The Yield Lab Earn Global Ambassador’s Award

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Award

The Yield Lab logoThe World Trade Center in St. Louis has chosen The Yield Lab to receive this year’s Global Ambassador Award.

The Yield Lab is a food and agriculture technology business accelerator that invests $100,000 in the early stages of AgTech startups.  They offer one-on-one mentorship, free workspace, and networking in the  St. Louis area.  This award acknowledges them as an organization that has enhanced the image of St. Louis and exposed the city to the international community.

Previous award winners include The Honorable Kevin O’Malley, United States Ambassador to Ireland, The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, and Mark Wrighton, Ph.D., Chancellor, Washington University in St. Louis.

“Honoring the Yield Lab with this year’s Global Ambassador Award was the obvious choice,” said Tim Nowak, World Trade St. Louis Executive Director. “Their work in the AgTech space, not only in St. Louis, but abroad, is why this award was created and we are thrilled to name the Yield Lab as this year’s recipient.”

This award will be added to the recent milestones reached by the Yield Lab. Earlier this July, the Yield Lab launched the Yield Lab Galway, a food and agriculture technology venture fund and business accelerator, located in Galway, Ireland.

“We believe finding innovative solutions to sustainably feed the world’s rapidly growing population are the biggest problems facing human kind today,” said Yield Lab Managing Director Thad Simons. “The Global Ambassador Award comes at a pivotal time in our international growth and will provide greater recognition and strategic opportunities for both our St. Louis and Galway based investments.”

Tom Adamitis, Managing Director at the Yield Lab, accepted the award on the Yield Lab’s behalf. “Being bestowed with this honor based on our efforts, locally, nationally and internationally, gives St. Louis and the Yield Lab a boost of confidence to continue our work in finding a way to sustainably feed our world’s growing population.”

Court Upholds Retail Exemption to PSM

Kelly MarshallAg Group, ARA, Fertilizer, Retailers

fertilizerThe D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals saved U.S. retailers more than $100 million in compliance costs with its ruling on Friday.  The court found the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was not adhering to the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act when it issued an enforcement memo earlier this year that redefined retail facility exemption to the Process Safety Management (PSM) Standard.

“This administration has broadly and unjustly avoided proper procedure to construct and reinterpret myriad federal regulations without public input,” said Daren Coppock, president and chief executive officer of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA). “The court’s decision in this case affirms the importance of regulatory agencies following proper notice and comment rulemaking procedure.”

ARA, along with The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), led the battle against the OSHA, arguing the agency did not adhere to the notice-and-comment procedures for issuing a formal standard.  The agencies say the exemption for retailers has been in place for more than 20 years and OSHA should not be allowed to redefine it without opportunity for stakeholders to comment.

“We are pleased with the court’s decision to vacate OSHA’s repeal of the retail PSM exemption,” said TFI President, Chris Jahn. “Through ResponsibleAg, the industry is taking concrete action to ensure that retailers can verify compliance with all applicable federal regulations. We take this work seriously, but need to be able to voice our concerns when new federal rules are proposed.”

Anhydrous Ammonia, the most commonly used nitrogen fertilizer in U.S. agriculture, is already regulated under 29 CFR 1910.111 and the General Duty Clause. PSM applies to any facility storing 10,000 lbs. or more of anhydrous ammonia. However, ag retail facilities selling more than 50 percent of the popular fertilizer to farmers have been exempt from PSM under what was deemed the “50 percent rule.” OSHA’s 2015 memo eliminated the exemption.

“Although ARA could only challenge on the procedural point and not the enforcement memo itself, we’re still very pleased to see the Court rule in our favor and to provide this relief to our members,” Coppock added.

ARA and TFI also point out the importance of organizations like their own in fights like this one.

“As an industry, ag retailers tend to be complacent about regulations that come our way. We keep our heads down and do what’s required,” he said. “But this rule would have limited farmers and retailers options through an agency’s improper regulatory overreach. Thankfully, ARA and TFI were prepared and positioned to defend our industry. They gave us a vehicle to fight and win this battle.”

DuPont Pioneer Finds Potential Insect Control Traits

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Corn, Dupont Pioneer, Traits

dupontpioneerResearchers at DuPont Pioneer have discovered a protein from a non-Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) bacterium source.  Science Magazine published findings that show this protein is a promising alternative for controlling corn root worm in North American  and Europe.

