Past and Present USDA Deputies at USB Event

Cindy Zimmerman

usb-bio-deputiesThe current and former Deputy Secretaries of Agriculture were together on Tuesday in Washington DC at the United Soybean Board Biobased Products Stakeholders Dialogue. It is being held at George Washington University where Kathleen Merrigan now serves as Director of Sustainability and she was pleased to host her successor Krysta Harden as keynote speaker at the event.

Both Harden and Merrigan are ardent supporters of increasing the development and use of biobased products and Merrigan was pleased to be able to welcome everyone to GW. “It’s a great place to be around issues of sustainability,” said Merrigan. “We hold sustainability near and dear to our hearts as one of the nine core values of the university.” Kathleen Merrigan welcomes USB Biobased Dialogue to GW University

Harden says it has been difficult to fill the shoes of Merrigan, who just stepped down as USDA deputy secretary about a year ago. “She did a great job opening up the agenda and the dialogue for us,” said Harden. “It’s been fun to build on her legacy.”

One of Harden’s primary jobs right now is implementing the new farm bill and she is pleased with how it is going so far. “The secretary asked me to lead the process,” she said. “He said do it quickly, folks have been waiting a long time, but also do it right.” She is pleased that the new farm bill includes several initiatives for biobased products and expands the categories to including more products.
Interview with Deputy Ag Secretary Krysta Harden


2014 USB Soy Biobased Dialogue Photo Album

Audio, Soybean, USB, USDA

ASTA Distinguished Service Awards

Cindy Zimmerman

Two individuals were honored for their distinguished service to the seed industry at the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting last week.

asta-14-blalockJune Blalock retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in April of this year, after having served as the technology licensing program coordinator in the ARS Office of Technology Transfer for more than years. Her responsibilities included managing all aspects of USDA’s intellectual property licensing program and developing and implementing USDA’s licensing policies and practices.

Presenting the award, outgoing ASTA chairman Craig Newman highlighted Blalock’s work in the negotiations on the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and her service on the Plant Variety Protection Advisory Committee, which he called “an invaluable asset to the seed industry.”

asta-14-falconerRick Falconer, managing director of Rijk Zwaan USA, was honored for his leadership in several agricultural organizations. Zwaan served as past president for the California Seed Association and past chairman of ASTA’s Organic Seed Committee, Permanent Seed Research Fund and Vegetable and Flower Seed Division, and he also currently serves as acting chair. Falconer is a board member of the American Seed Research Foundation and the First-the Seed Foundation.

ASTA Annual Meeting Photo Album

ASTA, Seed, USDA

High Standards Required for Food Marketing

Chuck Zimmerman

USFRA Clarke CaywoodRecent Food Dialogues panelist Clarke Caywood (left), Professor, Integrated Marketing Communications Dept., Northwestern University, has some interesting perspectives when it comes to the topic of “Integrity in Food Marketing.

I visited with Clarke prior to the start of last week’s program and asked him what that subject means to him. He says it has a lot of legal as well as social meaning and that “law is a minimum and ethics or integrity are a much higher standard.” He says integrity is food marketing is one of the most important areas to have it since food is a product we consume. Can’t disagree with that! Listen in on our conversation to hear more of Clarke’s thoughts on this subject.

Interview with Clarke Caywood

USFRA Food Dialogues Chicago Photo Album

Ag Groups, Audio, Food, Marketing, USFRA

Next NAMA Webinar

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMA WebinarsThis one is titled, “Why You Don’t Work in Agriculture Anymore.” It will be held on June 26, 2pm eastern, for 1 hours. Cost is $50. Register here.

Today, consumer perceptions about everything from animal welfare and antibiotics to GMOs and government regulations can have a substantial impact on farming operations of all kinds and sizes. If agricultural marketers hope to shift how consumers see things, it will first require a shift in our own thinking.

“Why you don’t work in agriculture anymore,” showcases the very latest consumer research from Sullivan Higdon & Sink’s influential FoodThink studies and delves into real-world examples that will both inform and inspire agricultural marketers.

Presented by Ali Mahaffy, SVP, Brand Management, and Samantha Scantlebury, Brand Strategist, of Sullivan Higdon & Sink.
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NAMA

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Secretary Vilsack Talks T-TIP in Europe

Cindy Zimmerman

vilsack-usdaAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is in Brussels today starting a week-long trip to Europe to meet with European agricultural and trade officials and other industry stakeholders. In addition to Brussels, Vilsack will visit with officials in Luxembourg, Paris, and Dublin.

While overseas, Vilsack will discuss the expansion of agricultural trade, the importance of agriculture’s role in the U.S.-European Union (EU) Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP), and the benefits the trade agreement will have to both the American and European economies.

During a brief conference call with reporters this morning, the secretary said he had just concluded a working lunch with 28 agricultural ministers and representatives from the EU. “It was important for me to express to all the members states my belief that we have much in common in terms of agriculture,” said Vilsack. “Our farmers are faced with the same concerns and opportunities as European farmers are.”

Regarding T-TIP, Vilsack says agriculture must be a significant part of the negotiations. “I was very candid with my colleagues that absent a real strong commitment to agriculture in this trade agreement, it will be very difficult for Congress to get the votes necessary to pass T-TIP,” he said.

