Minnesota Ag Innovation Campus Opens
Ribbon cutting at Ag Innovation Campus
“When completed, this facility is really going to change agriculture as a whole,” said Tom Slunecka, Acting AIC CEO and CEO of Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council. “We’re building something new and different, at the right time and the right place.”
As a not-for-profit crush facility, the AIC will produce an estimated 240 tons of soybean meal daily, equaling a grand total of 62,400 tons of soybean meal per year. With three independently operated mechanic crush systems, the AIC will be able to crush organic, non-GMO and GMO soybeans.
Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen was thrilled to see the progress on the facility, which he had been working on with the soybean producers since he came into office in 2019. “There’s so many opportunities for agriculture right now, the next ten years are going to be the most exciting time.”
Listen to the ceremony remarks with Slunecka to start and Petersen to wrap up with others in between who made the project a reality, including AIC board chair and local farmer Mike Skaug, MSR&PC Board chair Tom Frisch, State Rep. Debra Kiel, Minnesota State Sen. Mark Johnson, and many others.
AIC grand opening remarks 54:38Learn more about AIC in these interviews below:
AIC interview with Tom Slunecka, AIC Acting CEO 8:37
USDA Predicts More Corn, Less Soybeans and Cotton
Corn production is up, while soybean and cotton production is down from 2022, according to the latest Crop Production report issued Tuesday by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).
Corn production is forecast to be up 10% from last year, at 15.1 billion bushels; soybean growers production is down 3% from 2022, forecast at 4.15 billion bushels; and cotton production is 9% lower than last year at 13.1 million 480-pound bales.
The average U.S. corn yield is forecast at 173.8 bushels per acre, down 1.3 bushels from last month’s forecast but up 0.5 bushel from last year. NASS forecasts record high yields in Ohio and South Carolina. Acres planted to corn, at 94.9 million, are up 7% from 2022. Area to be harvested for grain is forecast at 87.1 million acres, up 1% from last month and 10% more than was harvested last year. As of Sept. 3, 53% of this year’s corn crop was reported in good or excellent condition, one percentage point below the same time last year.
Area for soybean harvest is forecast at 82.8 million acres, up slightly from last month but 4% less than was harvested last year. Planted area for the nation, estimated at 83.6 million acres, is down 4% from last year. Soybean yields are expected to average 50.1 bushels per acre, down 0.8 bushel from last month’s forecast but up 0.6 bushel from 2022. If realized, the forecasted yields in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, and Tennessee will be record high.
NASS forecasts all cotton area to be harvested at 8.02 million acres, 7% below last month’s forecast, but 10% more acres than were harvested last season. Yield is expected to average 786 pounds per harvested acre, up 7 pounds from last month’s forecast, but down 164 pounds from 2022. Area planted to all cotton is estimated at 10.2 million acres, down 26% from last year.
Precision Ag News 9/13
Ag Innovation Campus Grand Opening Tomorrow
The new Ag Innovation Campus in Crookston, Minnesota is crossing the bridge into production this week with its long-awaited grand opening on Thursday.
“I’m looking forward to bringing everybody together to showcase all the time and energy that has been put into this project,” said Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council (MSR&PC) Chair Tom Frisch, who also serves as AIC treasurer. “It’s a huge win for Minnesota’s agriculture industry.”
As a not-for-profit crush facility, the AIC will produce an estimated 240 tons of soybean meal daily, equaling a grand total of 62,400 tons of soybean meal per year. With three independently operated mechanic crush systems, the AIC will be able to crush organic, non-GMO and GMO soybeans.
The crush plant is only the first phase in this three-phase project. Phase two will feature an office complex and research labs. Phase three consists of rentable discovery bays that will be available for short to midterm use. Companies can then use the space to prove their designs at full production scale. The “Crushwalk” will also allow visitors to view the processing facility in a safe and bio secure manner.
“We are super excited about the Grand Opening,” said Frisch, who also sits on the United Soybean Board. “Once we get the crushing plant up and running, AIC can start on phase two and three, which will bring the entire vision to life.”
