Precision Ag News 11/9

Carrie Muehling

  • Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists are leaving no stone—or rather, leaf—unturned in their search for new ways to counter the fungus that causes tar spot, a yield-robbing disease of field corn in the midwestern United States. Several research studies have demonstrated that some strains of Alternaria alternata are effective biocontrol organisms that can reduce the damage caused by plant pathogens, said Eric Johnson, a research molecular biologist with the ARS center’s Crop Bioprotection Research Unit in Peoria. Details on the biocontrol potential of the tar spot fungus’s natural rivals were published in the June 2023 issue of the journal Microorganisms by Johnson and co-authors Pat Dowd, Jose Ramirez and Robert Behle—all with the ARS center’s Crop Bioprotection Research Unit in Peoria.
  • MyLand, A Soil Health Company, announced that Jeff Tuel has joined the growing MyLand team as Director of Sales to expand the company’s service among growers in California and the Western United States.
  • National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) geared up for the tenth edition of the Fields-of-Corn.com photo contest with an exciting relaunch. The website underwent a streamlined transformation, designed to pay homage to the captivating history of visual storytelling. Alongside this, a more user-friendly interface has been implemented to streamline the submission process.
  • Bayer reinforces its commitment to digital farming solutions for the transition to regenerative agriculture at this year’s Agritechnica, an international showcase for the agricultural machine industry. The life science company presents a comprehensive set of innovative solutions leveraging precision farming through data and artificial intelligence at the trade fair, taking place November 12-18 in Hanover, Germany.
  • Wheat stem sawflies are non-stinging wasp-like insects that cause wheat yield losses across the U.S. Sawflies previously targeted spring wheat crops; however, these pests have recently emerged in Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska, suggesting that it is evolving to feed on winter wheat crops as well. To address this growing threat, the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) awarded a $150,000 Rapid Outcomes from Agricultural Research (ROAR) program grant to Colorado State University to increase crop resistance to wheat stem sawfly. Colorado State University, the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee and the University of Nebraska provided matching funds for a $300,000 total investment.
  • Trace Genomics and EarthOptics are collaborating to introduce a new level of accuracy in carbon measurement, with fast-track turnaround of results to customers.
  • Kula Bio, a company offering a sustainable nitrogen replacement solution for crop and turf production, is pleased to announce that Hugh MacGillivray has joined the company as chief commercial officer. In his new position, MacGillivray is responsible for bringing to market Kula-N, a high-performance, cost effective nitrogen source.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    GS Vortex Systems Launches Vortex Flow Amplifier

    Cindy Zimmerman

    GS Vortex Systems today announced the launch of their flagship product, the Vortex Flow Amplifier, solving fluid transportation cost and reliability challenges for agricultural irrigation systems and multiple flow-critical industries. The company will be showcasing its products at the 2023 Irrigation Show, November 28 – December 1, in San Antonio, TX.

    The Vortex Flow Amplifier transforms fluid flow dynamics and efficiency using advanced duration flow rotation. This creates compelling advantages for simultaneous, multi-dimensional efficiency gains across operational areas, which are leading to rapid adoption in the irrigation industry and creating growing excitement in many other flow-reliant businesses.

    “Though everyone has flow challenges,” said Avi Ghosh, co-founder and CEO of GS Vortex Systems, “no two systems or problems are quite alike. We designed Vortex devices to flexibly support customers by removing the widest range of pain points and delivering clear operating gains. We also made these easy to install and fully compatible with diverse irrigation systems and sizes, from drip lines to wheel lines (side-roll) and pivots. We want to surprise and delight customers with the lowest cost, highest reliability irrigation performance they’ve ever seen. This is desperately needed today. Once their most costly and time-consuming pain areas are permanently eliminated with Vortex and farmers can trust their irrigation again, they have the opportunity to use our technology for further system-wide cost reduction, productivity gains, yield security, and growth. All without the unnecessary expense of larger pumps and pipes. Farmers using Vortex flow better for less and never look back.”

    The agriculture industry, in particular, needs cost-efficient fluid flow for sustainable operations. Unlike conventional solutions that resort to increased pumping energy or larger pipes to overcome flow drag, GS Vortex Systems re-analyzed pipe flow dynamics at their core to eliminate flow resistance. This advance offers unmatched levels of operational reliability and productivity enhancement for all systems. The Vortex Flow Amplifier is an outstanding and truly radical flow innovation.

    Learn more here www.gsvortex.com/irrigation.

