Matt Caswell Joins VANE as VP of Strategic Relationships

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

VANEMatt Caswell has been named Vice President of Strategic Relationships for VANE, a leading provider of first-of-its kind field-level revenue insurance solutions for agribusinesses.

In this role, Caswell will lead VANE’s efforts to develop and manage strategic relationships with agricultural cooperatives, ag retailers, and other key partners across the agricultural value chain. He will work closely with industry leaders to identify opportunities where risk management solutions can help organizations protect revenue, differentiate their customer offerings, and drive business growth.

Caswell is an industry leader who brings more than two decades of executive leadership in agribusiness, stakeholder management, and corporate affairs to support VANE’s continued growth. Caswell spent more than a decade as Vice President of Member/Corporate Relations & Government Affairs at Ag Processing Inc. In 2020, Caswell was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, the largest state agribusiness association in the country. Previous roles included leadership responsibilities at Syngenta, BP, and the Iowa Soybean Association. Caswell is a graduate of Drake University Law School and resides with his wife and two children in Omaha, NE.

With VANE, Caswell will help expand adoption of weather-related revenue insurance solutions among cooperatives, ag retailers, and other agribusiness partners seeking innovative approaches to risk management and business growth.

Crop Insurance, people

Agri-Pulse Webinar: Data Centers in Rural America

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Rural America is rapidly becoming the next frontier for digital infrastructure, and the scale of the transformation is without modern precedent. According to a Pew Research Center analysis released in April 2026, 67% of the approximately 1,500 data center facilities now in various stages of development are planned for rural locations and 39% percent of planned projects are targeting counties that currently have no data center.

Agri-Pulse is holding a webinar on August 27 to discuss why data centers are growing across rural America and what the potential impacts are on jobs, infrastructure, water demands and energy usage. Speakers include Microsoft Senior Fellow Mary Snapp, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson, and Bernt Nelson, American Farm Bureau Federation Economist.

“This is a critically important moment which deserves both discussion and debate about what data centers will mean for rural America,” said Agri-Pulse Founder Sara Wyant. “We plan to provide a clear-eyed assessment of data center development, which requires acknowledging the real costs alongside the benefits.”

The webinar will be held at noon central time, August 27, and is free for current Agri-Pulse subscribers, $79 for non-subscribers. Click here for registration and more information.

Agri-Pulse, Agribusiness, AI

Granville Gold: Mock Tobacco Auction

Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Tobacco Museum

The Granville County Historical Society & Museum invites the public to step back in time and experience the sights, sounds, and vibrant history of North Carolina’s agricultural heartland at “Granville Gold: Mock Tobacco Auction.” This special farm heritage and community celebration takes place on Sunday, September 27th, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the historic Oxford Tobacco Research Station, located at 300 Providence Road in Oxford.

Serving as both an educational community gathering and a vital fundraiser for the Granville County Historical Society & Museum, “Granville Gold” honors the rich legacy of flue-cured tobacco farming—a culture that defined community life, commerce, and family traditions in Granville County for generations. The event offers locals and visitors alike a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in authentic agricultural history, whether for nostalgic connection, family gathering, or first-time discovery.

Tobacco MuseumThe centerpiece of the afternoon will take place inside the historic Oxford Tobacco Research Station pack house. Every hour on the hour, attendees can witness an authentic, 15-minute mock tobacco auction conducted over twelve (12) piles of tobacco leaf. The high-energy chant of the auctioneer and the traditional leaf grading process will recreate the electric atmosphere that once filled local warehouse floors every autumn across the many Golden Leaf belts.

Distinguished guest speakers for the event include North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler, acclaimed tobacco historian and author Billy Yeargin, and Master of Ceremonies Mark Pace. In addition to inspiring remarks from agricultural leadership, the pack house will host a dedicated Granville County Historical Society exhibit detailing the region’s deep farming roots and historic artifacts.

For more information about “Granville Gold: Mock Tobacco Auction” or to support the Granville County Historical Society & Museum, please visit www.granvillehistory.org or call (919) 693-9701.

