Don E. Funk, fourth generation seedsman and grandson of seed industry pioneer, Edward J. Funk, died June 9, 2022.
At age 25, Don assumed the role of President of the family business, Edward J. Funk & Sons, and turned it into a regional powerhouse. It was later purchased by British Petroleum. In 1999, Don formed a new company, Channel Bio Corp. Under his leadership, Channel created both record setting sales growth as well as an incredible culture, the likes of which the industry had never seen. Now owned by Bayer, Channel is one of the major providers of corn and soybean seed to the U.S. market.
While he viewed himself first and foremost as a plant breeder, Don was a prolific sales and marketing innovator, establishing programs widely copied by competitors and now industry standards. To name a few: Don guided over 40,000 agriculturalists to every corner of the world through his famed Funseekers incentive travel program. He hosted thousands of farmers around the campfire at his beloved lodge in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In the 1980s, Don launched Agromatch, the first computer-based, algorithmic customer seed selection tool, preceding the industry by more than two decades. With British Petroleum, Don established an international biotechnology think tank and research center in Ascot, England, which played an instrumental role in spurring the coming focus of biotechnology in the seed industry.
Beyond marketing innovation or seed performance, Don’s true passion was the connection he shared with the people for which he cared deeply: American farm families and agriculturalists. A smile and a handshake, Don’s signature offering to customers, conveyed his appreciation for those who propelled his companies’ growth. He often said his goal wasn’t to be a farmer’s highest yielding seed, but rather the person who helped them send their kids to college.
At a time when most would slow down, Don put his foot to the pedal. An unwavering optimist, Don re-acquired and re-launched the brands Midwest Seed Genetics and NC+ to provide American row crop farmers a true choice, independent of the ever-growing corporatization of the seed industry. His driving mission was to establish a team focused on earning the partnership, season after season, of progressive farmers and the agriculturalists who serve them. The sustained, record-setting growth of the three brands is a testament that Don’s relationship-based approach remains valued and vital.
Don was a committed friend to the incredibly wide network of people who came into his orbit, be it near his hometown of Kentland, Indiana, his residence in Chicago, his lodge at Lake Gogebic, or across the roads and fields of the Midwest. His impact on the thousands of people who worked for him and with him for more than five decades is undeniable. Don was a dedicated philanthropist, giving generously to several initiatives ranging from health care to the arts to rural issues. He did so without seeking personal recognition. He was a devoted sportsman, most comfortable in the woods with his beloved dogs flushing birds around him.
Above all, Don was a loving and beloved husband to his wife Abby, father to Matt (Marcy), Dan (Grith), Katya (Mike) and Luke, and grandfather to William, Isla, Jens, Stella, True, and Sasha.
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30-Year Mortgage Rate Continues to Rise! The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage rose +10 basis points to 6.28% Tuesday, according to Mortgage News Daily. The rate was 5.55% one week ago. Rising rates and low inventory have caused home sales have fallen for six straight months, according to the National Association of Realtors. Higher home prices and rates have together crushed home affordability. For instance, on a $400,000 home, with a 20% down payment, the monthly mortgage payment went from $1,399 at the start of January to $1,976 today, a difference of $577. That does not include homeowners insurance nor property taxes. It also does not include the fact that the home is about 20% more expensive than it was a year ago. (Source: CNBC)
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THE 2022 ASTA LEADERSHIP SUMMIT IS NOW OPEN FOR REGISTRATION! |
LEADERSHIP SUMMIT DATES ARE JUNE 25-29 IN INDIANAPOLIS
It's clear that after two years of pandemic turmoil, the world in general will be forever changed. As we work to define the "next normal" for our lives, the changes impacting the seed industry in the years ahead are something we need to prepare for now. The future we face requires leadership for so many aspects of your business, from navigating changing technology, to global market volatility, to sustainability, to political and workforce changes and so much more. Do you feel prepared?
In 2022, the NEW ASTA Leadership Summit will bring our brand new, future-focused educational program to Indianapolis, home to so many of our member companies, offering both in-person and virtual options for seed industry professionals. We will also unveil a new awards program highlighting the best examples of seed business leadership to inspire us all to step up and forge the road ahead for our industry.
Make plans now to send your team this June to a training and development opportunity that your company will benefit from for years to come. The connections made at the ASTA Leadership Summit, as well as the seed industry-focused, forward-facing education your colleagues will gain, will have a lasting impact on the future of your company and the future of the entire seed industry.
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Send us your events to be added!
AOSCA ANNUAL MEETING
June 19-22, 2022
Wenatchee, WA
ASTA LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
JUNE 25-29, 2022
GENETIC FIELD DAYS
TBD
FARM PROGRESS SHOW
AUGUST 30-SEPTEMBER 1, 2022
BOONE, IA
HUSKER HARVEST DAYS
SEPTEMBER 13-15, 2022
WOOD RIVER, NE
WESTERN SEED CONVENTION
OCTOBER 30, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO
ASTA FARM AND LAWN CONFERENCE
NOVEMBER 2, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FARM BROADCASTERS
NOVEMBER 16-18, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO
ASTA CSS
DECEMBER 5-9, 2022
CHICAGO, IL
34TH IPSA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
JANUARY 23-27, 2023
TUCSON, AZ
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34th IPSA Annual Conference Keynote Speakers Announced |
"Be strong enough to stand alone, be yourself enough to stand apart, but be wise enough to stand together when the times comes."
