CHECKOFFS HELPING - Indiana Soybean Alliance

Transcription

INDIANA
CORN&SOYBEANreview
®
WINTER 201 6
CHECKOFFS HELPING
RURAL COUNTIES STUDY BRIDGES
WHAT OUR SATISFIED
CUSTOMERS ARE SAYING...
“We’ve been planting Seed Consultants for a few
years and have found with their service, seed quality
and product performance; they are the Best Value in
the Seed Industry.”
Titus Michael,
Clinton County, Indiana
“Seed Consultants yield performance, service and
farmer-friendly pricing is why we’ve been planting
Seed Consultants for the past six years.”
Hugh Boles Farms,
Onton, Kentucky
“I’ve had great success planting Seed Consultants. The
highest-yields on my farm have been from their corn
and soybean varieties.”
Doug Franck,
St. Henry, Ohio
I WILL
TAKE ACTION AGAINST
HERBICIDE-RESISTANT WEEDS.
I will know my weeds. When they grow. When they pollinate. And I will stop them before they go to seed.
I will take action in the field and do whatever it takes to give my crops the upper hand against weeds.
I will take action with careful herbicide management and use multiple herbicide sites of action,
because every action counts.
Simply, the Best Value in the Seed Industry™
SEED CONSULTANTS, INC.
Call Today! 800-708-CORN www.seedconsultants.com
®,™ trademarks of Seed Consultants, Inc. © 2015 Seed Consultants, Inc.
I will take action because it’s my bottom line. It’s not about this year or the next.
It’s about the long term.
I will take action. This time. For all time.
Now is the time to take action against herbicide-resistant weeds.
Visit www.TakeActionOnWeeds.com to learn how you can
prevent herbicide-resistant weeds from spreading.
Brought to you by the soy checkoff.
PROVEN PERFORMANCE.
INDIANA
CORN&SOYBEANreview
®
14 From Competition
to Market Troy Tate didn’t expect to
get a new product idea for his soap
manufacturing business while touring a
college campus. While touring Purdue
University’s West Lafayette campus,
Tate learned about Indiana Soybean
Alliance’s Student Soybean Product
Innovation Competition and the 2014
runner-up winning product, SOOTs.
28
Indiana Corn, Soybean
Farmers Support New Plant
Phenotyping Facility at Purdue
Two groups representing Indiana corn
and soybean farmers are making a $4
million investment in automated plant
phenotyping research and education to
further Purdue University’s innovative
work in plant sciences.
34 Indiana Farmer’s Memory
Commemorated through
Student Research Celebrating and
commemorating the life of Indiana
corn farmer and former Indiana
Corn Marketing Council president,
Gary Lamie, is at the heart of a new
graduate student scholarship at
Purdue University.
W I N TE R 2 01 6 | VO L. 9, NO. 1
30 Rebuilding the Crossroads
of America Nicknamed the
Crossroads of America because of
its extensive highway infrastructure,
Indiana is often touted as an ideal
state to partner with to agribusiness
needs. The state’s strong interstate
and highway infrastructure creates a
prime environment for moving and
shipping raw materials and finished
products throughout the United States,
but the local roads and bridges are
the heartbeat of maintaining a strong
agricultural climate. And the news isn’t
good for rural bridges.
About the cover Rural infrastructure,
including roads and bridges, are
critically important to Indiana corn and
soybean farmers. Learn more about
how the checkoff organizatoins are
working with county leaders to address
their issues on page 30.
*®XL, Optimum and AcreMax are registered trademarks of Pioneer. XL brand seed is distributed by Beck’s Superior Hybrids, Inc.
BECKSHYBRIDS.COM | 800.937.2325
4 | I N D I A N A C O R N & S OY B E A N R E V I E W |
WINTER 2016
I N D I A N A S OY B E A N A L L I A N C E
president’s review
MOVING SOYBEAN FARMERS FORWARD
T
his column marks my last as Indiana Soybean Alliance
President. I’ve reached the end of my term leading
our soybean checkoff and policy organizations and we, as
Indiana farmers, have a lot to be proud of.
The dollars invested in the soybean checkoff have paid
great returns for our farmers. The research we’re undertaking
with Purdue University – and other institutions around
the state and beyond – leads directly to better production
practices, smarter livestock development, and new uses for
soybeans, including the patent we recently received for a
soy-based concrete sealant which could help preserve and
strengthen our roads.
One of the most exciting ventures underway will help
farmers grow better soybeans and corn. We’ve joined
with Purdue to support a new plant phenotyping center to
identify and measure plant characteristics. The research will
help us as farmers adapt production practices to enhance
sustainability and improve crop productivity and nutritional
attributes. The facility is now under construction and is
scheduled to open next spring.
One of the most important objectives we have undertaken
is educating the public on the value of agriculture and the
work our farmers do. I hope you’ve been to the Glass Barn
at the Indiana State Fair, where we provide an interactive
outlet for many fairgoers and schoolkids, many without any
kind of ag background, to learn about soybeans, farming,
the products we grow and how they help feed the world. It’s
truly remarkable to see.
We also use many of the same resources to educate our
elected officials from Congress to state legislators to county
officials. It’s important that we make sure those key decision
makers understand why the votes they take impact us on the
family farm.
That leads to the policy work of our organization. In just
President
David Lowe, Dunkirk | D2
Vice President
Don Wyss, Fort Wayne | D2
Secretary
Tom Griffiths, Kendallville | D2
Treasurer
Shelley McDaniel, Boonville | D3
Executive Committee
Jeanette Merritt, Peru | D1
Joe Tuholski, Mill Creek | D1
Matt Chapman, Springport | D2
Josh Kirkpatrick, Veedersburg | D3
Directors
Kendell Culp, Rensselaer | D1
Adam Renbarger, Wabash | D1
David Rodibaugh, Rensselaer | D1
Kevin Wilson, Walton | D1
John Emmert, Ligonier | D2
Elaine Gillis, Dunkirk | D2
Martin Evans, Terre Haute | D3
Levi Huffman, Lafayette | D3
Brent Lyke, Evansville | D3
Joseph Steinkamp, Evansville | D3
Craig Williams, Oaktown | D3
Roger Bommer, Brookville | D4
Chris Cherry, New Palestine | D4
Jim Douglas, Flat Rock | D4
Kevin Lemanger, Monrovia | D4
Mark Nigh, Shelbyville | D4
Anngie Steinbarger, Edinburgh | D4
a few short years,
we’ve grown our
membership and
policy committee
to be one of the
leaders in ag
policy in our
state. We’ve been
DAVID LOWE
advocates for
President
agriculture – like
Indiana Soybean Alliance
how we helped
8425 Keystone Crossing, Ste. 200
secure additional
Indianapolis, IN 46240
funding for the
800-735-0195 | 317-347-3620
Indiana Board
of Animal
Health, which is a vital agency to the growth of livestock
development in our state.
But 2016 brings continued challenges for our state.
All across Indiana, county roads are crumbling. The state
hasn’t put enough resources toward local infrastructure and
counties often don’t have enough to keep up with roads.
Without roads, we can’t move our crops, livestock and valueadded products to market and we can’t get our inputs to the
farm.
