Digging Deeper...

The United States scraps nearly 80 billion pounds of food every year – about 30-40 % of the entire US food supply, says USDA. That equates to 219 pounds of waste per person, notes Kathryn Reed, Society of Professional Journalists. “That’s like every person in America throwing more than 650 average sized apples right into the garbage — or rather right into landfills.” As a matter of fact, food is the single largest component taking up space inside U.S. landfills, accounting for more than 22% of municipal solid waste.
By: Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC – Sources: USDA Economic Research Service; After the Harvest Annual Report 2021; Autumn MorningSky, Marketing & Communications, After the Harvest; Interviews with Lisa Ousley, Past Executive Director-Advisor, After the Harvest, and Michael Watson, Executive Director, After the Harvest.

Fighting Food Security “Upstream”

Food waste is often described as a “farm-to-fork” problem.  For the most part, conversations about food waste usually center on oversized portions at dinner, kids not eating all their vegetables and food products being discarded along the supply chain for being beyond their “best by” or “sell by” dates or not in compliance with processing, packaging and labeling regulations.

But those are downstream situations, influenced by efficient, productive food processing systems and more reliable distribution and warehousing operations that can create food abundance or surpluses. In the last ten years, though, attention has been aimed at the waste occurring upstream – in the fields and orchards. Bruised, scarred vegetables and fruits (whose freshness and quality have not necessarily been compromised) are regularly abandoned. “According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, some 52% of all produce grown in our country never reaches a human consumer,” says Lisa Ousley, who is retiring as founding executive director of Kansas City, Missouri-based After The Harvest (ATH).  “About 10% of produce is lost at the farm level – either it is missed by automated harvesting equipment or passed over by field hands who do the initial grading in the field,” she explains.

Ten years ago Ousley and a small group who believed no food should go to waste founded ATH.  Their assumption was that people experiencing food insecurity, specifically those in the Greater Kansas City area, deserved healthy food. “We started the organization in May 2014 with two chairs, a file cabinet and a strong belief in our mission,” says Ousley. Using office space and computers on loan from Harvesters–The Community Food Network, she adds, “We launched After the Harvest with a two-person staff and never looked back.”

A decade later – with a staff of nine and with thousands of volunteers – ATH distributes rescued fruits and vegetables via a gleaning program directly to agencies feeding hungry people. ATH is one of the top five produce donors to Harvesters–The Community Food Network.  

“Harvesters is our primary distribution partner, delivering our produce via our gleaning and truckload programs to agencies within their service area,” says Michael Watson, ATH’s new Executive Director.  This unique partnership, he notes, gives Harvesters access to fresh-from-the-farm produce that is otherwise unavailable to them.

Seeing The Need

Lisa Ousley traces the origins of modern food bank operations back to the 1970s. Her moment of awareness as a youngster that people worldwide might not have access to all that they need, she recalls, came with the OPEC oil embargo of 1973. The long lines at gas stations that Ousley saw in person and viewed on television underscored the notion that humans could go wanting for things that weren’t exactly in short supply. There was plenty of oil in the ground and in the holds of tanker ships. Likewise, plenty of food was being tossed out or left in the fields to rot. Or unnecessarily graded by stringent regulatory standards that affected supply and availability.

In the late 1970s, says Ousley, global communities introduced organizations and movements to ease the plight of those living in poverty and food insecurity. She points to the formation of the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA), a grassroots, faith-based, hunger relief nonprofit working with all denominations to bridge the hunger gap between 96 billion pounds of food wasted every year in the United States and the nearly 40 million Americans who live in poverty.  SoSA relies on support from donors, volunteers, and farmers as they glean nutritious excess produce from farmers' fields and orchards after harvest and deliver it to people in need across the United States. SoSA provides nutritious, healthy produce through programs such as the Potato Project, Harvest of Hope and the Seed Potato Project

Michael Watson’s awareness of food insecurity came sharply into focus on the basketball court. Well, not exactly. But basketball opened his eyes to countries and areas where hunger was pervasive. Watson, who was inducted this month into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, is the all-time UMKC hoops scoring leader. After graduation in 2004, Watson signed a free-agent contract with the Boston Celtics and went on to play professionally for ten more seasons in Poland, Turkey, Italy, France and his native Puerto Rico.  The travel schedules of these teams brought Watson to a number of impoverished regions where he got a rare glimpse of what poverty and food insecurity actually looked like.

“Playing in so many countries and cities where hunger was prevalent, gave me an up-close picture of the situation, and got me thinking about how I might get involved in something tangible to ease the problem,” Watson says. As he assumes the position of executive director, Watson is planning ways to scale up ATH’s impact on the region surrounding the greater Kansas City area.

Addressing The Need

Since its founding in 2014, ATH has recovered more than 30 million pounds of fruits and vegetables, and delivered produce to agencies feeding 226,000 food-insecure children, seniors and families every month. In 2021, ATH changed its strategy for the way it recovers fruits and vegetables. This shift was both operational and strategic. “As part of our COVID response strategies in 2020,” explains Ousley, “ATH focused efforts on expanding our local Gleaning Program.” ATH pursued funding to support this expansion, and secured a large COVID-inspired grant that arrived in December 2020. This and other transformational COVID funding allowed ATH to purchase a refrigerated truck, lease cold-storage space and develop produce distribution hub pickups resulting in the partnerships with Loffredo Fresh and Kanbe’s Markets,” Ousley says. Also during this time, ATH expanded its Fair Share program in Rich Hill to increase the volume of produce coming from Rich Hill farmers.  ATH also began working with Douglas County on its Community Organized Gleaning that resulted in the Lawrence Gleaning Program. “Together these efforts grew the overall volume of produce we rescued locally and regionally,” Ousley adds, “to surpass the one-million pound mark for the Gleaning Program in 2021 for the first time in our history.”

Breaking down its impact even further, ATH marks these accomplishments in 2022:

• Provided 108 varieties of fruits and vegetables

• Supplied nutritious produce to over 360 agencies

• Partnered with more than 175 local farmers

• Rescued excess produce from 15 local farmers markets

• Saved 1 million pounds of produce through its gleaning program and another 1.5 million pounds via its truckloads programs

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Recent Milestones

At the beginning of 2021 as effects of the pandemic continued to plague the global community, ATH shifted strategic gears in pursuit of its mission: To fight food insecurity, improve nutrition, and reduce food waste. The primary change involved a distribution strategy to bring larger quantities of rescued produce to food deserts and areas of greatest need across Kansas City.

In July 2023, ATH will host its second annual signature event – the Amaizing Sweet Corn Glean-A-Thon & Festival, in partnership with the National Agricultural Center & Hall of Fame. The 2023 event builds on the success of the first-ever Amaizing Sweet Corn Glean-A-Thon & Festival in 2022, in which 13 volunteer teams helped them harvest 51,708 ears of sweet corn for donating to local agencies serving hungry people. ATH is still seeking volunteer teams and corporate sponsors to participate this July, and help them harvest hope, one ear at a time. (More information is available here.)

Older Than You Think

The word gleaning is a term that staffers at ATH use regularly. But it’s not a buzz word coined by the relatively new food banking industry. Food banking is a recent philanthropic activity – and not what ATH does.  The concept of food banking was developed by John van Hengel in Phoenix, Arizona, in the late 1960s. Van Hengel, a retired businessman, established St. Mary’s Food Bank as the nation’s first food gathering operations of its kind. In its initial year, van Hengel and his volunteers distributed 275,000 pounds of food to people in need. Word of the food bank’s success quickly spread, and states began to take note. By 1977, food banks were established in 18 cities across the country.

As the number of food banks increased, van Hengel created a national organization for them. In 1979 he established Second Harvest, which was later called America’s Second Harvest, the Nation’s Food Bank Network. In 2008, the network changed its name to Feeding America to reflect its mission. Today, Feeding America is the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization—a powerful and efficient network of food charities nationwide.  As the coronavirus pandemic brought record unemployment and instability, the Feeding America network rose to meet the need. Last year, the Feeding America network served 5.2 billion meals.

But here’s the rest of the story, as radio broadcast icon Paul Harvey might tell it.  The word gleaning is not only older than the youthful concept of food banks; it is older than Moses. It is mentioned in the Bible in Leviticus 19:9 (circa 1040 BC): "When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You must not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner."

Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - April 2023

Developments

American Royal Needs Volunteers to help out at its Annual American Royal Spring Field Trip, May 2 and 3. Elementary students from around the Kansas City area will be attending a roundup of American Royal rodeo fun and educational events. The Spring Field Trip is designed to give students in second and third grade an introduction to and an appreciation for agriculture, food and livestock and equine health and care.  The program includes an interactive educational tour and Invitational Youth Rodeo. Each year hundreds of individuals have donated their time and talents to further the Royal’s purpose of providing opportunities for youth to learn more about the culture of agriculture. The American Royal provides educational experiences and scholarships that inspire and cultivate dreams.  This year’s student attendance numbers have increased drastically. Tuesday’s (May 2) session will host 1,250 elementary school students – 942 more than last year. Wednesday’s attendance will 1,095 – 679 more than last year. “We need some 200-plus volunteers to make the Spring Field Trip successful,” notes Cliff Becker, the Royal’s vice president, New Campus Development.  Click here to view and sign up for Spring Field Trip volunteer opportunities or contact Samantha Basler for more information.

A 2023 economic impact study, released recently by the Livestock Marketing Association (updating a study from 2017), found that livestock auction markets continue to be important for the growth and vitality of rural communities. The study of an average, fixed-facility livestock auction market revealed that the market provides approximately $2 million in total value-added dollars to its local community. This result is up from $1 million identified in the 2017 Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) Economic Impact Report. “Livestock auction markets today remain critical to helping our rural communities continue to thrive,” said Kristen Parman, LMA Vice President of Membership Services. The study was produced in collaboration with Decision Innovation Solutions in Urbandale, Iowa.

As snowpacks are melting, the National Weather Service is predicting minor to moderate flooding on the Upper Mississippi River. Waters are expected to rise steadily in the next two weeks and crest in Dubuque next week. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, quoting information from American Commercial Barge Line, said flooding is expected to force the closure of locks 3 through 17 – roughly from St. Paul to southern Iowa. NWS defines minor flooding as causing “some public threat or inconvenience” and moderate as bringing “some inundation of structures and roads” as well as causing some evacuations and possibly forcing the “transfer of property to higher elevations.” 
 
Missouri’s net farm income is predicted to fall in 2023 following a record-setting 2022, according to the spring 2023 Missouri Farm Income Outlook report. The report, released by the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center at the University of Missouri, said one factor that could explain this projected drop in farm income is the state’s livestock receipts, which were impacted by the country-wide drought that reduced cattle inventories and supported Missouri marketings, which is the physical sale of live animals. “Production expenses remain stubbornly high while cash receipts decline under the assumption of average weather resulting in a squeeze to Missouri producers’ bottom line. Missouri follows the national projection for a downward trend in the near term,” said RaFF interim director Scott Brown. In the report, a 14% decrease in net farm income is forecasted to occur across the state’s agriculture industry this year, compared to a projected 19% decrease in U.S. net farm income.

Americans tend to trust food labels, especially the ingredient list, expiration date and nutrition fact label, according to the March Consumer Food Insights Report. The most distrusted labels include low-calorie, naturalness and health claims. The survey-based report out of Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability assesses food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, support of agricultural and food policies, and trust in information sources. Purdue experts conducted and evaluated the survey, which included 1,200 consumers across the U.S. More information is available here.

USDA announced last week the availability of up to $125 million through two new grant programs that will create more options for meat and poultry farmers. These new grant programs – the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant Program and the Local Meat Capacity Grant Program, are part of the broader $1 billion American Rescue Plan to expand processing capacity for small and midsized meat and poultry processors. More information on these programs is available here.

In a recent study that examined how diseases function in rice crops, University of Missouri researchers might have found critical answers. In the study, Bing Yang, a plant biology professor in the MU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center used genome editing as a tool to identify problematic pathogens present in certain bacteria that lead to prolific infections in rice crops. His research helps scientists understand how these pathogens function and, thus, can determine how to guard against widespread infections that destroy yields. This research provides insight into the host-pathogen relationship, allowing scientists to better genetically engineer plants to survive crop diseases. Efficient CRISPR-Cas9 Based Cytosine base Editors For Phytopathogenic Bacteria was published in the Communications Biology section of Nature Journal. This study was partially supported by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Agriculture Future of America recently selected 40 college students from 29 states to serve as organizational Ambassadors, representing AFA on their respective campuses and throughout their networks to promote AFA opportunities, organize campus meetings and interact with industry professionals at various events. AFA Ambassadors serve a year-long term, working to heighten awareness of AFA programs among their peers and establish creative strategies to increase student involvement from students on their campuses. These opportunities include AFA Leaders Conference, AFA Leader Institutes and AFA Leader and Academic Scholarships. Ambassadors are also integral in demonstrating AFA’s impact to corporate partners to support the continuation and acquisition of partnerships. More information and a list of the Ambassadors and their schools is available at agfuture.org.

People

Lenexa, Kansas-based Farm Journal, the nation’s leading business information and data insights company serving agriculture audiences, has named Prescott Shibles the company new CEO. He takes over from Andy Weber who retires after 23 years as CEO; Weber will serve as vice chairman of Farm Journal’s board of directors. Shibles is a digital media and business information leader with more than 20 years of history delivering data- and technology-driven transformations. He has held leadership roles at five of the nation’s most progressive B2B data and media companies, driving innovation using digital engagement, market intelligence, machine learning and artificial intelligence to create new standards for how clients accelerate growth. Shibles noted it was Farm Journal’s tradition of service to its industry and forward-looking vision that attracted him to the opportunity. “Farm Journal, with its position of trust and service, can be a beacon for change in agriculture’s tech transformation. The company is making a real difference in transforming agriculture to a more sustainable and tech-centric future. A prime example is its commanding position with the Trust In Food division at the crossroads of regenerative agriculture.”

Michael Watson, incoming Executive Director of Kansas City-based After The Harvest (see Digging Deeper in this issue) was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2023 during ceremonies  April 23 at Municipal Auditorium. "To be honored by the state is exceptional, and it still hasn't quite set in – it's a total honor."  Watson graduated from Kansas City's Central High School and went on to play at UMKC, where he remains the program's all-time leading scorer. Watson joined the NBA’s Boston Celtics, signing as a free agent in 2004. He continued his professional basketball career playing internationally for almost a decade on teams in Poland, Turkey, Italy, France and his native Puerto Rico. Watson has settled in Kansas City, working as a non-profit executive director and broadcast commentator for UMKC men's basketball games. Watson also heads his own youth sports organization, 'MENTALITY by Michael Watson’. Founded in 2017, 'MENTALITY' aims to give the next generation of athletes a world class sporting experience.

Washington, D.C.- based Bockorny Group, a bipartisan government affairs consulting firm, announced that Eric Bohl has joined the firm as a principal and will lead the company’s agriculture practice.  Scott Shearer, who currently heads the firm’s efforts on behalf of its many agriculture clients, will remain on as a senior adviser. Bohl is an agricultural policy leader with extensive experience on Capitol Hill and in the private sector. He served six years as Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Jason Smith (R-MO) and U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), and previously served as Legislative Director to Hartzler. He also served more than five years as Director of Public Affairs and Advocacy for Missouri Farm Bureau. He was influential in efforts to craft and pass the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills in these roles. The growing biotechnology research and innovation industry has been a focal point in Bohl’s work. He has advised a range of ag tech companies, from startups to multinational corporations, helping them develop strategy and pursue policy initiatives. His involvement with St. Louis’ 39 North Agtech Innovation District has led to his current tenure as the First Vice President of the St. Louis Agribusiness Club. He has extensive connections with the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor and is a board member of the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City.

Former U.S. Senator Roy Blunt has joined Husch Blackwell Strategies, where he will chair a new leadership strategies advisory services group. The team will provide policy advice and evaluate a client’s government risk. Blunt most recently retired from the Senate after a 26-year career on Capitol Hill split between 12 years in the Senate and 14 in the House. He served on the Intelligence Committee in both the House and Senate and developed a deep understanding of global national security interests and international trade issues. His former Senate chief of staff, Stacy McBride, and deputy chief of staff, Richard Eddings, have also joined HBS. McBride was added on as a principal and Eddings is the chief of staff for the leadership strategies advisory services group

At the 95th Missouri State FFA Convention, the Savannah FFA Chapter was recognized as the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council’s (MSMC) first-ever Soy Innovation Challenge winner. As the state winner, Savannah FFA will receive $10,000 to implement in their chapter. The Soy Innovation Challenge aims to engage FFA members in creating valuable exhibits and ideas based on the soy value chain to display at Missouri Soybeans’ Center for Soy Innovation in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Events

The American Hereford Association is expanding its Hereford Feedout Program to provide Hereford breeders and commercial users of Hereford genetics more opportunities to discover the feedlot and carcass performance of their genetics. “Growing interest led us to expand from one feedout each year to two, beginning with the first fall program in 2023,” explains Trey Befort, AHA director of commercial programs. “The added feeding period enables us to accommodate producers’ whose calving and weaning seasons prevented them from participating as much as they wanted with a single feeding period.”  Cattle from the Hereford Feedout Program are harvested by National Beef Packing Company, which is the licensed beef processor for Certified Hereford Beef. Cattle in the program are candidates for CHB and are marketed on the U.S. Premium Beef Grid, ultimately providing producers access to industry-leading marketing options. Those interested in the fall program are encouraged to enroll by May 1. Delivery to HRC Feed Yards will take place June 10–14. For more information, click here. 

