EPA Puts More Woe in WOTUS

Cindy Zimmerman

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of the Army managed to yet further muddy the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) this week by announcing a final rule amending the 2023 definition of “waters of the United States” to conform with the recent Supreme Court decision in Sackett v. EPA.

The agencies are committed to following the law and implementing the Clean Water Act to deliver the essential protections that safeguard the nation’s waters from pollution and degradation. This action provides the clarity that is needed to advance these goals, while moving forward with infrastructure projects, economic opportunities, and agricultural activities.

Among the many farm organizations expressing disappointment in the ruling this week was the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). “The agency failed to open the process to public comment and engagement, which would have been extremely valuable,” said NCGA President Tom Haag. “Instead, the agency has released a rule that does not fully respect the holdings from the recent U.S. Supreme Court case on WOTUS.”

Listen to Haag’s comments from the Farm Progress Show in this interview:
2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Tom Haag, NCGA president 3:50

Audio, Corn, EPA, Farm Progress Show, NCGA

Secretary Vilsack Announces More IRA Funding

Cindy Zimmerman

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack stopped briefly at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois Wednesday to award $266 million in loans and grants for agriculture producers and rural small businesses to make investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements, made possible in part by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Vilsack used a white board to talk about funding under the IRA Climate Smart Agriculture initiative that is being used to help increase farm income while helping the environment. “There are 141 projects, we’re putting three billion dollars into those projects across every major commodity, every state in the country,” said Vilsack. “Farmers are going to get paid to adopt climate smart agricultural practices and new markets are going to be created.”

Listen to Vilsack’s remarks here:
2023 Farm Progress Show - Secretary Tom Vilsack 12:52

2023 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Audio, climate, Farm Progress Show, USDA

Golden Harvest Celebrates 50 Years at #FPS23

Cindy Zimmerman

Golden Harvest is celebrating its golden anniversary this week at the 2023 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Illinois.

Fifty years ago, seven families came together to create a new way to sell seed. That spirit of innovation continues today with investments in research and technology to continually deliver an expanded portfolio of proven corn and soybean products, including game-changing corn hybrids that outperform the competition in trials across the Midwest1 and Gold Series soybean varieties that offer high yield potential, robust agronomic defensive packages and flexibility in herbicide trait choice.

“Golden Harvest is proud to celebrate the milestone of 50 years of experience and partnership alongside farmers,” said Kramer Farney, Golden Harvest head of marketing. “A lot can change over half a century, but our commitment to research and development and to the fast delivery of innovative corn and soybean products to farmers has remained at our core.”

To celebrate, Farney says Golden Harvest is sponsoring NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Sammy Smith throughout the 2023 season and they were happy to showcase the Number 22 car in front of the Golden Harvest tent this week.

2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Kramer Farney, Golden Harvest 3:51

2023 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

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

#FPS23 Panel Highlights Ag Outlook

Cindy Zimmerman

L-R: Spencer Chase, Agri-Pulse; Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL); MO Ag Secretary Chris Chinn; and IA Ag Secretary Mike Naig

The Syngenta Golden Harvest tent featured an Agricultural Outlook panel on the first day of the 2023 Farm Progress Show that provided perspectives from officials in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri on a host of ag policy issues.

Agri-Pulse Managing Editor Spencer Chase moderated the panel which included Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), Missouri Secretary of Agriculture Chris Chinn, and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. Listen to their discussion which offered comments on topics such as the farm bill, China buying US farmland, Proposition 12, Mexico and GMO corn exports, and more.

