Work Force Panel Zeroes In On Ag Labor Shortage

The Ag Business Council’s July 21 webinar was a panel discussion focused on workforce development. Farm labor shortage is top-of-mind for just about everyone involved in the agriculture industry in the Kansas City region.  As the Council notes, agriculture is vital to the local Kansas City economy, with a $24.5 billion impact on the region and the 98.7 million jobs it supports.  “The entire value chain – from farm to fork – is experiencing one of the most significant talent shortages in recent history,” said Atwater in her opening remarks of the virtual symposium.

One way agriculture is facing the challenge is through different solutions for longstanding problems. Panel participants offered several perspectives on the situation. Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam said that “rural folks have to get past inputs and drought [problems]” and key on labor. Shonda Atwater from the Kansas Department of Commerce  – and moderator of the Council event – was somewhat upbeat, pointing out that production has increased in 2022, “which is testament to the resourcefulness of ag people.”

Chris Kuehl, director of Armada Corporate Intelligence, delved into economic and financial fundamentals to conclude that “agriculture is more important than ever.” He said Fed funds rates are still expected to remain “accommodative,” unlike the 1980s. The dollar continues to gain strength which signals robust importing activity – “but it could make the U.S less competitive.”  Dr. Kuehl maintains that a significant reason for farm labor shortages is because in the last five years 26 million farming-Boomers have retired. That’s an almost unsurmountable loss.  That perspective also contrasts with oft-cited reasons – such as low wages, untenable visa regulations, lack of rural housing, schools and daycare services – that discourage workers from seeking farm jobs.  

Several panelists focused their remarks more on how ag careers have to be promoted in high school and college. Two educators on the panel described new programs under development at the State Technical College of Missouri and at Agriculture Future of America. Dr. Shawn Strong described how STC enhances students’ learning potential by providing them with specialized courses in traditional and emerging technical areas that foster a life of learning. The school’s mission is to prepare students for satisfying, profitable careers working for an employer or as a self-employed individual or an entrepreneur. Dr. Mark Stewart, AFA’s CEO, explained his organization is gearing programs and curricula in agriculture to make it as “exciting as NASA.” But he said students still need an understanding of the basics. “Tech experts can be astute regarding their advanced technology, but they might not know how to operate a clutch pedal on a spreader” Dr. Stewart says his team looks at ways to balance high tech instruction with mechanical proficiency. Can a young savant immersed in high technology be equally excited about taking apart a Briggs and Stratton engine, he asked.

Matt Wolters, CEO of Atwood, Kansas-based SurePoint Ag Systems, takes on farm labor shortages by the horns.  As a rural inhabitant all his life, Wolters considers himself and his neighbors rugged individualists who solve problems on their own. If lack of adequate housing in rural areas is an impediment to hiring, then his solution is to build spec houses on individual or jointly-owned property. Waiting for local, state and federal authorities to introduce policies and programs is not part of SurePoint’s strategy. The company recently entered a joint venture with Deere & Company.

Leigh Ann Taylor Knight, president, DeBruce Foundation wrapped up the discussion with a peek into the future. People are going to be living longer lives, yet most kids DeBruce research has found are only considering two or three job-types over a longer career span.  She suggested society and economies should look at education systems from a business perspective.

Two months prior to the Council’s webinar, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City held its annual Agricultural Symposium entitled Help Wanted in Agriculture.  The two-day symposium at the KC Fed’s headquarters examined the role of labor in determining the long-term outlook for agriculture and related businesses, how policies will shape that outlook and what the potential is for structural change. “By many metrics, the labor market appears to be unusually tight,” said Esther George, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. “The number of posted job vacancies is the highest on record. Hiring and retaining workers is an acute challenge.”

ASA Plots a Wide Course of Action

American Soybean Association CEO Steve Censky offered Kansas City Agricultural Business Council members a sweeping overview of ASA’s plans and strategy. He also accented his presentation with some pointed remarks. For example, he stressed that ASA continues to aggressively oppose and push for the removal of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of critical inputs. “These tariffs have led to extreme price increases which are impacting U.S. growers.” Censky curtly described the current sentiment inside the Beltway regarding trade in general and agricultural trade in particular: “It’s not in the cards.” 

Commenting on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposal requiring public companies to report Scope 3 GHG emissions (indirect emissions that occur in a company’s supply and value chain), Censky said his group met with SEC rule makers to explain how such policy would be unhelpful in the campaign against climate change. Especially for farmers. He told them that farmers are willing and able to implement programs for sustainable conservation, but accounting for emissions along their supply chain would impose harsh, expensive record keeping rules on them. After ASA had detailed the situation from an agricultural perspective, one SEC regulator responded, “We never thought of that.” Censky also noted that ag industry leaders need to draw a larger picture of the economic dynamics of their sectors so regulators can better understand the consequences their actions can bring down on businesses. 

Speaking of Trade

As global demand for U.S. soybean oil  grows, Censky said, American soy processors are building new plants to keep up with the orders. New crush capacity is expected to grow by a stunning 25% over the next several years. New crush technology will create additional supplies of soy meal protein which will be a competitive alternative for domestic livestock feeders.  A full buildout of the announced plants would increase soybean meal production by about one-third. While this additional capacity will provide meal for domestic livestock consumption at a competitive price, much of it is also expected to be exported as well.

[Editorial note: The 25% increase in domestic crush capacity will be obtained from 18 facilities, according to Scott Gerlt, ASA chief economist. “Some of these will be new while others will be expansions of existing plants,” he said. “The development will take place over the next several years. The crushing industry is investing billions of dollars in expanding domestic capacity.” Gerlt explained further that the rise of renewable diesel is fueling the crush plant expansion. “Renewable diesel can be used as a drop-in fuel as it has the same chemistry as petroleum-based diesel. While renewable diesel can be produced from many things, soybean oil is expected to be one of the principal feedstocks. This oncoming demand is spurring the additional crush plant investment. In fact, some of the facilities are part of joint ventures between crushers and renewable fuel producers. This results in a higher soybean price for farmers, lower soybean meal costs for livestock producers and more low-carbon fuels.”]

Inflation Reduction Act

As for his assessment of the newly enacted Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, Censky said there are many items in the reconciliation bill that will be good for agriculture, including provisions regarding biofuels, conservation, and taxes. Noting that IRA was passed along strictly partisan, he said, ASA has taken a neutral position as it digests the details of the legislation. There are good things in it, he said, such as no negative taxes for ag. “And it also did not do away with step-up in basis for land valuation.”

Farm Bill On The Horizon

While direct in his cautions about what ASA considers some of the short-sightings in Washington’s policy making, Censky is optimistic about the potential for the upcoming Farm Bill. He is hoping the Bill will contain provisions to improve the farm safety net for soybeans with improved crop insurance. ASA supports enhanced accessibility of conservation programs that allow farmers to keep their voluntary, incentive-based approach in place. Censky said the Farm Bill should provide greater investment in the promotion of U.S. commodities globally and build opportunities for biofuels and bio-based products.

As Censky put it, “A Key Ask” from the ag industry of Farm Bill law makers is: Grow the Size of the Pie. ASA is calling for greater financial allocations in the Farm Bill for food programs and for greater support for the work of food/humanitarian groups like Feed America, Harvesters and SNAP. Censky stressed it is important to include and keep these programs as part of the Farm Bill along with traditional farm programs.  He explained that keeping food programs in the Farm Bill ensured their survival and enactment into law, so people in need can continue to receive the assistance. Practically speaking, Censky explained if nutrition and other traditional farm programs beneficial to rural constituents remain in the Farm Bill, they will receive support from urban lawmakers. There simply are not enough farm votes alone in Congress to pass a Farm Bill.  “We need the urban votes, too; this is a historic coalition of interests that is important to preserve.”  He added, “Feeding people is a good thing, and a good thing for ag.”

Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - August 2022

DEVELOPMENTS

U.S. Congressional Representative Sharice Davids, Kansas 3rd District, made a quick visit to the Agricultural Business Council’s August meeting and luncheon at Grand Street Café in Kansas City. Rep. Davids said she was gratified to have joined the Congressional Ag Committee recently, noting she wanted to be on board with the ag industry that comprises such a large number of her constituents in the district.  Rep. Davids also pledged to work with Kansas 1st District Congressman Tracey Mann, who is also a member the Ag Committee. She hopes to be visiting Kansas City more often. “We need good input to legislate good ag policy.”

The U.S. Meat Export Federation indicated trade negotiations with Taiwan are moving forward and that science-based trade and production technologies will be part of the discussions, USMEF president and CEO Dan Halstrom told Agri-Pulse in an exclusive statement provided to Agri-Pulse (August 18, 2022). The U.S. dairy sector hopes the Biden administration will reconsider its decision not to include tariff-reducing provisions in the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade, said Jaime Castaneda, executive vice president of the National Milk ProducersFederation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Nevertheless, Castaneda stressed to Agri-Pulse that exporters are pleased to see the deal moving forward. The quantity of beef that the U.S. exported to Taiwan in the first five months of this year rose by 36% and value increased by 86%, according to USMEF data. Those exports accounted for 49% of Taiwan’s imports, making the U.S. its largest foreign supplier. Source: Agri-Pulse Communications.

National Pork Producer Council has indicated its support for Taiwan’s plans to lift non-tariff barriers against the U.S. NPPC also posted on its website that it will continue to defend the rights of U.S. hog farmers to use production processes and products that are safe. The Council also “opposes government mandates that – with no scientific backing – dictate production practices, increase food prices and restrict consumer choices.” The two countries agreed on general goals for the proposed U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade and said negotiations would begin this fall, Agri-Pulse Communications reported, August 29, 2022.

Pro Farmer, a division of Farm Journal, shared its much-anticipated production estimates on August 26 for the 2022 U.S. corn and soybean crops after analyzing information from the 30th annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour and other sources. The estimates are informed by Crop Tour data and observations collected by Crop Tour scouts in thousands of fields across seven key Midwestern states, and show results far below USDA expectations. Click here to read more from Farm Journal. 

The National Chicken Council recently published a survey showing 69% of American consumers think the term “meat” should only refer to products made from animals. The online survey polled more than 1,100 shoppers who self-identified as regular meat eaters, vegetarians, flexitarians or vegans and said there is confusion created by the way plant-based meats are sold as “chicken.” Some 21% of consumers said they have accidently purchased a plant-based product thinking it was real chicken. The NCC survey noted only 14% of Americans think “chicken” is an appropriate term for plant-based imitation poultry products.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture has published a Kansas Agribusiness Commodity Flow Study, which analyzes the movement of crops, livestock, and other agricultural products within and from the state of Kansas. The report identifies key value-added processing, market, and demand points while assessing the role and utilization of infrastructure essential to commodity movement. Results from the report include information about net outflows of feed ingredients, the role played by road and rail infrastructure in the agriculture supply chain, and how Kansas leverages strong local synergies to add value in livestock production and processing. Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam said, “It will help identify where opportunities exist to enhance commodity flow and improve market efficiency and competitiveness of Kansas agriculture both domestically and globally.” The study is available online here.

The Arkansas River Compact Administration (ARCA) passed a resolution in July establishing a 20,000 acre/feet multi-purpose storage account in John Martin Reservoir. This new account is intended to benefit water users in Colorado and Kansas and promote commonly held interests not directly related to the Kansas-Colorado Arkansas River Compact such as water quality improvements. This is a pilot project to determine how a multi-purpose storage account could operate, document benefits, and determine if there are any adverse impacts from such an account. The account will be operated in accordance with an operating plan agreed to by the states and will terminate on March 31, 2028, unless extended by ARCA. Find more information online here.

Elanco Animal Health recently released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report – Changing the World One Animal at Time. The 2021 ESG Report expands on the company’s inaugural 2020 ESG Summary, providing updates on the company’s sustainability programs, policies and initiatives as well as metrics and targets in several key areas, including workforce diversity and environmental impact. More information on Elanco’s sustainability initiative is available here.  FYI: Jeff Simmons, president and CEO of Elanco will speaking at the Ag Outlook Forum, September 26, 2022, presented by Agri-Pulse Communications and Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City.

Farm Journal celebrated the 40th Anniversary of AgDay TV, the newscast of record for U.S. agriculture, serving the nation’s farmers and agricultural industry through its award-winning, nationally-syndicated daily newscast. Viewers across the country watch the agriculture news program each morning on 121 affiliate stations and RFD-TV, reaching more than 53 million viewers each year. “Farm Journal is proud of AgDay’s legacy in delivering the news farmers, ranchers and growers across the country need to run their operations,” said Charlene Finck, president of Lenexa, Kansas-based Farm Journal.  AgDay was a pioneer in syndicated television along with programs like Entertainment Tonight and Wheel of Fortune. The program was responsible for many local TV stations adding morning news to their programming lineup. AgDay launched in 1982 by satellite — brand new technology at the time — on a handful of local affiliates. Farm Journal acquired the show in 1998, adding national television to its industry-leading print publications.

Just so you know…… Chick-fil-A, one of the nation’s most popular quick-service restaurants, does not have plans to put chicken wings on its menu. Wing aficionados – and they are legion – have been salivating at the idea of grabbing an order of those saucy bone-in delicacies from indisputably the fastest, most efficient and most courteous drive-through operations around. But it isn’t to be. Hopes were dashed when Chick-fil-A squelched reports that it would be serving wings. The rumor emerged – and got legs – when word got out that Little Blue Menu, a restaurant chain, would be putting chicken wings on its menu. Chick-fil-A Corporation owns and operates Little Blue Menu. “We aren’t testing chicken wings at Chick-fil-A restaurants,” a company representative recently told Eater, a local restaurant guide published by digital media company Vox. 

Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability has added a meat sentiment dashboard to its roster of free-access food system dashboards. The new dashboard, updated weekly, shows the sentiment and volume of meat and meat alternative mentions in social media and online news. Users may explore the sentiment and volume of #Meat mentions in all 50 states individually for social media or the entire country in a narrowly or broadly defined time range starting with April 2020 in online news and social media. More information is available here.

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) released its annual Our Industry, Our Promise report detailing the challenges the U.S. feed and pet food industry faced over the past year and the steps the AFIA took to address member priorities. The report provides an overview of this unique industry segment’s impact on the U.S. economy, its efforts to promote animal food safety and worker health and safety, and its forward-thinking initiatives to enhance global competitiveness and industry environmental sustainability programs. More information is available here.

PEOPLE

Dennis Rodenbaugh has been named president and CEO of Dairy Farmers of America. He succeeds Richard Smith, who stepped down after 16 years of service. Rodenbaugh most recently worked as the executive vice president of council operations and president of Ingredient Solutions.

Kevin O’Donnell has been appointed as Dairy Farmers of America’s senior vice president of sustainability. O’Donnell comes from FTW Ventures, where he served as a sustainability strategy adviser.

Chad Tenpenny, Tenpenny Law, announced earlier this summer the creation of a strategic alliance with the Lawrence, Kansas based law firm Stevens & Brand LLP. Tenpenny Law is primarily focused on government relations counsel; however, Chad takes great pride in helping clients navigate any professional or personal issue that might present itself. The alliance with Stevens & Brand provides Tenpenny Law with the ability to offer a wider range and greater depth of services for clients. Stevens & Brand is a century-old, full-service, mid-sized Kansas law firm with offices in Lawrence and Topeka.

