Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Debbie Stabenow

John Davis May 6, 2015

Agri-Pulse Open Mic this week features the Ranking Member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

The Michigan Democrat says she’s concerned about the budget process and is ready to defend the agriculture policy she and others worked so hard to approve. Stabenow says she wants to export products not jobs. In this interview, she shares her reservations about granting Trade Promotion Authority for the administration and her support for expanding trade with Cuba.

Click here to listen to Agri-Pulse Open Mic with Sen. Debbie Stabenow.

Agri-Pulse

GROWMARK Provides Fertilizer Update

Cindy Zimmerman May 6, 2015

Lower crop prices and a later harvest caused farmers to cut back some on fall fertilizer application last year but supplies are expected to be adequate this spring to meet demand, according to GROWMARK Plant Food Director Joe Dillier.

“Haven’t had a great test of that because of the planting delays we’ve had to date,” said Dillier. “But my guess is that we’re going to be okay on fertilizer supply going through the balance of the spring.”

Dillier says that prices have been volatile but basically steady compared to last year. “Overall, phosphate prices are maybe a little higher than they were a year ago, not much, ammonia is probably in that same category,” said Dillier. “The other products would probably be down a little bit compared to a year ago.”

The fertilizer market is going through a bit of a transition right now, according to Dillier. “It’s anticipated that some time over the course of the next year, there will be some new domestic production come on, probably after this fall,” he said. “So, we’ll have to see how that plays out.”

There is some concern that with last year’s big crop and yields farmers face some risk by cutting back on fertilizer. “Last spring we saw strong application rates and I think farmers saw the benefit of that…they saw great yields,” said Dillier. “That’s the danger if they go shy on their nutrient program that they don’t get the yields that they want.”

Dillier has more information in this interview: Interview with Joe Dillier, GROWMARK

Audio, Fertilizer, GROWMARK

Tyler Hubbard Meets New Holland Next Gen

Chuck Zimmerman May 5, 2015

It all started with a tweet. Tyler Hubbard announced that he wanted a New Holland T5 tractor. New Holland got the message. What happened next was the New Holland Voice of the Next Gen Contest. AgWired helped promote the contest and now it has concluded successfully. Six weeks from start to finish. Now that’s executing on a short time frame!

Here in Episode 2 of my series on the Next Gen project we’ll meet the folks in charge of the New Holland team that put together the promotion and also hear from Tyler Hubbard, the Georgia part of Florida Georgia Line.

In this photo you can see the New Holland team posing with Tyler Hubbard in Hershey, PA. New Holland brought the five contest winners together along with local dealers and their customers to meet Tyler Hubbard prior to the Florida Georgia Line concert Saturday night.

During the Meet and Greet I talked with Dawn Pelon and Mark Hooper about how the contest came together. Dawn says that Tyler sent a tweet containing a photo of their T5 Tractor brochure with the words, “If only one could wish.” From there New Holland worked on making his wish come true. Mark says it’s exciting to see people engage in something like this contest. “I think this is something New Holland does differently. We connect with customers and people in a different way.”

With this campaign over Dawn says they’re kicking off a new contest on social media called The 1st Cut Competition. Hay growers are asked to submit creative photos of their first cut of the season to the contest website. The contest begins today and ends July 31. The hashtag is #NH1stCut. The prize is a Roll-Belt 450 Silage Special Round Baler.

During the Contest Period, you can enter the Contest at www.NHFirstCut.com (“Website”) by completing all required fields on the registration form, uploading an original photo (“Photo”) of your 1st cut and Photo Title of 10 words or less (all components combined constitute the “Submission”). The Photo could be of your hay field, equipment, or yourself in the field. Limit one (1) Submission per person. Only the entrant may appear in the Photo. Full rules here.

Let’s move on to my conversation with Tyler Hubbard. Here’s Tyler Hubbard on stage during the band’s performance. We had a rowdy crowd that night enjoying the performance.

Tyler grew up in Georgia and moved to Nashville when he was 18 yrs. old. He’s got a farm and loves the New Holland brand. He works with his local dealer but has met a lot more New Holland people on this promotion. When it comes to America’s farmers and ranchers Tyler sends out a lot of “love and respect” for farming and working hard.

Listen to more about this great New Holland promotion and what Tyler had to say in this week’s program: New Holland Next Gen with Tyler Hubbard

Subscribe to the ZimmCast podcast here.

The ZimmCast

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Agribusiness, Audio, New Holland, ZimmCast

#Planting15 and Technology

Jamie Johansen May 5, 2015

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “How will high path avian flu impact industry?”

The number of outbreaks grows by the day and I am afraid the worst is yet to come. Just yesterday, Iowa announced four more cases. It looks like the majority feel exports will be greatly impacted and many agree that we haven’t seen the worst of it.

Here are the poll results:

No major impact – 13%
Big export impact – 38%
Higher prices – 6%
Worse for turkey producers – 13%
Worse yet to come – 25%
Will recover quickly – 5%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, What technology is most responsible for rapid planting progress?

Up until last week, planting progress was running behind normal. But in just one week farmers were able to plant more than one third of the corn acres – including 54% in Iowa alone! What do you think is most responsible for the ability to make such tremendous progress in such a short time?

ZimmPoll

Nuts & Bolts of Ag Communication

Chuck Zimmerman May 5, 2015

The American Agricultural Editors Association and the Livestock Publications Council are holding their Midwest Regional Workshop today. The title is, “The Nuts and Bolts of Communication.”