2023 Farm Progress Show Syngenta Golden Harvest Ag Outlook panel 53:23

Mary Kay Thatcher, senior lead for federal government relations at Syngenta, talks about the farm bill and other issues in the interview below.
2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Mary Kay Thatcher, Syngenta 3:29

2023 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

Audio, Farm Bill, Farm Policy, Syngenta

Precision Ag News 8/30

Carrie Muehling

  • Pairwise, a food and agriculture company known for bringing the first gene-edited food to the U.S. market, and Bayer announced a new five-year, multi-million dollar agreement focused on innovations in short-stature corn. This new program leverages Pairwise’s Fulcrum platform and builds on the success of the companies’ initial five-year collaboration for corn, soy, wheat, cotton, and canola.
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing the selection of 33 organizations to receive over $3.1 million in funding for projects under the Environmental Education Grants program, including $99,795 to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln will use the funding to expand the Know Your Well Project and develop a science curriculum that will be rolled out to over 100 rural Nebraska high school students with the goals of increasing science literacy, awareness of agricultural practices, and groundwater stewardship.
  • Encouraging results from a three-year on-farm sustainability project show that implementation of conservation practices can have a lasting impact on the natural resources of the farm and surrounding areas. Most notable was that 91 percent of fields in the project have improved water quality by mitigating excess loss of subsurface nitrogen. The three-year findings, based on 2020-2022 data, are detailed in a 19-page report available online at farmersforsustainablefood.com/projects.
  • New research by scientists at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and Cornell University provides a key enabling technology to produce obligate outcrossing in soybean. The newly published study, Introduction of barnase/barstar in soybean produces a rescuable male sterility system for hybrid breeding in the Plant Biotechnology Journal revealed that obligate outcrossing with the Barnase/Barstar lines provides a new resource that can be used to amplify hybrid seed sets, enabling large-scale trials for heterosis in this major crop.
  • Agrela Ecosystems, a startup launched by Nadia Shakoor, PhD, principal investigator, at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center announced the pilot launch of its flagship product, PheNode. This milestone marks the first step towards a full-scale commercial release set for 2025. PheNode is an advanced, scalable environmental sensor platform designed to empower users with customizable data collection and the rapid integration of new technologies.
  • Corteva Agriscience announced the expansion of its U.S. fungicide portfolio with the launch of Viatude fungicide, a new solution for farmers from northern U.S. soybean-producing states to help protect their soybeans from white mold disease.
  • CropX, a global leader in digital solutions for agronomic farm management, announced the appointment of agricultural technology veteran John Gates to Chief Revenue Officer. Gates will oversee CropX’s commercial expansion globally following leadership roles in Europe and North America.
  • Trace Genomics, an industry-leading provider of science-validated soil biology insights, and Taurus Agricultural Marketing, market-leading distributor of agricultural products in Canada, announced an international partnership.
  • As Farm Equipment Magazine prepares to celebrate its 55th Anniversary this October with a special issue that looks back at the past five decades of the farm equipment industry, parent-company Lessiter Media has announced a special partnership with NAEDA’s Equipment Dealers Foundation to use the momentous occasion to raise funds for technical education scholarships.
  • Arva Intelligence Corp. and MillPont announce an innovative and strategic collaboration to enhance the confidence of ecosystem market participants in the integrity and exclusivity of environmental asset claims in the agricultural market. Arva will work with MillPont, leveraging their environmental claims clearing solution platform, Atlas.
  • Forty years ago, a desire to change the fertilizer industry brought Troy Bancroft and his father-in-law, Douglas Cook, together to start a groundbreaking company. Now AgroLiquid is celebrating the progress made throughout those 40 years and looking to the future.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Syngenta Seeds and Sustainable Oils to Sell Camelina Seed

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Syngenta Seeds was pleased to make a big announcement the first day of Farm Progress Show Tuesday about a new agreement with Sustainable Oils, Inc. to sell Camelina sativa (camelina) seed – an ultra-low carbon oilseed crop that can be used as feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel and renewable fuels, and an ingredient for sustainable animal feed.

    The collaboration reflects Syngenta’s strong commitment to enabling farmers to economically adopt regenerative practices around the world. Camelina can be planted on fallow land or land left idle between crop cycles. It is valued for its low water usage, quick maturity, and resilient yields. Camelina protects land like a cover crop providing a range of environmental benefits, including soil health and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

    “The collaboration of Syngenta Seeds and Sustainable Oils to sell camelina seed for use in sustainable aviation fuel, renewable diesel, and animal feed production is a significant step forward in promoting regenerative agriculture and renewable energy,” said Eric Boeck, Regional Director North America for Syngenta Seeds. “By supporting farmers and offering a sustainable source of fuel and animal feed, this partnership represents a win-win for producers, the environment, and the rural economy. It embodies our commitment to sustainability and our drive to bring innovative solutions to market.”

