Syngenta AI Challenge to Address World Hunger

Kelly MarshallContest, Syngenta, technology

The Syngenta AI Challange competition has been launched to find solutions to world hunger by developing a model that can be used to analyze large amounts of seed data, leading to improvements in production without sacrificing resources. The project is sponsored by Syngenta and the AI for Good Foundation, who are now accepting submissions for the chance to win $7,500.

“This new competition will give entrants the chance to use their talents to take on the extraordinary complexity of seed genetic data,” said Joseph Byrum, Ph.D., MBA, PMP and senior R&D strategic marketing executive with Syngenta. “In the face of a rising global population, we need to grow plants that can adapt and thrive in changing conditions – especially as vital resources like water and land are finite. The Syngenta AI Challenge is about creating models that can help solve this puzzle and ensure world food security.”Read More

Former Ag Secretaries Show Support for Dow-DuPont

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Dow AgroSciences, Dupont Crop Protection

Clockwise from upper left: Former agriculture secretaries Clayton Yeutter, Dan Glickman, Tom Vilsack and Mike Johanns

Former U.S. agriculture secretaries Mike Johanns and Dan Glickman outlined their support of the proposed Dow-DuPont merger in an op-ed published today in Morning Consult.

“Given the current landscape, now more than ever America’s farmers need what Dow and DuPont are proposing – a strong, focused American agriculture company that is American-owned, championing the interests of the American farmer in a marketplace that may soon be dominated by foreign-owned behemoths,” said the two secretaries of opposite parties. Glickman served in the Clinton administration, while Johanns served under George W. Bush, as well as being both governor and senator from Nebraska.

“For farmers across this great nation – and around the world – the stakes are real. They all want a faster, bigger and better stream of new products, techniques and tools because they need them…They need a strong, American-owned agriculture company by their side,” they concluded.

Iowa Pest Resistance Management Plan Unveiled

Kelly MarshallAg Group, Insect Control, Pesticides, Weed control

The Iowa Pest Resistance Management Plan has been released at www.ProtectIowaCrops.org, thanks to the collaboration of a broad cross-section of the Iowa agriculture industry. The plan offers farmers information about technology and tools like pesticides, seed treatments and biotech products and native traits to provide holistic, integrated management solutions for insects, weeds and disease.

“This plan brought together a broad cross-section of Iowa agriculture partners to proactively address the issue of pest resistance. Pests do not recognize field borders, so it is important we work collaboratively on this issue. Iowa is again ahead of the curve in developing a state pest resistance management plan and I hope farmers take the time to learn more about the effort and consider if there are opportunities to be involved in their area,” Northey said.

Smartphone App Balances Conservation and Production

Kelly MarshallApps, Conservation, Soil, USDA

The LandPKS suite of mobile apps provides specific information about soils to anyone with a smartphone, says USDA soil scientist Jeff Herrick. LandPKS, (Land-Potential Knowledge System) is made up of the LandInfo and LandCover modules, including cloud computing, digital soil-mapping data, and the Global Positioning System (GPS) to give information about the sustainable potential and future climate of a piece of land.

The current version of the LandInfo module allows the user to collect soil and site-specific topographic data, while the LandCover module can document ground cover, vegetation height, plant density, and spatial patterns of vegetation affecting soil erosion. The collected information is stored in a centralized, open access database and becomes part of a data system that in the future will identify management options for sites having similar topography, soils, and climatic conditions, Herrick said. The app is available for free at LandPotential.org, the Google Playstore, and the iTunes App Store (by searching “LandPKS”).

First Pocket-Sized Flying Camera from AirSelfie

Kelly MarshallAerial Imagery

AirSelfie debuted and finished their Kickstarter goal in 72 hours, raising enough to set up production on their pocket-sized flying camera that integrates with smartphones. Pre-orders are being accepted and product is scheduled for delivery in May of 2017.

“People have the impression that flying cameras are costly, difficult to operate and unwieldy,” said Edoardo Stroppiana, co-founder of AirSelfie. “AirSelfie redefines the space with a device that’s small, light and easy to use. We have succeeded in developing a great product, and we can’t wait to share it with our growing base of AirSelfie enthusiasts.”

AirSelfie is comprised of four powerful propellers and a five-megapixel video camera, is smaller than a smartphone and can fly vertically up to 66 feet, allowing users to take aerial selfies of themselves and their friends. The device connects to the most popular smartphones, including iPhone (6, 6s, 7 and 7 Plus), Huawei P9, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. It includes self-generated WiFi and comes equipped with a rechargeable battery through a cell phone case, as well as the option to purchase an external power bank. Additionally, a vibration-absorber system and in-flight stability systems guarantee stable, clear, flowing images.

New Research to Help Honey Bees

Kelly MarshallAg Group, Bees, Honeybees, NCGA, pollinators

The National Agricultural Genotyping Center (NAGC) has conducted research and developed a testing panel that will offer beekeepers more effective methods to identify and address disease in bee colonies. “Bee Care” launches next month, thanks in part to the support of the National Corn Growers Association and the North Dakota Department of Agriculture.

