North American Ag Spotlight: Agriculture & Farming News and Views

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Leslie Janecka, Coordinator for The Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI) program. They discuss some of the many options that today's youth have when it comes to a career in farm management & the thoroughbred industry.

The Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI) program coordinates internships for college students with Central Kentucky horse farms to introduce these students to the broad scope of the industry and the multitude of job opportunities within the industry.

Born in Dallas, Texas with degrees in Animal Science and Agricultural Science from Texas A&M University and graduate work in Reproductive Physiology at Texas Tech University, Leslie managed a full-service Thoroughbred breeding, training, sales prep & racing farm in Fort Worth, prior to accepting the position as Coordinator of KEMI in 2001.

Learn more about the Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI) program at https://kemi.org/

#farm #farming #thoroughbredracing

North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com

This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage.
Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com

Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Introducing FarmNewsDaily.com - your source for agriculture news!

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak sits down with Gwendoline Legrand of FIRA USA to hear about the highlights of this year's conference. Building on the success of last year's show, Gwen talks about the venue change, the live robotics and autonomous machinery demos, and the topics to be covered my speakers and panelists throughout the three day event.

Since 2016, FIRA has  established itself as the leading event for professionals in the agricultural robotics sector. Launched and organized since then by Naïo Technologies, FIRA is now carried out by the association GOFAR – Global Organization for Agricultural Robotics. An independent organization emerged to make the voice of the sector ring out and develop a promotional component that is lacking in the existing structures. This was the preamble to the creation of GOFAR in 2019 by Axema and Naïo Technologies, with the participation of RobAgri to the Executive Board as a member and the entrance of Capagro as treasorier in 2020.

The GOFAR non-profit organization undertakes to promote and develop the agricultural robotics sector at international level. Like Robagri, whose objective is to facilitate the technical development of agricultural robots, GOFAR meets the increasing need for visibility and networking of the agricultural robotics sector.

GOFAR therefore aims to organize the meeting between the relevant stakeholders, and to support them by taking an active part in the development of the agricultural robotics market, implementing a promotional campaign of international scale (organization of events, production of actions of communication and participation of trade fairs in France and abroad).

With a degree in Business Promotion, and Sustainable Development, Gwendoline has been working in agricultural robotics since 2014, as she managed the communication of a French robot manufacturer. She has always been passionate about innovation to solve environmental and social problems. By supporting the development of autonomous machines, she sincerely believes that robotics is a key to fight against climate change and reduce the drudgery of work.

Since 2016, Gwendoline co-directs FIRA with Maialen Cazenave. Gwendoline develops strong partnerships around the world to bring together an involved community of actors in the agricultural robotics value chain. FIRAs events – the Agricultural Robotics Forum - are a powerful tool that she continues to develop with enthusiasm. 

Learn more and register for FIRA USA 2023 at - https://fira-usa.com/
#agtech #farming #agriculture

North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com

This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage.
Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com

Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak speaks with St John (pronounced “Sinjin”) Craner, the founder of Agrarian, a company that helps businesses gain access to more effective sales and marketing strategies in the agribusiness space. He is an author, speaker, blogger, and podcaster. He writes for NZ Marketing, Idealog, Dairy Exporter, Farmers Weekly, and interest.co.nz. St John is also a regular Chair and speaker on the New Zealand and Australian Ag conference circuit.

St John has over 25 years of corporate sales and marketing agency experience in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand working for the likes of McCann Erickson, Young & Rubicam and Westpac. He comes from a farming family in the UK and is a Lincoln University Kellogg scholar.

His current focus is in sales coaching, helping rural companies and agribusinesses bridge the gap between sales and marketing with an emphasis on supporting the buyer’s buying process (learning to speak the buyer’s language) vs traditional, self-serving selling. Though he has mastered the rural sales space, St John’s expertise in teaching sales teams world-wide how human-centered psychology changes the selling process is universally applicable. St John has advised leading agribusiness companies such as John Deere, Vodafone, Bayer, DeLaval, DLF Seeds, Gallagher and World Wide Sires.

