Ag Groups Call for Longer Tax Extensions

Cindy Zimmerman

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 378-46 Wednesday night to approve HR 5771, which reinstates a host of tax incentives for 2014, setting up a potential Senate vote in the coming days. The package includes items important to farmers and ranchers such as Section 179 and the biodiesel tax credit, but agricultural interests would like a more long-term solution.

afbf-logo“Farmers and ranchers rely on tax provisions that give them the flexibility they need to invest in their businesses and boost their local economies,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. “We are glad to have these temporary extensions, but we know these issues will come up again. We still need a long-term solution so small businesses can have the certainty they need to plan for the future.”

American Soybean AssociationAmerican Soybean Association president and Iowa farmer Ray Gaesser echoed that sentiment.

“ASA first and foremost supports a long-term extension of several of the items included in (Wednesday’s) short-term fix,” said Gaesser. “These initiatives include the dollar-per-gallon biodiesel tax credit, expensing for farm equipment and infrastructure under the Section 179 expensing provision, and bonus depreciation on farm assets. Such an approach provides greater certainty and a more stable climate for the farmers and producers who make use of these programs, and we were very disappointed that agreement was not reached on a broader measure.”

AFBF, ASA

Pinnacle Announces Investment in Meridian Ag

Jamie Johansen

Pinnacle Ag HoldingsPinnacle Agriculture Holdings, LLC announces its investment in a new Midwestern wholesale business, Meridian Agriculture Distribution. Pinnacle is pleased to announce that Tom Hart, a veteran in the agriculture wholesale business with over 30 years of experience, will lead the development and day-to-day operation of the brand.

“I am excited about the process of building Meridian. When retailers see the breadth of products, services and knowledge that Meridian can provide, they will recognize that we understand and are here to serve their businesses. The building process begins with quality people. We have already hired sales representatives in several territories and will be actively seeking good people to fill the rest of the business,” notes Hart.

In addition to providing retailers with supplier-branded products at service levels retailers expect, Meridian will offer retailers numerous opportunities to differentiate themselves from their competitors including:
– Altitude Crop InnovationsTM, LLC, Meridian’s wholesale products company, solely dedicated to independent retailers and cooperatives.
– Opti-Gro®, Pinnacle’s robust and unbiased precision ag platform. Technology optimized in Pinnacle’s southern geography, Meridian will now offer this service and technology to its customers throughout the Midwest.
– Retailer financing packages.
– Private labeling opportunities for retailers. Retailers will have the opportunity to market their own brands of products selected from Altitude Crop Innovation’s library of formulas and technologies.
– AgOne Application ServicesTM, Pinnacle’s aerial application division, that may be called on during heavy pest or disease outbreaks.
– Marketing assurance programs.

“Our first priority will be to efficiently and cost effectively distribute supplier brands. R&D companies are critical to production agriculture and Meridian will be a strong supporter and distributor for those companies. However, it is the full package of products, tools and services that we provide that will set us apart.”

Agribusiness

Ag Retailers Having Fun

Chuck Zimmerman

Ag Retailers having funAg Retailers having fun and raising money for the ARAPAC! That was the action last night at the Agricultural Retailers Association Convention & Expo.

Once again this year, Chad “Cracker” Johnson, was the auctioneer who did a masterful job managing the auction. By the way, Chad is a Gator Grad! That’s important to know.

2014 ARA Convention & Expo Photo Album

Ag Groups, ARA

Ag Retailers Public Policy Update

Cindy Zimmerman

ara14-guptonTransportation issues are at the top of the list of public policy concerns for ag retailers meeting in New Orleans this week.

“We plan to make it a priority going into the new Congress,” said Agricultural Retailers Association senior VP for public policy Richard Gupton who updated the membership this morning. “Senator Thune is going to be the new chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and he has legislation to reform the Surface Transportation Board and make it more accountable and have a forum that shippers can take their case to.”

Another important issue for the ARA is a pesticide permit fix. “We think the opportunity now with the change in the Senate will allow that to take place,” said Gupton. “It’s got bi-partisan, bicameral support, it should have been done in the farm bill but we hope to get it taken care of.”

Like everyone else in agriculture, the ag retailers are also concerned about EPA’s proposed Waters of the United States rule. “Again, with the new Congress, there’s legislation to have EPA basically come back to the drawing board on the Waters of the US proposal,” Gupton said. “There’s confusion about what they proposed and they keep changing what the proposal is as you’re supposed to be commenting on the rule.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Richard here: Interview with Richard Gupton, ARA

2014 ARA Convention & Expo Photo Album

Agribusiness, ARA, Audio, Fertilizer

NRCS Official Discusses Programs at NAFB

Cindy Zimmerman

nafb14-nrcsSoils, climate change, pollinators, and the 2014 Farm Bill conservation programs were among the topics addressed at the National Association of Farm Broadcasting convention by James Tillman, southeast regional conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Tillman says NRCS has been very active in protecting pollinators, and honeybees in particular. “NRCS is working with five states – South Dakota, North Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin – working with private landowners and helping them increase pollinator habitat and thus increase their production,” he said during an interview at Trade Talk.

Because of the impacts of climate change, Tillman says NRCS is actively engaged in maintaining and improving soil health. “A healthy soil increases water holding capacity,” he said. “As a result, less water flows downstream, less flooding.”

Tillman stressed the importance of the agricultural media to get information out to farmers and other landowners about conservation programs that are available. “It was really made a positive impact on getting folks through the door, our numbers have really gone up,” he said.

