AgChat’s Agvocacy Conference Heads Back to Northwest

Jamie Johansen February 4, 2015

Do to popular demand, the AgChat Foundation will host the 2nd Annual Pacific Northwest Regional Agvocacy Conference in Spokane, WA. The training for farmers and ranchers will take place April 27-28, 2015 and registration will open February 9 with an early bird discount.

Since the inception of the Foundation in 2010, the mission has been to provide training to as many U.S. regions as possible. Therefore, no two trainings have been repeated in a region. However, due to positive feedback and requests received following the success of last year’s event, farmers and ranchers from the pacific northwest will again have the opportunity to learn from top agvocacy experts.

In 2014, DataEssentials and Bayer CropScience conducted a study which concluded that 94% of American consumers would like to speak with a farmer or rancher. The same study indicated that 36% of the population trusts farmers and ranchers more than scientists, nutritionists, government agencies, companies engaged in farming or agriculture, even social media contacts outside agriculture. As the number of farmers and ranchers sharing their story grows, so will the success connections from field to fork.

“Farmers and ranchers, in the pacific northwest and all across the U.S., have a unique story to tell and we are the only ones who can tell it accurately and authentically,” says AgChat Foundation Vice-President, Marie Bowers of Harrisburg, OR.

Ag Groups, Education

Research to Quantify Cover Crop Benefits

Cindy Zimmerman February 4, 2015

A common theme at last week’s 2015 Soil Health Summit in St. Louis was the need to quantify the benefits for farmers of using cover crops.

Purdue University economics professor Dr. Wally Tyner is trying to do just that. “I’ve worked in a lot of different areas in economics and this is the hardest nut to crack,” he said. “Because it’s long term, it involves risk issues, it’s hard to quantify, it’s hard to control … but we’ve got to start to try!”

Tyner was doing a study on the economics of harvesting corn stover for biofuels or animal feed, when the question of using cover crops to be able to harvest more stover sustainably. “The answer is yes,” he said. “Cover crops will do more environmental protection than the stover actually does.”

Tyner’s current research is a cost-benefit analysis on using cover crops in different farming operations and soil types. “We have two students working on this now, we’re trying to get five fields and five years of data from every farm,” comparing farms using cover crop against those not using them.

“Cover crops today are where no-till was 30 years ago,” says Tyner. “If we want to get a significant portion of the farm acres doing cover crops, we’re going to have to show some economic benefits, or at least show that the costs are low and the soil health benefits are huge.”

Listen to my interview with Dr. Tyner here: Interview with Dr. Wally Tyner, Purdue University

2015 Soil Health Summit Photo Album

Audio, Corn, NCGA, Soil

FMC Corp Acquires New Herbicide Rights

Cindy Zimmerman February 4, 2015

FMC Corporation has acquired all global rights to a new and proprietary herbicide from Kumiai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., and Ihara Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.

The new herbicide is highly effective in controlling broadleaf weeds and will be initially developed for use in corn, cereals, soybeans and sugarcane in key countries around the world.

“We are very pleased about the prospects of this new molecule given its potential across many crops, application flexibility and co-mixture opportunities,” said Mark Douglas, president, FMC Agricultural Solutions. “This acquisition continues our strategic partnership with Kumiai and Ihara, two premier research companies that have developed a rich chemistry pipeline for new crop protection products that are critical for increased food production.

“FMC’s global organization will develop the full potential of this new chemistry, part of a robust pipeline of six new active ingredients that includes other herbicides, insecticides and fungicides,” said Douglas. “This core pipeline of new active ingredients is complemented by our development of biological crop protection products, seed treatment technologies and new formulations with strong sustainability profiles.”

Kumiai and Ihara discovered the chemistry in their research laboratories and partnered with FMC during the last two years to evaluate and develop the commercial potential for this new active ingredient. FMC owns all intellectual property rights to the new molecule. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

FMC, Herbicide

Crowdsourcing Comes to Agriculture

Jamie Johansen February 3, 2015

We are all familiar with crowdfunding campaigns, however in the past they have mainly been found in the techie world. That is no longer the case. Now projects related to livestock, irrigation system or anything on the farm might be made possible thanks to newly launched Harvest Funders.

Crowdsourcing.org said the platform got its start when founder Jesse Lasater heard that a friend of his couldn’t get a loan to put in a new sprinkler system for his farm. Around the same time, one of Lasater’s cousins wrapped up a fairly lengthy but ultimately unsuccessful stay on The Voice, a singing competition. Looking to parlay that modest success into a career, the cousin took to Kickstarter to raise cash without giving up creative control to a record label.

