,750 net square feet of exhibit space. IPPE is the world’s largest annual poultry, meat and feed industry event of its kind, and is sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, the American Feed Industry Association and North American Meat Institute.

“This year’s tremendous exhibitor and attendance numbers are a tribute to IPPE’s unparalleled education sessions, abundant networking opportunities and distinctive exhibits. The enthusiasm and energy displayed by this year’s attendees and exhibitors will only ensure the success and growth of future IPPEs,” the three organizations said.

The wide variety of educational programs complemented the exhibits by keeping industry management apprised on the latest issues and events. This year’s educational line-up featured 25 programs, ranging from a conference on challenges and opportunities in meat product traceability, to a program on the Veterinary Feed Directive, to a technical seminar on maximizing the efficiency of the poultry industry conducted entirely in Spanish.

Other featured events that helped make the 2016 IPPE the leading annual protein and feed event in the world included an International Poultry Scientific Forum, Pet Food Conference, Pork 101 Workshop, Tech XChange program, Meat Me in @LANTA activities, and several other publisher-sponsored programs.

Photos from IPPE: 2016 IPPE Photo Album

Coverage of the International Production and Processing Expo is sponsored by

Ag Groups, Events, IPPE, Poultry

New Holland’s Commitment to Cattlemen

Jamie Johansen February 2, 2016

The New Holland booth at the 2016 Cattle Industry Convention features plenty of new equipment for cattle producers, and the New Holland team is on hand to talk quality forage production with attendees. Seth Doman, Hay and Forage Marketing Manager, sat down during the event to discuss the company’s new series of round balers, as well as New Holland’s long-standing commitment to helping the nation’s cattlemen.

“We have an excellent partnership that is really exclusive for our cattlemen, and if you’re interested in buying a piece of New Holland equipment, we have an excellent member benefit for you that is available on the NCBA website,” Doman said, “But more than that, we want to give cattlemen and producers an opportunity to learn more about what quality hay and forage really means, and how New Holland equipment can get producers making that quality hay that is so important for the animal.”

New Holland’s brand new Roll-Belt series of round balers are a hot topic at this year’s convention. The balers are designed to provide the highest round baler capacity in the industry, and the 12 different models available ensure that customers are able to find the right fit for their production needs.

“Full line manufacturer of hay and forage equipment, and we’re excited about our new brand Roll Belt series that we’re excited to continue to bring into the marketplace. From making a great, dense core bale that will pick up every piece of hay in the field and deliver that round bale out the field.”

Listen to Jamie’s full interview with Seth here:
Interview with Seth Doman, New Holland

Photos from the Convention: 2016 2016 Cattle Industry Convention Photo Album

Coverage of the Cattle Industry Convention is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, Beef, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA, New Holland

Innovation Feeds the World

Jamie Johansen February 2, 2016

Monsanto‘s GMO crop technology is arguably one of the most influential innovations of the past century; while it remains incredibly controversial among members of the public, the science has led to unprecedented advancements throughout the realm of biotechnology, and has held a key role in the process of creating a food secure world. This year marks the 20th anniversary of GMO crop technology, and I sat down with Dr. Robert Fraley, Monsanto’s Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, during the 2016 Cattle Industry Convention to talk about the innovations behind the brand, as well as what they hold for the future.

“It’s been an absolutely, incredibly exciting 20 years, and I’m so proud of the fact that Monsanto made huge risky investments in this science,” said Dr. Fraley, “It’s exciting to work for a company that’s really one of the few companies around the world that is completely focused on agriculture. We’ve got 20,000 employees who wake up every morning thinking about how they help farmers produce better seeds and better crops.”

Food security and sustainability are two incredibly important topics of discussion throughout the entire agriculture sector, as producers face increasing pressures to feed the growing world population, which is projected to surpass 9 billion people by 2050, as well as pressures to meet the volatile demands of the most disconnected consumer base in history.

“We need to ensure that we bring the public along with us, that we communicate with them, so that the public understands the importance of innovation in agriculture and food production the same way they appreciate the innovations in healthcare or the innovations in computers and communication devices,” he said. “Agriculture and farming and food production need to advance in the same way if we’re going to achieve a food secure world.”

Dr. Fraley also discusses the future of Monsanto’s innovations, what new innovations the company is beginning to focusing on, and the potential he believes agriculture holds.

“I believe that we have such an exciting future because of some of the innovations that are becoming a part of agriculture.”

Listen to Jamie’s full interview with Dr. Fraley here:
Interview with Dr. Robert Fraley, Monsanto

View and download photos from the event here: Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show

Coverage of the Cattle Industry Convention is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, Cattle Industry Conference, NCBA, Technology

Ag Retailers Storm the Hill

Chuck Zimmerman February 2, 2016

It’s a beautiful sunny day in Washington, DC. Perfect timing for members of the board of the Agricultural Retailers Association to take their priorities to Senate and House offices.

