EPA Administrator Michael Regan will speak at the Ag Outlook Forum in K.C.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan will provide perspective on key issues facing his agency during the Ag Outlook Forum on September 25 at the downtown Marriott in Kansas City.

“With so many environmental issues top of mind for the agricultural community, we are excited to have the Administrator join us in person,” said Sara Wyant, editor-in-chief of Agri-Pulse.  Bob Petersen, executive director, Ag Business Council of Kansas City added that, “the event has become a ‘must attend’ for agribusiness executives looking to re-set their expectations heading into the fall harvest.”

The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City and Agri-Pulse Communications are bringing together top economists, industry leaders and government officials to offer unique insights during their 9th annual Ag Outlook Forum. Other speakers include:

• Denver Caldwell, director of sales for the U.S. and Canada, John Deere

• Hans Kabat, president, Cargill Protein North America

• Ken Seitz, president, and CEO, Nutrien

USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer will lead-off a panel discussion looking at the ag economy.  Panelists include:

• Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist, StoneX

• Krista Swanson, lead economist, National Corn Growers Association

• Roland Fumasi, EVP & North American regional head, RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness

• Sara Wyant, Agri-Pulse will serve as the panel moderator

The program will also feature a discussion of the 2023 farm bill prospects led by Missouri farmer Blake Hurst.  Invited to join him on the panel are U.S. Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Tracey Mann (R-KS).

Further information, including registration, is available at www.agoutlookforum.com. Attendees may register to attend both in-person and virtually.

Sponsors for the 2023 Ag Outlook Forum include the following.

Platinum Sponsor

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Digging Deeper...

In his opening remarks kicking off USDA’s 99th Agriculture Outlook Forum this past February, Seth Meyer, Ph.D., USDA Chief Economist struck a note of optimism. “We enter 2023 with a sense of optimism but amid continued uncertainty,” he said. Dr. Meyer, who will be a key speaker at the upcoming Ag Outlook Forum hosted by the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City and Agri-Pulse Communications, September 25, 2023, cited several positive economic signals. The farm sector of the U.S. economy as a whole, he noted, was in “good financial health with a strong cash position and solid balance sheet.” Challenges, of course, would still present themselves. Drought, high input costs, HPAI cases, war in Ukraine and such are always lurking. “But U.S. agriculture is resilient and innovative,” he said, “and these challenges only highlight the need for continued productivity growth to maintain the abundant and affordable food supply we so easily take for granted.” Rabobank’s current “North American Agricultural Review,” published in June 2023, underscored Dr. Meyer’s earlier positive expectations.
Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC – Sources: USDA  99th Agricultural Outlook Forum, February 23-24, 2023; Rabobank Research, North American Agriculture Review, June 2023.

U.S. Agriculture’s Meat Midterm Report Card

Rabobank’s recent release of its annual North American Agribusiness Review 2023 shows the U.S. meat producers are having a pretty good year.  Its economic fundamentals are positive, and its performance so far this year warrants honor roll status.  However, there are some dark clouds gathering – but not the kind that might bring rain. Rabo expects the Federal Reserve to tighten monetary supply to slow the economy and reduce inflation.  That could make it difficult for the Fed to stick a soft landing. “So we think a mild recession is likely to start in the second half of the year,” says Rabo. The Fed will have to keep rates high until inflation is under control which, the report notes, is not likely to occur before 2024.

Beef 

Retail beef and cattle prices climbed to new heights as supplies tightened and demand remained strong. USDA all-fresh beef retail price in May was $7.50 a pound, a new annual high and the third-highest price on record. If there is a negative in this scenario, it’s that consumers have seen rising prices in the grocery store and at restaurants because supply is tight and demand has been robust.

Wholesale beef and cattle prices also climbed sharply. USDA’s daily composite boxed beef cutout topped out at $330/cwt, the highest pricing since pandemic-influenced increases in 2020 and 2021. Fed cattle prices reached upwards of $190/cwt on a U.S. average basis.

Easing drought conditions in many cattle producing states over the last several months have been a blessing. Pasture conditions have improved 12% since the start of the grazing season, according to USDA reports. “Heifer retention should be a viable option for cow-calf producers this fall,” says Rabobank, adding that May and June beef cow slaughter implies an average culling rate near 11.7%, which is close to 2021 levels.”  Even with lower U.S. production and demand —both down 5% through April—the report said wholesale beef demand remains the second largest of the last 30 years.

But consumers have begun to balk at higher beef prices. In early July, Kansas State University’s Meat Demand Monitor, said American consumers have lowered their willingness to pay more for ribeye steaks, ground beef, pork chops and bacon in June compared to May. However, even with somewhat lower U.S. production and demand, wholesale beef demand has been at its highest in the last 30 years.

Pork

Lower weekly hog slaughter and lighter weights reduced production this spring, helping to stabilize prices. While producers continue to struggle during what is traditionally a season of stronger margins, a rebound in prices and a gradual decline in feed costs have improved the near-term outlook. “While current sow slaughter remains low,” says Rabobank, “we expect contraction in the sow herd to begin in the second half of this year.” Based on its current data, Rabobank expects at least a 7% decline in the U.S. sow herd over the next 12 to 18 months will be needed to restore herd profitability.

Prices remain weak as the grilling season is underway. The pork cutout is 20% below last year’s. “A lack of market promotion in the retail marketplace,” Rabobank explains, and high pork prices slowed consumption this spring.” Still, pork remains a good value for retailers, and with the implementation of California’s Proposition 12 pushed back until 2024, Rabobank forecasts vigorous sales this summer.

Dairy

U.S. milk production so far this year has outpaced last year’s, but gains are narrowing as 2023 progresses. “Importantly,” Rabobank points out, “milk output remains lower versus two years ago, with 2023’s gains unable to overcome declines recorded during the first half of 2022.” Herd growth was larger than expected in the first quarter of this year, expanding by 50,000 cows. In April that trend lost steam declining by 16,000 head. Rabobank expects further contraction in the near term as margins pressure farmers to cull unprofitable cows. Rabobank pegs milk production in 2023 to be 0.7% higher than 2022.

As for cheese production, volume was up 1% in this year’s first quarter over last year. “There was plenty of milk and processing capacity available for cheddar vats,” said the report’s authors, “pushing monthly output over 5.8%.”  Butter has been a big performer with production increasing 7.6% this spring.

Poultry

Chicken prices are down sharply from last year’s record levels. Boneless breast meat prices continue to trail the record prices of a year ago, down 61% year-over-year. Breast prices are also 18% behind the five year average, as increased supply continues to overwhelm retail and foodservice markets. Dark meat prices are also lower, with thigh prices down 28% YOY. Consumers are beginning to trade to less expensive retail alternatives, which is helping stabilize wholesale prices. “Tighter second half 2023 supplies of beef and a gradual decline in chicken production should help stabilize chicken prices by late summer,” says Rabobank.

At 17.6 billion pounds through early June and 1.5% ahead of YOY levels, ready-to-cook (RTC) chicken production continues to run ahead of expectations. The growth reflects both an increase in slaughter volumes (+1.2% YOY) and a more modest increase in average weights.  “We still expect some moderation in slaughter volumes in 2H 2023 based on the decline in the supply flock in recent months and ongoing productivity challenges, which limit further increases.” Rabobank currently forecasts a 1.8% YOY increase in RTC production in 2023, with planned reductions expected to boost average chicken prices.

Crops

In its recent report, The Mighty U.S. Crop Markets Through 2030, Rabobank said domestic use of corn, wheat and soybeans will rise this year but exports will slump. That trend could persist for several years. “In 2023-24, corn will continue to be king when it comes to area planted,” Rabo researchers said, adding “though we expect soybeans to steal the throne in the coming years to meet future soybean oil demand for renewable diesel.” A main factor likely to structurally change the soy sector going forward from 2024 is new U.S. soybean crushing capacity to meet soybean oil demand for renewable diesel.”

