2025 Tech Hub Live

Agricultural Relations Council Golden ARC Awards

Cindy Zimmerman

Janice Pearson, Deron Johnson, and Lynn Henderson

The Agricultural Relations Council met last week in Des Moines and (ARC) inducted two members into the Agricultural Public Relations Hall of Fame during the Golden ARC Awards Banquet.

The new members are Janice Person, Grounded Communications CEO/founder and Deron Johnson, Curious Plot executive vice president, chief brand & culture officer. This award is given to agricultural public relations professionals who have made lifetime contributions to the industry. The Agricultural Public Relations Hall of Fame is sponsored by ARC and Agri Marketing magazine.

Golden ARC Award winners

The winners of the 2023 Golden ARC Awards contest were also presented last week, recognizing the stellar work created by public relations professionals in the agricultural industry this past year. OBP won the Golden ARC de Excellence Award for its “DEKALB Brand + Field Of Dreams” created for client Bayer DEKALB.

This year’s Golden ARC Awards contest drew 75 entries from 26 organizations, including individuals, agencies, companies, commodity groups and ag associations/checkoffs. In addition to the Golden ARC de Excellence Award, ARC presented 27 Golden ARC awards. Multiple awards were received by Kansas Farm Bureau, Purina, Bayer, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, State Fair of Texas, OBP, Padilla, AdFarm, and Curious Plot.

Others receiving Golden Arc awards were Agoro Carbon Alliance, AgBiome, Merck Animal Health, TELUS, American Royal Rodeo, FMC, United Soybean Board, EarthOptics, Cargill, Missouri Soybean Assn and Farm Credit East, Filament and Cultivate.

Ag Groups, Agencies, Agribusiness, ARC, Public Relations

Field Notes from Koch Agronomic Services – Episode 29

Chuck Zimmerman

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.

Micronutrient Deficiencies

In this episode, we’re talking about micronutrient deficiencies. We’ll learn what growers can do to optimize their crops’ yield potential and how growers in each region can utilize testing and solutions to overcome limiting factors. We’ll speak with KAS technical agronomist, TJ Bingham, and product manager, Brandon Peterson. They’ll discuss the need for micronutrients and what solutions growers need to reach maximum yield potential in their regions.

You can listen to the program here: Micronutrient Deficiencies 20:03)

And to make sure you don’t miss an episode, choose an option to subscribe

For Spotify on your computer download the desktop app

Agribusiness, Agronomy, Audio, Koch Agronomic Services

Industry Ag News 6/16

Carrie Muehling

  • The outdoor recreation boom is paying dividends — as much as $20,000 per year — for farmers and ranchers using alternative passive income strategies by listing their land for hunting, fishing and other activities. In a free webinar, set for Tuesday, June 20, at 12 p.m. CDT, landowners will share how they have added income to their operations. Hosted by LandTrust.com and Farm Journal, the webinar is free, but attendees must register to access the session. Register now at: https://fjwebinars.com/account/register/agweb/171.
  • The National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Corn Board has elected Ken Hartman Jr. to become the organization’s next first vice president for the new fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2023. Hartman is a fifth-generation farmer who operates a grain farm along with his wife, Anita, daughter, Amanda, and mother, Joann in Waterloo, Illinois.
  • More than 150 farmers and ranchers from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet directly with lawmakers and discuss priorities for the 2023 farm bill. The American Farm Bureau Federation Advocacy Fly-In included remarks from Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Penn.) and Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.). House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott (D-Ga.) sent a video message.
  • Potato retail sales increased 16 percent in sales but decreased in volume by -4.4 percent from January to March 2023 compared to the same timeframe a year ago, according to Potatoes USA. Despite a decrease, volume sales remain above pre-pandemic levels.
  • The National Cotton Council (NCC) has scheduled tour dates and locations for the 2023 Producer Information Exchange (P.I.E.) Program. During the week of August 13-18, producers from the Southwest and West will see Mid-South farming operations in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The second tour, set for August 20-25, will enable Southeast and Mid-South producers to travel to the Southwest and observe farming operations in south Texas.
  • The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) elected its 2023-24 officer team during its annual Leadership Summit, June 10-14 in Sacramento, CA. The members of the new officer team, beginning official duties on July 1, are: Chair David Armstrong, Sakata Seed America; First Vice Chair Dan Foor, DLF North America; and Second Vice Chair Dave Treinen, Syngenta.
  • The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) released a report finding that 97% of fruits and vegetables sampled within the state in 2021 met federal pesticide safety standards. The 2021 California Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report shows that 97% of domestically grown and imported produce samples collected in 2021 had either no detectable pesticide residues or had residues within the allowable federally-established tolerances. In addition, more than 98% of produce samples labeled as “grown in California” had no residues or tolerances that exceeded allowable levels.
  • The Sunbelt Ag Expo is proud to continue the tradition of the Farmer of the Year Program into 2023. The Farmer of the Year Program selects one farmer from each of the participating states and recognizes them at the Sunbelt Ag Expo, where the overall winner is announced.
  • The 2023 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue is scheduled for October 24-26 in Des Moines, Iowa. The theme Harnessing Change is a deliberate progression of the 2022 theme, Feeding a Fragile World. After focusing on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and conflict, this year will address harnessing innovation, adaptation and diversification to improve systemic resilience, recover from shocks and sustainably nourish all people.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Precision Ag News 6/15

