Policy in Focus at #Classic15

Cindy Zimmerman

commclassic2015Corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum growers from all over the country are heading to Phoenix this week for the 20th annual Commodity Classic convention and trade show.

“Commodity Classic gives us the opportunity not just to celebrate great work, meet with friends and learn about new products and services, it allows growers to get together in one place to shape policy for our organization,” said National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Chip Bowling. “This year, all eyes and ears will be focused on the importance of building profitable demand for our farmers when corn production is high and corn prices are low.”

Corn rowers are meeting today for an issues briefing and open forum, followed by caucuses at the state level, where they will discuss proposed resolutions and organizational priorities to come before NCGA at the two Corn Congress sessions, held Thursday morning and Saturday afternoon.

Also this week, growers are scheduled to hear from Val Docini, the administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, at the Thursday Corn Congress session. And USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack will speak before several thousand Classic attendees at the show’s general session Friday morning.

We’ll be bringing it all to you right here on AgWired, thanks to our wonderful sponsors!

Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by
Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by BASF Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by New Holland Coverage of Commodity Classic sponsored by Propane Education and Research Council
Ag Groups, Commodity Classic, Corn, NCGA, sorghum, Soybean, Wheat

Coalition Tells Congress to Reject Farm Bill Cuts

John Davis

nfu-smallA coalition of nearly 400 organizations, including the National Farmers Union (NFU), is calling for Congress to reject efforts to make additional cuts to the 2014 Farm Bill. The NFU and the coalition of groups, representing family farmers and ranchers, agribusiness, food banks, environmental and faith-based organizations, sent a letter to U.S. Senate and House leaders asking them to stop the cuts.

“The 2014 Farm Bill required over three years of debate in both chambers of Congress and ultimately ended with the consolidation of over 100 programs and cuts to mandatory spending across many titles, including the elimination of the direct payment program,” noted the letter, sent to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate and House Budget Committees. “These cuts came in addition to those already in effect due to sequestration.”

The letter noted that the bipartisan Farm Bill was estimated to contribute $23 billion to deficit reduction over 10 years, when including sequestration. “These difficult cuts were made across the farm safety net, conservation programs, and nutrition programs,” noted the letter, which was sent late yesterday.

The signators underscored their united opposition to re-opening any title of the Farm Bill during the consideration of the 2016 Budget Resolution and urged both chambers to refrain from including reconciliation instructions to the respective committees with oversight duties for the Farm Bill.

NFU President Roger Johnson said the 2014 Farm Bill “was a great victory for America’s family farmers and ranchers” and a big win for taxpayers. He added that it is legislation that has already been debated and passed and should be left alone.

Ag Groups, Agribusiness, Farm Bill, politics

Former Iowa Congressman at #AIF2015

Cindy Zimmerman

bayer-aif15-lathamRepublican Tom Latham served as Congressman from Iowa for 20 years, stepping down in January. A speaker at the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum this week prior to Commodity Classic in Phoenix, Latham talked about what’s on the horizon for agriculture. He thinks the 2014 farm bill was very positive but he wonders if it may be the last.

“Going forward, I think it’s going to be a real challenge to get another farm bill,” said Latham in an interview at the issues forum.

A long time member of the House Appropriations committee, Latham acknowledges that funding issues will continue to pressure agriculture. “There’s the sequester, there’s budget pressure and people want to get a handle on the national debt and deficit,” Latham said. “More people are concerned about the deficit that they are able to ignore agriculture.”

Even with a Republican majority in Congress, Latham thinks it will still be difficult for them to get anything done. Interview with former Iowa Cong. Tom Latham, Ag Issues Forum

In his address to the Ag Issues Forum, Latham talked about many issues that will impact agriculture going forward, including tax policy, Big Data, trade agreements, and much more. Remarks by former Iowa Cong. Tom Latham, Ag Issues Forum

2015 Ag Issues Forum Photo Album

Audio, Bayer

10th Annual Bayer Ag Issues Forum

Chuck Zimmerman

Jim Blome Bayer CropScienceThe 10th Annual Ag Issues Forum, conducted by Bayer CropScience, is underway in advance of this year’s Commodity Classic. I want to thank Bayer for making it possible for us to cover this event once again.

Our first speaker is Jim Blome, President/CEO, Bayer CropScience LP. He has talked a little bit about his farm background and challenged attendees to get local though leaders out on a farm to help them better understand where their food comes from.

Listen in to Jim’s remarks and questions and answers from ag media: Jim Blome, Bayer CropScience, Remarks

After Jim’s remarks this morning I sat down with him to talk about the need for more innovation in the ag industry and the need to talk with people outside of agriculture.


This is a very packed program with lots of speakers and panels and I’ll be here to the end.

Photos: 2015 Ag Issues Forum Photo Album

Agribusiness, Audio, Bayer, Technology, Video

Zimfo Bytes

Talia Goes

Zimfo Bytes

  • The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has awarded 23 $500 mini-grants to communities across the nation.
  • Dr. Kathleen A. Merrigan, who recently served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, will join AGree as a Co-Chair, announced AGree Executive Director Deborah Atwood.
  • Peterson Farms of Loretto, Ky., who was named the winner of the 2015 Top Producer of the Year award, has been recognized by Kentucky state legislature.
  • Trout Unlimited President and CEO Chris Wood announced the promotion of Elizabeth Maclin to the organization’s executive vice president position.
Zimfo Bytes

Is Open Internet Here to Stay?

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “Which crop insurance option will you be choosing?”

It is evident that many farmers across the country still do not understand the crop insurance options offered in our recent farm bill and deciding has become a chore. However, the majority of those who took our poll and have made a decision have selected agriculture risk coverage or ARC.

Here are the poll results:

  • PLC – 15%
  • ARC – 47%
  • Still unsure – 38%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, What do you think of proposed government control over the internet?

We have been hearing the term net neutrality or open internet in the news lately. The FCC says open internet ensures that every American has access to open and robust high-speed internet service. As we understand it, the FCC’s guidelines for this are being challenged by a number of organizations. So, we want to know what you think about a proposed government control over our internet.

ZimmPoll

Registration for 2015 AgCareers.com HR Roundtable

Jamie Johansen

Screen Shot 2015-02-23 at 4.31.25 PMThe AgCareers.com 13th Annual North American Ag & Food HR Roundtable will take place in St. Louis, MO this year on August 4-6. The event includes educational sessions on current recruitment and retention topics in the agricultural industry. The premier event provides relevant content and rewarding networking experiences for all.

The 2015 Roundtable will cover:
– It is All About Branding
– The Workforce Landscape: A C-Suite Perspective
– Is Cultural Fit Really that Important?
– Working Toward a Common Goal—Student Recruitment Panel
– Performance Management in our Industry
– The Hiring Process—Employers Unplugged
– A Driving Force: Integrating Analytics into Recruiting
– Handling Difficult Conversations in Agriculture
– Redefining Diversity Recruitment
– Beg, Borrow, and Share University Session
– Strategic College Recruiting for Small & Mid-Sized Organizations
– International Recruitment

Human resources professionals, managers, university/college staff and associations within the agricultural industry will find exceptional opportunities for networking, continuing education and entertainment at the Roundtable, hosted by Monsanto.

AgCareers.com is also offering an add-on workshop on Military Recruitment in conjunction with this year’s Ag & Food HR Roundtable. This special workshop will provide helpful insight to participants that would like to focus on employing more military service members within their organizations.

Ag Groups, AgCareers, Events

New Holland Seeds of Life Part 4

Jamie Johansen

New Holland Seeds of Life SeriesNew Holland has just published episode #4 in its Seeds of Life Series, “A storytelling project for the Heroes who feed us all.”

New Holland Agriculture presents “A Sustainable World”, fourth episode of The Seeds of Life Series at Expo2015. Come and discover generations of our Heroes #ThanksToHeroes. Follow our farmers in their continuous efforts to meet the growing demand for food and protect the future of the environment.

As farmers, our Heroes have the duty to protect the Earth, trying and waste as little water as possible, using biomass, and building anti-desertification barriers.

To generate electricity, they use biogas deriving from livestock effluent and cereal silage, and by burning wheat straw in thermoelectric generators they supply electric energy and heat to the surrounding cities and business activities.

Thanks to water storage, they reduced water consumption by 30% per square meter of field crops over the last 10 years. A farm can reduce the effect of wind, and help control desertification to improve the Earth’s climate. Watch how together, we feed the world #TogetherWeFeedTheWorld @Expo 2015.

Find out more on the New Holland website, dedicated to the new worldwide campaign to reach the Expo Milano 2015 broad audience.


Agribusiness, New Holland, Sustainability, Video

John Deere Offers Machine Sync Enhancements

Cindy Zimmerman

deere-machinesyncCommodity Classic attendees this week will get to find out more about the latest John Deere Machine Sync enhancements which debuted at the 2015 National Farm Machinery Show.

Deere announced expanded the functionality of its Machine Sync application this year, featuring coverage map and guidance line sharing that can be useful during seeding and spraying operations, as well as when applying nutrients and during harvest.

nfms15-deere-lukeThese new features make it easy for two machines to operate in the same field while giving each operator immediate access to coverage maps and guidance lines to improve overall efficiency in the field, according to Jake Flanders with Deere’s Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG). “If you can share those (guidance) lines with each other and be able to see the areas each one has already covered that lets you do a very synchronized dance through that field with two machines without having to radio back and forth and look at lines in the dirt,” said Flanders. “You can just look at lines on your display and it makes it a lot easier.”

Listen to my interview with Jake from NFMS here: Interview with Jake Flanders, Deere ISG

Be sure to stop by and visit with John Deere at Commodity Classic and check out their WIN Session on Data-Enabled Technology which will be held at 1:30 Friday afternoon.

2015 National Farm Machinery Show Photo Album

Audio, Commodity Classic, data, John Deere, National Farm Machinery Show, NFMS, Precision Agriculture

Students Celebrate National FFA Week Nationwide

Jamie Johansen

Screen Shot 2015-02-23 at 4.08.37 PMMore than a half-million students in all 50 states will share the importance of agriculture in our daily lives, spread their passion for agriculture and host community-wide events to help others in need this week.

It’s National FFA Week and a host of activities are planned to raise awareness about the National FFA Organization and the role it plays in the development of the agriculture industry’s future leaders and the importance of agricultural education.

The week-long tradition started in 1948. Each year, National FFA Week runs Saturday to Saturday, encompassing President George Washington’s Feb. 22 birthday in recognition of Washington’s legacy as an agriculturist and farmer.

FFA was founded by a group of young farmers in 1928. Its mission is to prepare future generations for the challenges of feeding a growing population. Since the founding members the organization has taught generations that agriculture is more than planting and harvesting — it involves science, business and much more.

Today, FFA continues to help the next generation rise up to meet new agricultural challenges by helping members develop their own unique talents and explore their interests in a broad range of career pathways. Members prepare for careers as biologists, chemists, veterinarians, engineers and entrepreneurs.

National FFA Week is sponsored by Tractor Supply Co., National FFA Week activities can be followed on Twitter at #FFAweek.

Ag Groups, FFA