Farm Progress Show Celebrates 70 Years

Chuck Zimmerman

I have attended many Farm Progress Shows but not 70 of them! What a milestone and what memories over the years. You can learn a little bit of the history of the show here.

I’m on my way with a full schedule of activities. Once again Syngenta has made my trip possible and I’ll be conducting interviews and finding out “What’s New in the World of Agribusiness.” So, you can look forward to a lot of photos. I have a number of other scheduled booth visits and interviews too. Once again the media tent is made possible by BASF so I’ll be there during breaks out on the grounds.

On Wednesday I get to be shadowed by one of the AgComm students that University of Illinois AgComm professor Owen Roberts is bringing over to see what it’s like in the real world of ag journalism. His name is Logan and we’ll get to know more about him. I’ve already got some good ideas for what he can do to learn and help during the agriblogging highway.

So, here’s to good weather, a big crowd and happy exhibitors.

Farm Progress Show, Farm Shows

2023 American Coalition for Ethanol Annual Conference

Chuck Zimmerman

Cindy has been working on the ACE Annual Conference and you can find her stories on Energy.AgWired.com and also in our AgNewsWire virtual newsroom. Here’s a taste from the start of the conference.

The increased emphasis on reducing carbon provides a great opportunity for the ethanol industry and everything counts when it comes to getting that carbon score down.

In his opening remarks at the organization’s annual meeting in Minneapolis this week, American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) CEO Brian Jennings congratulated the ethanol producers in attendance for the investments they have already made in lowering carbon intensity.

“The common thread for this investment activity is appreciation for the fact that everything indeed counts, from how the bushels of corn are produced to the BTUs powering your facility, counting carbon is the name of the game,” said Jennings.

Panels during the first general session for the conference included Untangling and Maximizing IRA Biofuel Incentives, and Cultivating Progress: Climate-Smart Farming for Carbon Markets, both focused on the potential for the ethanol industry in the carbon market.

Listen to Jennings’ opening remarks below.
2023 ACE - Brian Jennings, ACE CEO 17:51

2023 ACE Conference photo album

ACE, Ag Groups, Audio, Energy, Ethanol

Industry Ag News 8/25

Carrie Muehling

  • GROWMARK, Inc. announced Andrew Durward of Thomson, Illinois and Scott McGeachy of Chatham, Ontario, Canada, have been elected to the GROWMARK Board of Directors.
  • The Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition will celebrate its 45th Anniversary show October 17-19, 2023. Over 1,200 exhibitors will display and demonstrate products and welcome thousands of visitors to the 100-acre show site.
  • USDA’s Economic Research Service and Farm Foundation are hosting a one-day virtual conference on September 13, 2023. The conference, U.S. Farm Households’ Social and Economic Needs and the Future of Agriculture, will feature paper presentations and panel discussions. The aim is to unite perspectives in the social sciences to explore ways in which existing social programs and policies can better support the farm sector’s economic and social needs.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced $72.9 million awarded to 55 states and territories through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The grant program provides funding to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research.
  • BRANDT, a leading retailer of professional agronomic services and manufacturer of specialty input products, has broken ground on the Evelyn Brandt Thomas Ag Innovation Center at the BRANDT Research Farm in Pleasant Plains, Illinois. The Center will enable BRANDT to continue advancing and sharing the state-of-the-art in agriculture products, processes and practices.
  • Missouri Farmers Care, agricultural leaders, and partners joined together at the Missouri State Fair to capstone the 2023 Drive to Feed Kids. The effort to stand in the gap for those facing hunger in the state raised 1,200,389 million meals. Over the past eight years, this collaborative partnership has raised resources to provide over twelve million meals for children and families across the state.
  • U.S. potato exports reached record value and volume in the 12-month period from July 2022 – June 2023. Export values increased 19.05 percent to $2.2 billion, and export volume increased 3.85 percent to 3.3 million metric tons (fresh weight equivalent).
  • The World Food Prize Foundation announced that it will honor Iowa native Simon Estes with the 2023 Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award. The award will be presented to Mr. Estes for his profound humanitarian commitment to creating “peace through music,” and elevating the voices of impoverished youth across the globe and here at home in Iowa.
  • The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced new members of the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee (ATAC) for Trade in Grains, Feed, Oilseeds, and Planting Seeds. Among the members is Jake Westlin, National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) Vice President of Policy and Communications, who has been appointed to serve on the committee. The newly appointed committee members will serve until August 2027.
  • Fields-of-Corn.com, the official photo contest of the National Corn Growers Association, is set to relaunch on the first of September. Along with a new look built to showcase the rich history of visual storytelling comes a more robust interface for quicker and more efficient access for entrants. The reboot comes just in time for the tenth photo contest.
  • The Georgia Cotton Commission, Georgia Peanut Commission and the University of Georgia Extension Cotton and Peanut Teams, will co-sponsor a joint research field day on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023, in Tifton, Georgia.
  • 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
  • How can forward-looking and flexible federal policies unlock further groundbreaking technologies in agriculture? This is the topic of the upcoming Sept. 13 Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc. webinar, “Building domestic stability and global influence through innovation.” This complimentary one-hour program will discuss how new tools and technologies, like biological fertilizers, can boost profitability and increase sustainability and efficiency.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Precision Ag News 8/23

