AG RETAIL

Prepare Ag Retail Leaders to Navigate Change Confidently

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 13:00:00 GMT

By Erin Robinson, Marketing Manager for Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business

Ag retailers continue to operate in an environment defined by transformation and uncertainty. While industry consolidation has long shaped the landscape, new pressures and emerging technologies are redefining what it takes to stay competitive.

Growers also face high input costs and labor challenges, creating both pressure and opportunity for ag retailers to lead with agility and foresight.

The ability to adapt, innovate and create lasting value for growers has never been more important. That’s why ag retail managers, agronomists and sales professionals will convene at Arizona State University’s (ASU) Tempe campus for the ARA Management Academy, Jan. 20-22, 2026.

Jointly offered by Purdue University’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business, the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) and ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business, this three-day workshop will give participants the tools to navigate today’s volatility and position their organizations for future growth.

Leading Through Disruption

The agricultural marketplace continues to face disruption, requiring ag retailers to redefine value creation. Once centered on cost and efficiency, supply chains today are now focusing on innovation, differentiation and customer experience. Technology and artificial intelligence are accelerating this shift, and suppliers must rethink their relationships with farmer customers and their long-term strategy.

To help participants make sense of these dynamics, Allan Gray, professor and executive director of Purdue’s Center for Food and Agricultural Business, will lead a session exploring the major forces driving market change and their implications for agribusiness strategy. Gray will also offer practical steps to ensure participants are able to develop actionable strategies to position their organizations to embrace and respond to these trends.

Seeing Business Through Customers’ Eyes

Delivering exceptional service begins with understanding how customers experience it. While recognizing customer expectations is not a new concept, technological advancements and shifting consumer behaviors make it an unavoidable challenge. That’s where service blueprinting is a valuable tool, allowing ag retailers to visualize the customer journey and uncover opportunities to streamline and elevate service delivery.

Doug Olsen, associate professor at ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business, will lead participants through this process and offer tools to design services that strengthen satisfaction and loyalty.

Building Community, Connection and Capability

The ARA Management Academy offers unmatched networking opportunities with peers from every segment of the ag retail sector — from crop inputs to specialty products. These shared perspectives foster creative problem-solving and a deeper understanding of today’s challenges and opportunities.

Along with Gray and Olsen, participants will learn from experts such as Joan Brett, emeritus professor of management and entrepreneurship at ASU; Scott Downey, professor of agricultural economics and director of the Purdue Center for Food and Agricultural Business; and Mark Manfredo, Dean’s Council Distinguished Professor and professor at the Morrison School of Agribusiness at ASU.

The academy will cover topics such as profitability, creating customer value and leadership strategies for long-term success, ensuring participants return to their organizations ready to lead with clarity, confidence and purpose.

Learn more and register at agribusiness.purdue.edu/ara .

The Tech Advantage Fades: Can U.S. Agriculture Reclaim Its Innovation Edge?

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:54:36 GMT

Looking for inspiration for this column, I asked ChatGPT to rank the top 10 ag technology news stories from the past two months. I was hoping to find cutting-edge U.S. tech startups on the verge of changing the world. Instead, I found that the world has seemingly changed overnight; nine out of 10 stories originated in India.

What if the AI wasn’t wrong? What if the best agricultural technology is no longer being developed in the U.S. or Canada? What if the competitive advantage we’ve relied on for decades, our technological superiority, has quietly slipped away?

Perfect Storm Hits Home

Let’s start with where we are right now: low commodity prices, high input costs and a strong dollar that makes our exports more expensive.

China’s preference for Brazilian soybeans and a U.S. dollar that has appreciated 8% since late September 2024 are diminishing the competitiveness of American exports. The traditional safety nets — government programs, crop insurance, even Technology with a capital T — aren’t cushioning the blow like they used to.

Technology was supposed to be our ace in the hole. For decades, American farmers leveraged superior equipment, better supply-chain infrastructure, and precision agriculture technologies to compete against producers with less capital overhead. We couldn’t match Brazil on freight costs or India on labor rates, but we could out-tech them. Our efficiency was the equalizer. Except now, it isn’t.

Technology Goes Global

Here’s what AI got right about India: The Saagu Baagu initiative, a collaborative effort by India’s government, the World Economic Forum and the Gates Foundation, has enhanced yields for 7,000 chili farmers in the state of Telangana. Launched in 2021, farmers in the program are seeing a 21% increase in yields per acre and doubling their earnings through agri-tech and data management, according to a World Economic Forum report.

This isn’t a small pilot project. India’s agri-tech market is anticipated to reach $25 billion by 2025. Almost under the radar, India has established one of the largest agricultural research systems in the world, with 800-plus agribusiness startups already operating in agriculture and agri-technology, based on reports from the Indian government.

Now let’s turn to Brazil, our biggest competitor in soybeans and increasingly in corn. Brazilian producers using precision agriculture have achieved yields approaching the U.S. equivalent of 90 bu. per acre. Brazil’s national average soybean yields now outpace U.S. yields at 52 bu. versus 51 bu. per acre. That yield gap is likely to grow as yield gains are increasing 0.78 bu. per acre per year over the past 10 years in Brazil while U.S. trend lines have flatlined.

Part of this is happening because substantial investments are being made in Brazilian agriculture. Brazilian ag tech startups received over BRL 1 billion (approximately US $177 million) in 2024, the second-highest year on record. Brazil’s precision agriculture market is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 17.97% from 2024 to 2030, according to MarkNtel Advisors market research. The percentage growth of the U.S. precision ag market during the same period is expected to be only half that of Brazil’s.

You know the safety warning on your car’s side-view mirror? (Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.) That sums up what’s happening to the U.S. when it comes to global grain production.

Competing countries have taken our agricultural playbook, adapted it to their conditions and improved upon it — all while operating with fundamentally lower cost structures. They’re combining cheaper land, lower labor costs and advanced technology. When viewed through that lens, the U.S. now looks more like the underdog rather than the lead dog when it comes to production prowess.

Exports Adjust to New Reality

As this global power play plays out, U.S. farmers’ wallets are getting lighter. The U.S. agricultural trade deficit is expected to hit a record $49.5 billion in 2025, roughly 56% higher than the previous year’s fiscal year’s projected $30.7 billion shortfall. Agricultural exports account for more than 20% of the value of U.S. farm production, according to a report by EconoFact.

For the moment, U.S. agriculture can still claim productive parity and a superior supply chain, but we face crushing margin pressure from high land and machinery costs. Meanwhile, with the help of China, Brazil has developed logistics corridors that dramatically reduce freight costs, and India’s cost-efficient digital tools are creating efficiencies we can’t match on price alone.

In today’s world, technology diffusion is faster than it’s ever been. An innovation developed in Iowa can be deployed in São Paulo or Mumbai within months, not years. The moat we built around American agricultural technology? It’s been drained. The question we have to answer is whether we can maintain global market share when technology no longer provides a decisive advantage and our cost structures remain stubbornly higher?

The Hard Truth

Immediate action is needed if we don’t want to relive the U.S. farm crisis of the 1980s. Our competitors have hopped on the agriculture technology treadmill, and right now they are running the faster race. We cannot afford to lose this technology race to our competitors.

The urgency is real. We need a genuine U.S. agricultural technology moon shot that catapults U.S. farmers back into the lead. I’m talking about a coordinated, ambitious push from both public and private sectors that we haven’t seen since the Green Revolution.

Here are a few places to start:

First, if the U.S. is going to win the AI race, then U.S. agriculture better win the global agriculture AI race. It is estimated that only 10% of U.S. farms are currently using even the most basic AI tools. As a vital domestic industry, we need to move quickly beyond basic data collection to genuine AI-driven decision systems. Such a move by 75% of U.S. farms could yield an estimated 15% to 20% boost in output per acre.
Second, there needs to be farm policy at the federal level that promotes rapid technology advancement, whether it be R&D or adoption at the farm level. We need coordinated public-private innovation partnerships that focus on affordable, practical solutions with rapid ROI — technologies that pay off in three years or less. India has already adopted such a model. Along with this, farmers need Congress to do its job and pass a farm bill, but this time be bold enough to put as much emphasis on technological adoption as it does conservation initiatives.
Finally, farmer groups from commodity associations to the American Farm Bureau need to rethink how agriculture technology gets funded and disseminated. Why aren’t farmers given more of a chance to fund ag tech projects that actually benefit them instead of Ph.D. grad students who want to save modern agriculture through another iPhone app? Why not vote to invest commodity checkoff funds in actual tech companies where producers may actually be able to double-dip from not only the production benefits but also the financial success of the technology itself?

These are just the start of the actions and ideas that must be taken. The to-do list is long. Time isn’t on our side, and neither is complacency.

Who knew that a simple AI search about ag tech would lead to the question of whether American agriculture will lead or follow in the decades ahead? The even tougher question: How many American farmers will be left standing to lead the charge?