Learn more in this interview: Interview with James Tillman, USDA-NRCS


2014 NAFB Convention Photos

Coverage of NAFB Convention is sponsored by
Coverage of NAFB Convention is sponsored by BASF
Audio, Conservation, NAFB, pollinators, USDA

Alta Seeds Expands Sorghum Product Line

Jamie Johansen

alta_seedsAlta Seeds, the U.S. brand for exclusive genetics and forage and grain sorghum hybrids from Advanta, was present during NAFB’s Trade Talk in Kansas City, MO. Barry Lubbers is with Alta Seeds and shared more about the sorghum industry and the new products we will see from them in the coming year in an interview with Chuck.

“In the sorghum business, we are continuing to bring on new forage products that offer solutions to growers. In the grain sorghum market we are bringing on herbicide tolerance, which is new and exciting for the sorghum industry. We anticipate to introduce three new products this next year that are herbicide tolerant and quickly follow that with another in the next two to three years.”

Barry shared more about how durable a plant sorghum is. He said with the drought in many areas over the past couple of years, farmers have turned to sorghum because of it’s unique traits and the solutions Alta Seeds provides. Sorghum is no stranger to fields, but because of technology it has been reinvented. Beyond its tolerance, sorghum has become recently popular in the biofuels industry and a substitute for gluten.

Listen Chuck’s complete interview with Barry: Interview with Barry Lubbers, Alta Seeds from Advanta


2014 NAFB Convention Photos

Agribusiness, Audio, Forage, NAFB, Seed, sorghum

How Should Congress Handle Tax Breaks?

Jamie Johansen

New Holland ZimmPollOur latest ZimmPoll asked the question, “What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?”

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with plates piled high of your favorites. I know I am still stuffed. It looks like our Zimmpollers prefer sweet potatoes, but only slightly. We did have quite an array of Others including oysters and some Pinot Noir.

Here are the poll results:

  • Dressing – 19%
  • Mashed potatoes & gravy – 13%
  • Greenbean casserole – 11%
  • Cranberries – 12%
  • Sweet potatoes – 20%
  • Does pumpkin pie count? – 16%
  • Other – 9%

Our new ZimmPoll is now live and asks the question, How should Congress handle tax breaks?

Congress is once again considering a package of tax breaks for businesses and individuals that include everything from section 179 deductions to renewable energy tax credits. In typically Washington fashion, these tax provisions expired at the end of last year and will have to be renewed retroactively before the end of this year to be applied to 2014 tax returns. An effort to make them permanent was ditched when the White House threatened a veto – but what do you think Congress should do?

ZimmPoll

Kinze Adds Features to Autonomous Harvest System

Cindy Zimmerman

Kinze-Autonomy-Unload1The world’s first large-scale, truly autonomous row-crop solution is about ready to hit the fields with more added features. Iowa-based Kinze® Manufacturing, Inc. just completed field-testing of its system that will also include new features this year, such as the ability to run multiple combines and autonomous carts in the field simultaneously.

The autonomous system automatically chooses from the multiple carts in the field the one that is most appropriate for the combine operator to unload into when he or she makes a request for a cart. The system also keeps tabs on all the vehicles operating in the field so that the autonomous grain carts always take the safest and most efficient path to the combines.

Any of the combine operators can call any of the autonomous grain carts in the field when ready to unload. The combine operators also have an aerial view of the field from the tractor cab to allow them to see where the other combines are located and where all of the autonomous grain carts are running.

Kinze officials say that having real farmers test out the equipment in their own fields gave the company some great insight into what might need to be changed and improved.

Equipment, Harvest

John Deere Opens Tractor and Engine Museum

Cindy Zimmerman

deere-museumThe John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum in Waterloo, Iowa officially opened its doors to the public this week with a focus on engaging visitors in the history of tractor and engine design and manufacturing.

“Tractors and engines have been and continue to be important to John Deere’s success,” said Dawn Hendershot, Project Manager. “We are pleased to share the history of these products as part of our overall story as a technology leader and quality manufacturer.”

Located on the original site of the Waterloo Tractor Works, museum exhibits highlight the history and growth of the tractor business at John Deere. Nearly four years in the making, the John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum joins various other company attractions in the Midwest, including the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour, Illinois and the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois.

A grand opening celebration for the new museum is expected to be held in the spring.

Equipment, John Deere, Tractor

John Deere Picks McCormick Company for Marketing

Cindy Zimmerman

johndeerelogoJohn Deere today announced the selection of McCormick Company as its marketing agency for John Deere agricultural equipment media and creative projects, and John Deere Financial’s agribusiness market. The relationship will be managed from McCormick’s Kansas City and Des Moines offices.

mccormick“It’s a sincere privilege for our company to have the opportunity to work alongside the teams at John Deere and John Deere Financial,” says Mark Perrin, president of McCormick Company. “We look forward to a long and productive relationship and helping steward one of the most preeminent brands in agriculture.”

McCormick Company will work with Deere in two primary areas: Agricultural Equipment platforms in the United States and Canada as well as John Deere Financial in the agribusiness market. The agency will manage buying and placing media for the complete line of John Deere agricultural equipment – including row-crop and 4WD tractors, combines, planting and seeding tools, sprayers, utility tractors, hay tools, equipment attachments, parts, and services; as well as providing account and creative services. In addition, McCormick was selected to provide full agency service for John Deere Financial, agribusiness market.

Advertising, Agencies, Agribusiness, John Deere