Latest News & Updates in KC Agriculture - September 2020

Developments

Elanco closed its acquisition of Bayer Animal Health. The transaction is valued at $6.89 billion, funded by $5.17 billion in cash and 72.9 million shares of Elanco Animal Health common stock issued to Bayer AG, corresponding to 15.5% of the U.S. company’s outstanding stock, and which will be subject to certain retention periods until mid-2021.

Farms could contribute billions more dollars to the U.S. economy with the help of precision agriculture technology. But this can’t happen without more broadband, said presenters during a National Telecommunications and Information Administration webinar September 23, 2020. Entitled Smart Agriculture: Driving Innovation in Rural America,the webinar featured, among other speakers, Megan Nelson, an economic analyst with the American Farm Bureau Federation. She shared research showing that U.S. farms could generate $18 billion to $23 billion annually if they had high-speed connectivity and adopted the latest technologies.  More information is available at www.fb.org/market-intel. 

Researchers in Australia have found that younger consumers are extremely concerned about processed products. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of Generation Z – born between 1995 and 2015 – say they are not ready to try lab-grown meat, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Nutrition. Many of these consumers cited environmental impact as a concern. The research at the University of Sydney and Curtin University, surveyed 227 randomly selected Australian-based members of Gen Z on their dietary preferences, how they felt about cultured meat and their preferences for meat alternatives.

Chinese wheat purchases picked up steam in August, according to recent data released by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. China bought 250,800 metric tons of U.S. wheat in the fourth week of August, pushing the monthly total of purchases to 588,300 tons. China isn’t normally a major purchaser of hard red winter wheat, but COFCO, a state-owned importer has been buying hundreds of thousands of tons of it, according to U.S. Wheat Associates. Winter wheat accounts for 70 to 80% of total production in the US, with the largest amounts produced in Kansas (10.8 million tons) and North Dakota (9.8 million tons). The US hard red spring wheat crop is exported to over 70 countries each year to the extent of 55%.

Dairy Farmers of America has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Key strategies to achieve the goal, says DFA, include mitigating methane emissions from cows by supporting advances in feed efficiency, herd nutrition and feed additives designed to reduce emissions; using renewable energy methods, such as solar panels and wind power, on our farms and in our plants; and utilizing anaerobic digesters, which convert manure and food waste to energy, on farms and in plants. 

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Lenexa, Kansas, opened a new, 120,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Lenexa where the company will produce viral transport media, the combination of buffering solution and plastic tubes that keep swab samples viable until they can be tested in the lab for the novel coronavirus. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran,Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Lenexa Mayor Mike Boehm attended opening ceremonies August 28, 2020.

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced grant investments of more than $53 million across three unique programs for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and military veterans to support American agriculture. “Agriculture offers promising career opportunities, particularly in farming and ranching,” said Parag Chitnis, acting NIFA director. “Federal investments in programs that help new farmers get into the business, support military veterans who are considering farming and ranching as a new career, and address serious stress-related mental health issues among farmers, are critical to ensuring our next generation of food producers are able to successfully meet the challenges facing agriculture.”

USDA-NIFA also announced $9.6 million awarded to 17 projects that will equip military veterans with skills, training, and experience for careers in food and agricultural and may also offer workforce readiness and employment prospects. Moreover, these investments will strengthen the personal finances of rural military veterans and military families and help grow their communities.

USDA reported last week that U.S. export sales of soybeans and corn for the 2020-21 marketing year are keeping up their rapid pace. USDA on Tuesday announced sales of 460,000 metric tons of corn and 530,000 metric tons of soybeans, much of it heading to China according to the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Source: Agri-Pulse Communications.

People

USDA Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Steve Censky will be leaving USDA in November, returning to the American Soybean Association as CEO. Censky previously served in the same position for 21 years before coming to USDA. Part of his responsibilities managing the organization will be to work with the Board to finalize the plans for a permanent CEO, according to an ASA source. 

Private venture development organization TechAccel LLC, which invests in scientific breakthroughs to help solve global food crises, has named Brett Morris, CFA, vice president and director of investments.  He has been with TechAccel since 2016, most recently serving as principal, investment manager. In addition, TechAccel announced that Emily Aston, DVM, Ph.D., has joined their team as Science Advancement Manager. Aston has been working with TechAccel as a consultant since October 2019. In her new role, she will apply her veterinary and research expertise to science advancement in animal health and nutrition. 