And as our farm incomes have declined, our property
taxes for farmland have skyrocketed. A misguided system
is charging farmers for successes of four and five years ago
while we suffer a downturn in the farm economy. We’ll be
prioritizing working for farmers on these important issues
this spring.
While my term as President of ISA is ending, I know that
fighting for agriculture requires a strong voice. ISA is the
voice and I encourage you to get involved and work hard on
behalf of the future of agriculture.
American Soybean
Association Directors
Kendell Culp, Rensselaer
Joseph Steinkamp, Evansville
United Soybean Board Directors
Mike Beard, Frankfort
James Cherry, Greenfield
Mark Seib, Poseyville
Kevin Wilson, Walton
Staff Credits
Editor | Ann Clinton
Editorial Manager | Megan Kuhn
Creative Manager | Nick Rempe
Sales Director | David Larson
The Indiana Soybean and Corn Review
is published four times a year by the
Indiana Soybean Alliance and the Indiana
Corn Growers Association. For address
corrections contact:
WINTER 2016
While other seed treatments claim to be effective against soybean cyst nematodes
(SCN), Clariva® Complete Beans seed treatment, a combination of separate products,
is the only broad-spectrum seed treatment proven to kill them all season long. As it
acts to destroy SCN, it also reduces damage from sudden death syndrome (SDS).
All this lethal power comes from a tough nematicide paired with the unbeaten insect
and disease protection of CruiserMaxx® Beans with Vibrance® seed treatment, a
combination of separately registered products. So contact your Syngenta representative
or visit ClarivaCompleteBeans.com. And take back your fields.
Indiana Corn & Soybean Review
8425 Keystone Crossing, Suite 200
Phone: 800-735-0195 or 317-347-3620
E-mail: [email protected]
facebook.com/
IndianaSoybeanAlliance
@INSoybean
@Indiana_Soy
For advertising information in the Indiana Corn & Soybean Review, contact Larson Enterprises, 515-440-2810 or [email protected]. Comments and statewide news articles should be sent to
the above address. Advertising space reservations must be made by the first day of the month preceding publication. In consideration of the acceptance of the advertisement, the agency
and the advertiser must, in respect of the contents of the advertisement, indemnify and save the publisher harmless against any expense arising from claims or actions against the publisher
because of the publication of the content of the advertisement.
Make soybean cyst nematodes useful.
Turn them into fertilizer.
© 2015 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some crop protection products may not be registered for sale or use in all
states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Clariva Complete Beans is an on-seed application of
Clariva pn and CruiserMaxx Vibrance. CruiserMaxx Beans with Vibrance is an on-seed application of CruiserMaxx Vibrance and Apron XL. Clariva®, CruiserMaxx®,
Vibrance®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.
MW 17175010-P1-V1 06/15
I N D I A N A C O R N G R O W E R S A S S O C I AT I O N
president’s review
FARMERS MUST BE READY TO
DEFEND CROP INSURANCE
T
his fall, as Congress was about to pass a spending bill,
many of us in agriculture were shocked when we heard
of a last minute cut to crop insurance programs in the 2014
Farm Bill. The leaders on the agriculture committees, as well
as agriculture groups across the country, were completely
blindsided by the cuts, they total $3 billion dollars.
Many opponents of agriculture have used misinformation
about crop insurers’ returns to demonize the program. But
the facts show that business returns have fallen well short
of the levels necessary to preserve private-sector delivery of
crop insurance.
A strong crop insurance program is essential. It’s why we
gave up $23 billion in direct payments and asked Congress to
hold its end of the bargain to keep crop insurance intact.
Crop insurance is much different from many other
sorts of government programs. In other lines of insurance,
administrative and operating (A&O) costs, such as agent
commissions and claims adjustment, are factored into
customers’ premiums. Not so with crop insurance. The
government requires that these costs be excluded to make
farmer premiums more affordable. In return, the government
provides insurers an A&O payment, on behalf of farmers, to
deliver the program.
Groups attacking crop insurance use terms like
“guaranteed profits” to vilify the insurers that protect our
farmers, help us pick up the pieces after disasters, and shield
taxpayers from footing the whole bill through unbudgeted
ad hoc disaster packages. These criticisms are intentionally
misleading These insurers have no guaranteed profits, but
take real risks and deal economic realities that are beginning
to have an impact on farmers and jobs throughout rural
America.
Crop insurance providers were assigned additional
responsibilities and asked to bear greater risk in the 2014
Farm Bill. Businesses cannot operate without a reasonable
Treasurer
George Morton, Lebanon | D7
Secretary
Ronnie Mohr, Greenfield | D6
President
Herb Ringel, Wabash | D2
Vice President
Michael Nichols, Rockport | D8
Directors
Michael McIntire, Lowell | D1
Sarah Delbecq, Auburn | D3
Michael Beard, Frankfort | D4
Ralph Kauffman, Atlanta | D5
Mike Flock, Ramsey | D9
return, and
crop insurers
cannot operate
at a loss. History
has proven that
crop insurance
HERB RINGEL
is not effective
President
when delivered
Indiana Corn Growers Association
by the federal
8425 Keystone Crossing, Ste. 200
government, and
if the private
800-735-0195 | 317-347-3620
sector exits the
business, farmers
will be left
without the tools necessary to manage falling crop prices and
extreme weather.
There is a reason that long ago Congress approved a
private public partnership to deliver federal crop insurance –
it is far more cost effective than any other alternative.
If these attacks continue, ultimately, farmers will feel
the impact of these cuts as our choices of insurers and
agents decline. Crop Insurance is a successful public-private
partnership. The program is federally regulated and delivered
by the private sector.
Proposals to cut the private sector delivery system would
harm the rural economy and negatively impact service and
timely delivery of payments when there is a disaster.
Indiana farmers aren’t looking for handouts or giveaways.
We don’t want the government in our business. But, we want
a safety net to protect us in years of drought or heavy rains.
We made a promise in the farm bill to cut direct payments
in return for strong crop insurance. Be sure to hold your
Congressman and our Senators to their end of the deal.
Staff Credits
Editor | Ann Clinton
Editorial Manager | Megan Kuhn
Creative Manager | Nick Rempe
Sales Director | David Larson
The Indiana Soybean and Corn
Review is published four times a year
by the Indiana Soybean Alliance and
the Indiana Corn Growers Association.
For address corrections contact:
Indiana Soybean and Corn Review
8425 Keystone Crossing, Suite 200
Phone: 800-735-0195 or 317-347-3620
E-mail: [email protected]
facebook.com/
IndianaCornGrowers
@INCornFarmers
@IN_Corn
For advertising information in the Indiana Corn & Soybean Review, contact Larson Enterprises, (515)440-2810 or [email protected]. Comments and statewide news articles
should be sent to the above address. Advertising space reservations must be made by the first day of the month preceding publication. In consideration of the acceptance of
the advertisement, the agency and the advertiser must, in respect of the contents of the advertisement, indemnify and save the publisher harmless against any expense arising
from claims or actions against the publisher because of the publication of the content of the advertisement.
WINTER 2016
protection that’s
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I N D I A N A S OY B E A N A L L I A N C E a n d
SOY TALK
Harvest Completes Successful Year 1
Launch of Enlist Duo™ Herbicide
Production growers combine
weed-free fields of Enlist™ soybeans
Growers report seeing strong stands, full pods and clean
fields where Enlist™ soybeans grew this year. As the first year
of commercial use of Enlist Duo™ herbicide with Colex-D™
technology draws to a close, growers continue to see the benefits
of the Enlist Weed Control System.
