CTIC Announces New Board of Directors

Jamie Johansen March 9, 2015

The Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) announced its new board of directors. Alan Ayers of Bayer CropScience will serve as chair. Lara Moody of The Fertilizer Institute is vice-chair, and Terry Tindall of the J.R. Simplot Company was named treasurer.

“It’s exciting to work with such a dedicated board to continue building CTIC as a preferred source of information on technologies that help keep farmers economically and environmentally sustainable,” says Ayers.

“The strength of this board comes from its members’ commitment to advocating for conservation agriculture, as well as their diversity,” he adds. “For more than 30 years, CTIC has brought together people from across the agriculture industry, academic institutions, environmental groups, media and government agencies to share information on productive, profitable conservation systems. This board will continue that proud legacy, building strong partnerships that help farmers and the environment.”

This year’s CTIC board of directors consists of:

Officers
Alan Ayers, Chair, Bayer CropScience
Lara Moody, Vice Chair, The Fertilizer Institute
Terry Tindall, Treasurer, J.R. Simplot Company
Pauley Bradley, Past Chair, John Deere

Ag Groups, Conservation, CTIC

John Deere Adds Sprayers to CPO Equipment Program

Jamie Johansen March 9, 2015

For producers and ag service providers looking to upgrade their sprayer equipment line-up, John Deere announces the Certified Pre-Owned Program (CPO) for self-propelled sprayers.

“Last May, we introduced the Certified Pre-Owned Program for 8 and 9 Series Tractors and late-model combines,” says Bill Weber, manager, used equipment optimization, John Deere. “This has been a very successful program for our customers and allows them to trade up to later model machines with newer technology and extended warranty.”

John Deere Self-Propelled Sprayers, up to two years old with 1000 engine hours or less, are eligible for the CPO Program. These include the following models, 4630, 4730, 4830, 4940, R4030, R4038, and R4045 Self-Propelled Sprayers.
These machines go through an extensive inspection program and fluid scan analysis. Customers will also receive a one year subscription to JDLink™.

“This is a great time for customers to consider purchasing a newer sprayer,” says Weber. “There has never been a better selection of equipment, backed by an industry leading protection plan, fully outfitted with the latest technology.”

Agribusiness, Equipment, John Deere

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes March 9, 2015

Archer Daniels Midland Company has announced several management appointments.
As Lely North America continues to enter new markets and experience rapid growth in the North American market, it is expanding the senior leadership team and the role of one of its tenured employees, Chad Huyser.
NAMA will be hosting a webinar on Email Marketing on Wednesday, March 25, at 1:00 pm central time.
The 133 delegates of the American Soybean Association voted to approve a new set of policy resolutions to guide the organization’s work in Washington and nationwide for the coming year.

Zimfo Bytes

Walker and Cruz at Iowa Ag Summit

Cindy Zimmerman March 9, 2015

Two potential presidential candidates who received a lot of media attention at the Iowa Ag Summit on Saturday were Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Cruz, who has introduced legislation to repeal the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), was honest about his views, even though he said the “easy thing to do” would be to tell the people of Iowa that he is “for the RFS, darn it.”

Cruz thinks immigration policy in the U.S. is “a mess” and thinks we need to get serious about securing borders. He “emphatically” supports Trade Promotion Authority and opening up markets, but not in Cuba, which he calls a “matter of national security.”

Listen to Sen. Cruz answer questions from summit organizer Bruce Rastetter. Iowa Ag Summit - Texas Sen. Ted Cruz

In his 20 minutes with Rastetter, Gov. Walker expressed similar attitudes on immigration, TPA and Cuba, but came out in favor of the RFS saying he was “willing to go forward on continuing” the RFS and “pressing EPA to make sure there’s certainty.”

Walker voiced support for crop insurance and said he was against GMO labeling for food because it “gives the false impression that somehow there’s something different.”

Listen to Walker address the issues here: Iowa Ag Summit - Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker

Audio, politics

Iowa Summit Generates National Coverage

Cindy Zimmerman March 9, 2015

The first Iowa Ag Summit featuring nine possible GOP presidential candidates put the spotlight on agricultural issues in the national media.

Comments made by at the event by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, former New York Gov. George Pataki, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker have been the talk of Sunday political shows to Monday talk radio.

Over 270 journalists who attended the event, representing most if not all of the major news outlets nationwide, all heard about some of the top issues for agriculture including trade, regulations, conservation, food safety, biotechnology, renewable fuels, and immigration.

Among the potential candidates who hit the high notes for the national media was Christie, who jabbed back at a heckler as he was answering a question about EPA’s proposed Waters of the United States WOTUS rule. “My people follow me everywhere, I’m magnetic,” joked Christie, who called WOTUS a “power grab” by EPA.

Christie favors TPA but has concerns about President Obama as a negotiator, he is opposed to opening up trade with Cuba, says administration should follow the law on the RFS, likes wind, and just says no to GMO food labeling.

Listen to Christie’s answers to questions posed by summit organizer Bruce Rastetter. Iowa Ag Summit - NJ Gov. Chris Christie

Audio, politics

Seed Education Campaign Taking Root

Cindy Zimmerman March 9, 2015

Registration is now open for the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) 132nd Annual Convention which will be in Washington DC this year, June 17-20, where members will be sowing seeds of information inside the Beltway.

“One of the focuses there is going to be on advocacy,” said ASTA CEO Andy LaVigne at Commodity Classic, who adds that it will be part of their recently launched education effort. “Our hope is to increase awareness of the diversity of the seed industry,” he said.