Soybean crush capacity has been expanding since 2021, Food Business News reported, but most of the expansion will take place from 2023 through 2027 with the addition of 620 million bus by the 2026-27 crop year. “That would be nearly a 30% increase from the USDA’s forecast soybean crush of 2,220,000 bushels in 2022-23,” wrote Sosland’s Ron Sterk.

“The US share of global export markets will likely decrease due to growing domestic demand, especially for soybeans,” RaboResearch said. Stocks for all three commodities were forecast to “marginally recover” from current low levels but remain low compared to historical levels.

“While domestic demand has been solid, export markets have been more challenging for U.S. crops,” RaboResearch said. “This is the result of ever-increasing crops in South America, large Russian wheat production and high US prices compared to export competitors. We expect global market uncertainty to be a constant against relatively stable and potentially increasing domestic demand.”   

Further updates will be presented at the Ag Outlook Forum 2023 hosted by the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City and Agri-Pulse Communications, September 25, 2023. More information and registration available at www.agoutlookforum.com.

Digging Deeper...

Cell-cultured meat production is about to face another challenge in its effort to supply consumers with a sustainable way for them to get meat-like protein without eating meat, treating animals inhumanely and damaging the environment. Researchers at the University of California Davis released a report last month concluding that lab-grown meat’s environmental impact could likely be worse than traditionally raised beef. There is, however, a caveat. The study has not yet been peer-reviewed, and was only recently submitted to BioRxiv, an open access preprint repository for the biological sciences.
BY: Dennis McLaughlin, McLaughlin Writers LLC – Sources: UC Davis Cultivated Meat Consortium 2023, Environmental Impacts of Cultured Meat: A Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment, Derrick Risner, Yoonbin Kim, Cuong Nguyen, Justin B. Siegel, Edward S. Spang; Oxford Martin School of Social Sciences, University of Oxford, 2019; Matt McGrath, BBC, February 2019. 

What’s Changing Minds?

For more than a decade, champions of cell-cultured meat have suggested that bypassing the greater biological processes of whole animal production can result in lower GHG emissions per unit of meat produced. Beef production, they claim, emits methane and nitrous oxide from their manures and digestive processes that contribute to global warming, water pollution and other environmental trespasses. “Around a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving up temperatures are estimated to have come from agriculture,” wrote BBC correspondent Matt McGrath in 2019, in a piece about research findings from the Social Sciences Division of the University of Oxford. 

A key objective of this Oxford study was to look at the long-term implications of cultured meat versus meat from cattle. The Oxford scientists challenged the validity of a conventional premise that the various emissions from cattle could be converted to their carbon dioxide equivalent. But this didn’t provide the full story of how methane and nitrous oxide have different impacts on the climate.

Per ton of methane emitted, the research showed, indeed has a much larger warming impact than carbon dioxide. “However, it only remains in the atmosphere for about 12 years, whereas carbon dioxide persists and accumulates for millennia," said Professor Raymond Pierrehumbert, co-author of the Oxford study. "This means methane's impact on long-term warming is not cumulative and is impacted greatly if emissions increase or decrease over time."  The scientists' climate model found that in some circumstance and over the very long term, the manufacture of lab meat can result in more warming.  This is because the emissions from the lab are related to the production of energy which is almost entirely made up of carbon dioxide, which persists in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.

Obtain Full Report

Environmental Impacts of Cultured Meat: A Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment, the yet-to-be-peer-reviewed study by researchers at the University of California Davis’ Department of Food Science and Technology is available on the bioRxivwebsite. The preprint service is operated by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York.

Cell Cultured Meat: Not Yet Environmentally Friendly

It hasn’t been easy for the lab-grown meat industry. Digging Deeper has been following the possibilities, expectations and hopes that have excited developers of “cell-cultured” meat substitutes – and the realities that are emerging. (See the Ag Council’s Newsletter, December 2021, March 2022) “The industry’s early, heady days were flush with optimism,” reported The Counter (formerly The New Food Economy), an independent nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom investigating forces shaping how and what Americans eat.  Food advocacy groups, vegetarians and environmentalists envisioned sophisticated bioreactors turning out alternative meat products with scalable efficiency that surely would save the planet. Animal rights activists were excited. Investors defined scalable as a chance to grab 10% of the $1.4 trillion global meat industry by 2029. That share, Barclays Bank said in 2019, would be worth $140 billion by 2029. Barclay analysts noted, “Plant-based protein continues to gain ground versus its animal-based counterpart, and we expect this trend to continue for the foreseeable future.”

What’s Happening Now

Despite astounding advances and accomplishments in bioscience, biochemistry and nutrition engineering that have created cultivated-meat in a laboratory, lab-meat proponents may have been unrealistic in estimating the overall complexity and expense of the effort. A study – Lab-Grown Meat Is Supposed To Be Inevitable; Science Tells A Different Story – released in September 2021 by The Counter warned that confidence in the prospects of cell-cultured meats could be overstated. Enthusiasm for its potential to become humanity’s mainstream, predominant source of protein is probably ill-conceived, the editors said.

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

What Could Be

Conventional wisdom among conservationists is that meat cultured from animal cells is better for the environment.  They claim it uses less land and water and releases fewer greenhouse gasses. But in the not-yet-reviewed paper (Environmental Impacts of Cultured Meat: A Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment), researchers at the University of California Davis say that lab-grown meat’s environmental impact could be “orders of magnitude higher” than cattle raised and processed conventionally. “If cell-based meat companies have to purify growth media to pharmaceutical levels, it will use more resources, which then increases global warming potential,” said lead author and doctoral graduate Derrick Risner, UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology. “If this product continues to be produced using the “pharma” approach, it’s going to be worse for the environment and more expensive than conventional beef production.”

UC Davis researchers conducted a life-cycle assessment of the energy needed and the greenhouse gases emitted in all stages of lab-grown meat production. Then they compared it with conventional beef production. One of the current challenges with lab-grown meat is the use of highly refined or purified growth media – the ingredients needed to help animal cells multiply. These include complex mixtures of salts, carbohydrates, vitamins, amino acids, metabolic precursors, growth factors, hormones, and trace elements. Risner says this method is similar to the biotechnology used to make pharmaceuticals. And that poses a critical question for cultured meat production: Is it a pharmaceutical product or a food product? If lab-meat companies must purify growth media to pharmaceutical levels, explains Risner, it consumes more natural resources, which in turn increases global warming potential. “If this product continues to be produced using the pharma approach,” he states, “it’s going to be worse for the environment and more expensive than conventional beef production.”

UC Davis scientists define the global warming potential as the carbon dioxide equivalents emitted for each kilogram of meat produced. The study found that the global warming potential of lab-based meat using these purified pharma grade growth media ingredients is four to 25 times greater than the average for traditional beef.

One of the goals of the cell-cultured meat industry is to create lab-grown meat using food-grade ingredients rather than expensive, energy-intensive pharmaceutical ingredients and processes. Under such circumstances, researchers have found cultured meat could become more environmentally competitive. While these results show promise, the leap from pharma-to-food still represents a significant technical challenge for “system scale-up.”

“Our findings suggest that cultured meat is not inherently better for the environment than conventional beef. It’s not a panacea,” said one of the study’s authors Edward Spang, associate professor in the UC Davis’ Department of Food Science and Technology. But it is possible that its environmental impact could be reduced in the future, say scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and educators currently researching cultivated meat.  However, they maintain that it will require significant technical advances to simultaneously increase the performance of lab-grown meat and to decrease the cost of its production.  Other goals, said Spang, are to establish and evaluate cell lines that could be used to grow meat and find ways to create more structure in cultured meat.

Going Forward

UC Davis’ Environmental Impacts of Cultured Meat study reviewed current traditional best-practices beef production operations and found that they outperformed cultured meat systems whether they were developed via pharmaceutical product or food product standards. The authors suggested more investment in traditional cattle production to advance more climate-friendly beef operations would yield greater reductions in GHG emissions quicker than funding cultured meat. 