Initially, the plan was only to help people in his area, near Bayfield, Colorado. But he then realized that the site can help farmers nationwide. After building the site from scratch with help from a developer team, Harvest Funders was ready for launch on March 25, the National Agriculture Day.

Lasater said he surveyed farmers across the nation and found that 40 percent of individuals surveyed had been denied for an agricultural loan. Part of that is the fact that the industry is relatively risky — a farm can have a great year and follow it up with a terrible one, something that scares off potential investors or lenders. Reward-based crowdfunding can help alleviate that need for cash.

Harvest Funders allows both fixed and flexible funding campaigns, and has a fairly standard fee structure. The projects that meet their goal give up 5%; those that fall short but go the flexible funding route give up 8% (fixed funding campaigns that don’t meet the goal don’t keep any of the money and thus pay no fee). There’s also a PayPal transaction fee.

Ag Groups, Farming

Novus Shares Enzyme Research

Jamie Johansen February 3, 2015

During the 2015 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), Dr. Jeffery Escobar, who heads up the physiology research at Novus International, headlined the Novus Forum on the protease enzyme.

“Protease is an enzyme that creates proteins. It will take protein into either peptides or amino acids and is ultimately what the animals are going to use for growth and to deposit muscle.” Jeffery says the use of protease is complex, “but the simple way to look at it is there are different approaches we can take. One option is to manage the variability and quality of the ingredients and the amount of digestible amino acids that the animals can obtain and another option is to use protease to enhance the gut environment of the animals.”

Learn more as Jeffery shares some problems producers might see in their animals that protease can help solve in my complete interview: Interview with Dr. Jeffery Escobar, Novus International

Photos from the event can be found here:
2015 International Production and Processing Expo Photos

Coverage of the International Production and Processing Expo is sponsored by

Agribusiness, Animal Health, Audio, IPPE, Novus International, Nutrition

Which Tractor is Your All Time Favorite?

Jamie Johansen February 3, 2015

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What’s your favorite Super Bowl party food?”

The XLIX Super Bowl is a wrap and so is our most recent ZimmPoll. Chips and dip topped the charts, but wings were a close second. I couldn’t agree more with those who responded to our poll. I love chips and dip of any kind. I have always preferred salty and savory over sweets. Your favorite team may not have won, but let’s hope you walked away with a satisfied, full belly.

Here are the poll results:

Chili – 17%
Wings – 24%
Chips & Dip – 27%
Sliders – 3%
Anything with bacon – 18%
Potato Skins – 8%
Hot Dogs – 3%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, Farm & Ranch Magazine compiled a list of the Top 10 Tractors of All Time. Which is your favorite?

Recently, the Farm & Ranch Living magazine asked their readers to share their favorite tractor of all time. Their compiled list inspired our very own, Leah Guffey, to chat with them about their readers favorite tractors in a recent Hick Chick Chat. Using their list of tractors, we want to know which is your all time favorite.

ZimmPoll

USDA Offers Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Grants

John Davis February 3, 2015

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving beginning farmers and ranchers a little help getting started. This news release says $18 million in grants to educate, mentor, and enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers are being made available through the the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

“As new farmers and ranchers get started, they are really looking to their community for support. The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program empowers these farmers and ranchers to bring innovative ideas to the table when it comes to addressing food security, creating economic enterprises, and building communities,” said Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden. “As we celebrate the first anniversary of the 2014 Farm Bill, programs like these are evidence that an investment in beginning farmers and ranchers is an investment in our future”.

The BFRDP program, first established by the 2008 Farm Bill, aims to support those who have farmed or ranched less than 10 years with workshops, educational teams, training, and technical assistance throughout the United States. NIFA awards grants to organizations that implement programs to train beginning farmers and ranchers. Today’s announcement was funded by the 2014 Farm Bill, which continued authorization of this program.

The 2014 Farm Bill mandated at least five percent of BFRDP funding support veterans and socially disadvantaged farmers. Among today’s announcement, more than 15 percent of the funded projects have a substantial component that supports veterans and farming, while about 50 percent of the projects focus mainly on socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. A fact sheet with a complete list of awardees and project descriptions is available on the USDA website.

Applications for the 2015 grant cycle are due to USDA by March 13, 2015.

Agribusiness, USDA

Fertilizer Safety Alliance Announced

Chuck Zimmerman February 2, 2015

Here is the list of organizations involved with today’s alliance signing to advance fertilizer safety.

