SMART Farmer Scott VanderWal

Kelly MarshallAFBF, Audio, Podcast, SMART Farmer, USFRA

This week the SMART Farmer podcast features Scott VanderWal, a third-generation corn and soybean farmer and cattle feeder from Volga, South Dakota.

In addition to operating the family farm with his father and brothers, Scott serves as vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau, and is a board member of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance.

In this podcast, Scott talks about how farming smarter helps him wear many hats: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/smartfarmer/smart-farmer-podcast-5-22-17.mp3″ text=”SMART Farmer Podcast with Scott VanderWal, South Dakota”]

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Brookside Agra Launches H2OExcel Micro-Site

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Water Management, Website

If you’re looking for information about the water conservation agent H2OExcel, you’re in luck. Brookside Agra has recently launched a micro-site with video, research library, and other things to know about the product.

H2OExcel is a proprietary blend of desert plant extracts and high-quality, humic acid-containing biologicals and other natural, non-plant derived nutrient enhancers. The unique chemistry in H2OExcel works to support the dynamic shift in the way modern farming practices have been conducted, and brings to the grower the following benefits: water and input reductions, healthier soils, reduced disease pressure and increased yields. H2OExcel is tank-mix compatible with fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides and mixes easily in cold water.

“We put all of the information that you would ever want to know about H2OExcel into one convenient online location,” said Tony Arro, Director of Sales – Specialty Products at Brookside Agra. “The new animated video is particularly helpful in understanding how H2OExcel works to naturally promote beneficial microbes and bacteria in the soil to help boost crop production.”

AEM Hosts Rural Broadband Panel Discussion

Kelly MarshallAEM, Ag Group, Audio, Infrastructure, Internet

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) hosted a panel discussion to focus on the expansion of rural broadband.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and representatives from equipment manufacturers John Deere and HammerHead Trenches met on Capitol Hill on May 18th in conjunction with Infrastructure Week 2017.  The event was organized as part of AEM’s Infrastructure Vision 2050 initiative. Their initiative is “focused on crafting a vision for a long-term, national plan for U.S. infrastructure and how we [AEM] will move people, freight and energy in the future.”

Panelists included Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey; Nick Tindall, AEM Senior Director, Government & Industry Relations; Mark Lewellen, Spectrum Advocacy Manager, John Deere; and Hammerhead Trenchless president Kevin Smith. The panel was moderated by Doug Brake, Policy Analyst, ITIF.

Audio is available for download from this event:
[wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/aem-broadband-northey.mp3″ text=”Bill Northey comments 2:42″] [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/aem-broadband-deere.mp3″ text=”Mark Lewellen comments 5:05″] [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/aem-broadband-tindall.mp3″ text=”Nick Tindall comments 1:32″] [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/aem-broadband-smith.mp3″ text=”Kevin Smith comments 1:32″] [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/aem-broadband-questions.mp3″ text=”Panel answers questions 37:41″]

Soil Health Institute Action Plan Unveiled

Kelly MarshallAudio, Conservation, Corn, NCGA, Soil

The Soil Health Institute (SHI) has unveiled the “Enriching Soil, Enhancing Life” Soil Health Action Plan during a National Press Club event.

“This is an exciting time to be working in soil health,” said SHI president and CEO Wayne Honeycutt. “The action plan identifies critical goals and priorities. It helps identify key gaps in our knowledge and implementation…and we’ve identified specific actionable steps to achieve these things.”

Former USDA-NRCS chief Bruce Knight moderated the unveiling of the plan which was developed from four years of stakeholder input, beginning with the Soil Renaissance in 2013. Agricultural industry thought leaders, farmers, ranchers, scientists, government agency leaders, and non-governmental organizations provided input into the plan, which will be used to drive advancements in soil health.

National Corn Growers Association board member Keith Alverson of South Dakota spoke about the importance of soil health from the perspective of a 6th generation farmer. “We as farmers realize that healthy soil is really the lifeblood to what we have,” said Alverson. “If we provide for the soil it will provide for us.”

Read the soil health action plan and download Honeycutt and Alverson comments here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/shi-honeycutt-alverson.mp3″ text=”SHI CEO Wayne Honeycutt and NCGA farmer Keith Alverson on Soil Health Plan”]

Sentera Releases AgVault Web

Kelly MarshallAgribusiness, Connectivity, Data, Platform

AgVault Web is Sentera‘s new platform that allows easy viewing and sharing of crop health data to any connected device. Users can even send data to those without an active account, making it simpler than ever to get advisory input.

“Viewing, sharing, and analyzing crop health data has never been easier for the agriculture industry than with the introduction of AgVault Web,” remarked Reid Plumbo, director of product management for Sentera. “The web interface was designed to streamline how near-real-time in-field data is viewed and shared off-field to make prescriptive decisions, and it completes our vision to bring a true multi-channel experience to our user community. Now, we can serve our growers on any device they choose — mobile, PC, or browser.”

Plumbo continued, “Users no longer need to log in via the full desktop app when they just need to quickly access or review data. Now, they can access that information from a browser. It’s that easy.”

Syngenta Enhances Seed Leadership

Kelly MarshallCompany Announcement, Syngenta

David Hollinrake

Syngenta has added two strategic leadership appointments to better meet the needs of the North American seed business.