Agrarian is New Zealand’s most trusted rural sales and marketing training company, dedicated exclusively to the business of agribusiness. Agrarians help agribusiness grow using digital strategies, marketing campaigns, sales training, and farmer panel research. This positions them better in their marketplace to uphold margin and sell more products for more revenue to more customers more of the time.

Learn more at - https://www.agrarian.co.nz

Free How To Succeed In Rural Sales ebook - www.ruralsalessuccess.com 

Rural Sales Training Calculator - https://www.agrarian.co.nz/rural-sales-training-calculator

St. John Craner - www.linkedin.com/in/stjohncraner 

#agribusiness #ruralsales #agriculture

***
North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com

This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage.
Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com

Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Introducing FarmNewsDaily.com - your source for agriculture news!

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com

This week American Agri-Women (AAW) President Heather Hampton + Knodle joins Chrissy Wozniak to talk about their new leadership program 'AAW Road to Influence'. Heather shares her thoughts on why leadership development is critical today to the future of the agricultural industry. 

Heather Hampton + Knodle grew up working on her family’s farm near Windsor, Illinois and continues to farm with her husband Brian and their four children in Montgomery County where they grow corn, soybeans, winter wheat and black Angus cattle. Their use of technology informs their efforts to apply regenerative practices across their farm and capture data to improve management.

Heather earned her bachelors in agriculture news/editorial with emphasis in geography and economics and the equivalent of a minor in Russian language and area studies from the Univ. of Illinois, including an academic year at the University of Nottingham, England and exchange with St. Petersburg Agricultural Institute in Russia. Her masters work in post-socialist privatization was at University of Illinois Springfield as she launched her communication consulting business that quickly evolved into association management.

Heather has served as Executive Director for the Upper Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers Association and statewide organizations in Illinois as well as the volunteer President of Illinois Agri-Women. She was the founding chairman of the public-private Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation and the $250 million, 11-county bond authority Central Illinois Economic Development Authority. In her time as an elected official on the Montgomery County Board, she helped leverage $6000 in coal royalty funds into a more than $15 million privately-funded fiberoptic to the premises buildout.

She has been appointed by four governors to serve on the Illinois Governor’s Rural Affairs Council and was reappointed in 2021 by the Federal Communications Commission to serve on the Precision Agriculture Task Force and chair the Examining Current and Future Connectivity Demand Working Group. Heather also serves as Farm Journal Foundation’s Lead Farmer for Illinois to advocate for agricultural research investments and training for smallholder farmers in developing countries.

American Agri-Women are women from farms, ranches and agri-business forming a nationwide coalition of state and commodity affiliates and at-large members with a mission to provide networking and leadership development opportunities as we educate each other and the public about issues impacting our ability to feed, fuel and clothe our country and others around the world. 

Learn more about American Agri-Women at https://americanagriwomen.org/
#farm #farming #agriculture 

North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com

This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage.
Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com

Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Introducing FarmNewsDaily.com - your source for agriculture news!

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Jim Ethington, CEO of Arable about how technology is transforming how producers make educated decisions about their crops. Giving them the tools they need to increase profit and reduce wasted time and resources. 

Prior to joining Arable as CEO, Jim spent 10 years at The Climate Corporation where he was VP of Product and grew the company to 50 million paid acres and built a team from 10 to over 600 individuals. Previous to The Climate Corporation, Jim worked at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, where he led several high- profile engagements, including developing innovative financial analysis and fraud detection software products.

Arable, the leader in crop intelligence, advances digital agriculture globally. Forward-thinking agribusinesses, farming operations and food and beverage companies use Arable to be more productive, sustainable and profitable. Arable’s intuitive IoT-based solution combines reliable in-field weather, forecast, plant, soil and irrigation data with advanced modeling and machine learning to deliver real-time, actionable insights into the entire crop system. Arable helps customers in more than 30 countries optimize water use, crop protection, fertilization, field work, research trials, food supply chains and sustainability initiatives. 

