RFA Ethanol Podcast

Precision Ag News 10/18

Carrie Muehling

  • As cornfields suffer crop damage caused by weather, corn producers can use geospatial and remote sensing technologies to get a more accurate measurement of the damage and estimate potential economic loss, according to a recent study published in Frontiers in Agronomy.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued more than $1.77 billion this year to agricultural producers and landowners through its Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), a critical piece of the Department’s efforts to support climate-smart agriculture and forestry on working lands. Right now, CRP’s more than 667,000 participants received payments from USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for their voluntary conservation efforts on more than 23 million acres of private land. Since 2021, CRP has grown by 21 percent in terms of acres enrolled, testament to the Biden-Harris administration’s program improvement efforts.
  • On UN World Food Day, Bayer announced the introduction of its direct-seeded rice (DSR) system at the 6th International Rice Congress in Manila. Moving from transplanted puddled rice cultivation to direct-seeded rice can help farmers to reduce water use by up to 40 percent, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by up to 45 percent and reduce farmers’ dependence on scarce and costly manual labor by up to 50 percent. The introduction of the DSR system is fully in line with Bayer’s recently announced approach to regenerative agriculture which will enable farmers to produce more while restoring more.
  • JCB announced it is set to build a new factory in North America which will create 1,500 new jobs over the next five years. The construction of the 720,000 sq. ft. factory will begin early next year on a 400-acre site in San Antonio, Texas.
  • Syngenta Seedcare is strengthening its focus on biologicals and extending its leadership in seed treatment with the opening of its first biologicals service center at The Seedcare Institute in Maintal, Germany.
  • Clean Seed Capital Group Ltd. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Brad Technologies SAS, a France based AgriTech company, whose mission is to be the voice of soil health by providing farmers with enhanced real-time knowledge driven by artificial intelligence.
  • CNH Industrial has completed its purchase of the global satellite navigation technology leader Hemisphere GNSS for a total consideration of USD $175 million – as announced on March 30, 2023.
  • Yanmar America, a leading provider of innovative agricultural and industrial solutions, is set to dazzle attendees at Equipment Expo 2023 with the debut of its cutting-edge e-tractor concept. This all-new development from Yanmar marks the first public appearance of the innovative electric tractor concept, offering users a versatile powertrain selection tailored to their specific work needs.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Animal Ag News 10/16

    Carrie Muehling

  • Smithfield Foods will close its Charlotte, North Carolina, pork-processing plant and transfer production to its Tar Heel, North Carolina, facility to increase efficiency and better utilize existing capacity. The company will provide financial and other transition assistance to the 107 employees who are affected by this closure and will meet with employees to discuss options including transfer to other Smithfield locations. Smithfield will also provide a financial incentive package for hourly employees to remain at Charlotte until the final day of production in December.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing partnerships for a new, interagency pilot project aimed at offering more localized ground bison meat for tribal communities through the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR). The pilot will look at changes to how USDA purchases bison to better support buying the meat from local, small, and mid-sized bison herd managers and delivering it directly to their local tribal communities.
  • In the second year of the meat sector’s pioneering data collection and reporting on five key focus areas for continuous improvement, the number of companies submitting data grew by nearly 60% and now covering more than half of all establishments operated by Meat Institute members. With 93% of the Meat Institute’s largest member companies (more than 2000 employees) submitting data, the report reflects commitments and actions covering an estimated 90% of meat sold in the United States.
  • The Livestock Publications Council will hold its October Coffee and Collaboration on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at 10 a.m. CT. This session is titled “Telling Hard Stories That Need to Be Told” moderated by Lisa Moser featuring guest speakers Maddison Caldwell and Jennifer Shike of Farm Journal’s PORK.
  • As seedstock producers, Bruner Angus Ranch and Wendel Livestock, in North Dakota, were focused on raising herd sires and replacement heifers for customers. Now they sell their finished cattle, as well as those of their customers, through Dakota Angus. That partnership earned the 2023 CAB Progressive Partner award, and the two families were recognized in September at the CAB Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) is now accepting applications for the 2024 CME Group Beef Industry Scholarship. Ten scholarships of $1,500 each will be awarded to outstanding students pursuing careers in the beef industry.
  • smaXtec, the most advanced health system preventing diseases in dairy cows, announced the launch of new artificial intelligence capabilities with the introduction of TruAdvice technology.
  • Dairy MAX, a nonprofit dairy council representing more than 900 dairy farmers, announced the hiring of Becky Richardson as Vice President of School Marketing. In this pivotal role, Richardson will steer Dairy MAX’s strategic efforts in promoting dairy consumption and healthy nutrition among school-age children across Colorado, southwest Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, western Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming.
  • The regenerative agriculture consulting firm Understanding Ag, LLC, announced it will be conducting an intensive, two-day workshop on livestock economics, finance and marketing in Kansas City, Missouri, Nov. 29-30.
  • Attendee registration and general housing for the 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) opened Monday, Oct. 16. Attendees will EXPERIENCE IT ALL at the world’s largest annual display of technology, equipment, supplies and services used in the production and processing of eggs, meat and poultry, and those involved in feed manufacturing.
  • The National Pork Industry Foundation, a nonprofit research and educational organization led by pork industry leaders and managed by the National Pork Producers Council, has opened applications for the Neil Dierks Scholarship to honor NPPC’s previous longtime CEO, Neil Dierks. The $5,000 scholarship is given annually to a college student pursuing a graduate degree at a land-grant university in a field related to the pork industry.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Wrap-up Of 2023 NAMA Fall Conference