“American agriculture relies upon healthy pollinators. Recent problems like Colony Collapse Disorder are very complex and have a multitude of possible causes. Unfortunately, some groups are quick to blame row crop farmers and immediately attack crop protection products,” said Pete Snyder, president and CEO of the NAGC.

The program through NAGC is just one part of what Corn Growers are doing to ensure a strong bee population, says Carson Klosterman, a member of NCGA’s Stewardship Action Team. “We are also actively engaged in the Honey Bee Health Coalition (HBHC) which has the goal of reversing recent declines in honey bee health and ensuring the long-term health of honey bees and other pollinators.”

Danforth Center Expands Research Program

Kelly MarshallResearch, Sorghum

An effort to optimize breeding for grain sorghum in Sub-Saharan Africa has received a boost in the amount of $6.1 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funds will go towards the TERRA-REF program at the Danforth Center to expand and accelerate development and use of advanced sorghum phenotyping and breeding technologies for smallholder farmers.

“The Gates Foundation recognizes that most smallholder farmers rely on small plots of land for food and income. This grant will help increase the productivity of a crop that can, in a sustainable and effective way, reduce hunger and poverty and make communities economically stronger and more stable over the long term,” said James Carrington, Ph.D., president of the Danforth Center.

FMC’s New Headquarters Earns LEED Gold Certification

Kelly MarshallFMC, sustainability

FMC Corporation‘s commitment to sustainability is proven once more with the recent LEED Gold certification of their global headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The building boasts energy and water efficiency, superior indoor air quality and was created using sustainable materials. The space was developed alongside Brandywine Realty Trust, owner and developer of the FMC tower. The certification accounts for the company’s 250,000 square feet on nine floors of the tower. Brandywine Realty Trust is also pursing LEED certification of the core and shell of the building.

“Designing an office that’s inviting, collaborative, functional and efficient was a team effort with designers, architects, sustainability engineers, project leaders and many others who contributed their talents to this project,” said Linda Froelich, director of corporate sustainability. “We’re proud to work in a space that is energy and water efficient, provides high-quality air, sources 100 percent renewable energy and has been built with sustainably sourced materials.”

LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a green building design and certification standard that measures building performance and certifies the sustainable aspects of a building. LEED is the most popular and widely used green building rating system globally. Currently there are more than 82,000 LEED buildings located in 162 countries and territories, while Philadelphia is home to 24 LEED Commercial Interior buildings including the FMC Tower.

Learn more about FMC’s sustainability initiatives at www.fmcsustainability.com.

PrecisionHawk Appoints New CEO

Kelly MarshallCompany Announcement, drone

Michael Chasen, former CEO and co-founder of Blackboard, has been selected as PrecisionHawk‘s new chief executive officer.  Chase offers more than 20 year of experience in software, both with Blackboard and as CEO and founder of Social Radar, to bring to PrecisionHawk’s drone planning, tracking, data collection and analytics business.

“Adoption of drone technology among major industries is growing at an incredible rate. By engineering an ecosystem that allows companies to gain valuable information, PrecisionHawk is at the forefront of one of the most important areas of technology innovation,” said Chasen. “The PrecisionHawk team has all of the building blocks that are required to become the world leader in commercial drone technology, and I am looking forward to the growth and immense opportunity ahead.”

Growing Aquaculture Industry Relies on US Soy

Kelly MarshallSoybeans, USSEC

Aquaculture may sound like a topic for animal agriculture, but these days one of the biggest factors is soybeans.  ZimmComm’s Jamie Johansen recently returned from a trip to Panama City, Panama for the 2017 Aquaculture Education Opportunity, hosted by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and Soy Aquaculture Alliance (SAA). U.S. soybean growers, researchers and aquaculture experts gathered to take in the latest and visit the Panama Canal to witness the center of global trade and the import role U.S. soy plays in the international economy.

SAA Executive Director, Bridget Owen, has spent her career devoted to the soybean community working at various levels of the supply chain. Now on the receiving end of the protein, Bridget shares the role of SAA and what this growth in aquaculture means to U.S. soybean growers.

“We have incredible resources that allow us to be competitive. Number one is our U.S. soybean growers who produce a very high quality, consistent and cost effective product. U.S. is a fantastic resource for the aquaculture industry in the U.S. and overseas. We also have incredible transportation resources and access through the Panama Canal to overseas markets lets us compete. The ability to move our soy products overseas quickly and in a cost efficient, secure way is important to our customers. There are some many ways U.S. soy delivers to our customers domestically and internationally and our infrastructure is a part of that.”

Listen to Jamie’s complete interview with Bridget here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/ussoy-panama-17-bridget-saa.mp3″ text=”Bridget Owen, Soy Aquaculture Alliance”]

View and download photos from the event here: 2017 USSEC Aquaculture Educational Opportunity Photos