LaVigne talked about the educational effort with both growers and the media at Classic, explaining how their research has shown that people have little interest in seeds until they are provided with information about how seeds impact their lives. “We’re targeting foodies, moms and food bloggers to try and get that message out,” he said.

The three-year information campaign was just unveiled in December and LaVigne says they will have more details at the ASTA annual meeting in June.

Andy LaVigne, ASTA at Commodity Classic

2015 Commodity Classic Photo Album

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by Propane Education and Research Council

ASTA, Audio, Commodity Classic, Seed

Presidential Possibles Take on Ag Issues

Cindy Zimmerman March 9, 2015

Nine potential Republican presidential candidates were asked their opinions on various agricultural issues at the Iowa Ag Summit in Des Moines on Saturday.

Each taking a seat on a stage with agribusiness entrepreneur Bruce Rastetter for 20-30 minutes were former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, former New York Gov. George Pataki, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. Topics included immigration reform, trade promotion authority and GMO labeling, but the main focus of the event was to get the potential candidates to take a stand on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).

Six of the nine expressed at least conditional support, including Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker who recently had been criticized by biofuel producers in his state for not taking a stand on the law. Three of the candidates – Cruz, Pataki, and Perry – came out firmly against the RFS, while at the same time saying they supported ethanol and other renewable fuels.

The summit was organized with the support of America’s Renewable Future, a quasi-political campaign for the RFS introduced earlier this year. Co-chair Bill Couser, pictured here with Sen. Cruz, says their goal is to educate potential presidential candidates.

“Show them why we do this, how we do this, and say what do you think?” said Couser, an Iowa cattle producer and ethanol advocate. “I can say, let’s go look at a corn field, let’s go look at a feedlot, let’s go look at some windmills, let’s go look at Lincolnway Energy, and then let’s go to the DuPont plant right next door and I’ll show you what we’re doing with the whole plant and being sustainable.”

Couser says they plan to approach all potential presidential candidates individually and invite them to visit and learn more about agriculture and renewable energy, including Hillary Clinton. “Wouldn’t that be something if she showed up?” he said.

Listen to my interview with Bill at the recent National Ethanol Conference here: Interview with Bill Couser, America's Renewable Future Co-Chair

Audio, Biofuels, Ethanol, politics

Corn Growers Offer Risk Coverage Advice Webinar

John Davis March 9, 2015

Farmers trying to pick the right risk coverage under the new Farm Bill can be a daunting task. But the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is offering some help. The group is co-sponsoring a free webinar on March 12 from 10-11 am CDT that will help producers pick which coverage package is right for them.

Farmers and ranchers will have to decide soon which risk coverage package is right for them of three options: Price Loss Coverage (PLC), or one of two Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) packages (county or farm level). It is important for growers to be educated on this topic because the one-time choice they make will have an impact on their operations for years to come.

DTN’s webinar, titled “ARC or PLC: Which Safety Net Fits You?”, hosted by DTN Executive Editor Marcia Taylor, will include presentations from University of Illinois Economist Gary Schnitkey; University of Illinois Assistant Professor of Law and Policy and former FSA administrator Jonathan Coppess; and Mississippi State Economist and former advisor to the U.S. Senate Agricultural Committee Keith Coble.

“This is the first time farmers have a choice on risk management programs, and it’s a big decision that will affect their operations for years to come,” said Jim Reed, an Illinois corn grower and chairman of NCGA’s Public Policy Action Team. “The webinar is a great opportunity to hear from a few of the most knowledgeable ag economists on the programs. The ARC program especially is a smart, market-based approach to managing risk, and NCGA is proud of the role we can play in educating growers about their choices through programs like this.”

More information and registration is available here.

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Corn, NCGA

Bayer Ag Issues Forum: Transparency is Accountability

John Davis March 9, 2015

With consumers more and more concerned about what’s in the food they eat and drink and how the animals that produce much of that food are treated, agribusinesses are finding they need to be more transparent with the public. During the the recent Bayer CropScience 10th annual Ag Issues Forum in Phoenix, Dr. Jennifer Walker, DVM, Director, Dairy Stewardship, Dean Foods, spoke about how transparency equals accountability on a panel titled, “The Transparency Effect: How Consumer Demands Affect the Ag Supply Chain.”

“The struggle is to figure out what accountability looks like – how do we measure that on the farm,” she told Chuck during an interview after the panel. “From an animal welfare perspective, it’s not necessarily how you house something, not the size of the pen, but really focusing on the cow. Transparency is being accountable and then being able to verify – what can I share with you and prove to you that we are doing what we say we are doing.”

Walker said Dean Foods deals with both sides of the equation – the farmers and co-ops on one end and the consumers on the other – to make sure they are doing what is necessary to meet those customer demands while allowing producers to do what they do best. She pointed to a successful example of that in Dean Foods’ TruMoo Chocolate Milk that meets stricter school lunch standards and keeps healthy milk that children want to drink in front of them.

Another point during the panel session was the possible conflict between large producers and the niche market producers. Walker said the niche markets are not the enemy of the mainstream producers; there’s room for everyone. And no one benefits when one sector of agriculture bashes another.

“As an industry, we all need to try our best to work with each other and promote our strengths. Trying to talk poorly about any part of ag never serves agriculture well, ever. It eventually hurts yourself,” she said.

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Dr. Walker here: Dr. Jennifer Walker, DVM, Director, Dairy Stewardship, Dean Foods

2015 Ag Issues Forum Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer

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