Steve Cubbage is a precision ag consultant and farmer from Nevada, Mo. He is the founder of Longitude 94, an agriculture sustainability and technology consulting business.

America’s Conservation Ag Movement Adds Nutrien Ag Solutions to Coalition Strengthening American Agriculture

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:40:59 GMT

This article is published as part of America’s Conservation Ag Movement , which supports farmers and ranchers in building profitable, resilient futures for their operations.

Since its beginning in 2018, America’s Conservation Ag Movement (ACAM) has been dedicated to preserving the American farm family’s access to the tools, resources and education needed to grow the products that feed, clothe and power the world.

Today, ACAM welcomes Nutrien Ag Solutions , the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services through a nationwide network of trusted retail locations, as the newest contributor in that coalition.

ACAM is a public-private partnership that brings together leading technical assistance and innovation through a farmer-led experience aimed at bridging the gap between the industry and farm-gate. Nutrien Ag Solutions joins other supporters in the coalition including Ducks Unlimited, American Farmland Trust, Syngenta, National Association of Conservation Districts, and Valent U.S.A.

“Nutrien is a strong on-the-ground resource to farmers nationwide,” says Andrew Lyon, America’s Conservation Ag Movement. “Their comprehensive agronomic expertise and commitment to sustainability through their industry-leading conservation programs will be a vital asset as we work to secure the future of America’s working farmlands.”

Nutrien Ag Solutions works side by side with farmers through its global retail network of local crop consultants, delivering agronomic expertise, digital tools and programs that help strengthen on-farm operations. By joining America’s Conservation Ag Movement, Nutrien Ag Solutions is expanding its efforts to share practical know-how and farmer-tested practices with a broader community. The company is dedicated to supporting strong yields today while safeguarding the land for future generations.

“We are proud to join ACAM and bring our deep retail network and agronomic expertise to this important coalition,” said Dr. Sally Flis, Senior Director of Agronomy, Environmental Health and Safety, Nutrien Ag Solutions. “Our goal is to help farmers adopt practices that improve soil health, protect water quality and strengthen long-term productivity, while demonstrating the positive role agriculture plays in addressing food security challenges. Joining ACAM strengthens our shared mission of advancing solutions that work for both growers and the environment.”

Each year, ACAM connects farmers and ranchers through on-the-ground farmer-led education and online community building bolstered by Farm Journal, Inc., the leader in outreach, business information and media for the agriculture market.

To learn more about America’s Conservation Ag Movement™ and its partners, visit www.americasconservationagmovement.com .

ARA Coordinates 3 Successful Congressional Facility Visits for Members

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 14:06:18 GMT

By Alex Enlow, ARA, Director of Communications and Member Experience

Every year in August, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives go into “August Recess,” where Congress traditionally cancels votes in Washington and
allows all members of Congress to work in their districts for the month. As the unified voice of agricultural retailers in Washington, D.C., the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) takes advantage of this opportunity to coordinate facility visits between elected officials and our ARA members in their districts.

Through our coordination, we scheduled three successful congressional facility visits for our members GreenPoint Ag and Van Diest Supply Co.

Rep. Van Orden Tours Van Diest Supply Co.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., toured Van Diest Supply Co.’s facility in Sparta, Wis., where he met with their on-site management to hear firsthand from ARA members about the challenges facing the ag retail industry today.

“Family-owned businesses like Van Diest Supply Co. are what help keep our farms operational,” Van Orden says. “Our farmers must have the tools they need to feed the world, and it is critical we keep them supplied and supported to meet the demands of our markets.”

Van Diest’s Sparta facility operates in the wholesale distribution segment of the agricultural inputs market, serving Wisconsin and Minnesota. It works with agricultural retailers to provide excellent service in this seasonally demanding industry. The Van Diest Supply Co. team puts in many miles in an effort to make sure customers are well-supplied with products and well-informed of changing market conditions.

“We really appreciate the opportunity to meet with Congressman Van Orden to give some feedback and industry insight on the challenges the agriculture industry is working through right now,” says Matt Meade, the Wisconsin ag area manager for Van Diest Supply Co. “The future is sure to bring our industry more opportunities, as well as new challenges. The Agricultural Retailers Association was pivotal in getting our chance to share our thoughts.”

Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., toured GreenPoint Ag’s retail facility in Hawkinsville, Ga.

(GreenPoint Ag)

House Ag Vice Chair Tours GreenPoint Ag

House Agriculture Committee Vice Chair Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., toured GreenPoint Ag’s retail facility in Hawkinsville, Ga., a full-service agronomy location.

“I was happy to spend time at GreenPoint Ag and grateful for the Agricultural Retailers Association for making it happen. Our growers and producers allow Americans across the country to put food on their tables and clothes on their back, GreenPoint is doing great work here to help support farmers in Georgia’s 8^th District along the way,” Scott says.

The farmer-owned ag input supplier services farms and rural businesses with crop nutrients, crop protection products, seed and professional products. It offers seed treatment, field scouting, soil sampling, tissue sampling, custom application and ag tech services through AccuField.

“Representative Austin Scott’s visit to our Hawkinsville location was a meaningful opportunity to showcase the work our team is doing to support growers across Georgia,” says Chris Casey, vice president of sales for GreenPoint Ag. “His engagement with ag retailers like GreenPoint Ag reinforces the importance of strong partnerships between policymakers and the agricultural community. We’re grateful for his continued support and advocacy on behalf of rural America.”

“The Agricultural Retailers Association is a key partner in empowering our farmers, securing our food system, and promoting economic growth in rural communities,” said Rep. Figures.

(GreenPoint Ag)

Rep. Shomari C. Figures Tours GreenPoint Ag

GreenPoint Ag also hosted Rep. Shomari C. Figures, D-Ala., at its facility in Evergreen, Ala.

After his visit, Figures commented: “The Agricultural Retailers Association is a key partner in empowering our farmers, securing our food system and promoting economic growth in rural communities. My visit today was insightful and reminded me of the importance of supporting the agricultural businesses and the people who drive this industry.”

GreenPoint Ag’s Evergreen location is one of two CN bagging facilities owned by GreenPoint Ag. The Evergreen location is set up to receive products by rail and bag them for distribution and sale in both GreenPoint Ag’s retail and wholesale businesses.

“We are honored to welcome Representative Shomari Figures to our GreenPoint Ag location in Evergreen,” said Joey Caldwell, GreenPoint Ag’s senior vice president of growth and strategy. “His commitment to supporting rural communities and agricultural innovation aligns perfectly with our mission to serve growers across the Southeast. This visit reinforces the importance of collaboration between public leadership and agribusiness to drive sustainable growth and prosperity.”

Making Connections That Count

Congressional facility visits put a local face on our industry, and strengthening these relationships is central to ARA’s advocacy mission. ARA is proud to coordinate these visits, and each visit is a meaningful win. This is one of the many benefits of being an ARA member.

Interested in joining ARA? Visit aradc.org/join to learn more.

Already an ARA member? ARA is happy to coordinate congressional facility tours any time. Reach out to ARA Senior Director of Public Policy Hunter Carpenter at hunter@aradc.org.

Farm Tour to Spotlight Endangered Species and Integrated Pest Management

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:37:53 GMT

By Daniel Fowler, NAICC president

Building on the momentum from a successful 2024 Farm Tour in Wisconsin and in light of the newly released EPA ESA Insecticide Strategy, the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants, the Weed Science Society of America and the Foundation for Environmental Agriculture Education are hosting the 2025 VA-NC Farm Tour.

The focus will be on how growers can meet Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements, especially in challenging production systems that cannot be managed with no- till practices and farms that fall within designated Pesticide Use Limitation Areas (PULAs). An entire afternoon will be dedicated to demonstrating why Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is critical to agriculture today.

From Sept. 22–24, growers, researchers, crop consultants and conservationists will join officials from the EPA, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service for a hands-on, two-day tour through southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. The event will emphasize how sustainable agriculture can be effectively integrated with federal conservation mandates. With approximately 20 government officials on hand, attendees will have open discussions on real-world examples of ESA mitigation practices, as well as learn from these agencies about the practices they have in place to protect species and the environment.

The tour begins Tuesday at Cedar Point Farms in Wakefield, Va., where discussions will focus on cover crops, nutrient recycling and conservation practices aimed at protecting the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia Tech and state conservation staff will provide insights into soil health strategies.

Lunch at the Virginia Diner includes research updates on peanut disease management, resistant varieties and field-edge insect issues. Attendees will then travel to Tidewater Agronomics Research Farm in Belvidere, N.C., for hands-on training in IPM, including pest scouting, beneficial insect identification and reduced pesticide strategies.