Visit www.arable.com for more information.
 
#farm #farming #agriculture

North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com

This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage.
Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com

Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Introducing FarmNewsDaily.com - your source for agriculture news!

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com

This week Chrissy Wozniak speaks with Ben Burr, Executive Director of the BlueRibbon Coalition, about their opposition to the Bureau of Land Management's proposed rule to sell public land to highest bidder - called the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule.

Burr states that "this rule is problematic and should be withdrawn. At the BlueRibbon Coalition we are working to unite public land users of all types to oppose this rule for the following reasons:

First, the Bureau of Land Management doesn’t have the authority to create this rule out of administrative thin air. Only Congress, can authorize a new program like this that raises revenue for the government.

Second, this rule won’t work. I have reviewed BLM project files where the agency and high-minded conservation organizations have entered into agreements to manage land towards conservation priorities. In these cases, all parties to the agreement flagrantly neglected to uphold the terms and conditions of the agreement. If the conservation leases don’t have any teeth for non-compliance, then they could cede management control of public lands to 3rd parties at the same time the public will have few if any tools to hold the 3rd parties accountable for non-compliance.

Third, this rule is unnecessary. The BLM is already required to comply with dozens of other laws and executive orders to prioritize conservation on public lands. Scores of environmental lawsuits that get filed every year ensure that the compliance with these laws is taken seriously. Despite the statutory requirement the BLM has to manage public lands for multiple use, conservation is prioritized above all other uses on a regular basis.

Fourth, this rule could easily lead to unintended intervention into public land management by foreign governments.

As a leading national non-profit that works to protect recreation access to public land, at the BlueRibbon Coalition we are worried that this rule will be used to limit motorized recreation, dispersed camping, and all other forms of outdoor recreation on public lands. This rule will be a way for conservation organizations to create de facto wilderness, where they have failed to get Congress to make such restrictive designations. By prioritizing conservation even more than it already is, we will undermine an industry that is fueling the livelihoods of many who live in the West."

Join the BlueRibbon Coalition and sign the letter at - https://www.sharetrails.org/add-your-organization-to-our-letter-opposing-the-bureau-of-land-management-conservation-rule/

To comment on this rule to BLM follow this link - https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/04/03/2023-06310/conservation-and-landscape-health

#propertyrights #farming #agriculture

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Introducing FarmNewsDaily.com - your source for agriculture news!

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak hears what R-Calf CEO Bill Bullard sees as the down side of adopting RFID technology on US cattle herds. Like anything that starts out as a good idea, this could lead to the possibility of ranchers losing control of the cattle industry, and being told how to ranch. 

Bullard points out that we are in a cattle industry in which the four largest packers control 85% of the fed cattle market. Clearly, if these behemoths colluded to deny market access to anyone who didn’t meet whatever standard they collectively imposed, then those producers would be relegated to selling their cattle to the 15% of the market that is not controlled by the largest packers.

Bill Bullard joined R-CALF USA as the organization’s first Chief Executive Officer at national headquarters in Billings, Mont., on April 9, 2001.
Bullard has testified on behalf of R-CALF USA members before Congress and executive branch agencies, has managed numerous lawsuits on behalf of the organization, and is the organization’s registered lobbyist.

Bullard, formerly a cow/calf rancher in Perkins County, S.D., served as the Executive Director of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission from 1995-2001. He has a B.S. in Political Science from Black Hills State University and completed a year of graduate studies at the University of South Dakota.

The Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF USA) represents the U.S. cattle and sheep industries in trade and marketing issues to ensure the continued profitability and viability of independent U.S. cattle and sheep producers. R-CALF USA (Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America), is the largest producer-only membership based organization that exclusively represents U.S. cattle and sheep producers on domestic and international trade and marketing issues. R-CALF USA, a national, non-profit organization,  is dedicated to ensuring the continued profitability and viability of the U.S. cattle industry. R-CALF USA’s membership of more than 5,000 consists primarily of cow-calf producers, cattle backgrounders, and feeders. Its members are located in 43 states, and the organization has many local and state association affiliates, from both cattle and farm organizations, along with various main street businesses as associate members of R-CALF USA.

R-CALF USA is the single largest producer-only organization fighting to bring back mandatory country-of-origin labeling, fighting to stop anti-competitive and unjust practices by the packers, to prevent high-risk imports from countries with disease outbreaks, fighting to allow U.S. cattle producers to promote their USA beef within the beef checkoff program and make the program voluntary.

Learn more about R-CALF at https://www.r-calfusa.com/ or call 406-252-2516.

#farm #farming #agriculture

North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com

Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com

Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Introducing FarmNewsDaily.com - your source for agriculture news!

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak gets an update from Congressman David Rouzer on the #WOTUS ruling and President Biden's recent veto. 

Congressman David Rouzer proudly represents North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District, stretching from the beautiful coastline of Southeastern North Carolina west to the small-town, agricultural communities around Lumberton and Fayetteville.  Elected to the United States Congress in 2014, David is beginning his 5th term in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

David serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee where he currently serves as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.  He has served as a ranking member or chairman of a subcommittee on both since his first day in office, which has enabled him to better address the unique needs of his district and state.  He is a member of a number of caucuses in Congress including as a founding member of the Primary Care Caucus and the Supply Chain Caucus, as well as co-chairing the United Kingdom Caucus.

Prior to Congress, David formed his own business doing consulting and sales work, predominately in the agricultural arena.  His public service includes two terms in the North Carolina Senate representing Johnston and Wayne counties (2009-2012) where he was consistently ranked as one of the most effective pro-business legislators.  David also served as assistant to the dean and director of commodity relations for the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at NC State University in between two stints with U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, where he started out as a legislative assistant and later served as senior policy advisor.  He was also senior advisor for U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole.  In 2005, he took a senior level appointment at USDA Rural Development and helped manage a program level budget of more than $1.2 billion and a loan portfolio of more than $5 billion in investments in rural America.  David has garnered a number of awards during his career for his work in each of these capacities as well as a Member of Congress. 

David, a Southern Baptist, was raised in Durham and spent his summers working on the family farm just outside of Four Oaks, N.C.  The money he earned those summers enabled him to pay his tuition at N.C. State University where he graduated with three degrees in Agricultural Business Management, Agricultural Economics, and Chemistry.  He is also a graduate of The Fund for American Studies.  David resides in Wilmington, N.C. 

Learn more about the issue at https://rouzer.house.gov

#farm #farming #agriculture

North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com

Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com

Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Introducing FarmNewsDaily.com - your source for agriculture news!

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Chris Morris of LandFund Partners about what they offer producers and investors in the Mississippi River Valley, creating new options for farm succession and farm management.

LandFund Partners (LFP) is a farmland investment company focused on buying and managing high quality farmland in the Mississippi River Valley. The land is leased to preferred family farm operators throughout the region. Founded back in 2013 by John Farris and Chris Morris, LFP now owns over 35,000 acres across the Delta. LFP seeks to utilize regenerative farming techniques on its farms and works alongside its farming partners to do what's best for the soils and the environment.

Chris Morris is a founding member of LandFund Partners where he serves as President and COO. Chris grew up in a rural community in Kentucky where he was around and exposed to farming at an early age. Mr. Morris received his Bachelor of Science degree in Financial Economics from Centre College, in Danville, KY, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude. While at Center, Chris studied investment theory and alternative investments, which lead him to identifying farmland as an excellent asset to compliment the typical stock and bond portfolio. Mr. Morris started his career at Commonwealth Economics, a regional economic and financial consultancy. Mr. Morris has been recognized as one of Nashville’s Top 40 Under 40 by the Nashville Business Journal and Top 30 Under 30 by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He is active in the Nashville non-profit community and is a past Chairman of the Phoenix Club of Nashville. Mr. Morris has attained the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation. 