    Carrie Muehling

  • Seven Israeli scaleup companies have successfully completed the Cultivo Virtual Academy, speeding their planning for U.S. market entry. The six-week virtual program is hosted and coordinated by America’s Cultivation Corridor, providing participants a unique experience featuring mentorship, interaction with Iowa’s agricultural leaders and an online curriculum that included regulatory and financing systems, and customer perspectives. The Iowa Economic Development Authority was the presenting sponsor of the program.
  • Bushel, the leading digital platform connecting farmers and agribusinesses, successfully closed an oversubscribed $26 million funding round led by The Banc Funds Company with further support from new and existing investors. In addition to The Banc Funds Company, other investors in this round included 50 South Capital, The Andersons, Inc., Cargill, Germin8, Lewis & Clark AgriFood, The Scoular Company, and Conti Ventures (an investment group within Continental Grain Company).
  • Philadelphia, Penn.-based Burro, an autonomous mobility company providing solutions for the agriculture industry, has added New Zealand-based Agri Automation, a regional provider of innovative agricultural solutions designed to improve productivity and efficiency of farms and nurseries, to its growing list of distributors. The move firmly establishes Burro as the leading provider of autonomous mobility platforms for the agriculture industry in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • Nick Fries of Summit View Ag, Norwalk, Wisc. and Meristem Crop Performance Group, LLC, based in Columbus, Ohio, announced a new dealership agreement to serve farmers in Wisconsin.
  • Concept AgriTek has added seasoned agriculture sales professional Clay Nelms as a District Sales Manager (DSM) for the southeast. Nelms will serve farmers across Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.
  • Applications are open from now to Sept. 4 for the 2024 AgLaunch365 Accelerator program, a one-of-a-kind, farm-immersive business development experience for startups with a product or service that has the potential to be transformative in production agriculture.
  • North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) will receive nearly $2 million to test environmentally friendly growing techniques, improve educational training on food allergies, strengthen nutritional science programs and more – six projects in all – as part of a competitive grant program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
  • Fluid Quip Technologies, a global leader in advanced biofuel, biochemical, and innovative co-product technologies, announced today that it will provide the world’s first wheat-based Maximized Stillage Co-products system, to Ensus UK Limited’s ethanol facility in Teesside, a subsidiary of Crop Energies AG. The agreement between the companies is a testament to the feedstock flexibility and efficiency of MSC.
  • Narrow operating windows make maximizing productivity essential during planting and harvest, regardless of farm size. That’s why Case IH considered solutions related to purposeful design when deciding to bring its latest models of the Early Riser planter, Early Riser 2120, and Axial-Flow combine, Axial-Flow 160 series, to the market. Both equipment solutions deliver advanced technology to small- and mid-scale operations at a price point that makes sense for their operation. These new models will be on display at Farm Progress Show 2023 from August 29-31.
  • Ecorobotix, the pioneering Swiss agtech and AI software company, is thrilled to announce the introduction of its ground-breaking ARA to the United States. ARA’s unique technology is set to transform agriculture with its advanced UHP-Sprayer and Plant-by-Plant AI-based software solution.
  • Pattern Ag, the leader in Predictive Ag technology, announced the addition of corn and soybean foliar diseases to its groundbreaking Complete Bio Panel for fall 2023.
  • AgGateway is pleased to announce that registration is now open for its 2023 Annual Conference, November 13-15 at the Hilton Nashville Downtown in Nashville, TN.
  • Golden Harvest celebrates 50 years as a seed company that partners with farmers to deliver custom solutions for each unique agronomic challenge. Since 1973, Golden Harvest Seeds has been listening to farmers with intention, offering in-depth seeds expertise combined with local agronomic know-how.
  • If you have a novel bio-based or chemical active ingredient, AgXelerators, is here to turn it into a stable, effective product. Founded by highly accomplished scientists and innovators, AgX partners with crop protection companies from around the world to accelerate the development of their new active ingredients into sustainable, commercially viable products that express their full performance potential.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Animal Ag News 8/21