Steve Wertish, a Mycogen Seeds
grower from Minnesota, participated
in seed production for Enlist soybeans
under the Dow AgroSciences’ Field Forward™
program. Field Forward gives select growers an opportunity to
experience new technology before it is commercially available. He
experienced exceptional weed control with no escapes. His clean
fields have caught the attention of his neighbors.
“Neighbors have stopped because they have seen that our
fields are weed-free,” Wertish says. “We’ve told them about our
experience this summer with the Enlist system and how pleased
we are. Now they are ready to plant Enlist on their farm.”
Wertish agrees Enlist Duo was easy to handle and delivered
on the on-target application benefits. For him, the on-target
application offers peace of mind and means greater weed control
because the herbicide reached the intended target.
“Colex-D technology has been a real eye-opener for me,” Wertish
says. “Anybody who’s going to be worried about drift or volatility
with Enlist Duo is going to be very surprised. There just seems to
be none whatsoever in my case.”
In future seasons, Enlist soybeans will be available in elite
varieties from Mycogen Seeds. For more information about the
Enlist system, contact your local Mycogen Seeds representative.
Brought to you by:
Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow.
The Enlist Weed Control System is owned and developed by Dow AgroSciences LLC. Enlist
Duo herbicide is not yet registered for use on Enlist cotton. Enlist Duo is not registered for
sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a
product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions.
©
2015 Dow AgroSciences LLC
®™
INDIANA CORN AND SOYBEAN
FARMERS HOST TOWN HALL WITH
SENATOR JOE DONNELLY
Senator Joe Donnelly heard directly from Indiana
farmers about their concerns and needs at a town hall
meeting during the Indiana Corn and Soybean Forum at
the Beck Agricultural Center in West Lafayette on Dec. 7.
“It has never been more critical for farmers to
have conversations with elected officials,” says ICGA
Vice President Mike Nichols of Rockport, Ind. “We
appreciate Senator Donnelly taking the time to answer
our questions and provide us more insight of what is
happening in Washington, D.C. that directly impacts
our farms.”
Senator Donnelly answered questions from farmers
about trade agreements, crop insurance, the Renewable
Fuel Standard and transportation infrastructure.
“If we are the crossroads of America – and we
are – then we need to take care of our businesses and
industries, including our ag community, which rely on
our roads and infrastructure,” says Sen. Donnelly after
discussing the transportation funding bill the Senate
recently passed that was signed into law.
As one of the many farmers who directed a question
to Sen. Donnelly, ISA Director Anngie Steinbarger
said that she wanted to ensure that the Senator was
aware that his continued support of the crop insurance
program within the farm bill is needed for corn and
soybean farmers across the state.
“With the recent attempts by some in Congress to
cut the crop insurance program, we need to remind
our elected representation in D.C. that this program
represents an important risk management tool for
farmers, especially as we face some uncertain times in
our farm economy,” says Steinbarger, a farmer from
Edinburgh, Ind.
To learn more about the Indiana Corn Growers
Association or to become a member, visit
www.incorn.org/icga. To learn more about the
policy efforts of Indiana Soybean Alliance or to become
a member, visit www.indianasoybean.com/membership.
You can also keep up with them on Twitter @IN_Corn
and @Indiana_Soy.
YOU WERE MEANT FOR THIS.
When all the planting, feeding and protecting grow into more than just your yield.
More than a job well done — it’s a realization. That this is what you were meant
to do. We’re with you. It’s what Mycogen Seeds is all about. A shared passion for
the life of your land. For the life that you love.
Visit
to maximize the potential of your corn and soybeans.
®
Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow
yco en eed . yco en eed i an affiliate of Dow ro cience
C.
(
)
C C
TRANSPORTATION FUNDING, PROPERTY TAX REFORM
AMONG TOP ISSUES FOR LAWMAKERS
By Patrick Pfingsten
T
he Indiana General Assembly
returns to the Statehouse in early
January for the 2016 legislative session,
a two-and-a-half month sprint which
will likely include major issues ranging
from social issues to transportation
funding to the impending 2016 election
for Governor.
Funding for Indiana roads and
bridges will likely be one of the major
fiscal issues facing lawmakers this
spring. House Speaker Brian Bosma
(R-Indianapolis) has even spoken
publicly that additional funding for
roads and bridges is his top priority for
the legislative session.
After a contractor issue forced the
closure of Interstate 65 for four weeks
this summer, Governor Mike Pence was
hit with political ads claiming he was
neglecting Indiana’s infrastructure. The
Governor responded with a $1 billion
road funding plan over the next four
years, but it did not include local roads
and bridges.
A coalition of groups, including
the Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana
Corn Growers Association, Indiana
Farm Bureau, Association of Indiana
Counties, and Indiana Association
of County Commissioners have all
highlighted the need for funding for
rural roads and bridges. However,
it appears some major issues, like
increasing gasoline and wheel taxes,
may be put off until 2017.
Meanwhile, farmers across the state
are looking to the General Assembly
for relief from skyrocketing property
tax rates on farmland. Under the state’s
current five year Olympic average
system to determine land values,
farmers are paying for successes in
2013 and 2014 while commodity prices
have fallen considerably.
Senator Brandt Hershman (R-Buck
Creek), who chairs the Senate Tax &
Fiscal Policy Committee, held hearings
over the summer on ways to relieve
an unfair burden on farmers while
continuing to follow strict guidelines of
the Indiana Constitution and tax caps.
2015 property tax rates, which are
payable in 2016, were frozen for one
year, meaning farmers will not see
another major jump in property tax
rates on their 2016 bills. But, without
action, 2017 could lead to another large
spike in property taxes.
Meanwhile, farmers need to be on
alert for attacks on agriculture during
the upcoming session. In 2015, three
bills were introduced to label foods
containing genetically engineered
ingredients, though none were called
for a vote. Groups are actively working
against livestock development and
ethanol production in the state.
For a legislative session that is
only scheduled to last about 10 weeks,
lawmakers could have a difficult time
getting to so many pressing issues.
If social issues continue to dominate
the media and halls of the Statehouse,
it could be even more difficult for ag
issues to gain traction.
As they say, only time will tell.
Corn Farmer Leaders:
Petition Now to Serve on the Board of Directors
of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council.
Opportunities for You to Serve.
The Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) is seeking Indiana corn producers interested
in serving on its board of directors. The ICMC manages corn checkoff investments and
determines promotional, educational and research activities that can strengthen Indiana’s
corn industry.
Represent your district.
The ICMC board includes 17 voting farmer-directors. Five seats - in Districts 1, 4, 7 and
two At-Large - will be filled through the ICMC’s Annual Elections in August 2016.
•
District 1. The counties of Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Starke, Pulaski, Jasper, White,
Benton, and Newton.
•
District 4. The counties include Warren, Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Putnam, Owen,
Clay, Vigo, Parke, Vermillion, and Fountain.
•
District 7. The counties of Sullivan, Greene, Daviess, Martin, Knox, Dubois, Pike,
Gibson, Warrick, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Posey.
•
At Large. The two open At-Large seats represent the entire state of Indiana.