That evening, attendees will view a peanut harvest and join a grower panel discussion over dinner at Lassiter Brothers Farm, focused on ESA mitigation implementation. Wednesday’s visits to Fisher Family Farms and Mush Island Farms will cover endangered species habitats, pesticide use limitations and targeted spray technology — critical topics for managing sensitive ecosystems in agricultural landscapes.

This tour offers a timely, hands-on opportunity to explore how agricultural productivity and ecological stewardship can go hand in hand. By bringing together growers, researcher, and federal agencies, it fosters meaningful dialogue and practical solutions for navigating ESA compliance and advancing IPM.

The National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants (NAICC) is the national society of agriculture professionals who provide research and advisory services to clients for a fee. Daniel Fowler is the current NAICC president and has worked as an independent crop consultant for more than 20 years. For more, visit NAICC.org .

High Interest Rates Could Reshape Agriculture’s Future

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 18:26:32 GMT

“Yeah, you can buy dirt...
And thank the good Lord for it...
‘Cause he ain’t makin’ any more of it.”

The lyrics above are from the 2021 hit country song “Buy Dirt,” which voices a mantra that lives within every farmer, because those who farm view land as more than a commodity; it’s their livelihood and legacy.

Those generational legacies are at the greatest risk of extinction since the 1980s farm crisis. Persistently high interest rates are a key reason.

We’re in an agricultural downturn that owes its roots to many reasons: low commodity prices, high input prices, tariffs, trade disputes, etc. Interest rates happen to be one of many reasons contributing to this latest economic funk.

However, if a 1980s-type agricultural land crisis emerges from this downturn, many will point to the Federal Reserve as their favorite scapegoat. That’s because in its zeal to combat inflation at all costs, the Fed might have just cost many the chance to grow the farm, and in some cases even keep the farm.

The Math That Doesn’t Lie

An Iowa corn farmer pencils out a purchase on quality farmland priced at $11,467 per acre (2024 Iowa State University Land Value Survey). With current financing at 7.6% interest (Federal Reserve agricultural lending rates), the annual debt service alone costs $777 per acre on a 30-year loan with 20% down.

The same acre generates roughly $814 in gross revenue from corn at USDA’s projected 2025/26 price ($3.90 per bushel at 209 bu. per acre average Iowa yield, USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, August 2025). Here’s the devastating math: total production costs, excluding land costs, reach $595 per acre (Iowa State University 2025 crop production cost estimates).

Renting identical land for $271 per acre results in a $52 annual loss per acre. Land ownership amplifies this to a $558 annual loss per acre, a financial wall that makes farmland purchase economically destructive.

To break even on rental operations, corn prices would need to reach $4.14 per bushel — 6% above USDA’s projection. For land ownership to pencil out, corn would need to hit $6.56 per bushel — 68% above the projected price.

Disproportionate Burden

While rising interest rates have impacted the broader economy, no sector has been hit harder than agriculture, particularly farmers attempting to build equity through land ownership. American agricultural producers paid $33.85 billion in total interest in 2023 (USDA Economic Research Service), representing 7.4% of total expenses and making interest the third-largest farm expense category.

The comparison to housing reveals ag’s unique vulnerability. Both sectors experienced similar interest rate increases — from roughly 3% up to 6% to 8% — but with different outcomes. In housing, higher mortgage payments remain manageable for qualified buyers. In agriculture, land purchases now generate negative cash flows that make ownership financially impossible for most operators.

Why the stark difference? Agricultural land purchases are purely investment-driven, requiring positive returns to justify the expense. Unlike housing, which provides utility regardless of financial performance, farmland must cash flow or it becomes economically irrational to own.

Numbers Tell a Bleak Story

Over the past five years, interest expenses have become the fastest-growing farm expense, increasing 19.1% in 2023 and 33.2% in 2022 (USDA Economic Research Service). For the first time since 2001, interest costs on new farmland loans have surpassed the recent average annual appreciation in land values, a fundamental shift in farmland economics.

With corn supplies projected at a record 16.7 billion bushels and continued oversupply expected, the commodity price recovery needed remains years away. Total farm sector debt is forecast to reach $561.8 billion in 2025 (USDA ERS, February 2025), yet the income to service this debt continues shrinking. USDA’s brutal assessment: Ag economists report that 56% think U.S. agriculture is in recession (Farm Journal’s Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor).

This economic reality is triggering a fundamental shift in American agriculture’s structure. Land ownership is rapidly giving way to rental arrangements. While specific projections for rental acre increases vary, the trend is clear: The rental market will start expanding significantly.

Though Iowa cash rental rates decreased 2.9% in 2025 to $271 per acre, the first decline since 2019 (Iowa State University), many
farming operations struggle to generate profits. Many analysts suggest this dip is temporary, as rental rates and land prices will have to find some equilibrium.

A New Investment Priority

Amid this crisis, one investment category offers opportunity: production efficiency technology. Well-implemented efficiency investments can deliver 15% to 30% profitability improvements with manageable risk and measurable benefits. Producers must adopt these ROI technologies soon to distinguish themselves as best-of-breed operators.

The same cash or equity down payment used for land purchase could drive efficiencies across all acres currently owned and rented. Critical areas include precision fertilizer systems, GPS guidance systems, variable rate technology and comprehensive precision agriculture systems that can achieve up to double-digit ROI on large-scale operations in optimal conditions.

Maximizing efficiency gains can mean survival in the downturn, but they cannot overcome the economics of $11,467-per-acre land with USDA’s projected $3.90 corn.

What Comes Next

The path forward requires recognizing this as a structural transformation. Land prices need 30% to 40% declines, corn prices need recovery above $5.50 per bushel, or interest rates need to drop to 4% to 5% to restore purchase viability. None appear imminent.

Over 50% of U.S. cropland is rented (2022 Census of Agriculture); that is expected to grow. Only the strongest operators will remain as landowners, while others transition to tenant farming with reduced equity-building opportunities.

This turnover in land ownership will mainly occur via generational transfers — from farming families to heirs who may no longer be bound to the land’s legacy. These inheritance-driven transitions will fundamentally reshape rural America’s ownership patterns, often favoring rental arrangements over continued family farming operations.

For farmers, immediate priorities include maximizing operational efficiency through technology, securing flexible rental agreements and building cash reserves for the inevitable land price correction. The bigger question is: Can policymakers, lenders and farmers navigate this transition while maintaining productive capacity and preserving rural communities?

It’s time to get to work, as the math doesn’t lie, and this transformation has begun.

Author’s Note: As of this article’s writing, the Fed had not held its September meeting. In August, it indicated that a .025% rate cut might be forthcoming; rates would still be 2.5 percentage points higher (161%) than before the pandemic.

Steve Cubbage is a precision ag consultant and farmer from Nevada, Mo. He is the founder of Longitude 94, an agriculture sustainability and technology consulting business.

Illinois Farmer Says EPA's New Herbicide Strategy Is A Course Change But Doable

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 13:49:26 GMT

Steve Pitstick is counting down the days until he pulls into fields to start planting this year’s crops. “We’ve probably got another two weeks to go. There’s still some work in the shop to do, we’re getting seed in position and crop protection products ready to go,” he says.

Regarding the latter, that includes Liberty Ultra herbicide which Pitstick uses for post weed control on soybean ground. Liberty Ultra was the first herbicide registered under the EPA’s new Herbicide Strategy, a key part of the agency’s efforts to adhere to Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements.

The Herbicide Strategy, which targets land in cultivation, includes spray drift and runoff mitigation measures, with specific requirements for each field.

“I’ve been to some seminars and read various information about it, so I’m not worried about the changes, but I want to be informed,” says Pitstick, who farms about 5,700 acres of corn and soybeans with his son, Dale, in northern Illinois, less than 50 miles west of the Chicago suburbs.

Being informed is the goal Corey Lacey has for farmers he’s talked with over the past few months about the Herbicide Strategy. As the environmental policy manager for the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA), Lacey has crisscrossed the state with Illinois Farm Bureau and Illinois Corn to host workshops for row-crop growers and retailers on the subject.

“Farmers have already seen some examples of changes to the labels around Endangered Species Act obligations, and it’s going to change how they farm,” he predicts.

Aaron Hager, University of Illinois Extension weed scientist, says virtually every county in the United State either has a threatened or endangered species or has the habitat that would support one.

“There’s roughly 1,700 threatened endangered species in the United States, and more than half of those are plant species,” Hager shared during a recent webinar, in conjunction with Lacey and the ISA.

Mitigation Points Must Add Up For Herbicide Use
As EPA implements the Herbicide Strategy, the agency will assign each product a mitigation point requirement, a number between zero to nine that farmers must attain.

“The idea is…on every field that you operate on, you’re going to have to look at that field and then decide, ‘How do I get to these points?’” Lacey says. “We’re expecting most herbicide products to require six points. Nine is the most mitigation points that you would need, and that would be for a product especially concerning to the EPA,” he adds.

