#GAPReport2015: Productivity, Sustainability Must Be Priority

Joanna Schroeder October 14, 2015

The global productivity of agriculture has stagnated for the second year in a row and productive, sustainable agriculture must be a priority. This was one of the main findings of the 6th annual Global Agricultural Productivity Report: Building Sustainable Breadbaskets (#GAPReport2015) released by the Global Harvest Initiative (GHI) today during the World Food Prize taking place this week in Des Moines, Iowa. The authors of the report caution that unless this trend is reversed the world may not succeed in sustainably providing food, feed, fiber and biofuels needed for growing worldwide population.

To meet food production goals over the next few decades, global agricultural productivity must increase by 1.75 percent per year. It is estimated there will be 9.7 billion people in 2050 with 40 percent of the growth taking place in Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to GHI’s annual assessment of productivity growth – the GAP Index™ – the current rate of growth is only 1.72 percent. The rate of annual productivity growth in low-income countries is much lower, at an average of 1.5 percent. At this rate, 15 years from now (2030) sub-Saharan Africa will only be able to meet 14 percent of its food demand, driving up food prices for poor households and requiring significant imports, food assistance, and opening up environmentally sensitive land for agricultural production. Productivity growth is also slowing down in the U.S.- a key U.S. economy driver providing $2 trillion in annual revenue.

“Raising global agricultural productivity requires long-term investments in the research and development of science-based agricultural technologies, agricultural extension services and education for farmers around the world, efficient transportation and telecommunications infrastructures, and support for the next generation of farmers,” said Dr. Margaret Zeigler, Executive Director of GHI during her introduction remarks during the report launch. “We also need agreements for better facilitation of global and regional trade and we must prioritize agriculture technologies and practices that help mitigate climate change and conserve natural resources.”

This year’s GAP Report highlights the legacy of U.S. agriculture and conservation system and also shines a spotlight on Zambia, a country leading the way in diversifying its agricultural production systems in a sustainable way. Zambia is working to become a regional breadbasket in southern Africa. The report also stresses that significantly more investments must be made globally, especially among small farmers and women farmers to enable growers to grow more with less.

Listen to Dr. Margaret Zeigler’s introductory remarks here: Dr. Margaret Zeigler's GAP Report Remarks

From left to right: Dr. Margaret Zeigler, Executive Director, Global Harvest Initiative; Dr. Keith Fuglie, Economist, USDA Economic Research Service; Cory Reed, Vice President of the Intelligent Solutions Group, John Deere; Dr. Phyllis Muturi, Makerere University, Uganda and Embu University College, Kenya (AWARD Scholar, Iowa State); Colin Bletsky, Vice President of BioAg, Novozymes; and Ruth Ann Myers, National Vice President, Future Farmers of America (FFA).

Cory Reed, vice president of John Deere’s Intelligent Solutions Group expanded on the need to produce more with less. “By combining precision agriculture with advances in seed, fertilizer and bioagriculture technologies, we are able to “farm smart”, meaning farmers can produce more while also conserving and protecting soils, water, and the natural resource base.” Reed is also the Chair of the GHI Board of Directors.

During the event, a panel took place where participants discussed how to cultivate resilient food and agriculture systems in the U.S. and Zambia, and how the right policies and public-private partnerships advance resilience and help manage risk. Dr. Margaret Zeigler moderated and was joined by Colin Bletsky, Vice President of BioAg, Novozymes; Cory Reed, Vice President of the Intelligent Solutions Group, John Deere; Dr. Keith Fuglie, Economist, USDA Economic Research Service; Ruth Ann Myers, National Vice President, Future Farmers of America (FFA); and Dr. Phyllis Muturi, Makerere University, Uganda and Embu University College, Kenya (AWARD Scholar, Iowa State).

Listen to Kelly Winquist, John Deere, GAP Report 2015 remarks here: Kelly Winquist's GAP Report Remarks

Listen to Ann Steensland, Senior Associate with Global Harvest Initiative remarks here: Ann Steensland's GAP Report Remarks

Listen to Dr. Catherine Woteki, Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics and Chief Scientist, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) closing remarks here: Dr. Catherine Woteki's GAP Report Closing Remarks

Listen to the panel discussion here: GAP Report Panel Discussion

2015 World Food Prize photo album.

Coverage of the World Food Prize Global Harvest Initiative is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Audio, Conservation, Food, John Deere, Precision Agriculture, Sustainability, World Food Prize

Greetings from IFAJ in New Zealand

Cindy Zimmerman October 14, 2015

We have seen the future and it is in New Zealand – 18 hours ahead of central time in the United States!

