A five-minute summary of AAI, regulation, and industry activities for members of the largest state agribusiness association in the nation. | |
Grain Grading Workshops: 18 Seats Remaining | |
Grain Grading Workshops
March 28 & 29 - 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Registration Fees:
AAI Member - $130
Non-Member - $155
Location:
Ziegler CAT
1500 Ziegler Drive NW
Altoona, Iowa 50009
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Seats Remaining: 60 18
This one-day hands-on workshop will feature the latest information on grain quality. The Grain Grading workshop will address and display many different grain samples but will emphasize corn and soybeans. Presentations on the grading and appeal process will be given. Participants will learn what the official U.S. grades are and how to obtain a representative sample. Attendees will also learn how to recognize major grain damage factors.
Workshop registrants will be assigned on a first come, first-served basis. The same workshop is held on both days, so participants only need to attend one session.
The workshop is under the direction of Federal Grain Inspection Service inspectors from the National Grain Center.
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Membership Committee Meeting | |
With the 2023 fiscal year at the halfway mark, the AAI Membership Committee convened for their quarterly meeting to take a look at current progress and discuss future activities.
The committee is looking at member representation by geographic area and had discussions about how best to set districts. Past districts have often followed the legislative districts for the U.S. House of Representatives. With the current changes from the 2020 census, the committee is looking at how to create districts to better align with the needs of association members.
During the meeting, the committee also looked at the progress on 2023 memberships, received an update on the recently concluded Agribusiness Showcase & Conference, and discussed the upcoming spring and summer events on the AAI calendar. The committee will meet again in June.
Get Involved!
The direction and impact of the association is a direct result of committee activities. Committees provide input and direction for the Board of Directors actions. You or someone within your company can serve on a committee by emailing aai@agribiz.org, calling the AAI office, or filling out a form online at https://www.agribiz.org/benefits-of-membership/join-a-committee/.
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Meetings and events attended by AAI:
Agriculture's Clean Water Alliance (ACWA) Board Meeting
In Attendance:
Ben Gleason, INREC Exec. Director
Growmark Certified Crop Specialist Conference
In Attendance:
Ben Gleason, INREC Exec. Director
Iowa Nitrogen Initiative Regional Meeting
In Attendance:
Ben Gleason, INREC Exec. Director
Commodity Classic
In Attendance:
Bill Northey, AAI CEO
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March 21
Agronomy Committee & Environment Committee
Joint Meeting
10:00 AM | AAI Main Office Board Room
March 22
Grain Committee & Transportation Committee
Joint Meeting
10:00 AM | AAI Main Office Board Room
March 28 & 29
Grain Grading Workshops
Ziegler CAT - Altoona, Iowa
Click Here to Register Online
March 30
Showcase Committee Meeting
10:00 AM | AAI Main Office Board Room
April 6
AAI Board of Directors Meeting
10:00 AM | AAI Main Office Board Room
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WATCH THE AGRIBUSINESS REPORT | |
Nominations Open for Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year | |
Nominations are now open for the 2023 Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year. This prestigious annual honor is given to an Iowa farmer who has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to environmental stewardship and leadership.
The statewide award and nine regional awards are co-sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF). The grand prize winner will receive the use of a new John Deere 6E utility tractor for one year.
One nominee will be selected by each of Iowa’s 100 Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) offices. These individuals will be considered for regional conservation awards. Nine regional award winners will compete for the title of “Iowa Conservation Farmer of the Year.”
Iowans can nominate a deserving farmer by writing a 100-word letter describing the individual’s long-term commitment to soil conservation and water quality. Nominations are due to the local SWCD by May 12, 2023.
Click for Full Press Release
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Cover Crop Workshop March 28 in West Union | |
Iowa Learning Farms, in partnership with Consortium for Cultivating Human And Naturally reGenerative Enterprises (C-CHANGE), will host a cover crop workshop on Tuesday, March 28 from 12:00-2:00 p.m. at the West Union Event Center. Farmers and landowners are welcome to attend the free event, which includes a complimentary meal catered by the West Union Event Center.
The discussion will be facilitated by Dr. Jacqueline Comito, Iowa Learning Farms program director, Dr. Matt Helmers, Iowa Nutrient Research Center director, and Dr. Mark Licht, associate professor and extension cropping systems specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Liz Ripley, Iowa Learning Farms conservation and cover crop outreach specialist.
Reservations are required to ensure adequate space and food. For reasonable accommodations and to RSVP, please contact Liz Ripley at 515-294-5429 or ilf@iastate.edu.