The study was not designed to support positions of advocacy, activist, political or industry groups. It was designed and implemented by the UC Davis Cultivated Meat Consortium, a cross-disciplinary group of scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and educators researching cultivated meat. Its goals include establishing and evaluating cell lines that could be used to grow meat and find ways to create more structure in cultured meat.  The research was funded by the UC Davis Innovation Institute for Food and Health and the National Science Foundation Growing Convergence Research grant.

Derrick Risner says even if lab-based meat doesn’t result in a more climate friendly burger, there is still valuable science to be learned from the endeavor. “It may not lead to environmentally friendly commodity meat, but it could lead to less expensive pharmaceuticals,” he says. “My concern would just be scaling this [lab-grown meat] up too quickly and doing something harmful for the environment.”

Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - June 2023

Developments

Celebrating the 4th of July 2023 with a cookout will cost slightly less than last year. Grillsters will pay $67.73 to host an Independence Day cookout for 10 family members or friends, according to the 2023 American Farm Bureau Federation’s Market Basket Survey. This year’s bill for backyard favorites like cheeseburgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, homemade potato salad, strawberries and ice cream down 3% from 2022, but still approximately 14% higher than prices were just two years ago. The retail price for a package of eight hamburger buns increased 17% to $2.26. Homemade potato salad will cost $3.44, up 5% from 2022. The cost of 2 pounds of ground beef rose 4% to $11.54.  AFBF notes the cost of the cookout breaks down to around $7 per person. When put in a global context, Americans spend a smaller percentage of their income on food than any other country. AFBF president Zippy Duvall said, “While the increased costs are difficult and have made it more challenging for some families to put food on the table, it’s important to remember that America still has one of the most affordable food supplies in the world, which is due in part to strong farm bill programs.”

According to Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist Derrell Peel, recent improvement in the remaining drought regions of the central and southern Great Plains likely means herd liquidation is ending. He said although lingering drought in some areas still is a concern, the arrival of El Niño likely means any additional impact will be minimal. Peel expects the January 1, 2024, cowherd level to be the low from which the industry will rebuild.  Following record culling in 2022, beef cow slaughter is down 11.5% so far this year, a sign that herd liquidation is slowing. It is expected to decrease more sharply in the second half of the year.  Peel suspects increased heifer retention will show up as lower heifer slaughter in the next several months. The July cattle inventory report may be the first sign of increased inventory of beef replacement heifers. The report will be released July 21.  Source: Kansas Livestock Association.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has given final approval to three California-based cultivated meat companies. USDA announced Wednesday it issued grants of inspection to Upside Foods, Good Meat and Good Meat’s manufacturing partner, JOINN Biologics. The companies may begin producing and selling lab-grown chicken. Earlier this month USDA approved Good Meat’s and Upside Foods’ labels to include the term “cell-cultivated chicken” for packaging. Last fall the Food and Drug Administration declared a meat product developed by Upside to be safe for human consumption, paving the way for products derived from real animal cells, but that don’t require an animal to be slaughtered, to be sold in grocery stores and restaurants. While the products may appear on restaurant menus, it may be years before these companies are ready to supply products to regional grocery store chains that can compete on price with traditional animal agriculture products. (See related cell-cultivated story in this month’s Digging Deeper.) Source: Farm Journal’s AgWeb, June 21, 2023.

Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) opened the door to shifting almost $20 billion from her party’s climate and tax credit law enacted last year to more general spending in the upcoming farm bill. Her comments came during a Bloomberg Government panel discussion. Republicans have long eyed the conservation money initially reserved for climate-smart farm conservation programs as a source for general spending. Stabenow has now signaled openness to moving some of these funds to the baseline portion of the farm bill, so long as they remain climate focused. Source: Jim Wiesmeyer, Farm Journal’s AgWeb, June 22, 2023

California regulators have extended the deadline for pork retailers to clear their shelves of pork products not in compliance with Proposition 12’s animal housing law.  The original July 1 implementation date has been pushed out to the end of the year after an agreement between the state and several California grocers associations was reached.  “Granting six months of additional relief for products in the supply chain allows grocery stores to be stocked so the 40 million Californians have uninterrupted access to affordable, safe and nutritious pork products, especially with rising food prices,” said National Pork Producers Council CEO Bryan Humphreys. Source: Agri-Pulse Communications.

Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), Overland Park, Kansas, in cooperation with California-based entities (BlockTrust Network; Mobile Cattle Marketing; Humboldt Livestock Auction Yard; Turlock Livestock Auction Yard; Cattlemen’s Livestock Market; and Blue Grass Stockyards, Lexington, Kentucky), is conducting a pilot project to determine how block chain technology offered by BlockTrust Network may allow LMA member livestock marketing businesses to leverage voluntary data capture of cattle moving through the auctions.  The first of a series of sales took place on June 17 in Petaluma, California, conducted by the Mobile Cattle Marketing Group and featuring 1,500 fancy calves and yearlings. Additional sales are scheduled for July 8 and July 22.  “We see opportunity in discovering how the decentralized database technology, like that offered by BlockTrust Network, may help our member livestock auctions capture greater value for auction customers while also protecting the privacy and rights of the farmer/rancher, the livestock auction and each additional stop along the supply chain,” said Kristen Parman, Vice President Membership Services for LMA.

AgriThority®, a Kansas City, Missouri-based agricultural product, business and market development company specializing in accelerating new technologies to commercialization around the world, will be featured in the award-winning documentary series Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid. This innovative series highlights companies striving for significance and impact in the world. The documentary, Effective Agriculture Technologies and Solutions, will be distributed to Public Television stations on July 17 and can be aired for one full year.  "We chose to feature AgriThority because they are on the forefront of agricultural innovations as an independent third party," said Tony Harris, VP of Programming for Viewpoint. "Through their work, AgriThority has had a direct impact on the future of global food production, sustainability and innovation." Members of the AgriThority leadership team, Council member Jerry Duff, Gloverson Moro, Ph.D., and Ignacio Colonna, discuss the importance of the development process when accelerating new products to market. The documentary focuses on those new innovations’ impact on sustainability. AgriThority provided insights on product, market and business development and shared experiences in accelerating new technologies to market around the globe. “Buzzwords like ‘sustainability’ get thrown around a lot,” said Jerry Duff, Founder and President of AgriThority. “But for growers, sustainability is, and always has been, at the core of their operations.”

USTR recently requested a formal dispute panel be established to resolve Mexico’s unscientific plan to ban genetically modified white corn, a clear violation of USMCA. The Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA), alongside other state and national organizations, has been a vocal advocate in pushing back on this glaring trade infringement. MCGA President Clint Stephens, a corn grower from Advance, Missouri, said, “MCGA is thankful USTR moved forward with this formal dispute panel. Given the transportation advantages, Mexico represents a critical market for Missouri corn farmers. For months, corn farmers have led the charge to push back on a ban based on politics and not science. While it is unfortunate that we have reached the point requiring a formal dispute, the U.S. cannot allow this violation to go unchecked.”

Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins testified before the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) earlier this month regarding Invenergy’s Grain Belt Express’ electric transmission line and issued the following statement: “Missouri landowners, farmers and ranchers have been dealing with the actions of the Invenergy Grain Belt Express project for more than a decade, and despite eminent domain reforms gained in House Bill (HB) 2005 as passed during the 2022 Missouri legislative session, it’s clear that the Tiger Connector line is seeking to subvert the legislated provisions by filing an amendment with the PSC rather than applying for approval as a new project.