The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) 2015 Congress is being held in Hamilton, New Zealand where we are learning a lot about this small, two island, South Pacific nation that is home to 30 million sheep, seven million dairy cows, and Richard O’Brien (aka Riff Raff of Rocky Horror Picture Show fame).

The congress began yesterday October 14 in New Zealand time, with the delegates session that included an important change in the organization’s constitution, according to IFAJ president Markus Rediger of Switzerland.

“We decided three years ago to open up our organization to be more global, to be more relevant to our members, especially agricultural journalists in countries that are less developed because communication is important for the development of agriculture,” said Rediger, who adds that the constitution has now been changed to accept into the federation countries where the media is controlled by the government. “We changed and we say now that if the guild of journalists are in favor of freedom of the press, we accept them…it’s an encouragement for them because they already suffer under their government.”

IFAJ is pleased to welcome some new country members at this year’s Congress including Turkey, Croatia, Iran, Congo, and Somalia, just to name a few.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Markus here: Interview with Markus Rediger, IFAJ president

2015 IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Audio, IFAJ, International

AGCO Opens Nominations for Operator of the Year

Kelly Marshall October 14, 2015

AGCO Corporation has announced they are now accepting nominations for their 10th Annual Operator of the Year program. The award recognizes the men and women who spend hours applying fertilizer and crop protection products using technologically advanced equipment to help farmers achieve their best possible yields. The grand prize is a brand new Harley-Davidson® motorcycle.

“Over the past nine years of the program, we have enjoyed getting to know the top application professionals and look forward to meeting even more of them this year. We realize how hard their job is, and that they play an essential role in helping farmers provide food, fiber and fuel to the world,” stated Conor Bergin, tactical marketing manager of AGCO Application Equipment. “In honor of these unsung heroes of agriculture, we have created an original song this year, ‘Watch Him Go,’ that celebrates these professionals’ diligence and hard work.”

Any ag retailer or custom applicator may be nominated, regardless of the equipment brands used in their operation. A panel of judges will be evaluating the applicators performance, looking for performance on and off the field and evaluating for skill, dedication, customer service, and community involvement.

“Previous winners have been praised by their managers and customers for their application expertise, knowledge of their customers’ operations and willingness to do whatever it takes to accomplish the job,” stated Bergin. “Even though these custom applicators have very demanding schedules, they treat every field like it’s their own, and many also play active roles in their communities.”

Nominations are due Saturday, October 31, 2015. Four finalists will be invited to the 2015 Agricultural Retailers Association Conference & Expo on December 1-3, 2015 in Palm Desert, CA. The winner will be announced at the conference and the grand prize of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle will be awarded. The retailer responsible for nominating the winner will also receive 100 hours of use in their choice of ACGO TerraGator or RoGator. All participants will be given a certificate to recognize their nomination.

Agribusiness

Alltech Crop Science Reminds You to #ThankAFarmer

Jamie Johansen October 14, 2015

Alltech Crop Science is paying tribute to farmers and food producers around the world who continue to find ways to feed the ever-growing population to commemorate the United Nations World Food Day, Oct. 16, 2015. There are now approximately 7.3 billion people living off the same amount of farmland compared to that in the 1970s.

What do you do when the global population doubles, but the world’s farmland is finite?

U.S. farmers provide 20 percent of the world’s food using only 10 percent of its land. American farmers produce six times more corn with 20 percent less land compared to their peers of the 1930s. The average corn yield grew from 39 bushels per acre in 1950 to 153 bushels per acre in 2000. Between 1961 and 2005, average cereal yields increased 155 percent. As productivity has improved, so have techniques for sustaining resources. Farmers have become more efficient, allowing the burgeoning population to continue reaping natural resources from the land.