    Carrie Muehling

  • The Greener Cattle Initiative (GCI), the first consortium investing in research mitigating enteric methane, awarded its initial grant to develop actionable options that reduce enteric methane emissions from cattle. GCI awarded its initial grant in the amount of $758,776 to Penn State’s Distinguished Professor of Dairy Nutrition Dr. Alexander N. Hristov to develop new enteric methane inhibitors and delivery methods for them.
  • The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA), in coordination with Feedstuffs and the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association (USPOULTRY), has opened the application phase for its Integrator Feed Facility of the Year (FFY) program. The program is open to all AFIA and USPOULTRY member integrator feed facilities.
  • USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the University of Arkansas in which researchers evaluated the effects of variable light intensity programs on broiler welfare. The research was made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Simmons Foods and proceeds from the International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE). The research is part of the Association’s comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. In total, $35,700,000 has been invested in research by the Association and Foundation.
  • Water quality, wastewater, air emissions, sustainability and regulatory compliance are all issues that poultry and egg industry environmental managers face daily. USPOULTRY’s 2023 Environmental Management Seminar is a great way to stay up to date on these ever-changing challenges. The 2023 Clean Water Award winners will also be announced with a virtual tour of the winner’s facilities. The Seminar will be held Sept. 28-29 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Fla.
  • Registration is open for the 53rd Annual American Gelbvieh Association Convention to be held November 29-December 1, 2023, at the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District in Omaha, Nebraska.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Foundation (NCF) is accepting applications for the annual W.D. Farr Scholarship program. Established in 2007, the scholarship recognizes outstanding graduate students pursuing careers in meat science and animal agriculture.
  • Registration and housing are now open for CattleCon24, the cattle industry’s largest event of the year. It’s “Onward to Orlando” where cattle producers from across the country will gather, January 31-February 2, for business meetings, educational sessions, engaging speakers and family fun.
  • The Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2023 College Aggies Online (CAO) program kicks off on September 11, beginning with a dairy theme during week one. Emily Schaapman, known online as @DairyGirlFitness, and Pennsylvania dairy farmer and social media influencer Jessica Peters (@seejessfarm) will mentor students through the initial week.
  • Certified Angus Beef created the Dr. Bobby VanStavern Award for Beef Quality Research to recognize and support student researchers focused on beef quality. This year, the brand recognizes Andres Mendizabal as the recipient and acknowledges other successful researchers for their contribution to improving beef quality.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) recognizes 25 dairy business operations for their outstanding achievements and improvements in worker safety in 2022 with the IDFA Dairy Industry Safety Recognition Award. This is the 20th year that IDFA has sponsored this program, highlighting the outstanding workplace safety achievements of U.S. dairy companies.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    DWFI Podcast 27- Dick Wolfe and Felicia Marcus

    Cindy Zimmerman

    In our third and last episode from the 2023 Water for Food Global Conference, produced by the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute at the University of Nebraska (DWFI), we hear about “Western rivers, a changing climate, and the role of irrigated agriculture.”

    Our guests for this episode are retired Colorado state engineer Dick Wolfe, a farmer and Senior Advisor at LRE Water, and DWFI board member Felicia Marcus, Landreth Visiting Fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West Program.

    Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:
    DWFI Podcast 27- Dick Wolfe and Felicia Marcus 18:05

    The Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska was founded with the mission to have a lasting and significant impact on achieving more food security with less pressure on scarce water resources by conducting scientific and policy research, using the research results to inform policy makers, and sharing knowledge through education and communication.