The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply online for the 2024 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge.  Now in its 10th year, this national competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. Farm Bureau is offering $165,000 in startup funds throughout the course of the competition, which will culminate in the top 10 semi-finalists competing in a live pitch competition in front of Farm Bureau members, investors and industry representatives at the AFBF Convention in January 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Entrepreneurs must be members of a county or parish Farm Bureau within their state of residence to qualify as top 10 semi-finalists. Applicants who are not Farm Bureau members can click here to learn about becoming a member. Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 12.

The 2023 World Pork Expo returns to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 7-9. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the annual event focusing on education, innovation and networking within the pork industry. “This is a big anniversary for the World Pork Expo,” National Pork Producers Council board president Terry Wolters said. “We’re looking forward to celebrating the event’s history while continuing to look ahead at the progress the industry continues to make.” The event has seen significant growth over the last three and a half decades to become the world’s largest pork-specific trade show. Last year, more than 10,000 pork producers and ag professionals representing over 400 companies worldwide participated. This year’s event is expected to draw even more industry insiders to the more than 300,000 square feet of exhibit space. Registration information will soon be available on www.worldpork.org for those who plan to attend the 2023 World Pork Expo, June 7-9.

Kansas State University-Olathe is offering a one-day workshop on May 18, 2023, addressing regulations associated with nutritional products intended to address disease and promote animal wellbeing. Content is designed for those looking to further their understanding of the basics of nutrition for animal health purposes and present key points to address when navigating barriers for bringing nutritional-health products market. Contact Lauren Racki at laurenracki@ksu.edu or 913-307-7340 to obtain discount codes for a group.

MU Leaders Present Map For CAFNR’s “Drive to Distinction”

(Left to Right) Dean Chris Daubert, Dr. Tom Spencer

Two vice chancellors at the University of Missouri outlined the progress the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources has made in the last few years toward maintaining its position as a “perennial research powerhouse” in the agriculture sector of the state, national and global economy. They were speaking to members of the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City during the April meeting and luncheon held in the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Board Room at Union Station.  

“CAFNR is the centerpiece of MU as a Land Grant College,” said Dr. Tom Spencer, Vice Chancellor for Research & Economic Development at the University. He noted that CAFNR is ranked among the Top 15 programs in the world for animal and plant science research. “Our CAFNR research expenditures were more than $60 million in FY 2022.”

Dr. Spencer described a transformational effort to strengthen innovation in research discipline that includes a 10-year $1.5 billion investment in “faculty and student success.” Toward that goal, he said that MU had hired 39 new faculty members recently and estimated that 30 more would be employed in the next year.

Dr. Chris Daubert, Vice Chancellor and CAFNR Dean, called these efforts a “Drive to Distinction.”  Agriculture is the No. 1 economic driver in Missouri, he said, with an annual economic impact of nearly $94 billion.  He elaborated on the notion that the University of Missouri is recognized worldwide as a top-tier research institution and a land-grant university. With schools/colleges in medicine, veterinary medicine, engineering, law, agriculture and even a nuclear reactor all on the same campus, he explained, MU’s ability for research collaboration with other universities and institutions “is nearly unmatched.”

Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - March 2023

Developments 

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 2023 honorees are Dr. Marty Vanier, K-State National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, Manhattan, Kansas, and Blake Hurst, owner, Hurst Farms and retired president of Missouri Farm Bureau.

Kansas Corn leaders have cast their support for the Next Generation Fuels Act which was reintroduced earlier this month in the U.S. Senate. If adopted, the legislation would lower fuel prices, reduce carbon emissions and improve the nation’s energy security. Ethanol would play a key role in the clean, high octane fuel standard that would be established by the legislation. Kansas Corn Growers Association CEO Greg Krissek said the legislation has far-reaching benefits. “This bill would benefit consumers with lower fuel prices, and would benefit rural economies by supporting biofuel demand,” Krissek said. “Ethanol is already valued as a low carbon fuel solution, and passage of this bill would help us move toward advanced vehicle engines fueled with higher levels of low-carbon high-octane ethanol fuel.”

The Kansas Corn Growers Association announced a succession process being enacted as a result of the planned retirement of its CEO Greg Krissek. Krissek, who joined the Kansas Corn staff as CEO in 2014 will be succeeded by Josh Roe, who has served as the association’s Vice President of Market Development and Public Policy since 2018. Krissek plans to retire in mid-May. “Like most farms and businesses, it is important for Kansas Corn to have a succession plan,” Krissek said. KCGA President Brent Rogers, said he was confident the CEO transition from Krissek to Roe would ensure consistency as well as continual progress for the organization. The association represents its members in legislative and regulatory issues and provides administrative and program management services to the Kansas Corn Commission. “Greg has been a transformational leader for Kansas Corn, bringing our organizations to a new level,” Rogers said. “Josh has played a critical role in that effort for the past four years. I expect the succession from Greg to Josh to be seamless and very positive for Kansas Corn.

Leawood, Kansas-based Agriculture Council of America (ACA) hosted National Agriculture Day activities on March 21, 2023, marking the 50th anniversary of National Ag Day which is celebrated in classrooms and communities across the country. The theme for National Ag Day 2023 was “Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.” ACA hosted virtual Ag Day events and events in Washington, DC. Additionally, ACA brought college students to Washington “virtually” to deliver the message of Ag Day to the Hill.

National livestock groups have come together to support Congressional efforts to expand opportunities for industry to invest in meat packing capacity. According to a release from Overland Park-based Livestock Marketing Association, it and the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Sheep Industry Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Producers Council, and United States Cattlemen’s Association have sent a letter to the chair persons and ranking members of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees expressing the groups’ support of legislation to allow livestock market owners and operators to own or invest in small or regional livestock packing facilities. The bipartisan legislation, Expanding Local Meat Processing Act (S. 813), was reintroduced by Sens. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) last week. This is the Senate companion to the Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States (APLUS) Act (H.R.530), being led by U.S. Representatives Mark Alford (R-MO), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), and Dusty Johnson (R-SD). If enacted, these bills would direct the Secretary of Agriculture to update a regulatory prohibition under the Packers and Stockyards Act which bars livestock auction owners from owning or investing in packers. “This is an antiquated rule that does not fit with the current, transparent method of selling livestock at an open auction where sellers can view the transaction either in person or by streaming the auction online,” the letter states. The bills would allow for investment in the packing industry at local and regional levels by those active in the livestock marketing business.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture celebrated the state’s position nationally in agriculture production as part of National Agriculture Week. Missouri is home to 95,000 farms, employs nearly 460,000 people in agriculture, forestry and related industries, and has an estimated economic impact of $93.7 billion. Agriculture remains the state’s number one economic driver, supporting both rural and urban communities from farm to fork. “Agriculture is the backbone of Missouri’s economy, and we celebrate it year-round, especially during National Agriculture Week,” Governor Mike Parson said. St. Louis is home to the world’s largest concentration of plant scientists and the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor represents more than half of total worldwide animal health, diagnostics and pet food sales. Missouri also houses two of the largest river systems in the United States, which allow Missouri commodities to be distributed domestically and internationally. “National Agriculture Week is a great opportunity to highlight the work Missouri farmers and ranchers put in each day,” said Chris Chinn, Missouri Director of Agriculture.

Brentwood, Tennessee-based Tractor Supply Company the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the United States, and the Tractor Supply Company Foundation announced an $850,000 donation to American Farmland Trust in celebration of the company’s 85th anniversary. This announcement came on National Ag Day. The donation will support AFT’s Brighter Future Fund, providing 85 grants of $10,000 each to help farmers improve farm viability; access, transfer or permanently protect farmland; and adopt regenerative agricultural practices. Applicants may include one or more individual farmer(s) or farm families. Grants will primarily be awarded to those who have been historically underserved or lack access to traditional methods of funding. Applications open on July 1.