We will be welcoming some amazing speakers at our 34th Annual Conference! We are pleased to have Peter Zeihan back, he is a fan favorite of IPSA Members as a strategist, thinker, futurist and a critically acclaimed author whose first three books — The Accidental Superpower, The Absent Superpower and Disunited Nations — have been recommended by Mitt Romney, Fareed Zakaria and Ian Bremmer. Peter has a keen eye toward what will drive tomorrow’s headlines, his irreverent approach transforms topics that are normally dense and heavy into accessible, relevant takeaways for audiences of all types.
Peter’s fourth book, The End of the World is Just the Beginning: Mapping the Collapse of Globalization, becomes available THIS month.
In addition to Peter, we will have Paul Mobley. Paul Mobley is an award-winning photographer who has traveled the world to capture and celebrate humanity. His early training began at Detroit’s Center for Creative Studies, and continued in the New York studios of such leading photographers as Annie Leibovitz and David Langley, where he apprenticed for many years before embarking on his own career. In 2005, Paul set out to capture everyday heroes through the world. From Farmers and ranchers, to medical doctors giving of their time to help in Haiti, to former POW’s, to teachers, to firefighters who braved the towers in New York City on 9/11. While showing photographs, Paul will tell the stories behind the pictures of America’s unsung heroes; the men and women who put food on our table. His stories remind us what it means to live with simplicity, and decency in a world that so often forgets.
Finally, we will welcome Col. Nicole Malachowski - who is a leader, a combat veteran, the first woman pilot on the Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron, a White House Fellow, and an inductee into both the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame – she even has a Star Trek Federation starship named after her, the USS Malachowski (NCC-1619). Nicole’s distinguished 21-year Air Force career exceeded her wildest dreams. But the dream came to an end when a devastating tick-borne illness left her struggling greatly to speak or walk for almost nine months. An indomitable spirit, Nicole fought back against overwhelming odds and prevailed. Drawing on stories from her career and personal life, Nicole inspires audiences to rethink the challenges they face every day. She urges them to go beyond resilience and become resurgent. Nicole’s empowers people with three key beliefs: failure and risk is the price of entry for achieving something great; sometimes you need to yield to overcome; and her personal mantra – “Nobody wants to lead a scripted life.”
We are very excited to welcome these keynote speakers to Tucson with us, along with many educational breakouts - it will be a memorable conference - keep an eye out for registration opening late this Summer!
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SCOTUS Takes No Action on Bayer Glyphosate Suits |
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday took no action on Bayer AG's bid to dismiss legal claims by customers who contend its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer as the German company seeks to avoid potentially billions of dollars in damages. The case was not mentioned on a list issued by the court on Monday as it decided on whether to hear pending appeals, raising at least the possibility that the justices are considering hearing it. Bayer has asked the justices to take up its appeal of a lower court decision that upheld $25 million in damages awarded to California resident Edwin Hardeman, a Roundup user who blamed his cancer on the pharmaceutical and chemical giant's glyphosate-based weedkillers. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration in May urged the court not to hear the Bayer appeal, reversing the government's position previously taken under former President Donald Trump. Bayer has said it should not be penalized for marketing a product deemed safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and on which the EPA would not allow a cancer warning to be printed. Read more at Reuters.
Key Factors That Influence Gas Prices: Across the United States, the cost of gas has been a hot topic of conversation lately, as prices reach record-breaking highs. The graphic below, using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), outlines the main components that influence gas prices, providing each factor’s proportional impact on price. More than half the cost of filling your tank is influenced by the price of crude oil. Meanwhile, the rest of the price at the pump is split fairly equally between refining costs, marketing and distribution, and taxes. The U.S. has hundreds of refineries across the country. The country’s largest refinery, owned by the Saudi Arabian company Saudi Aramco, processes around 607,000 barrels of oil per day. In general, refining capacity in the U.S. has not been keeping up with oil demand. Several refineries shut down throughout the pandemic, but even before COVID-19, refining capacity in the U.S. was lagging behind demand. Incredibly, there haven’t been any brand-new refining facilities built in the country since 1977. More details and a larger version of the graphic are HERE.
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New Bill Wants to Ban Mergers in Ag and Food Sectors |
Link - Amidst rising food prices and record profit reports by many agribusiness corporations this year, a group of Democratic Senators and Representatives announced new legislation last week that would place an indefinite moratorium on acquisitions and mergers within agriculture and food industries.
“Corporate profiteering and out-of-control consolidation by big agricultural firms have led to increased prices at every point on the food chain, from the farm to the grocery store,” said Representative Mark Pocan (D., WI—2nd) in a statement announcing the legislation. “Congress must do more to help local farmers be competitive while providing greater market transparency to the American consumer.”
The legislation is welcomed by several farmers and ranchers contacted by the Daily Yonder for comment.