Kansas City, Missouri-based AgriThority® recently brought on board Elleonora Da Riva as a product development agronomist working in the South American market. "We continue to see an increased focus on bringing new innovations to evaluate and eventually market in South America," said Ignacio Colonna, AgriThority Global Director, Science and Technology. "Eleonora’s experience in entomology and agronomy paired with her product development knowledge will be an asset to our AgriThority clients." 

Kelsey Barnes is now Farm Journal Foundation’s senior manager of government affairs. She comes from Syngenta as the manager of federal government relations.

Southeast Missouri soybean farmer, Aaron Porter, has been elected as Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council’s Chairman. In this role, Porter will lead 13 farmer-leaders elected to serve and oversee Missouri’s soybean checkoff investments. Porter, from Dexter, Missouri, represents District 7 on the MSMC board. Porter farms full-time with his father-in-law and wife, growing corn, cotton and soybeans.

Sydney Thunnel is the new executive director of the Missouri Beef Industry Council. Thummel had been manager of membership for the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association. She is a graduate of Northwest Missouri State University where she earned a BA in agriculture business and an MBA.

Kansas Corn recently welcomed Connie Fischer to its team as Director of Innovation and Commercialization. Fischer will look for ways to increase corn demand through new uses, encourage the commercialization of commission-funded research, work with partners to increase exports, and administer the commission’s research program. She received a bachelor’s degree in agronomy with an emphasis in business from Kansas State University. During college, she worked for the U.S. Geological Survey on an atrazine runoff study in the Delaware River Basin.

Twenty-five students from seven schools in Kansas have been awarded the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Kansas Agriculture Skills and Competencies Certificate. The students have completed requirements in the areas of classroom instruction, supervised agricultural experience (SAE) and FFA. These certificates have been endorsed by several industry organizations and employers including Kansas Farm Bureau, Frontier Farm Credit and Triangle H,  Kansas Grain & Feed Association, Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Wheat, Frontier Farm Credit, Harris Crop Insurance, Hummert International, Scott Cooperative Association, Milliken Ag Concepts, Middle Creek Seed. To see which students at which schools earned the certificates click here.

The National FFA Organization has given high priority to diversity and inclusion in its recently released strategic plan and value statements. “It’s a charge that FFA CEO Scott Stump says is critical not only for the future health of the organization, but also for the workforce American agriculture will need in coming years,” reported Agri-Pulse Communications (August 25, 2022). FFA also just announced record membership “topping 850,000 students for the first time.”

Sabrina Halvorson, an NAFB Broadcast Council member, recently published her first book, a novel titled Sins of the Father. Halvorson has been a news professional for more than 30 years. She has been actively involved with NAFB since she became a member 10 years ago when she joined the staff of AgNet West. She is currently the national correspondent for AgNet Media. Learn more about Halvorson’s book at www.sabrinahalvorson.com.  Source: Erin Nash, NAFB.

EVENTS

The anticipated White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health takes place September 28. As the event will be held in the White House, attendance is limited to invitees. But White house officials have said the proceedings can be followed online. This will be the first Conference of this kind in more than 50 years. For details and instructions for attending online click here.

Upcoming events this fall at K-State University Olathe include professional development training in the animal health field including a workshop that will review the Center for Veterinary Biologics and Center for Veterinary Medicine requirements for deviations, investigations, root cause analysis and corrective actions.  Check the K-State Olathe website for exact dates. Attendees may choose to participate in a full-day session or choose either half-day sessions. The morning session will cover FDA processes and CVM requirements. USDA and CVB requirements and processes will be discussed in the afternoon. More information is available here.

The Federal Milk Marketing Order Forum, hosted by AFBF in Kansas City, Missouri, October 14-16, will discuss solutions to Federal Milk Marketing Order shortfalls. Panels will cover various aspects of the Federal Milk Marketing Orders followed by roundtable discussions structured to spur conversation among all parts of the dairy sector, but with a clear focus on farmers. Registration is open through September 22 on the Federal Milk Marketing Order Forum website. From the website participants can also view the agenda and secure lodging.

Kansas Livestock Association reminds producers they can apply for scholarships and grants to attend the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, February 1-3 in New Orleans. To help producers attend, NCBA is offering a variety of scholarships and grants. Recipients will receive a complimentary education package registration and discounted housing for three nights. Stipends will be awarded to up to five beef cattle industry members, up to three young beef producers and up to three students currently enrolled in classes. Applications for all categories are due September 23. Apply at  www.ncba.org. In addition to the scholarship program, NCBA continues to offer the Rancher Resilience Grant, which supports cattle producer attendance at educational events, such as Cattlemen’s College, held prior to convention. Administered by NCBA, the grant is made possible through the National Cattlemen’s Foundation and Cargill Protein. To apply for a grant to cover registration and two nights’ hotel stay, click here. Cattlemen’s College will be an event option once convention registration opens October 3.  

National Association of Farm Broadcasters will hold its 79th annual convention at Westin Crown Center, Kansas City, November 16-18, 2022. The NAFB Convention brings together broadcast professionals, ag industry leaders and students focused on the agriculture industry. NAFB Convention is a great opportunity to connect with industry peers, brush up on professional skills, and learn more about opportunities and challenges impacting the U.S. farmer and rancher. For more information on NAFB Convention, connect with the NAFB office at www.nafb.com.

Ag Business Council Recognizes Young Leaders in Agribusiness

June 22, 2022, KANSAS CITY, MO.  The Agricultural Business Council of Kanas City has selected 8 individuals for its inaugural class of young leaders in agribusiness.

“We are pleased to recognize these young people who have been nominated by their employers and have shown exemplary passion, leadership, and business acumen,” said Dustin Johansen, chair, KC Ag Business Council.  Johansen, Director Business Development with Farm Journal, pointed out these individuals represent the future, the next generation of executives who will lead the agribusiness sector.

Chelsey Buseck

Chelsey Buseck, Agricultural Future of America

Chelsey Buseck is the senior manager for development and alumni. In her five years with AFA, she has improved and developed new programs to build relationships with industry partners, donors, and alumni throughout the nation. Her innovative thinking and strategy worked to restructure and rebrand the AFA Alliance Alumni Network. Chelsey is a member of the American Royal Chairman’s Club, and serves as co-chair for the inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (IDEA) committee for the Kansas City chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals. Chelsey came to AFA by way of the University of Central Missouri Foundation where she was assistant editor of the nationally award-winning UCM Today alumni magazine. At UCM, she earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations in 2013 and a master’s degree in mass communication in 2015.

Emma Downing

Emma Downing, Dairy Farmers of America

As part of DFA’s Government, Community and Industry Relations team, Emma Downing focuses on representing DFA at dairy and agricultural industry events, facilitating DFA’s farmer-lead policy process, supporting DFA’s policy advocacy efforts, leading DFA’s participation in USDA’s Dairy Donation Program as well as coordinating strategic optimization projects.  Emma also participates in several organizations including the American Royal Chairman’s Club and Kansas City Agribusiness Council and serving as a board member to her local county Farm Bureau and officer of her alumni Sigma Alpha Professional Agriculture Sorority Alumni Chapter.  She holds a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics Public Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri.