David Hollinrake has been named President, Syngenta Seeds, LLC and North American Region Director. His role will be to focus on genetics, traits, and agronomic support in the U.S. Hollinrake has 25 years of experience in agriculture, most recently with Bayer CropScience.

David Treinen is named head of GreenLeaf Genetics (GLG), Syngenta’s operation dedicated to serving independent seed companies with a competitive portfolio of corn, soybean and wheat genetics, market-leading Agrisure® corn traits and Syngenta Seedcare products. His background is in sales, marketing, and business management with Pinnacle Agriculture.

ASA Encourages Safe Use of Seed Treatment

Kelly MarshallASA, seed, trade

It’s critical to keep treated seed from entering the supply of U.S. grains and oilseeds, reminds the American Soybean Association (ASA). Treated seeds are a problem that affects the entire supply chain, jeopardizing U.S. markets at home and abroad.

Maintaining the stellar U.S. reputation for appropriately managing all pesticides is one key element of providing customer satisfaction and official acceptance of exports. Few concerns can be as damaging to supplier reputation for quality and safety of agricultural products as the presence of seed treatment compounds in commodities intended for use in food and feed.

The Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship offers answers to questions about the safe handling and management of treated seed.

Syngenta Opens Digital Innovation Lab

Kelly MarshallResearch, Syngenta

Syngenta celebrated the grand opening of their new Digital Innovation Lab at the University of Illinois Research Park with faculty members, students, industry leaders, government officials, customers, and company leaders.  Attendees toured the lab and discussed the future of digital innovation in agriculture.  The new lab is the first of three sites planned for Syngenta’s network.

“We are excited to embark on this chapter in our digital ag journey,” said Dan Burdett, global head of digital agriculture at Syngenta. “The Syngenta Digital Innovation Lab supports an excellent opportunity to collaborate with dynamic students and researchers from a diverse cross-section of disciplines.”

Nebraska Governor Highlights Importance of NAFTA

Kelly MarshallAudio, Corn, Grain, NCGA, trade

Neb. Gov. Pete Ricketts, USGC CEO Tom Sleight, and NCGA’s Tom Doggett

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts asked grain industry officials from Mexico and the United States join him Tuesday for a press conference to highlight the importance of Mexico to U.S. agriculture and how the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has benefited both countries.

“Bilateral trade with Mexico has helped grow agriculture in our state over the years,” said Governor Ricketts. “Mexico is Nebraska’s largest export market for corn, dairy, sugar, and sweeteners, and second largest market for soybeans, wheat, sorghum, and distillers grains. All of this combined accounts for thousands of Nebraska jobs. I’m encouraged by local and national discussions to expand trade, and am committed to helping grow our trade relationship with Mexico so we can continue to grow Nebraska.”

The Nebraska Corn Board, the U.S. Grains Council, and the National Corn Growers Association are hosting a team of Mexican grain and industry officials in Nebraska for a town hall and industry meetings. Later this week, the Mexican delegation will travel to Washington, D.C., where they will join U.S. corn farmers for meetings with Congressional leaders to discuss the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship.

“Having these industry leaders here in the United States this week to share how NAFTA has impacted their companies and their country is invaluable to helping us communicate how important strong trade policy with our nearest neighbors is to the continued success of U.S. grain producers and exporters,” said USGC CEO Tom Sleight.

Jon Doggett, NCGA executive vice president and head of public policy, says NAFTA has been a major catalyst for economic growth in the corn industry and Mexico is the largest market for U.S. corn. “We will work closely with the Trump Administration and Congress to build on the successful trade relationship we have with our neighbors in Mexico, and make sure a modernized NAFTA is a win-win for both our countries,” said Doggett, who stresses calling changes in NAFTA “updating” or “modernizing” rather than “renegotiating.”

Listen to the press conference here: [wpaudio url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/zimmcomm/neb-nafta.mp3″ text=”Nebraska presser on trade with Mexico”]

New Research Proposals from Healthy Hives

Kelly MarshallBayer CropScience, Bees, Honeybees, pollinators

Bayer and Project Apis m. have announced the funding of three new research proposals on behalf of honey bee colonies. Financing comes from the Health Hives 2020, an initiative by Bayer North American Bee Care Center that focuses on economic assessment of beekeeping operations, creating best management practices for health, evaluating smart hive technology, and assessing honey bee genetics.

The grant recipients include:

  • Dr. Olav Rueppell, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, who will investigate virus content and resistance in several currently available honey bees;
  • Dr. Edmund Stark, Michigan State University, who will aim to develop a commercially viable, cost-effective product to control the Varroa mite, considered by many to be the major cause of honey bee colony decline;
  • Julie Shapiro, Keystone Policy Center, who submitted a proposal on behalf of the Honey Bee Health Coalition and will conduct the Bee Integrated Demonstration Project to showcase best management practices that help to reduce honey bee colony loss.

“This year’s Healthy Hives 2020 grant recipients are undertaking innovative research efforts that have the potential to make an immediate impact on honey bee colony health,” said Danielle Downey, executive director of Project Apis m. and Healthy Hives 2020 program manager. “With these projects, Healthy Hives 2020 has funded 10 honey bee research efforts.”