Animal Ag News 7/24

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The White House announced it is taking action to impose 50 percent tariffs on dairy imports from Canada to defend the rights of U.S. dairy exporters. The administration indicated it is invoking Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to “…hold Canada accountable for its retaliation and discrimination…” The National Milk Producers Federation and U.S. Dairy Export Council support the administration’s efforts to identify all possible avenues to drive Canada to make the necessary changes to its protectionist dairy trade practices.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is launching a new resource to help start the discussion about succession planning. The online learning module guides families through the steps of transition and helps them create a succession plan unique to their operation.
  • With optimism for the cattle business remaining strong, nearly 700 cattle producers from across the country gathered in Aurora, Colorado, for the Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting. This event helps shape the future of the industry through grassroots policy development and discussions that will guide research, education and promotion efforts.
  • The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) is now accepting nominations for the 2027 Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award. This award recognizes family farmers who demonstrate exceptional environmental stewardship in poultry and egg production. Eligible nominees include family-owned poultry growers or egg producers who supply products to a USPOULTRY member or are independent producers that are USPOULTRY members. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 23.
  • Land O’Lakes, Inc. announced a strategic investment in its Tulare, California, dairy processing facility to expand capabilities into high-value dairy protein production, positioning the cooperative to meet rapidly growing global demand for protein-rich nutrition, while also creating new opportunities for its farmer-owners.
  • Lely North America is proud to launch the Lely Farmers Market, a new online destination that connects consumers directly with farms across the country producing dairy food and products with care, precision and purpose.
  • CowManager, a technology leader in smart cow monitoring solutions, is strengthening its herd management platform with the development of a Milk Sensor designed to deliver faster, more informed decision-making around mastitis detection and the milking process. The Milk Sensor is designed for simple installation and ease of use, featuring a wireless, low-maintenance setup compatible with a wide range of parlor brands. CowManager will take the first steps to introduce the system later in 2026, with wider-scale availability planned for 2027.
  • The Meat Institute announced a new economic analysis by Decision Innovation Solutions finds that reinstating Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (mCOOL) for beef and pork would impose significant costs, more than $1 billion annually, across the U.S. meat supply chain, increasing expenses for livestock producers, meat processors, retailers, and consumers while providing little evidence of increased consumer demand for labeled products.
  • Wisconsin cow cheese and dairy product makers once again demonstrate the depth of the state’s cheesemaking expertise, capturing 106 awards, including one of the competition’s highest honors at the 2026 American Cheese Society Judging & Competition, in one of North America’s premier showcases of artisan cheese and cultured dairy products. Leading Wisconsin’s standout cow’s milk showing, Marieke Gouda Golden Mature is named the Highest-Scoring American Original, and Marieke Gouda Mature earns a place among the competition’s Top 11 Best of Show, recognizing it as one of the best cheeses from more than 1,600 submissions across the Americas.
  • The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announced that Elizabeth “Liz” Demorest has joined the organization as director of PAC & political affairs, further strengthening the association’s advocacy and political engagement efforts on behalf of the U.S. dairy industry.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    Congrats to ACN Award Winners

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Pictured are some of the winners at this year’s Ag Media Summit (ACN photo)

    Congratulations to the outstanding agricultural communicators recognized during the 2026 Ag Media Summit held this past week in St. Louis.

    The Agricultural Communicators Network is proud to recognize this year’s top Communications Contest winners:
    Communicator of the Year: Julianna Langemeier, Zoetis
    Designer of the Year: Matt Strelecki, People, Inc.
    Writer of the Year: Lisa Foust Prater, Successful Farming
    Photographer of the Year: Betty Haynes, Midwestern Lens
    Story of the Year: “Small Groups, Big Outcomes” by Lisa Foust Prater, Successful Farming
    Photo of the Year: “Harvest Hugs” by Betty Haynes, Midwestern Lens

    ACN also celebrated the following members and agricultural leaders:
    Distinguished Service Award: Dr. Albert Culbreath, University of Georgia
    Lifetime Achievement Awards: Den Gardner, Gardner & Gardner Communications, and Pamela Smith, DTN/The Progressive Farmer
    Andy Markwart Horizon Award: Andrew Castillo, Farm Progress
    President’s Award: Elizabeth Hodges, Farm Progress
    Fellows of ACN: Pam Caraway, Chris Clayton, Jamie Cole, Martha Mintz, Holly Spangler and Bill Spiegel

    View the complete list of 2026 Communications Contest winners and honorees.

    ACN, Ag Media Summit, Agribusiness

    Huma Proud to Offer New 4-in-1 Control for Farmers

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Huma® is proud to offer its new PROUD 4™ to the marketplace during this challenging time for agriculture to provide farmers of various crops a four-in-one nematicide, miticide, fungicide and insecticide for broad-spectrum control of pests both above and below the ground.