Xylan Grant

Jebryan (Xylan) Grant, John Deere

JeBryan Xylan Grant is a Dealer Development Specialist at John Deere where he provides analytic resources to aid the company’s dealer network’s precision agriculture strategy.  Prior to joining John Deere, Xylan also served in the US Army as a signal soldier.  Xylan currently is the Chairperson for the John Deere Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) program, leading the efforts to engage talented students.  He also is the Founder of the “Bridge Builder Mentorship Group”, focused on aiding high school juniors & seniors in his hometown of Spartanburg, South Carolina prepare for life after their K-12 education.  He also is the co-founder of the “Adams, Daniel’s, Grant Scholarship” provided to HBCU agribusiness students at his alma mater, South Carolina State University.  

Allyssa King

Allyssa King, American Royal

Allyssa King began her career at the American Royal as an intern nearly 14 years ago. Upon completing her internship, she joined the staff on a full-time basis serving for several years as manager of the Livestock Show.  In 2012, she was named manager of equine shows and in 2022 was named Director of Communications.  Allyssa is active in her community as an Executive on the Johnson County Fair Board and volunteers at the Johnson County spring livestock shows. 

Kylee Nodine

Kylee Nodine, Corteva

Kylee Nodine just celebrated her 12th year with Corteva Agriscience, currently serving as a Crop Protection Territory Manager in Missouri & Kansas. Kylee joined the company as part of the Emerging Leader program. She mentors new employees, volunteers locally, and serves on several Corteva workstreams to help improve customer experience.  In her spare time, she enjoys being with family and friends, helping with the family farm when possible, working out, reading, and cooking. 

Franklin Peitz

Franklin Peitz, John Deere

Franklin Peitz is a Product Marketing Manager for John Deere, where he focuses on bringing innovative application products to market that increase customer productivity and profitability. Franklin has worked for John Deere for 12 years in various positions of increasing responsibility across accounting, John Deere Financial underwriting, field sales management, sales analytics, and product marketing. Franklin is a graduate of Drake University where he earned his bachelor's in Accounting and Finance and achieved Certified Public Accountant certification.

Matt Shepheard

Matt Shepheard, John Deere

A Kansas State University graduate in Agriculture Technology Management and Agriculture Economics. Matt has worked within the Product Support and Marketing Business segments within John Deere and Company since his internship in the summer of 2009. A third-generation farmer, with an operation including row crops, hay forage, a Red Angus cow/calf operation, and bred heifer marketing program. Matt and his wife Sydney have 3 children; Twins, Jolie and Thane are 5, and Rhett will be 1 in November. They enjoy getting to work within the ag industry as well as raising their children on the farm.

Scott Thellman

Scott Thellman, Kansas Farm Bureau

Scott Thellman is a first-generation farmer and owner of Juniper Hill Farms, LLC, a diversified farm producing organic and conventional vegetables, row crops and hay located in Douglas County. He is also a co-owner with a local meat distributor of Sunflower Provisions, an online local grocery marketplace for quality produce, proteins, and provisions. He has a passion for organic and sustainable agricultural production, post-harvest handling, food systems and the economics of growing. Scott is President of the Kansas Specialty Growers Association; sits on the Kansas Board of Agriculture; is a founding board member of the Agrarian Future Alliance; and serves on the boards of the Kansas Land Trust and the Douglas County Farm Bureau. He is also a member of the Douglas County Food Policy Council and Growing Lawrence. Scott was recognized as Kansas Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer of the Year in 2019 and was recognized nationally as a top ten Young Farmer and Rancher by the American Farm Bureau in 2020.

The Council will recognize these young leaders a reception in Kansas City on July 7.

Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - June 2022

DEVELOPMENTS

Vytelle announced the release of the Top 150 Proven Bulls. Together, with more than 30 of their network partners, Vytelle is sharing high accuracy bulls that have risen to the top of more than 94,000 animals of 25 different breeds and more than 289,000 RFI EPDs. Vytelle curates the world’s largest multi-breed database. Each phenotyped animal strengthens the database providing producers insight to make profit-bearing decisions. “Cattle producers need to be able to replicate the right genetics now,” said Kerryann Kocher, CEO for Vytelle. “Through Vytelle’s integrated technology platform, the reality of making reliable data-driven decisions is now. Vytelle and our network partners, are publishing this list of feed efficient bulls to assist cattle producers globally in driving a more accurate mating selection decision.” To find the full listing of the 2022 Top 150 Proven Bulls, visit their website.

Caterpillar is relocating its global headquarters to Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. Caterpillar said the move from its current base in suburban Chicago would help it grow, and that it wasn’t getting any economic or tax incentives related to the headquarters move. The move is expected to affect about 230 corporate employees at Caterpillar’s headquarters, reported the Wall Street Journal (June 15, 2022), and is the latest in a series of recent relocations that have drawn major manufacturers and Silicon Valley tech giants closer to corporate and government customers in Texas. Manufacturers have increasingly turned to the Southwest as a destination for new factories, drawn by available space, appealing tax policies and an expanding technology workforce. Cheaper real estate and bigger potential workforces have led companies including Tesla, Oracle and Hewlett Packard to move their corporate offices over the last two years

Smithfield is closing a harvesting and processing facility in Vernon, California, in early 2023, citing the rising costs of conducting business in the state. Pork production in California has been under the microscope recently with the passage of Proposition 12, a measure that sets housing requirements for pork sold in the state. The Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case later this year.

The American Farm Bureau Federation and National Pork Producers Council filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 12. The state law seeks to ban the sale of pork from hogs that don’t meet the state’s arbitrary production standards, even if the pork was raised on farms outside of California. AFBF and NPPC argue Proposition 12 violates the constitution’s Commerce Clause, which restricts states from regulating commerce outside their borders.

Agoro Carbon Alliance has distributed more than $9 million in payments to U.S. farmers and ranchers in its first year. Agoro Carbon’s focus on education and grower support helps farmers and ranchers understand the benefits of regenerative practices on soil health, which drives carbon sequestration. Farmers and ranchers interested in carbon farming or conservation practices should visit their website.

FYI: Research from AllAboutGardening, a digital publication produced by seasoned gardening experts, has listed the potato as America’s favorite vegetable. Its conclusion is based on data collected from Google Trends over the last five years, comparing search volume for the query “How to grow……..” for various vegetables in all U.S. states. Potatoes were the most-searched-for vegetable in 14 states. Seven states searched the most for info on growing cucumbers. Beetroots came in third with six states citing it. Carrots and zucchinis were fourth. Fifth place went to onions, bell peppers and squash. Since you asked: Kansans like carrots and Missouri favors lettuce.

The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) offers payments to eligible livestock owners for deaths in excess of normal mortality caused by eligible loss conditions, which can include extreme heat. Producers must file a notice of loss within 30 days of the loss becoming apparent and file an application for payment within 60 days of the end of the year. Although livestock owners can apply for LIP in the county in which the loss occurred, it is recommended they apply in the county that maintains their Farm Service Agency records.  It also is recommended that producers document the loss and provide a statement from a veterinarian verifying it was due to heat. Documentation of the temperature, heat and humidity from a local weather station leading up to and through the loss event also should be provided. More information at Kansas Livestock Association and USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Program.

Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer dropped to its lowest level since April 2020, down 22 points in May to a reading of 99. Agricultural producers’ perceptions regarding current conditions on their farms, as well as their future expectations, both weakened this month. The Index of Current Conditions dipped 26 points to a reading of 94, and the Index of Future Expectations fell 21 points to a reading of 101. The Ag Economy Barometer is calculated each month from 400 U.S. agricultural producers’ responses to a telephone survey. This month’s survey was conducted May 16-20. “Despite strong commodity prices, this month’s weakness in producers’ sentiment appears to be driven by the rapid rise in production costs and uncertainty about where input prices are headed,” said James Mintert, the barometer’s principal investigator and director of Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture. “That combination is leaving producers very concerned about their farms’ financial performance.” Full report available here.