“This research represents a breakthrough for addressing a major challenge in agriculture,” said Neal Gutterson, vice president, Research & Development, DuPont Pioneer. “We have discovered a non-Bt protein that demonstrates insecticidal control of western corn rootworm with a new and different mode of action than Bt proteins currently used in transgenic products. This protein could be a critical component for managing corn rootworm in future corn seed product offerings. The work also suggests that bacteria other than Bt are alternative sources of insecticidal proteins for insect control trait development.”

Another Pioneer study related to non-Bt insect control, recently published in Scientific Reports, shows how RNA interference (RNAi) can be applied to control corn rootworm feeding damage.

RNAi is a biologically occurring process that happens in the cells of plants, animals and people. By employing the RNAi process, a plant can protect itself by carrying instructions that precisely target specific proteins in pests.

“Growers need a next generation of solutions to help protect their crops. Our researchers are developing innovative, new modes for insect control to help meet future demands. Non-Bt proteins and RNA-based products highlight our efforts to identify alternative methods for effective control of insect feeding damage in agriculture,” Gutterson said.

New Report: Global Progress on Food Loss, Waste

Lizzy SchultzAg Group, EPA, Food, Government, Research, sustainability

un-sdg-target12 A newly released report has assessed the world’s progress toward Target 12.3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which has called on all nations to halve food waste and reduce food loss by 2030. The report recommends nations, cities and businesses in the food supply chain move quickly to set reduction targets, measure progress and take action to reduce food loss and waste.

The publication, SDG Target 12.3 on Food Loss and Waste: 2016 Progress Report, was released on behalf of Champions 12.3, a global coalition of government, business and civil leaders who are dedicated to inspiring ambition, mobilizing action, and accelerating progress toward achieving SDG Target 12.3.

One-third of all food produced is never eaten by people, and there is a tremendous impact felt worldwide due to this loss and waste. Food loss and waste is responsible for $940 billion in economic losses, as well as 8 percent of greenhouse gas emissions annually, yet 42 million Americans, including more than 6 million children, still do not have enough food to eat.

US-based Champions include Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, Kellogg Company Chairman of the Board and CEO John Bryant, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute Shenggen Fan, former White House Chef Sam Kass, Campbell Soup Company President and CEO Denise Morrison, Oxfam America President Raymond Offenheiser, The Rockefeller Foundation President Judith Rodin, World Resources Institute President and CEO Andrew Steer and Natural Resources Defense Council President Rhea Suh.

The report reveals that the U.S. government and U.S.-based organizations have taken a number of notable steps over the past yearto reduce food loss and waste, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcing the U.S. 2030 Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal,
and the Rockefeller Foundation launching YieldWise, a $130 million investment to demonstrate practical approaches to halving food loss and waste by 2030.

The enormous scope of the food loss and waste challenge requires the United States and other developed countries to do much more than they have already demonstrated, and the report offers three recommendations for leaders to meet Target 12.3 by 2030:

The report recommends that every country, major city and company involved in the food supply chain should set food loss and waste reduction targets.

Governments and companies are also recommended to begin quantifying and reporting on food loss and waste and monitor progress over time through 2030.

Finally, governments and companies are encouraged to accelerate and scale up adoption of policies, incentives, investments and practices that reduce food loss and waste.

The full report is available here.

Manufacturers Enhance Ability to Use Precision Ag

Kelly MarshallAg Group, AgGateway, Connectivity

AgGateway My family just lost a full day of harvest when our precision monitor wouldn’t play nicely with the combine, but AgGateway says that is nearly a thing of the past.  A group of equipment manufacturers will soon be releasing products to enhance connectivity across different systems, regardless of brand.

“I’m excited to announce the commitment by a lead group of companies to release their conversion tools to the market,” said Mark Stelford, Chairman of AgGateway’s ADAPT Oversight Committee and General Manager of Premier Crop Systems.

“The ADAPT framework removes the complexity of managing multiple data formats for farm management systems, helping software developers instead to focus on delivering value-added features for their agricultural customers,” said Tarak Reddy, Chair of AgGateway’s ADAPT Technical Committee and Delivery Architect of John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group. “The framework maps multiple data formats into a common agriculture model created by experts from a broad range of companies and organizations within the agriculture industry.”

Companies that have committed to using ADAPT and releasing plug-ins for many of their proprietary data formats currently include AGCO Corporation, Ag Leader Technology, CLAAS, CNH Industrial, Deere & Company, Praxidyn, Raven Industries, Topcon Precision Agriculture, and Trimble Navigation. This commitment by major precision ag equipment manufacturers will help drive the broad adoption of AgGateway’s ADAPT, Stelford notes.

