Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - April 2022

Developments

ADM, a global leader in sustainable human and animal nutrition, announced it is supporting  Missouri Farmers Care Foundation’s (MFCF) efforts to alleviate childhood hunger while highlighting Missouri agriculture. With this support, ADM and Brownfield Ag News are serving as presenting partners for the 2022 Drive to Feed Kids. The contribution by ADM will provide the equivalent of 500,000 meals to food insecure families throughout Missouri.

FCS Financial recently selected 35 recipients for its Scholarship Program who will each receive a $1,500 scholarship to assist with the cost of higher education. Since 2004, nearly $775,000 has been distributed through the FCS Financial Scholarship Program. The program is designed to encourage and support higher education for children and grandchildren of FCS Financial members. “FCS Financial’s Scholarship Program provides essential funds for Missouri’s youth who demonstrate academic and community leadership,” says David Janish, CEO. “As a cooperative, we are dedicated to supporting our rural communities and the next generation of leaders. This year’s recipients will no doubt prove to be valuable resources for the future of rural Missouri and agriculture.” 

A forecast from CoBank says consumers may reduce their beef consumption as retail beef prices rise, reports  Agri-Pulse Communications (April 29, 2022).  “The sharply higher costs for feed, energy and labor have yet to fully impact wholesale and retail meat prices, but that will soon change. And as consumers notice their dollar is not going as far as it used to, they may trade down at the meat case, with chicken being the primary beneficiary,” said Brian Earnest  lead animal protein economist for CoBank.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture reported the state exported $5.35 billion in agriculture goods in 2021, an increase from $4.04 billion in 2020. The total included $2 billion in meat and $1.5 billion in cereals, with two-thirds of all exports going to Mexico and Japan.  The surge in 2021 represented a 32% increase in Kansas agricultural exports, which also included vinegar, beverages, dairy products, milling products, fats, vegetables, flour and starch. It was the first time Kansas agricultural exports topped $5 billion in a decade.

Kansas Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, has identified highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock.  KDA is working closely with USDA–APHIS on a joint incident response at the affected premises in McPherson County. According to KDA’s animal health officials, the turkey farm increased its biosecurity in early March and increased the monitoring of their flock. Upon noticing clinical signs of HPAI in their birds, they immediately contacted KDA. The affected premises was placed under quarantine and the birds will be humanely depopulated and disposed of in an approved manner to prevent the spread of the disease. In addition, KDA will be establishing a 20-km surveillance zone around the infected premises, and other farms or properties with poultry that fall within that zone will not be allowed to move birds or poultry products on or off their property without permission from KDA. The animal health team is working to locate all poultry owners in the area to ensure they know the symptoms of HPAI and are taking critical steps to protect their birds. 

Producers are increasingly worried about supplies of key inputs for the upcoming growing season, pushing a measure of farmer sentiment to the lowest point since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This concern is behind the Ag Economy Barometer’s drop in farmer optimism of about 10% in March, 36% below the same month in 2021. The indicator, maintained monthly by Purdue University and the CME Group, reflected several factors weighing on the minds of the 400 producers surveyed in mid-March, but chief among them was the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “Concern about the war's impact on input prices and input availability on their farming operations was paramount in the minds of producers responding to the March survey and was a major factor in this month's decline in sentiment,” said James Mintert, director of Purdue’s Center for Commercial Agriculture. The concerns about the future financial situation were also reflected in a pair of questions about future investment plans. Some 62% of producers said their plans for machinery purchases were lower than a year ago; half the respondents offered a similar response one month ago. About 57% of producers said they expect input prices to rise by more than 20%, while 36% have an even more pessimistic view and expect prices to rise by 30% or more.

Farm Journal Foundation is partnering with the Zoetis Foundation to launch a new program to find solutions for relieving student debt in the veterinary industry. The effort’s long-term goal seeks to address shortages of veterinarians to work with farmers in rural areas. The new Veterinary Debt Solutions Program will convene leaders from across the livestock, academic, nonprofit, and veterinary sectors to address barriers that veterinarians face in building long-term careers in rural areas. 

According to recent data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), ag tractor and combine sales in March declined for the first time since July 2021. Total farm tractor sales in the U.S. fell 21.1% in March compared with a year ago. Sales for self-propelled combines also dipped 10.2%, with 343 machines sold. One area that saw growth was the 100+ hp. 2WD segment, which was up 7%. Curt Blades, AEM’s senior vice president, industry sectors and product leadership, says the sales report was not a surprise. “Inventory levels are down more than 10% in both the U.S. and Canada, and this is the result of supply chain difficulties catching up with this segment of the manufacturing industry.”

Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company is planting a species of dandelion, as it looks to develop a rubber source that can be cultivated in U.S. soils. The tire maker hopes to develop and commercialize a source of natural rubber, planting Taraxacum kok-saghyz, in Ohio this spring. The species, native to Eastern Europe and Central Asia, is one of the few plants the company has flagged as a potential source of tire-quality rubber. "Global demand for natural rubber continues to grow, and it remains a key raw material for the tire industry," Chris Helsel, a senior vice president of global operations and chief technology officer for Goodyear, said in a release. "This is a critical time to develop a domestic source of natural rubber, which may help mitigate future supply chain challenges." More than 90% of the natural rubber produced in the world today is made using latex from rubber trees outside of the U.S., the release stated. The goal of the program is to create a source of latex that can be harvested every six months and grow in the temperate climate of the U.S. Goodyear is working with Ohio-based Farmland Materials on the "multi-year, multi-million-dollar" project, which also has support from the U.S. Department of Defense, the Air Force Research Lab and BioMADE. The rubber produced will be used to produce tires for military aircraft.

NCBA, along with several state affiliates, including Kansas Livestock Association, submitted an amicus brief last week to the U.S. Supreme Court urging them to adopt a limited, clear waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) definition that provides certainty for cattle producers. The brief was submitted because the Supreme Court is hearing a case that challenges the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Water Act. While cattle producers are not direct parties in Sackett v. EPA, the case has implications for the livestock industry and will impact the Biden administration’s rulemaking on WOTUS. 

Kansas Corn observed Earth Day by teaming up with over 50 fuel stations across the state of Kansas to offer Earth Day discounts for ethanol fuels. Several independent stations as well as many Casey’s General Stores and 24/7 Travel Stores provided a 22-cent-per-gallon discount on E15/Unleaded 88 fuels during a two-hour time window Friday, April 22. 

In a recent commentary published on the Missouri Farm Bureau’s website, MFB president Garrett Hawkins takes on the issue of eminent domain as it relates to Missouri farmers and landowners who have fought to protect private property rights against private, for-profit companies from using the power of eminent domain without providing a substantial benefit to Missourians. Read the full document at www.mofb.org.

People

Kansas City-based AgriThority®, an agricultural product development company, announces new members of its Board of Advisors composed of globally respected leaders in the agriculture industry. As a specialist in accelerating innovative technologies to commercialization around the world, AgriThority continues to evolve services with the independent counsel of its advisors. Adrian Percy, Ph.D. is executive director of the NC Plant Sciences Initiative at North Carolina State University and Venture partner of Finistere Ventures LLC. With more than 30 years of experience in the agricultural sector, Percy is an advocate of the need for and benefits of modern agriculture. Valdemar Fischer serves as chairman of Syngenta Group LATAM at Syngenta Group in Panama City, Panama. His deep international experience extends from the U.S. and Mexico to Ecuador, Brazil, and Australia. He continues to monitor the agricultural needs and sustainability movement within the EU and around the world.  

Events

After a two-year postponement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Royal Rodeo returns to Kansas City, May 5-7 at the American Royal Complex. The PRCA-sanctioned ProRodeo will feature bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, bull riding and other competitions. More information available here.

Kansas State Olathe will conduct a two-day, interactive workshop as an introductory course on the regulatory aspects of animal drug and vaccine development. The workshop provides attendees with an understanding of the veterinary drug approval processes. Content is designed for those tasked with developing and maintaining an animal health company's product portfolio and with a company's regulatory strategies. The workshop will take place May 11-12, 2022. More information available here. 

The Angus Foundation invites golf and Angus enthusiasts to enjoy a day on the green at its annual Golf Tournament, held in conjunction with the 2022 National Junior Angus Show in Kansas City, Missouri. The event, which will help further the Foundation’s mission of supporting Angus youth, education and research, will be held on Tuesday, July 5 at the Shiloh Springs Golf Club in Platte City, Missouri. Registration will begin at 6:30 a.m., with a shotgun start at 7:30 a.m. Sponsorship options are available to state and regional Angus associations, individuals, businesses, farms and ranches. There are different promotional opportunities at eight sponsorship levels. The sponsorship deadline is June 3. Player registration is open until June 20. Adult registration is $100, and National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) member registration is $75.

Kansas City Recognizes Ag Day - March 22

Council Board Member JJ Jones and Executive Director Bob Petersen attended the Kansas City, Missouri, City Council meeting on March 10, 2022, where they officially recognized March 22, 2022 as Kansas City Ag Day, and the month of March 2022 as Kansas City Ag Month.

Council Vice Chair Ron Seeber joined the meeting virtually sharing the following remarks to highlight the work of the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City.

Thank you, Councilwoman Bough. Thank you to your colleagues on the Council and to Mayor Lucas.

My name is Ron Seeber and I serve as the elected vice chair of the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City. In my paying job, I am president of Kansas Grain and Feed Association, Kansas Ag Retailers, and Renew Kansas. The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City brings together businesses on both sides of the state line in this region and we are grateful for the recognition you bestow on us today.

Agriculture and agribusiness in this region continue to be a dynamic and exciting sector. Just three weeks ago we hosted a forum on ag innovation and technology. Some of the topics included GPS applications, auto-steer tractors, drones, remote sensing, and robotics. We are seeing a wonderful wave of innovation fueled by entrepreneurs and existing technology companies.

It is a very exciting time to be part of agribusiness and Kansas City continues to be one of the nation’s leading agricultural hubs. It is up to all of us to look for ways to nurture and foster an ecosystem that encourages innovation.

It is also an exciting time to be part of Kansas City and we welcome the Big 12 Basketball tournament and the thousands of guests it brings to our rejuvenated downtown. What a difference 20 years makes.

We thank you and your predecessors for their vision that brought us the Power and Light District, T-Mobile Center and all of the economic activity that this has stimulated. We are thankful for the re-investment in infrastructure, even if a drive down Main Street takes a few extra minutes. We look forward to a new KCI that will further enhance our position as a key national hub.

Let me close with two points:

1. Agriculture continues to be a really big deal in Kansas City.

2. We are proud to be part of a City with a vision and the great renaissance it is creating.

Digging Deeper...

It was only four months ago that plant-based and cell-cultured meat producers seemed giddy about their prospects. Impossible Foods was telling Forbes Magazine about a likely IPO in 2022 (see Digging Deeper, AgBizKC newsletter December 2021). Two years earlier, Barclays Bank was suggesting the market for plant-based and lab-made meat could climb to $140 billion by 2029 as innovators in the space capture 10% of the $1.4 trillion global meat market. But by late last month (February 2022), the fortunes of alternative-meat “meats” were taking a tumble. “After years of spectacular growth, the category has in fact stalled,” said Maple Leaf Foods, Inc., COO, Curtis Frank, on the company’s 2021 Q4 earnings call to financial markets last month. 

Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC – Sources: Megan Poinski, Food Dive, February 28, 2022; Daily News, Food Industry Network, March 8, 2022;  Joe Fassler, The Counter, September 2021;  Forbes Magazine, November 2021;  International Food Information Council, Food Insights, 2021.

Is Alternative Meat Over Cooked?

A slow fiscal quarter or even a disastrous one does not necessarily portend a bleak outlook for a company or an industry. But in the case of alternative meat makers, whose fortunes were flying high in 2020, when sales grew 45% over 2019, there is cause for concern. Earnings disclosures for Q4 2021 from industry players like Beyond Meat and Maple Leaf Foods showed flat or negative growth, reported Megan Poinski in Food Dive’s February 28 edition. “And no clear way to jumpstart sales,” she added.

In his February earnings call to Wall Street, Beyond Meat president and CEO Ethan Brown said, “The key question is whether this reduced-growth rate is an aberration or a harbinger of things to come.” Brown’s company wasn’t the only plant-based meat company with diminishing growth in Q4 2021. Maple Leaf Foods disclosed a sales decline of 3.7% for its Greenleaf Foods division, which includes plant-based meat brands Lightlife and Field Roast. Maple Leaf CEO Michael McCain said his company is reallocating capital to be consistent with a much smaller growth rate than anticipated.

Brian Holland, managing director and senior research analyst at Cowen, a New York-based diversified financial services firm, told Food Dive that while he found companies' “estimates to be aspirational, the slowdown has been much faster and more abrupt than expected.” The alternative meat segment, Poinski noted, was intended as a sustainable way for consumers to get meat-like protein without eating meat. But faux meat products serve a customer’s choice not a need. And, Holland said, their creators have failed to capture a majority of consumers.

Plant-based meat companies are bogged down. As growth in the category is decelerating, Holland maintains, competition is increasing. Beyond Meat is seeing both its market share and profit constricting. Add the overcast of inflation, supply chain difficulties and the aftermath of a global pandemic, and things are just getting more challenging.

How is Cell-Based Meat Doing?

In May 2019, about half a year before the COVID-19 outbreak, analysts at Barclays Bank determined the combined market for alternative meat (both plant-based and cell-cultured) had the potential to reach $140 billion (yes, billion) by 2029 or thereabouts. The projection assumed faux meat could capture about 10% of the $1.4 trillion global meat industry. “While lab-based meat is still likely several years away from hitting supermarket shelves,” Barclay analysts said at the time, “plant-based protein continues to gain ground versus its animal-based counterpart, and we expect this trend to continue for the foreseeable future.” 

Earlier this month, March 8, 2022, CDN Newswire, a worldwide press release distribution platform, published an optimistic study, Cultured Meat Market, from India-based Data Branch Market Research (DBMR). Its bottom line is the global cultured meat market is growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15% in the forecast period of 2022-2029. At the same time, pioneers of lab-grown meat claim costs for cell-cultured are decreasing drastically – from close to $350,000 a pound to $11.36 a pound according to a recent study (Fall 2021) from CE Delft, a Dutch consulting firm.  Cell-cultured meat could be on peoples’ plates in five years, ventured the BBC in a broadcast commentary last fall. 

Is there something wrong with this cheery picture? There is: potentially monstrous, unseen, unreported and understated costs.  A study released in September 2021 by The Counter, an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit news service investigating forces, trends and influences shaping how and what Americans eat, warned that confidence in the prospects of cell-cultured meats could be overstated. And enthusiasm for its potential to become humanity’s mainstream, predominant source of protein is probably ill-conceived. Entitled Lab-Grown Meat Is Supposed To Be Inevitable; Science Tells A Different Story, the lengthy piece states that “splashy headlines have long overshadowed inconvenient truths about biology and economics. Now, extensive new research suggests the industry may be on a billion dollar crash course with reality.” 

At the risk of dismissing the astounding accomplishments and advances in bioscience, biochemistry, nutrition engineering et al that have created and cultivated meat in the laboratory, it should be noted that there seems to have been unrealistic assumptions in estimating the expense and complexity of designing and building bio-manufacturing facilities. So says The Counter. In its September 2021 article, it reported that the Good Food Institute (GFI), a nonprofit representing the alternative protein industry, earlier in 2021 had published a techno-economic analysis (TEA) that projected the future costs of producing a kilogram of cell-cultured meat. Prepared independently for GFI by Dutch research consulting firm CE Delft, and using data provided by 15 private companies, the document showed how addressing a series of technical and economic barriers could lower the production price from over $10,000 per pound at the time to about $2.50 per pound over the next nine years. A challenge-worthy 4,000-fold reduction in costs.

With TEA findings in hand, GFI lobbied for a huge public investment. It argued that forward-thinking governments should increase public funding to research and develop cell-cultured meat “to seize the opportunity and reap the benefits of becoming global leaders” in cultivated meat technology. In late April 2021 The New York Times published a piece – Let’s Launch a Moonshot for Meatless Meat.” Author Ezra Klein, a co-founder of Vox and a NYT columnist wrote that the U.S. government should invest billions to improve and scale both plant-based meat alternatives and lab-cultivated meat. 

But Wait

There has been skepticism about the feasibility of this moonshot venture.  Among dissenters, one voice has stood out. Paul Wood, who has a PhD in immunology and served as the executive director of global discover for Pfizer Animal Health, told The Counter that the idea of lab-cultivation of animal protein was “old news, no matter how science-fictional it sounded.” Drug companies have used a similar process for decades, and Wood knows it firsthand because he has been involved in it. He also explained the process is extremely technical, resource-intensive and expensive. Dr. Wood also noted he didn’t understand how costly biomanufacturing techniques could ever be used to produce cheap, abundant human food.  Here’s what he and skeptics are pointing out:

• With a projected price tag of $450 million, one hypothetical cultured meat factory would cost about the same as a traditional slaughterhouse – but produce a lot less meat. It’s a complex, precise, energy-intensive process, but the output of this single bioreactor train would be comparatively tiny. The hypothetical factory would need to have 130 production lines with more than 600 bioreactors all running simultaneously. Nothing on this scale has ever existed. So if the goal is to switch to cultivated meat by 2030, then construction better get started now. If cultured protein is going to be even 10 percent of the world’s meat supply by 2030, it will need 4,000 factories. 

• All of those facilities would also come with a heart-stopping price tag: A minimum of $1.8 trillion, according to Food Navigator, Europe’s leading outlet for news and analysis for the European food and drink industry.

• Even GFI’s own numbers suggest that cell-cultured meat may never be economically viable, even if it’s technically feasible. Current costs are 100 to 10,000 times higher than commodity meat, according to the CE Delft analysts.

• Paying off a $450 million facility in an investor-friendly term of four years, GFI’s analysts found, would mean adding $11.25 per kilogram to the cost of cultured meat. But with a repayment term of 30 years, the proposed facility could reduce its capital expenditure cost to about $1.50 per kilo of meat produced. The problem is that traditional investors are unlikely to relax their repayment terms so dramatically. They’re in it for the money. But the GFI report points out that investors concerned with social causes might be more patient. Their idealism might make them aware of potentially huge payouts down the road. And they may prove to be more flexible. If investor altruism proves to be in short supply, GFI makes clear that the remaining option is for “government bodies” and “non-profit funders” to shoulder the burden. This can be read as a concession: Cultured meat may never reach price parity on its own terms. It will likely need public or philanthropic support to be competitive.

There are signs that cultured meat startups have tempered their expectations, notes The Counter’s deputy editor Joe Fassler.  “The industry’s early, heady days were flush with optimism. Co-founders spun visions of giant bioreactors effortlessly cranking out meat, and investors had dollar signs in their eyes—even displacing a modest fraction of the trillion-dollar global meat industry could mean making billions. Now, despite GFI’s soaring rhetoric, some companies are quietly—or overtly—planning for a much more modestly disrupted future.” The most animated cheerleaders of cultured meat would have you believe the required innovations have advanced forcefully and are available. 

But the truth is this, says Fassler, “A sequence of as-yet-unforeseen breakthroughs will still be necessary. We’ll need to train cells to behave in ways that no cells have behaved before. We’ll need to engineer bioreactors that defy widely accepted principles of chemistry and physics. We’ll need to build an entirely new nutrient supply chain using sustainable agricultural practices, inventing forms of bulk amino acid production that are cheap, precise, and safe. Investors will need to care less about money. Germs will have to more or less behave. It will be work worthy of many Nobel prizes—certainly for science, possibly for peace.”

Editor’s Note: The Counter’s “Lab Meat is Supposed To Be Inevitable. Science Tells A Different Story,” September 2021, is a recommended read. It is an exhaustingly researched, non-partisan, balanced report. It is available at https://thecounter.org. 

NAMI Commits to Continuous Improvement

The Protein PACT that North American Meat Institute president and CEO Julie Anna Potts was talking about at the Agricultural Business Council’s March luncheon meeting is not something to be confused with a protein bar you get at the gym. But NAMI’s Protein PACT initiative has a similar objective of promoting growth, strength, energy and durability within the animal protein industry among producers, processors and consumers. She also noted the Protein PACT has goals and provisions for the industry to “co-exist with those who oppose animal protein today.”

Specifically, Potts explained the PACT aims to enumerate shared values between the meat industry and consumers and to demonstrate how the entire animal protein value chain is aligned with consumer values in terms of socially responsible and healthy diets. She pointed out the animal protein sector has been honest, open, transparent and authentic in evaluating its practices, and expects to be seen “as such by consumers and stakeholders.” 

NAMI is on track to implement the Protein PACT (which is an acronym for People, Animals and Climate of Tomorrow). Its near-term target for 2025 sets these goals:

Animal Welfare

• 100% of NAMI members who deal directly with animals will have passed third-party animal transport and handling audits.

• All NAMI members will require suppliers to implement mandatory employee training and follow species-specific standards for animal care.

Health and Wellness

• Working with USDA and Feeding America to measure and help fill the protein gap ensuring families in need have enough high-quality protein to meet U.S. dietary guidelines.

NAMI’s long-term target for 2030 lists these objectives:

Environment & Worker Safety

• 100% of NAMI members will have an approved Science Based Target to reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement goals.

• Further reduce workplace injuries by 50% (2019 baseline), on top of the 75% reduction achieved from 1999-2019.

Potts stressed that the meat and poultry supply chain produces safe meat products without exception. She said, “Animal protein is recognized as the leading source of high-quality and an essential contributor to nutrition, health and wellness.”

Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - March 2022

Developments

Economists at the American Farm Bureau Federation have posted a primer on the Ukraine war and the implications for global food and fertilizer supplies. Economist Veronica Nigh warns that many countries that import fertilizer from Russia are on its list of “unfriendly” nations, which could ultimately disrupt fertilizer trade and drive prices up even further. According to AFBF, Russia supplies 17% of global nitrogen exports, it holds a 13% market share of phosphate and it exports nearly 17% of all potassium.

The University of Missouri announced the creation of the Missouri Water Center, a central hub for research on the state’s water resources. The new academic center will combine existing resources and improve coordination across campus – tackling emerging water quality issues and factors that contributed to record flooding in 2019 and years of persistent drought. It will facilitate new collaborations among faculty, government and industry partners. The Center was created by merging two existing centers at the university: The Missouri Water Resource Center in the College of Engineering and the Center for Watershed Management and Water Quality in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.  

Farmer sentiment rose 6 points to a reading of 125 in February according to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer. The Index of Current Conditions was down 1 point to a reading of 132, while the Index of Future Expectations improved 10 points to a reading of 122. The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. But keep in mind, this month’s survey was conducted in mid-February just days before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Rising commodity prices contributed to a rise in optimism, but concern over production costs could dampen sentiment going forward, noted James Mintert, head of the Purdue/CME Group.

University of Missouri Extension has launched Mizzou Crop & Pest News, an electronic newsletter for agriculture professionals and extension specialists that provides information on current agronomic challenges. Mizzou Crop & Pest News is an updated version of the Integrated Pest & Crop Management (IPCM) newsletter. The new format will provide readers with more concise information, including estimated read times and one-sentence summaries of articles, said Mandy Bish, MU Integrated Pest Management coordinator. Bish said the newsletter will include new topics as well as content that subscribers to the IPCM newsletter have come to expect, such as state extension weed specialist Kevin Bradley’s weed management articles.  Sign up for the newsletter here.

U.S. retail beef prices in the last quarter of 2021 were 23% above the five-year average, according to a recent report from Rabobank. Strong demand and limited supplies have kept prices high in the past two years, but this could cost industry consumers. “Further increases in beef prices run the risk of consumers substituting to other proteins or reducing their overall consumption,” said Angus Gidley-Baird, senior animal protein analyst at Rabobank. “And we are starting to see signs that they might be reaching their limit.” 

A lack of clarity about organic foods is making it more difficult for consumers to trust the industry, according to a new survey from public relations firm Edelman, reported Agri-Pulse Communications. “There is widespread confusion about what it means to be organic,” the survey said, adding “trust in organic foods is being held back by a lack of familiarity; producers of raw materials are more trusted than manufacturers.” Only one in three people surveyed know USDA is responsible for enforcing organic standards, Edelman found after conducting interviews with 7,500 consumers in September and October. The survey, commissioned by the Organic Trade Association surveyed six markets — the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, Japan and the United Arab Emirates.

The United States Supreme Court announced it would review a challenge to a California law that set certain conditions for pork sold in the state. The case stems from a 2018 ballot measure where California voters approved the nation’s toughest living space standards for breeding pigs. Two agricultural associations challenging the law say almost no farms satisfy those conditions. They say the “massive costs of complying” with the law will “fall almost exclusively on out-of-state farmers” and that the costs will be passed on to consumers nationwide. The law had a January 1 effective date, but California is currently allowing the continued sale of pork processed under the old rules. The groups challenging the law are the National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation. The case is expected to be argued in the court’s new term in October 2022.

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) has launched a new sustainability council to empower NIAA members, partners, and industry experts to explore, discuss, learn, and develop knowledge that ensures the viability and acceptance of animal agriculture in today’s food system. The council will host the inaugural webinar on April 14, 2022. Animal agriculture leaders within today’s food system have always considered sustainability vitally important to the success of the industry. However, conversations on the topic have greatly expanded and escalated outside of the animal agriculture sector within recent years. Like many topics, food system sustainability has evolved from a conversation of theory and policy to one of practice and application. Additionally, consumer and corporate definitions of sustainability have expanded to now include environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic viability. Animal agriculture topics of interest related to social responsibility include animal welfare, food security, labor and human rights, and more. To register for the webinar or annual conference, visit the NIAA website event page or contact Morgan Young, NIAA director of communications and outreach.

USDA-NIFA is looking to identify reviewers for a Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program that will provide grants to help eligible processors expand their capacity. USDA Rural Development designed MPPEP to encourage competition and sustainable growth in the U.S. meat processing sector, and to strengthen supply chain resiliency. NIFA will provide support to this program by managing the competitive selection process. More details about this program can be found here. This is a new program and a unique opportunity to contribute to a key initiative to improve the U.S. livestock industry.  Contact Dr. Keith Harris to participate.

Todd Van Hoose, president and CEO of the Farm Credit Council, believes interest rate hikes are manageable and farmers can handle the increased interest rates that are on the way as the Federal Reserve fights inflation, noted Agri-Pulse Communications. The Fed raised its target federal funds rate by a quarter percentage point this week and is likely to raise rates by a full point and maybe more by the time it’s done, Van Hoose said in an Agri-Pulse Newsmakers interview. “Even if they rise a full percent we’re still talking about very, very low interest rates,” he said, adding that a 30-year farm ownership loan will still be “pretty affordable.” Source: Agri-Pulse Communications.

Missouri Department of Agriculture has issued warnings to poultry producers and backyard flock owners about the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Missouri.  In addition, according to a March 9, 2022 news release, MDA is suspending “…all domestic waterfowl and waterfowl egg auctions, shows and swap meets through the end of May.” According to information posted on MDA’s website, HPAI is “a serious disease and requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to chickens.”  Currently, HPAI has been found in four counties in Missouri: Stoddard, Bates, Jasper, and Lawrence.

USDA’s Kansas City-based National Institute of Food and Agriculture has announced an investment of over $13 million in research that explores novel therapies and prevention strategies for animal diseases that cost the agricultural industry billions worldwide. “The health of agricultural animals is critical to ensuring the U.S. maintains a safe and adequate food supply,” said NIFA director Dr. Carrie Castille. “The research we are funding with these grants will create new knowledge and spur discoveries that enhance production efficiency and improve animal health and welfare.” The grants will support projects at 17 universities focusing on disease prevention, vaccine development and management strategies to maintain healthy agricultural animals.

Deere & Co. has announced it would improve farmers’ access to repair resources needed to fix their equipment. Specifically, Deere said it would “roll out an enhanced customer solution that includes a mobile device interface, and the ability to download secure software updates directly to embedded controllers on select John Deere equipment with 4G connections.” 

In continued commitment to valuing students as leaders, Agriculture Future of America recently selected 32 college students to serve as organizational Ambassadors. These students represent 32 campuses in 22 states. During their year of service, the Ambassadors will interact with agribusiness leaders, campus faculty and fellow students to increase awareness of AFA on their campuses. AFA is dedicated to developing undergraduate students into the next generation of leaders for the food, agriculture and natural resources industry. The Ambassador program is integral to AFA’s external relations and serves as a liaison between AFA and university faculty, staff and students. Ambassadors work toward goals that increase awareness of AFA’s programs and pursue creative strategies to accomplish these goals. The Ambassadors kick off their term March 31, 2022.

Events 

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture's Annual Conference Producing Protein for a Food Insecure & Uncertain World – Leading Food Security, Sustainable Production, and Innovation, will be hosted in Kansas City April 20- 22, 2022.  A virtual registration option is also available for attendees unable to attend in person. The 2022 NIAA Annual Conference will convene leaders in animal agriculture to explore, discuss, learn and develop solutions to ensure animal-derived proteins continue to be the protein of choice.

The Kansas State Conservation Commission will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. at the K-State Southwest Research–Extension Center, 4500 E. Mary St. in Garden City. A virtual meeting option can be accessed on request. The SCC consists of five elected commissioners; two ex officio members representing the Kansas State University Agriculture Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service; and two appointed members representing the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. To request a copy of the agenda or directions on how to participate in the online meeting, please contact the KDA–DOC at kda.doc@ks.gov or 785-564-66

People

Missouri Soybeans has named Dr. Eric Oseland director of agronomy and research. Oseland will work with the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council on the selection and oversight of funded projects that will be most impactful to Missouri soybean farmers. This includes managing the evaluation and selection of the plant breeding and biotech research projects as well as the applied agronomic projects funded by Missouri’s checkoff. In addition to managing the portfolio of research and agronomic projects, Oseland will serve as the staff liaison between the North Central Soybean Research Program and the Mid-South Soybean Board. 

Megan Niederwerder is the new associate director of the Swine Health Information Center, effective April 1. Niederwerder most recently worked at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University as an assistant professor in the Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology.

The winner of the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Collegiate Discussion Meet is Jacob Knaebel of Missouri. He was awarded the top prize following a discussion on how young farmers and ranchers can take a proactive approach to farm safety in their rural communities. Knaebel is a senior studying agriculture education/leadership and agriculture communications at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The Collegiate Discussion Meet is designed to replicate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each collegiate participant. Participants are judged on their ability to exchange ideas and information on an agricultural topic and find answers or solutions related to it. As the national winner, he received a $3,000 scholarship from competitive event sponsor CHS Foundation.

Kansas City-based AgriThority was a gold sponsor of the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in San Francisco, March 22-23.   AgriThority representatives Gloverson Moro, Ph.D., Ignacio Colonna, Tony Pardo and Jerry Duffparticipated in the 10th annual meeting.  "We are proud to be a gold sponsor of World Agri-Tech," said Duff, AgriThority founder and president. "The Summit provides a unique opportunity for agribusiness leaders, innovators and growers to gather. After two years of virtual meetings, we look forward to attending in person and engaging with our colleagues in the global agricultural community."  

Agriculture Future of America former CEO K. Russell “Russ” Weathers recently retired from his position as chair of the AFA Board of Directors. Current board member Gwyn Schramm, SVP, Strategic Accounts & Licensing at Bayer Crop Science North America, will serve as board chair in a two-year term through February 2024. “We are thrilled to welcome Gwyn as board chair. Her insight and creativity are invaluable as she continues to push the organization toward growth and success,” said Mark Stewart, AFA President and CEO. “At the same time, we tip our hat to the countless contributions Russ made to AFA and the industry as a whole. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a deep commitment to and passion for developing young leaders.” Weathers is a founding director of AFA and the Board of Directors, therefore, remains on the Board of Directors as a lifetime member. Weathers’ time with AFA began in 1996 after accepting the position of president and CEO. Under Weathers’ leadership, the organization provided over 13,000 experiences to young agriculture leaders and awarded over $9 million in leader and academic scholarships.

Dale Moore, a top staffer at the American Farm Bureau Federation is ending a career spanning more than 40 years. Moore has been AFBF’s executive director since 2018 after first joining the organization in 2011. Before his time at Farm Bureau, Moore worked at USDA during the George W. Bush administration, serving as chief of staff for three different secretaries as well as an interim leader of the department. His career also included a stint at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Washington office, a position he held after more than a decade on Capitol Hill working for Kansas Republican Pat Roberts in both his personal House office and as an Ag Committee staffer.

Dr. Richard H. Linton, president of Kansas State University, has joined the Board of Directors of TechAccel LLC, effective immediately. TechAccel, based in Overland Park, Kansas, is a technology and venture development organization investing in scientific breakthroughs to produce healthier plants, animals and foods. It was founded in 2014 by Michael Helmstetter, Ph.D. with support of Kansas State University and an elite investment group of Kansas City-area business leaders. Dr. Linton holds a bachelor’s degree in biology, a master’s degree in food science and a doctorate in food science, all from Virginia Tech University. He participated in the Food Systems Leadership Institute from 2009-2011 and completed the Harvard Graduate School’s Institutional Educational Management Program in 2018.

Agricultural Business Council to Honor Two Local Leaders

KANSAS CITY, MO, March 9, 2022 - The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City will honor two of the region’s leading agricultural figures on May 18 at a luncheon in the Chamber Board Room in Kansas City’s historic Union Station.  The honorees will receive the Council’s highest award, the Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence. 

Agricultural Business Council Chairman Dustin Johansen notes the honorees are champions for agriculture in separate but very key areas in the region. The 2022 honorees are Jan Lyons, Lyons Ranch, Manhattan, Kansas, and Dr. Abner Womack, FAPRI-retired, University Missouri.

Jan Lyons, Lyons Ranch, Manhattan, KS

 With encouragement and support from her husband, Frank (who worked full-time in town) and daughters, Debbie and Amy, Jan took the reins in establishing Lyons Ranch in 1977 with the purchase of a group of bred heifers and with the selection of a few select Angus cows from top breeders in the state as Foundation cows.  By using A.I. and embryo transfer, the Ranch was able to breed to specifications focusing on economically and sustainable maternal traits for the herd.  

Lyons became involved in industry organizations early in her career and went on to record several “firsts,” serving as the first woman president of the Kansas Livestock Association (1994) and as the first president of the Kansas Angus Association (1981).  She has also served as Chairman, Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board (1996) and President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (2004).  Beef Magazine named her “Producer of the Year” in 2004 for her leadership during the BSE crisis.  In 2008 she was recognized as “Stockman of the Year” by Kansas State University.

Today, Lyons Ranch is proud to celebrate 45 years of continuous family ownership and operated with three generations actively involved.  

Dr Abner Womack, FAPRI-retired, Columbia, MO

Dr. Womack is Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics and co-founder of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI-MU) at the University of Missouri.  His work at FAPRI earned him national recognition and built upon his earlier work at USDA’s Economic Research Service where he developed econometric models that focused on the structure of the global food system.  His work at FAPRI centered on the evaluation of possible econometric consequences of policy options under consideration before the enactment of legislation.  He has been recognized by many groups, including:

• American Farm Bureau’s Distinguished Service Award (which was received along with Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN)), 2014

• Top Producer magazine named Dr. Womack as one of the 30 “Leaders that Made a Difference:  Brave Thinkers,” 2013

• USDA’s Secretary of Agriculture Honor Award, 2001  

• European Union Center, University of Missouri Fellows Award, 1999

• Council of Agriculture Science & Technology’s Charles A. Black Award, 1999

• American Agricultural Economics Association’s Distinguished Policy Contributor Award, 1991  

Dr. Womack holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in mathematics from Auburn University and a Ph.D. degree in agricultural economics from the University of Minnesota. 

 “These individuals have had a positive and lasting effect on our community,” said Council Chairman Johansen. “They are strong examples of what a leader can accomplish.”

The event will be held at the Chamber of Commerce Board Room in Union Station beginning at 11:30 a.m. for networking followed by lunch at noon. Visit www.agbizkc.com for more information and to register to attend. 

Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - February 2022

Developments 

To better understand current workforce issues, trends and needs within the Kansas agriculture industry, Kansas Department of Agriculture is calling on industry partners to help identify workforce needs among agricultural employers in the state by conducting its second Kansas Agriculture Workforce Needs Assessment Survey. The 2015 survey results helped guide KDA and partners to develop immersion activities connecting secondary school students with local agriculture businesses to learn about career opportunities.  Kansas farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, manufacturers and producers of agricultural products are asked to complete the survey to help KDA identify the number and types of jobs in the state’s agriculture industry, and the specific skills required for those jobs. The survey is currently being offered online here. It will be open until April 8, 2022.  The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete, and the information will remain anonymous. Results are expected to be available this summer; a discussion of the findings will take place at the 2022 Ag Growth Summit. To learn more, contact Russell Plaschka, KDA agribusiness development director, at Russell.Plaschka@ks.gov.  

Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee called on the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to stop work on a new “waters of the U.S.” rule until the Supreme Court decides a pending case, reported Agri-Pulse in its February 24 edition of Daybreak. “It is expected that the court will rule on the appropriate test for determining whether waterbodies and wetlands are jurisdictional waters under the Clean Water Act for the first time in more than 15 years,” the Republicans wrote in a letter to the twp groups.  “The court’s eventual ruling will have direct bearing on the definition of WOTUS.” Other farm groups and state agricultural departments have made similar appeals to EPA and the Corps, noted Agri-Pulse.

In a new paper in Environmental Research Letters, Purdue University’s Jayson Lusk, Kansas State University’s Glynn Tonsor and the Breakthrough Institute’s Saloni Shah and Dan Blaustein-Rejto explain that plant-based meat (PBM) alternatives from Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and other companies could have a significant impact on the economy, environment, and animal welfare if they replace animal-based meats and reduce livestock production. However, they point out that much depends on the extent to which consumers are willing to shift their diets, the structure of the meat industry, and the inter-linkages of the livestock industry with the other parts of the economy. Currently, prices for plant-based meat are substantially higher than those for animal-based meats. For example, plant-based burgers are about 65% more expensive than animal-based ones in the U.S. However, prices are falling. In 2021, Impossible Foods cut the price of its burger patties by 20% at U.S. grocery stores. Beyond Meat’s production costs and, in turn, prices have fallen at a similar pace. Source: Feedstuffs, February 16, 2022.

Missouri’s Feral Hog Elimination Partnership set up the first Incident Command Structure in 2020 for a unified increased removal effort. The Summer Operation started in June and is ongoing. To date the partnership has removed 12,635 hogs from the land. The counties with most hogs removed were Iron with 2,204 hogs, Reynolds with 2,035 hogs and Wayne with 1,803 hogs. During this effort 1,544,955 acres were scouted for feral hog damage. The counties with the most acres scouted were Reynolds with 233,677 acres, Iron with 225,528 acres and Shannon with 139,219 acres.

A Kansas House committee delivered bipartisan endorsement  of legislation allowing individuals engaged in the agriculture industry to install pipelines in right-of-way of a county or township road upon approval by county commissioners. The measure proposed by the Kansas Livestock Association was an outgrowth of the Phillips County jury award of $134,000 against prominent hog farmer Terry Nelson for illegally installing miles of underground pipe on his neighbors’ property in 2019 to pump urine and feces fluids from a confined animal feeding facility across land owned by others to be sprayed on fields with irrigation pivots. Under House Bill 2531, pipelines for agriculture purposes installed “along, upon, under, and across” the right of way in compliance with county commission guidance would be grandfathered into the proposed new law. The amendment gave the county commission authority to consider whether a new pipeline fit with existing right-of-way infrastructure and to mandate the applicant document proximity of other infrastructure features. 

According to the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Barometer January report, farmer optimism declined 6 points to a reading of 119, its second-lowest reading since July 2020. The Index of Current Conditions fell 13 points to a reading of 133, while the Index of Future Expectations changed little in January, down 2 points to a reading of 112. “Rising farm input costs and ongoing supply chain disruptions appear to be contributing to producers’ weaker perception of current conditions and expectations of their farm’s financial performance in 2022 when compared to last year,” said James Mintert, director of Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture.  Full report available at Ag Economy Barometer. 

There were 91.9 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms as of January 1, 2022, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service February 2, 2022 report. Key findings in the report include these stats:

• Cows and heifers that have calved – 39.5 million.

• 30.1 million beef cows in the U.S. as of Jan. 1, 2022, down 2% from last year.

• Milk cows in the U.S. declined to 9.38 million.

• U.S. calf crop was estimated at 35.1 million head, down 1% from 2020.

• Cattle on feed numbered 14.7 million head, up slightly from 2021.

Cattle Report and all other NASS reports are available online at nass.usda.gov/Publications.  

Kansas Livestock Association cites new research from Colorado State University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that has established that the protein quality of beef burgers is greater than that of soy-based or pea-based burgers. While the nutrition labels of these plant-based alternatives list similar quantities of protein, this new research shows that when it comes to protein quality, beef burgers come out on top.  Plant-based alternatives are not always considered “excellent” sources of protein. Only high-quality protein, like that found in beef, provides all the essential amino acids in quantities that meet the requirement for proper growth, development and maintenance of body tissues such as muscle.  

Recent joint research from Lenexa-based Farm Journal’s Trust In Food and Field to Market’s Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture shows the importance of combining financial incentives, technical assistance and tailored “Human Dimensions” insights in order to accelerate on-farm climate-smart practices. The report provides actionable insights and underscores the importance of blended solutions that give equal consideration to financial incentives, technical assistance and tailored Human Dimensions cultural support to accelerate on-farm climate impact. “As the ‘new normal’ of a global pandemic and heightened weather, supply chain and market extremes continues, farmers still feel as alone as they did in 2020 in absorbing the shock of these changes,” said Amy Skoczlas Cole, executive vice president of Trust In Food. The full report can be viewed here.  

Merck Animal Health has joined the Trust In Beef  program as a founding partner to further its commitment to sustainability and providing real solutions and information to the beef industry. Trust In Beef is a new initiative of Trust In Food and designed to empower beef producers and the trusted experts they rely on, such as veterinarians and nutritionists, to advance in their continuous improvement journey. The effort will also help connect consumers to the continuously improving sustainability performance of American beef production. Merck Animal Health joins the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef as a founding partner to Trust In Beef. The effort is led by Farm Journal‘s social purpose division, Trust In Food, and its industry-leading beef brand, Drovers.

Modernizing wheat breeding to prepare the crop for changing climate conditions is the goal of a new five-year, $15 million national research project. “Everything is changing so you need to be fast,”said U.C. Davis professor Jorge Dubcovsky, lead scientist.The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant will support 20 Ph.D. students whose field work will include gathering data via drones and who will contribute to lab work aimed at building breeding platforms to quickly transfer newly developed traits into elite wheat varieties. “This grant is essential to maintain modern and effective public breeding programs in the U.S.,” Dubcovsky said.

Dairy Farmers of America recently discontinued operations at its Nashville-based Country Delite Farms manufacturing facility. The plant stopped operating on February 11, 2022. The Country Delite manufacturing facility in Nashville produces a variety of milk products. The closure does not impact DFA’s other Nashville manufacturing facility that produces Purity™ Dairy products.

The Kansas Legislature is currently debating a proposal called HB 2686 that would consolidate the state’s water regulatory agencies to streamline government. Farm groups say the plan would be costly to implement, expand government bureaucracy and consolidate enormous power under the control of a single agency and political appointee. Creating a water agency monopoly administered by a political appointee that changes with each administration lacks the consistency and long-term vision water-rights holders need, noted the Kansas Farm Bureau. 

Most meat-purchasing Americans put the onus on the Covid-19 pandemic that shutdown packing plants, brought on labor shortages and disrupted supply chains for the rise in meat prices. A survey released in mid-February by Purdue University found that 51% of survey respondents blamed the pandemic. Only 8% pointed to consolidation of the meatpacking industry as the cause behind higher prices. Meat prices increased 13.6% over the past 12 months, Learn more about it here. 

Events

The 2022 Commodity Classic, March 10-12 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, is offering one-day registration for those who can’t commit to all three days of the event. One-day registration provides admission to all applicable events and sessions scheduled for that day, including educational sessions, the trade show, the Main Stage on the trade show floor and other daily activities. Online registration is available in advance through March 8 at www.CommodityClassic.com; attendees can also register on-site beginning March 9 and throughout the event.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Board of Animal Health will meet virtually at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 2. This is a regular quarterly board meeting and will be held via internet meeting services. The meeting is open to the public. To request a copy of the agenda or information on how to access the link to the meeting, please contact Justin Smith, animal health commissioner, at 785-564-6613 or Justin.Smith@ks.gov. Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least two days prior to the meeting.

During the month of March and the first week of April, the Kansas Department of Agriculture will offer a Specialty Crop Lunch and Learn Webinar Series for those interested in the specialty crop industry. Topics of interest include production practices, specialized equipment, floriculture, diversifying and scaling your operation, turning your specialty crop operation into an agritourism destination, and specialty crop marketing plans and strategies. The six-part webinar series will be held at noon every Tuesday from March 1 through April 5. During the webinar series, KDA will feature successful specialty crop growers from across the country who can share their stories and lead discussion on topics specific to this unique sector of the agriculture industry. Registration is now open and there is no cost to participate in the webinars. Participants will register for each of the six sessions separately. Find out more and register here.

People

Walter “Larry” Atzenweiler, one of the founders of the Missouri Beef Cattleman magazine, passed away on February 24, 2022. In the early 1970's Larry started the Atzenweiler Company and sold advertising for a few beef cattle publications, before founding the magazine in 1971. The magazine became the official publication for the Missouri Cattlemen's Association. Larry worked for Missouri Beef Cattleman for over 40 years. His son, Andy Atzenweiler, began running the publication alongside his father in 1986, and in January 2000 became the editor and publisher. In 2015, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association purchased the magazine.

KCoe Isom, Lenexa-Based national leader in food and agricultural consulting and accounting services, announced the addition of two land and water management specialists to oversee its agricultural land management services division. Corey Getz will head up KCoe Isom’s land and water management projects.  As a co-founder of DIGS Associates, Getz specialized in finding ways to maximize, protect, and manage land development needs. DIGS co-founder Theodore “Quint” Shambaugh V will share leadership responsibilities with Getz.  Jeanne Bernick, Ag Principal at KCoe Isom, said, “Corey and Quint’s unique specialization in water and land management will enhance KCoe’s ability to provide the specialized advisory on how to protect land’s natural resources and find ways to make it more profitable. 

Late last year Kansas City, Missouri-based  National Beef Packing Company named Dr. Rob Cannell as Chief Sustainability Officer effective immediately. Dr. Cannell is leading National Beef’s sustainability strategy, working with executive leaders to define goals and pursue objectives across the company’s sustainability pillars of food, animal welfare, environment, community, and family. Additionally, Cannell is actively working with industry groups and customers to advance sustainability initiatives, and he continues to direct National Beef’s research and development efforts. Dr. Cannell joined National Beef in 2013 as vice president of R&D. He previously was the Director of Supply Chain Procurement and Quality for McDonald’s USA. He  has worked in the meat and food industry since 1976 in multiple disciplines. He holds a doctorate in animal/meat science from Colorado State University, a master’s degree in animal/meat science from Texas A&M University, and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science from Fresno State University.

Shane Kinne has accepted the role of executive director of the Coalition to Protect the Missouri River. Kinne previously worked at Vivayic as a learning analyst. Before that, he was the director of policy and grower engagement at Missouri Corn Growers Association. 

Emily LeRoy has been hired as senior policy adviser for the Missouri Farm Bureau. LeRoy previously worked at the Missouri Department of Agriculture as the agency’s legislative and budget director. LeRoy began her career as a staff assistant for Senator Roy Blunt before transitioning to MDA in 2014.

Agriculture Future of America (AFA) recently appointed Jennifer Shomenta president of Cargill’s Global Edible Oils business, to its board of directors. Shomenta joined Cargill in 1992 and has held various positions in commodity merchandising for the grain, soy and corn processing businesses.

Scott Bennett is leaving the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) for Boehringer Ingelheim where he will fill the position  senior associate director of government affairs and public policy for the Animal Health division. He will be primarily handling the livestock, poultry, and equine portfolios. 

Members of the Transportation, Elevator & Grain Merchants Association, a trade association whose members include grain shippers, receivers and rail carriers, have reelected Terry McDermott as chairman of the board. McDermott serves as the director of supply chain for Bunge.

Benjamin Wolfe will become the next CEO and dean of Kansas State University Olathe effective June 12. Wolfe currently serves as associate dean of the School of Professional Studies at the University of Kansas and of the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park. As chief administrative officer of the campus, Wolfe will be responsible for overall program leadership, strategic direction, fiscal stewardship, fund development, policy formulation, impact assessment and aligning the efforts and strengths of K-State Olathe with the University's.

The National Pork Board (NPB) has named Dustin Oedekoven, DVM, its chief veterinarian. Oedekoven assumes this position after serving as state veterinarian and executive secretary for the South Dakota Animal Industry Board. Patrick Webb, DVM, becomes NPB’s assistant chief veterinarian. Webb previously served as NPB’s director of swine health programs where he implemented Pork Checkoff-funded FAD prevention and preparedness efforts.

Former USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue has been named the sole finalist for the position of chancellor of the University System of Georgia. The board voted without dissent to name Perdue the finalist, saying they interviewed several excellent candidates for the job in addition to the former Georgia governor. A veterinarian and agribusiness owner, Perdue served as Georgia governor from 2003 to 2011 and Secretary of Agriculture from 2017-2021. Source: Agri-Pulse Communications, February 23, 2022.

Ag Innovation Forum: “Tech Not For Tech’s Sake”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (February 14, 2022) – One of the speakers at the Council’s 2022 Ag Innovation Forum asserted that developing technology for its own sake was not the best way to connect digital engineering and advance science to the farm. Matt Olson, manager of John Deere’s Precision Ag Go-To-Market group, said “Technology was moving as fast as it ever has, and will never be slower.” But he noted that advancing tech needed to blend with “farmer intuition and institutional knowledge.” 

That notion of connectivity was a strong underlying theme of the day-long forum at Union Station that featured 17 experts in ag innovation, participating in three panel discussions. Chelsea Good, vice president of government and industry affairs, Livestock Marketing Association, served as event emcee. 

In his keynote address, Ben Johnson, vice president of programs, BioSTL, said growers are overwhelmed with innovation from various pathways – from input companies; coops and retailers; equipment suppliers; processors, USDA/Land Grant Universities; startups.  “As distractions, they can all add up to reduced grower production.” 

Dr. Parag Chitnis, associate director for programs, NIFA, talked about data science application initiatives that would lead to a national community learning network to promote economic mobility. He described an agriculture of the future that would produce food that is sufficient, sustainable, safe, affordable, nutritious and culturally compatible.

Keynoter Dr. Elena Rice, chief science officer, Genus PLC, made the point that healthier animals create a more sustainable food system. She described her company’s research in gene-editing as an ethical commitment to advance new breeding science to earn consumer trust. 

Dr. Michael Helmstetter, co-founder and CEO, TechAccel, wrapped up the Forum with a challenge to attendees – and a broader audience of Midwest tech innovators – to make Kansas City America’s most entrepreneurial city. “We owe it to ourselves,” he said.

This year’s Innovation Forum featured three panels: Geospatial Engineering, Automation & Digital Technology; Sustainable Agriculture; Focus on Entrepreneurship.

• Geospatial Engineering, Automation & Digital Technology:  Moderator Brad Fabbri, chief science officer, TechAccel, observed that the climate for ag tech investment was good. Panelist Matt Olson observed that digital ecosystem apps for farmers had to be designed to fit their needs – “not just tech for tech’s sake.” As for autonomous vehicle operation, he said it is not coming; “It’s already here.” Dr. Raj Khosla, agronomy department head, Kansas State University, stressed that monies earned from technology systems must not be made from the sensors and equipment per se but from the data it gathers. Dallas Ford, director global business development, Sentera, claimed that improved digital technology was improving engagement between growers and field consultants. Dr. Tom Eickhoff, chief science officer, The Climate Corporation/Digital Farming, predicted agriculture’s future would be influenced by Major League Baseball’s MoneyBall model. Baseball changed when it became data driven. “Agriculture will follow.”

• Sustainable Agriculture: Moderator Amy Skoczlas Cole, executive vice president, Farm Journal, led a group environmental and forestry expects in a discussion which concluded that any system changes in sustainable agriculture will likely start with producers. And 70% of them are not using sensor data apps. Michael Doane, a farmer and a director with The Nature Conservancy, said agriculture offers the best changes to mitigate land degradation. “This issue gets less attention than climate change,” he said, adding the solutions are hopeful and exciting:  “So why are we not doing it?” Dr. Sarah Lovell, director, Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri, added a new dimension to the common perception of agriculture. She asked why not look at agroforestry as equal to crop growing and livestock production. Forests are part of the ag landscape, she said, as windbreaks and habitats for various wildlife species. Trees also sequester carbon. Dr. Sara Place, chief sustainability officer, Elanco Animal health, pointed out the short comings of ESG (environmental impact, social impact and governance) scores as they relate to livestock production. Groups have tried to assign limits for food animal carbon emissions. But they’re difficult to administer. If regulators severely limited carbon emissions from food animals, the negative ramifications would include a cutback in overall protein production. “We’d be eating a diet of sugar,” she scoffed.

• Focus on Entrepreneurship: Moderator J.J. Jones, co-founder, Roots & Legacies, guided a panel of energetic entrepreneurs through a discussion of ups and downs and reasons for starting tech businesses in agriculture. The consensus was that tech’s mission was to make producers’ lives easier. Tech startups can help farmers and ranchers comply with environmental rules or be part of the solutions to lower emissions and mitigate soil degradation. Entrepreneurs, the group agreed, are disrupters and can have meaningful, lasting impact on growers and food animal producers.

The panel included Kevin Johansen, founder and CEO of Ag Butler; Shekar Gupta, founder and CEO of MyAniML; Ryan Raguse, co-founder and president, Bushel; Rob Forsythe, co-founder and CEO, Milk Moovement; and Martha Schlicher, entrepreneur-in-resident, BioGenerator. Some of the advice they offered: 

• Be clear about your direction and be ready to adjust course; 

• Know when to pivot; 

• Be a listener; 

• Be patient; 

• Cultivate a network of savvy advisors (not agents); 

• Be careful when “taking early money; keep financial options open.  

All of them concurred that passion drives successful entrepreneurs. And they suggested not focusing on successes alone. Learn from the disappointments. 

Dr. Schlicher with BioSTL’s BioGenerator, described the current investment climate between Coastal and Midwest/Heartland. There is not a lot of companies in the Midwest to lure Coastal money, she said. Coastal investors have high costs and lately are having a difficult time keeping employees. “But they’re thinking are about the opportunities emerging in the Heartland.”

Ag Innovation Is Focus for Feb. 10 Forum in Kansas City

Virtual Participation Available

January 31, 2022, KANSAS CITY, MO:  Cutting-edge developments in ag innovation will be the focus for a February 10 forum in Kanas City at Union Station.   “The goals for the forum are to celebrate and showcase new technology emerging in agriculture,” says Bob Petersen, executive director of the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City, which is hosting the event.

The event will feature keynote presentations from several nationally prominent experts:

• Ben Johnson, Vice President of Programs, BioSTL, “Agtech Innovation – Bridging Urban and Rural Economic Vitality.”

• Dr. Parag Chitnis, Associate Director for Programs, National Institute for Food and Agriculture, “Agriculture of the Future: People, Places, and Products.”

• Dr. Elena Rice, Chief Scientific Officer, Genus PLC, “Healthier Animals, A More Sustainable Food System: The promise of gene editing.”

Three panel discussions will delve into more specific topics:

• Geospatial engineering, automation & digital technology in agriculture. Leading equipment providers and technology experts will highlight their efforts. Moderated by: Dr. Brad Fabbri, Chief Science Officer, TechAccel.

  • Matt Olson, Product Marketing Manager – Precision Ag, John Deere.

  • Dr. Raj Khosla, Agronomy Department Head, Kansas State University. 

  • Dallas Ford, Director Global Business Development, Sentera. 

  • Dr. Tom Eickhoff, Chief Science Officer, The Climate Corporation and Digital Farming.

• Successful new-to-market concepts from entrepreneurs that encompass plant and animal agricultural and feature new platforms to enhance productivity. Moderated by: J.J. Jones, Co-Founder, Roots & Legacies.

  • Kevin Johansen, Founder & CEO, Ag Butler.

  • Shekhar Gupta, Founder & CEO, MyAnIML. 

  • Ryan Raguse, Co-Founder & President, Bushel. 

  • Dr. Martha Schlicher, Entrepreneur-in-Resident, BioGenerator. 

  • Robert Forsythe, Co-Founder & CEO, Milk Moovement. 

• Efforts to build more sustainable systems featuring local to global perspectives across a broad range of the food and agricultural spectrum. Moderated by: Amy Skoczlas Cole, Executive Vice President, Farm Journal.

  • Michael Doane, Global Managing Director, Food & Freshwater Systems, The Nature Conservancy.

  • Dr. Sarah Lovell, Director, Center for Agroforestry, University of Missouri.

  • Dr. Sara Place, Chief Sustainability Officer, Elanco Animal Health.

The emcee for the forum will be Chelsea Good, Vice President Government & Industry Affairs, Livestock Marketing Association

Registration details and further information are available at:  www.agbizkc.com.

Digging Deeper...

The National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) released a report in December 2020 – “Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources and the Environment, United States, 2020-2025” – showing that as the nation places greater emphasis on agricultural sciences and business to meet the challenges of developing complex global food systems for a growing population, a growing bounty of employment opportunities is presenting itself for U.S. college graduates. The NIFA report estimates nearly 59,400 jobs annually between 2020 and 2025 will be available in the agriculture sector of the economy. The question is, how are they going to be filled? Kansas City-based DeBruce Foundation has answers and strategies.  By Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC. Source: Kristie Larson, Strategic Relationship Manager, The DeBruce Foundation; Chanelle Zak, Community and Multi-Media Coordinator, The DeBruce Foundation; Jennifer Ryder Fox, Ph.D., dean of the College of Agriculture at California State University, Chico.

DeBruce Foundation Takes An Agile Approach To Workforce Development

Ten years ago Yahoo News ran a story entitled “College Majors That Are Useless.” The article ranked degrees in agriculture, animal science and horticulture among the top five diplomas to avoid “if you are going to school in hopes of graduating to more job opportunities.” Theater and fashion design were the other two (since you asked). The piece was written by an award-winning, Hawaii-based freelance writer, actor and filmmaker who says when he is not banging out copy and screenplays, he surfs and spear fishes for dinner. So, questioning his bone fides for researching such an assignment on academia and agriculture was justified. 

Blowback on the article was swift and biting. Jennifer Ryder Fox, Ph.D., dean of the College of Agriculture at California State University, published a rebuttal the next day in the online media outlet Growing Home, a nonprofit food pantry organization in the Denver area. “One might be led to believe that the author has something against eating, wearing clothes, enjoying a natural landscape, or smelling a bouquet of roses,” she wrote. “What other reason could he have for singling out agriculture, animal science, and horticulture as three of the five most useless degrees? His rationale and indeed the original rankings mentioned in his article are certainly not based on fact.”

In her piece Dr. Fox cited a recent (at the time) study conducted by Purdue University and funded by USDA that projected an estimated 54,400 annual openings for college graduates in food, renewable energy, and the environment between 2010 and 2015. Or 272,000 jobs total over the five years. The study also found that only 53,500 students with ag/food sector majors would graduate each year over that five year period, amounting to a shortfall of 25,000 positions unfilled over the period. 

Commenting on the situation in California back then, Dr. Fox said the California Community College Centers for Excellence had completed an environmental scan of the agriculture value chain in California and found that there [were] 2.5 million individuals employed in more than 800 job titles within the agriculture value chain in the state. The average annual salary for agricultural value chain workers [was] $50,000. “While the number of production jobs is expected to decrease in the next five years,” she explained, “ a net increase of 181,000 jobs [was] expected throughout the entire agricultural value chain, which includes support, research, technology, production, processing/packaging, marketing, and sales and distribution.” 

The challenge for the overall  U.S. economy going forward is to attract, train, inspire and place qualified people into new jobs and career tracks that are emerging as advancing technology creates new capacities to create, design, produce, transport, market and track. Just a few, among others. 

Over the last ten years there has been a growing need for educated agriculturalists, and projections estimate particularly strong double-digit growth in agricultural careers such as agricultural inspectors, animal scientists, food scientists and technologists, natural sciences managers, pest control workers, soil and plant scientists, and veterinarians. Not to mention how adaptation of advanced technology into the entire agriculture sector of the economy – sensors, drones, mapping and data collection systems, GPS, robotics, artificial intelligence et al – is calling for a new generation of ag engineers and technology specialists. 

One more wrinkle. The Purdue study found that ag industry employers, prefer to hire graduates with agriculture and life science majors because most of them have been brought up on farms and in rural areas and have a natural affinity for ag job descriptions and requirements. But those numbers are dwindling as fourth and fifth generation sons and daughters opt for careers in the big city.  As mentioned above, even if the ag industry is posting some 54,500 job openings each year, there is still a shortage of 1,000 candidates annually to fill them.  

Enter The DeBruce Foundation

So is anyone addressing the situation? Yes. The DeBruce Foundation. Founded in 1988 The DeBruce Foundation is a national organization with an all-encompassing goal to expand pathways to overall economic growth and opportunity for individuals and communities.  A noble goal. But the Foundation has been working with a different blueprint. It set out to accomplish its mission by expanding the traditional model of simply allocating funds to humanitarian, civic and philanthropic groups. Paul DeBruce, the founder of The DeBruce Foundation and former chairman and CEO of DeBruce Grain, Inc., assembled a team of experts from various professions and sectors of the economy to identify “transformative opportunities to make an even greater public impact for decades to come.”

Mr. DeBruce had the ‘right stuff’ for the mission (to borrow the term from author Thomas Wolfe’s book and movie entitled the same). He grew DeBruce Grain into an agricultural industry giant which comprised grain facilities, grain trading, grain and oilseed processing and operated, as well, fertilizer terminals and trading and feed handling operations and ingredient trading in 75 locations throughout the United States and Mexico. Mr. DeBruce has also chaired the Kansas City Federal Reserve Board of Directors and presided over the Terminal Grain Elevator Merchants Association (TEGMA). He has served on the boards of the National Grain and Feed Association, Kansas City Board of Trade, Civic Council of Kansas City, American Royal and Customer Advisory Board to Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. “His leadership as a trustee of The Nelson-Atkins museum of Art and other Kansas City non-profit organizations has resulted in lasting impact for the Kansas City community,” notes the Foundation’s leadership.

Despite Mr. DeBruce’s ties to agriculture and the Foundation’s location in Kansas City, a national agricultural hub, The DeBruce Foundation is not necessarily ag-centric. “As our workforce experiences vast changes,” the Foundation notes, “our responsibility grows to empower and equip [all] young people to navigate the [broader] world of work.” Last September The DeBruce Foundation commissioned a study conducted by GQR, a Washington D.C.- based opinion research firm that found that 80% percent of youth ages 16-24 lack a clear idea of how to prepare for a career.

A somewhat startling finding also emerged from the research: 67% of youth reported considering only one or two career paths. “The research presents a stunning opportunity to help youth identify their next steps by building career literacy,” says the Foundation team, “Exposing them to a wide array of career options in which their skills and interests can shine throughout their journey can instill in them a resilience and confidence for the future.” And for some, those next steps might include a serious look into how agriculture offers an exciting, lucrative, important and satisfying career.

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A Transformative Model

The DeBruce Foundation, whose overall mission is to expand pathways to economic growth and opportunity, has placed intense focus on creating strategies and tools for workforce development. Its aim is to help individuals widen their vision in identifying new occupational paths and unlock their potential to succeed in careers they might never have considered. Agilities.org is the key to the Foundation’s efforts to raise an individual’s awareness of the skills and interests he or she has. Business leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, and researchers have been recruited by The DeBruce Foundation to provide innovative approaches to change how people pursue careers.  

“The DeBruce Foundation creates solutions, develops curricula, and supports initiatives to help individuals along their career journey – from preparing for a career to retirement,” says Dr. Leigh Anne Taylor Knight, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer at the DeBruce Foundation.  “We aim to equip individuals to be agile in the face of an ever-changing world of work – meaning they are prepared to overcome challenges and navigate the upcoming changes in workplace technologies, job restructuring, and the shifting of traditional employment sectors.”

Using research and data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, The DeBruce Foundation team has identified groups of work skills used in every single job in the U.S. economy, Taylor Knight notes. “These work skills, coined as Agilities,are key to building an agile career and a resilient workforce.” 

• Developing Others 

• Innovating

• Inspecting 

• Judging and Estimating 

• Managing 

• Operating Objects

• Organizing 

• Selling and Communicating 

• Serving and Caring

• Working with Information 

“No matter what you do for a living,” says the DeBruce team, “you’re using each of these Agilities in different degrees, as every job uses all the Agilities in varying amounts. For example, a physical therapist uses Serving and Caring, Innovating, and Judging and Estimating Agilities most frequently, while a carpenter uses Operating Objects, Inspecting, and Judging and Estimating Agilities most frequently.”

For a student looking ahead to a career, knowing their Agilities can help them understand the multitude of workforce opportunities that align with their strengths and interests,” explains Taylor Knight. “Or, if their dream job uses an Agility they aren’t as skilled in,” she adds, “they know how they need to develop it in order to pursue that career.” 

 For someone re-entering the workforce or looking for a career in a different sector of the economy, knowing their Agilities can help them successfully assess where their current skills can bring value in that workspace.

 How It Works

When individuals gain a better understanding of themselves, they take the first step toward gaining career literacy.  When they build a professional network, they become better equipped for a successful career and more resilient and adaptable when changes occur in the industry overall or in a particular workplace. The Foundation partners with K-12 schools, universities, workforce development organizations, libraries, and other groups to increase access to career literacy resources and create shared, innovative programming to expand career pathways.  “In a rapidly changing economy, it’s imperative that people develop career literacy to make informed decisions about their career paths,” says Taylor Knight. 

Instead of matching someone to one job they could do, the Foundation wants to expand the number of careers individuals can recognize as options for their future. A fundamental component of the Foundation’s suite of career literacy tools is the Agile Work Profiler, an online assessment that can be completed in 10 minutes and identifies one’s Agilities. By discovering the intersection of one’s skills and interests, one can navigate the workforce in a more informed and empowered way.

The Agile Work Profiler works under the premise that as an individual’s interests and skills develop and change throughout a career, so does his or her Agilities. For this reason, the Agile Work Profiler can be taken multiple times throughout one’s lifetime and provide key information to the individual taking that next step in their career. “After they know their Agilities,” DeBruce Foundation staffers note, “career seekers can use The Foundation’s Career Explorer Tools, a suite of interactive, online tools that provide  information about the income, preparation, work activities, and demand for each career.”

According to Dr. Leigh Anne Taylor Knight, as one explores ways to use their Agilities, they will find many agricultural jobs described on Agilities.org. For example: 

• Agricultural Equipment Mechanics (using the Operating Objects agility).

• Buyers and Purchasing Agents of Farm Products (using the Selling and Communicating agility).

• Environmental Engineering (using the  Judging and Estimating agility).

• Biochemists and Biophysicists (using Innovative agility).

• Veterinarians (using the  Serving and Caring agility).

The DeBruce Foundation’s tools help people explore opportunities in the workforce that they might have not been exposed to or have seriously considered. 

The Science Behind The Agile Work Profiler

By The DeBruce Foundation Team
(with editing for length)

The Agile Work Profiler (AWP) was inspired by The DeBruce Foundation’s objective to broaden career opportunities for individuals. The notion of agility has two critical implications in the evolving economy. 

First, individuals often have strengths that are assets in a variety of career domains, even when such domains are seemingly dissimilar and are thus unlikely to be considered meaningful options. When making employment decisions, people customarily consider a limited set of homogenous work options, typically within a single career domain. The notion of agility implies that the person may succeed in a diverse set of options both within a given career domain and across several different domains. 

Second, the notion of agility implies that the individual can build new strengths based on interests in different opportunities in the world of work. Such an approach to work is becoming increasingly consequential in an economy where people change jobs and make different career moves more frequently than before.

Thus, an Agility is a capability that can be improved over time, depending on the individual’s scope of career interests. The wider the scope of interests, the broader the opportunities for the person to consider determining which of their capabilities, if any, should be improved (and to what degree) in order to pursue their interests. 

The profession of labor force development, career counseling and human resource management offer a rich array of tools that help individuals explore their skills, abilities, and interests in making work-related decisions. Employers, educational institutions, and social service agencies also use such tools for recruitment and guidance. However, these instruments and the related practices often assume that optimal results arise from narrowing individual choices—that is, from matching the individual to a limited, homogenous set of options. This practice is traditionally seen as an effective means to greater value creation for the individual and the economy. Existing instruments and practices also tend to view the individual’s skills and abilities as comprising a static set of capabilities. Therefore, they overlook the possibility that a broader scope of individual interests can act as a guidepost to help build new strengths that facilitate the pursuit of new opportunities.

A third aspect of conventional approaches is that existing tools are typically unable to directly relate an individual’s capabilities to all occupational choices that exist in the economy. This oversight is a critical weakness when the objective is to expand career choices and opportunities. The AWP was conceived to address these three characteristics. It is designed to:

1. Expand and diversify one’s career opportunities,

2. Guide individual efforts to build new strengths in light of a wide range of occupational interests, and

3. Enable the person to make career choices and assess whether they need to build new strengths in light of how their existing capabilities and interests relate to all occupational options in the economy.

The AWP draws on dynamic data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS periodically surveys members of each occupation in the U.S. on the role of various skills, abilities, and work activities (i.e., specific tasks) in their occupation. It formally classifies about 970 occupations for data collection. Each occupation includes, on average, 60 jobs (sub-occupational titles), thus altogether covering nearly 60,000 jobs in the U.S. economy. The development of the AWP was based primarily on work activity data (as opposed to data on skills and abilities) for two reasons. First, work activities (e.g., analyzing information, operating mechanized vehicles, coaching others, organizing daily tasks, caring for others, selling products) are behavioral properties of work and more open to being acquired or learned by the individual, compared to deeper skills and abilities, which tend to be more attitudinal and may therefore require greater effort in potential processes of individual change. In some cases, skills and abilities are construed in close proximity to personality traits (e.g., ‘originality,’ ‘social sensitivity’) which are notoriously difficult to change. The behavioral activity data, on the other hand, specifies which particular work tasks—instead of personal traits—are important in a given occupation. The second reason for preferring the work activity data was its quality over the data for skills and abilities. BLS surveys about 30 individuals from each occupation for work activities, resulting in a total sample size of nearly 30,000 responses across the 970 occupations. In contrast, only about seven individuals from each occupation are surveyed for skills and abilities, limiting the reliability and predictive quality of the collected data.

The analysis supporting the current version of the AWP uses BLS work activity data from 2017. This dataset involves survey responses on 42 different work activities from about 30 individuals within each of the 966 occupations specified by BLS’ 2015 occupational dictionary. Each of the 42 work activities falls into one of four general types of work behaviors:

1. Information input (five activities)—where and how are the information and data gained that are needed to perform this job?

2. Interacting with others (17 activities)—what interactions with other persons or supervisory activities occur while performing this job?

3. Mental processes (10 activities)—what processing, planning, problem-solving, decision-making, and innovating activities are performed with job-relevant information?

4. Work output (nine activities)—what physical activities are performed, what equipment and vehicles are operated/controlled, and what complex/technical activities are accomplished as job outputs? 

The DeBruce Foundation continuously procures other information about occupations—such as actual employment prospects, income trends, and educational requirements—which, combined with AWP results, provides a robust means to foster more effective and diverse career choices for individuals. The Foundation’s efforts are driven by its core mission to expand pathways to economic growth and opportunity.  One way to achieve the mission is to use the AWP to broaden opportunities for all individuals in our evolving economy.