Agri-Pulse Open Mic Interview

This week’s Open Mic guest is Steve Nicholson, Global Sector Strategist for Grains and Oilseeds with Rabobank. In this interview, Nicholson discusses the mixed signals the Federal Reserve is sifting through as it continues to battle inflation. While there improvements in the economy, Nicholson says higher rates impact capital intensive businesses like transportation and agriculture. He says farmers need clear answers on risk management tools a new farm bill should provide.

This weeks Open Mic Guest is Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.  The H5N1 virus in dairy cattle has presented yet another challenge for the dairy industry.  Doud says extensive testing by FDA confirms the pasteurization process is effective in keeping milk and dairy products safe for consumers.  Doud says USDA now believes the disease is being spread between dairy farms by mechanical means.  The industry is monitoring existing protocols and closing gaps that may have led to the disease spread to a number of dairy states in the nation. Doud also comments on Federal Milk Marketing Order reform and a USDA proposal that will be released soon, and he also talks about the House Ag Committee’s farm bill proposal.

This week’s Open Mic guest is Dan Halstrom, President and CEO of the US Meat Export Federation. While the USDA is forecasting an even larger agriculture trade deficit this year, meat export sales are an exception to the rule. Halstrom says despite a strong dollar pork exports are up in both volume and value. Despite shorter beef supplies, Halstrom says global demand is still robust. Red meat export sales are providing a positive return on investment in federal promotion dollars but Halstrom says there are headwinds the industry still must overcome.

This week’s Open Mic guest is Chandler Goule, CEO of the National Association of Wheat Growers. He has served in the halls of Congress and for the nation’s crop farmers over his extensive career in Washington.  Goule says failure to enact a new farm bill will only heap greater challenges on policy writers in 2025 and leave farmers with a policy that does not accurately reflect the financial risks producers face. Goule says the nation is losing wheat acres and growers to other crops that benefit from both advanced genetics and demand from new uses. NAWG supports crops for renewable fuels, but says unintended consequences from trade, farm policy and research could lead to dire and unintended consequences for the nation’s number one food grain and its growers.

This week’s Open Mic guest is Chuck Conner, President and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. A veteran of 9 farm bills, Conner's been on the markup side of policy on the Hill and the implementation side at USDA. Conner notes most of the bill’s debate on the House Ag Committee was more about nutrition programs than the farm safety net, but real differences remain between key players and should be worked out as the bill advances. He also discusses actions to address California's Prop. 12 and the adverse impacts on those least able to afford higher food prices.

This week’s Open Mic guest is Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. The nation’s rural cooperatives are being pushed to increase base load capacity to meet growing demand from businesses and computer storage facilities. But at the same time, new emission standards by the Environmental Protection Agency threaten the existence of generating plants providing electric service to more than 42 million Americans in 48 states. Matheson says as much as 80% of the power used by cooperatives comes from fossil fuels, including both natural gas and coal, and NRECA is pursuing litigation to stay and overturn the EPA’s new rules.

This week’s Open Mic guest is Kailee Tkacz Buller, President and CEO of the National Oilseed Processors Association. The nation’s oilseed processing industry has rapidly been expanding capacity to meet growing demand for their products. Many new plants have been built, others are under construction and additional processing capacity could be added pending public policy decisions. Buller says renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel hold tremendous opportunities for further oilseed industry expansion. Buller hopes 40Z tax credit rules will include more acceptable climate smart production practices and less bundling. NOPA opposes policies that place caps on vegetable oil capacity and encourage imports of used cooking oil from foreign countries.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Bill Hurley, Vice President of Global Government Affairs for AGCO Corporation and Chairman of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Agriculture Sector Board.  This week “A Celebration of Modern Agriculture” returns to the National Mall in Washington D.C. The event features a display of the technology in farm machinery that’s helping to feed and fuel a growing global population. Exhibiting companies will share how advanced technology is helping farmers not only increase production but also protect the environment  with improved sustainability.  Hurley says technology enables farmers to apply precision practices to individual plants in a field.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Dr. Frank Mitloehner, a professor and air quality specialist at UC Davis who also leads the CLEAR Center, concentrating on research and communications. He has been helping the global community better understand the positive impact of livestock on marginal farmlands and opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the use of dairy digestors and feed additives. Mitloehner wants people to make informed decisions about the foods we eat, while reducing environmental impacts.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Beth Ellikidis, Vice President, Agriculture and Environment for the Biotechnology Innovation Organization. The Biden administration recently announced its Bioeconomy Board, creating new products and services to boost the U.S. economy and workforce and enhance our quality of life and the environment. Ellikidis says BIO’s goal is simply to advocate for the possible. She sees products that will improve agriculture productivity while at the same time lessen the industry’s environmental footprint. Ellikidis says the nation’s regulatory structure is strained to keep up with scientific advancements provided by fast-moving private industry research.