Farm Shows, specialty crops

Senate Ag Committee Stalls on Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Senate Ag Committee farm bill markup meeting

The Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday recessed after working on the farm bill markup for over three hours and hitting a stalemate with Democrats demanding that Republicans delay a requirement that states share the cost of providing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits by two years, rejecting a one year delay compromise.

“We’re holding hostage the people that were charged to help,” said Committee Chairman Chairman John Boozman (R-AR). “This is not about SNAP recipients. This is about the states with very, very high error rates. We’re holding hostage our farm community. And when you take livestock out of it, this is one of the poorest industries right now in America. And it’s not just farmers and ranchers. It’s rural America. And so we’re charged to help them. And right now we’re not able to do that because of this.”

Sen. Boozman chose to recess the committee rather than adjourn and come back in September to reconsider. Ranking member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) issued a statement that she is committed to continuing to work with Chairman Boozman to get the bill done. “There are good things in it for our farmers and ranchers, including year-round E-15, a provision I have long led on,” said Klobuchar. “Our members are simply asking for the two-year delay (on the SNAP requirement) so all states will be on the same footing in working to reduce their error rates.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley expressed his frustration at the lack of bipartisanship on the agriculture committee. “I’ve been on the Agriculture Committee since way back 1992. During that time, I’ve participated in seven different five-year farm bills. All of them were very bipartisan. It’s a shame that Democrats will not join us in the bill this year,” said Grassley. Instead, the Democrats on the committee are using our farmers as a sacrificial lamb in an attempt to score political points.”

Agricultural organizations were unanimously disappointed in the failure of the committee to advance the farm bill.

“We urge senators to return to the table, work across party lines, and advance a farm bill out of committee in order to continue the negotiations toward a bipartisan farm bill that provides the long-term support and certainty our farmers, ranchers and rural communities need. The reality is that this might be our last chance this year to get it done. The stakes are too high to allow the opportunity to slip away,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.

Listen to comments from Boozman and Grassley below:
Senate ag farm bill markup - Boozman 1:45

Senate ag farm bill markup - Grassley 1:52

Audio, Farm Bill

Animal Ag News 8/6

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Public Lands Council (PLC), and Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association (WCA) urged the Senate to pass S. 1306 and thanked Senator Ron Johnson R-Wis., for elevating this critical issue on behalf of livestock producers. The legislation would reissue the 2020 rule delisting gray wolves in the lower 48 states returning management authority to the states and is the Senate companion to the Pet and Livestock Protection Act, which passed the House in late 2025 with bipartisan support. Sen. Johnson took to the Senate floor and sought unanimous consent to pass the legislation. While the request was met with an objection, NCBA and PLC remain committed to advancing this commonsense measure and urge Senate leadership to give the bill the consideration it deserves.
  • The Voice of Milk, a collaboration between the Dairy Business Association, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and Minnesota Milk Producers Association, announced the addition of three new staff members to its team. The new staff members include Steve Nugent as a strategic account manager, Cassy Schilter as the digital marketing specialist, and Natalie Nate as an assistant project coordinator.
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing a coordinated, phased reopening of southern cattle ports, contingent on Mexico’s adherence to the Joint Action Plan. Beginning August 24, 2026, USDA will open the Douglas, AZ port of entry to cattle trade, while simultaneously initiating the operational steps necessary for subsequent openings at the Santa Teresa, NM, and Columbus, NM, ports. Every animal entering the United States through these ports will undergo a full USDA inspection to ensure it is free of any signs of New World screwworm (NWS). For more information about USDA’s New World screwworm response, read here.
  • USDA is making available $35 million for partnerships to respond to the threat feral swine pose to American agriculture, landscapes and human and livestock health. This partnership opportunity is part of a broader $105 million investment for the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program, where USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service are working together to target feral swine.
  • The leader in intelligent nutrition today announced the launch of the NOVUS® Raw Material Compendium, a digital platform designed to support more informed, data-driven feed formulation strategies. The platform provides nutritionists and feed formulators with a centralized resource to evaluate ingredient variability, compare nutrient values across the most relevant databases, assess internal ingredient data, and explore alternative raw materials. By bringing multiple data sources into one tool, NOVUS is helping to simplify a process that is often complex and time intensive.
  • The Dairy Alliance, a nonprofit organization funded by dairy farm families in the Southeast, recently hosted its “Dairy Does More” initiative, a community effort in partnership with Ingles Markets and regional dairy processor Milkco to support families recovering from Hurricane Helene across North Carolina.
  • The Meat Institute announced the evolution of the Protein PACT Solutions Summit into the Solutions Summit, a broader conference experience designed to help protein industry leaders navigate today’s interconnected business, regulatory, workforce, technology and market challenges. The announcement coincides with the organization’s 120th anniversary milestone, underscoring both the strength of its history and its continued commitment to leading the industry forward.
  • BinSentry Inc., a global leader in AI-powered animal feed inventory management technologies, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against BarnTools, LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
  • BarnTools has reaffirmed its confidence in its independently developed technology following patent infringement allegations involving its BinTalk and BinTalk Pro feed monitoring products.
    • AgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

    BarnTools Defends Independently Developed Technology

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Iowa-based BarnTools today defended its independently developed technology following patent infringement allegations involving its BinTalk and BinTalk Pro feed monitoring products.

    “BarnTools respects intellectual property rights, and we believe these claims are without merit,” said Michael Hansen, CEO of BarnTools. “Our technology was independently developed, and we are confident the legal process will confirm our position.”

    Since becoming aware of the allegations, BarnTools has obtained a written non-infringement opinion from nationally recognized patent counsel supporting its position. The company intends to vigorously defend itself through the appropriate legal process.

    “Our customers depend on us to solve real operational problems, and that is where our focus remains,” Hansen said. “We are building practical technology that gives producers better visibility, helps them respond faster and moves animal agriculture toward a more connected and intelligent future. This lawsuit will not distract us from that work.”

    BarnTools supports more than 11,000 growers across approximately 20,000 farms nationwide. Its connected hardware and software help livestock producers and integrators monitor feed, environmental conditions, water usage, equipment and biosecurity across their operations.

    The complaint against BarnTools was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on July 2, 2026 by Canadian company BinSentry. BarnTools will have no further comment on specific legal arguments while the matter remains pending.

    AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, Animal Agriculture, Animal Health, Feed, Technology

    Agri-Pulse names Tammi Arender Anchor & Broadcaster

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Tammi Arender, Agri-PulseAgri-Pulse has named Tammi Arender Newsmakers anchor and broadcaster.

    Agri-Pulse is pleased to announce the appointment of Tammi Arender as Newsmakers anchor and broadcaster, effective Aug. 4.

    Arender will serve as anchor of the weekly Agri-Pulse Newsmakers program and lead Agri-Pulse’s video content strategy and reporting, including coverage from agricultural events across the country.

    A veteran broadcaster with more than 30 years of television experience, Arender has served as a reporter for RFD-TV, the agriculture television network reaching more than 42 million homes. She has also worked as an anchor and reporter for television stations in Nashville, Tennessee; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Charleston, West Virginia.

    “Tammi’s passion for agriculture and her depth of broadcasting experience make her an incredible addition to our team,” said Sarah Gonzalez, editor in chief of Agri‑Pulse. “With her leadership and acumen guiding Newsmakers and our video strategy, we’re poised to take our coverage to an exciting new level and deliver even more compelling stories to our audience.”