    “So if you’ve got soil-borne pathogens or if you’ve got nematodes, it’s an excellent product to apply to the soil or through irrigation, and it will control those incredibly well,” says Huma Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Fred Nichols. “And then it also has great control of above ground pests, so soft bodied insects, thrips, mites. And then of course, a variety of various fungal diseases.”

    Fred Nichols, Huma

    Nichols says PROUD 4® is an OMRI-Listed® crop protection product and can be used on a wide variety of crops. “So farmers in central Illinois can utilize it right now to spray on their soybeans as is a great fungicide. Those in California can apply it to strawberries or potatoes,” said Nichols. “And it can also be applied anytime during the season… a lot of advantages there.”

    Nichols adds, “The level of control we’re seeing, along with an attractive price point, provides an unbeatable value for growers that’s OMRI-listed and safe for crops. Plus, ag retailers and farmers can stock just one product for multiple pest control needs.”

    Learn more about Huma and PROUD 4 at PROUD4.com, and hear more about it in this interview.
    Interview with Fred Nichols, Huma 9:00

    AgWired Precision, Audio, Crop Protection, Farming, Fungicide, Insecticides, Soil, Soybean, specialty crops

    Pivot Bio Launches Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Today at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Pivot Bio launched the “Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour,” which will travel more than 1,500 miles around the country to celebrate America’s farmers and highlight the need for investment in the nation’s most critical industry.

    Pivot Bio CEO Chris Abbott will personally travel on the tour of America’s rural communities with a working family tractor, meeting with farmers in their fields and communities to listen to their experiences, celebrate their contributions and explore the ideas that will shape the next generation of agriculture. “Agriculture isn’t simply another industry, it’s absolutely foundational to every community and economy. Farmers are solving some of the world’s biggest challenges every day, yet their voices aren’t always part of the broader conversation,” said Abbott.

    Pivot Bio kicks off The Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour in St. Louis

    During the tour, Abbott will be inviting innovators, technologists, business leaders, policymakers and academic leaders to take a turn in the buddy seat to raise awareness of the opportunities and challenges facing agriculture and the investment and technology needed to continue moving forward.

    Fourth generation Missouri farmer Tom Boedeker and 5th generation Alabama Farmer Kyle Bridgeforth are also part of the tour, joining Pivot Bio for the kickoff in St. Louis.

    “Our Founding Honorary Ambassadors remind us that every farm has a story,” Abbott said. “These two farm families represent the resiliency that is on display every day across rural America. Some stories are measured in generations. Others are measured by perseverance through adversity. Together, they represent the many faces of American agriculture and the people whose work makes life possible for all of us.”

    The Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour will conclude at the A Million Thanks Festival – Live from the Heartland next year, where all 15 Founding Honorary Ambassadors will be recognized as part of Pivot Bio’s 15th anniversary celebration and a nationwide expression of gratitude to America’s farmers.

    Agribusiness, AgWired Precision, Irrigation, Precision Agriculture, Technology, Tractor

    Industry Ag News 7/17

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year state winners have been announced for 2026.
  • AgCareers is calling on agriculture and food employers across the United States to help shape the 2026-2027 Agriculture and Food HR Review, one of the industry’s most comprehensive sources of human resources benchmarking data and workforce insights. The Agriculture and Food HR Review gathers information directly from employers to identify emerging workforce trends, hiring challenges, compensation practices, retention strategies, employee development initiatives, AI tools, and other critical human resources priorities impacting the agriculture and food sectors.
  • The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) recognized Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) with the President’s Award during its summer Corn Congress meeting in Washington.
  • The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol has announced that 2.34 million U.S. cotton planted acres now provide field-level data through the program for the 2026 crop year, representing nearly one in four of the 9.85 million total acres planted this season across the Cotton Belt.​
  • Bayer enters an exclusive licensing agreement with RAGT, a leading company in the European wheat seed market, advancing its plans to sell hybrid wheat seeds in Europe and North America simultaneously by the early 2030s. Hybrid wheat represents a large, untapped opportunity in the world’s most widely grown food crops and Bayer targets annual revenues of up to 1 billion euros after just over a decade after launch. The move is part of Bayer’s growth ambitions beyond its current blockbuster launches by expanding its core portfolio to hybrid wheat as a key franchise.
  • Syngenta Group announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously appointed Hengde Qin as Chief Executive Officer, effective August 1, 2026, following a thorough nomination and succession process. Qin, currently Chief Operating Officer and Head of Seeds, succeeds Jeff Rowe, who will remain in the role through August 1 before returning to the United States after nearly 10 years with the company.
  • The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) elected its 2026-27 officers at the 2026 ASTA Leadership Summit, which took place in Milwaukee, WI June 9-11, 2026. In his remarks during the ASTA Leadership Summit, Chair Bryan Gerard expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm for the year ahead. He spoke about his hope for this year, with a theme of Back to the Future.
  • The Clean Fuels Alliance Foundation is pleased to announce the election of Chelsey Robinson to its board of directors.
  • United Sorghum Checkoff Program (USCP) Executive Director Norma Ritz Johnson has informed the organization’s Board of Directors of her decision to retire from that role at the end of 2026, following a distinguished career in agriculture, organizational management and community leadership.
  • The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) announced that RJ Karney has joined the organization as Vice President, Head of Government Affairs, effective immediately.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Denali Offers Natural Fertilizer Alternative to Reduce Input Costs

