Land O’Lakes CEO Includes Water Security in Ag Challenges
Land O’Lakes President and CEO Beth Ford was the guest speaker for the May 8 Heuermann Lecture at Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, Neb., which coincided with the 2023 Water for Food Conference and she shared why water is at the top of her priority list.
“Food security is national security,” Ford said. “Fresh water demand will outstrip supply by 2030 by 56% globally, and water is critical to production agriculture, it’s critical to communities and to life.”
Ford also said that to meet the grand challenge of feeding 10 billion people by 2050, more agricultural research funding is needed. While GMOs have increased yields by 25%, Ford said we’ve nearly maximized the increase in production that they can provide. However, she said research funding is still at 1970s levels, while we simultaneously face an unprecedented challenge of population growth, climate change, water crisis, and food insecurity.
She also addressed the need for more agricultural laborers to ensure all available food is harvested and all available acres are planted.
Listen to a recording of Ford’s fireside chat with Dr. Tiffany Heng-Moss, dean of the College of Agricultural and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
2023 Water for Food interview - Heuermann Lecture with Beth Ford, Land O'Lakes 1:03:35
View photos from the event here:
2023 Water for Food Global Conference
Des Moines to Host 3rd Annual Tech Hub LIVE
Des Moines will once again host the third annual Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo, bringing together tech-enabled, data-driven agriculture practitioners for a groundbreaking conference, July 24-26 at the Iowa Events Center.
Tech Hub LIVE, powered by CropLife Media Group™, will kick off with a 1990s-themed welcome party, sponsored by the Greater Des Moines Partnership, on July 24 at 5:30 pm. Just prior to the reception, Tech Hub LIVE has announced the inaugural meeting for Women in Ag Tech on July 24 starting at 2:00 pm.
Central to the unique event experience is the exhibit hall, where leading companies showcase their latest products and services. Tech Hub LIVE continues to enhance its offerings by developing new elements with Fireside Tech Chats showcasing top retailers and industry leaders sharing experiences, case studies, and best practices. Roundtable Discussion Groups will be available each morning for more focused conversations with industry experts and innovators. There’s also more dedicated time available to explore companies in the exhibit hall and listen in on 10-minute Tech Talks to learn more about the technologies and solutions developed to improve operations.
The conference sessions span a wide range of subjects, including optimizing digital strategies, the Ag Retailers’ playbook, drones, scouting and imagery tools and techniques, innovations in application equipment, attracting and retaining top talent, farm data management best practices, and advancements in autonomous equipment and robotics. There will also be sessions dedicated to ag tech risk and reward, achieving clean data collection in the field, soil sampling insights, and actionable takeaways from the 2023 Purdue/CropLife® Retail Precision Adoption Survey.
To learn more and register for Tech Hub LIVE, visit TechHubLIVE.com. Take advantage of Early Bird discounts by registering before May 19.
Get a taste of Tech Hub LIVE by browsing the photo albums from the first two years – 2021 in Des Moines and 2022 in Indianapolis.
2021 Tech Hub LIVE Photo Album
2022 Tech Hub LIVE Photo Album
MyLand Grows Leadership Team with New VP
MyLand Company, a soil health company, is pleased to announce the continued growth of the company’s leadership team with the appointment of Jerry Trotter as Vice President of Technology and Manufacturing. In his new role, Trotter will focus on integrating the technology and manufacturing teams to drive MyLand’s pioneering improvements in healthy soil on a global scale.
A North Dakota native, Trotter brings a wealth of agriculture experience to MyLand with over 20 years of experience in sugar processing, ethanol production, and large food and farming operations. He most recently led the engineering and business analysis for RD Offutt Company where he oversaw capital projects throughout the enterprise.
“I’ve always been involved with agriculture, and together with my background in business management this opportunity is a great fit. I am very excited to work with the MyLand team to drive success in our movement for rebuilding soil,” Trotter says.
Trotter joined MyLand on March 29, 2023.
DWFI Podcast 24 – Ankit Chandra and Nick Brozović, DWFI
Daugherty Water for Food Institute (DWFI) Research Program Manager Ankit Chandra and Director of Policy Nick Brozović recently published research on “Entrepreneurial trends in the Indian agricultural water ecosystem” and the larger business landscape of agricultural water use and investments. In this edition of the Water for Food podcast, we are sharing an episode of Agribusiness Matters, hosted by Venky Ramachandranin, in which Ankit and Nick are interviewed about their latest research. Agribusiness Matters is an endeavor to discover systems thinking in agriculture and presents a regular, holistic analysis of agtech in India.
Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:
DWFI Podcast 24 - Ankit Chandra and Nick Brozović, DWFI 1:20:00
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 5/17/23
Precision Ag News 5/17/23
- The third annual Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo, powered by the CropLife Media Group™, the nation’s leading voice for the ag retail industry, in collaboration with the Global AgTech Initiative and AgriBusiness Global brands, is the must-attend event for those developing and deploying the latest ag technologies to advance agribusiness. Coming up soon, July 24-26 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Register today for early bird pricing through May 19.
- Registration for the 2023 Golden Harvest Go for the Gold Challenge is open now through June 30, 2023. The contest recognizes farmers who achieve top yields with eligible Golden Harvest® soybeans during the 2023 growing season. The winning farmers will be awarded a trip to the 2024 Commodity Classic in Houston, Texas.
- Vermeer announces the opening of a 312,000-ft2 state-of-the-art Global Parts Distribution Center to support the important work customers and dealers are performing around the world. Vermeer team members will package and ship parts worldwide from the facility, located on the grounds of the corporate headquarters. The Global Parts Distribution Center builds on a legacy of customer support, located at the end of the old runway where company founder Gary Vermeer once delivered parts to Vermeer customers by plane.
- Syngenta Crop Protection and FMC Corporation announced an agreement to bring to market a breakthrough technology to control grass weeds in rice in Asia. The new active ingredient Tetflupyrolimet, discovered and developed by FMC with support from Syngenta for the development in rice, marks the first major herbicide with a novel mode of action in over three decades, promising relief to farmers challenged by weed resistance to existing herbicides.
- Kubota Tractor Corporation and Crayola announced a renewed partnership building on the success of last year’s collaboration between the brands to show kids how teamwork can make a difference in their community. The new venture is inspired by Kubota’s NASCAR partners like Trackhouse Racing and ThorSport Racing and includes an immersive, interactive event touring Crayola’s family attractions; at-home crafts and coloring pages at CrayolaExperience.com/Kubota and Crayola.com; and classroom activities and educational content.
- The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, has extended the deadline to May 26 for entrepreneurs to apply online for the 2024 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Now in its 10th year, this national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities.
- NRCS is streamlining its Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) to better help agricultural producers and private landowners conserve wetlands, productive farmlands and at-risk grasslands. NRCS is rolling out several improvements to this important program in response to feedback from producers, landowners and conservation partners. Specifically, NRCS is updating its processes around appraisals, land surveys, as well as certifying eligible entities who help NRCS and producers enroll land into easements.
- John Deere debuts its 2024 model-year upgrades on its lineup of 3R- and 4-Series compact utility tractors. In addition, John Deere unveiled its latest 4-Series model, the 4075R Compact Utility Tractor, equipped to tackle jobs for customers in the commercial snow removal and large-property owner markets.
ZimmCast 711 – Water for Food Global Conference
This episode of the ZimmCast comes to you from the 2023 Water for Food Global Conference, which was held May 8-11 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This was the 10th Water for Food Conference but the first time it’s been held since 2019, thanks to COVID.
The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska works to address the global challenge of achieving food security with less stress on water resources through water management in agricultural and food systems and the conference brings together experts and thought leaders from around the world to help find solutions to water and food security challenges.
In this episode, you will hear from DWFI executive director Peter McCornick, DWFI board member Felicia Marcus, Colorado farmer and LRE Water consultant Dick Wolfe, Nebraska farmer Debbie Borg, and Louise Mabulo, founder of The Cacao Project.
Listen to the ZimmCast here:
ZimmCast 711 - Water for Food Conference (25:09)
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Alltech and Agolin Partner for Cattle Production and Sustainability Goals
Alltech announced this week it has acquired a majority interest in Agolin, a Swiss company founded in 2006 to develop and produce plant-based nutrition solutions that improve herd performance, profitability and sustainability. Pictured L-R: Michael Roe, commercial director of Agolin; Kurt Schaller, managing director of Agolin; Beatrice Zweifel, technical director of Agolin; and Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech.