Three is the required number of mitigation points, in most scenarios, for Liberty Ultra.

“I think that will be fairly easy to achieve just by doing the normal things we do here in northern Illinois,” Pitstick says. “We have to consider spray drift control measures, nozzle sizes, field slope, and tillage practices, all of which gives us enough points to use the product.”

The one concern Pitstick and Lacey have is related to the mandatory 10-foot ground spray drift buffer (downwind) required now for applications of Liberty Ultra. The buffer wasn’t a labeled requirement previously.

“That’s a bit of a challenge for our guys because if we’re doing ground applications, there’s not a really effective way for us to make that buffer strip smaller,” Lacey says. “We can either put in wind breaks, hedgerows or use a hooded applicator, and none of those are commonly used here.”

Pitstick is evaluating his fields to identify sensitive areas that would require the buffer and will then adjust accordingly. “I might use a different product in those fields, or lay the 10-foot buffer and then come back another day when there’s less wind to make the application,” he says.

Both of those are strategies Lacey would encourage other farmers to consider. “That broader thinking pattern is what we want guys to think about, to look at each field and say, ‘Is this something I need to address in this field or not?’”

How the EPA will evaluate farmer compliance with the herbicide use requirements for Liberty Ultra and subsequent products to come is still unknown and one of Hager’s primary questions at this point.

Among other questions he says EPA still needs to answer are: Who is legally responsible for implementing herbicide mitigation practices?What happens if the farmer doesn’t own the ground? How is EPA going to measure success?

Hager says he is hopeful such unanswered questions will get resolved with guidance from state lead agencies moving forward as more product labels come into compliance with ESA requirements.

Looking Ahead, Know that 2,4-D, Glyphosate And Dicamba Are On The List
Lacey says other herbicide active ingredients are not far behind Liberty Ultra on EPA’s list to address with its Herbicide Strategy.

“EPA has indicated that as part of their court settlement, they’re going to push things through rapidly,” Lacey says. “I know 2,4-D is on the list, as is glyphosate and dicamba. All these things we use on a regular basis in Illinois and other states are eventually going to come under the Herbicide Strategy label.”

“The Herbicide Strategy was developed first due to the large volume of herbicides used in agriculture,” Hager says. He explains that EPA had only three options for achieving compliance: it could remove pesticides from the market, restrict their use or add mitigations to protect endangered or at-risk species.

Along with herbicide active ingredients, insecticides and fungicides will also go through the ESA assessment process. Next up, the EPA is scheduled to introduce its Insecticide Strategy, due March 31. However, Lacey says the agency has already asked for an extension from the court overseeing the process.

“What may happen is the new administration may soften the blow, slow down things a little bit, which I think we would be supportive of. We want science-based, logical decisions, so let’s take a minute and make sure we’re doing this right,” Lacey says.

With the Trump administration back in the White House, Lacey says one of the most common questions farmers are asking him is whether the ESA requirements for compliance will go away.

“I would remind farmers that some of the courts would look at this and just tell EPA, ‘you’re not in compliance,’ and they would pull the pesticide label. Courts have the authority to do that. So, we want to help EPA come into compliance in a way where the mitigations have minimal impacts on our farmers, so we keep our products available for use.”

Adds Pitstick, “There’s a lot of changes in EPA right now, but we know we’ve got a course change here.”

Farmers Have Time To Prepare And Make Plans For Fields One big positive Lacey says is that the herbicide strategy will be implemented over time, instead of on a specific date.
“It’s not coming at (farmers) all at once, so as long as they’re learning about it now and starting to think about how to prepare themselves, there’s still plenty of time to get ready,” Lacey says

He wants farmers to start the process of evaluating fields and determining mitigation requirements now, even for products like Liberty Ultra that have already gone through the new registration process.

“We can do this,” he says. “We can find ways to comply, but we have to plan for it.”

Hager encourages farmers to talk with their agronomic advisers and retailers as part of the planning process and to tap into the expertise of their state Extension specialists.

“You need to find any problem fields now, so you can put things in place ahead of time,” Lacey adds. “You know, 2025 is probably not going to be a big issue for a lot of guys. But in 2026, 27, we’re going to see this become more complicated, so why not get started now?”

That’s Pitstick’s plan and what he encourages other farmers to do. “Just figure out where your sensitive areas in fields are now. That can help you be ready to course change.”

For additional information on the Herbicide Strategy and how to plan for adoption, check out the webinar Hager and Lacey hosted recently. You can watch it at Implementing the Herbicide Strategy for Midwest Farmers

The Scoop Podcast: Transformations That Make Us Be Better

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 16:33:02 GMT

The 2024 Retailer of the Year is Buttonwillow Warehouse Company, which serves farmers from Modesto to Oxnard, California. Chief Operating Officer Clay Houchin, who is second generation leadership for the family-owned independent ag retailer, shares the business has evolved greatly in the past 60 years to meet the needs of farmers on the lastest episode of The Scoop Podcast.

One of the most pressing issues facing California growers is water usage. Houchin says he could see how in the next five years, 40% of acres could be idled due to availability and cost of water.

And while that may seem daunting, he has belief in how agriculture can face the challenges.

“We in California have the safest–and I hate to use this word–most sustainable food production in the world,” Houchin says. “These growers are incredibly resilient. They’re exceptionally smart business people.”
Transformation is nothing new to California agriculture nor the business at Buttonwillow.

After starting the company, founder Don Houchin then helped farmers navigate the transition from row crops to fresh produce crops and permanent crops. Today it’s footprint includes strawberries, blueberries, table grapes, wine grapes, pistachios, almonds, dairy customers with forage crops, and fresh market citrus.

This meant changes in everything from horsepower in the field to the crop care applied.

“You shift from growing fiber and crops that are going to be fed to animals, to more towards what is going directly into human consumption. And so the sense of urgency goes up. Your care and custody of that crop is intensified, and also the risks and the value of those crops are substantially higher,” Clay says. “So our people had to be better. They had to be able to be moved quicker, because those crops tend to move quicker. One day the crop could be fine, and within 48 hours, you’re needing to do an application to get in there.”

Another force that has elevated the level of detail applied to the agronomics is California state regulations.

“There’s no state or no place in the world where every application is documented and submitted to the government and is also submitted to the processor,” he says. “For every EPA registered crop protection product that is put on that crop there’s a written legal recommendation, it’s given to the grower, the application is done, and then it is filed with the state, and that goes with the food, and it is logged on that acre for years to come.”

He says the record keeping means you can go back decades now and see every pesticide applied to an acre.

“Along with pesticides, came water, because water is a very precious resource here,” he says. “Irrigation monitors log every inch of water that’s going on. And with that now fertilizer, because nitrogen is kind of the hot topic in California, so we have to make sure that we’re applying nitrogen judiciously, efficiently, and we also have to report that to the state.”

Houchin shares more on his outlook as well as tools the company has used to better serve farmers and meet regulations on The Scoop Podcast.

You can read more about Buttonwillow Warehouse Company here.

Indiana Co-op Acquires Ohio River Terminal And Announces Expansion

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 23:43:21 GMT

To better serve farmers in Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois, Superior Ag will invest $20 million to acquire and expand the Summit River Terminal. The 18-acre property is located near Rockport, Ind., and will be enhanced with the construction of a new 32,000 ton dry fertilizer warehouse starting early this year. The co-op is working with Stueve Construction on this project.

“The construction of a dry fertilizer distribution facility on the Ohio River is a significant commitment that we have been carefully considering for several years,” shared Richard Lloyd, President and CEO of Superior Ag. “This investment will play a pivotal role in enabling us to serve our customers more efficiently and profitably, and drive the growth of our business, ultimately positioning us to best support the needs of farmers now and in the future.”

The new terminal will feature:

10 large dry bins
600 ton per hour barge receiving system (with the ability to unload one full barge in three hours)
a 300 TPH truck receiving system with the ability to offload one truck in five minutes
300 TPH blending and shipping capabilities allowing for the loading of one 25-ton truck in five minutes
overhead weigh hoppers on scales to allow a seamless “dump-and-go” for outbound trucks
full automation of key processes including treatment for stabilizers, micros, dust control and other systems to ensure the highest product quality and efficiency

Superior Ag has 2,700 farmer members in its geographic service region.

The Scoop Podcast: Deliver Every Penny Out of Every Bushel

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 16:13:25 GMT

Today’s ag economy has changed the way United Prairie is partnering with its farmer customers. The focus is still keenly on return on investment, but CEO Curt Miller explains, there are key considerations for how United Prairie is showing up differently for their customers.

“Our major focus is return on investment for our customers,” he says. “In the past that return on investment has really been about yield and about increasing their bushels, but now more it’s about making sure the expense we are asking them to take on to increase those bushels does show a return on investment. As far as all these bushels we’ve helped them raise–make sure they get every penny out of them.”

Miller is the fourth generation in his family to be in ag retail. His family’s fertilizer business was acquired by United Prairie in 2019, and he became CEO in March of 2021.

“I’ve been a fertilizer buyer for 18 years—tracking the Chicago Board of Trade close of business every week, what that number is for corn, and then how many bushels it takes to buy a ton at the crop nutrient levels today,” he says. “But when you’re buying fertilizer, you need to sell grain to cover it. That’s the best hedge that you can use.”

The ag retailer spans 14 locations across east central Illinois. Their team out of Tolono, Ill., is the 2024 recipient of The Scoop Business Innovation Award , sponsored by Ever.Ag Agribusiness.

As they have digitized their business and their customer experience, the biggest ROI has been on efficiencies gained. Miller says that has been realized with their employees’ time, customers’ time and equipment.

“It’s trying to take all the pieces of the puzzle and put it together to where we can serve the grower efficiently. Give them the customer experience they want, give employees good work-life balance, and still be known for the return on investment piece,” he says. “It’s about giving the best service a retailer can offer, and not just from an application standpoint but also getting farther in to getting growers the information they need, the way they want it. And today that is electronically or digitally.”

As highlighted with receiving the Business Innovation Award, the team at United Prairie is motivated to try something new, and do things in a new way.

“We have to be honest right now the ag economy has challenges. And we need to accept the fact we’ve had several good years. History tells us we’ll have some that aren’t so good and are challenging. But with challenges come opportunities,” Miller says. “We just need to be able to take the pieces to the puzzle be more efficient.”

One way United Prairie is putting together those puzzle pieces is an all-in approach to its company culture.

“When our employee engagement survey come back, culture was one of the things one of the topics that the employees knew and enjoyed,” Miller says. “So we really took a deep dive. We know we have to adapt to change in the future. They see that, too. If return on investment for customers is there that’s something that they grab a hold of and take ownership of every day.”

Hear more about how they’ll partner with growers in 2025 and Miller’s insights in managing an ag retail business in The Scoop podcast.

AgVend Continues To Unveil Its Pathway To a Connected, Dynamic Supply Chain

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 03:27:44 GMT

Building on their recent announcements with CHS and Climate, AgVend has fully unveiled Nexus.

The company says this is a powerful suite of tools designed to place retailers at the center of a fully integrated, digitally connected supply chain.

“Nexus takes the foundational power of AgVend to the next level by serving as the “App Store” for our Partner Retailers. Much like how the App Store transformed the smartphone into a customizable powerhouse, Nexus connects retailers to an expansive ecosystem of complementary tools, services, and integrations with their preferred 3rd party partners,” said Alexander Reichert CEO and Co-Founder at AgVend.

This includes five features:

Nexus Market: Collaborate to drive grower sales with hyper-focused, multi-channel campaigns.
Nexus Procure: Streamline procurement with online orders, payments, delivery tracking, and centralized billing.
Nexus Finance: Embed financing at the point of action to enable easy loan access and utilization.
Nexus Forecast: Improve forecasting logistics and decision-making through real-time inventory sharing and collaborative planning.
Nexus Educate: Centralize digital product assets to equip teams and customers with the most relevant information and data.
Nexus Connect: Enhance data sharing with immediate exchanges to standardize information between parties for seamless insights.

“Our mission at AgVend is to use technology to build a more resilient and dynamic ag supply chain by putting the ag retailer and their grower customer at the center of the equation,” said Reichert. “Nexus is a testament to that commitment. By streamlining workflows with our retailers’ 3rd party partners we’re creating the foundation for a more profitable future for our Partner Retailers and the growers they serve.”

Nexus delivers on this goal as it eliminates the need to switch between systems since it provides a connective hub between customers, distributors and suppliers.

Bushel Adds Ag Retail Quoting Feature

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 15:52:25 GMT

Bushel announces a new feature to its platform: ag quoting. The quoting feature aims to provide a streamlined, digital solution to help ag retailers simplify and improve the quoting process for ag retail teams and farmers.

The four key benefits are:

● Faster Quote Creation: Agronomists can build quotes with current pricing and product information uploaded directly to the platform.

● Farmer-Friendly User Interface: Farmers can request pricing, view, accept, or decline quotes digitally to reduce miscommunication and the potential for errors.

● Sales Insights: Retailers can track quote activity and acceptance rates, providing visibility into the sales funnel.

● Seamless Integration: The quoting functionality is directly connected to Bushel’s existing invoicing and payments functionality, reducing administrative burden and errors.

This enhancement reinforces Bushel’s position as a comprehensive platform supporting both grain and ag retail operations. It will be available to agribusinesses in Spring 2025.

“The updates to these quoting capabilities are exactly what we’ve been looking for to make our processes more efficient and transparent for the retail and energy sides of our business,” said Tess Jarmin, Grain Procurement Manager at United Quality Cooperative. “With early access to enhancements like this, we’ve seen firsthand how Bushel listens to our feedback and turns it into action. Using the Bushel platform has helped us streamline operations and improve how we communicate with our farmer customers daily.”

Bushel highlights how quoting in ag retail has traditionally been a manual and fragmented process, often dependent on spreadsheets, emailed price updates, and inconsistent follow-through, with limited visibility into sales funnels or past customer interactions. With the new feature, the Bushel platform addresses these challenges by providing a digital, integrated quoting experience that ensures clarity, efficiency, and transparency between agronomists and farmers.

“Over the past year, we’ve focused on adding features that solve specific challenges for ag retailers, such as enabling farmers to initiate requests for products or services,” said Bushel CEO Jake Joraanstad. “By integrating quoting functionality into the Bushel platform, we’re helping agribusinesses create full visibility into the top of the sales funnel for each team member and customer.”

The Scoop Podcast: Insights For The Future of Ag Trade With Former Ambassador Terry Branstad

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 16:27:38 GMT

Ambassador Terry Branstad was the first U.S. state governor to host Xi Jinping in 1985, so he carries the unique distinction of being called an “old friend” by the Chinese leader as well as a friend to President Donald Trump.

He’s also the longest serving governor in U.S. history having had two periods as Iowa governor (1983 to 1999 and 2011 to 2015).

“I was the first American governor that hosted Xi Jinping when he was just a young party leader from our sister state, Hubei province in China,” Branstad says. “So I’m one of the few people in the world that can say I’m a friend of Donald Trump, and Xi Jinping calls me an old friend because we treated him so well when he came Iowa in 1985.”

As such, Branstad has the one-of-a-kind perspective on how trade will evolve in the coming years with the second term for President Trump. He shared more on The Scoop Podcast.

“Things are developing pretty fast, and the appointments are being made, but I think Trump has really learned from his first-term experience that ‘Never Trumpers’ are gone,” Branstad says. “He’s really looking for people that are loyal and competent, and I’m very hopeful that we’re going to see some dramatic changes that’s going to help make America great again and help improve income for American workers and income for American farmers.”

Branstad himself is proud to mention the background of being an Iowa farm kid.

“As is the case in agriculture, we have ups and downs. We’ve had some pretty good years, and now we have some challenging times,” he says.

Branstad highlights how “for a trade deal to be good, it needs to be a win-win for both sides.” He offers some trade “wins” with the Phase One agreement.

“We were able to, over several years, negotiate the Phase One trade agreement, which led to dramatic increases in exports, especially agriculture exports to China,” he says. “I’m hopeful that this time around, Trump will look at the same thing. And I think one of the things he’s trying to do is encouraging some of these foreign companies and foreign countries to look at investing and creating jobs in the United States.”

He shares more insights about the future of trade and its effects on the agricultural industry in this episode of The Scoop Podcast.

To hear even more, attend the ARA Conference and Expo, Dec. 3 to 5 in Houston where Branstad will be giving a fireside chat.

Indigo Ag and Truterra Form ‘Landmark Collaboration’ in Carbon

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 16:42:23 GMT

Today, Indigo Ag and Truterra announced they are aligning their carbon efforts for further expansion.

After being in the market alongside each other for four years, Truterra will begin offering Indigo Ag carbon programs, and Indigo Ag science will back Truterra’s carbon measurement.

Leaders of both companies say this has a three-prong goal for the carbon opportunities in front of farmers:

Simplifying
Scaling
Standardizing

“We’ve got to stop double investment,” says Ewan Lamont, Head of Indigo’s Sustainability Solutions business “Both companies have been investing in same things, and it makes absolutely no sense. This work is expensive, it’s difficult, and it involves biology and sustainability science so it’s challenging.”

Lamont specifically says this partnership does not reduce Indigo Ag team members in the field selling and promoting their programs.

Jamie Leifker, President of Truterra, says previous years’ programs for carbon credits have sold out of the tons Truterra enrolled. Leifker is bullish on how adding Indigo Ag into their portfolio will expand opportunities for farmers.