    How to subscribe:

    Audio, Podcasts, Water, Water for Food

    Industry Ag News 8/18

    Carrie Muehling

  • Farm Credit Association American AgCredit, rural banking partner CoBank, and The Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, also known as Farmer Mac, are donating $40,000 to Maui Food Bank to help aid during the devastating wildfires that are wreaking havoc in Hawaii.
  • Meyocks has named veteran communications professional, Beth Davis, as public relations lead. In her new role, Davis will be responsible for overseeing PR strategy for the agency’s robust client roster of food, agriculture, health and mentor brands.
  • The World Food Prize Foundation announced that Renee Cooper has joined its staff as a Program Manager.
  • American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the World Trade Organization ruling that China had no right to issue retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports five years ago in response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum. “AFBF is pleased that the WTO dispute panel ruled against China’s imposition of unjust retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural products. Agricultural trade is necessary for food security around the world and should not be endangered by retaliation for unrelated concerns.”
  • The U.S. Trade Representative requested a panel formation under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement over Mexico’s decision to ban imports of biotech corn used for human consumption. Leaders at the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) said they are highly supportive of the move.
  • At the annual Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth hosted by the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Kansas State University announced the creation of the new Barry Flinchbaugh Center for Ag Policy. The center honors and continues the work of Barry Flinchbaugh, who served Kansas State University, the State of Kansas and the nation as a policy educator for nearly half a century.
  • Fifty-five students have been selected to receive scholarships totaling $2,000 each through the GROWMARK Foundation. More than 500 students from across the United States and Ontario, Canada, applied for the scholarships. Students who received the scholarships will have those funds available for the fall 2023 semester.
  • Sabrina Burkiewicz has been named as the new External Communications Manager for GROWMARK effective immediately. Burkiewicz comes to GROWMARK from the News and Communications Division at Illinois Farm Bureau. A graduate from Illinois State University, Burkiewicz is originally from Central Illinois where her family farmed grain and livestock.
  • AgGateway announced that registration is now open for its 2023 Annual Conference, November 13-15 at the Hilton Nashville Downtown in Nashville, TN.
  • The Nebraska Water Center recently named Karina Schoengold as the new Associate Director.
  • Organizations representing Pacific Northwest wheat growers and the U.S. milling industry are celebrating the latest Food for Peace donation of 28,000 metric tons of U.S. soft white wheat. On August 15, 2023, longshoremen at the Port of Longview, Wash., loaded the wheat on the U.S.-flag vessel “Liberty Glory” now bound for the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East to help alleviate one of the worst hunger emergencies on the planet.
  • The Georgia Peanut Commission is hosting a photo contest through Oct. 1, 2023, featuring peanut farms from across the state to fill the pages of the 2024 Georgia Peanut Calendar. Photos will also be selected to be used in various promotional projects by GPC throughout the year. Georgia farmers are encouraged to submit their best high-resolution photo from throughout the growing season. Winning entries will be selected for each month of the calendar, as well as the cover page.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Azotic Technologies Expands Team

    Cindy Zimmerman

    To serve the increased demand and acre expansion of the company’s flagship product, Envita, Azotic Technologies, Ltd. has expanded its sales and agronomic services teams to better serve growing customer demand.

    “It is an exciting time at Azotic Technologies, Ltd. The retail partnerships we have worked to build and grow since day one, along with the incredible performance and ROI growers are seeing, has quickly fueled aggressive growth into new crops and regions,” says National Sales Manager, Aaron Eddy. “It’s time to make Envita easily accessible to every grower in the U.S.”

    Both Scott Bishop and Troy Dean are uniquely qualified to step into the newly created role of Regional Sales Manager. In their new roles, each will focus on sales activities, leading the newly created Technical Service team, and continuing to build and foster relationships with key influencers, retailers, and distribution networks.

    John Squire, who has been with the Envita team since 2020, brings more than 30 years of agronomic experience to his new role as U.S. Commercial Agronomist.

    “As an experienced agronomist, I sought out Azotic Technologies in 2020 because I wanted to work with Envita,” Squire says of his commitment to helping more U.S. farmers learn the nitrogen fixing benefits of the product. “We have seen a response from many different crops treated with Envita, and this expansion will allow more farmers to access and see the results on their own crops.”

    In Squire’s new role, he will work closely with the sales team to develop opportunities within the alfalfa market.

    Rounding out the Envita team’s expansion is the addition of Technical Service Representative (TSR) positions. Reporting to Bishop, Tom Kupke (IA/NE) and Vicki Schuler (MO/KS) will service the Midwest while Duane Melton (GA/FL/AL) and Charles Hoover (AR/LA/MS) will report to Dean to serve the south and southeastern U.S.

