AlzChem Adds to Creamino Team

Carrie MuehlingAnimal Agriculture, Nutrition

Kevin Miller is the newest member of the AlzChem Animal Health sales team. Miller will serve as Regional Sales Manager for the USA.

Miller joins AlzChem from Merck Animal Health having previously worked with a number of leading animal health and feed companies. Throughout his career, he has worked with veterinarians, live production managers, distribution and feed mill managers. He has been responsible for identifying and implementing solutions, as well as providing training and technical support.

“Kevin Miller is a great asset that we are adding to our team,” said John Thomson, U.S. Sales Manager for Feed Additives at AlzChem Animal Health. “With Kevin coming on board, we will be able to expand the work with the poultry and swine segments. We want to help everyone realize the true health and economic benefits of improving creatine nutrition. As we continue to expand our AlzChem team, we can provide more assistance than ever before.”

Creamino feed additive was invented by AlzChem in Germany. For more than 25 years, AlzChem has specialized in the production and formulation of creatine for human nutrition. The feed ingredient Creamino presents a significant new opportunity to improve animal health and feed efficiency, providing creatine via the natural processes within an animal. The product is currently sold for broiler and turkey production only. AlzChem is committed to expand the Creamino label in the USA to allow use for swine and other animals in the future.

Miller earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Dairy Science from Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture. He will be located in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania and can be reached at Kevin.Miller@alzchem.com and 724-831-0550.

Animal Ag Bites 8/19

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  • The overall economic impact of Wisconsin’s dairy industry is bigger than ever, according to new research conducted by the University of Wisconsin—Madison. Dairy continues to lead Wisconsin agriculture, the new report shows, generating nearly half of Wisconsin’s annual industrial agricultural revenue – and represents 16.4% of the state’s total. To see the full report, visit WisconsinDairy.org/impact.
  • The American Feed Industry Association is pleased to announce the addition of Lynette Tucker as its meetings and events specialist and Daisy Rodriguez as its meetings and events coordinator.
  • USPOULTRY’s 2019 Environmental Management Seminar provides a unique learning opportunity for professionals concerned with the environmental challenges facing the industry today. Sponsored by USPOULTRY, the seminar will be held Sept. 19-20, at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida.
  • Zoetis announced that it will expand its portfolio of products and services for horses with the Stablelab® hand-held, point-of-care diagnostic blood test, which provides veterinarians critical information related to equine inflammation in 10 minutes.

Ag Media Summit Awards

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Ag Media Summit is the annual awards extravaganza for LPC and AAEA.

AAEA, The Agricultural Communicators Network, handed out communications awards for writing, design, mar-com, photography, digital and social media, in addition to the Lifetime Achievement and Andy Markwart Horizon awards. Jim Patrico and Jo Ann Alumbaugh were honored for their career achievements, and Cassie Yontz with Charleston-Orwig received the horizon award.

Click for a list of all AAEA winners in all categories.

The Livestock Publications Council (LPC) honored its members outstanding work and accomplishments as well. Among this year’s LPC honorees was retiring Lyle Orwig, who received the Headliner Award; Todd Donner was inducted into the LPC Hall of Fame, and Cal-Poly professor Scott Vernon received the Distinguished Service Award.

Click here for a list of all LPC winners.

Students and interns were also honored at the event, including the LPC Forrest Bassford award, sponsored by Alltech. The winner this year was Jessica Wesson from the University of Arkansas who received a $2,000 scholarship.

If you go through the photo album you will find plenty of pictures of award winners.

2019 AMS/IFAJ Congress Photo Album

Animal Ag Bites 8/12

carrie muehlingAgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

  • Dairy farmers can now quickly and conveniently analyze their milk component efficiency using a new online calculator from Cargill that can be accessed at www.cargilldairydreams.com/calculator.
  • U.S. Poultry & Egg Association announces the release of the U.S. poultry industry’s first-ever report quantifying antimicrobial use on broiler chicken and turkey farms. The new report shows dramatic reductions of turkey and broiler chicken antimicrobial use over a five-year time frame.
  • The Animal Agriculture Alliance released a report detailing observations from the Animal Rights National Conference, held July 25 through July 28 in Alexandria, Virginia.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C., is already accepting internship applications for the Summer 2020 semester. Positions for next summer (mid-May – early August 2020) include a public policy intern and law clerk. The deadline to submit an application for either position is Dec. 6, 2019. To apply for the public policy internship or law clerk position, visit http://www.beefusa.org/opportunitiesforstudents.aspx.
  • The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands Council launched a digital campaign focused on the value of grazing. The digital campaign was created to explore key elements of grazing that benefit the environment, rural communities, and local economies across the United States.