    Chuck Zimmerman

    NAMA Fall Conference Ag TourThe 2023 NAMA Fall Conference was very successful and started off the first day with an ag tour of two farms that have diversified into some unique products and services. The first stop was at Riegel Dairy & South Point Hemp. The dairy was very impressive and I had not actually been on a hemp farm, along with the processing that they use to sell products. The other stop was at Crooked Creek Beef. The owners focus on raising beef and selling direct to consumers. They also have an event venue that is a beautiful place for a wedding. It is Haue Valley. Also on their property is Earth Angel Mushrooms. It was another first for me to see how they grow and sell their products. Here’s the group picture from our last stop.

    Back at the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton we started the networking with an opening reception. Then we had keynote speakers, breakouts and more. Of course there are a lot of photos from the conference and I have them split into the tour and the conference in general. You can find them here:

    2023 NAMA Fall Conference Ag Tour Photos
    2023 NAMA Fall Conference Photos

    I talked with John Rozum, AEM, NAMA President for a conference review: Interview with John Rozum (5:38)

    You can put on your calendar some 2024 NAMA events:

    Agri-Marketing Conference – April 24-26, Kansas City, MO
    NAMA Boot Camp – August 13-15, Kansas City, MO
    NAMA Fall Conference – October 14-16, Minneapolis, MN

    Audio, NAMA

    USDA Lowers Forecast for Corn, Soybeans and Cotton

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The October Crop Production report from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) lowered the production forecast this year for corn, soybeans, and cotton.

    Corn production is forecast at 15.1 billion bushels, down less than 1% from the previous forecast but up 10% from last year; soybean growers are expected to decrease their production 4% from 2022, forecast at 4.10 billion bushels.

    Based on conditions as of Oct. 1, corn yields are expected to average 173.0 bushels per harvested acre, down 0.8 bushel from the previous forecast and down 0.4 bushel from 2022. Area harvested for grain is forecast at 87.1 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast.

    Also based on conditions as of Oct. 1, soybean yields are expected to average 49.6 bushels per acre, down 0.5 bushel from the previous forecast but unchanged from 2022. Area harvested for beans in the United States is forecast at 82.8 million acres, unchanged from the previous forecast, but down 4% from 2022.

    All cotton production is forecast at 12.8 million 480-pound bales, down 2% from the previous forecast and down 11% from 2022. Based on conditions as of Oct. 1, yields are expected to average 767 pounds per harvested acre, down 19 pounds from the previous forecast and down 183 pounds from 2022.