    AgWired Precision, Irrigation, Precision Agriculture

    Agricultural Communicators Network Regional Workshop

    Chuck Zimmerman

    AgComm Network Regional WorkshopI could not attend this workshop but would love to have been there. Thanks to social media I’m sharing a photo during one of the sessions.

    The Regional Workshop was held Monday, November 6 in St. Louis, MO, at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.

    If you were not able to attend feel free to suggest ideas for future workshops (location, topics, speakers). Just contact the office and let them know what you would like to see and do.

    Here are 5 reasons to attend a workshop:

    Skill Enhancement
    Knowledge Expansion
    Networking Opportunities
    Professional Development and Personal Growth
    Inspiration

    ACN, Media

    Animal Ag News 11/6

    Carrie Muehling

  • The Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC) has started working on the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) project Implementing Precision Ag Tech to Expand the Participation of Small Grazing Dairy Farms in Climate-Smart Commodities. The $4.7 million project, which will enable small dairy producers to access climate-smart grazing technology and engage in a climate-smart marketplace for their products, is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities where the USDA will invest $3.1 billion into 141 projects.
  • Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association took top honors in the National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) annual cooperative communications contest, and a farmer-owner of the cooperative also received NMPF’s Farmer Communicator of the Year award. Austin Schwartzbeck of Peace & Plenty Farm won the farmer award for his active efforts in promoting dairy’s values through communicating with both dairy and non-dairy audiences – including a recent television feature about how he and his wife met at the Maryland State Fair.
  • Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., baseball’s “Iron Man” who holds the record for most consecutive games played, will be among the featured speakers at Dairy Strong, one of the Midwest’s premiere conferences for the dairy community. The Dairy Business Association has announced the full slate of speakers for its largest annual event, which will be held Jan. 16-18 at the KI Center in Green Bay, Wis.
  • Voting for the 11th annual CattleCon National Anthem Contest is now open! Let’s celebrate our fantastic four National Anthem Contest finalists: Anna Sponheim, Landri Dell Jones, Shirley Matlock, and Brittany Price. Your voice matters so make sure you vote once every day. Voting closes November 15th.
  • The Beef Checkoff-funded Trailblazers program is seeking applications for its next class of beef advocates. Trailblazers, developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, takes advocacy to the next level by giving participants the tools and training they need to promote beef to new audiences while addressing and correcting myths.
  • Merck Animal Health announced that SEQUIVITY IAV-S NA (Swine Influenza Vaccine, N1 and N2, RNA Particle) vaccine is commercially available as part of its swine product portfolio. The company received license approval for the vaccine from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2022.
  • The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Canada Veterinary Drugs Directorate have approved the use of Aivlosin Water Soluble Granules (62.5% w/w/ Tylvalosin as Tylvalosin Tartrate) for use in female swine intended for breeding. Producers now have a safe and effective water administration option for controlling swine respiratory disease (SRD) in reproducing sows in both the United States and Canada.
  • The 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) has surpassed 600,800 square feet of exhibit space and has secured more than 1,295 exhibitors with two and a half months remaining until the show opens. This will be the largest trade show floor in IPPE’s history, covering all four halls of the Georgia World Congress Center.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    2023-24 National FFA Officers Team Elected

    Cindy Zimmerman

    L-R: Amara Jackson, Grant Norfleet, Carter Howell, Kanyon Huntington, Morgan Anderson, and Emily Gossett

    The 2023-24 National FFA Officer team was elected during the final session of the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis last week. National FFA Delegates chose students from Michigan, Missouri, Florida, Iowa, Ohio and New Mexico to lead the organization for the next year.

    Amara Jackson of Michigan was elected national president.
    Grant Norfleet of Missouri was elected national secretary.
    Carter Howell of Florida was elected southern region vice president.
    Kanyon Huntington of Iowa was elected central region vice president.
    Morgan Anderson of Ohio was elected eastern region vice president.
    Emily Gossett of New Mexico was elected western region vice president.

    Education, FFA

    2023 AgGateway Annual Conference Preview

    Cindy Zimmerman

    The 2023 AgGateway Annual Conference is coming up November 13-15 in Nashville, Tennessee.

    AgGateway President and CEO Brent Kemp says the conference is a benchmarking event, where the industry gathers to understand the state of interconnectivity in agriculture, what the association and its membership has accomplished over the past year, and the core initiatives on deck for the year ahead. “AgGateway’s annual meeting is a combination celebration of the work that’s been done and volunteers who have done it, as well as an education and working session,” said Kemp. “We’ll have educational breakouts covering topics like artificial intelligence, biodiversity and preservation of nature and how that relates to agriculture, we’ll have some cyber security sessions…things a participant can take back to their organization and immediately add value,” said Kemp.

