IntelinAir focuses on aerial imagery analytics, offering farmers actionable intelligence to improve decision-making. Now Dr. Ara Nefian will take the lead in all research and development activities and chief technology officer, as well as the responsibilities of VP of web and cloud engineering, and integration of image processing and data analytics.- Iteris, Inc. has been named a finalist in the Los Angeles Business Journal 2016 Patrick Soon-Shiong Innovation Awards for technological and scientific advancements achieved with its digital agriculture platform ClearAg.
- The USDA has released a report entitled The Adoption of Genetically Engineered Alfalfa, Canola and Sugarbeets in the United States. You can read the results of this study here.
Soil Health Partnership Celebrates World Soil Day
The Soil Health Partnership honored World Soil Day yesterday with a fun and educational video. “Farmers to the Rescue: How Healthy Soil Can Save the Planet” reflects on steps that can be take to protect our most vital resource.
“Soil health is the next frontier in agricultural sustainability,” said Nick Goeser, SHP director. “Restoring organic matter through practices like growing cover crops will help soil sequester more carbon while making it more resistant to drought, and more resilient to floods. These are important goals worldwide as the population grows.”
The Soil Health Partnership includes 65 farm sites from nine Midwestern states. The organization helps growers test and measure soil health practices like cover crops, conservation tillage and nutrient management techniques.
GROWMARK Supports Pollinators in the Classroom
ILFB president Richard Guebert with GROWMARK’s Amy Bradford
At the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB) annual meeting this week, GROWMARK Corporate Relations and Foundation Manager Amy Bradford announced new collaborative efforts focused on activities and education related to the importance of pollinators.
“We place a high priority on teaching students the role agriculture plays in their lives,” said Bradford. “This year, we are excited to participate in activities that enhance students’ understanding of the importance of pollinators in agriculture and food production. While much of the focus is on honeybees, we want students to understand there are a number of pollinators, including butterflies and hummingbirds, which are all important to ensuring a reliable supply of food.”
GROWMARK recently renewed its IAITC commitment with a $73,000 contribution that supports the development of a new Pollinators Ag Mag and classroom poster. Materials and lessons also will feature native Illinois plants that serve as pollinator hosts, discuss what farmers do, and what students can do to help protect and encourage pollinator habitats.
GROWMARK launched a robust pollinator support program this year as part of its Endure sustainability platform. More than 40 4-H clubs in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri, and nearly 30 GROWMARK System employees grew pollinator habitats in 2016 and the program is expanding next year to include FFA chapters.
Learn more about GROWMARK’s pollinator support efforts in this interview with Amy: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/growmark-ilfb-bradford.mp3″ text=”Interview with Amy Bradford, GROWMARK”]
Maryland Cattle Operation Shows Conservation Success
Conservation in the Chesapeake Bay watershed has been on the national radar for years. Now the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Catoctin and Frederick Soil Conservation Districts are showing off successful conservation efforts by local farmers and ranchers. A recent event at Hedgeapple Farm, a Maryland Angus operation, highlighted the volunteer efforts that have lead to improvement of the Bay’s watershed.
At the event, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Chief Jason Weller praised the agriculture industry for playing a large part in improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. “The agriculture sector has been a leading contributor for improving water quality in the bay, responsible for 50 percent of the reduction in phosphorus and 75 percent of the reduction in sediment runoff since 2009,” said Weller.
Through voluntary conservation programs in partnership with the USDA NRCS, Dr. Scott Barao, executive director of Hedgeapple Farm, said the operation has significantly reduced its overall impact on the surrounding ecosystem, including the one-mile border with the Monocacy River, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.
“We put 254 acres that border the Monocacy River into a conservation easement,” said Barao. “We make use of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program with practices which include fencing, a watering facility, pasture and hay planting and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program planting. These practices improve the Bay and contribute to our operation’s sustainability in the long-term.”
NCBA’s Environmental Counsel Scott Yager says Hedgeapple Farms has developed a business model that is “economically and environmentally sustainable, optimizing the use of on-farm resources such as pasture, hay, and water.”
Michelin Earns SIMA 2017 Innovation Gold Medal
Michelin‘s new “2 in 1 tire” has earned a 2017 Innovation Gold Medal from SIMA at the Paris International Agri-Business Show. The new technology allows farmers to be more efficient in the field by increasing contact with soil by up to 20 percent. When travel on roads the tire alters with a central continuous tread band that grips the pavement for a smoother ride, fuel efficiency, and increased safety.
“It is a privilege to receive the SIMA Innovation Gold Medal on behalf of the dedicated, hardworking teams at Michelin,” said Emmanuel Ladent, Director of Michelin’s Agriculture Business Unit. “The ‘2 in 1 tire’ is a real game-changer. This is the latest in the line of innovative new tire technologies brought to the market by Michelin, such as Ultraflex technology and the Connected tire, and we eagerly anticipate the first presentation of this ‘2 in 1 tire’ at SIMA in March 2017.”
