March 1 , 2018
WHITE
A five-minute summary of AAI, regulation, and industry activities for members of the largest state agribusiness association in the nation.
In This Issue
AAI IN ACTION
 
DOT Provides Clarity at Agronomy Meeting 

Ammonia tank transport and Commercial Driver's Licensing garnered extensive discussion at the Agronomy Committee meeting on Wednesday. Invited to the meeting were officials from the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration.

Questions about anhydrous ammonia tank transport in Iowa were fielded by Captain Dean House, IDOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement. Questions about proper lighting and markings were addressed and additional questions about vehicle regulations were discussed. With field work impending, Captain House will be updating an information sheet available to AAI for distribution to members later this month. He will also work to make some additional short format information resources available as the spring progresses.

Also in attendance was Tony Batcheller, FMCSA, to discuss electronic logging and some of the nuances and challenges of electronic logging. Of particular note were the exemptions for agricultural operations, the limitations of the exemptions, and the distinction between rules that apply to inter- and intra-state operation.

In addition to the discussion of regulations, Craig Dick with Cropstream provided a presentation on the Cropstream software tool, a free operations information sharing tool for farmers, land owners, retailers, and others in the ag industry.

Court Puts Halt on "Misleading" Label for Glyphosate

In a major win for agriculture, the Ninth District Federal Court in California granted an injunction which stops the labeling requirement for glyphosate products in California.

AAI was the first to join a lawsuit filed last fall by a coalition of agricultural groups and companies asserting California's Proposition 65 labeling for glyphosate is unconstitutional. The lawsuit asserts the labeling is government compelled speech that violates the first amendment because the companies would be forced to make false, misleading, and highly controversial statements about their products.

Under California's Proposition 65, glyphosate was listed as "a chemical known to the state of California to cause cancer" in July of 2017. Prop 65 requires products to be labeled as causing cancer beginning 12 months after being added to California's list of known carcinogens.

The injunction stops the labeling requirement until the conclusion of the lawsuit. The case is expected to go to trial later this year.

Breakfast attendees at the Agribusiness Showcase & Conference heard about the lawsuit earlier this month when lead attorney Catherine Hanaway of Husch Blackwell provided a progress update.


Related Articles: 
Announcement: 2018 Summer Golf Tournaments Dates and Locations


Our golf tournaments are a great way to network and grow your connections in the agribusiness community.  We host four golf tournaments in the state of Iowa, two in July, one in August, and one in September. Save these dates!
  • July 24 | Fox Ridge Golf Course - Dike
  • July 25 | Emerald Hills Golf Course - Arnolds Park
  • August 9 | The Legacy Golf Club - Des Moines
  • September 13 | TBD
IN THE NEWS
 
Northey: Senate Confirmation For USDA Under Secretary Post

by: Radio Iowa
The U.S. Senate took a voice vote today and approved Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey for a top job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Northey has been Iowa's secretary of agriculture for 11 years. He called it "the honor of a lifetime" to serve in that role. Details on Northey's swearing in for his new post are not yet available. He'll be the under secretary in charge of USDA crop programs. Read More

Related Articles: 

Naig Appointed as Iowa Secretary of Ag by Governor


Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on Thursday she will name Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Deputy Secretary Mike Naig as the new Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, citing a commitment to continuity and stability. Naig will become Secretary of Agriculture upon Bill Northey's resignation. He will serve the remainder of Northey's term.

"Mike Naig has been a dependable deputy for Bill Northey, serving since September 2013," Gov. Reynolds said. "He has gained the experience, knowledge and staff connections necessary to complete Bill's term through January 2019. I am pleased Mike has stepped up to serve his fellow Iowans in this elevated role."

Northey was confirmed on Tuesday by the U.S. Senate to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The timing for the formal transition is still being finalized and will be announced at a later date. 

"I want to thank Governor Reynolds for giving me this opportunity.  I am excited to work with the Governor and her administration to continue our efforts to support our state's dynamic agriculture industry," said Naig. 