“The Agribusiness Merger Moratorium Act would give those of us trying to build a better food system hope that some in Congress have seen how corporate monopolies, from seed to grocery store, are making it impossible to keep family farmers on the land,” said Chelsea Davis, a Callaway County, Missouri, farmer and Chief Operating Officer of The Root Cellar, a Mid-Missouri local food hub.
Davis said that if we want our food system to be more sustainable and resilient, we have to make policy choices that would stop further monopolization at every stage of the supply chain.
“These huge corporations don’t care about our rural or urban communities, our streams, and our rivers, or being good neighbors,” she said. “I just hope Congress and the President will act quickly because too many family farmers are running out of time.”
Greg Gunthorp, who farms and operates a meatpacking plant in LaGrange, Indiana, also supports the bill. “It’s a tragedy for our farming communities, but antitrust enforcement has been on vacation since the 1970s. Corporate agribusiness has been given a free rein from our political leaders in both parties to run over us with anti-competitive practices and predatory pricing,” he said.
“We need a merger moratorium right now because Congress and the Department haven’t done their jobs,” Gunthorp said. “It’s a new day for us now, it’s high time as a society that we do more than talk about the corporate takeover of agriculture. We’ve got to quit giving preferential treatment to big corporations and tilt the table toward us, local food farmers.”
The bill was also announced in response to a nationwide shortage of infant formula, according to the sponsors.
Four companies –Abbott, Reckitt Benckiser, Nestle, and Perrigo–account for nearly all infant formula sales in the U.S. Earlier this year, Abbott closed a factory and recalled several brands of formula causing the recent panic. The crisis is impacting low-income and working-class families the most, particularly those who rely on federal nutrition programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
“Today, too many middle-class families, farmers, and food workers struggle to make ends meet. Establishing a moratorium on agribusiness mergers will protect our farms and farmers while ensuring consumers continue to enjoy variety on supermarket shelves,” Representative Pocan said.
Addressing corporate power in agriculture has been a major focus for many Democrats since 2021. A White House analysis on concentration in the beef, pork, and chicken industry states that four firms control approximately 55-85% of the market for these food products.
“That reflects dramatic consolidation of the industry over the last five decades, as the large conglomerates have absorbed more and more smaller processors. In 1977, the largest four beef-packing firms controlled just 25% of the market, compared to 82% today,” according to the analysis. “In poultry, the top four processing firms controlled 35% of the market in 1986, compared to 54% today. And in pork, the top four hog-processing firms controlled 33% of the market in 1976, compared to 66% today.”
Some farmers and ranchers believe the corporate agricultural system is also a primary driver of environmental impacts, and that creating more open and competitive markets could help to deliver better practices.
“A more competitive and regional market for beef cattle would not only pay fair prices but more directly reward ranchers for using their herds to enhance their land rather than degrade it,” said Ariel Greenwood, who manages thousands of cattle seasonally in New Mexico and Montana, “Multiply this positive impact across the millions of acres of grazed land in the US and the implications for restoring declining plant and wildlife communities is tremendous.”
Greenwood said that while corporate-controlled beef markets do damage rural economies, the ecological impacts of corporate consolidation are sometimes not understood. “Simply put, ranchers who are strapped for cash have a much harder time making management decisions that support the long-term health of their land when the economic dragon is breathing down their neck,” she said. “This shows up in the quality of their forage–pastures tend to be either underutilized or overgrazed and grow less diverse,” with impacts being most significant in riparian areas along creeks, streams, and rivers.
Advocates for reforming corporate power in agriculture through legislation also emphasized the need for urgent action.
“Talk is cheap,” Gunthorp said. “I just think everyone now realizes that there are many essential industries in our lives. From lumber to protective/medical equipment to food and to baby formula, we’ve got real-world examples of corporate control taking their toll. We need to act now while there’s an understanding–an expectation, really—that our government should get to work for us people instead of looking out for the corporate CEOS and big money.”
The Senate companion legislation is co-sponsored by Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jon Tester (D-MT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA). Both the Senate and House versions have been referred to the Agriculture and Judiciary Committees for consideration.
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New Benefits for IPSA Members |
We know that employee retention is a real crisis in today's world... so we have found a solution that benefits both your business and your employees!
For more info - email cat@ipseed.org
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American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) offers new resource for locating local, professionally-produced environmental, conservation and cover crop seed |
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) has launched a newly-redesigned, updated guide that allows farmers, land owners and others to easily locate and contact professional seed suppliers for quality environmental, conservation, and cover crop seed. The interactive Conservation, Environmental, and Cover Crop Seed Resource Guide allows buyers to find lists of specific seed types by geographic location to support production and sustainability goals.
"It’s important to always buy seed from a professional seed dealer," said ASTA President & CEO Andy LaVigne. "Professionally produced and processed seed is designed to help farmers achieve success through managing the use of the right seed, at the right place, at the right time. It has been selected, harvested, cleaned, analyzed, processed and packaged for performance; and it has been tested for purity and germination. All of this helps ensure you get the best quality seed to meet your production and sustainability goals, while minimizing the presence of invasive and other weeds."
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A special thank you to all our members! |
Todd L. Martin, CEO
Independent Professional Seed Association
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