    Corn, Cotton, Soybean, USDA

    Industry Ag News 10/13

    Carrie Muehling

  • International Federation of Agricultural Journalists is seeking a new Global Manager as the current Global Manager prepares to retire. The position involves a wide range of responsibilities, including administration, communications, bookkeeping, and meeting planning. To learn more about this exciting opportunity, please click here for a detailed summary of the scope of work and approximate compensation.
  • According to a new report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, the sheer volume of consumers experiencing food insecurity due to poor access represents a potential market opportunity for food manufacturers. Serving these customers through direct-to-consumer ecommerce platforms or direct delivery could be a relatively easy and profitable means to improve their food options.
  • AgGateway announced registration is now open for its 2023 Annual Conference, November 13-15 at the Hilton Nashville Downtown in Nashville, TN.
  • American Vanguard Corporation announced that its subsidiary AMVAC LATAM has acquired Punto Verde, a well-established distributor in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to strengthen its product portfolio and market access in the Latin American region. AMVAC LATAM is a key player in the Latin American agricultural sector and has become a leader in the commercialization of crop protection products.
  • On Friday, Oct. 6th and Saturday, Oct. 7th, National Farmers Union (NFU) convened the in-person programming for the Beginning Farmer Institute (BFI) in Des Moines, Iowa.
  • Agriculture Future of America (AFA), an organization committed to cultivating the next generation of agricultural leaders, welcomes Nicole Erceg as Director of Marketing.
  • The Distillers Grains Technology Council (DGTC) is seeking an Executive Director to provide leadership and guidance in support of the DGTC’s vision, mission, strategic objectives and initiatives. Candidates for consideration will provide evidence of organizational, leadership and communications skills, interorganizational networking, membership development and support. For more information, click here.
  • GROWMARK recently completed its move to a new corporate headquarters located at 1705 Towanda Avenue in Bloomington, Ill. A little more than a year ago, GROWMARK’s purchase of the building from COUNTRY Financial was announced. Illinois Farm Bureau, COUNTRY Financial, and GROWMARK are all located on a shared campus.
  • POET, the world’s largest producer of biofuels and a leader in bioproducts, South Dakota State University, and South Dakota Mines celebrated the grand opening of the POET Bioproducts Center.
  • The U.S. rice industry is giving away $10,000 to high school seniors in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas as part of USA Rice’s annual National Rice Month Video Scholarship Contest. Students are asked to create a video that – in three minutes or less – shines a light on U.S.-grown rice. Interested students should visit www.reelricecontest.com for details, tips, and to view past winners. The deadline is October 31.
  • The Georgia Peanut Commission and Georgia Bankers Association will join forces Oct. 16-20, 2023, to promote the 47th annual Georgia Peanut Bank Week. Financial institutions and local banks across the state will offer a tribute to Georgia’s 4,000 peanut farm families and the sustainability they provide to Georgia’s state and local economies.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Precision Ag News 10/11

    Carrie Muehling

  • Registration is officially open for the 2024 VISION Conference taking place January 22-24, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona. The VISION Conference is the premier event where forward-thinking executives of the ag tech community come together to chart the strategic roadmap for the adoption of the latest innovative technologies and systems, with a focus on the drivers that will transform the agribusiness industry within three to five years.
  • AGI announced the appointment of Kate Glasser to the position of Executive Vice President, Global Operations. This is a new leadership role at AGI. Kate will lead and manage AGI’s global business functions including product management, sales execution, manufacturing, supply chain, and engineering.
  • Syngenta, a member of The Sustainability Consortium (TSC), announces alignment of their Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) standard with TSC’s THESIS, or The Sustainability Insight System, for a turn-key sustainability solution designed specifically for growers. Enabled through an easy-to-use mobile application, Cropwise Sustainability, Syngenta’s SOA standard is a framework for continuous improvement – allowing any grower or supply chain company to seamlessly track and communicate their progress in adopting regenerative practices.
  • CNH continues to support the acceleration of smart harvesting technologies with a minority investment in the California-based start-up Advanced Farm Technologies, which specializes in the robotic harvesting of apples, strawberries and other fruits. The two businesses will partner to drive industry and ecosystem innovation by collaborating across R&D and commercialization.
  • GDM announced that it signed an agreement to acquire all of Biotrigo, a leading wheat breeding company in South America. The acquisition, which depends on approval by the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) in Brazil and the National Commission for the Defense of Competition in Argentina, represents an opportunity for innovation for U.S. farmers and multipliers, as well as development possibilities for employees of both companies with potential growth opportunities at GDM’s four U.S.-based research and development stations located in Gibson City, Illinois; Jonesboro, Arkansas; Des Moines, Iowa; and Hutchinson, Minnesota.
  • As farmers reflect on the season and evaluate input decisions from the combine cab, they can use the TruChoice offer to help maximize their budget and plans for next year. The TruChoice offer is now open for the 2024 growing season, providing farmers with opportunities to earn upfront savings or finance their crop protection needs to help improve cash flow next year.
  • Valent U.S.A. LLC announced the release of its fiscal year 2022 Sustainability Report. The comprehensive report reflects the company’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and its contributions to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically focusing on Zero Hunger, Quality Education, Gender Equality, Industry Innovation and Infrastructure and Responsible Consumption and Production.
  • Priva and IUNU announced that they have expanded their ongoing partnership to focus on AI-driven growing. Combining their complementary strengths to give growers the advanced, flexible oversight and control they need to run their operations their own way, now and in the future.
  • Members of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement (LGMA) will adopt Western Growers‘ proprietary GreenLink data sharing platform to collect and analyze food safety data.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Animal Ag News 10/10

    Carrie Muehling

  • The cost of purchasing a turkey could be lower this Thanksgiving, thanks to a drop in avian influenza cases and a recovery of the turkey population in the United States. American Farm Bureau Federation economists analyzed turkey and egg prices in the latest Market Intel report, which states the average price for an eight to 16-pound turkey typically served for Thanksgiving was $1.27 per pound in August 2023, 22 percent lower than the same time last year.
  • The 2024 edition of the Redbook is now available to help cattle producers effectively and efficiently record their daily production efforts, which can enhance profitability and reduce stress levels. The pocket-sized booklet, developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, helps cattle producers simplify their recordkeeping. Redbooks can be purchased online at https://store.ncba.org/ for $8.00 each, plus shipping.
  • The Rancher Resilience Grant offers support to beef and dairy cattle producers attending CattleCon24 and Cattlemen’s College for FREE. Eligibility depends on qualifications and application responses.
  • The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is now accepting the 2024 Lois Britt Memorial Pork Industry Scholarship applications. Ten $2,500 scholarships are awarded to students annually who intend to pursue a career in the pork industry with aspirations to become industry leaders. CME Group and the National Pork Industry Foundation sponsor the scholarships.
  • U.S. pork producers tasked the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) with leading an effort to update the existing swine traceability system. NPPC is asking swine producers, veterinarians, cull swine and breeding operators and show pig enthusiasts to comment on the draft standards by Oct. 27, 2023.
  • The National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Program announced the launch of FARM Biosecurity – Enhanced, a new aspect of the FARM Biosecurity Program that includes training and an online database.
  • A new dairy checkoff growth program with pizza partners is expected to drive an additional 12-plus million pounds of cheese use. The bulk of the cheese will be used internationally through an effort with a major quick-serve restaurant pizza chain and a U.S. cheese company. On the domestic front, Domino’s has added Pepperoni Stuffed Cheesy Bread to its lineup of Stuffed Cheesy Bread.
  • A fan favorite, Erbacres Snapple Shakira-ET, rose to the top of World Dairy Expo’s Dairy Cattle Show and claimed the title of 2023 Supreme Champion on Friday, October 6. Shakira is owned by Jacobs, Antelimarck, Ty-D Holsteins, K Theraulaz, and Attaboy Holsteins of Cap-Sante, Quebec.
  • Dr. Pearse Lyons, founder of Alltech, was honored posthumously this week as a recipient of the National Dairy Shrine’s Pioneer Award, which recognizes dairy industry leaders who have made significant contributions to dairy throughout their lives. An Irish biochemist and entrepreneur, Dr. Lyons immigrated to the United States and founded Alltech, a leading animal nutrition company, Alltech, in 1980, with the mission to improve the health and performance of people, animals and plants through natural nutrition and scientific innovation.
  • Magnum Feedyard was recognized as this year’s Feedyard Commitment to Excellence award winner at the recent Certified Angus Beef Annual Conference in Las Vegas. While Magnum hasn’t always had pens filled with Angus-influenced cattle, their more recent approach to quality-based marketing changed the genetic makeup at their feedyard.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    American Vanguard Acquires Punto Verde in Ecuador

    Cindy Zimmerman

    American Vanguard Corporation subsidiary AMVAC LATAM has acquired Punto Verde, a well-established distributor in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to strengthen its presence in Latin American.

    AMVAC LATAM is a key player in the Latin American agricultural sector and has become a leader in the commercialization of crop protection products and Peter Eilers, Managing Director of American Vanguard’s international operations, says Ecuador is the seventh largest agricultural market in LATAM. “While not a sizable transaction (this will add about five percent to our total LATAM sales), we see this as an important path for market access in South America through a well-managed distribution business,” said Eilers.

    Gerardo Suárez, general manager of AMVAC LATAM, added that the acquisition “provides an important addition to our expanding GreenSolutions business, as we anticipate development of our portfolio of AMGREEN bio-rational solutions through Punto Verde. This deal reinforces our commitment toward leaving a better world for future generations.”

    Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

    Agribusiness, AMVAC, Crop Protection, International

    Industry Ag News 10/6

    Carrie Muehling

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Grain Stocks report showed that old crop corn stocks on hand as of Sept. 1, 2023, totaled 1.36 billion bushels, down one percent from Sept. 1, 2022. Old crop soybeans stored in all positions were down two percent from Sept. 1, 2022, and all wheat stocks were up slightly from a year earlier.
  • Laura Wolf, a seasoned communications strategist, has joined the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) as director of investor relations and communications.
  • Customers of U.S. Identity Preserved-certified suppliers will be able to begin using the Identity Preserved United States label on their retail packaging, following a decision by the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance (SSGA) Board of Directors on Sept. 14 in Fargo, N.D.
  • The American Farm Bureau Federation announced the opening of general registration today for the 2024 American Farm Bureau Convention. The convention will be held Jan. 19-24, 2024, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
  • The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is celebrating the second annual National Propane Day on October 7, 2023. National Propane Day is an opportunity to celebrate all the ways propane keeps America running and to highlight the benefits of propane.
  • American Farmland Trust has announced it will sponsor the new national public television series America The Bountiful with its premiere planned for Spring 2024. America The Bountiful is a food, history, and travel series exploring the regional food traditions of America’s heartland, hosted by tv personality, cookbook author, and radio podcast host Capri Cafaro. The new series takes viewers on a journey into America’s heartland to learn about culture and find inspiration in the chronicles of farmers, artisans, restauranteurs, and home cooks through the bounty that they grow, produce, and eat. The show will help shine a spotlight on the vibrant, culturally diverse, untold food stories and traditions hidden across America.
  • The Sustainable and Responsible Business team from Syngenta is excited to announce a partnership with the Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA) to bring on-farm sustainability insights on potato production using Syngenta’s Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) standard and Cropwise Sustainability mobile application.
  • Nelson-Jameson, a leading distributor in the dairy and food processing industry, is expanding its marketing team with company veteran Melissa Pasciak heading up event marketing and new hire Teresa Laurent overseeing digital marketing.
  • NASCAR announced that it is bringing its first-ever NASCAR Cup Series race to Iowa Speedway on Sunday, June 16, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. CT on USA Network. This inaugural Cup Series race in Iowa Speedway culminates a weekend that will also include the NASCAR Xfinity Series at 2:30 p.m. CT on USA Network and ARCA Menards Series racing on June 14-16, 2024. Iowa Corn will be the entitlement partner for the first-ever Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway. Comprised of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Corn works to unlock the potential of corn in a sustainable manner to meet the global need for food and energy. The name and logo of the Cup Series race will be announced in the near future.
  • The 2024 World Ag Expo season was kicked off by Show Chairman, Stan Creelman, on Saturday, September 23rd. Hosted at the International Agri-Center, the annual “Kickoff Dinner” was attended by volunteers, staff, and invited guests. The event provides the opportunity to gather and enjoy fellowship while setting the tone for the coming show.
  • The National Grange, the United States’ oldest agricultural fraternity and rural service organization, will be holding its 157th annual conference and legislative session at the Niagara Falls Convention Center in Niagara Falls, New York from November 14-18, 2023.
  • Three dedicated Canadian agri-food marketers are being recognized for their industry contributions by the Canadian Agri-food Marketers Alliance (CAMA). Susan Groeneveld, National CAMA Honour Roll Award, Colin Steen Agri-Marketer of the Year and Ben Graham, CAMA Lifetime Achievement Award. Winners will receive awards at the upcoming Canadian Agri-food Marketers Alliance (CAMA) Best of CAMA awards event November 2 in Winnipeg, Man.
  • A group of Alabama culinary educators and a food blogger became students this week as they joined the Alabama Peanut Producers Association (APPA) for the 2023 Alabama Farm to Table Peanut Harvest Tour on Sept. 24-26, 2023.
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