Coalition Urges Congress to Maintain Farm Safety Net

Cindy Zimmerman November 23, 2015

Nearly 50 organizations representing agricultural interests sent a letter last week to Congressional leaders urging them not cut crop insurance or other farm programs through the omnibus appropriations act.

“The crop insurance program is the lynchpin of the farm safety net and is crucial to the economic security of rural America,” reads the coalition’s letter to Congress. “The crop insurance provision contained in the budget would gut the private sector delivery of the crop insurance program by cutting the target rate of return by 38%. Under the current target rate of return, crop insurance companies have realized negative net returns since 2011. Further reducing the target rate would only drive the industry further into the red.”

The letter also notes the strong commitment of the agriculture community toward balancing the federal budget and that last year’s farm bill that saved taxpayers some $16.6 billion.

“The farm bill is a careful balance of priorities and should not be reopened before its expiration in 2018,” notes the letter. “Additionally, the crop insurance program has contributed more than $12 billion towards reducing government spending since the 2008 Farm Bill, which well-surpasses the funding added to the program in 2014.”

The letter was signed by most major farm organizations including both the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union.

AFBF, Farm Bill, Insurance

Propane Expansion is Good News for Ag Producers

John Davis November 23, 2015

Propane is expanding in production and the options for its use. During the recent National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) convention in Kansas City, Missouri, Cindy caught up with Cinch Munson from the Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) who said that there are 102.4 million barrels of propane in storage right now – a nearly 30 percent increase from a year ago. He credited strong production and a mild grain-drying season for the big inventories right now.

“We’re most of the way through harvest, and most of the grain that has come in is pretty dry,” he said, adding a possibly warm winter ahead could make the situation even better for consumers. “Propane prices right now are very good. So it’s a really good time for rural homeowners and ag operation owners to consider what they should do about this.”

Munson said new propane engines offer lots of advantages, especially in the ag markets. He added the positive supply outlook for propane and its domestic, environmentally friendly profile, as well as more machinery running on the fuel, make propane a great choice. Munson said consumers should talk to their local dealers or go to PERC’s website for more information.

“You really owe it to yourself to look at what’s out there.”

Cinch Munson, Propane Education and Research Council

Audio, NAFB, PERC, Propane

Former Ag Secretaries Urge TPP Passage

John Davis November 23, 2015

2012 USDA Outlook Forum

Several former U.S. Agriculture secretaries are calling on Congress to pass the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). This news release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says TPP will create new opportunities for American-grown and American–made products in the dynamic Asia-Pacific region.

By opening new markets in Japan, Vietnam, and other countries, we are giving our producers access to new customers and expanding their sales. These sales will generate more farm production, and related activities, that will grow the U.S. economy.

The letter from the former secretaries follows:

As former Secretaries of Agriculture, we have been personally invested in the negotiation of every major U.S. trade agreement of the past 40 years. We know from experience how important such agreements are to the economic well-being of our farmers and ranchers. In every negotiation where agriculture has been on the agenda these negotiations have expanded our markets, boosted farm incomes, and in the process created new jobs, both on-farm and off-farm, in rural America.

The recently concluded Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations are in that same mold. TPP, a high-standard, 12-country agreement, represents this nation’s “rebalance toward Asia,” which fits American agriculture perfectly. That’s where populations are increasing, as is purchasing power, and that’s what dramatically enhances the demand for our food. We will in the future benefit significantly from increased access to those markets.Read More

Agribusiness, Trade, USDA

LibertyLink Showing Real Yields for Gaessers

Chuck Zimmerman November 20, 2015

It’s that time. Time to play another LibertyLink Real Yield Game. This time you get to watch Ray and Chris Gaesser, Corning, IA talk about how the LibertyLink system has performed on their farm.

Just in case you don’t know how to play the LibertyLink Real Yield Game:

Visit www.realyieldgame.com and click on the promotion link.
1. Complete all fields in the registration or log-in process.
2. Select five fields in the game area to spray Liberty® to reveal incremental bushels of soybeans.
3. Look at the total number of incremental bushels of soybeans for all five fields in the silo and determine the prize won.

Limit three game plays per person – one game play for complete registration, one game play for completion of LibertyLink® Ratings/Reviews/Attributes, one game play for social sharing through the promotion website.

In the real world, missed weeds compromise real yield. The LibertyLink® system is simply a better solution that ensures you don’t lose yield from missed weeds. Choose LibertyLink® and Liberty® to maximize real yields with high-performing genetics and better weed control.

Here’s Ray and Chris with their LibertyLink Television story:

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes November 20, 2015

K·Coe Isom, a leading consulting and CPA firm in the food and agriculture industry, has awarded two inspired applicants with full tuition to The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP) 2016.
Filament Marketing, LLC, announces a new leadership structure, addressing the company’s growth and business vision.
DuPont Pioneer, Heartland Global and the Agropolis Fondation announced results from convening with more than 30 experts to discuss solutions for sorghum and millet production systems in Africa.
On the third day of the 149th Annual Session of the National Grange, the convened delegates elected a new slate of national officers, including the first-ever woman to head the storied organization.
DTN/The Progressive Farmer has earned five 2015 Folio Awards, including a first place for “The Best Full Issue” for overall editorial content and design.