Missouri University Extension is conducting a short internet survey that will help inform future broadband investments and training efforts. The survey is designed to better understand the internet needs of Missourians. Survey can be completed here.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that the Biden-Harris Administration is investing $89 billion across the country to finance the startup and expansion of independent meat processors. USDA also announced initial steps it is taking to create a more competitive marketplace for seeds and other agricultural inputs. Secretary Vilsack announced the new investments at the National Farmers Union convention in San Francisco. USDA is providing $89 million in grants under the Meat and Poultry Intermediary Lending Program to increase available financing for independent processors, alleviate bottlenecks, and create opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs in rural communities. The investments are being made under the second round of the program. Last fall, USDA awarded $75 million in grants to eight nonprofit lenders in seven states under the first round of MPILP.

U.S. Congressional Representative Tracey Mann, alongside more than 50 of his colleagues, introduced legislation last week recognizing the importance of stepped-up basis in response to the Biden administration’s budget proposal that recommends elimination of the tax provision for agricultural producers and small business owners. The resolution would commit the House of Representatives to supporting the preservation of the provision, opposing any efforts to impose new taxes on family farms or small businesses and recognizing the importance of generational transfers of family-owned operations. Stepped-up basis is a longstanding provision within the tax code that protects people from being forced to pay capital gains taxes on inherited assets such as land, equipment or buildings, allowing the recipients to adjust their cost basis to reflect their fair market value. Its removal would hurt agricultural producers and small business owners by weakening their ability to keep generational assets in the family. 

The American Farm Bureau Federation, CNH Industrial brands, Case IH and New Holland, has signed a memorandum of understanding that provides farmers and ranchers the right to repair their own farm equipment. The MOU follows a similar agreement AFBF entered into with John Deere earlier this year. “Our members urged us to find a private sector-solution that gives them access to repair their own equipment and I’m pleased months of discussions have again paid off,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Farmers and ranchers are more dependent on technology than ever before, so it’s critical they have access to the tools to keep things running on the farm so the food supply chain keeps running, too.” The MOU sets a framework for farmers and independent repair facilities in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico to access CNH Industrial brand manuals, tools, product guides and information to self-diagnose and self-repair machines, as well as support from CNH Industrial brands to directly purchase diagnostic tools and order products and parts.

Southwest Kansas officials have long pushed a moonshot aqueduct project to send Missouri River water across the state to their region, where a $12.5 billion agricultural economy relies on a dwindling underground aquifer, reported Wall Street Journal Mid-USA correspondent Shannon Najmabadi. “While the effort has been dismissed as legally impossible and expensive, the persistence of the idea demonstrates how drought and a steadily shrinking water supply have created broad consensus that water policies need to be overhauled.” In Kansas, where federal data shows that nearly every county was experiencing some level of drought at the end of 2022, water is among the most urgent issues facing the state legislature this year. Proponents of the Kansas aqueduct say it is needed to sustain the economy of the state’s southwest and could sell water to other Western areas that have already taken extreme measures to conserve water or find new water sources. Opponents say the idea is too expensive, and would need to fend off a likely onslaught of lawsuits from states along the Missouri River or landowners whose property would be used to build a canal system.

FYI: The Kansas Beef Council plans, creates and distributes content that is adaptable to every social platform and algorithm. For example, YouTube now is recommending and promoting YouTube Shorts over traditional long-form videos. Adapting to this format has helped KBC content be seen by a larger audience.  In February, KBC staff filmed various videos for all their social accounts. The content included a video featuring a corned beef tacos recipe, two videos about how beef can elevate the nutrition of popular vegetable-forward meals and a video on how to make a beef dinner and a dessert all under 500 calories.  For more information contact Kansas Livestock Association, 785-273-5115.

People

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has selected 30 high school sophomores to participate in the 2023 Missouri Agribusiness Academy. Selected students will spend a week in June in St. Louis exploring careers in agriculture, building leadership skills and learning more about farming, ranching and food production. “The Missouri Agribusiness Academy is a great experience for high school students interested in agriculture,” said Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn. “Not only do they have the opportunity to explore all Missouri agriculture has to offer, but they also get the chance to network with other students across the state and leaders in the industry.” Since 1988, the Missouri Agribusiness Academy has awarded 1,060 academy opportunities through a competitive application and interview process for high school sophomores interested in pursuing agriculture-related college degrees and careers. More information about which students have been selected and details about the 2023 Missouri Agribusiness Academy are available at Agriculture.Mo.Gov.

Austin Higginbotham is the new deputy chief of staff and communications director for Missouri freshman Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo. He previously worked for Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Tex., as communications director. He replaces Andrew Leppert in Alford's office. Source: Agri-Pulse Communications 

Ryan Dalbec has moved to Rep. French Hill’s, D-Ark., office as a legislative assistant covering healthcare, education, workforce, and telecommunications. He previously worked for The Assistance Fund as manager of legislative affairs. Before that, he was a legislative aide to then Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan. Source: Agri-Pulse Communications

The Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors recently honored its 2022 winners in a special ceremony, according to Gloria Johnson, executive secretary for the Hall of Honors. Tom Oelrichs, Mora, MO, is the recipient of the Dairy Leadership Award.  Ridge View Farm, Lancaster, MO, is the recipient of the Distinguished Dairy Cattle Breeder Award. The late Sam and Ethel Messer, Cairo, MO, were recognized with the Pioneer Dairy Leader Award.  The Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors Foundation was established Dec. 9, 1988, following the merger of the Association of Missouri Dairy Organizations with the Missouri Dairy Association. The Foundation has two goals: to maintain and perpetuate a Dairy Hall of Honors to recognize outstanding leadership in the Missouri dairy industry.

Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., has brought on Eric Slee as a senior professional staff member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. He will handle the portfolio that includes rural development, credit, energy and transportation. Slee previously was the vice president of government affairs at WISP—Broadband Without Boundaries. Before that, he worked on Capitol Hill for former Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., beginning as a legislative assistant before serving as the office's last legislative director.  Source: Agri-Pulse Communications

Events

April is National Soy Foods Month, and the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council is celebrating the benefits of soy foods by hosting two events to highlight this powerhouse commodity. Soy foods range from traditional soy-based foods like tofu, edamame and miso to well-known products including soy milk, soy nutrition bars and soy-based meat alternatives to soybean oil, which is used as both an ingredient and in food preparation. To recognize the national holiday, MSMC is providing free soy lattes to consumers surrounding the state’s Capitol on April 3-7, 2023. Locals can receive their free caffeine at Yanis Coffee Zone, located in downtown Jefferson City. Additionally, the organization will host a food truck event on April 14 at the Center for Soy Innovation from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Food trucks will serve up a delicious menu highlighting dishes such as tacos and pizza, incorporating soy-based ingredients including high oleic soybean oil, edamame, soy sauce and more.

The 2023 World Pork Expo returns to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 7-9. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the annual event focusing on education, innovation and networking within the pork industry. “This is a big anniversary for the World Pork Expo,” National Pork Producers Council board president Terry Wolters said. “We’re looking forward to celebrating the event’s history while continuing to look ahead at the progress the industry continues to make.” The event has seen significant growth over the last three and a half decades to become the world’s largest pork-specific trade show. Last year, more than 10,000 pork producers and ag professionals representing over 400 companies worldwide participated. This year’s event is expected to draw even more industry insiders to the more than 300,000 square feet of exhibit space. Registration information will soon be available on www.worldpork.org for those who plan to attend the 2023 World Pork Expo, June 7-9.

Since 1928, Missouri FFA has been providing opportunities for the growth and success of Missouri’s youth. With that same goal in mind, the Foundation has released its latest initiative to raise funds for the organization and the programs it supports. Support Missouri Agriculture, in partnership with an innovative, small business, was officially launched on March 21, 2023. The mission of the Missouri FFA Foundation is to secure strategic partnerships and financial resources to enhance, strengthen, and support the educational and leadership opportunities that promote premier leadership, personal growth and career success for Missourians in Agricultural Education. More information is available at www.missouriffa.org/foundation.  

Experts Brief Council on 2023 Farm Bill

(Left to right) Chris Klenklen, Dr. Pat Westhoff, Joel Leftwich, Sec. Mike Beam, Dustin Johansen

In their presentations previewing budget projections for the 2023 Farm Bill, Dr. Pat Westhoff, director of the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri, and Joel Leftwich, chief strategy officer for the Kansas Farm Bureau, provided an in-depth and entertaining look at the process of creating a Farm Bill. And getting it passed. Both noted that lawmakers tended to think drawing up a Farm Bill was easier said than done. With a drollness (perhaps picked up from his days as deputy staff director for Senator Roberts), Leftwich indicated many Ag Committee members were nonplussed by an urgency to get a bill passed before the five-year fiscal deadline.

