Industry Ag News 9/8

Carrie Muehling

  • Daren Williams, a veteran public relations and marketing leader with significant experience across food and agriculture, has been named to lead the PR and reputation management practice at Curious Plot.
  • Syngenta Group announced financial results for the first half and the second quarter of 2023. Sales for the first half of 2023 were $17.5 billion, down $0.6 billion or 3 percent year-on-year, compared to an exceptionally strong 2022.
  • Farm Journal Foundation and the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, with support from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Foundation, celebrated the grand opening of the New York Voice of the Farmer Garden at the Great New York State Fair. The New York Voice of the Farmer Garden, which offers visitors the opportunity to learn about U.S. agriculture and crops grown in New York and around the country, is the very first statewide garden of its kind to open in the country.
  • DLF, the worldwide market leader in forage and turf seed, announced its acquisition of the Corteva Agriscience alfalfa breeding program effective September 1. This includes Corteva’s global alfalfa germplasm and breeding program, the Alforex Seeds brand name and trademarks including Hi-Gest alfalfa technology, Hi-Ton performance alfalfa, Hi-Salt salinity tolerant alfalfa, and msSuntra hybrid technology, current commercial alfalfa varieties and select Corteva personnel supporting the alfalfa program.
  • In August, American Seed Trade Association President & CEO Andy LaVigne was re-appointed to the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC), a committee jointly managed by the USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. APAC provides advice and information to the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative on the administration’s trade policies. Over the next four years in this role, LaVigne will work to ensure that U.S. agricultural trade policy objectives reflect public and private-sector interests in the global seed marketplace.
  • Ag Partners Coop, a leading agricultural cooperative and retailer of agricultural inputs, energy, grain, and agronomy services, announced its decision to join The GROWERS Retail Network. This collaboration connects Ag Partners to farmers on The GROWERS App, a cutting-edge digital platform that enables farmers to connect with retailers, explore and purchase input products.
  • Protect The Harvest is positioning itself for ongoing growth as it focuses on issues associated with food security, agriculture, property rights, and animal welfare. In addition to rebranding efforts that include a new logo, new tagline (A Free and Fed America), and refreshed website, the organization’s leadership is being restructured to accommodate growth and future needs. Effective September 1, Dr. Mike Siemens assumed the role of executive director, with a focus on strategic development, growth and meeting constituent needs. Theresa Lucas McMahan moved from executive director to the newly created chief administrative officer position, focused on organizational effectiveness and operations.
  • International Fresh Produce Association’s 2023 Washington Conference, September 12-15, is packed with high-impact education, collaboration, and advocacy designed to prepare attendees for influencing the policies and perceptions of produce and floral on Capitol Hill and around DC.
  • Scouts participating in the recent Pro Framer Crop Tour found sporadic and highly variable yields for both corn and soybeans, especially across the western Corn Belt. According to a new research brief from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, soybeans have a much tighter supply situation than corn due to the loss of planted acres. USDA estimates soybean planted acreage fell 4.6 percent year-over-year this spring to the lowest level since 2020.
  • Producer sentiment was notably lower in August, as the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer index dipped 8 points to a reading of 115. This month’s decline was fueled by producers’ weaker perception of current conditions both on their farms and in U.S. agriculture. The Index of Current Conditions fell 13 points to a reading of 108. The Index of Future Expectations also declined 5 points in August to a reading of 119. This month’s Ag Economy Barometer survey was conducted from August 14-18.
  • The Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) named 20 industry professionals to its 2023-2024 Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) class. This is the largest class of Emerging Leaders since the program’s inception in 2015. The Emerging Leaders Program allows crop insurance and reinsurance professionals to increase their knowledge of advocacy and communications and provides networking experiences with industry leaders.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    ZimmCast 717 – Syngenta at #FPS23

    Cindy Zimmerman

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast.

    This episode of the ZimmCast features what’s new with Syngenta Seeds, Golden Harvest, and NK Seeds – all from the 2023 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois.