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    As U.S. farmers continue to face fertilizer price volatility amid ongoing disruptions to commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Denali offers a natural alternative to reduce input costs.

    As the nation’s largest food and organics recycler, Denali transforms organic materials from food businesses into agricultural nutrients, creating a stable, cost-effective alternative that does not depend on global supply chains that have contributed to recent price volatility. For farmers caught between rising input costs and tight margins, Denali offers a low-cost, natural fertilizer solution.

    To quantify the value its natural fertilizer provides, Denali analyzed what farmers would pay for equivalent nutrients using synthetic fertilizers at current market prices across three key agricultural regions. Looking at nitrogen, phosphate, and potash pricing, the analysis shows Denali can save farmers:

    Kansas: $244 per acre
    Louisiana: $236 per acre
    Georgia: $246 per acre

    These figures represent what farmers would spend to purchase and apply the same nutrients using conventional fertilizers. They don’t account for the additional micronutrients or organic matter that Denali delivers – benefits that improve soil health over time and that other fertilizers simply don’t provide.

    “Even though global shipping conditions have improved, farmers are still making decisions with fertilizer prices above historical norms,” said Lauren King, Denali’s vice president of Environmental. “Our goal is to help producers stretch their input dollars while improving their soil health with nutrients generated right here in the United States. This fertilizer is available at a low cost and offers a stable supply for our farmers.”

    Denali also creates nutrient-rich animal feed from inedible food, in addition to compost, and biofuel. Learn more about Denali’s natural fertilizer and how it works here.

    AgWired Precision, Farming, Feed, Fertilizer

    Diamond K Gypsum Launches New Water Management Tech

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    As drought conditions intensify across the West, Diamond K Gypsum has introduced a new suite of agricultural water saving products and an online tool that improve irrigation water use efficiency, soil performance and crop resilience in drought conditions.

    “Western crop consultants and growers know there is no silver bullet when it comes to water shortages,” says Tom Tankersley, Diamond K Gypsum director of sales. “Instead, integrated programs that address both water and soil chemistry, physics and soil biology offer the best solutions. Growers who focus on improving infiltration, retention and root efficiency are in a much better position to protect yield when irrigation water is restricted.”

    Aqua-Drive Elite is designed to improve water infiltration and soil moisture distribution by reducing surface tension of the water droplet and the soil. It allows irrigation water and precipitation to penetrate deeper into the root zone rather than being lost to runoff or evaporation.

    Diamond K Bio Algae is a concentrated soil amendment derived from beneficial algae compounds that support root growth, microbial activity in the soil and carbon cycling.

    Aqua-Drive Elite Bio combines the water management benefits of Aqua-Drive Elite with soil advantages of Diamond K Bio Algae in a single application. In recent water deficit turf research completed at University California, Bermuda grass treated with Aqua-Drive Elite Bio showed no visible negative impacts despite a 40% reduction in irrigation water during the five-month test.

    The new online tool, called The Water Knowledge Hub, includes links to university research about combating drought with water testing and water quality improvements.

    AgWired Precision, Irrigation, Precision Agriculture, Soil, Technology, Water

    2026 ACN PIF Fundraiser

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    AgComm Network PIF Fundraiser 2026It’s close to 2026 Agricultural Media Summit. And that means there are a variety of activities. Here’s one for the PIF fundraiser.

    Feeling lucky? Here’s your chance to win incredible prizes while supporting the Agricultural Communicators Network’s Professional Improvement Foundation (PIF)!

    Every ticket purchased helps fund PIF-supported programs that strengthen and advance agricultural communications.

    The drawing will be held during the 2026 Ag Media Summit (AMS).

    Ticket Details:

    Tickets are $25 each or 5 for $100
    Only 300 tickets available
    Winners will be drawn in order of: 1st Prize, 2nd Prize, 3rd Prize
    You do not have to be present to win

    Here are more details.