EVENTS

National Dairy Month celebrated and recognized the importance of milk as a global food and celebrates the dairy industry. This year’s theme focused on sustainability to showcase dairy’s commitment to reducing the sector’s environmental footprint. More information available here.

As farmers and producers plan the second half of 2022, MU Extension agricultural business specialist Wesley Tucker recommends scheduling three types of farm meetings. Blocking time on your calendar for these meetings can improve your farm’s communication and increase its productivity.

• Operating meetings. Schedule operating meetings every week or every day to create agendas and set goals for each farm employee.

• Family business meetings. At regularly scheduled family business meetings, include everyone involved in day-to-day farm operations. Meet at an off-site venue, and use the time to clarify responsibilities and roles within the business, create a culture of group decision-making and plan for the future.

• Family council meetings. Host an annual family council meeting to allow all family members — even those who work and live off the farm — to learn about the family business and issues that affect the family.

Tucker explains more about these types of meetings and other family business communications in a Family Meetings video at  www.muext.us/FamilyMeetings.

Kansas State University-Olathe is offering a webinar presentation July 13 at noon: Animal Health Regulatory Affairs Certificate.  The certificate combines the knowledge of animal science and veterinary medicine with skills needed to navigate governmental processes and regulations throughout a product's lifecycle. Info at https://olathe.k-state.edu.

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. More details available here.

PEOPLE

U.S. Congressional Representative Sharice Davids, D-Kan., has joined the House Agriculture Committee as its newest member, alongside fellow Kansan, Rep. Tracey Mann (R-Kan.). Rep. Davids is currently serving her second term in Congress and also is a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure and Small Business committees.

Eric Atkinson, whose career in agricultural broadcasting began nearly four decades ago, has signed off the popular Agriculture Today program. Atkinson retired June 10 after hosting the program – which airs from Kansas State University -- since 1983. “One of the neat things about this job is the amazing cross-section of talented, smart and engaging people that you get to work with,” Atkinson said. Samantha Bennett, who recently earned a master’s degree in animal sciences with a focus in agricultural issues communications from Auburn University, takes over as host of Agriculture Today, which currently reaches 80 counties in Kansas, the northern third of Oklahoma, eastern Colorado and southern Nebraska.

Baxter Black – the cowboy poet, philosopher, large-animal veterinarian and longtime NPR Morning Edition commentator – died at age 77 on June 10. He is being remembered for his witty and insightful analysis on a wide range of issues always from the perspective of a Western farmer and rancher. "He was sort of a Will Rogers kind of a character and that he saw things clearly and he knew how to say them in a humorous and nonthreatening way," recalls folklorist and musician Hal Cannon, who was friends with Black for more than 30 years. Black was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1945 and grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was a senior class president and National FFA Organization president, and also rode bulls throughout high school and college.  After graduating from veterinary school at Colorado State University in 1969 Black went on to practice as a large-animal veterinarian.

Ag Business Council Selects Busdieker, Dillon for Distinguished Service Awards

June 21, 2022, KANSAS CITY, MO.  Veteran agricultural educators Leon Busdieker of Hawk Point, Missouri, and Kurt Dillon of St. George, Kansas, have been selected by the Agricultural Business Council of Kanas City to receive the group’s Distinguished Service Award.

Both Busdieker and Dillon have recently retired after serving as their state’s FFA State Advisor.  Each had served many years before that as high school vo-ag instructors.

“We are indebted to the many educators like Leon and Kurt who have inspired, guided and mentored young people from rural America,” said Dustin Johansen, chair, KC Ag Business Council.  Johansen, director of business development at Farm Journal, pointed out these individuals have influenced thousands of young people in their career choices and experiences, often without the recognition they so richly deserve.

Leon Busdieker, Hawk Point, Missouri

Leon Busdieker recently retired as the State Director of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education after spending 43 years in Agricultural Education.  He taught Agricultural Education for 28 years before retiring from teaching in 2006. Upon retirement he joined the Agricultural Education staff at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education serving five years as the Northeast District Ag Ed Supervisor and the past 10 years as State AFNR Director.  As State AFNR Director he provided state-wide leadership for local Agricultural Education programs, additionally serving as state advisor to the Missouri FFA, Postsecondary Agricultural Students (PAS) and the Missouri Young Farmers organizations.  On the national level he has served on the National FFA Board of Directors, National FFA Board of Trustees and National FFA Alumni and Supporters Board. 

Kurt Dillon, St. George, Kansas

Kurt Dillon served as the Kansas FFA State Advisor from 2011 to 2021. While serving as state advisor, he provided support and guidance to ag teachers across the state and advocated for Kansas FFA at the Kansas State Department of Education. He was instrumental in helping design the National Agricultural Education Competency Standards as well as being part of the team that led the redesign of the Supervised Agriculture Experience program.  He also served on the National FFA Board of Directors. Prior to his position as State Advisor, Dillon was the agricultural education teacher at Rawlins County High School and the Atwood FFA Advisor for 26 years.  He served 36 years in Kansas agricultural education.

The Council will honor Busdieker and Dillon for their distinguished at a reception in Kansas City on July 7.

Big Shoal Farm

The Big Shoal Farm is a joint effort between the City of Gladstone and the Friends of the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum (A non-profit entity established to support the farm and museum). The farm is 7 acres in size and is located adjacent to the Big Shoal Cemetery on Old Pleasant Valley Road (64th St.). The farm uses modern farming techniques and crops. These practices provide insight into how crops are raised using fewer inputs and help control erosion. The farm shares the story of how new crop products protect themselves from insects and diseases via genetic enhancements.

Created in 2020, The Big Shoal Farm has three goals;

1. Share the story of modern agriculture

2. Practically show the importance of genetic enhancement and technology

3. Generate interest in children and adults in agriculture.

The farm raises sweet corn, sunflowers and pumpkins. The crops are produced, harvested and sold with the help of volunteers and hired labor from local 4H clubs and other school groups. The farm has honeybee hives that support the crop production. Honey is also sold at the museum site. The farm employs 20 or more students during the growing season.

Sweet corn is harvested and sold from early July into early August. Sweet corn can be purchased Monday through Saturday at the sales stand at the museum and other locations in the city. Sunflowers are available in August and early September. Sunflowers are available on Saturdays at the farm location on 64th Street. Customers can walk the field and cut their own sunflowers. Pumpkins are available in mid-September through late October and can be purchased on Saturdays at the farm. Customers can walk the field and select their own pumpkins. There is no charge for admission to the fields for either sunflowers or pumpkins.

Special orders for sunflowers and pumpkins are available by contacting the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum. Individual photo sessions are available as well with reservations.

The farm also provides programing for school children and adults. To date the Big Shoal Farm has had over 800 students visit the farm for educational programming. Programs are available on each crop, technology in agriculture and the importance of honeybees. Programs can be scheduled by contacting The Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum Director Marye Newman at 816-423-4107 or Farm Manager Eugene Suter at 816-550-6714.

Currently the farm has no indoor classroom space. All programs are conducted outside. That impacts the timing of when programs can be offered and we can also be impacted by the weather. We are currently in discussions with other educational entities to bring additional programming to the farm.

The city of Gladstone and The Friends of the Atkins-Johnson Farm and Museum are working toward the goal of building a barn that can be used for classroom and meeting space. The goal for that project is $650,000. We have raised half that amount and are looking for additional sponsors to help us fund the remainder. We always are open for discussions about sponsorships toward that goal and how we can expand our educational offering. Please contact Eugene Suter at 816-550-6714 with questions or want to explore how you can help with this project.

https://www.atkinsjohnsonfarm.com/big-shoal-farm

Ag Supply Chain Pulled In All Directions

Experts from the ag industry’s meat, dairy, crop and farm equipment sectors weighed in on chronic supply chain issues that continue to plague them more than two years after the COVID-19 outbreak.  Problematic challenges include transportation costs, labor availability and rising energy and input costs.