    Listen to interviews with Kramer Farney, Golden Harvest head of marketing; NASCAR Driver Sammy Smith; Mary Kay Thatcher, senior lead for federal government relations at Syngenta; Eric Boeck, Regional Director North America for Syngenta Seeds; Sustainable Oils President Mike Karst; Matt Dolch, NK Corn Product Manager, and Jared Benson, NK Soybean Product Manager.

    Listen to the episode here:ZimmCast 717 - Syngenta at Farm Progress Show (23:49)

    Check out other content from #FPS23 in the Farm Progress Show Virtual Newsroom.

    Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

    Audio, Corn, Farm Progress Show, Golden Harvest, NK Seeds, Podcasts, Seed, Syngenta, ZimmCast

    Update on Golden Harvest GHX

    Carrie Muehling

    Golden Harvest GHX SeedThe GHX app from Golden Harvest is helping farmers to better understand crop health in their fields throughout the entire season.

    “We’ve made some exciting advancements in the app this year. Our GHX app is a platform that both our sellers, our agronomists, and our customers can all use to manage the crop and manage the relationship with Golden Harvest,” said Morgan Dugan, Commercial Unit Head for Illinois and Iowa.

    Farmers who sign up for the full version of the app can get field specific recommendation, variable rate planting scripts, weather support, scouting and even financing through the tool, which is available for all mobile devices. There is also a guest version of the app for farmers to try it out, even if they aren’t Golden Harvest customers.

    “Agronomy is something that is really important to Golden Harvest as an organization. Our digital tools will help you use agronomy in a new way moving forward,” said Justin Welch, Digital Product Manager, GHX.

    Golden Harvest’s celebration of 50 years in business continued at this year’s Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill.

    Morgan Dugan, Commercial Unit Head for IL and IA, Golden Harvest
    2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Morgan Dugan, Golden Harvest 2:16

    Justin Welch, Digital Product Manager, GHX
    2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Justin Welch, GHX 2:29

    Audio, Farm Progress Show, Golden Harvest, Seed, Syngenta, Technology

    Precision Ag News 9/7

    Carrie Muehling

  • NRCS is making $65 million in funding available for new tools, approaches, practices and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands through Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). Submit proposals by October 30. Two separate CIG funding opportunities are now available on grants.gov: $50 million through CIG On-Farm Trials and $15 million is available through CIG Classic.
  • Bayer significantly strengthens its commitment to innovation in regenerative agriculture with a EUR 220 million investment in research and development (R&D) at its Monheim site. This is the company’s largest single investment in its Crop Protection business in Germany since the founding of the Monheim campus in 1979. The new Product Safety complex with labs, offices, and a greenhouse area offers space for approximately 200 employees. Its principal focus will be on developing the next generation of chemicals for a sustainable future and enhancing the environmental and human safety of Crop Protection.
  • The SCN Coalition is declaring October 2 National Nematode Day, with support from BASF, Bayer, Nufarm and Syngenta, to increase soybean farmers’ awareness of soybean cyst nematode (SCN) — the No. 1 yield-grabbing pathogen of the soybean crop in North America.
  • AgGateway announced that registration is now open for its 2023 Annual Conference, November 13-15 at the Hilton Nashville Downtown in Nashville, TN.
  • Pivot Bio, Inc. has named Chris Abbott as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately, to build upon the company’s success to date. As previously announced, Pivot Bio co-founder and current CEO Karsten Temme will become Chief Innovation Officer.
  • AgReliant Genetics has announced senior leadership changes to position the company for long-term success, while continuing to have a seed-only focus delivering high-performing hybrids for farmers. Brian Barker has been named the chief executive officer and president of AgReliant Genetics, effective August 31. Joining Brian on the executive leadership team is recently announced chief financial officer and vice president of finance, David Pugh, who began August 7.
  • Corteva Agriscience is dedicated to empowering farmers with outstanding performance and unwavering confidence through its expanding LumiGEN seed treatment portfolio. New LumiTreo fungicide seed treatment is a powerful three-way premix fungicide, with three effective modes of action for key early season diseases to help soybeans reach their full potential.
  • Ecorobotix unveiled the latest release, 3.0, of their Plant-by-Plant AI Software, introducing a diverse range of new capabilities for the ARA ultra-high precision smart sprayer. These developments significantly broaden the range of treatments achievable using Ecorobotix’s innovative Plant-by-Plant AI software system.
  • Soil health specialist Catie Geib has joined the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), a 41-year-old conservation agriculture non-profit, to provide technical support to Wisconsin farmers under the Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) program.
  • Indigo Ag, an innovative leader and trusted partner in sustainable agriculture, announced the publication of a peer-reviewed research article in the international soil science journal Geoderma. Written by Indigo’s internal team of scientific experts and leading researchers in the field, the article highlights the scientific rigor in Indigo’s use of the DayCent-CR model to quantify environmental benefits resulting from sustainable farming practices.
  • On September 1, the University of Missouri received the first autonomous, electric tractor available to a research university in the United States. The Monarch MK-V will serve as a proprietary model for research and learning in the precision and sustainable agriculture space while also serving to support farmers with disabilities. Researchers from the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and College of Engineering received the tractor earlier this month as part of a grant awarded by the Department of Agriculture’s Equipment Grants Program. The new tractor will serve as an instrumental tool for both teaching and research in the agriculture and engineering programs.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    NK Seeds at #FPS23