Spearheaded by Minnesota’s farmers, the AIC is changing Minnesota’s agricultural landscape. Expected guests at the AIC’s Phase 1 Grand Opening include Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen; legislators; AIC directors and Acting CEO Tom Slunecka; farmer-leaders; City of Crookston officials; and assorted industry notables.
There is still time to register to attend the grand opening event, which is made possible by the United Soybean Board, Minnesota Soybean, and the soy checkoff. AgWired will be there on the ground to cover it as it happens, so stay tuned!
DWFI Podcast 28 – Ron Yoder, UNL IANR
Ron Yoder is a pillar of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln community and most recently served as the senior associate vice chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources (IANR). After nearly 20 years of leadership at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Yoder has announced he will retire this fall.
Yoder joined UNL in 2004 as the department head for the Department of Biological Systems Engineering before becoming the associate vice chancellor for IANR in 2011. He also served as interim NU vice president and IANR vice chancellor in 2016, after then-IANR vice chancellor Ronnie Green was named the UNL chancellor.
In this episode, Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute Director of Communication and Public Relations Frances Hayes talks with Yoder about the important role he played in formation of DWFI more than 10 years ago. They also look back on Ron’s storied career on the eve of his retirement.
Listen here or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform:
DWFI Podcast 28 - Ron Yoder, UNL IANR 19:52
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:
NAMA 2023 Professional Development Awards of Excellence
The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) is pleased to announce three marketing and agricultural leaders as winners of the 2023 Professional Development Awards of Excellence.
The NAMA Professional Development Awards of Excellence honor members of the organization based on outstanding achievement in each of the Professional Development Areas. The awards will be presented in conjunction with the NAMA Fall Conference, October 9-11 in St. Louis.
This year, NAMA recognizes Laura Svec, Corteva, in the Marketing Communications area, Kenna Rathai, broadhead, in the Public Relations area and Jennifer Saylor, JL Farmakis, in the Sales area.
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Bayer Continues Sponsorship of Luke Bryan Farm Tour
Five-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan will headline his fourteenth Farm Tour this September and Bayer is returning as the presenting sponsor. The Georgia native will set up stages in the fields of American farms September 14-23, 2023.
Continuing a partnership that began in 2015, Bayer is once again joining the tour as presenting sponsor and teaming up with Luke to help honor America’s farmers for providing us with access to critical health and nutrition through its #HerestotheFarmer campaign.
This morning I participated in a media call with Luke and Beth Roden, Bayer’s Senior Vice President & Head of Communications. You can listen to their remarks and my question here:
Remarks by Beth Roden, Bayer and Luke Bryan: Luke Bryan/Bayer Farm Tour Remarks (2:54)
Question for Luke Bryan: Luke Bryan question (2:19)
The campaign supports Bayer’s vision of Health for All, Hunger for None and asks fans to join in by using #HerestotheFarmer on their social media channels now through November 30, 2023.
As part of the initiative, Bayer will donate up to 1 million meals to people in need through Feeding America®. Since the partnership’s inception, 6 million meals have been donated and more than $180,000 has gone to Feeding America member food banks and local farmers at each of the tour cities.
Tendovo in Action at #FPS23
Syngenta gave farmers a closer look at its new soybean herbicide, Tendovo, at the 2023 Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill.
“A lot of herbicides out there control the weeds. They do what they’re supposed to do. But some sacrifice the crop safety piece, and that’s really important,” said Jonathan Furasek, Soybean Product Marketing Lead, Herbicide Portfolio. “When we have cool, wet soils early in the season – farmers are planting earlier – we need a herbicide that’s not only going to control the weeds, but not thin our stands or hold our crop back so it can ultimately achieve canopy faster.”
Furasek said Tendovo has three unique active ingredients that provide three modes of action against weeds. It controls more than 70 weeds including Palmer amaranth and waterhemp, as well as common and giant ragweed and cocklebur.
“It’s never to early to start thinking about weed control,” Furasek said. “If you’re not controlling weeds, you’re sacrificing yield.
Syngenta Tendovo herbicide – interview with Jonathan Furasek, Soybean Product Marketing Lead
2023 Farm Progress Show interview with Jonathan Furasek, Syngenta Tendovo 3:39
Animal Ag News 9/11