    Along with learning and working sessions, the conference features multiple networking breaks and receptions, as well as a welcome luncheon for first-time attendees.

    Annual Conference attendees include leading agribusiness managers, IT professionals, and other representatives from the entire crop production channel, including input and equipment manufacturing, software and data service providers, ag retailers and distributors, in addition to professionals in precision ag, academia, agricultural organizations, students, and ag media.

    Learn more about AgGateway and the annual meeting in this interview with Kemp.
    2023 AgGateway annual preview interview with CEO Brent Kemp 15:02

    ag retailers, AgGateway, AgWired Precision, Audio, data, Precision Agriculture, Technology

    Industry Ag News 11/3

    Carrie Muehling

  • At its annual Laureate Award Ceremony, the World Food Prize Foundation surprised 2023 Laureate, Heidi Kühn, with the announcement of a doubling of prize amount to $500,000, up from $250,000 in previous years. The ceremony, held at the Iowa State Capitol building, is frequently referred to as “the Nobel Prize for Agriculture” and is held in parallel with the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, which drew over 1,300 participants from more than 75 countries this year.
  • U.S. soybean meal exports set a record at an estimated 13.2 million tons in MY 2022/23 (Oct-Sep), valued at nearly $7 billion, driven by increased soybean crush to supply feedstock oil for growing U.S. biomass-based diesel production. The new record came from substantial expansion in shipments to the European Union and Vietnam as drought in Argentina, usually the world’s largest soybean meal exporter, severely reduced its exportable supplies.
  • Louis Dreyfus Company announced the construction of a soybean processing plant in Upper Sandusky (OH), US, with integrated crushing, vegetable oil refining and lecithin production and packaging capabilities.
  • Syngenta Group is honored to again be recognized as one of the globe’s top five leading employers in the 2023 Science Careers Top Employers Survey, reflecting its ongoing commitment to its employees, research and development, collaboration, and innovation leadership.
  • Fifteen farm and ranch women leaders graduated from the fall session of Women’s Communications Boot Camp hosted by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The agricultural leaders completed an intensive four-day course that featured hands-on sessions focused on public speaking, working with the media and messaging. Program graduates will use their training to strategically support Farm Bureau’s priority issues. This includes participating in local media opportunities, sharing information with elected officials and joining social media campaigns that spotlight modern agriculture.
  • Winners of the 2023 National FFA Agricultural Proficiency Awards are being named during the 96th National FFA Convention & Expo, which is being held in Indianapolis.
  • The Renewable Fuels Association welcomed its newest producer member, The Andersons Marathon Holdings LLC. The company, formed by The Andersons Inc. and Marathon Petroleum Corporation, owns four ethanol biorefineries in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Iowa, with a combined production capacity of approximately 475 million gallons of fuel annually. Joining the RFA board to represent the company is Dan Short, Fuels and Low Carbon Policy Manager for Marathon Petroleum.
  • Syngenta announced the names of eight students who each received a $1,000 scholarship award. The scholarship program is a partnership between Syngenta and CropLife America Foundation. The scholarship application is through National FFA Foundation. University students based in the United States and pursuing bachelor’s or associate degrees in crop-related agricultural disciplines are eligible to compete for the scholarships.
  • Yield10 Bioscience announced that it signed a LOI with BioMar Group, a prominent global aquafeed producer, to commercialize Camelina engineered to produce omega-3 oil for use as a high-quality supplement to the scarce supply of marine long-chain fatty acids used in aquafeed.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Precision Ag News 11/2