Candidates for the ICMC board of directors are required to be registered voters, at least 18
years of age, and corn producers in Indiana. To be a candidate, you need to fill out and sign
a petition form. It is available at County Extension offices, at www.incorn.org/elections,
or by calling the Indiana Corn office at 1-800-735-0195.
Petitions must be returned to the ICMC office and postmarked before June 30, 2016.
This is an exciting time to become more involved with a dynamic organization as the Indiana Corn Marketing Council
continues to move forward to responsibly invest state checkoff in programs that will improve the bottom line for
Indiana corn producers. The focus for our organization going forward will be on Grain Marketing, Ethanol, Production
and Environment Research, Public Affairs, Livestock, and New Uses. Please call the corn office for additional
information, 1-800-735-0195.
1 2 | I N D I A N A C O R N & S OY B E A N R E V I E W |
WINTER 2016
Funded with Indiana corn checkoff dollars.
I N V E S T I N G S OY B E A N C H E C KO F F D O L L A R S
FROM
COMPETITION TO MARKET
By Abigail Murrish
roy Tate didn’t expect to get a new product idea for his soap
manufacturing business while touring a college campus.
His company, Tate Soaps and Surfactants, Inc. is based in
Kokomo, Ind. and manufactures the line of Korkay® Cleaning
Products along with other specialty waxes and conditioners.
While touring Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus,
Tate learned about Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Student
Soybean Product Innovation Competition and the 2014
runner-up winning product, SOOTs.
SOOTs is a soybean-based leather conditioner that was
developed by Purdue University students Sara Richert, Evan
Anderson and Andrew Anderson. Their team developed an
all-natural leather conditioner and water proofer ideal for
protecting leather used in saddles, boots and tack.
Although Tate already had a leather conditioning line of
products, he saw a new opportunity to license SOOTs and
create a commercial product for fine leather. Tate reached
out to Indiana Soybean Alliance and began to research the
product’s properties, explore the licensing process and begin
making plans to commercialize the product.
Matt Chapman, ISA new uses chair and farmer from
Springport, Ind., says that taking the first steps in the
licensing process for SOOTs is an exciting step in developing
a new market for Indiana soybeans and seeing the student
efforts from the new uses competition come to fruition.
“There’s a lot of testing, homework and diligence involved
with commercializing and licensing a new product, but it is
exciting to see the payoff from the hard work of developing a
new product,” he says. “In the beginning it’s hard to see the
forest through the trees. When you finally hold a product in
your hand, you see the rewards of developing a new use for
our crops.”
To assist with taking the product to market, ISA has filed
a provisional patent and licensed the technology to enable
Tate to develop, test and ultimately manufacture and sell a
soy-based leather conditioner. Tate plans to call the product
“Supreme Soy Leather Conditioner,” and he is interested in
creating a soy-based platform of products.
“This project started with Tate Soaps and Surfactants
and Indiana Soybean Alliance coming together to establish a
partnership to complete the necessary research and develop
a product to market,” Tate says. “Through working with ISA
staff, I’ve been able to take the SOOTs concept, and formulate
a soy-based leather conditioner.” Currently, Tate is working to
increase effectiveness and stability of the new product with
the hope of entering the marketplace during the last half of
2016.
T
INVESTMENT IN STUDENTS
Soybean oil and beeswax are the ingredients of Soots, an eco-friendly, organic leather boot conditioner and polish developed by Purdue students
vSara Richert and brothers Evan (left) and Sean Anderson. Their invention earned the runner-up prize of $10,000 in the 2014 Student Soybean Product
Innovation competition. (Purdue Agricultural Communication Photo/Tom Campbell)
WINTER 2016
The promise of commercialization is also what spurred
SOOTs student creators to participate in the 2015 new uses
competition after winning second place in 2014.
Although they didn’t win the 2014 grand prize with SOOTs,
they walked away with a promising product and research
and product development experience to enrich their college
education. That success is what motivated them to continue
innovating with soybeans and enter the competition the
following year.
“We were proud of ourselves for working as a team for so
many months, brainstorming product ideas, trying them out,
failing, coming up with new ideas, and finally developing
and marketing a final product, so no matter who won, we
enjoyed the entire process of working together to create a real
product,” Richert says. “And, I think that is what brought us
back for a second year.”
And their second year proved successful. The team placed
first with their soy-based air freshener, Soy Sniffs.
“Over the years we’ve spent a lot of money through
researchers and different universities and we’ve found that the
students are sometimes the most innovative and work outside
the box,” Chapman explains. “We’re always looking for ways
to get the most bang for our buck with checkoff dollars.
There’s no other program we’ve found that gives us this many
innovative concepts for the investment.”
CHECKOFF PARTNERSHIP AND NEW POSSIBILITIES
At the heart of the SOOTs success is the checkoff doing
what it does best: investing in new use ideas and facilitating
the commercialization of those ideas with the ultimate goal of
gaining new markets for soybeans.
The licensing agreement between ISA and Tate Soaps and
Surfactants brings investment back to the checkoff through
the utilization of Indiana soybeans, which allows ISA to
leverage farmers’ dollars even more and fund other new uses
work.
“Our goal is to get the most for every checkoff dollar and
promote new and innovative uses of our soybeans,” Chapman
says. “Supreme Soy Leather Conditioner is a soy-based
product that sprouted from the new uses competition into a
product that will be on store shelves thanks to the work of the
checkoff.”
Moreover, when partnering with an Indiana-based
company like Tate Soaps and Surfactants, Indiana farmers
have an opportunity to support local businesses.
“We always try to take care of those close to home first
and we always want to use a homegrown company if we
can,” Chapman adds. “When we look at products we want to
commercialize, and we look for people close to home who see
our vision for the product, care about Indiana agriculture and
want to invest in their communities.”
For more information about the New Uses Innovation
Competition, visit: www.indianasoybean.com/
newuseinnovation.
W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 | I N D I A N A C O R N & S OY B E A N R E V I E W |
15
It’s a fact.
Money doesn’t grow on trees.
THE RECIPE OF THE
2015 SOYBEAN SEASON
M
y wife is the chef, and I am the
baker. The running joke is that
I am her sous-chef, and she is my
Sue Baker. My wife is creative and
free-spirited with many things in life
including her cooking. She invents
these dishes with crazy combinations
of ingredients that seem to have no
rhyme or reason and certainly no
recipe card. Of course, nothing is
written down. A dash of this, pinch of
that, a few glugs of chicken stock, and
voila – an amazing dish!
I am on the opposite end as I am
analytical. I need to follow a recipe,
which is defined and designed for
successful treat. My buttermilk
pancakes are based on a specific ratio
of flour, sugar, baking power, baking
soda, salt, sugar, eggs, and buttermilk
(thanks Grandma).
Cooking is really an art, like my
wife, while baking is more of a science,
like me. You would think soybean
production is a science, but it is a
marriage of art and science. If anything
tell us this, it is the “recipe of the
2015 season.”
The 2015 growing season for
soybeans in many areas across Illinois,
Indiana, and Ohio followed this
recipe: compaction from 2014 harvest,
scant amount of fertilizer (or spread
on frozen ground), no preheating
of the soil (soil temperatures less
than 50F even in May), forced tillage
and/or plantings, heavy-handed
amount of water after planting, poor
stand establishment, root death and
delayed nodulation, late application
of herbicide, and no sunshine. Those
ingredients were only through
June-July!
