MorganMyers Surveys AI Use on the Farm

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

MorganMyers’ 2026 survey finds AI use experimental on the farm

A new survey by MorganMyers delves into where farmers, ranchers, and agricultural retailers are when it comes to use of AI – artificial intelligence, that is, not the other AI that livestock producers have been using for decades.

The ag marketing and PR firm asked whether and how they are using AI, where they see value, where improvements are needed and whether they trust the results. The findings have been compiled into a new report that offers a closer look at how agriculture is approaching AI today and where it may be headed next.

What they found is, AI adoption on the farm at this point is meaningful, but experimental.

MorganMyers’ 2026 survey found 75% of farmers and ranchers have used AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to support their operations, and nearly half of that group uses those tools weekly or more. That suggests agriculture — like much of the broader workforce — is in an experimental phase of adoption.

Other key findings include:
– General-purpose AI outpaces ag-platform AI, suggesting awareness, availability and workflow-fit remain barriers.
– AI adoption is uneven by segment: Dairy producers, younger farmers (under 35) and larger operations are the highest users. – Lower adoption clusters among smaller operations, older farmers (51 and older) and row-crop producers.
– Farmer and rancher use of AI can largely be classified as practical and business oriented.
– AI is viewed as promising but unproven. Perceived value of AI is high, but so is distrust and skepticism.
– Retailers are more cautious than farmers, lagging in adoption, value and trust — and less likely to recommend AI tools in the near term.
– Proof, transparency and human validation will be needed to build trust in AI among farmers, ranchers and retailers.

Read the report here.

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Senators Say Study Shows Need for Biofuels Growth

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

Midwest lawmakers hope a new report out this week from S&P Global and commissioned by U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA) will help grow momentum to get a bill allowing nationwide, year-round sales of 15% ethanol fuel through the Senate.

At a press conference announcing the report, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said time is running out to get legislation passed before the end of the year. “Enacting E-15 is a perfect way to celebrate America’s 250th years of freedom,” said Grassley. “But we got to move, and it’s almost too late now if we don’t get some action. So anything you can do to help, and this report is going to help, I’m going to say God bless you.”

USFRA biofuels report - Sen. Grassley (8:06)

Minnesota Democrat Sen. Tina Smith said the study shows a way forward for farmers. “We have a need to boost demand for commodity crops. We have a need to figure out steps that we can take to bring down the input costs that farmers are experiencing,” said Sen. Smith. “And so putting a big emphasis on how biofuels and ethanol, all biofuels, can kind of be a path forward to a new structural a new structure for agriculture is just really exciting.”

USFRA biofuels report - Sen. Tina Smith (4:17)

The study projects global biofuel production driven by agricultural innovation could triple by 2050, expanding renewable fuels to capture a significantly larger share of the approximately 940-billion-gallon global liquid fuel market – including marine and aviation fuels.

Read the report.

Watch the full press conference on the USFRA YouTube channel.

AgWired Precision, Audio, Biofuels, Corn, Ethanol, Soybean, USFRA

New Study Shows Benefits of Biofuels Expansion

Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

A new S&P Global Energy study released today shows how expanded biofuel markets are a catalyst for agriculture, revitalizing farm communities, stabilizing farm incomes, and providing both food and energy security.

Commissioned by U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action (USFRA), the research, titled “Fueling Agriculture: Biofuels as the Catalyst,” offers a detailed, evidence‑based assessment of agriculture’s future and presents a data-driven roadmap for sustainable growth.

“This research demonstrates that biofuels are not just an energy solution—they’re an economic engine that could transform farming’s future,” said Maryland farmer Chip Bowling, Vice Chair of USFRA. “New evidence offered by highly respected experts at S&P Global Energy show that biofuels can unlock agriculture’s potential to provide abundant and affordable food, feed and fuel.”

USFRA held a press conference to announce the findings of the report, with comments from Bowling, as well as CEO Kevin Burkum, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Tina Smith (D-MN), and Kelsey Barnes, USDA Senior Advisor for Rural Development and Biofuels.
USFRA biofuels press conference (29:39)

Watch the full press conference on the USFRA YouTube channel.

Agribusiness, Audio, Biofuels, Corn, USFRA

Industry Ag News 6/15

Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • CLUTCH continues to redefine the consultancy-agency model, bolstering its strategic expertise with the addition of veteran leaders Anna Stassen and Wayne Carlson. Stassen joins the Minneapolis firm as Senior Vice President, Brand, Content + Engagement, while Carlson assumes the position of Associate Vice President, Business Lead – Building Materials.
  • June 10 marked the official launch of the Japanese Soy Milk Exchange (JSME), an initiative that brings together soybean innovators, culinary experts, nutrition professionals and food industry executives to introduce Japanese soy milk in the United States. The JSME will establish Japanese soy milk as a distinct premium category in the U.S. and serve as its authoritative voice, educating consumers on what sets it apart from other soy milks.
  • The Farm Progress Show, which drew 161,000 attendees and 548 exhibitors in 2025, returns to Boone, Iowa, Sept. 1-3, 2026, featuring three groundbreaking additions that elevate the farmer experience and spotlight cutting-edge agricultural technology. These include: the Agronomy Zone, an expanded partnership with Ag PhD and the Hefty Brothers that brings research-grade crop plots and live field demonstrations with daily expert-led tours; Premium Ticket Packages where $60 includes admission, a limited-edition hat and a lunch voucher (available through Aug. 28); and the Drone Zone, an interactive precision agriculture exhibit with live demonstrations and first-person drone camera views.
  • Antique Tractor Preservation Day holds special significance during the America 250 celebration. Observed on August 22, 2026, the day provides an opportunity to recognize the important role antique tractors and agricultural machinery have played in shaping American agriculture, strengthening rural communities, and preserving the family-centered traditions that have long defined life in rural America. Find out more at TalkingTractors.com.
  • The Cooperative Communicators Association thanks those who participated in this year’s CCA Communications Contest and congratulates the 2026 winners! View the complete list of 2026 CCA Communications Contest winners here.
  • The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City has selected veteran agricultural educators Jason Larison of Holton, Kansas, and Keith Dietzschold of Boonville, Missouri, as recipients of its 2026 Distinguished Service Award.
  • The American Biogas Council (ABC) announced that its Board leadership will transition as longtime Chair Bernie Sheff of Burns & McDonnell hands the ABC Board gavel to Randy Beck, Senior Director of Renewable Energy at WM. Sheff will step down after 15 years of dedicated service to the organization, including 12 years as Board Chair.
  • Clean Fuels Alliance America is pleased to announce the addition of two new team members, Jason Brasier as Digital Content Creator and Paul Houf as Outreach and Development Manager.
  • Amy Roady has been named the inaugural director of the James F. Evans Global Center for Food and Agricultural Communications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, helping launch an exciting new chapter for Illinois’ longstanding leadership in agricultural communications.
  • Six independent consultants with deep roots in agriculture announced the launch of ACME Ag Consulting, a St. Louis-based network giving ag and food companies on-demand access to senior expertise without the overhead of full-time hires or large agency relationships.
  • The theme of the 108th American Farm Bureau Convention is Driven to Lead. Fueled by Community. We’re so proud of the contributions of thousands of volunteers, committee members and communities across the country. Join us January 8-13, 2027, in Charlotte, North Carolina, where we celebrate our grassroots and the hard work of our Farm Bureau family.
    • Zimfo Bytes

    ZimmCast 760 – Award to Harry Siemens

    Chuck Zimmerman 1 Comment

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast. I’m Chuck Zimmerman.

    In this episode I have a very special guest. I haven’t talked to him recently but we did quite a bit in the early days of AgWired. He’s Harry Siemens and some of you may have heard or read his Siemens Says. He just received a very well deserved award and we’ll talk about that too.

    So, let’s get started.

    Listen to the episode here:
    ZimmCast 760 - Award to Harry Siemens (15:44)

    Harry Siemens AwardHere is some information about the award Harry received.

    The award was initiated by U.S. farm broadcasters Lynn Ketelsen of the Linder Farm Network, the late Orion Samuelson, and Max Armstrong, longtime voices in agricultural broadcasting and fellow members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB). Together, they sought to recognize Siemens’ lifetime of contributions to agricultural journalism and his efforts to strengthen relationships between Canadian and American farmers.

    Throughout his career, Siemens has covered crop production, livestock, trade, transportation, weather, farm policy and rural life, earning the respect of farmers, agricultural leaders and fellow broadcasters across North America.

    That’s the ZimmCast for now. If you have some exciting news in the agrimarketing world, feel free to contact me for the next episode. Just email Chuck at chuck@zimmcomm.biz.

    We hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

    Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

    Audio, NAFB, ZimmCast

    Japanese Soy Milk Exchange Launches

    Cindy Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Officially launching today, the Japanese Soy Milk Exchange (JSME), is a new initiative that brings together soybean innovators, culinary experts, nutrition professionals and food industry executives to introduce Japanese soy milk in the United States and establish it as a distinct premium category.

    Soy is at the heart of Japan’s food culture, and Japanese soy milk is rooted in centuries of craftsmanship. It’s made with soybeans grown in North America, using specialized Japanese technology and processing methods that ensure a silky texture, mild scent and subtly nutty flavor. Nutritionally, Japanese soy milk is comparable to dairy milk, packing in 9-10 grams of complete plant protein per serving with about half the carbohydrates.

    “Japanese soy milk is defined by its heritage and quality, delivering a combination of nutrition, mellow flavor and smooth finish that sets it apart from conventional soy milks,” said Ko Fuwa, General Manager, Foreign Beverage Operations at Kikkoman, an international leader in Japanese soy milk and supporter of JSME. “This distinguished group of leaders is ideally positioned to introduce this new category of soy milk in the U.S. We’re excited to support their mission to educate consumers on Japanese soy milk’s many benefits and differentiators.”

    The JSME brings together a multidisciplinary group of founding members, including a chef and culinary expert, registered dietitian, soybean farmer, professor specializing in Japanese food history and culture and a Japanese soy milk industry leader. Together, these experts will guide education efforts, address common misconceptions about soy and promote innovative uses across retail and foodservice channels.

    The JSME will roll out programming throughout 2026, including media engagement, trade outreach, culinary demonstrations and digital resources to grow awareness for Japanese soy milk as a new category of soy milk and its many culinary uses and nutritional benefits. More information is available at japanesesoymilk.com.

    Food, Soybean

    Precision Ag News 6/9

    Carrie Muehling Leave a Comment

  • Switch Bioworks, a biotechnology company focused on sustainable fertilizer, announced the launch of field trials of its novel microbial fertilizer, with authorization from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Microbial fertilizers use living microbes to pull nitrogen from the air and deliver it to crops, offering farmers an alternative to traditional chemical fertilizers made from natural gas. Switch’s technology is a new-in-class solution that centers on a genetically encoded switch that solves a fundamental energy problem that has long limited the performance of microbial fertilizers.
  • BarnTools announced the launch of Barn360, a biosecurity platform that expands the BarnTools connected farm system into real-time biosecurity enforcement for swine and poultry operations. The launch marks a significant expansion of BarnTools’ role in livestock production. Already trusted for real-time monitoring across critical farm systems, including feed, water, power, temperature, and environmental conditions, BarnTools now brings biosecurity into the same connected operational view.
  • The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) announced that registration is officially open for the 2026 ARA Conference & Expo, taking place December 1–3 at the JW Marriott Austin in Austin, Texas. Early Bird pricing is available through October 16, 2026.
  • A new 2026 AgbioInvestor study on behalf of CropLife International shines a spotlight on the complex journey of bringing new crop protection products to market. Drawing on the most recent data from leading industry players, the report highlights the significant time, investment, and scientific effort required to develop modern agricultural solutions.
  • Farmers for Soil Health, the farmer-led initiative launched in 2022 to double cover crop acres on U.S. farmland by 2030, has reopened enrollment for 2026 with increased per-acre payments and a simplified one-year contract designed to remove barriers for growers. Enrollment is open May 1 through Aug. 31.
  • Yamaha Agriculture announced a new herbicide attachment, developed and manufactured by Yamaha Agriculture partner, Croplands Equipment for Prospr, introducing weed-control capability to the high-performance autonomous hybrid vehicle platform for orchards and vineyards. Designed to integrate seamlessly with Prospr, the new attachment extends automation across a wider range of orchard and vineyard tasks and will be showcased at Hort Connections 2026 in South Australia.
  • Sixty-five state and national groups, including the National Corn Growers Association, sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick calling on him to end countervailing duties placed on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco to ease the pain felt by farmers as fertilizers prices reach new highs.
    • AgWired Precision, Precision Ag Bytes, Precision Agriculture

    The Passing of Jim Stewart

    Chuck Zimmerman Leave a Comment

    Jim Stewart Farm BroadcasterFrom the KFYO website: The legendary Jim Stewart, former KFYO Ag Director and beloved voice in Texas radio, passed away yesterday, June 4, 2026.

    His family says that he was surrounded by loved ones and passed peacefully at home.

    Stewart was a voice for West Texas agriculture and joined KFYO as Farm Director in 1981. This began a remarkable run of more than 20 years at KFYO.

    He hosted his final KFYO show on February 21, 2003, and returned to Lubbock radio in 2005, serving as Ag Director for AM 580 KRFE for several years.

    You can find the obituary here.

    Visitation will be held at Resthaven Funeral Home & Cemetery, 5740 West 19th Street, Lubbock, TX 79407, US, on June 9, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

    A Funeral Service will be held at Lone Star Cowboy Church, 1309 E FM 1585, Lubbock, TX 79423, US, on June 10, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.

    Media, NAFB

    ZimmCast 759 – AgGateway Mid-Year and AI

    Chuck Zimmerman

    ZimmCastHello and welcome to the ZimmCast. I’m Chuck Zimmerman.

    In this episode I’m sharing my preview interview for the AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting with President/CEO, Brent Kemp. Additionally I’ve got a few comments regarding AI, or Artificial Intelligence, for those of you who haven’t heard of it. But really, AI, is moving fast and besides it is a topic for the AgGateway meeting.

    I’m slow in producing a ZimmCast episode for several reasons. One is that I haven’t been traveling for work. But additionally, I’ve done a little research about how AI has affected things like agricultural marketing and communications.

    Additionally, I did a post on AgWired titled “Safeguard the Human Person in Time of AI.” I hope you enjoy it and feel free to comment. I focused on the encyclical letter published by Pope Leo. It’s not just about AI but really is about people.

    So, let’s get started with my interview with Brent.

    Listen to the episode here:
    ZimmCast 759 - AgGateway Mid-Year Mtg and AI (14:15)

    That’s the ZimmCast for now. If you have some exciting news in the agrimarketing world, feel free to contact me for the next episode. Just email Chuck at chuck@zimmcomm.biz.

    We hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening.

    Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:

    AgGateway, AI, Audio, ZimmCast

    USDA Ramps Up New World Screwworm Fight

    Cindy Zimmerman

    USDA confirmed the detection yesterday of a New World screwworm in a three-week old beef calf in Zavala County, Texas, about 60 miles from the Mexico border, and today officials laid out plans to keep it from spreading.

    Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins updated the House Agriculture Committee Thursday morning. “It is a vexing challenge that we thought we had beaten in the 1960s and 1970s. Unfortunately, that was wrong as the screwworm began to make its way back towards us in 2021. The way we defeated it before, you need about 400 million sterile flies per week to actually mate with the bad flies, sterilize them….Because over years, we had taken, we as a country, we as a hemisphere, had taken our eye off the ball thinking it was eradicated. We got down to only 100 million sterile flies in production a week in a facility in Panama.”

    Rollins says the administration has fast-tracked a facility being built right now in Mission, Texas. “That facility will come online next year. When it does, it’ll produce about 300 million flies per week in addition to the 100 million from Panama. And then we outfitted an additional Mexican facility in Matapa for another 100 million,” said Rollins.

    Sec. Rollins at House Ag hearing 3:07

    In the meantime, Rollins says they will be focused on trapping, surveillance, and treatment. She participated in a press call with USDA and state officials on immediate actions being taken.

    “We have a unified incident command team with the Texas Animal Health Commission and have deployed APHIS as of yesterday immediately down to the area. We’ve established a 20 kilometer control area, a zone around the detection and implement quarantines, movement controls and surveillance in this area. We’ve expedited the targeted release of millions of sterile new world screw worm flies by immediately deploying 4 million as of yesterday, ground release chambers in the area in addition to the 4 million sterile flies per week already being released aerially in the area,” said Rollins.

    She was joined Dudley Hoskins, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs; and APHIS Associate Administrator/NWS Directorate Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer; as well as Dr. Bud Dinges, Texas Animal Health Commission Executive Director. Listen to their comments below.

    USDA NWS press update 21:49

    Animal Agriculture, Animal Health, Audio, USDA