    ACN, Ag Media Summit, Media

    Precision Ag News 7/13

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the launch of the $500 million Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-Term Domestic Supply (FIELDS) Program, a new initiative administered through USDA Rural Development to expand domestic fertilizer manufacturing, strengthen America’s fertilizer supply chain, and improve long-term affordability for American farmers.
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will host a roundtable on the herbicide paraquat this summer, convening scientists, subject-matter experts, farmworker and community advocates, and other stakeholders to discuss the documented safety challenges associated with the chemical, examine the latest science, and explore potential solutions and alternatives.
  • Huma introduces PROUD 4, a four-in-one nematicide, miticide, fungicide and insecticide, for broad-spectrum control of above- and below-ground pests. PROUD 4 is a strengthened formulation of Huma’s PROUD 3, a popular foliar pest treatment. Now growers can utilize the next-generation crop protector to also control nematodes and soil-borne diseases.
  • Airborne crop disease starts as a microscopic threat. It builds in the air long before it shows up in the canopy, sometimes weeks before symptoms of infection are spotted in the crop, leaving growers and agronomists with an incomplete picture of potential disease risk. Scanit Technologies has launched the Iowa SporeWarn Network to shed light on key disease pathogens in local fields, allowing any user to track the underlying, unseen pests behind yield robbers like corn tar spot and soybean white mold.
  • The Monsanto Company and its subsidiary Ruveon LLC, filed a petition with the International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce calling for anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of glyphosate. Bayer is the parent company of Monsanto.
  • Stratovation Group has launched Stratovation Agriculture Growth Exchange (the SAGE Exchange), a structured platform designed to help early- and growth-stage innovators in the agricultural and ag-adjacent food sectors to gain investor-ready positioning, establish market pathways, and connect with a trusted network of senior industry leaders. SAGE Exchange was developed in response to a clear and persistent challenge across the ag sector: promising companies with innovative ideas, including strong technology, products, or models, often lack access to the right strategic guidance, investor relationships, and go-to-market infrastructure needed to scale. SAGE Exchange addresses that gap directly.
  • Syngenta Group China announced plans to partner with McDonald’s China and McCain China in building a more resilient and sustainable potato supply chain in China, so consumers can enjoy fries of the highest quality. The three parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to transform local potato farming, supply and processing through scaling sustainable practices and smart technologies, at the 4th China International Supply Chain Expo.
  • Farmers are invited to deepen their agronomic knowledge at Precision Planting’s free, full-day summer sessions — the <a href="https://radicle.ag/ held July 22, 2026 in Tremont, and Precision Technology Institute (PTI) Agronomy Days, occurring July 28-31 and August 4-7 in Pontiac.
  • Confluence Genetics announced the launch of Cas-CLEAR, Collaterally Enhanced Activated Ribonuclease, a new CRISPR technology platform for the treatment of cancers carrying defined genetic signatures, with lead programs in development for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Unlike gene editing CRISPR systems that cut and modify DNA at a single site, Cas-CLEAR uses Cas12a2 nucleases to recognize cancer-specific genetic signatures and trigger broad collateral cleavage of cellular DNA and RNA, resulting in the selective elimination of cells carrying the targeted signature. The launch coincides with two independent Nature publications validating the platform’s selective cancer cell-killing mechanism: a peer-reviewed publication from the laboratory of Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna at the University of California, Berkeley featuring in vivo mouse model data, and another led by researchers at Utah State University and University of Utah Health.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    Ten for the Next Gen: IFAJ’s Young Leaders 2026

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    IFAJ Alltech Young LeadersThe IFAJ ten Young Leaders will participate in a unique ‘Boot Camp’, held prior to the annual IFAJ Congress – the organization’s flagship event.

    They’ll be the ones keeping information flowing to the world’s farmers well into the second half of the 21st century: the future of agricultural journalism is safe in the hands of this year’s IFAJ Young Leaders.

    Ten up-and-coming agricultural journalists, drawn from ten countries across four continents, have been selected by an international jury to participate in the 21st edition of the select programme.

    Sponsored by Alltech, a global leader in the agriculture industry and long-term supporter of IFAJ’s work and mission, the Young Leaders initiative seeks to identify and support the most promising new and recent entrants to the profession, to hone and encourage their potential.

    “The IFAJ Alltech Young Leaders programme is not just about recognising and nurturing individual talent, important though that is, but also to bring together those with the ability to apply that talent to lead and develop the wider profession,” says IFAJ Secretary General, Adrian Bell.

    The ten 2026 IFAJ Alltech Young Leaders are:

    • Juan Ignacio Alaise, Argentina
    • Kaitlin Berger, Canada
    • Katrin Bremer-John, Germany
    • Andrew Castillo, United States of America
    • Job Hiddink, The Netherlands
    • Milliam Murigi, Kenya
    • Breifne O’Brien, Ireland
    • Josiah Pailay, Liberia
    • Emmanuel Bright Quaicoe, Ghana
    • Emelie Werme, Sweden
    Agribusiness, Alltech, IFAJ, Media