    Carrie Muehling

    New products are on the way from NK Seeds and those visiting this year’s Farm Progress Show were able to learn more about them.

    “One hundred thirty-nine years in the seed business and this is our largest launch class in over a decade for NK corn products, launching 20 new hybrids in 2024,” said Matt Dolch, NK Corn Product Manager. “You’re not experiencing your grandparents’ NK. It’s a new line of genetics coming forward. Those products look really good headed into fall harvest. We’re excited to get in there with the combine on this new class here.”

    Dolch said the company offers both offensive and defensive corn hybrids to battle things like tar spot that continues to rob yield from farmers. On the soybean side, versatility is the name of the game.

    “We’re really excited to be launching some products that are very versatile, products that can either be early plant, that can be full season, or even your double crop option,” said Jared Benson, NK Soybean Product Manager.

    Benson said it’s important to have the right disease packages that allow farmers to use strip till, no till or conventional practices. Versatility allows farmers to be confident they will pick a product they know will work in a wide variety of situations.

    NK Seeds
    Matt Dolch, NK Corn Product Manager, and Jared Benson, NK Soybean Product Manager
    2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Matt Dolch and Jared Benson, NK Seeds 4:43

    Audio, Corn, Farm Progress Show, NK Seeds, Seed, Soybean, Syngenta

    MyLand Secures $23 Million in Funding

    Cindy Zimmerman

    MyLand Company has successfully closed its Series B funding round, raising a total of approximately $23 million led by Climate Innovation Capital and The Borden Family for expansion of its unique “Soil as a Service” platform.

    The successful Series B funding round is a transformative step for MyLand, providing the opportunity to extend its operations and innovative solutions to the fertile agricultural landscapes of the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and Texas. The capital infusion will further serve as a catalyst to accelerate the development and deployment of MyLand’s state-of-the-art technologies and services, which are designed to rapidly improve soil quality and productivity, promote sustainable farming practices, and foster amplified crop yields, reduced inputs, and healthier soil ecosystems.

    “We are absolutely thrilled to announce the closure of our Series B funding round, a testament to the proven value and potential that MyLand offers to the agricultural sector,” stated Dane Hague, Co-Founder and CEO of MyLand. “This financing will fuel our expansion, enabling us to bring our vision of resilient and sustainable farming practices to even more communities and regions.”

    The funds secured in this round will allow MyLand to expand its service footprint, fortify its innovation initiatives, and expand its team of specialists, as well as make strategic alliances to facilitate the adoption of its groundbreaking solutions throughout the agricultural sector.