Click for Full Details
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When it comes to choosing a location for a company headquarters in the ag retail market, it’s not surprising that CropLife 100 organizations zeroed in on the state of Iowa. In fact, no U.S. state is represented more often in our 2022 list of the largest ag dealerships and cooperatives.
In total, 14 companies call The Hawkeye State home, ranging from smaller independent dealerships like Wickman Chemical (ranked No. 97 overall), to larger cooperatives such as NEW Cooperative (No. 12). Among those 14 retailers, eight are cooperatives while six are independent local dealerships. In addition, seven Iowa retailers were within the $101-$200 million revenue range in 2022, which was the highest for the state.
To find out all of the Iowa-based companies that made the list (in reverse order of sales), view the slideshow:
Iowa Top Retailers Slideshow
To see the full top 100 list, click the link below:
Top 100 List
[...] Read Full Story
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Source: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
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The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship today announced a new partnership to expand the network of conservation agronomists working with Iowa farmers and landowners across the state. Conservation agronomists are professionals who assist farmers with agronomic production decisions while also providing expertise about incorporating conservation and water quality practices onto their land.
“Conservation agronomists serve as trusted advisers to Iowa farmers and landowners and help to identify, plan, and implement proven water quality and soil conservation practices,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “As we scale up and accelerate our statewide water quality efforts, innovative public-private partnerships like this will get more practices in place and move us closer toward achieving our Nutrient Reduction Strategy goals.”
Agriculture’s Clean Water Alliance (ACWA), based in Ankeny and affiliated with the Iowa Soybean Association, launched the network of conservation agronomists in August of 2020. ACWA’s existing funding model has thus far depended on support from a variety of sources, including Iowa ag retailers and cooperatives which make up the membership of ACWA. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will utilize over $2 million in public funding, received from the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Gulf Hypoxia Program, to extend the duration of three conservation agronomist positions and deploy two additional positions. Additional funding support for the network will continue from ACWA members.
[...] Read Full Story
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On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a proposed rule with new regulatory requirements for the voluntary “Product of USA” label claim, aiming to provide clarity and transparency for consumers.
The proposed rule allows the voluntary “Product of USA” or “Made in the USA” label claim to be used on meat, poultry, and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered, and processed in the United States.
“American consumers expect that when they buy a meat product at the grocery store, the claims they see on the label mean what they say,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These proposed changes are intended to provide consumers with accurate information to make informed purchasing decisions. Our action today affirms USDA’s commitment to ensuring accurate and truthful product labeling.”
In 2015, mandatory Country of Origin Label (mCOOL) rules were repealed. Earlier this year, 50 cattle, farm, rural and consumer groups sent a joint letter to the U.S. Senate and House members who co-sponsored the American Beef Labeling Act, seeking to restore mandatory country of origin labeling for beef.
Currently, imported beef products could be brought to the U.S., after undergoing a “substantial transformation,” and then claim to be a “Product of the U.S.A.” The only requirement of these products is that they undergo some kind of change — even one as insignificant as trimming or rewrapping products or changing its name.
[...] Read Full Story
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The Agriculture Transportation Working Group, a coalition of more than 80 agriculture and food advocacy groups, is urging Congress to pass the SHIP IT Act. The group penned an open letter to leaders of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Technology, Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works, and House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure advocating for the bill.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, trucks account for more than 60% of all domestic freight by weight. The ATWG calls them the “linchpin” of the transportation sector, noting most freight touches a truck at least once.
“We believe by supporting SHIP IT, Congress can achieve positive benefits for the environment while improving the economic competitiveness of the United States,” the ATWG letter states.
SHIP IT is short for the Safer Highways and Increased Performance for Interstate Trucking Act. It was introduced by Reps. Dusty Johnson, R- S.D., and Jim Costa, D-Calif., in January.
The bill aims to improve the supply chain by offering tax credits to new and experienced drivers. It would expand access to commercial driver’s license tests and cover some driver training costs with Workforce Innovation and Opportunity grants.
If passed, the bill would also allow states to opt-in to a pilot program permitting six-axle trucks that weigh up to 91,000 pounds. Hours of service regulations would be modified to provide flexibility for seasonal demand variances in the agriculture industry.
[...] Read Full Story
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THE AGRIBUSINESS REPORT
Follow host David Geiger on Twitter:
@geigerreports
Watch daily broadcast live:
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Watch online any time:
https://agribiz.org/report
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