U.S. Senator Roger Marshall joined nine senators this week in introducing legislation that would prohibit states and local units of government from interfering with the production of agricultural products in other states. Specifically, the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act would prevent states like California from regulating farmers and ranchers nationwide.  “The last thing we need is a big state like California imposing its will on ag-heavy states like Kansas with regulations that will also restrict our ability to trade among the states,” said Sen. Marshall. “This is a matter of states’ rights. If California wants to regulate agriculture in its own state, that’s fine, but California’s rules should not apply to Kansas, whose Legislature never approved of these regulations.” The act was introduced in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling against the National Pork Producers Council in their challenge of California’s Proposition 12.  

Kansas Livestock Association applauded Senator Marshall’s leadership on this issue. KLA President Shawn Tiffany said, “After the recent Supreme Court decision in NPPC v. Ross, Congress must act pursuant to its enumerated constitutional authority to ensure commerce between states involving agricultural products can continue uninterrupted. Beef, dairy and pork producers in Kansas should not be forced to accommodate a patchwork of radical, unscientific state and local standards of production.”

Missouri 4-H clubs across the state have finished the fifth annual 4-H Feeding Missouri Initiative. Each year, 4-H partners with Feeding Missouri and Missouri Farmers Care’s Drive to Feed Kids to bring awareness and raise resources addressing food insecurity. Last fall, during University of Missouri Extension and Engagement Week, 4-H challenged participants across the state to fight hunger. From January through April, 4-H’ers participated in a friendly competition to raise the most meals for local families. They held food drives and fundraisers, volunteered services and provided education and outreach activities. Through these efforts, 4-H members raised the equivalent of 711,268 meals this year for food-insecure Missourians, bringing the five-year cumulative total to 1,723,331 meals.

Lenexa, Kansas-based Farm Journal hosted a webinar “How to Use Land-Based Income to Increase Profits.” Farm Journal maintains that the outdoor recreational boom is “paying dividends” – as much as $20,000 per year – for farmers and ranchers using alternative passive income strategies by listing their land for hunting, fishing and other activities. “More than 350 landowners in 37 states have added more than $1 million in additional income to their operations by hosting outdoor recreation,” said Chip Flory, host of “AgriTalk and moderator of the Farm Journal webinar. Lean more here.

Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (MSMC) is partnering with select sheriff departments in top soybean-producing counties to showcase the innovation of soybean farmers and recognize the importance of law enforcement partners across the state. MSMC equipped more than a dozen Missouri counties with sets of Goodyear Eagle® Enforcer All Weather™ soy-based tires. These environmentally friendly tires meet high-performance standards and support Missouri’s No. 1 agricultural crop growers. This innovation stems from Goodyear’s soy-based line, where 60% of the tire’s petroleum content is replaced by renewable soybean oil. “Developing new uses for soy while addressing challenges our partners face is key to realizing a bright future for Missouri’s top crop – soybeans,” said Aaron Porter, MSMC chair. “The soy-based tires are an exciting example of the innovation we’re proud to drive, through farmers’ investments in their checkoff, and we appreciate the partnership from law enforcement in putting this technology to work.” 

World Pork Expo marked its 35th anniversary on June 7-9, as more than 10,000 producers and industry professionals traveled to the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines to visit the world’s largest pork-specific trade show. Presented by the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), Expo features a wide range of free seminars, networking opportunities and abundant hospitality. “Producers come to Expo to reconnect with their peers, to share and exchange ideas,” said Scott Hays, NPPC president and a Missouri pork producer. “This year is particularly challenging, and you can’t remain stagnant. Producers need to continue to innovate and embrace new ideas.”

USDA is investing $262.5 million in higher education institutions to foster the next generation of diverse agricultural professionals across the nation. This NextGen program is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, which aims to lower costs for American families, expand access to markets to producers from all backgrounds and communities, build a clean energy economy and strengthen American supply chains. “Each generation of agricultural professionals faces new challenges as we feed our world’s growing population, and the future generations give me hope that we will rise to the occasion to meet these challenges with opportunity,” said Sec. Tom Vilsack.

People 

Jayson Lusk will become vice president and dean of Oklahoma State University's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, effective in August. He will succeed Tom Coon, who is retiring. Lusk most recently was the head of the agricultural economics department at Purdue University.

Gregg Doud will be the next president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. He succeeds Jim Mulhern, who is retiring at the end of the year. Doud will join NMPF in September and comes to the organization from Aimpoint Research, where he was the vice president of global situational awareness and chief economist. He also served as the chief ag negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during the Trump administration.

The World Veterinary Association and Ceva Sante Animale (CEVA), whose North American headquarters is located in Lenexa, Kansas, this past spring created the WVA Global Veterinary Awards. The new WVA Global Veterinary Awards comprise six categories of awards that will recognize veterinarians for their work in providing animal owners, governments, health authorities, farmers, other veterinarians, and the public with best practice across the WVA’s four strategic objectives: One Health,  Medicine Stewardship, Animal Welfare and Veterinary Education.

Events

Coming on the heels of June’s National Dairy Month is July’s National Ice Cream Month. The closest ancestor of today’s ice cream was a concoction confected for emperors of Tang Dynasty China (618-907 A.D.). They enjoyed a frozen drink made with cow, goat or buffalo milk and flour and camphor, notes historian Chandler Hansen who writes for Morning Ag Clips. Americans continue carry on the emperors’ delight in ice cream treats. The average American consumes about four gallons of ice cream per year, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. U.S. ice cream makers produced around 1.38 gallons of ice cream of ice cream in 2022 and enjoyed $13 billion in sales. The IDFA’s survey from last year found America’s top five favorite flavors are chocolate, cookies n’ cream, vanilla, strawberry and chocolate chip.

Join the American Royal Association on July 21 for live entertainment, drinks, and a behind the scenes look at the Saddlebred horse show with a 4-course meal prepared with local producers by Chef Victor Cascone of Cascone’s Italian Restaurant and owner of La Fontanella Foods! Early bird prices end June 30. Find more information here.

Agriculture leaders from across the state will gather at the eighth annual Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth on Thursday, August 17, at the Hilton Garden Inn’s Manhattan Conference Center. The Summit will be held as an in-person event, with an emphasis on opportunities for discussion and networking. This year’s event will take a different format than in past years, with a focus on broad topics that affect the whole agriculture community, rather than small sessions separated by individual ag sectors. All farmers, ranchers, agribusiness owners and industry professionals are welcome. Workforce and water have been identified as two major areas of focus that have a significant impact on the potential for growth in Kansas agriculture, so guest speakers and small group discussions during the day will be directed toward those two topics. There is no cost to attend any of the Ag Growth Summit meetings or events, but it is important that attendees register so KDA can provide adequate materials for attendees and have accurate meal counts. Register at www.agriculture.ks.gov/Summit. For more information regarding the event contact Auburn Wassberg at Auburn.B.Wassberg@ks.gov or 785-564-6799. 

Kansas Corn Growers Association will again be hosting its annual listening tour to meet with corn farmers to talk about the many issues facing the corn and ag industries. Kansas Corn staff will update growers on key topics. Each stop will feature a roundtable discussion around key topics and other issues facing growers. The goal of each stop is to get feedback from corn growers, which is valued by the association and commission boards in their planning. Attendees are asked to register for these summer events online at kscorn.com/tour or by calling the Kansas Corn office at 785-410-5009. 2023 Summer Listening Tour Dates and Locations:  August 2, Tampa; August 8, McCune; August 9, Scranton; August 10, Denton; August 15, Satanta; August 16, Grainfield.

Lenexa, Kansas-based Farm Journal’s Trust In Food is proud to welcome Tyson Foods to Trust In Beef, a collaborative value chain program designed to help ranchers integrate climate-smart agriculture into their operations while sharing their learnings and success stories. Trust In Food is a purpose-driven division of Farm Journal that organizes Trust In Beef in partnership with Drovers and foundational partners Merck Animal Health, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Syngenta/Enogen and U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. “We are excited to be recognized as a Trust In Beef foundational partner,” said Justin Ransom, senior director, sustainable food strategy at Tyson Foods. “Building a coalition of conservation-minded partners across the value chain is critical for our industry and we are thankful for the work Trust In Beef has done as we collaborate to build a more sustainable food system.”

Kansas State University-Olathe is offering a webinar on their Animal Health Regulatory Affairs Graduate Certificate program, July 12, 2023, 12:00 p.m. The online presentation is based on industry input and exclusively tailored to the animal health industry. It provides a series of courses and experiences that will help equip animal health professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate governmental processes and regulations. Register here.

Missouri’s soybean farmers are investing in the future with the Policy Leaders Fellowship conference. In partnership with Iowa soybean growers, the program offers leadership training, networking opportunities, and hands-on work with policy, government and legislative processes. “The Missouri Soybean Association (MSA) is a farmer-led organization with strong grassroots support, and we’re very proud of that foundation,” said Matt Wright, MSA president. “Investing in the next generation of agricultural and policy leaders is key to serving Missouri’s soybean farmers. Our impact grows as we work together, and this is a great step forward for ensuring soybeans are front and center in Missouri and the Midwest well into the future.” The program will kick off August 24-25 in Jefferson City at the Center for Soy Innovation, with a joint meeting of participants from Iowa and Missouri, as well as national-level speakers and mentors. More information available here. 

KC Animal Health Corridor's 2023 Animal Health Summit takes place August 28-29 at the Midland Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. Registration is now open. Click here for additional information.  The event includes multiple days of networking, business partnering meetings, and panels and presentations from industry thought leaders and emerging companies.

Michigan State University is hosting a Universal Food Forum on July 12, 2023 in Washington, DC. The goal of the Forum is to show the inherent nuance and complexity of today’s agricultural and food systems and learn more about the unique perspectives from a variety of stakeholders. Keynote speaker Timothy Caulfield will discuss the effects of misinformation and the lack of understanding and trust in science, and Secretary Tom Vilsack has been invited as the closing keynote.  More information can be found here.

AgBiz Council Briefed On Key Issues Facing Kansas and Missouri

(Left) Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn; (Right) Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam

Missouri and Kansas combined are responsible for almost 7.7% of overall U.S. agricultural production, according to USA By #umbers, a statistics accumulator. That puts the duo in third place nationally and not very far behind California (11.8%) and Iowa (8%). Located side-by-side at the virtual epi center of the Lower 48, Kansas and Missouri represent just about every sector of the nation’s agriculture industry, culture and heritage.

During the Council’s June meeting and luncheon, Chris Chinn, Director, Missouri Department of Agriculture, boasted to Council members that Missouri was ranked nationally in the Top Ten for 12 crop and livestock categories. Mike Beam, Secretary, Kansas Department of Agriculture, described Kansas as a powerhouse of agriculture production and related-industry products. He noted Kansas’s top five ag sectors by output were beef cattle ranching and farming ($8.94 billion); animal slaughter except poultry ($8.83 billion); grain farming ($6.15 billion); meat processed from carcasses ($3.91 billion); and dog and cat food manufacturing ($3.67 billion).

Nevertheless, despite such stellar agri-stats, clouds are gathering, figuratively speaking. Actually, the problem is clouds are not gathering. Director Chinn said, “More than 80% of Missouri is in some stage of drought.” Kansas wheat farmers are bracing for what could be their worst crop in 60 years. Farmers are looking at a harvest that could be 100 million bushels smaller than last year, barely covering input costs.

Secretary Beam worries that drought and pollution are seriously threatening the Ogallala Aquifer. “The aquifer is the principal source of water in one of the major agricultural areas of the country,” he explained. Legislation (Kansas House Bill 2302) is pending that would transfer an additional $35 million to the State Water Plan Fund each year for FY24- FY28 to study the problem and develop solutions.

Director Chinn described another challenge for farmers. A proliferation of black vulture scavengers in Missouri poaching eggs and preying on small newborn animals. If farmers suspect they have a black vulture problem, she said, they should contact USDA APHIS Wildlife Services. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) 2023 has also taken its toll on the state’s poultry industry, causing the elimination of 500,000 birds in Missouri. With the installation of solar panels for energy generation, Kansas and Missouri farmers may encounter a situation similar to the 1980s when CRP was introduced to take certain cropland out of production.

California’s Proposition 12, a law California voters passed in 2018 to define the minimum amount of space that farmers must give to cows, pigs and chickens in confinement, also could be a big problem for food animal producers outside the state. The law applies to food products made from these animals and those sold in California, even if the animals were raised and slaughtered outside of the state.

Top economists, industry leaders preview farm economic outlook

June 26, 2023, KANSAS CITY, MO. The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City and Agri-Pulse Communications are bringing together top economists, industry leaders and government officials to offer unique insights during their 9th annual Ag Outlook Forum on September 25 at the Downtown Marriott in Kansas City.

“This is your chance to learn about some of the economic forces driving farm input costs and revenues for 2023 and the year ahead,” said Sara Wyant, editor-in-chief of Agri-Pulse. Bob Petersen, executive director, Ag Business Council of Kansas City added that, “the event has become a ‘must attend’ for agribusiness executives looking to re-set their expectations heading into the fall harvest.”

The session will feature three keynote presentations:

• Denver Caldwell, director of sales for the U.S. and Canada, John Deere

• Hans Kabat, president, Cargill Protein North America

• Ken Seitz, president, and CEO, Nutrien

USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer will lead-off a panel discussion looking at the ag economy. Panelists include:

• Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist, StoneX

• Krista Swanson, lead economist, National Corn Growers Association

• Roland Fumasi, EVP & North American regional head, RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness

• Sara Wyant, Agri-Pulse will serve as the panel moderator

The program will also feature a discussion of the 2023 farm bill prospects led by Missouri farmer Blake Hurst. Invited to join him on the panel are U.S. Representatives Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Tracey Mann (R-KS).

Additional program speakers will be announced as they are confirmed.

Further information, including registration, is available at www.agoutlookforum.com. Attendees may register to attend both in-person and virtually.

Sponsors for the 2023 Ag Outlook Forum include the following.

Platinum Sponsor
Farm Credit Services of America/FCS Financial

Gold Sponsors
AdFarm
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
John Deere
Kansas/Missouri Corn
Kansas/Missouri Farm Bureau
National Crop Insurance Services
Regrow Company

Silver Sponsors
Dairy Farmers of America
Husch Blackwell
Kansas Dept. of Agriculture
MFA
PivotBio
Spencer Fane

Bronze Sponsors
Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative
Farm Journal
Farmers National Company
Kansas Livestock Association
Kansas State University - MAB
Livestock Marketing Association
Missouri Dept. of Agriculture
Missouri Soybean Association
National Pork Producers Council
University of Missouri – CAFNR

Ag Business Council Selects Morgan, Schnuck for Distinguished Service Awards

June 7, 2023, KANSAS CITY, MO.  Veteran agricultural educators Jim Morgan of Louisburg, Kansas and Deanna Schnuck of Boonville, Missouri have been selected by the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City to receive the group’s Distinguished Service Award.

“We are indebted to the many educators like Jim and Deanna who have inspired, guided and mentored young people from rural America,” said Dustin Johansen, chair, KC Ag Business Council.  Johansen, senior vice president of Farm Journal’s Livestock Division, pointed out these individuals have influenced hundreds of young people in their career choices and experiences, often without the recognition they so richly deserve.

Jim Morgan, Louisburg FFA Advisor

Jim Morgan

Jim Morgan was named to Louisburg’s agricultural education position in 1982, soon after graduating from Kansas State University.  When the new school term begins this fall, it will mark his 42nd year in the classroom.  In his tenure at Louisburg, Jim has had Louisburg FFA teams win 52 State FFA Career Development Event championships and has had 42 State Runners-up. Louisburg has also had two National FFA Career Development Event Champions.  Also, while at Louisburg he has had two state FFA officers, over 30 State FFA degree winners and numerous proficiency award winners.  Jim has hosted 18 student teachers from Kansas State University while also serving on their Curriculum Review and Licensure committees. He  has also served on the Competency Profile Review and Agriculture Education Accreditation committees for Career and Technical Education Division of the Kansas State Department of Education. Jim has served on many committees on the state and national level within the Kansas and National Association of Agriculture Educators. In 2014 he served as president of the Kansas Association of Agriculture Educators.  In his spare time, Jim looks after his family farm near his hometown of Greeley, Kansas.

Deanna Schnuck, Boonville FFA Advisor

Deanna Schnuck

Deanna Schnuck has been an agricultural education instructor for 21 years. She began her teaching career in 2003 at the Grand River Technical School in Chillicothe, Missouri, and moved to the Boonslick Technical Education Center in Boonville in 2004 where she has been an instructor for the past 20 years.  Deanna has been a leader in agricultural education on many levels. She was elected President of the National Association of Agricultural Educators at the 2022 NAAE Convention after serving as NAAE President-Elect, NAAE Region IV Vice President for three years, and NAAE Region IV Secretary for three years. She had the honor of serving the Missouri Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association (MVATA) for eight years on the area, district, and state levels. Additionally, Deanna serves as a NAAE representative on the National FFA Board of Directors, serves on the National FFA Board of Directors/FFA Foundation Joint Governance Committee, and chairs the National FFA Board of Directors Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee. Deanna has also been awarded both the Honorary State and American FFA Degrees.  She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of Missouri.  In her spare time, Deanna helps run the family produce business as well as helping her husband, Art, with his livestock and row crop operation.

The Council will honor Morgan and Schnuck for their distinguished service at a reception in Kansas City on July 6.

Ag Business Council Recognizes Young Leaders in Agribusiness

June 5, 2023, KANSAS CITY, MO.  The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City has selected 8 individuals who it will honor in 2023 as 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, senior vice president – livestock division, Farm Journal, pointed out these individuals represent the future, the next generation of executives who will lead the agribusiness sector.

Sara Befort, American Royal

Sara Befort

Sara Befort is the Director of Events and Rodeo Manager for the American Royal Association, where she has served for 10 years in various positions of increasing responsibility and leadership.  Sara leads the American Royal Events Team to successfully execute all events throughout the year. She also oversees the production of the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Rodeo as well as the Youth Rodeo. In 2020, she had the distinct opportunity to assist the General Manager of the National Finals Rodeo in Arlington, TX.  She competed on the Livestock Judging Team at Colby Community College and graduated from Kansas State University, where she earned her bachelor’s in Agribusiness and minor in Business. Sara and her husband Trey live in Tonganoxie, KS with their daughter Lyla.

Allison Bockenstedt

Allison Bockenstedt, John Deere
Allison (Young) Bockenstedt works as the Sales Analytics Manager for John Deere’s Ag & Turf Division. Her career with Deere has spanned over twelve years; during her career Allison has spent time in both data, analytics, sales, and marketing with career highlights including developing auto-decisioning algorithms for John Deere Financial and helping to launch the 2680H High-Performance Disk.  Allison graduated from Drake University with a BSBA and has an MBA from Kansas State University. Allison also serves at the Kansas Technology Student Association (TSA) Judges and Event coordinator, managing volunteers for over fifty STEM related competitive events for high school and middle school students each year.   Allison and her husband, Lance, reside in Olathe, KS.

Alexa Cubbage, Dairy Farmers of America

Alexa Cubbage

In her role as an Innovation Project Manager for Dairy Farmers of America, Alexa Cubbage concentrates on identifying cross-functional synergies, facilitating programs designed to empower innovative thinking, and managing DFA’s CoLAB Accelerator program. At DFA, Alexa also participates in the Growing Professionals Employee Resource Group and serves as a DEI Ambassador. She holds a Bachelor of Science in International Business from the University of Arkansas. In her spare time, she enjoys connecting with family and friends, serving at her local church, and volunteering as a Citizen Archivist.

Dalton Henry, U.S. Wheat Associates

Dalton Henry

Dalton Henry is the USW Vice President of Trade Policy. Dalton coordinates the efforts of the USW policy team to maintain and improve market access for US wheat exports. Previously, Dalton worked as the director of governmental affairs for Kansas Wheat and as the legislative director for Congressman Roger Marshall. A native of Randolph, KS, he earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications from Kansas State University. Dalton now resides on his family’s farm in Randolph KS with his wife, Sarah and young son, Samuel.

Emily Koop, Kansas Corn

Emily Koop

Emily Koop graduated from Kansas State University with a bachelor’s in food science. Upon graduation, Emily began her career at Cargill Animal Nutrition where she gained experience in a variety of areas including logistics and grain merchandising. For the past 5 years, Emily has worked for Kansas Corn, an organization which represents corn growers across the state on policy issues and implements checkoff programming. As the Director of Grower Services and Market Development, her responsibilities include managing the grower services team, developing leadership programs, and expanding ethanol infrastructure and use across the state. Outside of work, Emily enjoys spending time with her son and husband on their family farm and ranch and volunteering with their local church youth group.  

Jason Lutz, Agri-Pulse Communications

Jason Lutz

Jason Lutz guides the Agri-Pulse sales and marketing efforts, leading their team to develop new relationships and find creative ways to meet and exceed customer expectations. He oversees both individual and group subscription sales, along with digital program sales, in addition to managing digital advertising and event sales. Jason attended Kishwaukee College in Northern Illinois and has 10 years experience in the hospitality industry. He's an active participant in the local community and was selected as a Camden County Young Leader in 2012. Jason and his wife, Danielle, love spending time on the Lake of The Ozarks and playing golf and competitive softball. They have two daughters, Taylor and Austin, and one son, Jonathan.

Rosie Thoni, AdFarm

Rosie Thoni

Rosie Thoni is the Director of Public Relations and Content for AdFarm, one of North America’s premier agri-marketing agencies, where she leads the team delivering innovative PR strategies for AdFarm’s clients. Rosie earned her degree in agricultural communications and agribusiness from Oklahoma State University and has a decade of experience in communicating to ag audiences. Named one of AgGrad’s Top 30 Under 30 in 2020, Rosie is a dedicated advocate for the advancement of agriculture. Her love for agriculture was cultivated through her upbringing on a cattle ranch and grain farm in Alberta, Canada, and today she calls Wichita, Kansas, home alongside her husband, Griffin, and rescue dog, Belle.

Samantha Turner, Missouri Soybean Association/Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council

Samantha Turner

Communicating on behalf of and for the Missouri soybean farmer is more than a job description for Samantha Turner, Director of Communications for the Missouri Soybean Association and Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council. Samantha works to shape the growing soybean industry and promote Missouri Soybeans and its vision. She is responsible for developing communications strategies and supporting the industry through content enhancing the soybean narrative.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Missouri – Columbia, and later earned her master’s degree in agricultural leadership, communication and education. Prior to her work with Missouri Soybeans, Samantha worked for Clean Fuels Alliance American and Bayer.  Outside of the office, Samantha enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids, Sterling and Sutton, as well as her family, friends and church small group.

The Council will recognize these young leaders at a reception in Kansas City on July 6.

Agricultural Business Council Recognizes Dillingham Awardees

(Left) Dustin Johansen, Julie Hurst, Blake Hurst; (Right) Dustin Johansen, Dr. Marty Vanier, Dr. Stephen Higgs

The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City honored two stalwarts involved in regional and national agriculture with its Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence on May 18 at Union Station in Kansas City. It was the 13th Annual ceremony. Receiving the Council’s highest recognition were Marty Vanier, DVM, director of the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center (NABC) at Kansas State University, and Blake Hurst, a Missouri corn and soybean farmer who served as Missouri Farm Bureau president for ten years.

Event Master of Ceremonies and Council Chairman Dustin Johansen, senior vice president in the Livestock Division of Farm Journal, described the honorees as two of the region’s leading champions for agriculture in separate but very key areas in our region. “These individuals have had a positive and lasting effect on our community,” he said. “They are strong examples of what a leader can accomplish.” 

Dr. Vanier is the director of the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center at Kansas State University. Her career span includes stints with the Animal Health Institute in Washington, D.C.; USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service; K-State’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry; Kansas Agricultural Alliance; and has been involved in veterinary pharmaceutical and food safety initiatives and oversight. 

In 2003, Dr. Vanier joined NABC, then moved to NBAF’s Program Executive Office as director of Strategic Partnership Development.  In 2019 she returned to NABC as its director. Prior to be her being honored at the  Dillingham Award luncheon, last week, Dr. Vanier remarked that she was very surprised that the Council had selected her. “It is a tremendous honor for me,” she said, “especially after seeing the list of past honorees.”

In her acceptance remarks, Dr. Vanier noted that NABC is an integral part of the Midwest’s expanding animal health corridor. NABC contributes to and accesses a vast network of interdisciplinary research and resources in areas such as animal diseases, foodborne pathogens, plant infectious agents, emergency management, and environmental systems changes impacting agriculture, food and One Health.  

In his career as a farmer along with his involvement in regional and national agriculture affairs and legislation, Blake Hurst has become a well-known personality. His perspectives and opinions about agriculture have appeared in national media, in particular in the Op-Ed section of the Wall Street Journal.  In his service to the ag industry as president of the Missouri Farm Bureau, a board member of AFBF, he spearheaded the passage of initiatives such as 2014 Missouri Amendment 1, The Missouri Farming Rights Amendment; 2019 SB 391, Standardizing The Regulation of CAFOs; 2020 Missouri Amendment 3, Cleaner Missouri.

Hurst considers the major focus of his career to have been the defense of technology and trade as not only necessary for farmers but beneficial to everyone else as well. Farmers’ income depend upon both trade and the ability to apply science to the production of food and fiber, but so do the diets of billions of people. “Without modern technology, we farmers can’t feed the world,” Hurst said. He is also proud of the role Missouri farmers played in passing NAFTA and helping consumers better understand and accept GMOs. 

On hand for awards ceremony, which was sponsored by John Deere, were several past recipients of the Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence.

• Gina Bowman, founder of the Agricultural Business Council

• Harry Cleberg, retired president of Farmland Industries

• Bill Jackson, AGRIServices of Brunswick-retired

• Glen Klippenstein, Klippenstein Family Farm

• Dee Likes, retired CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association

• Ken McCauley, K & M Farms and past president, National Corn Growers Association

• Diane Olson, retired director of education at the Missouri Farm Bureau

• Dr. Ralph Richardson, retired CEO of the Kansas State-Olathe Campus

• Tom Waters, chairman of the Missouri Levee and Drainage District Association and Chairman of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission

Additionally, Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam attended the event. Dr. Stephen Higgs, director of K-State’s Biosecurity Research Institute, introduced Dr. Vanier. Julie Hurst introduced her husband Blake.

As has become customary at this awards gathering, John Dillingham, the son of the elder Jay B. Dillingham, provided remarks on behalf of the family. The younger Dillingham offered a dramatic perspective on the impact Kansas and Missouri agriculture has had globally: “Every single person on the face of the earth is a potential client of the farmers, livestock producers, processors, transporters et al in our region.”

Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - May 2023

Developments

USDA and the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate dedicated the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility on May 24, in Manhattan, Kansas, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that featured remarks from national and local dignitaries. The new 48-acre facility will become one of the top laboratories in the world to study and diagnose animal diseases. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack said, “This new, innovative facility will give USDA scientists access to cutting-edge, safe and secure technology so they can continue to lead the world in animal health research, training and diagnostics to protect our food supply, agricultural economy and public health.” Replacing the Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York, which is more than 68 years old, NBAF will feature a biosafety level-4 laboratory space to study livestock and other large animals. It also has support areas and required safety systems like redundant high-efficiency particulate air filters and waste decontamination systems. The facility is located next to Kansas State University.  “NBAF’s Midwest location offers researchers and diagnosticians closer proximity to develop key partnerships with the animal health industry and several academic institutions,” explained Alfonso Clavijo, DVM, PhD, director of NBAF. “NBAF will create opportunities between scientists and animal health companies to enhance and expedite the transition of new veterinary countermeasures from research to market to protect the nation’s agriculture if needed.”  Mark Hatesohl, mayor of Manhattan, Kansas State University president Richard Linton, PhD, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Senator Jerry Moran, and retired Senator Pat Roberts were on hand for the event.

Testifying at a House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs hearing on tailpipe emissions rules and electric vehicle transition, Kansas Corn Growers Association CEO Josh Roe said biofuels like ethanol should not be ignored as a climate solution. Roe told the committee the EPA’s narrow rules prevent the use of low carbon liquid fuels like ethanol to help reach climate goals. In testimony, Roe said the administration’s full focus on electric vehicles ignores a solution that is available to nearly every car on the road today. He warned low- and middle-income citizens will pay the price for electric vehicles that are more expensive and not feasible for use in many areas. “The agricultural and liquid fuels industries stand ready to assist in reducing air pollution. Unfortunately, current, and proposed EPA rules prevent us from being part of the solution, and adversely impact low income and rural citizens across the United States,” Roe stated. “While we believe electric vehicles will play a vital role in achieving these goals, other complementary alternatives, such as biofuels, have a key role to play but are being pushed aside.”

The Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance and Rapid Response Act of 2023 was introduced in the U.S. Senate last week. The act would provide additional funding for three important animal health programs established through the 2018 Farm Bill:  1) National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank; 2) National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program; 3) National Animal Health Laboratory Network. NAVVCB was established due to NCBA’s advocacy efforts during the 2018 Farm Bill and currently houses foot-and-mouth disease vaccines and diagnostic test kits. NADPRP supports programs like the Secure Beef Supply Plan, which will help maintain business continuity in the event of a disease outbreak. Finally, NAHLN conducts essential research, disease monitoring and testing. All three programs are supported by Kansas Livestock Association and NCBA.

Lab-grown meat, which is cultured from animal cells, is often thought to be more environmentally friendly than beef because it’s predicted to need less land, water and greenhouse gases than raising cattle. But in a not yet peer-reviewed paper, researchers at the University of California Davis, have found that lab-grown or “cultivated” meat’senvironmental impact is likely to be “orders of magnitude” higher than retail beef based on current and near-term production methods. “If companies are having to purify growth media to pharmaceutical levels, it uses more resources, which then increases global warming potential,” said lead author and doctoral graduate Derrick Risner, UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology. “If this product continues to be produced using the “pharma” approach, it’s going to be worse for the environment and more expensive than conventional beef production.” The un-reviewed paper – Environmental impacts of cultured meat: A cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment – can be read here.

Officials in Congress are taking new steps to standardize and improve food date labels to reduce food waste and help families save money on groceries. U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., held a press briefing May 22, 2023 at a New Jersey supermarket to push for changes in this expiration date system, as the U.S. has no federal standard for "sell-by," "use-by" or "best by" dates. He said most date labels indicate when the manufacturer believes the product is fresh, which is not necessarily based on scientific food-safety considerations. Some nutrition experts say those labels are leading to a major waste of food in this country. The Congressman is leading a bipartisan effort to standardize expiration date terminology across the country. According to the FDA, 30 to 40% of all food ends up in the garbage. That equates to 160 billion pounds -- or $218 billion worth of food -- each year. The agency says consumers should not rely solely on date labels and should examine food even after the expiration date.