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission announced Tom Waters, a Council member and past Dillingham Award Recipient as their new chair. John Briscoe is the new vice chair. Waters is a seventh-generation Missouri farmer and also serves as chairman of the Missouri Levee and Drainage District Association where he represents levee and drainage districts, businesses and others interested in the activities surrounding the Missouri River and its tributaries. Briscoe is a partner in the Briscoe and Brannon law firm with offices in New London and Hannibal. He served as the prosecuting attorney for Knox County in the late 1960s and as the prosecuting attorney for Ralls County in the 1970s. Briscoe grew up on a family farm that he continues to operate today.

The American Farm Bureau Federation and Missouri Farm Bureau presented U.S. Senator Roy Blunt with AFBF’s Golden Plow award. The Golden Plow is the highest honor the organization gives to sitting members of Congress. “Sen. Blunt is recognized well beyond Missouri as a strong advocate for farmers and ranchers,” AFBF President Duvall said. Throughout his tenure as a congressman and now as a senator, Blunt has demonstrated his commitment to agriculture in his leadership on issues such as improving flood control on the Missouri River, protecting farmers and ranchers from unnecessary regulation and securing river management priorities in the 2018 Water Resources Development Act, as well as his support for expanded trade. “Farm Bureau values the work he has done for our members across the country,” Duvall said.

USDA Deputy Undersecretary for Research, Education, and Economics, Dr. Scott Hutchins, announced that Dr. Spiro Stefanou will lead the Economic Research Service (ERS) as its new Administrator. Dr. Stefanou served as a Professor of Economics at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture for more than five years. He holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of California, Davis, and an M.S. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Maryland, as well as a B.A. in Anthropology from George Washington University.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture and the State Conservation Commission have hired Andrew Lyon to serve as the executive director for the agency’s Division of Conservation. The KDA–DOC works to protect Kansas’ natural resources through the implementation of programs to support water conservation, water quality, land reclamation, and watershed management. Most recently, Lyon served in the watershed management section of the Bureau of Water for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Lyon received dual Bachelor of Science degrees in agricultural technology management and in natural resource and environmental science from Kansas State University, and a Master of Science degree in environmental science from Oklahoma State University.

Kansas corn grower, Kylee Geffert traveled to Palmer, Nebraska to participate in an RFDTV Cattlemen to Cattlemen series episode consisting of two panels, both focusing on how beef and corn work together to create a sustainable food system. The episode was made possible by the NCGA sponsorship of the Cattlemen’s Education Series working to provide cutting edge information to beef producers that contributes to increased knowledge, profitability, and sustainability. Geffert was a member of a panel discussing how beef and corn work together to create a sustainable food system. The panel also included: Kevin Ross, NCGA President; Mike Drinnin, owner of Drinnin feed yards; and Dr. Galen Erickson, University of Nebraska Ruminant Nutritionist.

BNSF has named Kathryn Farmer president and CEO effective January 1, 2021. She will continue her role on and assume leadership of BNSF’s Board of Directors. Carl R. Ice, current president and CEO, will retire at the end of 2020 and remain on BNSF’s Board of Director. Farmer has been with BNSF for 28 years, most recently serving as executive vice president of operations since September 2018. Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO Warren Buffett said, “BNSF is an iconic company and this is a historic day. Carl has been critical to BNSF’s success for a very long time. I thank him for his leadership and his accomplishments. We look forward to Katie’s leadership and more success. She possesses all of the qualities that make us excited about the future.”

Events

Two sponsors will be honored with the Distinguished Service Citation during the National FFA Convention & Expo, which will be held virtually Oct. 27-29. Bayer and Meredith-Successful Farming magazine will receive the citation for their outstanding contributions to FFA and agricultural education on the national level. Bayer has been a sponsor of FFA since 1954 and has contributed more than $22 million to the organization. Meredith has been a loyal supporter of FFA for the past 75 years, both financially and by telling the FFA story through its media outlets. The organization has contributed $1.5 million toward FFA. 

The Missouri Pork Association notes the MU Annual Swine Institute will be held Thursday, November 8, 2020 at the Pork Place in Sedalia. Details will be forthcoming at www.mopork.com/event/mu-swine-institute/.

The 77th Annual NAFB Convention takes place virtually November 18-20, 2020. For more information on the 2020 NAFB Virtual Convention, go to www.nafb.com.