DTN/The Progressive Farmer is supplying a livestream of the workshop today. On the screen when I tuned in is Jim Patrico, Senior Editor for DTN/The Progressive Farmer.

The topics today include how to Rock Your Assignment, Breaking News Better and Storytelling in a Twitter World. Remember way back when no one had heard of Twitter? Remember thinking, “This is stupid.” Amazing what Twitter has done to communications and news isn’t it?

ACN, LPC, Media

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes May 5, 2015

Bayer CropScience announced a strategic innovation partnership with Flagship Ventures, a leading venture capital and venture creation firm.
HoneyComb Corp., manufacturer of the AgDrone System, is pleased to announce that Wilbur-Ellis has received approval to fly the AgDrone System over agricultural property within the United States from the FAA.
At the Farm Foundation Forum on Thursday, May 14, industry experts from production agriculture, the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory agencies will explore the challenges of phasing out the use of antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals.
Evolva and Valent BioSciences Corporation have signed an exclusive agreement to co-develop and commercialize a class of high-value active ingredients for use as next-generation agricultural bioactives.

Zimfo Bytes

Bayer CropScience Teams with Flagship Ventures

Cindy Zimmerman May 5, 2015

Bayer CropScience today announced a new partnership with venture capital firm Flagship Ventures to invest in leading-edge agriculture companies and technologies. The partnership also includes an investment in Flagship Ventures Fund V, a $537 million venture capital fund that closed in March 2015.

“Emerging challenges in agriculture are leading the industry in new and exciting directions,” said Liam Condon, chief executive officer of Bayer CropScience. “With growing pest pressures, weather volatility and changes in consumer tastes, growers need and are counting on new solutions to increase yields on the farm. Bayer is committed to providing them with new innovations. We look forward to working with Flagship Ventures to bring exciting, breakthrough companies to market.”

“Partnering with Bayer CropScience will help us realize the emerging opportunity we see for the development of game-changing technologies in agriculture,” said Dr. Noubar Afeyan, senior managing partner and chief executive officer of Flagship Ventures. “Collectively we are dedicated to making sustainable, positive impacts on global farm operations and the global food supply.”

Bayer CropScience joins AstraZeneca and Nestlé Health Science as strategic innovation partners in Flagship Ventures Fund V. The fund will focus on innovations in healthcare and sustainability in the energy, water, agriculture and nutrition sectors.

Agribusiness, Bayer

Avian Flu Epidemic Grows

Cindy Zimmerman May 5, 2015

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad declared a state of emergency Friday as new confirmed and probable cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been announced on an almost daily basis in the last two weeks. Yet another four probable cases were announced Monday, bringing the total now to over 20 million birds at 25 sites in 11 counties.Iowa Gov declares state of emergency due to HPAI

Iowa is the largest egg producing state in the country and as of last week the number of laying hens infected was about a quarter of the total in the state and “probably five or six percent of the layers in the United States,” according to Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey. Now that number is more like a third of the state’s total laying population, fueling expectations that there will likely be an impact on supply and prices before very long.

With millions of birds having to be destroyed, the livelihoods of poultry producers are at stake and Northey says indemnity payments from the federal government only makes up for part of the loss. “They are to pay for part of the cost for putting those birds down, but not for any lost income,” said Northey. “Our hearts go out to the folks that are going through this.” Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey comments on indemnity payments

Minnesota, which is the top turkey producing state in the nation, has had the largest number of HPAI cases so far at 67 as of May 1.

We have been keeping up with the latest from the affected states on Animal.AgWired.com where you can check for the latest updates.

Audio, Poultry

Farm Foundation Forum on Animal Antibiotics

John Davis May 5, 2015

The next Farm Foundation Forum will discuss the issue of antibiotics in food animal production. The May 14th discussion will bring together industry experts from production agriculture, the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory agencies to explore the challenges of phasing out the use of antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals.

Farm Foundation President Neil Conklin will moderate the panel of experts in the field, including:

Dr. John Clifford, USDA APHIS
Cheri DeJong, a Texas dairy farmer
Grady Bishop, Elanco Animal Health
Dr. William Flynn, FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine

Since December 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued two Guidance for Industry (GFIs)–209 and 213–addressing “voluntary adopt of practices to ensure the appropriate or judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals.” Increased veterinary oversight of the use of antimicrobials is also addressed. Most recently, FDA has also amended its Veterinary Feed Directive to require producers to have veterinary approval for the use of medically-important antibiotics in feed.

The free forum will be held in-person on May 14th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the National Press Club, Washington, D.C. But if you’re unable to attend, a live audiocast is available free of charge. More information is available here.

Ag Groups, Animal Agriculture, Farm Foundation

Netflix to Stream FARMLAND

Cindy Zimmerman May 4, 2015

The movie FARMLAND is now available for streaming to 57 million subscribers worldwide on Netflix.com.

“I’m thrilled that FARMLAND has found a new home at Netflix,” said Academy Award®-winning director James Moll. “There’s a lot of interest out there in the next generation of farmers and ranchers, and Netflix is a great venue to meet and be inspired by these six hard-working Americans.”

FARMLAND provides viewers with a firsthand glimpse inside the world of farming and ranching by depicting the lives of six young farmers and ranchers. In addition to streaming on Netflix, the film is currently screening on major college and university campuses across the nation. Additional campuses interested in holding a screening can submit requests at FARMLANDfilm.com.

The film continues to be available for rent and purchase at Walmart retail locations nationwide, Walmart.com, and via digital download on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Blockbuster On-Demand, Sony PlayStation, Vudu.com, Xbox and YouTube.

USFRA

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