The online reviews of this recipe
card would not have a single star
rating. Soybean growth was very
limited, which is a two-edged sword.
We want to build a factory to harvest
sunlight (leaf area), but we are not in
the business of producing leaf biomass
and selling it. We want to have an
efficient system to harvest sunlight
while retaining leaves and producing
pods. The early steps of this recipe card
kept the soybeans compact with no
room for excess growth.
As July and August approached,
the base of many of our soybeans was
shortchanged in terms of potential.
However, this season and our soybeans
proved to be more of a chef rather than
a baker.
The short and compact soybeans
balanced the supply and demand
of plant sugars. They retained the
few pods that they had with little
loss during seed fill, and most pods
were completely filled with seeds
(moderate temperatures with ample
soil moisture). Nodule regeneration
delayed N fixation, which likely helped
to retain leaves later in the season.
But it does on soybeanpremiums.org.
Grow your soybean profits with premium programs at
www.SoybeanPremiums.org. There you’ll find buyers,
locations and details for programs like non-GMO contracts and
food-grade soybeans – available throughout the U.S. Click
SHAUN N. CASTEEL
Purdue Extension
Soybean Specialist
[email protected]
soybeanstation.org
WINTER 2016
SoybeanPremiums.org – where profits grow.
Sunshine became abundant in
latter part of August and September
with warm temperatures. Soil moisture
started to become limiting, but a timely
splash of rain here and there helped to
finish off the dish.
The 2015 season was not a recipe
that I would have written out (nor
followed) for a delicious cookie. In
fact, I tried to rescue the disaster with
various in-season treatments in June
and July to no avail. The flexibility of
soybeans to adapt and improvise in
response to the weather (yes, the ugly
start and the beautiful finish) saved
this crop.
Soybean is the chef and we are
the sous-chef following its directions.
We are always watching and learning.
Happy cooking!
Dr. Shaun Casteel presents research results at
the Soybean Showcase at the Purdue Agronomy
Farm in July.
“Find a Program” to see the latest opportunities in your area.
Funded by the soybean checkoﬀ.
INVESTING CORN AND
S OY B E A N C H E C KO F F D O L L A R S
INVESTING CORN AND
STRATEGICALLY
TIME TO THINK
ABOUT WAYS TO REDUCE CROP PRODUCTION COSTS
very Indiana crop farm operation is
faced with a challenge in 2016. How
can our farm profitably grow corn and
soybeans given that prices are sharply
lower than they were just a few years
ago? From 2009 through 2013 U.S.
corn prices averaged $5.26/bushel
and soybean prices averaged $12.16/
bushel. Prices declined below these
averages in 2014 and 2015 and recent
forecasts for 2016 indicate that prices
for both crops are likely to remain 25
to 30% below their respective 20092013 averages. This implies a dramatic
reduction in expected revenue for
Indiana corn and soybean farms and
means that business as usual won’t
work in 2016. So, how can you respond
to this challenging business climate?
The first step is to carefully review
your production costs and consider
new management strategies that can
reduce your costs. Have you taken the
time this winter to develop a budget
for your cropping operation yet? If
you haven’t, now’s the time. You can
start by reviewing the Purdue crop
budgets available on the Center for
Commercial Agriculture’s website (just
type “Purdue 2016 crop budget” in
your favorite search engine to find the
budgets). But the Purdue budgets are
just a starting point, it’s very important
for you to take a close look at your
own projected production costs, not
just the average situation depicted in
the Purdue budgets. Examining your
farm’s budget(s) will help you identify
the areas of your operation that you
E
should focus on.
When thinking about possible
changes in your cropping operations,
it’s helpful to sort the various costs
into categories or buckets and then
focus on changes that you can make
within each of those management
buckets. Figure 1 takes estimated 2016
corn production costs for a typical
west central Indiana farm operation
and breaks them down into five broad
management categories: land, fertilizer,
seed, machinery, and labor, plus a
sixth miscellaneous category labeled
“other”. The largest single cost category
is land at 34 percent of estimated
production costs, followed by fertilizer
(20 percent), seed (15 percent),
machinery (13 percent) and labor (5
percent). Although the percentages
that each of these categories represent
in your budget might vary somewhat
from those identified above, they
likely do represent the major cost
categories on your crop operation.
So, now that you’ve identified the
major cost categories, how can you go
about identifying ways to reduce your
production costs?
The first point to remember is
that there are no “silver bullets” with
respect to reducing your production
costs. By that I mean there is no
single change that you can make to
significantly reduce your costs per
bushel. Instead, you’ll have to pursue
a “nickel and dimes” strategy. Examine
every aspect of your operation and
consider small changes you can make
WINTER 2016
that will help reduce your production
costs.
Combined, seed and fertilizer
comprise 35 percent of production
costs on many Indiana farms. What
changes can you make to your seed
and fertilizer programs to help reduce
your cost per bushel? Consider your
fertilizer application strategy for
a minute. How are you applying
nitrogen? Do you try and put all of
your nitrogen on pre-plant? Research
at Purdue and other Corn Belt land
grant universities indicates that sidedressing nitrogen can improve nitrogen
efficiency and reduce production costs.
A great way to examine this strategy
in more detail for your operation is
to use the Corn Split N Application
tool developed by a team of faculty
from around the Midwest. The online
decision tool is free and available at
mygeohub/groups/u2u.org. The tool
allows you to input a wide variety
of production details specific to your
farming operation and provides you
with the opportunity to examine
likely outcomes for many different
strategies. Behind the scenes the tool
uses weather data for your location to
help you assess how likely or difficult
it will be for you to side-dress your
intended acreage. After you provide
your expected nitrogen cost per pound,
the cost to sidedress per acre and
an expected corn price, it will also
compute the expected net benefit to
your operation of implementing a
split-application nitrogen strategy.
Perhaps the best part of the tool is the
way it encourages you to examine a
variety of different scenarios as you
consider implementing changes on
your farm. How much of an impact
might this have on your operation?
Well, it depends on the assumptions
you choose to make, but when I looked
at various scenarios for west central
Indiana net benefits of $10 to $20 per
acre were common.
What about seed costs on your
operation? Corn seed costs per acre
have increased significantly in recent
years. Part of the increase in seed cost
per acre, however, occurred because
most bags of seed corn also include
traits such as herbicide resistance or
pest resistance. The first question to
ask yourself is, do you need all the
traits you’ve been purchasing? Purdue
Extension weed scientists, agronomists,
and plant pathologists all recommend
reviewing past history of your fields
and thinking about the weed and
pest pressure you actually face when
making decisions about purchasing
traits instead of routinely purchasing
comprehensive trait packages. In
some cases, you can reduce your
cost per bushel by not buying a trait
and, instead, scouting your fields
carefully during the growing season to
determine whether you need to apply
a pesticide. Before making a change,
consider consulting with Extension or
your trusted crop advisor about which
traits are likely to be beneficial on your
operation.
Another aspect of seed cost is plant
population. Over time, corn seeding
rates have increased significantly with
rates of 34,000 seeds per acre or more
common in 2015. Can you reduce
your cost per bushel of corn produced
by reducing your seeding rate? Field
scale research trials conducted by
Purdue Agronomy around the state
since 2008 address this topic. Results
from these trials suggest that many
Indiana farmers could reduce their
production cost per bushel by opting
to use a moderately lower seeding
rate. How much lower? It depends
on the cost of seed and corn prices.