ADAPT, or Agricultural Data Application Programming Toolkit, is an open-source program that represents many years of work.  It consists of an Agricultural Application Data Model, and common API, and a combination of open source and property data conversion plug-ins.

The toolkit was released in February of this year; plug-in development will vary by manufacturer, but some are immediately available while others can be looked for in 2017.  AgGateway has also developed an ISO plug-in (also open-source) to support a broad range of ISO compatible systems.

“ADAPT represents a monumental amount of work over several years, by many people across the agriculture industry,” said Stelford. “We believe the adoption of ADAPT gets us to the tipping point where growers, agronomists and other participants can effortlessly use their data to drive improved decisions in their operations.”

Student Nutrition Important to Bayer

Kelly MarshallUncategorized

bayer-logoIn an effort to bring fresh fruits and vegetables to school children, Bayer has partnered with United Fresh Start Foundation to place salad bars in elementary and secondary schools in the Pacific Northwest and California.  The company has invested $20,000 to put healthy choices in front of students at schools like Sunnyslope Elemenatry School in the Wenatchee Public School district.  Students there received their new salad bar and taste tested three new Stemilt apple varieties in a special assembly.

“The new salad bar will allow us to replace our old equipment, and provide students with an attractive display of fresh fruits and veggies every day,” said David Perkins, Principal, Sunnyslope Elementary School. “Our district’s foodservice team does a fantastic job sourcing local produce and offering different veggie choices. The salad bar will definitely highlight that.”

As the salad bars arrive, schools will be implementing the nutritional display during both the lunch and breakfast programs.

“Over 5 billion school lunches were served last year, and we are thrilled to support the United Fresh Start Foundation and their Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative,” said Jennifer Maloney, Food Chain and Sustainability Manger, Bayer. “With more than 30 million American children participating in the National School Lunch Program each day, providing salad bars to schools will expose kids to a variety of fruits and vegetables, and help continue the conversation about the importance of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables for better health.”

To coordinate the salad bar contribution, Bayer worked with the United Fresh Start Foundation, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the United Fresh Produce Association. As part of the Foundation’s partnership in the national Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative, they are working with the produce industry, non-profits and allied businesses to support salad bars to schools across the United States. To date, the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative has donated salad bars to over 4,800 schools in all fifty states, benefitting more than 3 million children. Bayer’s salad bar investment supports the national initiative.

Research shows a salad bar in schools promotes healthy food choices in students- promoting new foods and encouraging children to make their own healthy choices.  Bayer supports the Let’s Move Salad Bars to School initiative because they are committed to sustainability and agriculture education and that begins with people.

New Two-Wheel Drive Tractor from New Holland

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Farm Progress Show, New Holland

Michael CornmanNew Holland introduced a new two-wheel-drive version of its premium T6 series tractor at the recent Farm Progress Show. Michael Cornman, New Holland Agriculture Segment Marketing Manager – Under 140 HP Tractors, talked with Chuck Zimmerman about the new model.

The 2WD version offers enhanced maneuverability on two wheels for sharper turning, making it perfect for flat to rolling hill work, including hay making, mowing and roadside fleet applications. Removing the 4WD feature allows for a reduction in purchase price while still offering best-in-class mid-range tractor benefits like the ultra-quiet VisionView™ cab and optional ComfortRide™ cab suspension.

“We had a lot of dealers and customers coming to us with this request and are excited to announce that we’ve brought it to life,” said Michael Cornman, Under 140 HP Tractor Segment Marketing Manager. “This new 2WD solution not only fulfills flat land and chore work needs but also comes at a more economical price point.”

The new tractor will be available in the first quarter of 2017.  Learn more from Michael’s presentation, or watch the video below: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/fps-16-nh-tractors.mp3″ text=”Michael Cornman Presentation, New Holland”]


New Holland at 2016 Farm Progress Show Photos

Fire Risk Reminder from @NationalCorn

Kelly MarshallUncategorized

NCGA-Logo-3Fall harvest comes with many potential fire risks, and the National Corn Growers Association is reminding farmers to be cautious and follow proper safety procedures.  Even in areas that are not warm and dry, leaves, stalks, husks, dust, oil and fuel still come into contact with exhaust, bearings and electrical wiring- all which pose a potential threat.