"We are pleased with the Governor's appointment of Mike Naig as Iowa's next Secretary of Agriculture and that the Governor is moving quickly to assure continuity at IDALS. As Secretary Northey moves to the USDA, we know Naig will do a good job in his new role and will continue the great relationship AAI has with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship," said Joel Brinkmeyer, AAI CEO.

Read full IDALS release here
ADM, Cargill Announce Soybean Joint Venture in Egypt
by: Reuters 

Archer Daniels Midland ( ADM.N ) has agreed to form a soybean joint venture in Egypt with fellow U.S. agricultural merchant Cargill [CARGIL.UL] to take advantage of strong demand for edible oil and livestock feed.  The agreement will give ADM joint ownership of Cargill's soy crushing facility in Borg Al-Arab on the Mediterranean coast, the companies said in a statement on Monday.  A source close to the deal had earlier told Reuters that the firms would be establishing an oilseed joint venture in Egypt. Read More

Save the Date: 2018 4R Summit Will Be Held June 11-12 in Des Moines

Mark your calendars! The 2018 4R Summit will be held June 11-12 at the Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. As the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program continues to grow, the Summit provides opportunities to learn more about the 4Rs and hear how stakeholders across the country are implementing the 4R principles.

Attendees will hear from speakers about in-field implementation of the 4R principles, linkages to cover crops and soil health, agribusiness involvement, government- and non-governmental organization-supported initiatives, and research results assessing 4R effects on productivity, profitability, and reduced loss from the field. The agenda will feature concurrent breakout sessions, offering participants a choice of speakers and topics. Read More

DowDuPont Agriculture Division To Become Corteva Agriscience
by: PR News Wire

The Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™ (NYSE: DWDP) today announced the name of the intended company once it is spun-off, which is expected to happen by June 1, 2019. The intended Agriculture company will become Corteva Agriscience™ ( kohr-'teh-vah), which is derived from a combination of words meaning "heart" and "nature".

Corteva Agriscience brings together DuPont Crop Protection, DuPont Pioneer and Dow AgroSciences to create a market-shaping, standalone agriculture company with leading positions in Seed Technologies, Crop Protection and Digital Agriculture. Read More

Hill: Steering A Path Back To Stable Trade for Iowa

Here in Iowa, where every third row of corn and soybeans are exported and trade with overseas markets add about $53 per animal to each pig and $287 per beef cow, it's easy to see how trade keeps Iowa farmers afloat during raging tides of bad weather and low market pricing.

While international trade and access to global markets is essential for Iowa agriculture to prosper, it's also the rising tide that keeps all boats afloat for Iowans, even if they don't grow crops or raise livestock. Agriculture accounts for one out of every five jobs in the state. Read More

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MEETINGS & EVENTS
Dicamba/auxin training sessions can be found at:
Upcoming Events
& Meeting
Agribusiness Showcase & Conference Committee Meeting 
10:00 AM
March 20
AAI Board Room

AAI Executive Committee Meeting
10:00 AM 
April 10
AAI Board Room

AAI Board Meeting
10:00 AM
April 17
AAI Board Room

AAI Golf Tournament #1
Co-host: AGP
TBD
July 24
Fox Ridge Golf Course
Dike, IA

AAI Golf Tournament #2
Co-host: AGP
TBD
July 25
Emerald Hills Golf Course
Arnolds Park, IA

AAI Golf Tournament #3
Co-host: USA
Shotgun Start: 10AM
August 9
Des Moines, IA
Thank You!
2018 ASC Sponsors

TITLE
CF Industries - 4R Plus
 
PRESENTING
Monsanto
Iowa CCA Program

EMERALD
AGP
Davis Equipment
Farm Credit Services of America
DMACC
Alliant Energy
Calcium Products
Nutrien

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Agribusiness Association of Iowa 
515-262-8323 |   aai@agribiz.org www.agribiz.org
900 Des Moines Street |  Des Moines, IA 50309