Panelists speaking at the Council’s June 16 monthly luncheon meeting included Jarrod Gillig, president, business operations & supply chain, Cargill Protein North America; Michael Lichte, vice president of Milk Optimization and Customer Relations, Dairy Farmers of America; Dave Spears, executive vice president and CMO, Mid-Kansas Coop, and board member, Kansas Ag Retailers Association; Chris DeMoss, director, Plant Foods, MFA, Inc.; Ben Smith, operations manager, Production and Precision Agriculture Marketing Operations, John Deere. Tom Brand, executive director, National Association of Farm Broadcasting, moderated the discussion.

As demand remains strong, persistent manufacturing supply base challenges that started in early 2021, have not materially improved as of mid-2022, said John Deere’s Ben Smith.  He also noted that unforeseen labor or workforce challenges have been caused by several factors that all lead to the same result of reduced production output.  “We are doing everything we can to meet demand responsibly and sustainably,” Smith said, “but it has been at higher financial costs.”

Jarrod Gillig remarked that at Cargill, resiliency in standing up to labor shortages means putting its people first, which further means ensuring the company is responsive to employee needs that go beyond salary and the usual benefits. Retaining its workforce and attracting new workers requires his company, Gilling said, to understand how important things like day care, affordable housing and transportation are to job seekers. 

Michael Lichte described DFA’s 6,000 farms and their farmers as a tightly knit community that is reeling from the high costs of feed. He also noted there is a “high cost” of not having drivers. From a dairy perspective, he said, “The supply chain is not just about getting product [inputs to feed and maintain animal health] into the farm, but also about getting product [milk] out.” Lichte noted it isn’t easy to find drivers who want to get up before dawn on cold winter mornings to haul milk for processing and marketing.

Dave Spears, Mid-Kansas Coop, doubled-down on the “severe shortage of both trucks and drivers” by noting that rail systems are also a challenge that is further complicated by congestion and labor issues at many of the nation’s ports. “Ag is not a simple industry,” said Spears, and suggested some government policies further complicate the situation. MFA’s Chris DeMoss concurred with Spears saying the value of coops depend on infrastructure. “But we can’t make highways and we can’t build railroads.”

One of the panelists quipped that the problem with capitalism is that it works, implying that businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals find ways to fix problems, innovate and produce things, exposing weaknesses in infrastructure and logistical practices.  Jarrod Gillig said, “Logistic problems just may spur solutions we need.” And Dave Spears suggested the Supply Chain of the Future will shift from the current conventional inventory strategy of Just-In-Time (stocking less) to Just-In-Case (stockpiling more).  

NAFB 2022 Farm Broadcasters & Friends: Journey to Israel

Dates are set for September 2-14, 2022, for the NAFB 2022 Farm Broadcasters & Friends Journey to Israel. Former Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman will serve as the head of NAFB delegation, and conversations are underway to schedule meetings with the Israeli Ministry of Agriculture, the U.S. Embassy and other companies conducting business in Israel. Plans also call for U.S. commodity organizations and their overseas staffs to set up tours of agriculture facilities and farms during the tour.

The trip agenda includes meetings with U.S. Ambassador Tom Nides, Israel’s agriculture minister and other Israeli officials as well as executives of companies doing business there. The itinerary also includes visits to farms, supermarkets, dairy operations, the flower-growing industry, kibbitzes, wineries and visits with farmers. Holy sights of the region also will be part of the trip, as well as stops in Tel Aviv, Merom Golan, the Dead Sea region, Negev, and Jerusalem. “Overall, this will be a working journalists’ trip, traveling with representatives from the agriculture community,” says Tom Brand. NAFB executive director.

Details

Cost of the trip is estimated at $5,960 per person (double occupancy) plus airfare. The NAFB Foundation has offered continuing education grants of $2,000/each for up to ten NAFB Broadcast Council members who make the trip.

To begin the process of securing travel arrangements, setting up meetings with officials and arranging stops along the route, we need your help and cooperation. If you want to be part of NAFB's 2022 Farm Broadcasters and Friends Journey to Israel, please contact NAFB as soon as possible, as a required deposit in the very near future is anticipated. Refund criteria and trip insurance will be offered; full payment will be required prior to the trip.

To join the tour, a passport valid through March 2023 with at least four (4) blank pages is required.  No immunizations are necessary. For more information and answers to questions contact Tom Brand, 816-431-4032, extension 103.

Digging Deeper...

Ticks can carry serious, sometimes deadly diseases, so it's important to keep current on tick-related health issues to protect animals and humans from their bites. This past year the Missouri Department of Conservation and A.T. Still University, Kirksville, Missouri, have partnered to determine locations of tick species and the pathogens they may harbor.  “We’ve never actually done research on ticks before,” says Dr. Matthew Combes. He is the Ecological Health Unit Science Supervisor at Missouri’s Department of Conservation. As a result, he notes there is a lack of information about where various tick species occur in the state and what potential disease-causing pathogens they may be carrying. “Also, there’s another thing that we just don’t know,” Dr. Combes adds. “We know that animals are the reservoir for bacteria and that ticks attach to animals and spread it amongst those populations. Then if one of those ticks happens to bite a human, it can spread it to the human. But we don’t really know the effect that tick-borne illnesses have on the populations of animals in the state because that research hasn’t been done.” Until now. To get answers, Dr. Combes and his team created a research platform that is asking Missourians to collect ticks they have pulled from livestock, pets and themselves and send them to the project’s lab.  

By: Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC – Sources: Interview with Dr. Matthew Combes, May 25, 2022; Saravanan Thangamani, professor of microbiology and immunology, SUNY Upstate Medical University; IGeneX, a California-based developer of Lyme disease detection tests; Thomas Mather, a public health entomologist at the University of Rhode Island; Tick Bait: The Secret History of Lyme Disease, Chuck Carroll, October 22, 2019, Good Times Newspaper, Santa Cruz, California; Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Warfare, Kim  Newby, May, 2019, Harper Collins; Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government’s Secret Germ Laboratory, Michael Christopher Carroll, 2004.

Trouble-Making Ticks Expand Their Population, Range, Longevity 

If there is anything good you can say about ticks, it might be this: Ticks are not as agile as many people think. But that’s about it. Ticks usually hunt for meals close to the ground, reported the New York Times (May 27, 2022), so while they can climb into trees, it's unusual for them to do so. “If you spot a tick on your scalp, neck or ears,” said the paper, “it most likely crawled there from a lower part of your body, such as your feet or legs. Ticks cannot jump or fly.”

Good to know. If you find a tick in your scalp after a hike under a canopy of low-hanging branches, it probably got there by crawling from a blade of grass onto your ankle and making its way on up to higher spots. So maybe you don’t have to wear a hat while hiking. Anyway, one performance shortcoming by these pests, notwithstanding, this year’s tick season is likely to be severe, according to Saravanan Thangamani, professor of microbiology and immunology at SUNY Upstate Medical University. In early spring he said his lab had already seen an increase of 43% in the number of ticks submitted for testing compared to last March 2021. IGeneX, a California-based developer of tests to detect Lyme disease, said the most prevalent tick-borne disease is Lyme disease with over 470,000 cases last year. It doesn’t expect a drop in cases this tick season. 