    Carrie Muehling

    • The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) elected its 2023-24 officer team during its annual Leadership Summit, June 10-14 in Sacramento, CA. The members of the new officer team, beginning official duties on July 1, are: Chair: David Armstrong, Sakata Seed America; First Vice Chair: Dan Foor, DLF North America; and Second Vice Chair: Dave Treinen, Syngenta.
    • Lessiter Media has announced it will be launching the first-ever Precision Specialist Week on August 13-19, 2023. This annual celebration, involving farmers, dealers and manufacturers, will recognize the hard work and dedication of those making today’s precision farming systems possible.
    • Four-Wheel-Drive Tractors and Combine Harvesters continue growth while some other segments continue declines according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Overall U.S. ag tractor unit sales gained in all but one segment. U.S. self-propelled combine sales grew the most, up 54.6 percent, with 4WD tractors (up 51.1 percent) and 100+hp 2WD units (up 9.8 percent). However, a 2.7 percent decline in the sub-40 hp segment resulted in a 0.7 percent reduction in total farm tractors. Total farm tractor sales in the U.S. for the year are down 12.2 percent versus 2022, while combines are up 68.3 percent.
    • The AgriBusiness Global Trade Summit for crop protection, biologicals, and plant and soil health, is pleased to announce the opening keynote presentation by Derek Oliphant and Allister Phillips of AgbioInvestor. The summit will take place on 9-10 August 2023, at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura, Florida, United States.
    • Agoro Carbon Alliance celebrates their second anniversary of partnering with farmers and ranchers for better soil health and climate-smart ag outcomes.
    • Regenerative farming pioneer David Brandt, who passed away recently from complications resulting from an automobile accident, will be honored with his name’s addition to the Kendra Brandt scholarship fund, the Soil Health Academy announced.
    AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    AgGateway Working Groups Making Progress

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting this week in Altoona, Iowa is the place where the work of digital connectivity gets done.

    AgGateway Executive Vice President Jeremy Wilson says the organization gathers in the middle of the year so working groups on various topics can meet in person to share ideas and discuss solutions and possibly wrap up some of their projects. “We’ve been working in the Crop Nutrition area, around some third party reporting, that’s due to wrap up,” said Wilson. “We are also about the wrap up the very first phase of Field Boundaries, and that was basically defining the terms so we can begin the process of creating some standards.”

    Wilson says the working groups are focused on very defined specific project areas for shorter periods of time and once they wrap up a new set is launched that may build on the previous group. “A perfect example is Field Boundary…we might have a dozen working groups before we get that done,” he said.

    Learn more about what AgGateway is working on in this interview.

    2023 AgGateway Mid-Year - Jeremy Wilson, AgGateway 7:52

    2023 AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting Photo Album

    AgGateway, AgWired Precision, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Technology

    ASTA Honors Industry Leaders

    Cindy Zimmerman

    Son John and wife Linda accept ASTA Heritage Award for Bill Latham

    The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) honored seed industry ground breakers during its annual Leadership Summit this week in Sacramento.

