Clean Fuels CEO Optimistic as Industry Faces Headwinds
On the MainStage at the 2024 Clean Fuels Conference, Clean Fuels Alliance America CEO Donnell Rehagen, provided a state of the industry report noting that it is a very transformative time for clean fuels, biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.
“We are facing a serious headwind right now with the low RVOs set by the EPA as part of the Renewable Fuel Standard. I see the recent downturn and the impact that these low RVOs have had on our producers. But please, do not despair. We have faced this and arguably worse before and we’ve come out on top.”
A large component of Rehagen’s remarks focused on demand from the rail industry and other markets.
Listen to his opening remarks and press availability below:
Opening remarks with Donnell Rehagen 3:03
Press Conference with Donnell Rehagen 21:58
Amazon Web Services Supports VISION
Cross-Industry Insights: Accelerating Ag Tech Advancement and Adoption was the title of one of the panels at the recent VISION Conference, taking a look at how different industries might be addressing challenges parallel to those in agriculture. Ram Devarajulu, Cambridge Consultants, moderated the panel which included Ron Osborne, Amazon Web Services (AWS); Cassie Edgar, McKee Voorhees & Sease PLC; and Meiko Martin, Trimble.
Ron Osborne is the Global Head of Technology for Agriculture at AWS, helping global agribusinesses across the value chain to modernize, achieve business and enterprise agronomy product and IT goals. He says AWS is proud to be a part of the VISION Conference and the Global Ag Tech Initiative. “We bring a carefully, curated voice to the Global Ag Tech Initiative to represent the industry from a lot of different perspectives, not just AWS but what our customers are really thinking about too,” said Osbourne.
Looking ahead, Osbourne wanted conference attendees to have quantum computing on their radar. “The work being done with quantum computing with Amazon Braket as an example, is we believe going to be changing how agribusinesses work in many respects,” he said.
Learn more in this interview.
2024 VISION interview with Ron Osborne, AWS 4:03
Alltech Ponders World Without Cows at #CattleCon24
“Are we better off in a world without cows?”
It might be a strange question to ask in the middle of a convention with 8,000 cattle industry stakeholders, but it is one that is being asked on the global level when it comes to addressing climate change – and one that two filmmakers sought to answer in a documentary that took them from the heartland of the United States to Kenya, India, Brazil and beyond.
The World Without Cows project was spearheaded by Alltech and CEO Mark Lyons says it was produced by two of their most creative employees but the intended audience is global. “This is a documentary that is not about Alltech at all. It is about our industry, it’s about our producers…and a really balanced conversation,” said Lyons in an interview at CattleCon24.
The documentary includes interviews with experts in agriculture and environmental science, farmers and others to look at the complex and often surprising ways in which cattle impact our world and Lyons says they hope that combined with the website WorldWithoutCows.com it will have an impact. “We want to make a website which is a repository for data (so that) when you have that chat with that person on the plane who said they stopped eating meat because of the environment, this is a place you can send them,” Lyons said.
Learn more in this interview about World Without Cows and how you can get involved.
Interview with Mark Lyons, Alltech 8:24
Beef Advocates Recognized During CattleCon24
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) selected Alli Fender, owner of Flying F Ranch in San Diego, California, as this year’s top beef advocate.
Fender was honored as the Advocate of the Year for the positive example she sets for other beef advocates by sharing her journey in ways that connect with people outside of her immediate beef community. Through her advocacy efforts, and as a member of the Trailblazers advocacy program, Fender has grown her presence on social media where she works to educate those wanting to learn about the beef industry.
Learn more about her in this interview.
Interview with Ali Fender, California 8:35
Trailblazers Colt Coffee and Paige Schmidt
The 2023 Trailblazers include Tucker Brown, Texas; Colton Coffee, Montana; Sam Cossio, Washington; Allison Fender, California; Rocky Forseth, Montana; Macey Hurst, Missouri; Joe Lowe, Kentucky; Erin Perkins, New York; Paige Schmidt, Kansas; and Ally Spears, Texas. The 2024 Trailblazers cohort will be announced in mid-February.
Listen to interviews with a few more of the 2023 Trailblazers class.
Interview with Tucker Brown, Texas 6:34Interview with Macey Hurst, Missouri 4:26
Interview with Erin Perkins, New York 3:47
Interview with Paige Schmidt, Kansas and Colt Coffee, Montana 6:50
CIRB Elects Rinkenberger as 2024-25 Chairwoman
Lindsey Rinkenberger, COUNTRY Financial®, is the new chairwoman of the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) for 2024-2025. She stepped into the role at the conclusion of the CIRB Annual Meeting last week in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Rinkenberger served as the director of commercial agribusiness underwriting operations at COUNTRY Financial® since 2020. Prior to that she held various positions at the company, starting as a crop insurance underwriter in 2002. She graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications and media studies.