Listen to or download Vilsack’s call here: Vilsack press call from Brussels

Audio, International, Trade, USDA

BASF Panel on Future of Food and Agriculture

Cindy Zimmerman

basf-14-panelThe Future of Food and Agriculture was the focus of a panel at the BASF Ag Media Summit last week in North Carolina, moderated by one and only Max Armstrong.

Members of the panel included (left to right):
Brazilian farmer Aurelio Pavinato, celebrity chef Cat Cora, North Carolina producer Bo Stone, Futurist.com founder Dr. Glen Heimstra, and University of California professor Dr. Julie Guthman.

The conversation included much discussion about the challenges facing agriculture, perceptions of consumers, and organic agriculture. I recorded the first part of the panel, which you can listen to here: BASF Panel segment

basf-bo-stoneYou might recognize this face as Bo Stone is one of USFRA’s Faces of Farming. Bo, his wife Missy, and his parents own P&S Farms in North Carolina, a very diversified operation that includes cattle, hogs, row crops, strawberries and sweet corn.

Bo has really enjoyed his time traveling around the country talking with consumers on behalf of USFRA and he appreciated being a part of the BASF Ag Media Summit. Listen to my interview with him here: Interview with Bo Stone, North Carolina producer

Not only did Iron Chef Cat Cora participate on the panel, she also treated us to a taste of her culinary expertise. Watch the video below and learn how to make her yummy Watermelon Gazpacho. Watch and learn below.

2014 BASF Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Food, USFRA, Video

FuSE Celebrates 10 Years of Training Young Seed Execs

Jamie Johansen

asta-14-255-editedDuring the 131st American Seed Trade Association’s Annual Convention in Indianapolis, IN. the Future Seed Executives (FuSE) held a joint FuSE/Management Skills committee meeting focused on the Power of Inclusive Leadership. I spoke with FuSE founder and Vice President, Business Development for Gro Alliance, Jim Schweigert, and he shared what lead him to start this group for young professionals in the seed community.

When Jim attended his first ASTA convention he was shocked with how few young people were present. He expressed this observation with then chairman Don Wertman. Don simply said, “Well, why don’t you do something about it.” Jim knew that if he didn’t feel welcomed into this association, then other people probably didn’t as well.

With help from other young people in the industry, Jim put together the basic concept of what is now known as the FuSE. This year FuSE is proudly celebrating their 10 year anniversary and are still focused on educating and supporting future seed industry executives. Their programs are designed as regional opportunities to expand learning, cultivate management skills, promote networking, and improve general understanding of the seed industry.

“I think the real big change is that seed companies are now using the FuSE programming as part of their normal process for new industry executives. In the past the large companies trained within their own organizations, but now they are engaging in the industry as a whole. For smaller companies, it’s really invaluable because they don’t have the same training infrastructure. Now they have an opportunity to network with other industry professionals and see the industry as a whole not just the company they work for.”

Listen to my interview with Jim here: Interview with Jim Schweigert, FuSE Founder

ASTA Annual Meeting Photo Album

Ag Groups, ASTA, Audio, Education, Seed

ASTA First Vice Chair from Oregon

Cindy Zimmerman

asta14-risaWe’ve talked with American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) first vice chair Risa DeMasi a couple of times before – a year ago when she was elected as the first woman officer of ASTA and again in December at the Seed Expo when we learned more about her company Grassland Oregon, which is very involved in the development of new cover crop species.

With Risa’s leadership, ASTA has started a cover crop working group. “Our whole focus is going to be on communication and collaboration,” Risa said, noting that the group includes representatives from conservation organizations and government as well as growers. “I think a lot of us are all trying to do the same things and it’s just a matter of putting the pieces together.”

Two counties in Risa’s home state of Oregon just voted overwhelmingly to ban the production of genetically modified crops, which she says shows how emotional the conversation has gotten. She believes using words such as new technology or advancements would be better than genetic modification or biotechnology. “We focus on GMO and it becomes this big, bad ugly monster,” she said. “Nobody wants to get rid of their cell phone, but if we hadn’t allowed that technology, where would we be today?”

Listen to my interview with Risa here: Interview with Risa DeMasi, ASTA First Vice Chair

ASTA Annual Meeting Photo Album

ASTA, Audio, Biotech, Conservation, Seed

BASF and Functional Crop Care

Cindy Zimmerman

basf14-huffFunctional Crop Care is the newest division of the BASF agricultural business, broadening what it means for the company to protect crops and help farmers get the most out of every acre.

BASF Functional Crop Care Senior VP Dr. Jürgen Huff says the division addresses additional needs beyond conventional crop protection. “Functional Crop Care consists of three segments: soil management, seed solutions and crop care,” said Huff. “None of them will work in isolation. We always look at the whole set of tools that we provide for farmers in making their corn and soybean farming more successful.”

Dr. Huff talked about BASF’s new LIMUS technology coming to the market in 2015 to boost efficiency of urea-based fertilizers. “Urea breaks down in the soil and it’s decomposing into ammonia and carbon dioxide,” said Huff. “LIMUS will provide an extended protection of urea-based fertilizers during the critical growth stages of crops.”

The Functional Crop Care division was really started with the BASF acquisition of Becker Underwood in 2012, which brought with it important seed treatments such as polymers for flowability. Watch his demo below of how that can help farmers during the busy planting season.Interview with Dr. Jürgen Huff, BASF Dr. Huff media event presentation

2014 BASF Ag Media Summit Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Crop Protection, Seed, Video