    This year, ASTA’s Heritage Award was presented to two worthy individuals: Dick Crowder and Bill Latham.

    Crowder served as USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for International Affairs and Commodity Programs from 1989 to 1992 before becoming the Senior Vice President of DeKalb Genetics Corporation, then President and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association. He served as Chief Agricultural Negotiator from January 2006 to May 2007 in the Bush administration. Crowder is currently C.G. Thornhill Professor of Agricultural Trade at Virginia Tech.

    Bill Latham (1941-2015), Latham Seed, Inc., was raised on a grain and livestock farm in north central Iowa. After service in the U.S. Marine Corp Reserve, Bill came home to the family seed business in 1966 where he became its president. He served as President of ASTA, as well as President of the Independent Professional Seed Association and the Iowa Seed Association. Bill and his wife Linda had two sons, John and Christopher, who, along with John’s wife Shannon, are now owners of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds.

    Craig Newman accepts ASTA’s Lifetime Honorary Member Award

    ASTA’s Distinguished Service Award was presented to Donn Cummings, National Association of Plant Breeders. Cummings initiated the NAPB Borlaug Scholar’s Program and continues to serve as a mentor for dozens of students and aspiring plant breeders globally, currently serving as a Liaison between NAPB and ASTA.

    ASTA’s Lifetime Honorary Member Award is one of the highest awards bestowed by the association and is in recognition of untiring service to ASTA, and this year’s award was given to Craig Newman, AgReliant Genetics/Finding Black Ink, LLC. As President and CEO of AgReliant Genetics Newman served as President of the Illinois Seed Dealers and Chairman of the ASTA Board of Directors.

    The Seed Science Foundation’s Excellence in Science Award recognizes the outstanding achievement by a public or private researcher whose accomplishments have had an impact in the areas of Breeding Systems, Seed Quality, Seed Production and Technology, Seed Health and Pathology, Digital Agriculture, or Seed Applied Technology. This year’s award was given to Manjit Misra, Iowa State University/USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

    ASTA, people, Seed

    AgGateway Conducting Mid-Year Business

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The 2023 AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting is all about business. Working groups on various organizational resource programs are meeting this week to complete projects and work on projects still in process. In the photo are first-timer attendees getting an orientation about AgGateway before the real work starts.

    Prior to this week’s meeting I spoke with Brent Kemp, AgGateway President/CEO, for a preview of the meeting and the work being done. I used it for my ZimmCast podcast which you can listen to here. 2023 AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting Preview 18:13

    I’ll be taking pictures and conducting some interviews today before returning home to ZimmComm Headquarters tomorrow. You can find the photos here: 2023 AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting Photo Album

    AgGateway, Agribusiness, Audio, Precision Agriculture, Technology

    Animal Ag News 6/12

    Carrie Muehling

  • The National Pork Board (NPB) elected four new officers for the 2023-2024 term beginning July 1. Pennsylvania pork producer Bob Ruth was elected to serve as the president of NPB. Ruth currently serves as the senior vice president for Clemens Food Group after working for Country View Family Farms for more than 20 years. He is also an active member of the Pennsylvania Pork Producers Board of Directors, PennAg and Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
  • The National Pork Board announced that Dr. David Newman will assume the role of senior vice president for market growth effective June 19, 2023. In this role, Newman will lead the team of 16 professionals tasked with growing market demand internationally and domestically, as well as the organization’s health and nutrition research and outreach.
  • The U.S. dairy industry grew significantly over the past two years, adding nearly 60,000 new jobs, increasing average wages by 11 percent, and increasing its total impact on the U.S. economy by $41 billion, according to the latest economic impact report from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).
  • A nutrition incentive program that helps low-income families purchase healthy fluid milk products is expanding across Alabama. The Add Milk! program is being launched by the Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences Hunger Solutions Institute and select retailers to provide a dollar-for-dollar match for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, when they purchase low-fat or non-fat milk.
  • The National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to name Gregg Doud, a globally recognized agricultural leader, as its next president and CEO, succeeding Jim Mulhern, who is retiring at the end of the year.
  • Illinois dairy farmers are committed to building up communities experiencing food insecurity. Recognizing the hardships many families are facing, the Illinois Milk Producers Association (IMPA) donated nearly 10,000 pounds of milk, including lactose-free, between two local food banks.
  • In comments submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), R-CALF USA requested the agency immediately withdraw its proposal to allow the importation of fresh (chilled or frozen) beef from Paraguay.
  • Dustin Pendell, a professor in Kansas State University’s department of agricultural economics, was named head of the Americas region of the Collaborating Center for the Economics of Animal Health. The project is supported by the World Organisation for Animal Health, or WOAH, which has headquarters in Paris, France.
  • Kynetec, a global leader in agricultural and animal health data and analytics, has expanded its global machinery platform with the acquisition of Systematics International Ltd. Systematics International is a multi-award-winning global software development, data gathering and data analytics business who aggregate and report machinery volume statistics for world-wide closed and open data exchanges.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Industry Ag News 6/9

