A five-minute summary of AAI, regulation, and industry activities for members of the largest state agribusiness association in the nation. | |
GRAIN GRADING WORKSHOPS
Registration Open!
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Grain Grading Workshops
August 23 & 24
Location:
Zeigler CAT
1500 Ziegler Dr NW
Altoona, Iowa
Participant Fees:
AAI Member - $130
Non-Member - $155
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Winning Team - July 21 Emerald Hills | |
Congratulations to the winners of the July 21 AAI Golf Outing! Members of the winning team are: Jake Moline, Doug Schurr, Matt Zeman, Austin Behrendsen. | |
Next Outing In September. Register Now! | |
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AAI Golf Outings
July 21
Emerald Hills Golf Course - Okoboji, Iowa
September 7
Amana Colonies Golf Club - Amana, Iowa
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USDA Economist Provides Insight for Agribusiness Advisory Council Meeting | |
The Agribusiness Advisory Council met on Tuesday for their summer meeting. On the agenda was an analysis of the current state of agricultural trade, consumption, and production; an update on the nitrogen rate initiative; and updates on AAI from CEO Bill Northey.
Northey provided information on the current activities of AAI and some of the activity that has taken place since his tenure began in May. The Council heard updates on the Grow Iowa's Future investment campaign, the building remodel, and member engagement activities.
The Advisory Council also heard from Iowa Nutrient Research and Education Council (INREC) Executive Director Ben Gleason about the new nitrogen application rate research taking place in Iowa. The research will provide more detailed data to build a nitrogen application model based on multiple soil types, locations, weather, and other factors. The project has a goal of collecting thousands of data points from hundreds of fields spread across every county, every year.
Closing out the meeting was USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer, who joined the group via Zoom from his Washington, D.C., office. Meyer outlined trends and conditions currently impacting trade, crops, fertilizer, and consumer foods. He also took questions from the group and broke down the specific influences of various factors on prices.
The next Advisory Council meeting is set to take place in December. If you are a former board member or retired agribusiness professional and would like to join the council, contact Membership Director Reilly Vaughan, reilly@agribiz.org, or pay your Emeritus dues online: https://www.agribiz.org/membership-registration/
Get Involved!
The direction and impact of the association is a direct result of committee activities. Committees provide input and direction for the Board of Directors actions. You or someone within your company can serve on a committee by emailing aai@agribiz.org, calling the AAI office, or filling out a form online at https://www.agribiz.org/benefits-of-membership/join-a-committee/.
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FDA Issues Final Guidance On Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Animal Feed Operations | |
The federal Food And Drug Administration issued final guidance recently for animal feed facilities - Guidance for Industry (GFI) #245: Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals to help animal food facilities develop a food safety plan that complies with FDA’s Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls requirements.
Of significance in the document, the Appendix E was removed, which would have been unmanageable. The removal was supported by the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA). Also, the document identifies when and how to reevaluate a preventive controls feed facility plan.
For a high level overview of the guidance, watch the following Feedstuffs365 video featuring Paul Davis, Ph.D. from AFIA:
https://vimeo.com/728187778
Download the full guidance from FDA:
CVM GFI #245
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Congress Looks at Realigning “Food” Within FDA | |
Article Courtesy of AFIA:
For years, there have been attempts to consolidate all the federal government activities related to “food” into one single government agency. Most of those attempts looked at functions within the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FDA. New discussions have arisen due to the recent infant formula recall that now want to pull the “food” portion of the FDA away from the “drug” portion into its own agency. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn.,-03, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., recently detailed proposed legislation to establish a Food Safety Administration. Other attempts are considering a new deputy commissioner of food within the current FDA hierarchy of reporting structure.
Currently, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine director, who regulates the feed portion of the “food” definition, reports directly to the commissioner of the FDA and this would create a new reporting hierarchy. The AFIA is reviewing and following these proposals and will have more to report if things progress. Right now, it’s unlikely to receive the necessary Republican support in the Senate to move any such legislation.
Links:
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3 Seats Remaining For This Event | | |
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Advanced Grain Elevator Operations Management Short Course
August 8 – 11, 2022
Jeff and Deb Hansen Agriculture
Student Learning Center
2508 Mortensen Road | Ames, Iowa
Course Tuition:
AAI Member - $1050 | Non-Member - $1200
Click Here for Additional Course Information
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It's the Soil That Makes the Crop
Iowa Certified Crop Adviser Summer Workshop
August 5, 2022
Field Extension Education Lab | Boone, Iowa
Registration:
Showcase Attendee Rate - $50 | Regular Attendee - $75
This event is open to all agribusiness professionals who want to expand their knowledge base and acquire up-to-date information on agronomic issues and developments.
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A top notch program to expand knowledge, acquire CEUs, and reinforce the role of attendees as the primary expert for grower clients.
TOPICS & SPEAKERS
Iowa Nutrient Research & Education Council (INREC) Update
- Presenter: Ben Gleason, Executive Director, INREC
Nitrogen Trialing Effort & MRTN Model Update
- Presenter: Sotirios Archontoulis, Iowa State Unversity
Soil DNA Analysis
- Presenter: Al Toops, BiomeMakers
Tissue Sampling & Soil Micronutrients
- Presenter: Matt Clover, Corteva Agriscience
Disease Management
- Presenter: Kurt Maertens, BASF
Plant Breeding for Disease Resistance - Tentative
- Presenters: Dr. Leah Stirling- Seed, Research and Development- Research Scientist | Dr. Jordan Spear- Seed, Research and Development- IMPACT Lead
Risk Management
- Presenter: Dave Reddel, Wilbur Ellis
Agribusiness Association Update
- Presenter: Bill Northey, CEO, Agribusiness Association of Iowa
Click Here for Detailed Schedule Information
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AAI Main Office closes at Noon on Fridays through Labor Day
August 2
Showcase Committee Meeting
9:00 AM | AAI Board Room
August 8-11
IGQI-AAI Advanced Grain Elevator Operations
Management Short Course
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
August 23
Legislative Committee Meeting
10:00 AM | AAI Board Room
August 29
Joint Transportation & Grain Committees Meeting
10:00 AM | AAI Board Room
September 7
AAI Golf Outing - Amana Colonies
Amana, Iowa | Click Here to Register
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WATCH THE AGRIBUSINESS REPORT | | |
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Cost Share Funds Available for Cover Crops
Clean Water Iowa
Farmers and landowners can sign up for state cost share funds. These funds help farmers adopt soil health and water quality practices, including planting cover crops, transitioning acres to no-till/strip-till soil management or applying a nitrification inhibitor.
Farmers who are planting cover crops for the first time are eligible for $25 per acre through the cost share fund. Farmers who have already experienced the benefits of using cover crops and are continuing the practice can receive $15 per acre. Producers transitioning acres to no-till or strip-till are eligible for $10 per acre, and may receive $3 per acre for applying fall fertilizer using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor.
Cost share funding through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is limited to 160 acres per farmer or landowner. The funds will be made available in July, but farmers can start submitting applications immediately through their local Soil and Water Conservation District offices. Farmers are encouraged to call their Soil and Water Conservation District offices to inquire about additional cost-share funds available through other sources.
Seed Corn Cover Crop Initiative
If you grow seed corn in Iowa for any of the company partners listed below, you are eligible for cost-share from the Iowa Seed Corn Cover Crops Initiative.
Cost-Share Details:
- $15/acre for winter hardy cover crops
- $10/acre for non-winter hardy cover crops
- Additional $5/acre for first-time cover crop users
- Cover crops must be planted on seed corn acres
- No cap on acres per producer
Seed Company Partners:
- AgReliant Genetics, LLC
- Beck's Hybrids
- Cornelius Seed Corn Company
- Corteva Agriscience
- Gro Alliance, LLC
- Bayer Crop Science
- Remington Seeds
- Syngenta
Details and program information
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The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled July 18 against imposing tariffs on nitrogen fertilizers imported from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago. ITC’s decision takes effect immediately and should narrow the price differential between urea and UAN (urea ammonium nitrate solutions).
“This comes as a welcome relief,” says National Corn Growers Association President Chris Edgington. “We have been sounding the alarms and telling the ITC commissioners that tariffs will drive up input prices to even more unaffordable levels for farmers and cripple our supply. I am so glad they listened.”
The decision comes after CF Industries filed a petition with ITC in late 2021, requesting that the commission place tariffs on urea ammonium nitrate, which is used in liquid fertilizers. Shortages and prices have since increased exponentially.
“This means that normal import flows should return,” says Josh Linville, vice president – fertilizer at StoneX Financial Inc. “With Russia/Trinidad accounting for near 80% of typical U.S. imports, it should cause the price per actual pound of N differential between urea and UAN to narrow once again.”
While Linville says he had expected a higher chance that this would happen, it still was not an expected outcome. “These cases do not typically get to this point just to be voted down,” he adds.
[...] Read Full Story
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An integral part of the oversight and review process of the 2018 Farm Bill and further preparation for the 2023 Farm Bill is getting direct input from producers, stakeholders, and consumers on how various farm bill programs are working for them.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman David Scott and Ranking Member Glenn “GT” Thompson are pleased to offer the opportunity for members of the public to submit their feedback and ideas for the 2023 Farm Bill through an online form available here:
https://agriculture.house.gov/forms/form/?ID=9
“This is a chance to hear directly from farmers, ranchers and foresters across the nation who utilize our farm bill programs to make sure we are prioritizing their needs as well as the needs of the nutrition, research, and rural development communities,” said Chairman David Scott. “I strongly encourage all who are interested to share their input on how the 2018 Farm Bill is or is not meeting their needs, so that we, at the House Agriculture Committee, can craft a strong farm bill and best meet the needs of people.”
[...] Read Full Story
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The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021 passed the House on March 18, 2021. It has now been 482 days since its passage as it awaits approval by the senate. Labor shortages have plagued the agricultural industry for decades, but the pandemic, war in Ukraine, and rising costs have only increased farmers’ challenges.
In 1986, bi-partisan leadership in the U.S. Congress passed the Immigration Control and Reform Act under President Ronald Reagan. This legislation was critical — but this was 36 years ago. There is no doubt that the time has come to ensure that America has a legal, reliable workforce to help secure our food supply and reduce food costs for its citizens.
On July 11, agricultural leaders joined Republican members of Congress to discuss the bipartisan workforce solutions act that addresses labor shortages. A video of the conference is available here.
Texas A&M University recently published a study exploring the connection between consumer prices, labor costs, and immigration in the United States. Associate Professor Sean Maddan discussed the study’s findings, which include:
1. More migrant and more H-2A workers are related to lower inflation
2. More migrant and more H-2A workers are associated with higher average wages and minimum wages
3. More migrant and more H-2A workers are associated with lower unemployment
4. More denied petitions for naturalization are associated with larger consumer prices and higher inflation
5. More petitions for naturalization are associated with lower inflation
[...] Read Full Story
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Inflation has dominated the trade and consumer headlines since early fall of last year. The 40-year high inflation has consumers rethinking their grocery and restaurant choices, according to Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics LLC.
According to the June edition of the IRI monthly survey of primary shoppers, 45% of American households describe their financial situation as being worse than a year ago and 41% feel their financial situation one year from now will look worse than it does today. Consequently, consumers are applying many of the lessons learned during the Great Recession to tighten spending.
Fully 96% of consumers say they are paying somewhat or a lot more for groceries than they did last year — listing examples of price inflation across virtually every department in the store. Concern over inflation reached its most widespread level yet, at 93% of all grocery shoppers. Up month over month, 81% of grocery shoppers made changes to what and where they purchased in June. This is up from 50% in the fall of 2021. The dominant changes are looking for sales specials (54%), skipping non-essentials (45%), finding coupons (33%) and buying more private or other low-cost brands (29%). Despite the high gas prices, 17% cherry-pick specials across retailers and 16% now do some of their shopping at lower-cost retailers.
The survey revealed that sales specials, while popular, are still far below pre-pandemic levels and consumers are taking notice: 59% say fewer of the items they want are on sale and 43% say items are not discounted as much as they used to be. About half of shoppers, 51%, are stocking-up on certain items more than usual, 18% out of fear they will not be available next time and 26% out of concern that prices may rise further. All of this points to the great power of relevant, targeted promotions if supply chain conditions allow for it, Roerink noted.
[...] 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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