Get to Know Pivot Bio
Pivot Bio visited the NAFB Convention Trade Talk earlier this month in Kansas City to talk about its unique offerings for farmers and companies.
As a sustainable agriculture company, Pivot Bio delivers farmers patented crop nutrition technologies to deliver nitrogen to plants without the negative impacts of synthetic fertilizer. “Pivot Bio provides growers a technology opportunity to deliver a better form of nitrogen that comes from microbes that continuously fix atmospheric nitrogen and deliver ammonia directly into the plant,” said Randy Minton, Pivot Bio Head of Commercial Sustainability. “The benefit of that delivery system is that it creates a sustainability benefit.”
Pivot Bio’s N-OVATOR™ Program translates growers’ synthetic nitrogen replacement into the environmental impact they delivered which contributes to corporate partners’ sustainability goals while generating new revenue for growers. “We believe we have the capability to create really strong partnerships and really great opportunities for growers and we want to make sure that the majority of that revenue coming from those programs flows back to the grower,” said Minton.
Pivot Bio recently presented research focused on PROVEN® 40, a product offering a microbial source of nitrogen specifically designed for corn crops.
Learn more in this interview.
2023 NAFB Trade Talk - Randy Minton, Pivot Bio 6:17
Seed Industry Conference Starts Next Week
The American Seed Trade Association‘s newly-branded Field Crop Seed Convention kicks off its first year next week in Orlando. The convention will host seed industry professionals from over 30 countries for educational sessions, networking and the Seed Expo.
“We’re excited about it,” said ASTA president and CEO Andy LaVigne during an interview at the recent NAFB Trade Talk. “We’ve got good registration, it continues to increase, and we hope to have great numbers this year.”
LaVigne says the agenda will be similar to what it has been including the conference’s most popular speaker, Dan Basse of AgResource Company, who will keynote the opening General Session again on Wednesday with his annual update on the global agricultural market. Following the keynote, Basse will moderate a panel of top executives as they give their perspectives on what lies ahead for the seed business. Basse will be available for interviews in the media room after the conclusion of the panel.
Other key session topics include geopolitical impacts on growers, the Farm Bill, future trends, climate-smart and sustainability initiatives, and more. Get a preview in the interview below:
2023 NAFB Trade Talk - Andy LaVigne, ASTA 6:26Animal Ag News 11/21
Field Notes from Koch Agronomic Services – Episode 32
The Field Notes podcast series from Koch Agronomic Services (KAS) breaks down the science and technology behind agronomy to help growers do more with less.
Research Helping Growers Feed the World
In this episode, we’ll discuss the importance of research in agronomic inputs. Two scientists with KAS, Stacey Wertz and Harjot Dhaliwal will talk about the challenges and rewards of working behind the scenes to maximize yields. They’ll tell us what grower feedback has meant to two products, CENTURO and PROTIVATE, as they are out in the fields actively helping growers feed the world.
You can listen to the program here: Research Helping Growers Feed the World (20:48)
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Teaching Agriculture With Sprout the Elf on the Shelf
Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom (IAITC) is helping teachers integrate agriculture into their holiday lesson plans with the introduction of Sprout the Elf on the Shelf.
“Each year teachers and families make new memories through the ever-popular Elf on the Shelf tradition during the holiday season,” said Kevin Daugherty, IAITC education director. “We wanted to put our own twist on this holiday favorite while providing access to free resources to teach kids the value of agriculture.”
The complete Elf on the Shelf with IAITC resource booklet contains ideas for 20 agriculture-themed Elf on the Shelf scenes. Teacher can also access a full list of materials to plan for Sprout the Elf’s activities.
Follow along with Sprout on the IAITC Facebook page or Instagram @ilaitc.
VISION 2024 Shaping the Future of Ag Tech
The VISION Conference, now in its seventh year, is set to start the new year January 22-24 at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Spa with a transformative event focused on building a sustainable value system in food, feed, fiber, and fuel.
The conference will address critical topics such as as data-driven decision-making, barriers to adoption, cross-industry insights, and more. Interactive groups will allow attendees to select from challenges including AI + Data Usage, Overcoming Infrastructure and Support Barriers, and Ag Tech Adoption.
Throughout the event, sessions will delve into the latest data management technologies and processes, proving ROI, and the power of interoperability in ag tech solutions. Leaders with a variety of backgrounds and experience will share their perspectives on the future of ag technology.
Co-locating with The VISION Conference and kicking off on January 21, the second in-person meeting for Women in Ag Tech will provide a vital platform for women in the industry to connect, engage, and build a community. The Global Ag Tech Initiative is committed to advancing and advocating the women in our industry.
The conference will conclude with a panel from the Global Ag Tech Initiative, presenting key insights and takeaways that will shape the industry in the years to come.
For more information and to register for VISION 2024, visit TheVISIONConference.com.
AgGateway Wraps Up Successful Annual Meeting
AgGateway wrapped up another successful annual meeting last week in Nashville with strong attendance despite the conflict with Agritechnica this year.
“Our attendance numbers were up over last year, which were up over the year before,” said AgGateway President and CEO Brent Kemp at the end of the meeting. “We’re on a great trajectory, we’ve had great speakers, great engagement.”
Embracing a Data-Driven Future was the theme of the conference this year and Kemp says it’s more than just a tag line. “All of this conference we’ve talked about the ways data is going to change our lives more than it already has,” said Kemp.
Listen to Kemp’s opening remarks and closing interview:
2023 AgGateway CEO Brent Kemp opening remarks 25:07
2023 AgGateway wrap up with Brent Kemp 22:08
Industry Ag News 11/17
Farm Bill Extension and Funding Reaction
Congress this week passed a continuing resolution that includes an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill until Sept. 30, 2024. Agriculture groups and companies at the NAFB Convention gave their reactions to the move and what it will mean for negotiations next year.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) praised the government funding package that also extends the Livestock Mandatory Reporting program until January 19, 2024.
NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane says the continuing resolution splits funding packages into two different expiration dates next year, January 19 and February 2. “It give everybody in DC a little bit more of a spread out range of targets,” said Lane. “By and large really good news.”
2023 NAFB Trade Talk - Ethan Lane, NCBA 3:24
Mary Kay Thatcher, Syngenta Federal Government and Industry Relations, says Congress is just kicking the can down the road on everything. “On the farm bill, on approps, on not shutting the government down… it’s a real question on whether those things will get done in 2024,” she said.
Thatcher, who has working on many farm bills over the years, says the farm bill extension through next September may make passage even tougher. “The Congressional Budget Office is going to tell us what kind of numbers do we have to work with in the funding of the farm bill… and there’s better than a 50 percent chance there’s less money then we have now.”
2023 NAFB Trade Talk - Mary Kay Thatcher, Syngenta 4:14