Dr. Westhoff mentioned the key to creating a Farm Bill was not just writing one, but scoring it. “So, some key issues in the farm bill debate,” he said, “include considerations such as the budget target for the new bill and determining the net change in spending from the current bill.” Other topics for discussion and debate center on increasing the budget or cutting it to reduce the deficit. He also emphasized that “new budget projections by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) will provide a point of reference for the debate over the next farm bill.” If the debate follows the pattern of recent farm bills, he explained, budgetary concerns are likely to be front and center.

In recent reports, Dr. Westhoff has said the projected annual budget deficit increases from $1.3 trillion this year to $2.3 trillion in 2033, as federal spending increases more rapidly than tax receipts. Social Security and Medicare account for more than half of the $3.7 trillion increase in annual federal spending over the next ten years.

Policymakers in both parties are reluctant to reduce allocations for Social Security and Medicare, and a Republican House does not want to raise taxes. “If the 2023 Farm Bill is expected either to reduce or to have no net impact on the federal budget deficit, any proposal to increase spending in one program will have to be offset by equal or larger reductions in other program spending. Identifying potential areas of budget cuts that a majority of the House, the Senate and the President can all agree upon will be a major challenge.”

While Dr. Westhoff highlighted the budgetary issues the Senate and House ag committees face, Leftwich focused more on the political makeup up of the House and Senate ag committees. Of note, he showed that the GOP House and Senate ag committees had a combined membership of 18 lawmakers with Farm Bill experience. Democrat membership in the House and Senate ag committees included only 11 lawmakers with Farm Bill experience.

Digging Deeper...

Technological developments in agriculture have been influential in driving changes in the farm sector of the U.S. economy. Innovations in animal and crop genetics, chemicals, equipment and farm organization and operation have enabled continuing output growth without adding much to inputs. As a result, even as the amount of land and labor used in farming has declined, total farm output tripled between 1948 and 2019. The latest USDA agricultural census counts 3.4 million producers or “the farmers and workers involved in making decisions on these farms – from planting to harvesting to marketing.” This category could refer to the farm’s owner, a member of the owner’s family, a manager, a tenant, a renter or a sharecropper. Indeed, there are plenty of profiles focusing on farmer and rancher age, gender, size and location of the farm, number of generations working a farm property, and analyses of their productivity, profit, loss and so on. But until just recently there has not been much investigation into farmers’ psyche and character.

Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC – Sources: USDA Economic Research Service using data from USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (Censuses through 2017) and USDA’s Farms and Land in Farms: 2021 Survey (updated February 2022);  Agricultural Retailers Association’s 2022 ARA Conference & Expo (December 2022); Aimpoint Research, Columbus, OH.

New Research Dives Deeper Into Farmer Psyches

It's time to move beyond conventional stereotyping when defining who a farmer is. That was the message coming out of the Agricultural Retailers Association’s 2022 ARA Conference & Expo (December 2022), attended by more than 600 ag retail industry professionals. “Ag retailers are expected to serve customers in new ways, be leaders in technology and find higher efficiencies in their business,” said Margy Eckelkamp, editor of Farm Journal’s The Scoop.

The job of agricultural retailers and dealers is getting tougher. It’s complex enough to deal with Business 101 matters like inventory, profit margins, supply chains, inflation and employee issues. Now, say consultants in the ag retail field, their customers are changing. As technology gets a firmer grip on agriculture operations, Future Farmers of America may be more recognizable from their wearable electronic trackers, sensors and monitors than the iconic FFA blue jackets.  

ARA board chair Ian McGregor with The McGregor Company, Warden, WA, said in his keynote address, “As trends like consolidation and technological innovation continue to change the dynamics in our industry, we must be looking ahead to collect the critical tools and knowledge needed to meet the needs of farmers for years to come.”

Other ARA speakers and panelists echo similar sentiments. Farmers play a significant role in the economy, even though farms account for less than one percent of the value added to the national GDP, farm products contribute heavily to other parts of the economy – including manufacturing, restaurants, retail, notes the Bureau of Economic Analysis. “Understanding who they are and why they grow what they do is integral to understanding their role in the overall in the U.S. and global economy.”

A Different Slant

Brett Sciotto, CEO, Aimpoint Research, presented new findings on who the future farmer-customers will be and how they will drive changes in ag retail. Aimpoint, based in Columbus, OH, is a global, strategic intelligence firm that specializes in in agri-food.  

U.S. farms continue to consolidate, with 15% of crop farms controlling 80% of output. Last year as it studied the situation, Aimpoint uncovered a unique perspective on farmers:  Some of the most important indicators of farm financial success may not be the size of the farm, but the personality type, skill sets and ambition of the operator. “As the agriculture industry continues to transform,” Sciotto said, “we set out to answer two very important questions. Who are farmers of the future and what will they require of us?”

Sciotto explained it is important to look at both internal and external factors impacting farmers of the future because both play a role in determining future success. “Some farmers think success is dictated by external factors like commodity prices and government regulations, while others think they will succeed no matter what is thrown at them.”

Aimpoint developed five farmer profiles describing innate traits and characteristics that played a role in determining future success: 

• Independent Elites: Representing about 20% of the universe, they are successful, smart and financially sound. They can afford to be early adopters of technology and management practices that give them a competitive advantage. They are innovative, open to change and secure in their knowledge. They see significant opportunity in the current environment and believe success is within their control. Over half expanded their operations over the last couple of years.

• Enterprising Business Builders: Representing about 21% of those surveyed, their highest priority is growth. They are sophisticated marketers, financially healthy and willing to innovate and adopt new technology. This group is confident they can make a profit in any market. They seek advice, best practices and collaboration from anyone who can help make them better operators. They are willing to leverage outside investors and borrowed money to expand their operations.

• Classic Practitioners: Representing 24% of growers, they want to be successful but are struggling. They rely more on safety nets and farm bill programs. They lack the business IQ to get to the next level. They tend to save money rather than invest money.  They are slower to adopt technology and management practices. They are the most loyal to their suppliers of any group. They like the practice of farming more than the business of farming.

• Self-reliant Traditionalists: Representing 22%, they’ve saved money, are short-term thinkers, not planners. They are not expansion-minded, they believe they’ll survive hard times. These tend to be small owner/operators and less educated. They do not value technology or innovation.

• Leveraged Lifestylers: Representing about 14%, they think their profitability is tied to markets recovering and government reducing regulations and providing more supports. They love the farming lifestyle but don’t have the business sense to navigate it. They have all the latest tech and equipment, which adds to the financial pressure. They are short-term thinkers, impulsive decision makers. They understand they could fail if they don’t change, but they don’t know how to do it.

Learn more at www.aimpointresearch.com/thought-leadership/farmer-of-the-future

Agricultural Business Council to Honor Two Local Leaders

Dr. Marty Vanier (Left) and Blake Hurst (right)

KANSAS CITY, MO, March 20, 2023 - 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 2023 honorees are Dr. Marty Vanier, K-State National Agricultural Biosecurity Center, Manhattan, Kansas, and Blake Hurst, owner, Hurst Farms and retired president of Missouri Farm Bureau.

Dr. Marty Vanier, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

Dr. Marty Vanier is the director of the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center (NABC) at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS.  She has deep roots in Kansas agriculture where she grew up on a prominent family ranch in central Kansas that raised commercial and registered Hereford cattle.  In her professional life, she has held several leadership positions in the veterinary pharmaceutical and food safety areas.

She received her undergraduate and graduate (D.V.M.) degrees from Kansas State University.  She began her career in Washington, DC, with the Animal Health Institute and later joined USDA’s Food Safety Inspection Service as deputy director for Information and Legislative Affairs.  In 1987, she returned to K-State as part of the Food Safety Consortium in the University’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry.  She later served for seven years as executive director of the Kansas Agricultural Alliance. 

In June of 2003 Dr. Vanier moved from the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry to the KSU National Agricultural Biosecurity Center.  Later she joined the NBAF Program Executive Office as Director of Strategic Partnership Development.  She returned to the NABC in 2019 as its director.  In that role she directs the development, coordination, implementation and leveraging of a broad range of programs and capabilities addressing diverse threats to the US and world agricultural economies and food supply.  She serves as the liaison between the NABC and national, state and local stakeholders and allied industry groups.

Dr. Vanier has received a number of awards for her distinguished service.  She was awarded the President’s Award in 2002, 2012, and 2014 and the 2009 Veterinarian of the Year Award from the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association.  In addition, in 2017 she was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.  She was honored by the U.S. Army War College in 2017 by being named to the Commandant’s National Security Program.

Blake Hurst, Hurst Farms, Westboro, MO

Blake Hurst retired as president of Missouri Farm Bureau after serving in that role for 10 years. Prior to serving as president, Blake served as vice president, and as a district board member. At Hurst Farms, Blake raises corn and soybeans with his family. He also operates a wholesale greenhouse business with his wife, Julie; daughter, Lee; and sons-in-law, Ryan Harms and Matt Schlueter. The family raises flowers in two and a half acres of greenhouses. Hurst is a free-lance writer, with his essays appearing on Agri-Pulse as well as other national publications.

During Blake’s time as Missouri Farm Bureau President he served on the American Farm Bureau Board of Directors, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Group’s AMAC, and the FTC Precision Ag Task Force. Additionally, he testified on behalf of Farm Bureau on several occasions at Congressional hearings. He also led statewide coalitions, helping to pass the following initiatives: 2014 Missouri Amendment 1 - The Missouri Farming Rights Amendment, 2019 SB 391 - Standardized the regulation of CAFOs, and 2020 Missouri Amendment 3 – Cleaner Missouri.

“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. Visit www.agbizkc.com for more information and to register to attend.

Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - February 2023

Developments

Agriculture Future of America has acquired Magnetic Ag — an agriculture-focused digital newsletter distributed through email twice weekly — from Magnetic Ag founder and AFA alumnus, Travis Martin. Since its inception in 2020, Magnetic has grown to serve more than 12,000 active subscribers including agricultural business, technology and policy professionals, alongside agriculture educators, students and farmers. Magnetic is aimed at making agriculture industry news digestible by consolidating news from a variety of industry media into each newsletter edition, making the newsletter a hub for the latest agriculture news. With a casual and catchy writing style, Magnetic shares agricultural business, policy, technology and market news. “Adding Magnetic to AFA’s offerings helps us further serve the industry by developing transformational leaders who find themselves at various stages of their careers,” says Mark Stewart, AFA president and CEO. “Magnetic is a great conduit for equipping agriculture professionals with well-rounded industry news to ensure they are informed.” To subscribe, visit magnetic-ag.com. Contact Becca Frazier, becca@magnetic-ag.com, to learn about news placement opportunities with Magnetic.

After Mexico suddenly moved its GMO corn ban to take effect immediately, the Kansas Corn Growers Association called for a swift response by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). KCGA is calling on the USTR initiate a dispute settlement under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Earlier this month Mexico officials called for a ban on imports of biotech corn used for certain purposes. The decree indicated the Mexican government would continue to allow imports of biotech corn used as animal feed while exploring substitutes. KCGA and National Corn Growers Association expressed serious concern with the accelerated implementation timeline. Mexico has been the top export market for U.S. corn in four of the past five years, and over 90 percent of the U.S. corn crop is GMO. “Our corn growers need the Mexico market, and Mexico needs our corn. The USMCA is supposed to protect its member countries from unfair trade barriers and that trade agreement must be upheld,” said KCGA President Brent Rogers. “Mexico’s trade barrier banning GMO corn imports is not based on sound scientific evidence. Regulators and health organizations around the world have determined the safety and benefits of GMO crops.”

In his keynote comments opening the USDA’s 2023 Ag Economic Outlook event, USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer warned that there is still a high level of uncertainty for the U.S. farm economy due to inflation in the U.S and globally, the continuing war in Ukraine, and other challenges.  Nevertheless, he expects the U.S. farm economy to remain relatively strong in 2023. “I think that 2023 is shaping up to be a good year, and that’s following 2022 which was a great year.” In an interview with Agri-Pulse Newsmakers, he explained it’ll be “lower than last year but still going to be above the long-term trend.” Source: Agri-Pulse Communications, February 24, 2023.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture is seeking feedback from Kansans for the 2023 Bluestem Pasture Survey to collect information on native tallgrass pasture use and practices. The survey is administered through the K-State Land Use Survey Center and will be open through March 31, 2023. The Bluestem Pasture Survey provides reliable, accurate information to Kansas ranchers and the agricultural community as a whole. The survey asks about native tallgrass pasture availability, leasing rates, and fencing rates, and should take less than 15 minutes to complete. To participate, click here. For more information contact Dr. Leah Tsoodle, Director, Land Use Survey Center, at LTsoodle@ksu.edu; or Tori Laird, KDA Division of Agriculture Marketing, at  Tori.Laird@ks.gov to receive a written survey or to complete the survey over the telephone.

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture announced an investment of $70 million in sustainable agricultural projects that integrate research, education, and Extension efforts. The goal is to establish robust, resilient, and climate-smart food and agricultural systems. Several schools and organizations will benefit from the funding. University of Missouri will receive a $10 million grant to address USDA-NIFA Sustainable Agriculture Systems goals on climate-smart agriculture along with strengthening regional bio-economies in rural areas. This project involves a diverse team of 34 collaborators from 17 states. The project will train farmers to produce cover crop seed and be a catalyst to further adopt cover crops as a climate-smart practice, helping farmers adapt to climate change. Through transdisciplinary research, Extension, and education activities, the project will develop a comprehensive national program on cover crop varietal improvement, leading to increased use of regionally adapted varieties.

Nestlé, the world’s largest food group, says the price of staple items will continue to rise this year. The company said it increased prices by 8.2% in 2022, but said this was not enough to offset a rise in its own costs.Price increases will be “very targeted” and only implemented where “input cost inflation justifies it,” says Nestle. But it did not disclose which of its 2,000 brands would be affected.

Kansas State University recently announced, that it was awarded $25 million through the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Challenge Grant Program that will be applied to an infrastructure project underway at the College of Agriculture. The Kansas Legislature challenged state educational institutions to leverage privately earned money with the state funds at a 3-1 ratio for facilities construction and renovation projects. The project hopes to attract and retain students and build the state’s workforce through increased enrollment. The University met the challenge and raised $75 million in private donations to compete for the maximum award of $25 million. The College of Agriculture infrastructure project is the first in its new interdisciplinary approach to develop solutions and educate and train future leaders to move agriculture forward and benefit Kansas. The buildings will position the college to attract students and faculty focused on expanding next-generation research and working closely with the private industry.

ADM has completed the acquisition of a 95-acre research farm in Montgomery City, Missouri. The pilot-scale site, previously owned by Novis International, will be called Montgomery City Science and Technology Farm. It features a standard animal nutrition laboratory, 30 acres of pasture for grazing, and housing for poultry, swine and ruminants in its nutritional health studies. “The Montgomery City Science and Technology Center bolsters our capabilities,” said Ryan Lane, ADM president of North American animal nutrition, during an interview at the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE). “Directionally, this farm is perfect for where ADM is going in terms of needed capabilities to understand the effects of nutrition on the gut microbiome, but it also has solutions that address our sustainability needs.”

The U.S. beef cow herd has dropped to its lowest level since 1962, after severe drought raised costs for livestock feed last year, said USDA in a January report. Ranchers increasingly sent cows to slaughter last year, instead of keeping them to reproduce, as dry weather reduced the amount of pasture available for grazing in the western United States and on the Plains. At the same time, a tight labor market limited slaughtering at meatpacking plants. Cattle producers will not make "meaningful progress" in rebuilding the U.S. herd until 2025 at the earliest, said Rabobank. Meanwhile, restaurants, retailers, and importers will increasingly compete for limited supplies of U.S. beef.

As expected, the chicken industry recorded massive Super Bowl LVII wing consumption. Americans consumed a record-breaking 1.45 billion chicken wings over the Super Bowl weekend, according to the annual Chicken Wing Report published by the National Chicken Council. That's a 2% jump over last year's figure, representing the consumption of an additional 84 million wings nationwide. Tom Super, a spokesperson for the National Chicken Council, explains that the increase in consumption stems from favorable prices and [a return] to pre-pandemic gathering trends.

The Ag Economy Barometer from Purdue University and the CME Group measured a reading of 130 in January, a slight improvement over December’s figure and the second straight increase. “Although producers were a bit more optimistic about the future this month, they again reported expectations for tighter margins in 2023 than in 2022,” Purdue’s Jim Mintert said. The January survey also polled farmers about their upcoming operating loans for the 2023 growing season, something 22% said they expect will be larger than their 2022 note. That figure is a slight drop from the 27% who said the same thing in early 2022.

People

A group of 20 young producers from across Kansas met in Topeka February 14-15 for the first installment of the 2023 Kansas Livestock Association’s Young Stockmen’s Academy. Merck Animal Health is again partnering with the association to host these members for an in-depth look into KLA and the livestock industry. A series of four seminars will be held throughout the year at various locations at Kansas.  