All day these members will be visiting with their elected leaders to distribute information and talk with the Representative, Senator and/or their aides. They have been briefed. They are on a mission and I’m along to take photos and obtain a few interviews when I can.

In the photo some members from Texas posed for a quick photo before heading off to their first visit.

Ag Groups, ARA

Palm Beach to Host International Agricultural Summit

Kelly Marshall February 2, 2016

The Florida Chamber Foundation and the Economic Council of Palm Beach County will be hosting an event to showcase one of Florida’s most important industries – agriculture. The Palm Beach International Agricultural Summit will take place on Wednesday, May 4 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Business and community leaders from across the state will gather to discuss modern agriculture.

Guest speakers will include industry experts and agricultural leaders, including the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam H. Putnam.

“In 2014, Florida’s agricultural exports reached an all-time high of more than $4.2 billion, and our more than $120 billion agriculture industry supports more than two million jobs,” said Commissioner Putnam. “This forum provides a great opportunity to address emerging challenges and solutions to support Florida’s agriculture industry.”

The event is the brainchild of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County and headed up by Chairwoman Wendy Link and President and CEO, Daniel Martell.

“Our key objectives are to educate the public about the local, national and global economic impact of agriculture; address the benefits of Florida’s agriculture industry; foster a network of agricultural and non-agricultural businesses to advance the economy; and ultimately help solve the issues of local and global food supply, distribution and nutrition,” said Link.

Industry experts will lead workshops on modern agricultural technology; The Blue Revolution, a discussion on the management of water resources for drinking water and crop irrigation security; finance and investment in agriculture; food distribution; careers and education; global initiatives and challenges. A highlight of the program will be an overview of a new economic impact study conducted by Alan W. Hodges, Ph.D., an extension scientist at University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, in cooperation with Scott Barnhart, Ph.D., associate professor at Florida Atlantic University – College of Business. Onsite exhibits will range from farm-to-fork cooking demonstrations to school displays on agriculture.

Ticket are $45. You can register and learn more about the event at www.PBIAS.org. Net proceeds will be donated to feed the hungry campaigns.

Agribusiness, Events

Ag Retailers Hold Winter Board Meeting

Chuck Zimmerman February 1, 2016

The agriblogger is on the highway again this week, moving to Washington, DC for a few days to work with the Agricultural Retailers Association at their Winter Board Meeting. ARA planned this right since the snow was a week ago and has been pretty well cleared up on the streets.

I talked with Daren Coppock, President/CEO, ARA, to have him tell us what the board and other members do when they come to Washington, DC just a few weeks after their annual meeting. One of the main reasons they schedule this meeting now is because it is a time when members are available. They will be conducting the business of the association through committee meetings leading up to a final board meeting mid week. Additionally, ARA members will hear from regulators and interact with legislators while they are here, addressing their priorities on the legislative front.

You can listen to my interview with Daren here: Daren Coppock, Agricultural Retailers Association

Ag Groups, ARA, Audio

Beck Ag Acquires Adayana Agribusiness Group

Chuck Zimmerman February 1, 2016

Beck Ag has just announced the acquisition of Adayana Agribusiness Group and I spoke with Stephanie Liska, President/CEO of Beck Ag to learn more about it.

The acquisition of Adayana brings its focus on strategy and management consulting, and learning solutions delivery to strengthen the total customer offering from Beck Ag according to Stephanie. It also diversifies the customer base and broadens capabilities as the company helps clients achieve measurable results by changing behaviors in the marketplace and ultimately accelerating the buying cycle.

Beck Ag President and CEO, Stephanie Liska: “This acquisition enhances our ability to bring more comprehensive solutions to our clients, to measurably impact their business results.”

The purchase adds depth in strategic consulting and learning management solutions, as well as bringing dozens of seasoned professionals to Beck Ag’s already strong bench of Ag experts.

You can listen to my interview with Stephanie here: Stephanie Liska, Beck Ag

Agribusiness, Audio

Farmers Love #LibertyLink #RealYield

Cindy Zimmerman February 1, 2016

It’s the first of February, which means planting season is getting closer. Farmers who might still be thinking about what varieties to plant this year should take a listen to what growers who use Bayer’s LibertyLink system have to say about their real yields last season.

I talked with Ross Aigner of Wilkin County, Minnesota about his 2015 season with LibertyLink soybeans. “I had a very good season with soybeans as far as weed control and as far as yield – I was very pleased,” Ross told me. “The LibertyLink beans were cleaner, were stronger, and healthier and such that I had a better yield.”

Last year was the sixth year that Ross planted LibertyLink beans and he will definitely be using them again this year. “Without a question I will be using Liberty soybeans for many years to come,” he said.

Listen to my interview with Ross here: Ross Aigner, LibertyLink grower from Minnesota

Audio, Bayer, Soybean

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