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.