During this session, attendees learned about the array of member services provided by KLA, heard about the importance of being an advocate for the livestock industry, saw KLA lobbyists in action at the state Capitol and took part in the KLA Legislative Meeting. As part of an interactive training session – led by KLA staff and WIBW-Topeka farm broadcaster Greg Akagi, the group was given an overview of various media outlets available to help tell the beef production story. In addition, YSA members attended a Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committeemeeting at the Capitol and participated in a financial planning seminar conducted by Pinion, formerly Kcoe Isom.   

Chesterfield, MO-based RaboAgriFinance, a subsidiary of Rabobank, has named Chris Olson Head of Rural, U.S. effective March 1, 2023. Olson has served Rabo AgriFinance since 1998, most recently as the GM of the Central Territory. He has held numerous management leadership roles throughout his tenure with the company. In the newly created role, Olson will manage the Rabobank North America’s U.S. rural Direct Lending operations.

Emily McVey, the vice president of the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, has been announced as a recipient of the 2023 Economic Development 40 Under 40 Award, the biennial award recognizing rising stars under 40-years-old in the economic development industry. The awards program is hosted by Development Counselors International (DCI), a New York-based integrated marketing firm that works with economic development and travel organizations around the globe, and Jorgenson Consulting, a leading national executive search firm.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-PA) and Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA) have announced the chairs and ranking members who will lead the House Ag Subcommittees. Heading the Dairy and Poultry subcommittee will be Rep. Tracey Mann (R-KA).

Farm Journal, Lenexa, KA, has appointed Jimmy Emmons Senior Vice President of Climate-Smart Programs. Nationally recognized as a no-till farmer, regenerative rancher and soil-health expert, he will lead Farm Journal’s Trust In Food’s national programs to accelerate the adoption of conservation agriculture. They include partnerships with Climate-Smart Commodities Connected Ag Project, America’s Conservation Ag Movement and Trust In Beef; these coalition-driven conservation programs have been developed to accelerate the adoption of conservation agriculture at scale.

Events

Kansas’ state agricultural trademark – From the Land of Kansas – is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2023. The program will kick off its celebration at the Kansas State Capitol on Monday, March 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Members of the From the Land of Kansas program will be offering samples of their products and showcasing their businesses. The From the Land of Kansas program began in 1978 within the state’s agriculture agency, now the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and was designed to promote and celebrate agriculture experiences and products grown, raised or produced in Kansas. The program has grown to include 375 members and farmers’ markets. These businesses span the breadth of the agriculture industry, from restaurants, agriculture equipment manufacturers, retailers, farmers and ranchers, to food processors, agritourism, wineries, breweries and distilleries. The program’s website, FromtheLandofKansas.com, offers a wealth of information, and provides a map to help consumers find Kansas businesses and farmers’ markets across the state.

Forage and beef producers can learn from world-renowned forage experts the how and why of renovating toxic tall fescue pastures at a March 23 workshop in Mount Vernon, Missouri “This one-day workshop focuses on managing tall fescue toxicity and integrating novel tall fescue varieties into a grazing system,” says Craig Roberts, state forage specialist with University of Missouri Extension. “Toxic tall fescue reduces livestock weight gains and lowers reproductive performance and profits.” The Alliance for Grassland Renewal and its partners sponsor the workshop, which will be at the MU Southwest Research Center, Mount Vernon. Register at TallFescueMO23.eventbrite.com.

University of Missouri Extension will hold a free cattle grading workshop 6-8:30 p.m. Friday, March 17, at South Central Regional Stockyards in Vienna. “Producers may wonder how their cattle grade as compared to others and how this affects their price,” said Anita Ellis, an MU Extension livestock specialist in Fulton. The workshop will help cattle producers determine the grade of their animals. Tony Hancock, Missouri Department of Agriculture reporter, will explain and evaluate different feeder calf and cull cow grades. Live animals will be used to explain grade differences and differences in cull cows. MU Extension ag business specialist Rachel Hopkins will talk with producers about feeder calf scenarios and different ways to add value to cull cows. Register at muext.us/CattleGradingWorkshop or call MU Extension in Maries County at 573-422-3359. Registration deadline is Friday, March 10. There is no charge for this program.

For the fifth year in a row, Missouri Governor Mike Parson drove a John Deere tractor to the Capitol in honor of the FFA tradition of students driving their tractor to school during National FFA Week. Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe joined in on the tradition again this year, demonstrating his ties to agriculture and commitment to FFA students. Missouri FFA President Colton Roy, from the Trenton FFA Chapter, received the proclamation on behalf of the 2022-2023 Missouri FFA State Officer team.

As part of its ongoing lineup of professional and academic development presentations, Kansas State University Olathe is holding a workshop on Pesticides in Animal Health, March 29-30.  This workshop provides a practical approach to getting pesticide products approved and keeping them in the market post approval, while avoiding common pitfalls and challenges faced along the way. The course provides 13 contact hours of veterinary continuing education as certified by Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. More information is available online.

NAMA is welcoming exhibitors to St. Louis, April 26-28, for its 2023 Agri-Marketing Conference. Organizers suggest exhibitors use NAMA’s Connection Point that “connects exhibitors to clients straight to you. From top leaders to agri-marketers to students—exhibitors gain access to the professionals who are shaping our industry today and in the future. More information about Connection Point at www.nama.org/connection-point.html.

Digging Deeper...

In addition to being conscious of their own health, consumers are also concerned about the health of their community and planet. New technologies have been developed to allow consumers to trace ingredients — to know, literally, where their food came from — identifying the location of origin and farmer profile, as well as shipping, preparation, and storage methods. This information holds manufacturers accountable for their environmental footprint and treatment of workers and animals. This helps brands to demonstrate their value to the community and consumer, helping to differentiate them from the competition. “The biggest trend driving change in the food and beverage industry right now is Transparency. “Consumers want to know and understand what ingredients are going into their products, which is why we are seeing so many innovative products with shorter ingredient lists that you can pronounce,” says Samantha Abram, Co-Founder of Emmy Organics.  Consumers are seeking simplicity in addition to better quality foods. “Until now, Abram adds, “it was rare to flip to the back of a product on shelf and read it before putting it in your cart. Consumers are reading the back of packages now more than ever.” 

By: Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC – Sources: 2023 Ag Innovation Forum, Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City; Transparency, Food and The Global Supply Chain, New Food Magazine 2019, Stanley Chia, Pegasystems; Nielsen Global Corporate Sustainability Report, 2018; Charlie Arnot, CEO, Center for Food Integrity; Allison Flinn, DVM, Executive Director, Value Chain and Consumer Affairs at Merck Animal Health; Samantha Abram, Co-Founder of Emmy Organics.  

Transparency: It’s What’s For Dinner

Over the last decade, consumers have become increasingly health conscious and concerned about what they eat. Early on, the movement was restricted to foodies, organic aficionados and food safety activists leary of additives, artificial ingredients and genetically modified crops.  This apprehension on the part of shoppers, noted The Nielsen Company in a 2018 study, prompted food companies to promote their products as “free of artificial ingredients and additives.” Such label claims as “All Natural,” said Nielson, grew 7.8% in 2017 over 2016.  Boasts of “Nothing Artificial” were 3.6% higher in that same time span.  

Transparency has gone mainstream, wrote Stanley Chia in a 2019 article for New Food magazine. He is  Director of Emerging Enterprise Sales for software company Pegasystems. “Initially just the pet project of green consumers,” he said at the time, “transparency is now gaining traction worldwide with many shoppers caring about ingredient sourcing, labelling and what impact the manufacture and distribution of products has on the environment and society.” 

Charlie Arnot, CEO of The Center for Food Integrity and a speaker at many KC Agricultural Business Council events, has maintained that transparency is no longer optional; it’s a basic consumer expectation. “The changes people expected to happen over five years happened in about five months.”

Moderating a panel discussion on transparency in food processing, packaging and tracing earlier this month at the Ag Business Council’s 7th Annual Ag Innovation Forum, J.J. Jones, Principal of Cultivated Conversations, summed up consumer attitudes on the subject: “People just want to be comfortable.”

New Merck Study

Jones’ timely comment came on the heels of a major study confirming the importance of transparency and sustainability in the minds of consumers, especially when it comes to purchasing animal protein.  On January 31, 2023, Merck Animal Health published the results of its first-ever consumer transparency research. The study focused on consumers’ growing interest in transparency and its importance in their purchasing decisions and brand trust. It explored consumer desire for transparency in animal protein, such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy, and their perceptions of industry transparency when it comes to animal welfare and sustainability. It also looked at the interplay of transparency and traceability and consumers’ willingness to pay for transparency label claims.