If an 80,000-kernel unit of seed corn
costs $250, corn is valued at $4.00
per bushel and your typical stand
establishment is 90 percent at the
V6 to V8 growth stage, the optimum
seeding rate is 31,450. At $250 per
bag of seed corn, planting at that
rate instead of 34,000 seeds per
acre reduces cost by nearly $8 per
acre. For more details regarding how
optimizing your seeding rate can
reduce your corn production costs per
bushel, review the Purdue Agronomy
publication on this topic available
at https://www.agry.purdue.
edu/ext/corn/news/timeless/
SeedingRateGuidelines.html.
What about land costs? Land is the
largest cost category for most farms.
And for many Indiana farms, a large
portion of the land they operate is cash
rented. Average cash rental values did
start to decline in most of Indiana this
past year, but average rental rates did
not decline nearly enough to offset the
big drop in revenue. Deciding what
you are willing to pay to rent land is
often a multi-year decision since, if you
give up control of farmland in 2016,
you might not have an opportunity
to farm it again in the future when
corn and soybean production is more
profitable. How can you make a
decision regarding what you can afford
to pay for cash rent, not just in 2016,
but over the next several years? The
Center for Commercial Agriculture
developed a spreadsheet tool to help
you analyze the impact various cash
rental rates will have on your operation
JAMES MINTERT
Director, Center for Commercial
Agriculture
Professor, Agricultural Economics
Purdue University
over the course of five-years. To learn
more about this tool and to download
the Excel spreadsheet decision tool,
visit the Center’s web site (www.
ag.purdue.edu/commercialag)
and click on “Evaluating Your Farmland
Rental Options”, which is listed under
“Featured Publications”.
Reducing production costs will be
an ongoing challenge the next several
years as the entire industry learns to
cope with lower corn and soybean
prices. Reviewing every aspect of your
operation this winter and looking
for ways to become more efficient is
a good way to start addressing this
challenge.
19
ATTACKS ON AGRICULTURE
WILL KEEP COMING
I
MIAMI COUNTY FARMER PARTICIPATES
IN SOYBEAN LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
By Abigail Murrish
M
iami County farmer John
Wildermuth was recently selected
to participate in the 2016 ASA/DuPont
Young Leader Program. Wildermuth
joins other young farmers from
across the nation to improve their
communications skills and networking
with soybean growers from across the
country.
“Each part of agriculture needs
a strong voice to represent its needs
and interests,” Wildermuth says. “Not
everyone is a national leader, but a
lot of us can help our leaders and I’m
looking forward to learning about
how to better serve my agricultural
community through the ASA/DuPont
Young Leader Program.”
The 2015/2016 program began
in November at DuPont Pioneer
headquarters in Johnston, Iowa where
participants focused on networking
with other growers and improving their
communications skills. Throughout the
spring and early summer, participants
will attend various state and national
events to hone their communication
and leadership skills.
In addition to meeting throughout
the year, participants will take part in
online activities to communicate with
other participants and program leaders.
The program will conclude in July 2017
with a visit to Washington D.C. where
participants will take part in ASA
activities.
Wildermuth started his farming
operation 20 years ago in Miami
County. He previously served as the
Miami County Farm Bureau president
and serves as an agriculture advisory
member for North Miami High School.
The Indiana Soybean Alliance works
with ASA to select program participants
who will represent Indiana in the
program. The ISA board is committed
to identifying emerging leaders
throughout the state and connecting
them with programs to cultivate their
skills and wants to nurture farmers like
Wildermuth.
“ISA wants to develop Indiana
farmers to lead on local, state and
national levels and make key industry
decisions and guide the conversation
about agriculture,” says ISA President
David Lowe. “John is the type of
farmer ISA is excited to support in
leadership opportunities because of his
passion for agriculture and interest in
agricultural issues.”
Adam and Hannah Steen, Indiana
soybean farmers from Delaware
County, participated in the 2015
program and benefitted from the
opportunity to network with other
farmers from other parts of the United
States.
“Each person has his or her own
method of dealing with weeds and
ground conditions in their specific
geography and it is amazing to learn
from the grower and not just some
statistic,” says Adam. “We are trying
to improve our ability to communicate
with people who are not directly
contributing to agriculture because it is
important for leaders in agriculture to
have a clear and concise message that
properly represents agriculture today.”
Wildermuth says he’s looking
forward to becoming more educated
about the agriculture industry, learning
about real-life situations, and meeting
his peers from across the country.
“Although I have some background
in engaging with agricultural topics, I
want to gain more knowledge about
the current issues so that I can be
informed and answer questions,”
he says. “I think it’s important for
somebody to get up and step into
leadership roles so that we can tell our
own story.”
For more information about the
program, visit soygrowers.com/
learn/young-leader-program/.
f you turned on your television and pick up stations
in Indianapolis or Cincinnati, you probably saw them.
Political-style ads with a deep, booming voiceover talking
about how ethanol was ruining the environment.
Pretty shocking, right?
Well, what if I told you the group that paid for the ads
was funded in part by all of the largest oil companies? The
same oil companies invested in selling dirty foreign oil and
less cleaner-burning, renewable fuels.
That’s the crux behind the attacks on the Renewable
Fuel Standard, the 2005 law that mandates more ethanol
blending into gasoline. In response to climbing oil prices and
instability across the Middle East, Congress said we should
rely more on renewable fuels in our gasoline supply. The
RFS asked farmers to grow more corn more sustainably, and
they have. The RFS asked ethanol plants to produce more
ethanol more efficiently, and they have. They RFS asked oil
companies to blend more ethanol at the pump. And they’ve
dragged their heels at every turn.
Instead of blending more ethanol into the fuel supply, oil
companies have instead relied on millions of dollars in false
attacks, television ads, and campaign contributions to stymie
the growth of renewable fuel.
Meanwhile, groups aimed at cutting every facet of
government have taken aim at crop insurance programs in
the Farm Bill. Farmers willingly gave up $23 billion in direct
payments in the 2014 Farm Bill in a deal with lawmakers for
a strong crop insurance program.
All you had to do was look north of Interstate 70 in
Indiana this year to see crop insurance was the difference in
breaking even or going under for some farmers in the state.
While the cuts appear to be stopped for now, the issue isn’t
likely to go away.
Or read social media to see how quickly modern
agricultural technology that has been proven safe time and
time again is demonized without reason or justification.
The attacks
on agriculture
aren’t going
anywhere.
Whether it’s
big money from
oil, activists, or
an internet mob,
what Indiana
farmers grow,
PATRICK PFINGSTEN
how they grow
Public Affairs Manager
them, and the
products that
[email protected]
come from those
crops are easy
targets.
There are less than 30,000 farmers in Indiana. Nationally,
farmers make up less than two percent of the population.
Some people would call farmers a special interest group.
They are. Because they’re special.
A safe food supply is a special interest to all of us, and
lawmakers know that. That’s why it’s important for them to
hear from you. They listen to you.
My challenge for you as we turn the calendar to a new
year, where hopefully you have a little to reflect on the
blessings of another year, is this: send a note to
your lawmaker.