Warming temperatures could increase the reproduction rates of ticks, say scientists at the Purdue Climate Change Research Center. But it is not only warmer weather for longer periods that accounts for more ticks. The case can be made that modern technology is extending the life cycle and habitat of these hardy arthropods, as well. Jet aircraft, automobiles, seamless highway routes allow people to travel with their pets long distances; and some of those pets can be hosting ticks.  Ticks also hone their survival instincts with the help of HVAC systems, humidifiers and other advanced climate control devices that let homeowners unsuspectingly create conditions ideal for fleas and ticks to breed and feed. Eco-friendly building materials and architectural designs also help replicate natural surroundings and blur seasonal distinctions between various regions of the country. In the last two decades, ticks have migrated to every part of the country.

Ticks are not just a problem for those in suburban or wooded areas. They’re “becoming urbanized,” said Thomas Mather, a public health entomologist at the University of Rhode Island. Ticks are moving into cities, including, even in some parks in New York City, in part because their animal hosts, like deer, are proliferating in cities too, Dr. Mather said.

Economic Impact of Ticks

Little bites from little bugs run up big bills. Currently, CDC has identified 18 tick-borne pathogens in the U.S., and counts 27 known tick pathogens worldwide. CDC also warns that the occurrence of tick-borne illnesses in humans is increasing. Even more disturbing is that individual ticks can harbor more than one disease-causing agent, and patients can be infected with more than one pathogen at the same time – which complicates the difficulty of diagnosing and treating diseases. And runs up the medical tab quickly.

While the medical and economic impact of tick-borne diseases in humans is substantial, it is significant in livestock and other animals. Tick-borne diseases are estimated to affect 80% of cattle worldwide, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). By its reckoning, ticks are the most important vectors of human pathogens leading to increased public health burdens worldwide. Tick-borne pathogens include viruses and bacteria – such as the causative agents of Lyme disease, spotted fever rickettsiosis and human anaplasmosis and malaria-like protozoan parasites causing babesiosis.

Tick-borne diseases are emerging as tick vectors expand their geographical boundaries, especially in the northern hemisphere. Two examples of this phenomenon are Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum, which have expanded their ranges in the USA in recent decades and are responsible for the continuous emergence of Lyme disease and human ehrlichiosis.

In the U.S., ticks are responsible for over 95 % of vector-borne disease cases. Lyme disease is by far the most prevalent tick-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. Several studies conclude approximately 300, 000 cases of Lyme disease are diagnosed annually in the U.S. Based on these estimates, Lyme disease may be among the most common infectious diseases in the U.S. Additionally, around 10, 000 cases of other tick-borne diseases are reported annually.

What’s It Cost?

The economic impact of tick-borne diseases is significant and increases every year. In the U.S., the average treatment cost per patient diagnosed with Lyme disease was $11, 838 in 2019. A conservative approximation – based on 42, 743 cases reported to the CDC in 2017 – would result in an annual cost estimate of over $500 million. These costs could be much higher for patients with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome.  However, if IGeneX (see above) is right, and its estimate of 470,000 Lyme disease cases this year is accurate, and if per patient treatment expenses remain in the $12K range, then ticks’ tab for human medical diagnosis and treatment skyrockets to $5.6 billion. 

By comparison, the economic impact of tick-borne diseases on livestock is staggering, especially in developing countries. Tick-borne diseases affect 80 % of the world’s cattle population, with an estimated annual cost impact of between $13.9 billion and $18.7 billion.  Once considered “benign,” theileriosis is a disease that has beleaguered cattle in Mediterranean regions for some time, and only sporadically in the U.S. But this situation could change rapidly with the recent introduction of the Asian longhorned tick into the U.S.

This Asian tick is an efficient vector of Theileria orientalis, which was detected on East Coast cattle farms a few years ago. Originating from East and Central Asia and first sighted in the U.S. in 2017, the Asian longhorned tick is unique for its ability to reproduce without mating. Currently it is found in 16 states along the southwest and northeast regions of the country: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

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Update: Tracking Tick-Borne Disease in Missouri

Matt Combes, PhD, Ecological Health Unit Science Supervisor, Missouri Department of Conservation, recently provided Kansas City’s Agricultural Business Council answers to questions about this first-ever tick-tracking research in Missouri. 

What prompted the development of a program to trace origin, migration of ticks? Missouri Department of Conservation has noticed an increase in questions and comments about tickborne illnesses from the public.  We want folks to enjoy healthy activities on the land we and other agencies manage in the public trust, but concern about tickborne illness stops some folks from participating.  So in 2019 we invited folks from Department of Health and Senior Services, county Departments of Public Health, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and university professors to have a discussion about tick research in Missouri.  The top information gap identified by the group was simply an accurate map of the distribution of human biting ticks in Missouri.  The second gap was the distribution of pathogens that cause human illnesses in tick populations statewide.  

What are the dangers of tick-borne diseases? Are they increasing? Ticks vector diseases that affect humans, pets, livestock, and wildlife.  Some diseases cause lifelong debilitation in some humans if the disease isn’t detected and treated early.  The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has extensive resources on its website about tickborne illness (https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html).  Ehrlichiosis is a major tickborne illness in Missouri, and national trend data presented on the CDC website indicates that verified reports in 2019 were about 10 times higher than in 2000 (Statistics | Ehrlichiosis | CDC).

What patterns of migration, habitat and species invasion are emerging in various regions of the country? I don’t know much about trends across the country.  In Missouri there is a lack of historic data on distributions and abundance patterns of tick species.  Anecdotes seem to support that the Lonestar tick moved into Missouri from southeastern states starting in the 1980s, and has become the most abundant human biting tick on the landscape. Gulf Coast tick was transported to NE Oklahoma on cattle about 15 years ago, and has since spread across the southern half of Missouri.  The newest tick threat is the non-native Asian longhorned tick.  It was confirmed in North America in 2017, and in Missouri in 2021.  This tick is parthenogenic (doesn’t need males to reproduce) and can infest livestock in huge numbers.  It is known to cause anemia in cattle that can reduce milk production, and transmits bovine theileriosis and babesiosis to cattle in other countries. (More information at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/maps/animal-health/asian-longhorned-tick.)

Is there conventional wisdom and/or proven data about how ticks are migrating? I am not aware of proven data for how ticks migrate.  However, the human biting ticks need to feed on host blood (could be many mammal, bird, or reptile species) three times over three years to complete their lifecycle, so increased hosts on the landscape may contribute to their spread.  Increased temperatures and higher rainfall in recent decades may also play a role, but I’ve never read a paper that demonstrates anything conclusive about that.  Ticks dry out and die if humidity gets too low, so it is reasonable to assume that more ticks survive if humidity is high or vegetation stays wet longer due to more rainfall events.  

What is the seriousness of tick-borne disease, and what are the implications for human, pet, livestock and public health? Some diseases cause lifelong debilitation in some humans if the disease isn’t detected and treated early.  Newer viral diseases like Heartland virus and Bourbon virus can require hospitalization because symptoms can be severe, but antibiotics are not effective against viruses.  I’m not very familiar with pet and livestock issues, but I believe domestic animals are also at risk of tickborne illnesses that can reduce their productivity or even result in death. 

What is the structure, operations of the program? History, launch, acceptance, funding, etc? The project is running for 2021 and 2022.  The project is a citizen science project where anyone can mail ticks collected in Missouri to our partner lab at A.T. Still University in Kirksville Missouri.  Deb Hudman there identifies the ticks to species, and updates a map of results weekly (www.atsu.edu/ticks).  Our goal is to test 10 individual adult ticks of the four main human biting species per county for bacteria in the genera Borrelia, Ehrlichia, Francisella, and Rickettsia via polymerase chain reaction (PCR).  Results of those tests are also posted on the ATSU website as they become available.  We are not testing for viral pathogens or alpha-gal (causes red meat allergy).