    2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Eric Boeck, Syngenta Seeds 4:46

    “We are very excited to partner with Syngenta Seeds on this collaboration to expand camelina’s growth in the U.S.,” Sustainable Oils President Mike Karst said. “Camelina represents a key feedstock for the production of renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuel. It is a remarkable crop that protects like a cover crop and pays like a cash crop. We’re proud to be working with Syngenta to bring this opportunity to more farmers, improving our soil health and carbon storage while strengthening our nation’s domestic energy production in the process.”

    2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Mike Karst, Sustainable Oils 5:11

    Camelina seed will be sold through Syngenta’s AgriPro® dealer network in a vertical marketing model. Farmers who buy camelina seed will have a harvest purchase contract. There is no marketing risk for the farmer since there is already an integrated value chain model.

    2023 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

    Audio, Biofuels, Farm Progress Show, Seed, Sustainability, Syngenta

    Welcome to Day 1 of the 2023 Farm Progress Show

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Farm Progress Show SunriseIt is that time. The gates are about to open on a beautiful morning in Decatur, IL. I was just a little later than normal so the sunrise, which was incredible, had to be a windshield pic. But you get the picture, eh?

    So, lots of interviews are on my schedule which includes Syngenta that is making it all possible. So, more to come

    You can find photos from the 2023 Farm Progress Show here: 2023 Farm Progress Show Photo Album

    Farm Progress Show

    Bayer and Kroger Team Up to Take Care, Now

    Cindy Zimmerman

    L-R: Sebastian Guth, Jackie Applegate, and Beth Roden, Bayer; Charlotte Halverson, AgriSafe; Ryan Davis, Kroger; Charlie Blazevich, Feeding America

    Bayer is announcing a new campaign with Kroger to remind rural America to “Take Care, Now” and help alleviate care deserts in rural America, areas significantly impacted by both food insecurity and limited access to healthcare.

    Bayer hosted a press event Monday at the Northeast Community Fund Food Bank in Decatur, Illinois, to announce the campaign, which includes Kroger and Luke Bryan. Bayer and Kroger will support AgriSafe Network, an organization working to address health disparities in agricultural communities. Bayer is hosting its annual #HerestotheFarmer initiative benefiting Feeding America during the Luke Bryan Farm Tour. In addition, Bayer will help provide one million meals* to people experiencing hunger through the Feeding America network of food banks.

    “Food, nutrition and health are interconnected, but across America – especially in rural America – people don’t always have access to the food, health services and preventive care they need,” said Sebastian Guth, President of Bayer U.S. and Pharmaceuticals North America. “We’re proud to support rural communities where our employees live and work, and where we do business.”

    Find content from the media event below and on AgNewsWire.

    Bayer Take Care, Now Event – Decatur, IL – Photo Album

    Audio

    Presentation at Northeast Community Fund Food Bank in Decatur, Illinois
    Sebastian Guth, Jackie Applegate, and Beth Roden, Bayer; Charlotte Halverson, AgriSafe; Ryan Davis, Kroger; Charlie Blazevich, Feeding America
    Bayer Take Care campaign event 19:20
    Interview with Sebastian Guth, President of Bayer U.S. and Pharmaceuticals North America
    Bayer Take Care interview Sebastian Guth, Bayer 4:12
    Interview with Dr. Jackie Applegate, President of Bayer Crop Science North America
    Bayer Take Care interview Jackie Applegate, Bayer 4:04

    Video

    Presentation at Northeast Community Fund, Decatur IL


    Audio, Bayer, Food, Video

    Agri-Pulse Hosting Two Webinars Sept. 13

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Livestock in the carbon markets and agricultural innovation are the topics for two upcoming complimentary webinars hosted by Agri-Pulse Communications on September 13.