“I am proud to step into the this new position and I look forward to working with all CIRB members this year as we work to ensure crop insurance remains the most effective and efficient way to deliver risk management to farmers across the country,” Rinkenberger said.
As a CIRB member, she most recently served as vice chair under former Chairman Brian Young of Great American Insurance Group. In addition, Rinkenberger was a participant in the second Emerging Leaders Program sponsored by CIRB.
Listen to an interview with Rinkenberger from last week’s CIRB annual meeting.
Interview with Lindsey Rinkenberger, COUNTRY Financial 3:27
Agriculture Community Mourns Loss of Bill Northey
The tributes began pouring in as soon as the shock wore off Monday when the news broke that former Iowa Agriculture Secretary and USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey had died at the age of 64.
The Agribusiness Association of Iowa (AAI) where Northey served as CEO shared the news of his passing. “The state of Iowa, and all of agriculture, has lost a great leader who has left his mark on future generations and will be greatly missed. Bill was a tireless advocate for agriculture and a beloved leader for the entire AAI staff and organization.”
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said in a statement that his family has been friends with the Northeys for over two generations.
“Bill Northey was a dear friend and fierce advocate for the family farmer. As Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture and Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation at the United States Department of Agriculture under President Trump, Bill’s commitment to agriculture, biofuels and conservation were unmatched,” said Grassley.
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack also mentioned his decades-long friendship with Northey and his family in his statement, noting they had just lost his father Wayne Northey recently. “Bill’s colleagues, the Iowa agriculture community, and so many who knew him will feel the absence of such a passionate, knowledgeable and devoted leader for a long time to come,” said Vilsack.
Funeral arrangements are pending and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags to be at half-staff until Northey is buried.
“Bill was a great leader whose work ethic and passion for Iowa agriculture was unmatched. Iowans and farmers around the country were fortunate to have such a rock-solid advocate and friend,” said Reynolds. “Kevin and I offer our deepest condolences and prayers to Cindy and their family.”
Northey served as Iowa ag secretary for 11 years, from 2007 to 2018, before becoming USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation under President Trump. A fourth-generation farmer, Northey was president of the National Corn Growers Association in the mid-1990s.
Animal Ag News 2/5
USDA Officials Visit CIRB Annual Meeting
RMA Administrator Marcia Bunger and USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie
Bonnie discussed USDA’s commitment to supporting farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners through Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. “We’ve now funded about 135 projects across the country,” said Bonnie. “The idea here is to create markets. The government can play an important role here but if we’re going to be successful, the investment has to come from the private sector.”
Bunger was happy to brag about the crop insurance program. “I can now say truthfully, we have the best crop insurance in the world,” she said, noting that she attended an international meeting last fall. “It was hosted by the country of Spain with other countries in attendance and while they are each proud of their own crop insurance, they’re looking to us. They acknowledge we have the best in the world.”
Listen to their joint remarks and interviews with each below:
Robert Bonnie and Marcia Bunger, USDA 45:58 Interview with Robert Bonnie, USDA 3:42 Interview with Marcia Bunger, USDA 2:57CattleFax Forecasts at #CattleCon24
One of the highlights of the Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show is always the CattleFax Outlook Seminar, and there was a full house in Orlando, Florida last week when the experts shared their market and weather analysis.
Kevin Good, vice president of market analysis at CattleFax, reported that U.S. beef cow herd declined 2% with inventories at 28.2 million head at the beginning of this year. “Though drought conditions did improve in many regions, over a third of the cow herd was affected by drought in 2023, causing limited heifer retention and more liquidation in some regions. This will limit growth to the cow herd near-term,” Good said.
Cow and bull slaughter is forecast to be 6.5 million head in 2024, down around 800,000 head, from 2023. CattleFax predicted feeder cattle and calf supplies outside of feedyards will be 1 million head smaller than 2023 at 24.1 million head.
Randy Blach, CattleFax chief executive officer, concluded the session with an overall positive outlook, and noted that the current cattle cycle will be much slower and prolonged compared to the last as heifer retention has not yet started on a nationwide basis. He expects the peak in cattle prices is likely to occur in 2025-2026 and, in the meantime, industry profitability will continue to swing in favor of the cow-calf producer as excess feeding and packing capacity chases a declining supply of feeder cattle and calves.
Listen to the entire presentation and interviews with Good and Blach below.
CattleFax Outlook Seminar 1:57:36 Interview with Randy Blach, CattleFax 8:16 Interview with Kevin Good, CattleFax 7:00Find more content from CattleCon24 in the official virtual newsroom.