    The new team additions will work to expand focus on additional crops, including rice and cotton, while continuing to serve and support Envita performance and ROI on the product’s key focus of corn, soybeans, and potatoes.

    AgWired Precision, Nutrient Management, Precision Agriculture, Soil

    MyLand Partners with Texas A&M AgriLife for Soil Health

    Cindy Zimmerman

    MyLand Company has announced a new collaboration with Texas A&M AgriLife Research to drive significant advancements in agriculture and address critical challenges facing the global agriculture community.

    Together, MyLand and AgriLife Research will implement a statewide initiative focused on soil health integrating upwards of 12,000 acres of commercial farmland within the next two years aiming to cover over 20 unique crops, multiple ecosystems and soil types, and several growing regions. By leveraging the expertise and resources of both organizations, this collaboration seeks to address pressing agricultural issues while enhancing the quality of life and economic return for famers and communities through soil health research focused on MyLand’s impact of water availability, salinity, nutrient use efficiency, and carbon cycling.

    Learn more from MyLand.ag.

    Agronomy, AgWired Precision, Nutrient Management, Precision Agriculture, Soil

    Precision Ag News 8/16

    Carrie Muehling

  • As harvest begins across the country, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) reminds farmers about the importance of taking the appropriate precautions to ensure treated seed does not enter the grain supply. ASTA and other stakeholder groups offer a variety of educational resources to assist those involved in the process of treating, handling, transporting, or planting treated seeds. To learn more, visit: seed-treatment-guide.com. Get more information about treated seed benefits and safety at betterseed.org/treated-seeds/.
  • Narrow operating windows make maximizing productivity essential during planting and harvest, regardless of farm size. That’s why Case IH has purposefully designed its latest models of the Early Riser planter, Early Riser 2120, and Axial-Flow combine, Axial-Flow 160 series, to ensure peak performance for all producers. Both equipment solutions deliver advanced technology to small- and mid-scale operations at a price point that makes sense for their operation. These new models will be on display at Farm Progress Show 2023 from August 29-31.
  • NewLeaf Symbiotics announced the appointments of Nicole Phillips, Vice President – Marketing, and Lon Kreger, Senior Director – International Business Development.
  • CLAAS of America announced that David December has joined the company as Head of Sales and Marketing. David brings with him an extensive background in sales, marketing, and global communications with a number of prominent agricultural and industrial brands.
  • The Mosaic Company announced the formation of the Mosaic Biosciences platform, a global initiative to bring the latest science and innovation to the agriculture market. The technologies from Mosaic Biosciences enhance crop health and support the natural biology in plants and soil, ultimately maximizing the yield potential of every field.
  • Farmers’ grain marketing satisfaction increases with knowledge and use of cost of production data to price their crop, according to the 2023 State of the Farm Report published by Bushel. Bushel is an independently-owned software technology company focused on developing digital tools for the agricultural supply chain. Bushel’s 2023 State of the Farm Report is based on a comprehensive survey of more than 1,350 U.S. farmers.
  • Self-propelled combine sales continued to increase in the U.S., while total farm tractor unit sales in the U.S. and Canada declined in July, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Overall unit sales of U.S. combines climbed 10.6 percent compared to July 2022, while sales of tractors declined 5.2 percent in the same month in 2022, driven largely by softness in the smaller horsepower segment.
  • Farmers in 20 states can now enroll in cost-share programs through Farmers for Soil Health. This corn, pork and soy commodity initiative, in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities, establishes financial and technical assistance for corn and soybean farmers who adopt cover crops. The focus is to bring money directly back to farmers, where sustainability is happening at the farm level.
  • Meristem Crop Performance announced “Biology Is Fertility”, a comprehensive systems approach designed to fully harness the power of biologicals to boost plant nutrition and soil health.
  • The North American Equipment Dealers Association Board of Directors announced that Brad Hershey has been elected Chair of the Board. Hershey has previously served as NAEDA Vice Chair and as a Director representing the Northeast region of NAEDA. He also Chaired NAEDA’s Partner Programs Committee.
  • Indigo Ag announced the commercial launch of the company’s first bionematicide for the U.S. market. A continuation of the company’s biological innovations, biotrinsic Z15 for soybean and corn not only expands the company’s biological portfolio, but it also provides farmers with a new line of defense against soybean cyst nematode (SCN) and other plant-damaging nematodes.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture