Honoring Senator Blunt

The Council’s 2022 Mizzou Showcase luncheon focused on expressing appreciation to retiring Missouri Senator Roy Blunt for his support of agricultural research. CAFNR Dean Chris Daubert pointed that, among other things, Sen. Blunt supported Federal funding for CAFNR, including funding for top research areas and Programs of Distinction including: ARS Livestock Genetics, FAPRI, the Center for Agroforestry, the ARS Plant Sciences Center, and the Missouri Water Center.

In his remarks, Senator Roy Blunt heaped acclaim on the region (and his state in particular) for its leadership in agricultural science, innovation and production.   He noted the Missouri River Valley is the biggest, most productive agricultural region in the world. “I am an infrastructure guy,” Sen. Blunt stated, “and the Missouri River Valley region that includes the Mississippi River provides natural, built-in infrastructure.”

It’s the biggest advantage you can have, the senator claimed. The size and reach of this natural waterway system allows Missouri and surrounding states to grow crops faster, transport them quicker and farther and allows margins of profitability to increase.  But, he warned,  the region needs to stay focused on the Missouri River with good policy, strong management, as well as with updated construction and maintenance practices. 

After serving Missouri for almost 35 years as its Secretary of State, as a U.S. Congressional Representative and as its current U.S. Senator, Senator Blunt has left a big footprint on not only the state of Missouri but also on the region as a whole in terms of agricultural development.  

Touching on other advantages the area offers, Sen. Blunt touted, “It’s a good time to be getting an ag degree.” There are a lot of things happening in food science, and from where he was standing the Senator said he and the agriculture industry overall can get in touch with ag experts and scientists at six land grant colleges. All within 200 miles of each other. “The prospects have never been better [for ag students],” Sen. Blunt observed. He added that surveys of folks with ag degrees working in agriculture show that job satisfaction levels are high.

As for world affairs, Senator Blunt offered unique insight from his recent trip to Ukraine. Russia’s designs on Ukraine is more than an imperialistic endeavor. Russia without Ukraine is a sublevel economy – is how he described the situation. So while Ukrainians are fighting for their country, freedom and sovereignty, Russia might very well be fighting for its economic existence. 

Digging Deeper...

According to a study spearheaded by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the immigrant population in the U.S. has helped strengthen America’s labor force. Like just about every other major and mid-major metropolis in the U.S., greater Kansas City is facing serious workforce shortages. “It began well before COVID-19 disrupted our economy,” says Joe Reardon, president and CEO, of the Chamber.  As baby boomers retire, younger immigrants are filling critical gaps in the market. The Chamber is engaged an all-out effort to marshal the region’s assets across the entire community – businesses, consultants, educators, policy makers, church groups, social services and health and agriculture – to welcome immigrants, refugees and other newcomers to grow the region’s globally competitive workforce. The initiative is called Welcoming KC.  Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC – Sources: Wall Street Journal, April 16, 2022; Welcoming KC, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, 2021; The Future of Equity in Cities, 2017, National League of Cities.

Making Greater Kansas City A Welcoming Destination

The phrase – think globally, act locally – is thought to have been coined in 1915 by a Scottish urban planner and social activist, Patrick Geddes, when he published Cities in Evolution. Another Scotsman, Niall Ferguson, historian, writer and columnist, wrote in his 2010 book – The Shock of the Global – that the concept of thinking globally and acting locally really took hold of thought leaders from business, government, education et al in 1970s. “It was the 1970s that introduced the world to the phenomenon of globalization, as networks of interdependence bound peoples and societies in new and original ways,” observed Ferguson.

The 1970s saw the breakdown of the postwar WWII economic order, the advent of floating currencies and free capital movements, Ferguson said. Non-state actors rose to prominence while the authority of the superpowers diminished. The Shock of the Global examines the large-scale structural upheaval of the 1970s that tore down standard frameworks of national borders and superpower relations, revealing an international system in the throes of enduring transformations. 

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal (April 16, 2022), however, suggests a good piece of the construct of globalization, as it has developed over the last 30 years, could be unraveling. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, de-globalization has been spoken of, in some circles, as inevitable. Comparisons to global events in the world 100 years ago abound. “The world could be in for something like what happened just over a century ago, when World War I, the Russian Revolution and, yes, a global [flu] pandemic provoked countries to turn inward,” the WSJ reported. But the article went on: “Just as the path toward a more globalized world isn’t inevitable; however, neither is globalization inevitably going into retreat.”

But there might be other changes to globalization’s dynamics. The pandemic-induced shortages and the Russian invasion illustrate how over-reliance on a single country’s production – such as microprocessors or natural gas – can be dangerous. “Perhaps there will be a recognition that globalization is neither a fait accompli nor a magic wand that can in and of itself lead to a more prosperous future,” said Justin Lahart, the author of the WSJ piece. 

Thinking Globally

Heady stuff that maybe ought to be left to elites at Davos doing whatever it is they do – because we all know the real reason why earthlings in the 1970s were starting to think more globally. In January 1970 Boeing Company certified its iconic 747 jet liner for commercial travel. It was the world’s first wide-body, long-range jumbo aircraft. Boeing’s original customer, Pan American Airlines, pioneered a new era of passenger flight that reduced seat costs by 30%, thereby democratizing air travel.  [Full disclosure: This is conjecture on the part of this writer – but as a former summertime Boeing employee back in college, I am proud of the company’s contribution to globalization.]

Thousands of Americans, like folks in Keokuk, Iowa, for example, who had never even been to relatively-nearby Chicago, could now travel to the capitols and major cities of Europe and Asia. They were also bringing home a novel realization and appreciation for the rest of the world. In other words, Thinking Globally.

Acting Locally 

Americans, though, weren’t the only people discovering new worlds. Millions of Europeans, Asians, Africans, Middle Easterners and South Americans visited the United States. American travelers took  pictures, created memories, made entries in their diaries and then went home. But people from around the world, it seems, made plans to return to the U.S., and stay. 

Immigrants have had a multi-billion-dollar impact on the Kansas City regional economy every year, says Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.  “But worth even more is the human impact,” he asserts. “They start small businesses, bring innovative ideas, and become active and passionate members of our community. New faces become old friends, and we are all better for it.”   

Granted, Digging Deeper is taking literary license to apply the “think globally, act locally” trope to herald the Chamber’s efforts to make Kansas City a designated globally Welcoming City. “We know that by using all the assets across our entire community,” says Reardon, “we can welcome immigrants, refugees, and other newcomers to grow the region’s globally competitive workforce.” In other words, Acting Locally.

Welcoming Kansas City

The Greater Kansas City region has become more diverse over the last 25 years. The immigrant population increased from 33,000 in 1990 to more than 150,000 in 2018. Immigrants are an important part of our economic and cultural fabric, working in a variety of industries and establishing strong roots in the community as homeowners and parents of U.S.-born children. “Neighborhoods in Northeast Kansas City and Central Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas own their survival to immigrants and refugees,” says Greg Valdovino, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion of the KC Chamber. “In Kansas City, 8.7% of all immigrants are entrepreneurs, making them not only good neighbors but contributors to our economy.”

At a time where the general population in the metropolitan area grew by 40 percent, the immigrant population increased by more than 300 percent. That’s why the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce has developed an omnibus action plan that reflects the values of welcoming and inclusion “to ensure everyone feels as though Greater Kansas City is home.”

This reflection has driven the development of the Greater Kansas City Welcoming Plan. “A welcoming plan is a roadmap that helps identify key priorities,” says the Chamber. “By bringing together the government, business, and nonprofit sectors,” officials say, “we created a roadmap that identifies the programs, policies, and activities needed to accomplish our goals of being an inclusive community and Certified Welcoming.”

Kansas City’s population remains predominantly white and black. While the city lost white residents in the 1990s, it gained residents of other races and ethnicities. Immigrants have contributed to the changing profile of the city suburbs and region, with the number of foreign-born residents more than doubling in the 1990s. The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce (GKCCC) considers the area’s  greatest asset to be its people, no  people matter what their background is or where they’re from.  “In order to compete for the best and diverse talent, we have to be more culturally attractive,” says Valdovino. “Younger generations are getting used to diversity and inclusion, they want to live and work with people that look different than them.”

A mantra heard at GKCCC is that the region is stronger when everyone has the opportunity to contribute and succeed. Notes Reardon: “The economic and social benefits of being a welcoming community are clear, and it’s in that spirit we will keep Greater Kansas City a healthy and vibrant community for everyone.” The plan lays out a framework to proactively address and engage a changing community by bringing together key regional  leaders to learn more about current demographics, consider the implications of demographic changes, identify priorities for action, and work together to develop new policies and programs. The Chamber enlisted 40 additional local partnering organizations to draft a plan to make the region friendly and open to immigrants, refugees, and newcomers from other cities, states, and countries. 

Here’s The Plan

At the core of the Plan are several values that GKCCC has identified as essential components to the Welcoming KC blueprint.

VALUE – Resiliency and Growth: “We believe in economic growth that leverages our diversity. By capitalizing on all talents, we help our communities withstand crises. We embrace and celebrate the resiliency of individual community members and of our community as a whole. The Greater Kansas City region strives to be a place where all can thrive.

VALUE – Racial Equity and Belonging: “We believe the various backgrounds, cultures, and experiences of our region’s population make us a more vibrant, connected, and creative community. Advancing racial equity and belonging in Greater Kansas City requires a long-term commitment on everyone’s part. It’s not enough to invite people to the table -- we need to advance inclusion at all levels. 

VALUE –  Opportunity In the Greater Kansas City Region: “We open doors to education, language learning, health, employment, and other opportunities to help everyone achieve their fullest potential.”

VALUE –  Connection and Cohesion: “No one succeeds in isolation; together, we can decrease biases and stereotypes, have rich cultural experiences different from our own, and solve tough problems through collaboration and creative problem-solving. We can see each other as good neighbors. We are so much better together.”

But values need to be articulated as goals, which need strategies for reaching them. Here’s how GKCCC is going about that.

GOAL –  Empower Racially and Ethnically Diverse Residents With Education and Access to Civic Life: “Identify organizations or individuals with experience and expertise on anti-racism, immigration systems, and equity and inclusion and connect them with local governments to provide professional development opportunities for civil servants.”

GOAL –  Create, Support and Promote Opportunities for All Residents To Build Trusted Relationships: “Enlist community leaders and organizations to work with immigrants and refugees to provide education and information on the history of race and racism in the United States and  to address anti-Blackness, power, privilege, and oppression, as well as the ways in which all residents are impacted by racism.”

GOAL – Create Equitable, Inclusive Economic Development for the Region:  Develop workforce  systems and programs that are accessible to immigrants and refugees; breakdown barriers that limit opportunities for success for immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs. Regional economic development services collaborate to address barriers for immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs.

GOAL – Create a Welcoming, Inclusive Workplace Environment:  Provide culturally and linguistically appropriate education to immigrants and refugees on workers’ rights and workplace safety; encourage  local businesses to diversify their workforce, including support to ensure compliance with visa requirements and re-credentialing. 

GOAL – Prepare and Support All Students, including Immigrants and Refugees for the Workforce: Create twilight schools in the community; provide GED/HiSet and trade/vocational classes at no cost; ensure paid internships, scholarships and financial aid programs are accessible to racially and ethnically diverse students, including immigrants and refugees. 

GOAL – Commit to Immigration Integration and Economic Mobility: Prepare immigrants and refugees to enter certification programs through trade/ vocational classes by offering them at a variety of times and locations; old on-site English learning classes at employment locations; expand the Kansas City Public Library RISE program to ensure the services it provides are accessible throughout Greater Kansas City. 

GOAL – Create Equitable Educational Outcomes for Racially and Ethnically Diverse Students: Identify, promote and incorporate proven family engagement strategies that focus on the unique needs of racially and ethnically diverse students, immigrants and refugees; ensure early childhood education is accessible. 

GOAL – Create a Welcoming and Inclusive Climate Attractive to Racially and Ethnically Diverse Residents:   Promote the arts and cultures of racially and ethnically diverse residents; ensure arts and cultural programs and services celebrate the contributions of immigrants, refugees and racially and ethnically diverse residents; ensure government communication materials reflect and celebrate the diversity of the community. 

Learn More

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce put together a leadership team of key stakeholders from the Chamber and the Kansas City region – including REACH Healthcare Foundation, Communities Concerned for Immigrants and Refugees/Vibrant Health and Shabbir Advisors to develop Welcoming KC. Over an 18-month period, GKCCC received input from consultants at Welcoming America, Decatur, Illinois, www.welcomingamerica.org. Additionally, the plan has been informed by input from community leaders, government officials, community members directly impacted by the plan, and the public at large.

For an in depth and detailed look at GKCCC’s welcoming KC read the full report here.

Did You Know?

The National League of Cities (NLC), located in Washington, D.C. is the nation’s leading advocacy organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance. Through its membership and partnerships with state municipal leagues, NLC serves as a resource and advocate for more than 1,900 cities and towns. NLC, like the GKCCC, also recently (2017) published a detailed report on how cities are gearing up  to promote equity and diversity in municipal settings.  Future of Equity In Cities is available at www.nlc.org.

But did you know NLC was first founded in 1924 as the American Municipal Association in Lawrence, Kansas by a group of ten state municipal leagues seeking greater coordination and representation in national affairs. In 1947, the organization opened its membership to individual cities with populations of 100,000 or more. That membership threshold was gradually moved downward, and in 1964, to signal the organization's growing emphasis on cities as members, the American Municipal Association changed its name to the current NLC. By 1977, the population requirement was eliminated.

Longtime Top Gun for Kansas Senators Charting New Course

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D., announced the upcoming departure of his general counsel Chad Tenpenny. Tenpenny is the only person to have served on the staff of senators Bob Dole, Pat Roberts and Marshall. In May, after nearly twenty-four years of service to Kansas as a staff member in the U.S. Senate, Tenpenny will transition to the private sector. Tenpenny plans to build a law practice that focuses on federal, state and local government affairs, general counsel services and political consulting. 

“Chad has provided steady and strategic advice and counsel to me in my first year and a half in the U.S. Senate,” said Sen. Marshall.  “He understands the Sunflower State better than anyone; Chad knows how to work behind the scenes to accomplish positive results for all Kansans,” noted the senator.  “Chad is loyal, dedicated to his job, and will be missed by all of Team Marshall. I offer congratulations and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.”  Said Tenpenny, “Serving Kansas and three outstanding and hard-working Senators has been an absolute privilege. Developing friendships with Chairman Roberts, Senator Marshall, fellow staff and community leaders in all corners of our state as well as D.C. has been a true blessing. I look forward to building on this wonderful experience as I transition to the private sector.” 

Senator Pat Roberts had this to say about his longtime state director and chief of staff: “The people of Kansas know and respect Chad and depend on him as a direct link to the Federal Government. His steady dependable leadership in the State has been a gift to me and to all Kansans over the years. Chad has been out there riding shotgun, covering all 105 counties, with me since my early days in the Senate. We covered almost every inch of the State, from the Cimarron National Grasslands in Morton County to the eastern border in Wyandotte County.”

Tenpenny began his public service career as an intern for Senator Dole. After earning both his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Kansas, Tenpenny joined Roberts’ Washington, D.C. staff focusing on tax and international trade issues. For more than two decades Tenpenny served Senator Roberts in a variety of roles including as State Director and Counsel, and ultimately as his third and final Chief of Staff. Since 2021, Tenpenny has served as Senator Marshall’s General Counsel.

Highlights of Tenpenny’s senate service include involvement in the effort to permit and fund construction of the South Lawrence Trafficway, accompanying Roberts on a trade mission to Havana, Cuba where they met with Fidel Castro, and serving both Roberts and Marshall in the effort to thoroughly vet and confirm presidential appointees including federal judges. Tenpenny also played a key role in four successful U.S. Senate campaigns.

Outside of his work in the senate, Tenpenny manages a small family farm in Williamstown and maintains a Lawrence rental property business. He resides in Leawood with his two high school age daughters and wife Chelsea Good. 

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.