Animal Ag Bites 8/5

carrie muehlingAgWired Animal, Animal Agriculture, Animal Bites

  • Zoetis has signed an agreement with Colorado State University (CSU) to establish a research lab at CSU that will explore the livestock immune system and target new immunotherapies – paving the way for new alternatives to antibiotics in food-producing animals. The new 3,000-square-foot Zoetis Incubator Research Lab will operate at the Research Innovation Center on CSU’s Foothills Campus starting in early 2020.
  • Dr. Sacit “Sarge” Bilgili, interim department head of Auburn University’s Department of Poultry Science, was recently recognized with the 2019 Poultry Science Association Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award, sponsored by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.
  • USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, in which researchers found a practical method to reduce litter moisture. A complete report, along with information on other Association research, may be obtained by going to www.uspoultry.org.
  • Dairy farmers and allied members of the dairy community will join together to cheer on the Green Bay Packers as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs, Aug. 29 at the annual Packer Tailgate Party which is being coordinated by the Dairy Business Association.
  • Vets Plus, Inc., in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin-Stout, recently presented the first-ever international conference on the growing use of nutraceuticals to benefit companion and production animal health. The International Conference on Animal Health Nutraceuticals, or ICAHN 2019, was conducted July 17-19 at UW-Stout’s Memorial Student Center conference facility in Menomonie, WI.
  • Farmers are invited to submit nominations for the 2020 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, brought to you by Purina. The grand prize winner – Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year – will win a year’s worth of Purina dry dog food and $5,000 in prize money for his or her farmer to offset travel costs to attend the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Austin, Texas, Jan. 17-22, 2020. The winner will be recognized at the Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the convention. Up to four runners-up will win $1,000 each in prize money.
  • While producers have traditionally participated in Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) because it’s the right thing to do, there is sound research that indicates BQA certified producers can benefit financially as well. According to a recent study by the Beef Checkoff-funded BQA program and conducted by Colorado State University, results show a significant premium for calves and feeder cattle sold through video auction markets.
  • The American Feed Industry Association honored Peter Ferket, Ph.D., with the AFIA-Poultry Science Association Poultry Nutrition Award at the PSA Annual Meeting last week in Montreal, Quebec.
  • Jennifer Houston, President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, joined President Trump and other NCBA officers at a White House signing ceremony for an agreement that will establish a duty-free quota for high-quality American beef in the European Union.
  • The 2019 Cattle Industry Summer Business Meeting in Denver wrapped up with a meeting of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Board of Directors. This year’s meeting saw the rollout of a new NCBA podcast, Cattlemen’s Call, which focuses on the people who make up the beef industry. The podcast is hosted by ag broadcaster Lane Nordlund and can be accessed at https://www.ncba.org/CattlemensCall.aspx.

Trump Announces Deal to Expand U.S. Beef Exports to EU

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President Donald J. Trump congratulated members of the nation’s beef cattle industry Friday as the United States and the European Union signed an agreement that is expected to nearly triple the duty-free access for high quality U.S. beef exports to Europe. .

“This is a tremendous victory for American farmers, ranchers, and, of course, European consumers because American beef is considered the best in the world,” said President Trump during the signing ceremony at the White House on Friday. “In year one, duty-free American beef exports to the EU will increase by 46 percent. Over seven years, they will increase by another 90 percent. In total, the duty-free exports will rise from $150 million to $420 million, an increase of over 180 percent.”

Among other beef industry representatives, the president was joined by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) president Jennifer Houston. “For many years it has been difficult for us to sell our high-quality U.S. beef to European consumers because of the restrictive tariff and non-tariff barriers, but the establishment of this 35,000 metric ton duty-free quota sends the signal to America’s cattle industry that Europe is ready for U.S. beef,” said Houston.

Listen to comments from President Trump, Houston and other participants at the signing ceremony:
US-EU Beef Trade Deal signing

NCBA Launches Cattlemen’s Call Podcast

AgWired Animal, Beef, NCBA, Podcasts

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association launched a new podcast this week during the 2019 Summer Business Meeting to focus on the stories and producers that make the beef industry great.

“Cattlemen’s Call,” hosted by Montana rancher and farm broadcaster Lane Nordlund, will provide an inside look at the issues cattle producers are facing while sharing the stories of their lives and businesses. The first episode focuses on young producers entering into the family farm or ranch and the challenges that come with it.

“Cattlemen and women of all generations have stories to tell and advice to share. The podcast is capturing the conversations that happen each day down at the local café, the stockyards or at the kitchen table,” said Nordlund. “By sharing real, authentic stories of our peers in the cattle business, listeners will no doubt relate to what’s discussed. We can all learn from the guests on the show, share a laugh with them and know that we are all facing challenges in the countryside. There are many stories out there and we can’t wait to share them with you.”

For more information, to listen and subscribe to the podcast, go to NCBA.org/CattlemensCall.aspx.

Companies Partner to Expand Corn Hybrid Choices

AgWired Animal, AgWired Precision, biodiesel, Biofuels, corn, ethanol, Feed, Seed

Benson Hill Biosystems has entered into a partnership with Brownseed Genetics, a Wisconsin-based seed breeder of new corn hybrids that are higher in both oil content and essential amino acids.

The new Brownseed hybrids, developed through conventional breeding methods, yield about 9 percent corn oil – nearly triple the normal production – and are rich in the amino acids lysine and methionine, offering added value for growers, livestock, and ethanol and biodiesel producers.