Find your State Representative, State Senator, and
Congressman, and send an email to their office telling them
you hope they keep ag issues at heart and offer your help
or invite them to your farm. We can even help arrange a
meeting for you at the Statehouse this spring. Just email
me at [email protected] and we’ll make it
happen.
If you aren’t responding to the attacks on agriculture,
who will?
“ISA wants to develop Indiana farmers to lead on local,
state and national levels and make key industry decisions
and guide the conversation about agriculture”
ISA PRESIDENT DAVID LOWE
WINTER 2016
21
THANK YOU
Thank you to our 2015 Indiana Corn Growers Association Corporate Partners!
Their support helps our organization and farmers work on policy and advocacy efforts
at the local, state and federal levels. Our partnerships and policy work enhance the
economic viability of Indiana corn farmers and industry partners. If you are interested
in becoming a Corporate Partner, please call Katie Glick at 317-644-2797.
INNOVATION THAT GROWS
The yield you want, the demand you need – that’s high oleic.
With high oleic soybeans, you can take back the market share you lost to canola and other crops. High oleic are
top-performing varieties packed with innovation your end-use customers want. From supermarket food brands to
restaurant chains, high oleic soybeans offer you more market opportunities. Grow it now, and you grow your proﬁtability.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
DuPont Pioneer
Beck’s
Farm Credit Mid-America
Monsanto
Dow AgroSciences
Indiana Pork
Harvest Land Co-op
Indiana Ethanol Producers Association
Iroquois Bio-Energy
Green Plains Bio-Energy
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Co-Alliance LLP
Growth Energy
Central Indiana Ethanol
Indiana Dairy Producers Association
ADM
Clear Result
Thortons
Cardinal Ethanol
Indiana Corn Marketing Council
Talk to your local seed rep for the best varieties in your area or visit SoyInnovation.com
Not funded with Indiana corn checkoff dollars
Funded by the soy checkoff.
www.indianasoybean.com
Looking for a Few Good
Soybean Farmers!
Applications Now Being Accepted
We need leaders like you.
Represent your district.
The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) manages soybean farmer investments from the soybean
checkoff. The ISA Board of Directors represents the nearly 28,000 soybean farmers in Indiana
who contribute their dollars to the checkoff.
PORTER
LAKE
ST JOSEPH
LA PORTE
1
ELKHART
LA GRANGE
STEUBEN
NOBLE
DE KALB
2
MARSHALL
STARKE
KOSCIUSKO
WHITLEY
JASPER
ISA is seeking soybean farmer leaders to join a 24-member farmer board that is responsible
for annually investing Indiana soybean checkoff funds in biofuels, livestock, production and
environment research, grain marketing, new uses and aquaculture programs.
WABASH
WHITE
BENTON
ALLEN
FULTON
PULASKI
NEWTON
CASS
HUNTINGTON
MIAMI
WELLS
CARROLL
GRANT
HOWARD
ADAMS
BLACKFORD
JAY
CLINTON
TIPTON
MADISON
TIPPECANOE
WARREN
DELAWARE
RANDOLPH
HENRY
Elections will take place in all four districts. To be a candidate you must:
•
•
FOUNTAIN
WAYNE
MONTGOMERY
VERMILLION
PARKE
Be engaged in the growing of soybeans in the last two years.
RUSH
VIGO
Certify ownership or share ownership and risk of loss of soybeans.
Fill out director expectation statement and return it to ISA. (Director expectation
statement must be returned by March 11, 2016.)
MORGAN
CLAY
The election will be held July 2016. Election ballots will be distributed by mail in June.
JOHNSON
FRANKLIN
DECATUR
MONROE
3
FAYETTE UNION
SHELBY
OWEN
BROWN BARTHOLOMEW
4
DEARBORN
RIPLEY
GREENE
JENNINGS
JACKSON
LAWRENCE
JEFFERSON
OHIO
SWITZERLAND
DAVIESS
MARTIN
KNOX
SCOTT
ORANGE
PIKE
To learn more about serving as an ISA Director, or to receive a director expectation statement,
go to www.indianasoybean.com/elections or call the ISA office at 1.800.735.0195.
HANCOCK
MARION
HENDRICKS
PUTNAM
SULLIVAN
•
HAMILTON
BOONE
GIBSON
WARRICK
POSEY
VANDERBURGH
DUBOIS
CRAWFORD
SPENCER
PERRY
WASHINGTON
CLARK
FLOYD
HARRISON
Funded with Indiana soybean checkoff dollars.
INVESTING CORN AND
THANK YOU
BLOGGER FARM TO
TABLE PILOT PROGRAM
CONNECTS CONSUMERS
WITH FARMERS
CRIS GOODE
H
Thank you to our 2015 Indiana Soybean Alliance Membership & Policy Corporate
Partners! Their support helps our organization and farmers work on policy and
advocacy efforts at the local, state and federal levels. Our partnerships and policy
work enhance the economic viability of Indiana soybean farmers and industry
partners. If you are interested in becoming a Corporate Partner, please call
Katie Glick at 317-644-2797.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
DuPont Pioneer
Beck’s
Asgrow
Monsanto
Farm Credit Mid-America
Dow AgroSciences
Valent
Syngenta
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Harvest Land Co-op
Indiana Pork
Co-Alliance LLP
Indiana Dairy Producers Association
ADM
Clear Result
Not funded with Indiana soybean checkoff dollars
ow do we help consumers to understand that farmers
work hard every day to provide safe, affordable food
choices for their families when they are inundated with
marketing campaigns and fear tactics? Indiana’s Family of
Farmers (IFOF) recently tackled that question with their
Blogger Farm to Table pilot program.
This summer, IFOF partnered five farm bloggers (that
regularly participate in Indiana Soybean Alliance’s blogger
support program) with five non-farm bloggers for the project.
IFOF asked the bloggers to participate in a two part series
that would take them from the farm to the grocery store to
learn more about where their food comes from.
First, IFOF asked each set of bloggers to visit the farm
blogger’s farm to better understand where their food came
from. Many of the non-farm bloggers noted this was the
favorite part of
the project for
them noting
that the one
on one time
allowed them to
ask questions
without feeling
stupid. The
farmers also
enjoyed the
opportunity to
engage directly
with consumers
and learn about
their questions
while feeling
heard and
trusted instead of
misrepresented.
Heather Hill, Greenfield hog and grain farmer
After the
and blogger at 3KidsAndLotsOfKids.com
farm visits, IFOF
and RealFarmwivesofAmerica.com welcomes
local Indiana blogger Ann Marie Rohe of
asked the pairs
ChaosIsBliss.com to her farm to learn more
of bloggers to
about food production during IFOF’s Blogger
go with local
Farm to Table pilot program (photo: Ann Marie
Registered
Rohe, ChaosIsBliss.com).
Blogger & Social Media Strategist
[email protected]
GoodenessGracious.com
RecipesThatCrock.com
Dietician Kim
Galeaz to three
different grocery
stores to purchase the ingredients for a favorite family meal.
Galeaz took the pairs to a high-end, mid-range and low-end
grocery store to purchase ingredients with the goal of helping
the bloggers decipher the nutritional differences in products
regardless of the store or marketing label.