    An exclusive dialogue, presented by the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) and Agri-Pulse, will bring together industry, government and non-profit organizations to discuss solutions that can accelerate progress across the livestock value chain, including the development of the first-of-its-kind livestock carbon credit marketplace. The event, “New horizons for the agricultural carbon market,” will take place in Washington, D.C., and virtually on Sept. 13 from 9:30-12 p.m. ET.

    The in-person and virtual event will have panels on carbon market integrity, livestock-specific carbon credit considerations and the intersection of policy and market-based climate solutions featuring a wide array of industry experts including:
    USDA Undersecretary Robert Bonnie; former Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman, Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-WI; Chuck Conner, National Council of Farm Cooperatives; Jeff Simmons, Elanco Animal Health; and many others.

    Click for more information and registration.

    At 1:00 pm Eastern time on September 13, House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA) will lead the discussion on how new tools and technologies, like biological fertilizers, can boost profitability and increase sustainability and efficiency. The webinar entitled “Building domestic stability and global influence through innovation” is sponsored by Pivot Bio and additional speakers include:

    Lynn Tjeerdsma, a conservation and farm bill adviser and manager of his farming operation in South Dakota. Tjeerdsma assisted in drafting four farm bills in the U.S. Senate, working for Senator John Thune, and administering two farm bills at the USDA Farm Service Agency.
    David Kanter, Ph.D., associate professor of environmental studies at New York University and chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative. He is on the Pivot Bio scientific advisory board.
    Jon Doggett is the former CEO of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA). He retired from NCGA in 2023 after 20 years with the organization, first in its public policy office before four years as CEO.
    Jacqlyn Schneider is a partner in FGS Global’s food and agriculture practice, based in Washington, D.C. She has spent more than 16 years leading food and agriculture policy on Capitol Hill, most recently serving as Deputy Staff Director for the Senate Ag Committee under Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow.

    Click here to learn more and register.

    Agri-Pulse, AgWired Precision

    Animal Ag News 8/28

    Carrie Muehling

  • The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) has launched a new program to review organizational policies and positions specific to animal agriculture as a third-party reviewer. NIAA Animal Agriculture Policy Review Panels are assembled upon request by animal agriculture stakeholders to review a specific organizational policy or position statement.
  • Optimism greeted beef cattle producers from around the country attending the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Short Course recently for two primary reasons — high cattle prices and continued consumer demand, despite the higher beef prices. Unlike in previous decades, Americans today eat higher-grade beef and pay a premium for it.
  • Certified Angus Beef recognized a pioneer in the cattle feeding business, honoring Steve Hunt with the Industry Achievement Award at its recent Feeding Quality Forum event.
  • The United States Environmental Protection Agency and The Hershey Company announced the joint commitment of $2 million to support local dairy farmers. The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, in collaboration with Land O’Lakes, Inc., will use funds to promote the adoption of practices that support local and regional environmental goals with dairy farmers in Land O’Lakes’ eastern region milk shed.
  • The first day of USDA’s once-in-a-generation hearing on federal milk pricing represented a critical moment for dairy’s future, one in which the National Milk Producers Federation intends to lead, President and CEO Jim Mulhern said.
  • Dairy Management Inc., the planning and management organization that oversees the national dairy checkoff program on behalf of America’s dairy farmers and importers, has posted its 2022 annual report.
  • Zoetis donated $250,000 in the first half of 2023 to Folds of Honor. This is the second year of partnership with the nonprofit, bringing Zoetis’ overall total contribution to $830,000 which has funded 166 scholarships to deserving recipients. Folds of Honor was founded in 2007 by Lt. Col. Dan Rooney and is based in Owasso, Oklahoma. Folds of Honor provides academic scholarships to the families of men and women who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the U.S. armed forces.
  • The 2024 Latin American Poultry Summit is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 29, in Atlanta, Georgia USA. The Summit will be held in conjunction with the International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo, and is co-hosted by the Latin American Poultry Association.
  • dsm-firmenich’s World Mycotoxin Survey continues to be the longest-running and most comprehensive data set on mycotoxin occurrences and contamination. The survey accurately identifies mycotoxin risks based on time period, animal species and location.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites