A five-minute summary of AAI, regulation, and industry activities for members of the largest state agribusiness association in the nation. | |
Iowa Nitrogen Initiative Regional Meetings | |
Farmers, crop advisors, custom fertilizer applicators, and others involved in crop production are invited to attend the 2023 Iowa Nitrogen Initiative Winter Meetings. Hear about the 2022 trials and learn how to participate in 2023.
Meetings begin at noon with free lunch. Remaining dates and locations:
- Friday, February 24: Washington County Extension, Washington
- Wednesday, March 8: AgState, Albert City (rescheduled from Feb. 22)
For more information and to RSVP visit:
Iowa Nitrogen Initiative Winter Meeting RSVP (google.com)
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Bulk Pesticide Inspection Program Webinar | |
The American Agronomic Stewardship Alliance (AASA) is hosting a 30-minute webinar on March 2, 2023 from 10-10:30 AM Central Time. In the webinar, Jean Payne and Dave Powers from AASA will review the AASA bulk pesticide facility inspection program and the key USEPA requirements for bulk pesticide containment, transfer areas, repackaging and labeling, and share the resources available for in-depth understanding of the rules governing bulk pesticides. Ag retailers, industry EHS personnel and crop protection salespersons are the target audience.
To register for the webinar go to AASA's website at www.aginspect.com
This webinar offers .5 CEU in Integrated Pest Management. If you cannot attend the webinar live, it will be recorded and posted at the AASA website.
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Membership Director Making Move To New Opportunities | |
After more than eleven years of working as Membership Director at the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, Reilly Vaughan has announced he will resign his position to pursue farming full-time. His last day at AAI will be Friday, March 3, 2023.
Vaughan has been an integral part of AAI serving as the friendly face and voice of AAI at golf outings, Showcase, training sessions, and hosts of other events and meetings he has been involved with during the past decade plus. His contributions and dedication to AAI are greatly appreciated. Though we are saddened by the departure of Vaughan, we wish him all the best in his next pursuit, and hope to still see him around future agribusiness events!
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Registration Open For AAI Spring Grain Grading Workshops | |
Grain Grading Workshops
March 28 & 29 - 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Registration Fees:
AAI Member - $130
Non-Member - $155
Location:
Ziegler CAT
1500 Ziegler Drive NW
Altoona, Iowa 50009
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This one-day hands-on workshop will feature the latest information on grain quality. The Grain Grading workshop will address and display many different grain samples but will emphasize corn and soybeans. Presentations on the grading and appeal process will be given. Participants will learn what the official U.S. grades are and how to obtain a representative sample. Attendees will also learn how to recognize major grain damage factors.
Workshop registrants will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. The same workshop is held on both days, so participants only need to attend one session.
The workshop is under the direction of Federal Grain Inspection Service inspectors from the National Grain Center.
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Recognitions, Speakers Create Unique and Memorable 2023 Showcase Experience | |
The 2023 Agribusiness Showcase & Conference concluded on February 15 after two days of amazing interactions among ag professionals, a wide variety of learning opportunities, and new insights from government and industry leaders.
Joan O'Brien Recognition
In addition to the great food, auction, and trade show floor discussions of the all industry reception on Tuesday evening, CFO Joan O'Brien was recognized for her contributions to the industry as she begins her partial retirement from AAI.
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Guest Speakers
The Showcase featured a high powered list of speakers including Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Iowa Department of Transportation Director Scott Marler, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon,
Iowa Department of Revenue and Iowa Department of Management Director Kraig Paulsen, Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham, Grain Bureau Chief Jim Kennedy, EPA Region 7 Ag Advisor Doug Jones, IDALS Pesticide Bureau Chief Gretchen Paluch, in additional to industry leaders and topical experts from agribusiness companies.
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Next Showcase - February 2024
We look forward to seeing everyone next year, in February of 2024, for an even better and more engaging event.
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The following list of members have recently completed their membership investment for 2023.
Thank you for your membership!
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- CF Industries
- Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC
- ViaField
- Smith Fertilizer & Grain Company, Inc.
- Victor Oil, Inc.
- Koch Fertilizer, LLC
- Grain Service Corp
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- Willmar Fabrication, LLC
- Quality Ag Service of Iowa, Inc.
- CHS
- Agri-Tech Aviation, Inc.
- Kahler Automation
- Pivot Bio, Inc.
- ADM Fertilizer
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March 3
Membership Committee Meeting
3:00 PM | AAI Main Office Board Room
March 21
Agronomy Committee & Environment Committee
Joint Meeting
10:00 AM | AAI Main Office Board Room
March 28 & 29
Grain Grading Workshops
Ziegler CAT - Altoona, Iowa
Registration Opens February 23
April 6
AAI Board of Directors Meeting
10:00 AM | AAI Main Office Board Room
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WATCH THE AGRIBUSINESS REPORT | |
Cover Crop Workshop March 28 in West Union | |
Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises (C-CHANGE), will host a cover crop workshop on Tuesday, March 28 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the West Union Event Center. Farmers and landowners are welcome to attend the free event, which includes a complimentary meal catered by the West Union Event Center.
The discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Jacqueline Comito, Iowa Learning Farms program director, Dr. Matt Helmers, Iowa Nutrient Research Center director, and Dr. Mark Licht, associate professor and extension cropping systems specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Liz Ripley, Iowa Learning Farms conservation and cover crop outreach specialist.
Reservations are required to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.
Click for Full Details
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Source: Progressive Grocer
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A recent study on cage-free egg production has identified such barriers to adoption as huge challenges related to costs and construction, an ongoing lack of consumer demand, and rising concern about unintended consequences related to operations and financing. Conducted last year by a team of researchers from Michigan State University, with collaboration from Kansas State University and Purdue University, the study was funded by the FMI Foundation, United Egg Producers (UEP) and United Egg Association.
Among the study’s consumer-related findings:
- More than half of consumers (56%) don’t know whether their grocery store has made a cage-free egg pledge, and only 19% think their store has made such a pledge.
- There are segments of consumers willing to pay considerable premiums for cage-free eggs, but the largest segment (representing 55% of consumers) is mainly motivated by price and doesn’t discriminate between cage and cage-free eggs.
- If conventional eggs are removed from the market, and prices remain unchanged, the share of consumers opting not to buy eggs will increase by 20%.
[...] Read Full Story
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering loosening restrictions on its apprenticeship pilot program for 18-20-year-old drivers to allow them in the program without holding a CDL.
A CDL is currently one of the prerequisites for younger drivers looking to be trained by a carrier under the FMCSA’s Safe Driver Apprenticeship Pilot (SDAP), a program created as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was signed into law in 2021.
However, a recent request from less-than-truckload specialist Pitt Ohio asking that the CDL restriction be lifted for its trainee drivers has prompted FMCSA to consider lifting the restriction for all carriers that are in or want to register for the program.
“If granted, Pitt Ohio believes it would have less difficulty recruiting drivers to participate in the program,” according to a notice the agency plans to publish on Thursday.
“FMCSA also seeks comment on whether this exemption should be limited to Pitt Ohio, or whether it should be drafted to apply to any SDAP program participating motor carrier that is currently listed as a certified training provider for purposes of the [regulations], or that enters into a partnership with a certified training provider.”
FMCSA states in the notice that granting the Pittsburgh, Ohio-based company an exemption of the CDL requirement would allow the company to use commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders in the SDAP program.
[...] Read Full Story
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Source: DTN Progressive Farmer
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Farmers are turning out in droves in the federal court system to file class-action lawsuits against Syngenta, Corteva, CHS Inc., Nutrien, BASF and others, alleging the farmers suffered financial losses as a result of the companies paying distributors to block competitors from selling less-expensive generic crop protection products.
As of Thursday, at least 26 lawsuits have been filed by individual farmers and farms. Those lawsuits were transferred or are in the process of being transferred from federal courts in Indiana, Illinois and Mississippi to the U.S. District Court for the District of Middle North Carolina, including five on Wednesday.
The court has scheduled a status conference for April 6 in Winston-Salem, as the beginning of what usually is a years-long process for class-action lawsuits.
Farmers started lining up to cash in after the Federal Trade Commission and attorneys general from California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit alleging the companies violated the Sherman Act and its antimonopoly provisions.
Syngenta and Corteva recently filed motions to dismiss the FTC and states' lawsuit. In filing the motions, the companies defended the legality of the loyalty programs at the center of the lawsuits. Earlier this week, the court gave the companies until March 3 to file additional documents on the motion.
[...] Read Full Story
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A reported case of mad cow disease, (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) has halted the export of Brazilian beef to China. The disease was confirmed in the country’s northern state — Para — by the state’s agricultural defense agency.
“The symptomatology indicates that it is the atypical form of the disease, which appears spontaneously in nature, causing no risk of dissemination to the herd and to humans,” wrote the agency in a statement.
Reports indicate that the diagnosed animal was located on a property with 160 head of cattle. Samples have been sent for further testing to the World Organization for Animal Health lab in Alberta, Canada for further testing.
According to Reuters, the export suspension is part of an animal health pact agreed on between the countries, and will likely be a temporary measure.
Brazilian minister Carlos Favaro said, “All measures are being taken immediately at each stage of the investigation and the matter is being handled with total transparency to guarantee Brazilian and global consumers the recognized quality of our meat.”
This isn’t the first time that Brazilian exports have been shut down due to mad cow disease. In 2021, two cases of atypical mad cow disease occurred in the country — it took China three months to lift an export ban after those cases.
Cepea reports that China accounts for over 50 percent of the country’s beef exports, so the measure will undoubtedly come as a blow to Brazilian producers.
[...] Read Full Story
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THE AGRIBUSINESS REPORT
Follow host David Geiger on Twitter:
@geigerreports
Watch daily broadcast live:
KCRG-TV Cedar Rapids
WHO-TV Des Moines
KYOU-TV Ottumwa
Watch online any time:
https://agribiz.org/report
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