What are the successes so far? Participation, findings? This has been a very successful citizen science project.  In 2021, around 2500 folks submitted more than 12,000 ticks.  We are on track to have similar participation in 2022.  Another aspect of the success of the project is the large number of radio, television, newspaper, and magazine interviews it has generated as well as invitations to present about ticks at various meetings.  We’ve reached a lot of folks and increased their awareness of tickborne illness risk through these outreach opportunities.  We have received lone star, American dog, gulf coast, blacklegged, brown dog, rabbit, bat, and winter ticks.  We have detected Borrelia lonestari, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Francisella tularensis, Rickettsia amblyommatis, Rickettsia parkeri,Rickettsia montanensis, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in the ticks tested so far.  Ehrlichia sp. is by far the most detected bacteria followed by Rickettsia sp.

How can Council members participate? While we have had great participation from the public on this project, distribution of participation is not even across the state.  We have received the most ticks from urban counties, but lack samples from rural counties especially in NW and SE Missouri.  We expect Lone Star and American dog ticks to occur in every county of Missouri and would like to test 10 of each species from every county.  There is map on the ATSU website that shows from where ticks have been submitted (Missouri ticks and tick-borne pathogen surveillance (atsu.edu)). Tick-sample packaging and mailing instructions are provided on the website.

No Ticks No Country Club Plaza 

Maybe there are some other things good you can say about ticks (see opening paragraph of Digging Deeper). If it weren’t for ticks, there would have been no cattle stockyards in Kansas City. Nor a Kansas City at all, for that matter, says John Dillingham, son of Jay B. Dillingham, former president of the Kansas City Stockyards and the Chambers of Commerce for Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas. And without ticks, there would have been no Country Club Plaza, either, developer J.C. Nichols once told Jay B.

In the mid-1800s, Texas cattle were driven into Missouri much to the annoyance of local farmers who tried blocking the Texas Longhorns that carried ticks which introduced a host of diseases to ‘Show Me’ livestock. Vigilante groups and cattle rustlers caused problems for drovers, often by means of violence. In 1859, cattle drives were outlawed in many Missouri jurisdictions. That forced Texas drovers to beat paths farther to the west leading into Kansas.

While herd health was a primary concern for Missouri ranchers, economics was top-of-mind for Texas cattlemen. In 1866, cattle in Texas fetched $4 a head while the going rate per head in north and eastern state markets was $40. Civil War obstructions – battles, infrastructure destruction – gave Texans little or no access to more lucrative markets on the eastern and western seaboards. That situation opened up opportunities for developers, entrepreneurs and investors. Stockyards were built in places like Abilene, Kansas. The famous Chisholm Trail cut a swath of territory from West Texas to Kansas enabling drovers to hustle some 2,500 head of cattle on a drive – as did the Texas Trails and railroads like the Union Pacific Railway and the Kansas Railroad.

But even as trails were blazed and railroad track laid, John Dillingham notes, other challenges faced Texas producers and plains states processors. Indigenous tribes and their buffalo and American drovers with their cattle had to share the grazing bounty along the trails. As one might expect, ‘sharing’ might be a polite term that doesn’t describe accurately the conflicts that ensued.  

Meanwhile, back in Kansas City, stockyard capacity was expanding, in turn creating jobs, promoting development of neighborhoods, attracting immigrant workers and creating unique communities and cultures. And in no small way, ticks – those parasitic arachnids of the mite superorder Parasitiformes – can take credit for the founding of Kansas City and the development of Country Club Plaza.

How? Because in 1906, the Bureau of Animal Industries’ primary strategy for combating deadly diseases caused by ticks – in particular babesiosis – was to establish permanent tick quarantine zones. BAI is the predecessor of the USDA. One of its initial tactics in battling ticks was to deploy land adjacent to the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. Since Missouri already had taken measures to keep Texas cattle out of the state, the Mighty Mo became the proverbial line-drawn-the-sand. Huge quarantine yards were created in the area around and nearby the West Bottoms. As these facilities expanded, so did the local commercial districts and neighborhoods.    

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Shrouded History Of Lyme Disease

Coincidence or Conspiracy 

As a medical condition Lyme disease is draped in a cloak of mystery. Its symptoms are difficult to diagnose, often not revealing themselves for months after initial exposure. Reliable tests for early stage infections are still under development, since antibodies must be developed first. Once the disease is diagnosed, it can often take years to effectively treat. The difficulties in spotting the disease and treating it, however, are nothing compared to an intriguing explanation of its origins.

The first known case in the U.S. occurred in Wisconsin in 1970, but it was thought to be an isolated incidence and not linked to what eventually would be called Lyme disease. Lyme disease as it is known today was officially recognized in 1975 after unusually large numbers of children were being diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Researchers discovered that most of the affected children lived and played near wooded areas where ticks dwelled. They also found that children's first symptoms typically started in the summer months, the height of tick season.

In 1977 the disease started to be taken seriously when two women residents of Old Lyme reported inexplicable arthritis symptoms. In the early 1980s the actual agent of Lyme disease was identified as a twisted bacteria known as a spirochete. Around that time, public health authorities realized that cases were not isolated and regular surveillance was undertaken for a distinctive rash-erythema chronicum migrans (ECM).

Why Old Lyme?

An upscale community in an affluent state with top notch healthcare systems, Old Lyme was an unlikely place for a mysterious disease outbreak. But maybe not, theorizes Kate Newby, an engineer and science writer for the Stanford School of Medicine. Her 2019 book – Bitten: The Secret History of Lyme Disease and Biological Weapons – won a 2019 Silver Nautilus Book Award in Journalism & Investigative Reporting and the 2020 International Book Award for narrative nonfiction. Newby also served as senior producer of the Lyme disease documentary Under Our Skin, which aimed to shed light on the Lyme epidemic, the plight of Lyme patients and the intense medical-political controversies surrounding nearly every aspect of the disease. Newby’s research, however, was not the first to uncover intrigue behind the outbreak of Lyme disease. In 2004, Michael Christopher Carroll published a New York Times nonfiction bestseller entitled Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government’s Secret Germ Laboratory.

A key source of information for both authors was American scientist Willy Burgdorfer. One of the world’s preeminent experts on Lyme disease, Burgdorfer claimed he was part of a secret program that sought to turn ticks into bioweapons. He backed up that assertion referring to a paper he had published in 1952 describing the intentional infection of ticks. Burgdorfer further detailed his involvement in the program to Newby only months before he died in 2014. In 2013 filmmaker Tim Grey asked him on camera whether the pathogen he had identified in 1982 as the cause of Lyme disease was the same one he had identified in 1952. Burgdorfer said, “Yes.”

Documents (official and investigative) record outdoor experiments with diseased ticks in the 1950s. And test animals mingled with wild deer, test birds with wild birds. By the 1990s, the eastern end of Long Island, N.Y., had by far the greatest concentration of Lyme disease. But how does Old Lyme figure into the emergence of Lyme Disease?  One needs only to look across Long Island Sound from Old Lyme, Connecticut, to Plumb Island, New York.  It housed a germ warfare lab to which the US government brought former Nazi germ warfare scientists in the 1940s to work on the same malevolent projects they did under Heinrich Himmler. On Plum Island the germ warfare team frequently conducted its experiments out of doors. It was on an island, so what could go wrong?

Well, for one, deer would swim from the Connecticut mainland to Plum Island to feed, then return to Old Lyme to mingle in its habitat with other animals, insects and wild life.  Eventually kids enjoying the outdoors were going to run across a tick or two.