    Carrie Muehling

  • Three major businesses and organizations have signed on as sponsor partners for a benchmarking study into the use of agricultural biologicals by farmers and growers. The study: “Biologicals: Specialty Crop Growers’ Perceptions, Values, and Potential,” is set to provide a robust depth of understanding around grower-centric sentiments about the use, benefits and future for biological inputs when applied to specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, stone fruits and nuts. Cam Camfield, Founder and CEO of Stratovation Group, said the initial collaboration of sponsors includes Redox Bio-Nutrients, Certis Biologicals, and BPIA (the Biological Products Industry Alliance).
  • GROWERS, a leader in digital technology for agriculture, announces enhanced farmer and retailer features within two new mobile apps. The company’s flagship product, GROWERS, is a free app for farmers enabling them to work directly with their retailers to request farm input products digitally, streamlining and organizing the entire process. In addition, GROWERS Retail allows retail counterparts to respond to farmers’ requests creating new ways for retailers to drive customer loyalty and sales growth as more farmers embrace technology.
  • Helena Agri-Enterprises is expanding seed treatment opportunities for soybean growers in 2024 with the launch of Seed Shield Select and Enertia. A multi-fungicide and insecticide combination, Seed Shield Select provides protection from all major soybean seedling diseases and insects while optimizing root health and plant vigor. Enertia is an enzyme-based, biological soybean seed treatment designed to enhance soil health and improve nutrient availability as roots develop.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has announced an investment of nearly $22 million in agricultural economics research that includes agricultural markets, international trade, farm labor, consumer behavior and nutrition, food retail, agricultural production and processing and agricultural policy. Included in the investment is a grant of $649,716 to Auburn University researchers to conduct the first comprehensive study to empirically estimate equivalence scales that compare the economic wellbeing of U.S. households of different compositions over the past 50 years.
  • Yield10 Bioscience announced that it signed a LOI with BioMar Group, a prominent global aquafeed producer, to commercialize Camelina engineered to produce omega-3 oil for use as a high-quality supplement to the scarce supply of marine long-chain fatty acids used in aquafeed.
  • Groundwork BioAg announced the global launch of the Rootella Carbon program, based on mycorrhizal carbon – a frontier technology that leverages mycorrhizal fungi as a nature-based solution for carbon dioxide removal.
  • DPH Biologicals and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign announced a research collaboration validating the impact biologicals make to accelerate decomposition of crop residue, thereby unlocking the adoption of more sustainable and profitable farming practices for United States high-yield, broadacre growers.
  • The National Corn Growers Association calls corn growers nationwide to submit their harvest results for the 2023 National Corn Yield Contest. The deadline for harvest results is approaching quickly, so farmers are urged to submit their entries as soon as possible to ensure that all requirements have been met.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Biden Announces Rural Investments at Minnesota Farm

    Cindy Zimmerman

    President Joe Biden announced new rural investments during a visit to a farm in Minnesota Wednesday.

    During the visit to Dutch Creek Farms in Northfield, President Biden announced over $5 billion in his Investing in America agenda, including the Inflation Reduction Act, to “advance rural prosperity, economic development, competition, and sustainability.”

    “My plan is about investing in rural America,” said Biden. “It’s about something else as well. It’s about restoring pride to rural communities that have been left behind for far too long.”

    Listen to Biden’s remarks here:
    Biden visits MN farm 22:29

    Audio, politics

    DPH Biologicals and UIUC Partner to Manage Crop Residue

    Cindy Zimmerman

    DPH Biologicals and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) are teaming up to validate the impact biologicals make to accelerate decomposition of crop residue, with the goal of unlocking the adoption of more sustainable and profitable farming practices.

    Starting in spring of 2023, the UIUC Crop Physiology Lab run by Fred Below, Ph.D. and Connor Sible, Ph.D., began researching the impact of microbial solutions in crop residue management including the use of TerraTrove® Residuce®, technology developed by DPH Bio. Residuce is a biodigester, a biological specifically formulated to accelerate the process of plant tissue degradation.

    “Supporting Dr. Below’s lab is an opportunity to ground-truth the benefits of biodigesters, understand how technologies like Residuce can enable more sustainable and profitable cropping practices and to develop best practice use recommendations supporting our retail and channel partners with high-value, science-verified cropping solutions,” said Alex Cochran, Ph.D., DPH Bio’s Chief Technology Officer.

    A cereal cover crop planted into corn residue for research into the benefits of biodigesters in crop residue management. Photo courtesy of UIUC Crop Physiology Lab.

    First-year results were unveiled this week by UIUC graduate student Darby Danzl at the 2023 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, held jointly by the American Society of Agronomy, the Crop Science Society of America and the Soil Science Society of America. Using Residuce on an unmanaged cereal rye cover crop partially eliminated the nearly nine-bushel yield penalty average experienced when a cover crop is planted between no-till corn and soybean rotations and the yield penalty was nearly fully eliminated when a fertilizer source was combined with Residuce.

    DPH Bio recently published “Rethinking Crop Residue Management with Biodigesters,” an analysis of research into crop residue management, includes work already completed by the UIUC crop physiology lab as well as DPH Bio’s field trial results. The UIUC-DPH partnership will expand upon the research and benefits of biodigesters presented in the white paper.

    Learn more in this interview:
    Audio interview with DPH Bio Chief Technology Officer Alex Cochran 29:30

    AgWired Precision, Audio, Biologicals, Nutrient Management, Precision Agriculture, Soil