The Agricultural Retailers Association
The Fertilizer Institute
International Fire Fighters Association
National Volunteer Fire Council
Ammonia Safety and Training Institute
Fertilizer Safety and Health Partners Alliance
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Environmental Protection Agency

In the photo is Chris Jahn, President, TFI; Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Health and Safety, Department of Labor; Daren Coppock, President & CEO, ARA; and Mathy Stanislaus, Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, EPA, as they sign the Fertilizer Safety and Health Partnership Alliance agreement Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2015 in Washington, D.C.

“Over the last several months, we’ve partnered with OSHA and EPA on the Ammonium Nitrate Chemical Advisory, and others to get safety messages out to our members,” said ARA President and CEO Daren Coppock. “But, we discovered that there was no official communication agreement between OSHA and ARA to ensure workplace safety.”

In early 2014, ARA began working with OSHA to set up an alliance program to improve communication between retailers and first responders regarding workplace hazards and the safe handling of fertilizers. Since then, EPA and trade organizations such as The Fertilizer Institute, the National Volunteer Fire Council and the Ammonia Safety and Training Institute joined the effort.

The alliance will develop several projects to strengthen fertilizer safety efforts:
– Present a joint commitment to worker safety and health to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses.
– Conduct best practices seminars on effective emergency response procedures for between volunteer fire fighters and industry partners.
– Create online compliance assistance tools and resources for retailers and first responders.
– Produce case studies focusing on injuries and fatalities in the agricultural retail industry that result from ammonia releases or Ammonium Nitrate fires.
– Update and promote Ammonium Nitrate Guidance and Government Alerts.

Ag Groups, ARA, Fertilizer, Safety

WOTUS Interpretive Rule Withdrawn

Cindy Zimmerman February 2, 2015

The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have at least ditched part of the WOTUS rule.

The Interpretive Rule Regarding the Applicability of Clean Water Act Section related to the proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) was officially withdrawn by EPA and the Corps in a memo last Thursday, January 29. Congress requested asked for the withdraw of the interpretive rule in the “Cromnibus” funding legislation passed at the end of December.

The goal of the interpretive rule was to clarify normal farming activities exempt from the Clean Water Act but National Corn Growers Association president Chip Bowling says it actually made it less clear. “We hope that the withdrawal of the interpretive rule will allow us to get to the true matter at hand: how the Clean Water Act is administered,” said the Maryland farmer who brought EPA officials out to his farm last fall to discuss the proposed rule. “Farmers are committed to improving water quality and conservation practices. We look forward to working with Administrator McCarthy and the EPA as they finalize the WOTUS rule, to ensure it is clear and workable for farmers.”

National Milk Producers Federation is also pleased. “Our concern with the initial proposal from last year is that it could have altered the long-standing and productive relationship between farmers and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, in a way that would have made it harder for farmers to implement water conservation measures,” said Jamie Jonker, NMPF’s Vice President for Sustainability & Scientific Affairs. “We’re pleased the EPA and Army have recognized that this regulation could have backfired, and that they’ve taken the necessary step to withdraw it.”

The interpretive rule was just part of the larger WOTUS proposal issued last year which is still under review by both EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as by Congress.

Corn, Dairy, EPA, NCGA, USDA, Water

Budget Proposes One Food Safety Agency Under HHS

Cindy Zimmerman February 2, 2015

President Obama’s proposed budget released today would combine USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies’ efforts into a single agency under Health and Human Services (HHS).

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spent much of a 45 minute press conference about the budget talking about and defending that proposal. “What the president is asking for is the ability to reorganize,” said Vilsack. “We want to make sure that we have as effective and efficient a system as possible.”

Answering questions from Washington journalists about whether food safety would be better handled by USDA, or if HHS was the best agency for the job, Vilsack said it wasn’t a “turf issue.”

“The point is, you’re going to have a better food safety system,” he said. “You all are asking questions in the old way of thinking. This is a new way of thinking … at the end of the day we’re focused on food safety.”

Pressed for details about the reorganization, Vilsack said Congress needs to act first to give the president the authority. “The bottom line is that we’ve got 15 different agencies involved in food safety,” said Vilsack. “The point of this is to get this on the table so people can have a conversation about it.”

Secretary Vilsack answers reporter questions on 2015 budget

Vilsack outlined USDA’s $156 billion share of the $4 trillion Obama budget proposal, which is three percent more than last year but includes a $1.6 billion cut in the crop insurance program.

Secretary Vilsack outlines 2015 administration budget for USDA

Audio, USDA

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