“Agolin’s essential oil blends are a complement to Alltech’s proven nutritional technologies, such as Yea-Sacc® and Optigen®,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech’s president and CEO. “Governments, consumer brands and retailers are making important commitments to reduce their environmental impact. These commitments rely upon farmers and ranchers, and we are dedicated to supporting them with the best available nutritional technologies to achieve more milk and meat while reducing their environmental footprint.”
Lyons says they will also be exploring opportunities to develop new technologies that bring together the best of Alltech’s proven nutrition and Agolin’s essential oil blends. Agolin has a presence in Europe, Asia and North America. Alltech’s majority interest in the company will expand the availability of Agolin to additional markets.
Interview with Mark Lyons to learn more about this partnership.
Interview with Dr. Mark Lyons (6:00)IRS Audits 1 In 4 Companies Over ACA Non-Compliance
Trusaic Research Finds Agriculture Industry at Higher Risk, According to Study
Los Angeles, Calif., May 11, 2023 – While most employers say they believe they are fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), approximately one in four have been audited by the Internal Revenue Service, according to new research from HR technology company Trusaic. Among the industries most at risk of receiving an ACA IRS penalty letter? Agriculture, food services, educational services, and health care and social assistance.
IRS enforcement of the now 13-year-old healthcare law is ramping up, due in part to legislative changes including the Inflation Reduction Act and American Rescue Plan. Employers who fail to comply with ACA’s Employer Mandate can face annual penalties as high as $275,000 for every 100 employees. To add to the severity of the situation, the IRS may use its levy power to satisfy outstanding ACA penalties. In addition to six jurisdictions that have their own ACA regulations, several other states are considering adding regulations over and above what is required by the federal government.
“Industries with high turnover or a high percentage of hourly workers with varying schedules are particularly susceptible to getting penalized by the IRS,” says John Leathers, Executive Vice President of Product for Trusaic. “These situations present unique challenges to a reporting process that most organizations already find overly burdensome.”
Trusaic’s report, “The Challenge of ACA Compliance,” which was conducted in partnership with Creelman Research, examines employers’ attitudes and actions around managing ACA reporting requirements and offers insight on why compliance can be difficult and how to improve the process. This study drew on three sources of data: a set of focus groups, a survey of HR professionals involved in ACA compliance, and anonymized information from Trusaic’s internal database of penalty responses. Download the report here.
Among the report’s key findings:
● About one in four organizations say they have been audited by the IRS for potential ACA non-compliance
● Many organizations find compliance a challenging task: 73% of respondents find the reporting requirements somewhat or overly burdensome
● Nearly 70% spend more than 80 hours a year on ACA compliance
● Respondents cited a variety of challenges including a lack of clarity of the rules, complex tracking requirements, complicated situations, and tight deadlines
● The most commonly cited compliance problems are employee miscalculation, determining ACA affordability and additional state reporting requirements
● The industries most likely to receive an ACA penalty letter are agriculture/forestry/fishing and hunting, accommodation and food services, educational services and health care and social assistance
“The challenge of ACA compliance is only going to get worse,” says Leathers, who notes that the IRS good faith period has ended. “Leaders may not understand the nuances of compliance. It’s up to HR to educate them about the complexity and the risk.”
Employers can assess their ACA efforts by completing an eight-question quiz that evaluates an organization’s unique workforce and any complexities that may create compliance challenges. Organizations concerned about their ACA compliance and subsequent penalty assessment from the IRS can also download the ACA 101 Toolkit.
Trusaic has also made its recent webinar “Navigating ACA Compliance in Agriculture – Best Practices and Strategies” available on demand and at no cost at: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4192298/C2B7CABBED8BA9BA9B80024FE6527689?partnerref=ondemand
About Trusaic
At Trusaic, we believe the workplace should work for everyone. We are a workplace equity technology company committed to advancing social good by helping organizations achieve pay equity, foster a more diverse and inclusive workforce, assist economically disadvantaged individuals with finding work, and ensure employee access to affordable healthcare. With data-driven, people-centered solutions designed to solve HR’s most complex workforce challenges, our mission is to create a better working world.
For more information, contact:
Trusaic PR at (213) 814-5760
Or PR@Trusaic.com