“Farmers are pretty amazing,” said Robert Walker, Alltech Crop Science general manager. “They have to be part agronomist, conservationist, meteorologist and economist. Alltech Crop Science wants you, the consumer, to join us on World Food Day to thank farmers around the world (#ThankAFarmer) for continuing to produce natural, healthy produce.”

In the last decade consumption has increased significantly. Demand for meat has tripled in the developing world in the past four decades, while egg consumption has increased sevenfold. We have also seen an increase in the demand for soybeans (48 percent), corn (37), rice (14) and wheat (13).

“Food production alone must increase by 70 percent, which means we have to produce more food in the next 50 years than that of the past 10,000 years combined,” said Walker. “Alltech Crop Science follows the seed, to feed, to fork, to future mentality. It is about taking a holistic, integrated approach to sustainable production. Producers and farmers must focus on nutrient efficiency and end-product quality as consumer demand rises, while identifying the environmental challenges.”

Alltech

2016 Prez Candidates Address Hunger, Poverty

Joanna Schroeder October 14, 2015

Yesterday following the Iowa Hunger Summit, several nonprofit organizations including Feeding America, Bread for Life and the Iowa Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, launched the Vote to End Hunger Campaign. The initiative is to hold presidential candidates’ responsible for ending hunger and poverty in the U.S. and globally.

The campaign was launched in Des Moines, Iowa they day before the opening of the 2015 World Food Prize, an international meeting of the minds to address food issues such as security, sustainability and the need to feed a growing global population.

Vote to End Hunger supporters want voters to ask presidential candidates, “If you were elected, what will you do to end hunger, alleviate poverty and create opportunity in the U.S. and worldwide?”

So where do the candidates stand on this issue?

Circle of Protection, an organization comprised of various denominational Christian leaders, asked candidates this very question and invited them to submit a three minute video to tell Americans where they stand on hunger and poverty. Many responded and you can watch their videos here.

Food, politics, Video, World Food Prize

Beck Ag Honored as Company of the Year

Kelly Marshall October 14, 2015

Women in Agribusiness recently recognized Beck Ag as Company of the Year at their summit in Minneapolis. They are the third company to be honored with the Demeter Award and join Dow AgroSciences (2013) and Agrium, Inc. (2014) as recipients. The award recognizes a company that supports the professional development, achievements and growth of women in the industry.

Beck Ag has a solid staffing model that allows employees to balance their careers and personal lives. This principle of balance has attracted professionals who wish to stay in their communities and who come from deep agriculture backgrounds. Sixty-seven percent of Beck Ag’s people are women, including five of the nine shareholders. They are committed to developing and compensating women fairly, which has benefitted the company, clients, and industry as a whole.

Agribusiness

Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Rep. Reid Ribble of Wisconsin

John Davis October 14, 2015

Agri-Pulse Open Mic this week features Wisconsin Representative Reid Ribble.

The 8th district Republican left the Freedom Caucus last week in the fallout from a failed attempt to elect a new House Speaker. In this week’s interview, Ribble outlines challenges the Congress faces in approving a spending plan and his efforts to bring about a two-year budget cycle. He sees action soon on the nation’s debt ceiling and tax extenders but says the bigger issue lies between liberal Senate Democrats and conservative GOP leaders on spending. Ribble strongly opposes the EPA’s new clean water rules but supports a new voluntary program to reduce nutrient runoff in his home state.

Click here to listen to Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Wisconsin Representative Reid Ribble.

Agri-Pulse, Audio, politics

Vote to End Hunger Launched at #FoodPrize15

Joanna Schroeder October 13, 2015

The Iowa Food Summit took place today in Des Moines, IA leading up to the opening of this year’s World Food Prize. Following the Summit, several national nonprofits launched a new campaign, Vote to End Hunger (VTEH), an effort to urge 2016 presidential candidates to focus on ending hunger, alleviating poverty and creating global opportunity.

“Throughout the world, countries such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Great Britain have made tremendous strides in reducing hunger. However, in the United States, we have seen little progress over the past several decades. That is because our nation has not made solving hunger a priority,” said David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World during a press conference to launch the VTEH campaign. “We need to vote for leaders who care about ending hunger, so the next president and Congress will work together and solve it.”

In the U.S., 1 out of every 7 households – more than 48 million Americans – struggle to put food on the table. These numbers include 5.4 million seniors and 15 million children while around the world, 795 million people experience hunger every day. This is a significant but solvable problem said VTEH organizers who also noted that the resources needed to end hunger are already available.