Learn more about LandFund Partners at https://landfundpartners.com/
#farm #farming #agriculture

***
North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com

This episode is sponsored by AMS Galaxy - BRINGING PRECISION DAIRY EQUIPMENT TO THE AMERICAN FARMER. Spend more time doing what you love. Use technology to your advantage.
Visit https://agr.fyi/galaxy

Want to hear the stories of the ag brands you love and the ag brands you love to hate? Hear them at https://whatcolorisyourtractor.com

Need help with your agriculture based company's marketing plan? Visit https://chrissywozniak.com

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com

Listen to the podcast here - https://www.northamericanag.com/north-american-ag-spotlight - The BeSure! Mission with Growing Matters

In this week's North American Ag Spotlight Chrissy Wozniak talks to Jeffrey Smith & Caydee Savinelli of Growing Matters. Growing Matters is a coalition of organizations and individuals committed to scientific discourse on the stewardship, benefits and alternatives of neonicotinoid insecticides in North America. Today we talk about the importance of neonics, what the industry could look like without them, and farming best practices when it comes to crop protection.

Jeffrey Smith currently serves as Manager of Industry and Government Relations for Valent U.S.A. LLC where his primary responsibility is to develop partnerships with allied commodity and trade associations to advance policies supporting grower access to new crop and yield enhancement tools. Jeff also works with Federal and state regulatory agencies and legislatures on industry wide pesticide issues. Prior to his current role, he was a Field Market Development Specialist responsible for developing crop protection products row crop and specialty markets throughout the Midwestern, Southwestern and Southeastern United States.  Jeff also has experience in the retail sector of the industry, starting his career with Gold Kist, Inc.  Combined, Jeff has over 30 years of experience within the crop protection industry. 

Caydee Savinelli is the Syngenta U.S. Stewardship Team and Pollinator Lead.  In this role, she leads a team with goals of advocating, educating, and collaborating for stewardship of Syngenta products to provide farmers and golf and landscape professionals a variety of tools to control important pests.  The team provides a catalyst for change through Sustainable and Responsible Business and Good Growth Plan initiatives.  Some of the main areas of the stewardship team’s focus are environmental issues, endangered species, pesticide safety education and pollinator and biodiversity conservation initiatives. Caydee has focused on pest management, product development and crop protection throughout her 38-year career and has worked in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. 

Agriculture and horticulture are key to nourishing families and communities. Feeding a growing population, enhancing the beauty of our surroundings and a sustained commitment to environmental protection are fundamental needs that matter. Crop protection products, both natural and synthetic, are important tools that protect plants from tough and invasive pests that can devastate crops and urban landscapes. Growing Matters is funded by a consortium of companies committed to open and healthy scientific discourse on stewardship, benefits and alternatives to neonicotinoid insecticides in North America. Consortium members include Bayer, Syngenta, Valent U.S.A., BASF, and Mitsui Chemicals Agro, Inc. The BeSure! campaign is also supported by Gowan Company and PBI Gordon Corporation. Go to www.GrowingMatters.org for information, reports, videos and infographics on the benefits of neonicotinoid insecticides.

Learn more at https://GrowingMatters.org or https://growingmatters.org/besure

#cropprotection #farming #neonicotinoids

North American Ag is devoted to highlighting the people & companies in agriculture who impact our industry and help feed the world. Subscribe at https://northamericanag.com

Don't just thank a farmer, pray for one too!

Send us Fan Mail

Introducing FarmNewsDaily.com - your source for agriculture news!

Subscribe to North American Ag at https://northamericanag.com