AgGateway Announces 2017 Leadership
AgGateway is ready to move forward in 2017. The organization, which now claims more than 230 member companies, recently announced its Board of Directors and Leadership positions for its 12th year in promoting and expanding eBusiness in agriculture.
The new year also brings an updated organizational structure to accommodate recent growth. This makes it possible for council leaders to focus on their councils while a Strategic Board focuses on overall planning and management. The Operational Board handles day-to-day organizational needs.
“This new structure accommodates our growth and better positions us for a vibrant future in enabling eConnectivity,” said AgGateway President and CEO Wendy Smith. “We have an exemplary slate of directors and leaders moving into 2017, and I’m excited about the sharpened focus we’ll be able to give to increasing eConnectivity in the ag industry. AgGateway and its members thank these individuals and the companies they work for, which have recognized how essential eConnectivity is to the ongoing success of the ag industry.”
2017 Leadership members include:
Learn More About Clariant at #ASTACSS
Clariant at 2016 ASTA annual meeting in Portland, OR
Mark Self, Market Segment Manager, says they will be a first time exhibitor at the expo this year. “We look forward to introducing seed industry professionals to the benefits of using our line of Agrocer colorants, especially our pigment preparations,” he said. Clariant also had an exhibit at the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) annual meeting in Portland this summer for the first time.
Agrocer colorants are available in both pigment powders and pigment preparations, have been fully tested for seed safety, and meet all pertinent regulations. We learned more about Agrocer in a recent interview with AgWired and we look forward to seeing them next week.
Agriculture Joins Together for Climate Change
One year ago Monsanto announced its plans to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by making their operation carbon neutral by 2021. Now the company is coming together with other agriculture group in the Carbon-Neutral Collaborative, a consortium of experts on agriculture greenhouse gases. The team will focus their efforts on helping Monsanto reach their goal through an accounting framework.
“Since last year, we’ve been energized and inspired by the productive discussions and efforts around climate change from the many stakeholders involved, especially our farmer customers who are the ultimate stewards of the land,” said Brett Begemann, Monsanto’s president and chief operating officer. “While the problem of climate change is incredibly complex with many regional differences, the contributions over the past year—by some of the strongest leaders in agricultural and environmental science—are very promising.”
Other members of the Collaborative include experts from:
· AgSolver, Inc.
· Applied GeoSolutions, LLC
· Climate Smart Group Inc.
· Coalition on Ag Greenhouse Gases
· Colorado State University
· CropGrower, LLC
· Kansas State University
· National Corn Growers Association
· The Soil Health Partnership
· University of Illinois at Chicago
Liquid Formulation Valor EZ Herbicide For 2017
Valent U.S.A Corporation‘s leading herbicide, Valor EZ, will be available for the next growing season in a liquid formulation. Valor EZ Herbicide1 is easy to mix, with in-tank suspension properties making it the perfect partner for Roundup Ready Xtend.
“The liquid formulation of Valor EZ makes the mixing process easier and more effective for growers and applicators by eliminating the pre-slurry step,” said Dr. John Pawlak, senior product development manager at Valent. “Better mixing will ensure a more even application, and less unmixed material in the spray equipment.”
The new product offers residual herbicide at all stages of the application process. It is registered for use on soybeans and cotton and protects against weeks like waterhemp and Palmer amaranth for four to six weeks.
“An application of an effective preemergence herbicide, like Valor EZ, lays a strong residual foundation in a next generation soybean or cotton system,” said Eric Miller, marketing manager with Valent. “Valor EZ offers soybean and cotton growers a win-win solution by maximizing the effectiveness of their crop management systems, while still enabling them to effectively manage their finances through Valent’s expanded grower programs.”
#ARA2016 Year in Review from CEO Daren Coppock
The Agricultural Retailers Association Convention & Expo heard from CEO, Daren Coppock with the President’s report and review of the year.
He couldn’t begin without talking about the election, Coppock said. “This opens up some unexpected avenues for us. It was a surprising outcome in a number of ways. But if we look at implications for our industry there are a few things that we can draw from the election.”
The first opportunity is the relocation of celebrities from Hollywood to Canada, Coppock joked. But on a more serious note, he states that the Trump administration and Republican Congress will offer a time to counter the over abundance of burdensome regulations. The American Farm Bureau Federation has already sent a letter outlining programs that are counter productive, costly, or a liability. Now Coppock has asked staff at the ARA to make a list of regulations specifically applying to retailers as well.
PSM tops the list. In the last year PSM has been challenged in court for not allowing a notification period. The court agreed with ARA’s position, but OSHA is now saying they cannot offer interpretation on other regulations. OSHA has appealed, so that process is currently in the works, hopefully to wrap up by the end of the year.
Coppock addressed a number of other issues in his address; listen to them in his full speech here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/ara-16-coppock-report.mp3″ text=”Daren Coppock, ARA CEO”]
Lots of photos being uploaded here: 2016 ARA Conference & Expo Photo Album
Coverage of the ARA Conference and Expo is sponsored by 