Zimfo Bytes

Alltech Young Scientists May Still Register Till Dec. 31

Kelly Marshall November 20, 2015

Registration is still open for the world’s largest university-level competition in agriscience. Until December 31st students have the opportunity to be part of the 2016 Alltech Young Scientist program, with 2016 promising to become the first edition to offer fully funded Ph.D. and post-doctorate positions to the winners.

Students must be nominated by a professor in order to participate and may submit scientific papers on topics such as animal health and nutrition, crop science, agriculture analytical methods, food chain safety and traceability, human health and nutrition and other agriscience related sectors. Paper submission must be completed online by Dec. 31, 2015.

Each student’s paper will first compete within their home region of North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe or Africa. Finalists from all four regions will be invited to attend an all-expense-paid Alltech Young Scientist Discovery Week in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, where they will compete in the global competition. Each finalist will present his or her paper to a panel of international judges and a live audience during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, May 22-25, 2016.

“The Alltech Young Scientist program has uncovered some of the best and brightest emerging research talent in agriscience and Alltech wants these leaders to join our team,” said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech.

In 2015 the Alltech Young Scientist program received more than 8,800 registrations. Pictured above are the finalists from this year. At the left is Dr. Aoife Lyons, the director of educational initiatives at Alltech, and at the far right is Dr. Inge Russell, scientific advisor to the Alltech Young Scientist program.

Alltech, Education

NAMA Releases Slate of Events for 2016

Kelly Marshall November 20, 2015

Save the date! National Agri-Marketinig Association is announcing their schedule of events so you won’t have to miss anything. The NAMA calendar will also be updated regularly, so check back for new information.

Region I
(Western Pacific Chapter)
January 27, 2016
San Diego, CA

Region II
(Cornhusker, Gateway, Great Plains, Missouri-Kansas, Rocky Mountain and Southwest Chapters)
January 14, 2016
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City, MO

Region III
(Cornbelt, Iowa, North Central and Northern Prairie Chapters)
January 28, 2016
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Mill City Museum, Minneapolis, MN

Region IV
(Badger, Chicago, Heartland and Mid-America Chapters)
January 21, 2016
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Austin’s Fuel Room, Libertyville, IL

Carolinas/Virginia Chapter
January 21, 2016
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Raleigh-Durham

Southeastern Chapter
January 21, 2016
Atlanta

Midsouth Chapter
Information will be available soon.

For questions call (913) 491-6500.

Agribusiness, Events, NAMA

Update from @Better_Seed at #NAFB15

Cindy Zimmerman November 20, 2015

It’s always a pleasure for me to catch up with the sweet and lovely president of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), Risa DeMasi. We’ve been friends for three years now since she started her journey in the leadership of ASTA and it’s been really exciting to watch her grow into such a great spokesperson for such an important industry.

Risa’s first introduction to the National Association of Farm Broadcasting was at last year’s annual convention and she was very impressed at how welcoming the broadcasters were to her. This year, her company Grassland Oregon came on as a new convention sponsor and Trade Talk participant to spread the news about their research and development, particularly in the area of cover crops. “We’re commercializing some products that are coming on the market that really provide some solutions for challenges growers are facing,” she said.

Risa is excited that next month’s ASTA CSS 2015 and Seed Expo in Chicago is featuring a big new session on Taking Cover Crops Mainstream. “We’re continuing to connect the dots so that everybody is on the same page and working together to accomplish sustainability,” she said.

In this interview, Risa updates us on some of the important issues that the seed trade industry is addressing when it comes to technology, trade, and feeding a growing population. Interview with ASTA president Risa DeMasi

NAFB Convention Photo Album

Coverage of NAFB Convention is sponsored by

ASTA, Audio, NAFB, Seed

CFI Study on Consumer Trust in Food

Cindy Zimmerman November 20, 2015

New research from the Center for Food Integrity (CFI) shows that improved transparency increases consumer trust in food.

CFI CEO Charlie Arnot says they surveyed 2,000 people to discover which attributes are most important to consumers when it comes to trust-building transparency – policies, practices, performance or verification. “What consumers really want to know more about is practices,” said Arnot. “Because the practices are a reflection of our values in action.”

Arnot says the research shows consumers hold food companies most responsible for transparency, with two exceptions. “When it comes to protection of the environment and care of animals, it’s a combination of food companies and farmers,” he said.

The Center for Food Integrity intends to take the research they have done and use it to help the food and agriculture take action.

Learn more in this interview with Arnot: Interview with Charlie Arnot, Center for Food Integrity

Audio, Food, Research

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