“The survey results tell us consumers want more information than ever in order to make informed decisions about the food they put on their dinner tables,” said Allison Flinn, DVM, Executive Director, Value Chain and Consumer Affairs at Merck Animal Health. "We work to be an industry leader in improving animal health through our biopharmaceutical and technology portfolio solutions, and we also have the technology that can provide greater transparency and allow consumers to make informed decisions. In fact, our DNA TRACEBACK® technology, which uses nature’s bar code – DNA – with data analytics, provides an evidence-based animal protein traceability solution to accurately trace meat and seafood that is verifiable from farm-to-table to help build trust in food labels.”

The DNA TRACEBACK platform is an advanced meat traceability solution that verifies the exact origin of meat products for the food producer, food retailer and consumer. Each animal in the program is DNA sampled so that in every stage of the production chain – from the farm gate, the processing plant and right through to the restaurant plate – the exact origin of meat or seafood is verified.

According to Merck, a sample of each animal’s DNA code is captured at slaughter and assigned a unique barcode number. This DNA number is then linked to the animal and can be traced through the supply chain all the way to individual cuts of meat served in restaurants.

Study Methodology

As for the numbers, the research found that 66% of consumers say transparency in animal protein is extremely or very important. The study focused on consumers’ growing interest in transparency and its importance in purchasing decisions and brand trust. Two-thirds of the survey respondents say transparency in animal proteins is extremely or very important and the reasons are personal, with health and nutrition topping that list.

What’s more, 86% of consumers who said transparency is important also ranked traceability as extremely or very important, and 40% of those consumers want to know where the livestock comes from. More than 50% of the respondents said they were willing to pay a 5% premium for transparency on the label and want more information than ever about how their food is grown and raised to make informed decisions at the grocery store.

For the study researchers defined transparency as knowing how food was grown, raised and made. Traceability was defined as knowing where foods come from, or more specifically, being able to follow the movement of food products and ingredients through the supply chain. The study surveyed more than 1,000 consumers who represent the U.S. shopper.

Highlights from the study include:

• 66% of consumers reported transparency in animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs and dairy) is extremely or very important and the reasons are personal – health and nutrition top the list;

• 86% of consumers who reported transparency is important also rank traceability as extremely/very important and 40% of those consumers also want to know where the livestock comes from;

• Over 50% of consumers surveyed reported they were willing to pay a 5% premium for transparency on the label and want more information than ever about how their food is grown and raised to make informed decisions at the grocery store;

• High-transparency seekers, or those who consider transparency most important to their purchasing decisions and are willing to pay for it on the label, are typically millennial, non-Caucasian, educated males who live in urban areas with their children – and they do the grocery shopping;

• Environmental sustainability and animal welfare are important animal protein purchase considerations with 55% surveyed reporting environmental sustainability as very/extremely important and 66% reporting animal care/treatment as extremely important/very important. “Sustainability, nutrition, food safety, and animal welfare are all topics consumers want to know more about, and we know greater transparency builds trust,” said Dr. Flinn. “Consumers also want to know the brands they buy from are transparent.

The Business of Ag Tech

Jim Barcus Photos

This year the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City aimed the spotlight on a different aspect of ag technology. During its 7th annual Ag Innovation Forum at the Downtown Marriott, the focus centered on the business of ag technology – rather than its applications for on farm and ranch operations – such as soil management, irrigation, seeding and pesticide practices, harvesting et al.  In his wide-ranging keynote presentation, Dr. Bill Wilson, Distinguished Professor, Department of Agribusiness, North Dakota State University, said, “The demand for ag tech is robust.”

The next wave of ag innovation, however, will be directed toward improving business and market fundamentals.  Dr. Wilson stated, “One of the largest markets primed for disruption is agriculture finance.”  He quipped “that no technology can replace a good farmer.” But farming and the agriculture industry overall has become more complex because of data reporting requirements, statutes and regulations.  “2022 saw a quiet but steady rise in financial tech products being built for the massive agriculture industry,” he noted. “Digitization is everything.”

In recounting her recent attendance at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Ag Innovation Forum’s emcee Tyne Morgan, host and executive producer of Farm Journal’s U.S. Farm Report, made a point of describing the growing footprint at CES – the second largest trade show in the world. Ag technology’s development in the last 10 years has been astonishing, she noted. “Ag is viewed as the solution [to so many global problems], and its momentum is like a freight train leaving the station.”

Staying the course on the business perspective of ag innovation, another keynoter, Carter Williams, president and managing partner of iSelect Fund, said technology is being developed quickly. “But getting people to adopt it on the farm is another story.”  Williams’ advice for ag tech developers was to “connect with early adopters.” Among his witty offhand comments, Williams suggested ag innovators and climate warriors focus their research “more on biology than nitrogen,” noting that nitrogen itself is inert while biology is alive with potential for development and advances.

In his keynote observations, Steve Welker, operating partner, Lewis & Clark Agrifood, said 2023 is shaping up “to be a great year to invest in ag tech.” Although advances in ag tech take a long time, he explained, “The future is bright; good tech companies are looking for good investors.” Welker also pointed out that millennials are “thinking a lot about food,” which is incenting innovators to produce healthier, sustainable foods. “Tech enables value creation for the food industry.”

Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA’s Under Secretary of Agriculture for Research, Education and Economics, was a surprise guest, making an afternoon appearance to offer Forum attendees a recap of President Biden’s remarks on agriculture in his State of the Union address.

This year’s Innovation Forum featured three panels: New Technology/Entrepreneurs; Transparency and Information Systems; Climate-Smart Pilot Programs. 

• New Technology/Entrepreneurs:  Moderator Mike Rohlfsen, chief commercial officer, TechAccel, observed that “precision agriculture” involves more than seed technology, and now includes animal health. He also noted that 75% of growers don’t use precision technology.  Panelist Reza Bloomer, director of business development for InnerPlant, briefed attendees on research underway to recode DNA traits in seeds under distress. “Seeds themselves are a novel data source, and we need to tap into them to see what they need.” Dave Baitinger, seed production engineering team leader at Bayer Crop Science, talked about adding automation to the process of creating the next iteration of plant breeding.  As a veterinarian by education, Dr. Justin Welsh, executive director of livestock technical services at Merck Animal Health, described his team’s work in creating monitoring systems and technology to determine early on what ails a ruminant cow as more exciting than dispensing antibiotics and vaccines.

• Transparency and Information Systems: Moderator J.J. Jones, principal, Cultivated Conversations, noted that at the end of the day consumers “just want to be comfortable” with the processed foods, produce and animal protein they purchase. Deb Arcoleo, partner, Transparency Ventures, described the effectiveness of a digital platform service app, SmartLabel, that shoppers can use to learn more about a product (provided that product is participating in the program). She noted that her research indicates 52% of U.S. consumers don’t think the food industry is transparent.  Lamar Steiger, owner of The 808 Ranch and a beef supply chain consultant to Walmart, attributes Walmart’s famed low prices to a business model that owns and operates a supply chain that moves 33% of its goods and products. Dr. Manreet Bhullar, research assistant professor of Horticulture and Natural Sciences, Kansas State University, discussed his team’s work to enhance microbial safety of fresh produce.

• Climate-Smart Pilot Programs: Moderator: Moderator Amy Skoczlas Cole, president, Trust in Food, observed the challenges facing efforts to institute climate-smart programs into farming are a “little sobering” but the opportunity is promising. She noted that “65% of producers say consumers do have the right to know how farmers farm.” But Cole said farmers also “want credit for what they have already accomplished [in adopting climate-smart practices]; 45% of them are using digitized tools.” Katina Dove Hanson, acting senior advisor, for USDA’s Climate-Smart Commodities, outlined how the program is being rolled out and funded, but pointed out the it was still in a ‘pilot’ phase – a work in progress. Coralie Pierre, senior manager of Programs & Partnerships at Field to Market, illustrated how efforts are underway to remove barriers in order to scale sustainable ag. “Our progress and ultimate success,” she said, “lie in learning together, mobilizing more capital to support farmers in the transition, and pursuing solutions that create wins for farmers, business, society and our planet.” Kristen Coady, DFA’s senior vice president and chief communications officer, explained the lynchpin to climate-smart production  was “to connect on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions with the development of climate-smart dairy products.” Nathan Fields, with the NCGA &Farmers for Soil Health, said among things that his group was focused on building soil health across corn and soybean acres by utilizing cover crops to 30 million acres by 2030.