    AgWired Precision, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Sustainability

    Animal Ag News 9/5

    Carrie Muehling

  • Since 1963, the Federation of State Beef Councils has been committed to building beef demand by inspiring, unifying and supporting an effective and coordinated state and national Checkoff partnership. By working together with one unified vision and plan, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, and state beef councils continue to set a positive course for beef’s future. The unified vision of the Federation of State Beef Councils continues to drive Beef Checkoff success. For more information, visit www.ncba.org/federation.
  • Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative announced the hiring of Laura Hensley to lead the company’s communication team to help develop and execute the multiple channels of communications to members, lawmakers and other stakeholders.
  • The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) released its annual, “Our Industry, Our Promise,” report, detailing the operational challenges facing today’s animal feed and pet food manufacturers and actions the AFIA is taking to address them. The report provides an analysis of the animal food industry’s contribution to the U.S. and global economies and the forces making it difficult to conduct business. It also provides an inside look at efforts underway to usher the federal regulation of animal food into the 21st century and steps the industry is taking to better protect animal and human health while producing safer, more sustainable food.
  • Purina Animal Nutrition, along with the Land O’Lakes Foundation, is announcing its new scholarship program designed to assist students involved in agriculture and livestock production in pursuing their passions and further their educations. Current undergraduate students who have experience raising and caring for small or large livestock, equine and/or poultry, are eligible to apply for four $5,000 scholarships. Scholarship applications will be accepted August 28 through October 12.
  • The results of a checkoff-initiated smoothie program pilot showed increased consumption of milk and yogurt and will be offered to more schools this fall. Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) pitched the smoothie program concept in 2022 to Chartwells K12, a food management company that serves more than 2 million meals in 4,500 schools representing 665 districts across the U.S. every day.
  • The Colvin Scholarship Fund supports the next generation of leaders in agriculture who are devoting their studies and careers to making the beef industry better. This year, 23 students were awarded $81,500 through the Colvin Scholarship Fund. Each recipient strives for a career in production agriculture, industry research or an agricultural pursuit that influences the beef business. The students recognized for this scholarship are carrying the legacy of the Certified Angus Beef brand’s co-founder and executive director for 22 years, Louis “Mick” Colvin. 
  • The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) announced that Gina Tumbarello, AFIA’s senior director of global strategies, policy and trade, has been reappointed to serve on the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service’s Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Trade in Grains, Feed, Oilseeds and Planting Seeds.
  • The International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) is accepting applications for the 12th annual IPPE Young Leaders Under 30 Award. The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) want to recognize professional leadership qualities and to provide exposure to the world’s largest annual trade show involving the production and processing of meat, poultry and egg products or in the production of animal food and pet food products.
  • Purdue Agriculture’s Indiana Sheep and Wool Market Development Council and the Indiana Sheep Association (ISA) are jointly sponsoring the annual Hoosier Sheep Symposium Sept. 23 at Franklin College. Sheep health and agrivoltaics will be among the topics explored by expert speakers at the event.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    University of IL AgComm Students Shadow Media at #FPS23

    Chuck Zimmerman

    University of Illinois students at #FPS23During the Farm Progress Show a group of students from the University of Illinois had an opportunity to shadow ag media representatives as they were covering the show for their respective outlets. This is the idea of Dr. Owen Roberts, a professor at the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Assisting him in the effort was Mike Wilson, Senior Executive Editor, Farm Progress. The photo is the group when they arrived at the show.

    I participated by working with student Logan Bend. He helped me with photos I needed while conducting interviews and we had plenty of time to discuss how I handle the assignments I had with various companies. Before I left the Farm Progress I interviewed Logan about his experience. He describes his farm background in northern Illinois and what he learned through the experience.

    You can listen to my interview with Logan here:
    2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Logan Bend, University of Illinois Student 3:35