    Agri-Pulse, Media

    Industry Ag News 8/3

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) announced that Evan Dean has joined the association as vice president, government and legislative affairs, starting July 13. In this role, Dean will lead NGFA’s federal advocacy efforts and help advance the association’s policy priorities on behalf of the grain, feed, processing, and export industries.
  • Kubota Tractor Corporation announced the appointment of Charlie Kowalski as Vice President of Information Technology for its U.S. operations. In this role, he will lead the company’s enterprise technology strategy and IT organization, supporting continued growth and operational excellence.
  • Registration is now open for the 2026 Sustainable Agriculture Summit, November 18-19 at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, TX. Register now through August 31 to secure an Early Rate of $800 and our lowest rates of the year. Single day passes and discounted rates for farmers, government employees, academia, students, and breakout speakers are also available.
  • Several years of high inflation and low commodity prices, coupled with volatile production costs, are continuing to squeeze farmers financially. These forces are projected to hit farmers with $32 billion in losses for the major row crops in 2027 after a projected loss of $31 billion in 2026. Fruit, vegetable, nut and other specialty crop farmers faced billions of dollars in losses in 2025, with difficult market conditions continuing throughout 2026. American Farm Bureau Federation economists analyzed the losses felt across the farm economy in the latest Farm Bureau Intel.
  • The Georgia Peanut Commission announces a new award and cash prize for food entrepreneurs: The Georgia Peanut Innovation Award will recognize and reward the most unique and viable new product concept inspired by Georgia Peanuts. The $10,000 cash prize will be awarded at the Sunbelt Ag Expo on Oct. 22, 2026. The contest is open to any new and unique application of peanuts, whether the product idea is in the prototype phase or has been on the market for less than a year. While the product must be food-related, it can be intended for either human or animal consumption.
  • The United Soybean Board (USB) is pleased to announce that Courtney Knupp will join the organization as its chief executive officer starting October 1. Knupp currently serves as director of global supply chain at the National Security Council. USB’s board of farmer-leaders, representing more than 30 states, ratified the decision at its July board meeting in Indianapolis.
  • In the year ahead, the United Soybean Board (USB) will boost demand for U.S. Soy℠, drive on-farm resilience and bring value to the nearly half a million U.S. soybean farmers. Led by its 77 farmer-leaders, USB recently approved a $122.5 million budget for the 2027 fiscal year, strategically allocating funds across vital research, promotion and education investments. This spans the food, feed, fuel, industrial, exports and sustainable production market segments.
  • Lessiter Media has announced the addition of Dale Jackman as Senior Sales Representative for the company’s ag division, where he will work with customers to develop integrated marketing programs across the company’s industry-leading brands, digital platforms and live events.
  • Meyocks has been selected by the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) to design and produce marketing materials and communication assets across a global portfolio, spanning domestic markets and international audiences.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    Biocontrol Technologies and Wilbur-Ellis Enter Distribution Agreement

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Biocontrol Technologies has entered into a distribution agreement with Wilbur-Ellis Agribusiness for the distribution of T34 Biocontrol® in the U.S. market.

    T34 Biocontrol® is a biological control agent based on the beneficial microorganism Trichoderma asperellum strain T34. The product is designed to support the control of foliar and soil-borne fungal diseases while promoting root health and overall plant resilience. Its mode of action allows it to be integrated into broader crop management strategies, contributing to healthier crops and more balanced production systems.

    In agronomic terms, T34 Biocontrol® is intended for use across a range of high-value crops, where soil health and disease pressure represent critical challenges. The product is designed to be incorporated into Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs and used alongside conventional agricultural practices, providing growers with additional flexibility in disease management strategies.

    “The U.S. is a key market for the future of biological crop protection, and partnering with a distributor of Wilbur-Ellis’ scale and technical strength provides a strong platform to support growers with T34 Biocontrol,” said Biocontrol Technologies General Manager Eduard Fernando. “We are confident in the product’s role as part of integrated disease management programs.”

    Biocontrol Technologies is a biological crop protection solutions headquartered in Barcelona, Spain.

    AgWired Precision, Crop Protection, Fungicide, Precision Agriculture, Technology

    Submit Nominations for NAMA Professional Dev. Awards

    Chuck Zimmerman

    NAMA Pro Development AwardsCelebrate Marketing Excellence and submit Your Nominations for the Professional Development Awards by August 1.

    Do you know someone moving the industry forward while making a significant, positive impact within NAMA? Take the time to recognize them and submit a nomination! The online nomination form is a simple process.

    These awards honor NAMA members based on outstanding achievement in each of the Professional Development areas:

    • Marketing Communications
    • Product/Species Management
    • Public Relations
    • Sales

    Awards are presented at the NAMA Nexus (formerly Fall Conference), October 13-15 at the Downtown Marriott in Des Moines. Award winners receive complimentary registration to the meeting.

    Nominating someone is easy–just fill out the online form. Don’t wait – nominations are due by August 1. Get complete details here.

    Ag Groups, Agencies, Agribusiness, Marketing, NAMA