    Carrie Muehling

  • USDA has appointed two former members of Congress to serve in senior staff positions. Former Iowa Representative Cindy Axne has been appointed Senior Advisor for Rural Engagement, Delivery and Prosperity. Axne previously served as the U.S. House Representative for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District from 2019 to 2023. Former Arizona Rep. Tom O’Halleran has been appointed Senior Advisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Previously, O’Halleran served as the U.S. House Representative for Arizona’s 1st Congressional District from 2017 to 2023.Both were members of the House Agriculture Committee.
  • The Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council tabbed Traverse County farmer Tom Frisch as its chair during the organization’s June board meeting. Frisch replaces Bird Island farmer Joe Serbus, who stepped down after two years as chair.
  • Veteran agricultural educators Jim Morgan of Louisburg, Kansas and Deanna Schnuck of Boonville, Missouri have been selected by the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City to receive the group’s Distinguished Service Award.
  • 40 Square Cooperative Solutions is encouraging Minnesota’s statewide agribusiness community to cool off by visiting 40square.coop to complete a census form and learn about the organization’s affordable health plan options. Prospective plan participants can also email info@40square.coop to receive a quick rate estimate.
  • The National FFA Organization’s Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) will take place from June 6-July 22 at the Omni Shoreham, with six weeklong sessions for FFA members to choose from. More than 2,000 FFA members from throughout the country are expected to attend the 2023 conference, the second-largest student experience that National FFA hosts each year, only behind the National FFA Convention & Expo that draws more than 70,000 attendees.
  • American Farmland Trust released two new white papers that further illustrate its priorities to increase adoption of conservation practices in the next Farm Bill. These priorities include the creation of a federal match to help states and Tribes build up their soil health programs, and increased support for farmer-to-farmer education to accelerate adoption of conservation practices.
  • Farm Credit Administration Board Chairman and CEO Vincent Logan announced the selection of Maribel Duran as chief of staff for the Farm Credit Administration.
  • Libbie Johnson joined the Alabama Peanut Producers Association as executive director on June 5.
  • The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association announced a new Communications Manager, Emma Koehler. Koehler is a recent graduate from the University of Northern Iowa and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Digital Media: Journalism. She also has a degree and background in Precision Agriculture.
    • Uncategorized

    ZimmCast 712 – IFAJ Congress Preview

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast. I’m Chuck Zimmerman.

    IFAJ World Congress 2023It is going to be a very active June into July for ZimmComm, with a variety of on-location events. One of those is the annual IFAJ World Congress which is being held this year in Alberta, Canada. I will be there and I believe this will be my 10th IFAJ Congress. These events are very well planned and packed with business, professional development and farm tours.

    To get a preview of the activities I spoke with Jessika Guse, co-chair of the planning committee.

    I’ll be taking a lot of photos throughout the Congress and hope to have time and internet to get them up asap. I’ll be doing the same immediately after the Congress when I stay in Calgary for the Alltech ONE World Tour stop.

    Listen to the ZimmCast here:
    ZimmCast 712 - 2023 IFAJ World Congress (25:59)

    Thank you to Alltech for making it possible for me to attend this year’s IFAJ Congress. And to keep up on social media, use this hashtag #IFAJ23.

    That’s the ZimmCast for now. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

    Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

    Alltech, Audio, International, Media, ZimmCast