“This market is fragmented and decentralized with inconsistent standards,” he says. “Farmers have a lot of questions—'how do I know what program is right for me?’ What this collaboration means for us is that we’re able to then guide them to the right program by working with Indigo to expand the portfolio of program options that farmers have and give them flexibility to move from one program to the next.”

For 2025, the partnership has two goals:

expanding access to registry-based credit opportunities through Indigo’s carbon program for farmers and ag retailers in the Truterra network
expanding Indigo’s and Truterra’s scope 3 programs, using consistent standards, for companies seeking to reduce emissions from within their grain and livestock ingredients supply chain

Lamont says, “This partnership is a big manifestation of the carbon market standing up and really maturing. I can’t think of a better group of guys to doing it with. We will work to align to the rules in the road and therefore expand opportunities.”

How To Elevate Agriculture: Ag Retailer Steps Up On The TEDx Stage

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 21:04:43 GMT

A man who is no stranger to advocacy was on a mission. Mike Twining has been working toward taking a fact-based appeal to the stage of TEDx—the primetime way of sharing big ideas with potentially a big audience for big impact.

This spring, mission accomplished . Twining spoke at a TEDx event hosted by Grand Canyon University and delivered his talk “Saving the Planet With Your Food Choices.”

In his day job, Twining is vice president of sales and marketing at Willard Agri-Service, and for the past 40 years, he’s worked side by side with crop consultants to help farmers make the best decisions agronomically, environmentally and economically. Twining has taken on leadership roles within the Agricultural Retailers Association and stepped up to the call when needed, so much so that ARA awarded him the Excellent in Advocacy Award just last year.

But the calling to take his message to TEDx stage was greater than any doubts that surfaced about being in a room that may not include a single other person familiar with commercial agriculture.

“I hope my ideas spark curiosity and conversation beyond the standard sound bites we all hear about how our food is raised,” Twining says. “It’s easy sometimes to think that we have all the information, but still draw the wrong conclusion. Agriculture is one of the few industries that can scale globally in the next decade to meaningfully reduce climate change.”

He proposes there are three topics around food products we are consistently misled as consumers:

Organics
Genetically modified organisms
Glyphosate

And he proposes how consumers can incentive solutions with food buying purchases to give farmers the right tools and incentives.

The full presentation is available here (and it’s a tight 12 minutes.)

The Scoop Podcast: Bringing A Step Change Improvement In Retailer Efficiency

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 02:13:39 GMT

In a recently announced partnership , Syngenta and Taranis will partner to bring artificial intelligence, advanced scouting and a new way of doing business to ag retailers.

“Our goal is to deliver a step change improvement for the ag retailer in operational efficiency, enabling them to deliver higher levels of timely service to their growers,” says Meade McDonald, digital ag solutions marketing manager in the U.S.

McDonald says the first year focuses on providing the Taranis technology to a targeted group of midwestern retailers.

“For 2024/2025 we are positioning the offer as a proof of concept at scale, where we’ll be learning, capturing feedback, and making adjustments for expansion in 2026,” he says. Our near term focus is to deliver an exceptional user experience for those involved in the offer. Initially, we really want to make sure that Syngenta and Taranis deliver on our promise under the offer. Then we’re hoping to expand in ‘26 and ’27.”

Hear more in The Scoop podcast:

The team at Syngenta have an existing portfolio of digital solutions, some of which use AI. This partnership with Taranis aims to provide agronomic benefits with timely insights that lead to improved decision making, product placement and higher yields.

McDonald references the drone flights Taranis uses to collect leaf-level imagery for near real-time scouting details.

“We believe this collaboration with the capabilities to deliver without the retailer having to go to the field is a step change improvement in operational efficiency for the retailer,” he says. “This is about deploying digital capabilities to the market that helps solve agronomic and business related challenges for our retail partners in the marketplace. We recognize the pivotal role that ag retailers play in providing critical products and services to enable the success of growers, and we’re very committed to the future success of our ag retail partners.”

The Scoop Podcast: How To Serve Your Best And Biggest Customers

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 20:11:19 GMT

It’s beyond a traditional understanding of point, click, buy e-commerce. Co-founder and CEO of AgVend Alexander Reichert shares how ag retailers are looking to digitally enable not just the customer experience, but also have best in class tools for their sales teams, their marketing teams, finance, procurement operations, and helping their organization, do their best work with technology. He shares more on The Scoop podcast:

Here’s an overview of the conversation:

What has changed about ag retail’s approach to online commerce?
“When we first started AgVend back in 2017, we were ruthlessly focused on digital commerce in the space. There was a lot of talk around e-commerce, and this point, click Buy traditional e-commerce type of mentality. Retailers wanted to experiment in this space, and so our marketplace enabled them to do it where they would post excess inventory, we would do the digital marketing to acquire growers. Growers would make purchases on the AgVend marketplace, and then we would connect them with the retailer to deliver the product. We ran that for two years and sunsetted it in 2020 to evolve into our current model.”

What’s your footprint today?
“The industry really heeded the call for the challenge and stepped up to it and invested in enabling their businesses with technology. We’re proud that 28% of North American ag retail look to us to help them do that–digitally enable not just the customer experience, but also provide best in class tools for their sales, marketing, finance, and procurement to help their teams do their best work with technology.

What are the most common pain points that ag retailers encounter digitizing?
The most common refrain we hear from our partners is, ‘I wish I had done this sooner,’ and that goes to even just launching the platform. You can think through every last detail of how a grower would want to do business, and you can configure your AgVend platform in order to enable that. But oftentimes what happens is you push them, and then the growers come up with a whole list of other things that they want that weren’t even on your radar.

The No. 1 lesson, and we took this from the marketplace days as part of our evolution, it’s part of what we help retailers with in their digital journey. It’s not about point click buy E commerce. We think about adding something to cart and checking out and paying for it right there. And the industry is much more of a consultative sale. Thus, the decision making process isn’t on an impulse. It’s more about growers logging in and starting a digital journey. Their first step is just to view invoices, or the cash bids. And then from there, they take action. That can be as simple as approving a field plan or sending a message to their agronomist or the grain merchandiser. You watch the adoption of the platform for the grower, and they kind of move along this journey–from viewing their profile, gaining more satisfaction and then realizing the value in digitally engaging.

What are average adoption rates?
Our average adoption rate, and this includes retailers who have just gone live and retailers who have been with us for four years, is 46%. To put that in a little additional context, right out of the gate, you’re probably seeing about 35 to 40% of your customers adopt this tool. Then, it scales up over time, and for some of our longest standing partners, they’re well over 60% of their growers are actively engaging logging in taking some action on at least a monthly basis. We realized that 46% was actually represented by over 70% of the partners’ business. So that segment of customers was a much bigger segment in terms of how much business they do with the retailer. Your customers with a digitally enabled relationship typically are the retailer’s top customers, and so that just reinforces the investment that our partners are making because they’re able to serve the best and the biggest customers in a digital fashion.

How will artificial intelligence come to life within the ag retail business?
It will be augmenting how humans do their best work, and as we’ve already done digital augmentation is really what we’re all about. But something we noticed early on, is that the relationship is and will remain key. We see this across the different cohorts of growers out there; they still strongly value the relationship they have with their retailer, and so that’s not going to be replaced by a machine anytime soon. But we do see a world where that sales agronomist is empowered through AI to do their best work.

Hear more from Reichert in The Scoop podcast, including an example he refers to how the team pulled a rabbit out of their magician’s hat.

Your Next Read: 3 Insights For Ag Retailers On Digital Business Tools

Syngenta and Taranis Announce Multi-Year Collaboration

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:42:16 GMT

Over a three-year period, Syngenta Crop Protection and Taranis will partner to bring ag retailers Taranis’ AI-powered agronomic platforms.

The companies say this brings the technology enabling leaf-level remote scouting insights and generative AI agronomic recommendations to a higher level of adoption by ag retailers. Particularly, Syngenta will extend a unique offer focused in the Midwest to support targeted retailers’ adoption.

“We believe this collaboration with Taranis will help retailers tap into the full potential of AI and digital agronomy, unlocking new levels of operational efficiencies,” says Paul Backman, Head of NA CP Digital Agriculture & Sustainable Solutions . “By combining Syngenta’s industry-leading portfolio with Taranis’ AI-driven insights, we empower retailers to deliver better, faster and more precise service to their grower-customers.”

The goals are four-fold: improve workflows, optimize farm decision making, facilitate grower adoption of conservation practices, and increase farm profitability.

“Having an instantaneous understanding of the issues and the optimal solution creates efficiencies and opportunities the industry has never seen before,” says Opher Flohr, CEO of Taranis. “This collaboration with Syngenta is a significant step forward in driving the AI revolution for production agriculture.”