“Equipment fires are not only dangerous but are often extremely costly for farmers,” said NCGA President Chip Bowling, a Maryland farmer who has seen dry conditions firsthand. “During this busy season, a fire can halt harvest work in an instant causing property damage and consuming valuable time. Building risk management practices into your harvest schedule could end up saving both time and money.”

  • First, keep farm equipment clean, particularly the engine compartment as 75 percent of all machinery fires start there. 
  • At the beginning of each day, check engine fluid levels, particularly coolant and oil levels, in all equipment that will be used. Look for any possible leaking fuel or oil hoses, fittings or metal lines. 
  • Next, eliminate heat sources that could increase fire risk. Most commonly, exhaust system surfaces containing flammable material ignite fires in this fashion. 
  • As arcing electrical wires generate extremely high temperatures in farm machinery, make sure to scan for signs of wiring damage or deterioration daily. 
  • Much like damaged wiring, worn bearings can also reach extremely high temperatures which can cause any rubber belt coming into contact with this intense heat to ignite. Make sure to inspect for worn bearings, belts and chains frequently.

Even with proper care, fires can still occur.  Ensure a fire extinguisher is installed in each cab, still within reach from the ground.  If a fire occurs, shut off the engine, grab the extinguisher and exit the vehicle.  Contact professional assistance as quickly as possible.  Contact your local fire officials for more information.

Senators Release Statement on Clean Water Act

Kelly MarshallEPA, Government, Regulation

us-senate-committee U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, has released a report that outlines the gross overreach of the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers in enforcing the Clean Water Act.  The report describes how these groups have expanded the interpretation of their authority to regulate ‘waters of the U.S.’

“The case studies presented in the report reflect the serious concerns we have raised for more than two years now: the new ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule takes the EPA’s and Corps’ longstanding regulatory overreach and gives it a new name,” said Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation.  “The agencies have persistently and unlawfully stretched the limited authority Congress gave them, even to the point of regulating ordinary plowing, a normal farming activity exempted by Congress. They have even claimed authority to regulate tire ruts and puddles found on the farm.”

The report contains specific examples of the misuse of authority, tellings the stories of growers ordered to abandon fields and fruit trees.  One example states a man was told to preserve tire ruts in a wetland caused by his own vehicle.

This report follows the actions of 11 senators who wrote to the EPA and the Corps last year stating they would be watching the implementation of laws.  The senators clearly explained that if the agencies did not offer clarity or overstepped traditional exemptions they would not be able to vote in favor of the WOTUS rule.

“It’s as clear to us now as it has ever been: It’s time for the Senate to Ditch the Rule,” states Duvall.  “The Senate should once again take up S. 1140 at its earliest opportunity.”

Space Agriculture: The Final Frontier

Kelly MarshallPlant Science, Research

botany-lettersPrecision farming may be a fairly exact science these days, but growing plants in space is still a murky one.  Those in agriculture can appreciate the importance of growing food on board a space station or during a mission to Mars, but a new paper in the Botany Letters highlights the challenges scientists still face in this agricultural frontier.

The paper, published by Lucie Poulet and colleagues from the University of Clermont-Ferrand, Auvernge explains that even though plants have successfully been grown in space, long-term effects on growth and reproduction are not well known.

Since the 1960s, experiments conducted in space stations and research rockets have shown that plants can grow normally in microgravity provided factors such as confinement, lack of ventilation and elevated radiation levels are taken into account. However, microgravity can reduce cell growth, alter gene expression and change the pattern of root growth – all aspects which critically affect plant cultivation in space. 

Seeds produced in orbit also seem to have different composition and developmental stages from seeds grown on Earth. As well as affecting the performance and nutritional content of space seeds, this could damage the flavour of plants produced in space, which might become a problem for crews reliant on plant-based diets during long space missions.

Researchers are still seeking technologies for space agriculture that include efficient watering and nutrient-delievery systems, precise atmospheric controls for temperature, humidity and air composition, and low-energy lighting.  Finding the right breeds is also essential; plants with reduced size and high yields are being sought.

Lucie Poulet stated in her paper: “Challenges remain in terms of nutrient delivery, lighting and ventilation, but also in the choice of plant species and traits to favour. Additionally, significant effort must be made on mechanistic modelling of plant growth to reach a more thorough understanding of the intricate physical, biochemical and morphological phenomena involved if we are to accurately control and predict plant growth and development in a space environment.”