The impact of hunger reaches far beyond just those families and individuals who experience it and Iowan Jamy Rentschler shared her family’s personal struggle with hunger as she grew up. Hunger affects children differently than adults and can affect their brain development and led to higher risks of developing chronic health issues.

As noted by Lisa Davis, senior vice president of government relations for Feeding America, consumers need to reach out to potential candidates and ask the question of how they plan to end hunger. Iowans are being courted by nearly two dozen candidates and she said Iowans have a lot of opportunity to interact with them.

“So when you do, ask them, ‘If you were elected, what will you do to end hunger, alleviate poverty and create opportunity in the U.S. and worldwide?'” said Davis who also encouraged consumers to reach out with the same question via Twitter and campaign Facebook pages.

Along with Jamy Rentschler, other participants in the press conference including:

Rev. David Beckmann, President, Bread for the World (Moderator)
Bishop Richard E. Pates, Diocese of Des Moines, Roman Catholic Church
Lisa Davis, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Feeding America

Listen to the full Vote to End Hunger press conference here: Vote to End Hunger Campaign Launch

Additional organizations supporting VTEH include Alliance to End Hunger, Catholic Charities USA, Feeding America, Meals on Wheels America, RESULTS and RESULTS Educational Fund, and Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry.

Coverage of the World Food Prize Global Harvest Initiative is sponsored by

Ag Groups, Audio, Food, World Food Prize

New Cuba Ag Exports Act Opens Trade Options

John Davis October 13, 2015

A new piece of legislation will open up trade possibilities for U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba. H.R. 3687, the Cuba Agricultural Exports Act, was introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman, Mike Conaway, along with Representatives Rick Crawford (R-AR) and Ted Poe (R-TX). It repeals financing restrictions, allowing U.S. banks to offer credit in Cuba in connection with exports of U.S. agricultural goods; eliminates restrictions on key federal funding used in agricultural export promotions for Cuba; and enables investment in Cuban agribusinesses not affiliated with the Cuban government. According to this news release from USA Rice, the measure could be of most benefit to American rice farmers.

This action follows closely on the heels of a trip to Cuba by Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and a group of nearly 40 Arkansans including representatives of Riceland Foods. Governor Hutchinson returned to Arkansas motivated to ask for changes, saying, “Congress needs to equalize the field of operations for our businesses by allowing them to negotiate cash, credit, whatever they feel comfortable with and the level of risk they wish to take. Right now, we can’t even negotiate a credit sale, and that’s not customary in the market.”

“I’m excited to see my Congressman [Representative Crawford] introduce a bill that would positively affect so many parts of the U.S. rice industry,” said Arkansas rice farmer and USA Rice Chairman, Dow Brantley. “Our Congressional District alone grows nearly half of the U.S.’s rice – so we would certainly stand to benefit from open trade with the Cubans – as would rice producers throughout the mid-South.”

Brantley continued, “USA Rice has been working to remove the trade barriers for a long time, and after 55 years that the trade embargo has been in place, it’s time for things to change. It’s my hope that the rest of Congress will join the sponsors in supporting this legislation, which has the potential to seriously strengthen the agricultural economy.”

Keith Gray, a Texas-based rice miller with Riviana Foods, said, “We have been looking for opportunities to sell rice to Cuba for some time and it’s always been held up because of the financing issue. This bill would be a game-changer and I think it’s the best option put forward so far to open up the Cuban market for our rice.”

USA Rice endorsed the legislation and continues to seek congressional support for all legislation that works towards normalized trade relations with Cuba.

Ag Groups, Rice

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes October 13, 2015

The “Upper Midwest Organic Agriculture Tour” planned at the Synergy in Science ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, MN, on Nov. 14th will highlight the Twin Cities’ organic food system.
Swanson Russell announces the promotion of Megan Bollish and Jeremie Memming in its Lincoln office.
broadhead has made eleven across the board hires and promoted seven current agency staffers, bringing the total of new hires this year to nearly 30.
Swanson Russell announces the promotion of Katie Sands and Tony Sattler to vice president in its Lincoln office.

Zimfo Bytes

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