The partnership will include ongoing development between Syngenta and Taranis to support the continued advancement of AI-powered agronomic platforms.

This news will also include integration with technology and features from the Syngenta Cropwise platform, which focuses on conservation agronomy, agricultural productivity, and AI-enabled agronomic solutions.

What Impact Will the Fed's Rate Cut Have on Ag Markets?

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 14:57:58 GMT

The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 50 basis points on Wednesday.

The cut was largely anticipated and so it was already priced into the financial and other markets according to Darren Frye with Water Street Advisory.

He says the markets are now looking forward to determine the additional cuts through the end of the year.

Frye says the move is positive for the agricultural markets because the change in monetary policy will weaken the U.S. dollar index.

That makes the United States more competitive with other export customers and should lead to additional business.

“A lower dollar means higher commodities,” he states.

Grains ended mixed and all the ag markets traded two-sided positioning ahead of the announcement.

Frye says the soybean market was supported by positive supply and demand factors, including disappointing early yields in the Eastern Corn Belt and an increase in export business, particularly to China.

Soybeans did see some early technical buying and managed to get above the 50 day moving average but could not hold that level into the close due to a pick up in harvest pressure and hedge selling.

However, Frye thinks the market will continue to move higher.

Corn ended flat on the day caught in a tug of war between lower wheat and the higher soybean futures.

Wheat saw pressure on profit taking after failing to take out chart resistance plus forecasted rains for the Southern Plains winter wheat areas.

Bayer’s Subsidiary, P4, To Fund Grouse Conservation, Settles Lawsuit

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 18:27:47 GMT

This week, three conservation groups who were suing Bayer’s subsidiary P4 announced they have gone through mediation and found resolution.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management approved the Caldwell Canyon Mine located in Idaho in 2019. This mine expansion would be the source of materials for the Soda Springs elemental phosphorus plant, which Bayer uses the phosphorus to produce glyphosate. Bayer the new mine’s capacity would expand the operational timeframe for the site by 35 to 40 years, and the facility has been in operation for more than 65 years.

In 2021, The Center for Biological Diversity, Western Watersheds Project and WildEarth Guardians filed a lawsuit against P4 citing effects of the mine’s activity (indirect and direct) on the sage grouse.

As announced this week, to resolve the lawsuit, P4 will contribute:

· $5.1 million to a trust fund for greater sage-grouse habitat restoration or conservation

· more than $2.4 million to acquire land to protect wildlife habitat connectivity

· $300,000 for sage-grouse presence or population surveys administered by a third party in consultation with conservation groups

Additionally, there are rail time frame limits and noise limits to prevent disturbing the grouse species.

The Caldwell Canyon Mine has brought additional scrutiny of its permitting processes. In 2023, a federal judge vacated the Bureau of Land Management’s authorization of the mine. The project is now currently being re-reviewed by the Bureau of Land Management as P4 submitted a newly proposed mine and reclamation plan. Their decision will be forthcoming.

New Research: Four Ways to Accelerate Conservation Via Ag Retailers

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 14:01:00 GMT

New research outlines the key obstacles in adopting conservation agriculture practices, and how the path of least resistance forward is via ag retail.

Ag retailers are some of the most trusted of a farmer’s stable of advisors. Syngenta, in partnership with America’s Conservation Ag Movement, recently used Farm Journal data and intelligence to dig into that relationship and how it can be leveraged to carry conservation adoption forward.

Questions Answered
Through behavioral, demographic, psychographic intelligence as well as quantitative research done in the Corn Belt, the partnership uncovered a variety of interesting insights from ag retailers, including what holds them back from bridging the conservation gap with their customers.

The report, available now through Trust In Food , sought to understand the following key questions from the perspectives of ag retailers:

How willing are you to advise farmers on conservation topics?
What factors influence discussions with farmers about soil health and conservation?
Which key barriers or incentives could motivate you to help these conversations advance?

Key Sentiments and Findings

62% of retailers reported they believed that farmers were satisfied with the status quo and would be unwilling to abandon current farming techniques to adopt conservation practices on their farms.
37% believe farmers have a lack of awareness of conservation practices
25% believe conservation is not aligned with farmer goals

What Resonates With Ag Retailers, Resonates With Farmers
To shift the tide, the report found that ag retailers could be the key, based upon their significant level of trust with farmers, but only if the retailer “authentically believed that the practices would help their customers achieve their goals.”

Accomplishing that, according to the report, means companies and organizations in the value chain need to arm the retail sector with the information they need to reach that level of comfort, including:

Providing a steady drumbeat of messaging and material

Conservation is not a one-size-fits-all approach and retailers need support from value chain leaders to keep that conversation going with customers.

Using the correct terminology

Different terms and phrases resonate differently with audiences. The report looked into which terms are preferred by retailers in the Corn Belt, encouraging value chain partners to select carefully the terminology used when providing conservation messaging.

Embedding conservation into existing conversations

Retailers need communications that connect conservation to existing motivators, such as risk mitigation and long-term financial viability for farms.

Helping to build existing relationships

Retailers believe that providing conservation advice can be an added value that helps to strengthen relationships with farmer-customers.

To learn more from the report, visit Trust In Food . To learn more about the public-private partnership that fuels conservation adoption, visit America’s Conservation Ag Movement .

AgRetail Digitization Advances: CHS and AgVend Collaborate

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 14:26:54 GMT

In a new collaboration, AgVend is offering CHS wholesale customers connectivity to deepen their digital connection. Starting in September, ag retailers who are CHS wholesale crop protection customers and AgVend network members can place orders, view transaction and invoice history, and reorder products within the AgVend platform.

“This gives our ag retailer customers a line of sight through the supply,” says Gary Halvorson, executive vice president, enterprise customer development at CHS. “They will have the ability to see real time inventories and place orders against those inventories. It’s the level of transparency and ease of use functionality that they need.”

The goal of the collaboration is to provide streamlined workflows, increased visibility, and improved timeliness.

“I tell my team that simple things get done. If we want a tool to provide value, it has to be easy to use and simple. This gives them that,” Halvorson says.

Halvorson shares in the beta phase they were able to see thousands of invoices generated flawlessly and dramatically reduce the reliance on a physical paper trail.

“AgVend has a track record in this space. This integration is logical for our business because it gets us integrated with our customers quicker and accomplishes our goals,” Halvorson says. “Right now, our customers are looking for us to step in as a supplier of choice.”

The trend of simplifying workflows and increasing accuracy via digitization is increasing, says Alexander Reichert, CEO and co-founder of AgVend.

“CHS approached us with a desire to create a differentiated experience for their retail customers in the AgVend network, and they have successfully executed on it,” Reichert says. “At AgVend we are working toward a digitally connected supply chain that puts the retailers and their grower customers at the center of the equation.”

At first, the collaboration will focus on crop protection products with expansion for energy products, crop nutrients and more.

“From an industry perspective, in terms of a digitally enabled distribution channel I believe we are in the opening innings,” Reichert says. “But it is through integrations like this one here with CHS where we lay the foundation for the channel to most efficiently get the right products in the right place, at the right time.”

Ferrie: Corn Is Going Into The Home Stretch, Do You Need To Make A Second Fungicide Application?

Tue, 20 Aug 2024 19:17:47 GMT

Ken Ferrie is hearing from farmers across the Midwest who are trying to decide whether to make a second fungicide application to hybrids affected by heavy disease pressure. In southern Indiana, he is seeing many fields of corn at R5 that are fighting tar spot, which is particularly concerning because of how quickly the disease can take down a corn crop.

“There, many fields have been sprayed twice, and farmers are entertaining a third application,” says Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist, based in Heyworth, Ill.

At this point in the season, Ferrie recommends corn growers scout fields with tar spot to identify where it is located on the plants. Look to see if the disease is moving around and can be found higher in the plants, and not just along the base of the stalks.

“With corn prices expected to lead with a three in the front, it does make it hard for growers to decide what to do next,” Ferrie acknowledges. “We have corn stretched out here in Illinois from R3.5 to R5, and at R5 we still have 30 days to go in this growing season.”

Another consideration farmers need to think through is how long they will need tar spot infected corn to stand in the field before harvesting it.

“Many of you guys have indicated you’re going to let corn dry in the field, and you don’t care if that takes until December,” he says. “In corn with tar spot in the midway up in the plants at R4 and with the plan to dry corn in the field, you may need to help that crop out with a second fungicide pass.”

Don’t Over-Estimate Yield Counts

2024 will go down as the year of the aphid for many growers. Some hybrids are giving up 15 to 35 bushels per acre to the pest, which is adding insult to injury by contributing to green snap.

“In some fields, aphids have caused the plants to abort one-third to all of the ear. Green snap below the ear means a complete loss, and green snap above the ears is resulting in about a third of an ear, which is probably going to go through the stripper plates,” Ferrie says.