“Brownseed’s focus on varieties with both quality and productivity benefits can generate greater profitability for growers, livestock producers, and the ethanol industry,” said Matt Crisp, CEO and co-founder of Benson Hill. “Together, through this partnership, we will broaden the Brownseed portfolio so these hybrids can be grown across the Corn Belt.”

“For a small, family-owned company like ours to have access to the powerful technologies that Benson Hill offers would have been unthinkable only a few years ago,” said Charles Brown, CEO, Brownseed Genetics. “These advanced capabilities in predictive breeding and gene editing would have been available only to very large players in the seed industry, I’m pleased that Benson Hill is working with partners like us, across the food chain, regardless of size.”

Benson Hill’s CropOS™ enables researchers to predict, select and secure desirable traits quickly to bring crop and ingredient improvements to market faster.

Animal Ag Bites 7/29

carrie muehlingAgWired Animal, Animal Bites

  • The Manure Challenge, organized by Yield Lab Institute with guidance from the World Wildlife Fund, Newtrient, and the Dairy Farmers of America, brings together the expertise of many eminent public, for profit, and non-for-profit leaders from a wide variety of backgrounds to support interest and investment in the manure management sector. The following organizations have joined the effort as sponsors: Cargill, The Maschhoffs, and WeWork FoodLabs.
  • The National Pork Board named Jerry Flint as vice president of engagement and outreach effective August 1, 2019.
  • Fuel Up to Play 60, a program created by the dairy checkoff and National Football League to improve health and wellness in schools across the country, celebrated its 10-year anniversary at its annual student ambassador summit, July 16-19 in Cleveland. Mark Leitner, executive vice president of Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff, has led Fuel Up to Play 60 since its inception. He said expectations that were set during the program’s early days have been exceeded.
  • Mycotoxins can have a devastating effect on poultry, livestock and swine production. During wet years, like the one we are having this year, the possibility of mycotoxins from mold and fungi growth in grain products and storage bins is even greater. The solution to protecting animals from the threat of mycotoxins is using all-natural FloBond™ from Brookside Agra.
  • Cargill is launching BeefUp Sustainability, an initiative committed to achieving a 30% greenhouse gas intensity reduction across its North American beef supply chain by 2030.
  • Brightmark Energy, a San Francisco-based waste and energy development company, announced that it has purchased an anaerobic digester northwest of Madison, Wisconsin that will convert 90,000 gallons per day of dairy waste from three local farms into biogas and other useful products.
  • Ralco announced that Dr. Kevin Touchette has joined the company in the role of Senior Swine Nutritionist.
  • For almost a year, the Pork Checkoff has taken a leading role in collaborating with multiple government and industry partners to protect the United States from African swine fever (ASF). Primary partners in this effort include the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Pork Producers Council, the North American Meat Institute, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and the Swine Health Information Center. When it comes to working on feed biosecurity issues specifically, the American Feed Industry Association has also been essential to the effort. By combining their resources, these organizations and others have been able to achieve a comprehensive response to ASF that has helped to harden the defenses of the domestic swine industry against this costly foreign animal disease and others like it.

USDA Officials Provide Details of Support Package for Farmers

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U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and other agency officials today announced further details of the $16 billion package “aimed at supporting American agricultural producers while the Administration continues to work on free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals.”

In May, President Trump directed Secretary Perdue to craft a relief strategy in line with the estimated impacts of unjustified retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural goods and other trade disruptions. The Market Facilitation Program (MFP), Food Purchase and Distribution Program (FPDP), and Agricultural Trade Promotion Program (ATP) will assist agricultural producers while President Trump works to address long-standing market access barriers.

Secretary Perdue was joined by Under Secretary Bill Northey; Acting Deputy Under Secretary Brandon Lipps; and USDA’s Chief Economist, Dr. Rob Johannson to explain the details of the package, which will help producers of a wide variety of commodities impacted by trade disruptions.

USDA provides new trade aid details

Agricultural organizations reacted positively to the announcement. “While we are grateful for the continuing support for American agriculture from President Trump and Secretary Perdue, America’s farmers ultimately want trade more than aid. It is critically important to restore agricultural markets and mutually beneficial relationships with our trading partners around the world,” said American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall.

Under the plan, eligible U.S. pork producers will receive $11 per head based on inventory between April 1-May 15, 2019 and USDA will make pork purchases of $208 million to support its programs for the food insecure. National Pork Producers Council President David Herring says they “are grateful to the Trump administration for providing partial relief as hog farmers have incurred significant losses due to trade disputes that have lingered for more than a year.”

National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Lynn Chrisp says farmers definitely need aid at this time. “It’s no secret that farmers are facing difficult decisions amid wet spring weather, trade disputes and tariffs, and demand destruction in the ethanol market. While NCGA’s focus remains markets, we welcome USDA’s quick rollout of MFP 2.0 and the Department’s creative efforts to reorient MFP to better reflect market impacts and support American farmers. We look forward to learning more about how MFP will work for corn farmers.”