    2023 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

    Audio, Education, Farm Progress Show

    Industry Ag News 9/1

    Carrie Muehling

  • Syngenta Group announced that Saswato Das is appointed as Chief Communications Officer, effective September 1, 2023. Das joined Syngenta Group in November 2020 as Head of Media Relations and has successfully built up a professional external communications function of the then newly established Syngenta Group. He has over twenty-five years of experience in communications, with previous leadership positions at IBM, ABB and SAP, among others. Das will join the extended Syngenta Group leadership team and report to the CEO.
  • Pro Farmer, a division of Farm Journal, shared its much-anticipated production estimates today for the 2023 U.S. corn and soybean crops after analyzing information from the 31st annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour and other sources. The estimates are informed by Crop Tour data and observations collected this week through an exceptional effort by scouts in thousands of fields across seven key Midwestern states.
  • Major U.S. agriculture organizations including Farmers For Free Trade implored all 2024 presidential candidates to prioritize new market access trade agreements as a means to strengthen U.S. agriculture and decrease reliance on China. The organizations also called on the presidential candidates to hold China accountable in a responsible manner that does not endanger U.S. food and agriculture’s largest export market or threaten American farmers with new retaliatory tariffs.
  • American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the Biden Administration’s revised Waters of the U.S. Rule. “EPA had a golden opportunity to write a Waters of the U.S. Rule that’s fair to farmers and stands the test of time, but instead chose to continue government overreach and revise only a small slice of the rule that was rejected by the Supreme Court. We’re pleased the vague and confusing ‘significant nexus’ test has been eliminated as the Supreme Court dictated. But EPA has ignored other clear concerns raised by the Justices, 26 states, and farmers across the country about the rule’s failure to respect private property rights and the Clean Water Act. Farmers and ranchers share the goal of protecting the resources they’re entrusted with. They deserve a rule that respects farmers as partners in that effort.”
  • In response to Tuesday’s announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of a final Waters of the U.S. rule, the National Cotton Council (NCC) released the following statement: “We are concerned that the EPA is continuing to expand their jurisdictional authority with this latest rule. Their revisions do not appropriately comply with the recent Supreme Court decision which sought to bring clarity and simplicity to a complicated regulatory regime,” said NCC Chairman Shawn Holladay, a Texas producer. “Furthermore, the EPA published this final rule without allowing for public notice and comment which could have shed light on areas of concern and strengthened the final result. This action may end up in the courts, once again leaving regulators and growers in a confused state regarding legally appropriate ways to protect our nation’s waters.”
  • Competitive Markets Action (CMA) announced the hiring of Vinnie Trometter, as Director of Government Affairs. Trometter most recently worked at Cassidy and Associates, one of Washington, D.C.’s top lobbying firms, and is a native of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, located in the 15th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, a seat held by U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson, R-State College.
  • Farm Foundation, an accelerator of practical solutions for agriculture, will host its next virtual Forum, What to Expect From the 2023 Farm Bill Now, on Tuesday, September 26, from 9 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Central.
  • Torrey Advisory Group (TAG) is proud to welcome Heath Brandt to the policy team. The Washington, D.C.-based firm offers effective government relations, strategic communications, and issue advocacy as well as full-service association management to a growing number of clients in the food, agriculture, and forestry sector.
  • The annual Ag Outlook Forum is a chance to get a comprehensive preview of what lies ahead from leading experts. Presented by the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City and Agri-Pulse, this “must attend” event brings together USDA’s Chief Economist and other industry experts to share key insights on existing and new market opportunities. Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3) has joined the speaker line up to discuss the 2023 Farm Bill.
  • American Agri-Women will hold their 48th Annual Meeting in the heart of downtown Sacramento, California, Nov. 1-5, 2023. The host group, California Women for Agriculture, has planned colorful tours and informative speakers for convention attendees.
  • The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture announced the hiring of Becky Garrison Warfel, RDN, LD, a licensed and registered dietitian nutritionist, as Director of Public Policy.
  • POET, the world’s largest producer of biofuels, has reopened its bioprocessing facility in Cloverdale, Indiana, signaling the bioeconomy’s bright future.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Syngenta Storen Corn Herbicide Registered

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Syngenta latest residual corn herbicide, Storen™, just received registration by the Environmental Protection Agency in July and will be available for use in 2024, subject to state approvals, according to Shawn Hock, corn herbicide product lead for Syngenta Crop Protection. Hock was talking with farmers about Storen at the Farm Progress Show this week in Decatur, Illinois.

    “Storen is providing next level weed control of really challenging weeds that farmers are having difficulty controlling, such as Palmer amaranth and waterhemp,” said Hock. “It’s providing up to three weeks longer residual than any other herbicide in the market.”

    Learn more about Storen, as well as the latest on Acuron, which helps maximize corn yield, in this interview.
    2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Shawn Hock, Syngenta corn herbicides 7:03

    2023 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

    Audio, Corn, Farm Progress Show, Syngenta