Scientists at USDA Agricultural Research Services’ U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Nebraska, have produced the first gene-edited calf with resistance to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), a virus that costs the U.S. cattle sector billions of dollars annually. Findings of the research, published in PNAS Nexus, resulted from a collaboration among ARS, the University of Nebraska, the University of Kentucky and industry partners Acceligen and Recombinetics, Inc. BVDV is one of the most significant viruses affecting the health and well-being of cattle worldwide, and researchers have been studying it since the 1940s when it was first recognized. This virus does not affect humans but is highly contagious among cattle and can cause severe respiratory and intestinal diseases.

On May 11, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling on California’s Proposition 12, choosing to uphold the legality of the measure — a decision that was met with disappointment by many in U.S. agriculture, claiming it sets a dangerous precedent for animal agriculture moving forward. The Supreme Court opinion delivered by Justice Neil Gorsuch suggested a next step surrounding Proposition 12 may be a Congressional bill since the Constitution vests Congress with the power to “regulate Commerce . . . among the several States.”

Organic food sales in the United States in 2022 topped $60 billion for the first time, hitting another high-level mark for the resilient organic sector. Total organic sales – including organic non-food products, were a record $67.6 billion*, according to the 2023 Organic Industry Survey released by the Organic Trade Association.

EPA has announced it would use existing authority to prevent drivers from losing access to lower-cost and lower-emission E15, a higher ethanol blend often marketed as Unleaded 88. Missouri Corn Growers Association President Clint Stephens welcomed the decision. “We applaud today’s announcement from EPA to keep the door open for E15 throughout the summer driving season.” America’s corn farmers and local ethanol plants are deeply committed to playing a prominent role in addressing today’s energy needs, Stephens added.

Farmer sentiment improved modestly in April over March, according to the Purdue University/ CME Group Ag Economy Barometer, rising six points to a reading of 123. Both of the barometer’s sub-indices were also higher in April, the Current Conditions Index was up 3 points to 129 and the Future Expectations Index was up 7 points to 120. A shift in farmers’ expectations regarding the Fed’s future interest rate policy could be a key reason behind the improvement in farmer sentiment. 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 from April 10-14.

Farmers are sharply divided on whether Congress will pass a new farm bill this year to replace the 2018 law. Some 40% of growers surveyed for the monthly Purdue University-CME Group ag barometer believe it’s at least somewhat likely a new bill gets enacted in 2023.  But 29% of the producers surveyed say a 2023 bill is very unlikely and 13% say it’s somewhat unlikely. Source: Agri-Pulse Communications.

The University of Missouri’s MU Extension will partner with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on a $25 million award from USDA to create the Heartland Regional Food Business Center, which will foster more vibrant, resilient food systems throughout a five-state region. Heartland is among 12 regional centers the USDA will establish to serve all areas of the country.  The project will establish an online platform to strengthen local and regional food systems. It will mobilize existing resources across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma and a designated tribal trade coalition to accelerate the delivery of resources for agricultural producers and food businesses. Partners and collaborators include land-grant universities, nonprofits and tribal and indigenous groups, as well as smaller organizations focused on serving under-resourced groups. “In Missouri, we’ll be targeting audiences statewide with an emphasis on reaching underserved producers and food businesses,” said Bill McKelvey, senior project coordinator for MU Extension and Heartland Regional Food Business Center.

People

Taylor Williamson will join Kansas Corn as director of policy and regulatory affairs. In this role he will represent Kansas corn growers on legislative and regulatory affairs on local, state and national levels. Williamson will begin his role with Kansas Corn on July 10. Taylor graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in agriculture economics, specializing in political science. He had internships at the Department of State Office of Agriculture Policy, and the Cargill corn crush plant in Eddyville, Iowa. Since graduating, Williamson worked as the Director of Government Affairs for Kansas Wheat, and the Government Relations Representative at the National Association of Wheat Growers. He is continuing his education by pursuing a master’s degree in economics.

Kansas Corn recently announced additional staffing changes, naming Emily Koop, Director of Grower Services and Market Development. Koop joined the Kansas Corn team as a regional representative and market development coordinator in 2018, and in 2021, Koop was promoted to Director of Market and Leadership Development. Heather Greene has been named Director of Finance, filling a vacant position. Kaitlin Donovan is Kansas Corn’s Digital Marketing and Communications Manager. Donovan manages all social media platforms for Kansas Corn and its programs as well as design, branding and communications.

Earlier this month Governor Mike Parson proclaimed May to be Beef Month in Missouri. Governor Parson presented the proclamation at KC Cattle Company in Parkville. Missouri Director of Agriculture Chris Chinn and members of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and Missouri Beef Industry Council joined the Governor for the proclamation. “As a third-generation cattleman, it is my mission to advocate on behalf of Missouri’s farmers and ranchers, especially our hard-working beef producers,” Governor Parson said. “Missouri cattlemen diligently strive to provide high quality, nutritious beef products to consumers across Missouri and nationwide.” Director Chinn said. “Cattlemen and women across the state play an important role in feeding the world, and we love highlighting that during Beef Month.”  KC Cattle Company is a veteran-owned company started by Patrick Montgomery, 1st Ranger Battalion, U.S. Army. Missouri ranks third nationally in the number of beef cows with more than two million head and is consistently among the leading states for total cattle production. The meat processing industry contributes nearly $6 million to the state’s economy, according to a study showing the economic contribution of Missouri agriculture.

Events

The Ag Business Council is proud to be a sponsor of the City Market's 2023 Grub Crawl, Friday, June 2, 2023, 5:00 - 7:00 pm. This is City Market’s annual tasting tour. Tickets are limited, and may sell out, so be sure to take advantage of this special pre-sale offer -- use promo code ABCKC to unlock the early-bird tickets. Ticket sales are online only - no walkup sales at the event.

Livestock producers can learn to use native grasses and other forages to improve profits at a June 6 conference at the University of Central Missouri’s Prussing Farm. Keynote speaker will be Shane Gadberry of the University of Arkansas, who will speak on the “300 Days Grazing” system developed in Arkansas. The system is based on eight different management practices to extend the grazing season and reduce hay feeding: Improving grazing management, stockpiling fescue, stockpiling Bermuda grass, growing legumes, growing summer annual forage, growing winter annual forage, reducing hay losses in storage and reducing hay losses during feeding. Other speakers include Mary Drewnoski of the University of Nebraska, who will talk about grazing cover crops; University of Missouri Extension forage specialist Harley Naumann on native warm-season grass management; and David Boatright of Boatright Farms on multispecies grazing. Register with the MU Extension Center in Cass County at 816-380-8460 or cassco@missouri.edu, or the Pettis County MU Extension Center at 660-827-0591 or pettisco@missouri.edu.

The Missouri Corn Merchandising Council announced its sponsorship of the Heartland Whiskey Competition and is inviting Missouri distilleries to vie for state bragging rights. Taking place August 2 in St. Louis, the biennial national contest is sanctioned by the American Craft Spirits Association and strictly limited to craft whiskeys that contain some amount of corn as an ingredient. Craft spirits is a fast-growing U.S. industry. The number of craft distillers has increased 54% since the inaugural competition in 2016, with whiskey as the most popular product. On average, it takes approximately 3 pounds of corn to make one bottle of spirits. At 56 pounds in a bushel, local distilleries can produce roughly 18 bottles of spirits for each bushel of corn. Most craft distilleries use corn mash sourced locally to make their product. “While we often think about livestock and ethanol when it comes to field corn, this is a fun opportunity to highlight another of our crop’s many uses,” says MCMC chairman Brent Hoerr of Palmyra. “This competition not only supports a niche market for our corn, but local distilleries who are crafting Missouri-grown, Missouri-made spirits.”

The Kansas State Board of Agriculture will meet for its regular quarterly board meeting on Thursday, June 1, from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the Kansas Department of Agriculture office at 1320 Research Park Dr. in Manhattan.  The meeting is open to the public.  For more information or to receive a copy of the agenda, please contact Auburn Wassberg at Auburn.B.Wassberg@ks.gov. Persons who require special accommodations must make their needs known at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.