As you do yield checks in these fields, he says to start with all the non-affected corn ears and calculate the yield on them first. Then, make a yield estimate on the poor ears, divide this number by 90, and then add that number to your unaffected ear yield estimate to arrive at your final yield estimate.

“These aphid-affected plants often have uniform stalk diameters, which can be missed when you’re checking your ear counts out there,” Ferrie cautions. “Growers who disregard poor ears and calculate the yield on good ears and use uniform plants as their ear count are going to over-estimate yields.”

Ferrie notes that the impact of aphids is worse on some hybrids than on others, but to not simply resort to pulling those hybrids out of your lineup for 2025, because many of them are high-yielding.

“We just need to be aware if aphids are an issue in certain hybrids as we plan for next season,” he says. “For now, those affected hybrids need to be watched for harvest loss this fall. Don’t let them get through the stripper plate, and get as much corn off aborted tips as possible,” he adds.

Listen here for this week’s complete Boots In The Field podcast: https://www.croptechinc.com/bifr-8-19-2024/

Teamwork Helps Fertilizer Facility Rise From the Ashes

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:48:54 GMT

After a devastating fire on Oct. 23, 2022, the team at Wilbur-Ellis rallied around its Moses Lake, Washington colleagues and customers.

“It was like watching my home away from home burn—it was heartbreaking,” says Anita Paulsson, distribution manager at the facility. “But we were able to not miss a beat. We kept going.”

The 19,000-ton fertilizer warehouse was a total loss.

The six-person on-site team was then surrounded by its larger geographic team to continue to serve farmer customers despite the fire.

“We found out how much of Wilbur-Ellis is about people and not buildings,” Paulsson says. “Resilience was the key word for us in 2023.”

For sixteen months—across two growing seasons for the area’s row crops, specialty crops and orchards–the larger team kept operations going in all of the ways they could and were able to patchwork together uninterrupted services. The team brought in rail cars and transloaded from rail to truck over 15,000 tons. The blending needs were supported by two area branches in Pasco and Quincy.

In March 2024 a brand-new structure was complete and replaced the company’s 19,000-ton facility with a new warehouse of the same storage capacity.

“With the same footprint we were able to gain increased efficiency and speed in blending with a larger weigh hopper for micronutrients and a larger mixer,” Paulsson says.

She credits key vendors in Stueve Construction, Easy Automation, and Sackett-Waconia in rebuilding the site.

“It was an army of partners,” she says. “And the entire project highlighted how we came together.”

Supply Chain Realities: Just-In-Time Dictates More Planning Ahead

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 15:40:24 GMT

Since 2020, a series of black swan events in just a few years time resulted in sporadic product shortages and concern about how to react and plan for the future. Because of those events, the crop input industry’s supply chain has been front of mind for suppliers, distributors, retailers and farmers.

“We’ve worked through a period of time when everyone grabbed everything they could,” says Jeff Tarsi, Nutrien’s executive vice president and president of of global retail. “Inventories were way too high as product became available again.”

But full warehouses and fully stocked retail sheds are less common today. In the current economic environment, the focus has become to minimize the cost of capital. With higher interest rates than the 10-year average, inventories have been worked down to avoid draining working capital.

“Managing working capital is one of the most important things we do,” Tarsi says. “There is not unlimited capital in this industry. And as such, at Nutrien, we’ve done a good job managing our inventory down.”

What This Means for Farmers and Retailers

Matt Plitt, president and CEO of Valent U.S.A, says now is the time to refocus efforts on future on-farm needs.

“Our customers are running at low inventory levels. And growers are looking at just-in-time purchasing,” Plitt says.

To alleviate tightness in the market and potential stress, industry leaders are encouraging everyone to plan ahead.

“Forecasting and timeliness are key. Especially in light of current interest rates, everyone needs to be smarter in how they manage inventory,” Plitt says.

The team at Nutrien Ag Solutions agrees saying there is great value up and down the supply chain for communication and conversation to inform product demands.

“Collaborating with an agronomist is more important today to plan for the crop and type of chemistries needed,” says Rob Clayton, Nutrien’s senior vice president of retail North America. “The best of the best are thinking three to five years out for a crop plan.”

Manufacturers Move to Just In Time Supplies

Brendan Deck, GM of Nufarm in North America says, “With the cost of capital we are having to manage cash more than we’ve ever done before. What is going to be key in this market is surge capacity to meet demands just in time.”

Deck adds Nufarm has grown its business from $300 million to $1 billion in annual sales in 10 years. And the company has invested in infrastructure to manufacture in the U.S. and closer to where the products are used.

The forecasting is becoming critical because managing inventories and using surge manufacturing are shortening the time frames products are made and products are being applied.

Valent’s Plitt says, “Internally, we are focused on how to meet the challenges of a dynamic marketplace. We must plan to be early because retailers and distributors make decisions early. In this industry, there’s still a mindset around destocking. It’s not about reducing inventory, but more about how long we carry it. We now manufacture the products closer to the time of application, which is why forecasting is so important.”

ICYMI: AgPro’s Top Stories of the Week

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 06:14:47 GMT

Content on AgPro and its sister sites can move fast and furious. Sometimes, it’s easy to miss great content. Did you get a chance to read the week’s top 10 most-read stories?

10. To Grid Sample Or Zone Sample: What’s The Difference? Plenty.
As technology continues to evolve and improve, farmers’ ability to detect changes in the field gives them more avenues to manage those changes.

9. Meet the New EPA Boss, Not the Same as the Old Boss
Now, the EPA has a new boss, Andrew Wheeler. He was the Acting Administrator when Former Administrator Scott Pruitt resigned amid a cloud of ethics scandals.

8. Harness More Solar Power
Plant multiple hybrids, based on leaf structure and soil type, to capture more energy.

7. How to Grow Hemp for CBD, Seed or Fiber
Whether growing for seed, fiber or cannabidiol (CBD), hemp producers share a colossal commonality: They are all learning on the go.

6. Avoid Soybean Production Pitfalls
Because this year promises to bring more financial challenges, make sure you’re making smart choices to maximize output and profit on every acre.

5. Grain Elevators Face Uncertain Outlook
An increase in on-farm storage and tight margins create volatility for grain elevators.

4. Jury Says Roundup Caused Cancer in Second Trial Verdict
A six-person jury in San Francisco found Roundup did cause cancer in a man who used the product in his yard. This is the second case to go to trial alleging the herbicide caused cancer.

3. EPA Names 40 Chemicals to be Evaluated for Risk
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is publishing a list of 40 chemicals to begin the prioritization process - the initial step in reviewing chemicals in commerce under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act.

2. What To Do With Flooded Grain
Flood waters can bring dangerous contaminants that infect grain, not to mention the mold that’ll likely occur from the excess moisture.

1. Tillage Tips to Fix A Mess
This spring, you’ll likely need to cope with ruts and wheel tracks and determine what kind of tillage, if any, is needed to work soil back into shape.

The Scoop Podcast: Ag Retailer Shares Takeaways From Testifying On Capitol Hill

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 03:21:29 GMT

Joey Caldwell, senior vice president of retail for GreenPoint Ag, testified in July at the hearing on Financial Conditions in Farm Country. Caldwell was there to express strong support for the 2024 Farm Bill during the hearing that focused on addressing the financial challenges faced by farmers and ranchers.

“What farmers need is some assurance and more certainties. They do not need more uncertainties,” he says.

The Ag Retailers Association assisted in making his testimony possible.

And Caldwell shares more about the experience and why other retailers should engage in advocacy and policy making in The Scoop Podcast:

The Scoop Podcast: The Opportunities Agriculture Can’t Miss In Renewable Fuels

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:58:20 GMT

Tim Urban of Bracewell Technologies has advocated for clients on business tax issues, extension of temporary tax provisions, and federal tax policies within the energy sector. He says agriculture has potential game changers in the evolving energy policies, in fact, in many ways ag is in the middle of this evolution.

“I don’t think there’s ever been a time in my memory where the ag sector can pick up the phone and it gets answered at the highest level,” Urban says.

Urban will present a general session with an outlook and insights on biofuels, sustainable aviation fuels, and renewable diesel as it relates to the ag industry at the 2024 ARA Conference and Expo . And he shares more on The Scoop podcast:

“Whether it’s electricity or whether it’s fuel for your car, miraculously, ag and ag products play a huge starring role in all of it,” he says.

While liquid fuels are a “no-brainer,” Bracewell sees corn, soybeans, and other ag stocks being rich with opportunities.

As for the future of renewable energy policy, Bracewell says the November election will set the stage for what policies are pursued, but overall, he thinks the future is bright for ag’s role in renewables.

“The ag community is uniquely well positioned,” he says.

Learn more at the 2024 ARA Conference and Expo, Dec. 3 to 5 in Houston, TX.