What did the ingredients cost at each store? What were
the marketing choices and nutritional differences at each
store? These were the questions the bloggers set out to
explore armed with their very own myth-busting nutritional
expert and a farmer that actually had a hand in producing
the food they found in the store.
The takeaways of the program were insightful. The
bloggers—farm and non-farm alike-- felt empowered by the
open communication and information. Questions were asked
about everything from GMOs to antibiotics. The non- farm
bloggers got their consumer questions answered straight
from the mouths of the experts—the farmers that grow their
food and a dietitian that truly understands nutrition and food
safety rather than a disconnected marketing team trying to
sell a product. The farmers got to speak directly with the
local social influencers and clear up any misconceptions
for them and their readers. Both groups of bloggers highly
recommended the program. Plans to expand the Blogger
Farm to Table Project are currently underway.
The bottom line? Consumers have legitimate questions
and they tired of being overwhelmed in the grocery store.
Farmers, have many of the answers they are looking for and
there is no better time than the present to engage consumers
respectfully. If you don’t answer their questions, one thing is
for certain, someone far less qualified is more than happy to
do so on your behalf.
If you or someone you know might be interested in
learning to use social media and blogging as a way to
connect with consumers and other social influencers,
contact me at [email protected]. To read more about
the blogger experiences in this project, visit: http://
indianafamilyoffarmers.blogspot.com/2015/12/
farm-to-table.html.
27
INVESTING CORN AND
INVESTING CORN AND
INDIANA CORN, SOYBEAN FARMERS SUPPORT
NEW PLANT PHENOTYPING
FACILITY AT PURDUE
T
wo groups representing Indiana corn and soybean farmers
are making a $4 million investment in automated plant
phenotyping research and education to further Purdue
University’s innovative work in plant sciences.
The Indiana Soybean Alliance will provide $1 million
in soybean checkoff funds to buy equipment for the new
automated phenotyping facility at the Purdue Agronomy
Center for Research and Education, and the Indiana Corn
Marketing Council will provide the same amount of corn
checkoff funds to support construction of the facility. An
additional $1 million from each organization will be placed
into two endowments to fund corn and soybean research
related to plant phenotyping and technology innovation in
perpetuity.
The support for plant phenotyping - identifying and
measuring plant characteristics - was announced Dec. 7
at a celebration event at ACRE. The facility, now under
construction, is scheduled to open next spring.
The plant sciences initiative is a component of Purdue
Moves, a series of university initiatives announced by
President Mitch Daniels to broaden Purdue’s global impact
and enhance educational opportunities for its students.
“The commitment that Indiana’s corn and soybean
farmers have shown through these two organizations
supports a facility that is a fundamental part of the
university’s long-term strategy to advance research and
education in plant sciences,” Daniels says. “It will help both
today’s and tomorrow’s scientists at Purdue discover more
ways to help the world meet an increasing demand for food
as the population grows rapidly.”
The objective of the two organizations’ checkoff
investment is to improve corn and soybean yields using
big data and advanced technology to enhance sustainable
production practices while keeping Indiana farmers
competitive in the global market. Farmers will benefit from
path-breaking research at the phenotyping facility.
The facility, to be the only one of its kind at a U.S.
university, will serve as a catalyst and hub, bringing together
multidisciplinary teams of faculty and students to develop
innovative technologies in agriculture. Phenomics data on
crops grown at the agronomy center will be gathered from
high-tech equipment above, on and under the ground and
transferred by fiber optic cable to the university’s highperformance computing facilities for analysis.
Researchers will assess the physical characteristics of
plants so farmers can adapt crop production practices to
enhance sustainability and improve crop productivity and
nutritional attributes.
David Lowe, president of Indiana Soybean Alliance and a
farmer from Dunkirk, says the investment reflects the group’s
successful involvement with Purdue over the last 20-plus
years of the soybean checkoff.
“This project is an opportunity to continue that
partnership and for our farmers to be on the forefront of
research that can help develop technology that will move
agriculture forward,” he says.
Dennis Maple, president of Indiana Corn Marketing
Council and a farmer from Greentown, says the project is
exciting not only because of the long-term benefits that the
research will bring to the group’s operations and industry but
also because of the number of students who will be reached
through the facility.
“We need the best scientists working on corn and soybean
issues today and into the future, and our investment at
Purdue will ensure that this happens,” he says.
Karen Plaut, senior associate dean for research and faculty
affairs in the College of Agriculture, says the investments
of the two groups “will help Purdue apply state-of-the-art
technology and data analysis to enhance decision-making
abilities and increase profitability for farmers.”
“We’re excited about what this partnership will bring to
the agriculture industry,” she says.
ICMC President Dennis Maple, Purdue President Mitch Daniels,
ISA President David Lowe
ISA President David Lowe, Dr. Karen Plaut, ISA/ICMC CEO Jane Ade
Stevens, Dean of Purdue College of Agriculture Jay Akridge, ICMC
President Dennis Maple at the announcement
Purdue President Mitch Daniels joined Indiana soybean and corn farmers to make the announcement of a legacy project funded by the checkoff
organizations to help fund the university’s new plant phenotyping center.
WINTER 2016
29
INVESTING CORN AND
INVESTING CORN AND
REBUILDING
THE CROSSROADS OF AMERICA
By Abigail Murrish
icknamed the Crossroads of America because of its
extensive highway infrastructure, Indiana is often touted
as an ideal state to partner with to agribusiness needs. The
state’s strong interstate and highway infrastructure creates a
prime environment for moving and shipping raw materials
and finished products throughout the United States.
While the freeways play a vital role in the state’s
transportation infrastructure, local roads and bridges are
the heartbeat of maintaining a strong agricultural climate
because farmers depend on county-level infrastructure to
efficiently deliver their commodities to the local country
elevator or processor.
And the news isn’t good for rural bridges.
According to the “2015 Statewide Bridge Sufficiency
Rating Report,” 1,398 of the 13,090 county maintained
bridges in the state of Indiana are rated as structurally
deficient and there are 1,570 bridges that are closed or have
weight restrictions.
Although the bridge closure numbers are significant,
transportation leaders question if the categorization of
structurally deficient bridges accurately reflects the true
conditions of the bridges due to current bridge assessment
techniques.
In an effort to determine the conditions of the deficient
bridges, the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), Indiana Corn
Marketing Council (ICMC), Soy Transportation Coalition, and
the Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) at
Purdue University are partnering to offer affordable technical
assistance to county highway departments in load testing of
rural bridges
“It’s critical we talk about our county roads and
bridges,” says Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy
Transportation Coalition. “Sound county road infrastructure
is critical to the profitability of the American farmer. The
subsequent modes of transportation – highways, railroads,
inland waterways – become less relevant if we don’t have
N
WINTER 2016
quality rural roads and bridges that allow the initial delivery
from the farm to occur.”
ASSESSING RURAL BRIDGES
A traditional county bridge assessment involves a bridge
inspector or a county engineer evaluating the bridge by sight
and checking for any apparent structural issues. Although
this technique provides a helpful starting point, it may fail
to account for the extent of a bridge’s impairment, which
can result in a bridge having its load weight unnecessarily
reduced or not reduced enough.
Through this project, the Indiana soybean and corn
checkoff organizations are partnering with Soy Transportation
Coalition and LTAP to provide expertise and equipment
necessary to assess the bridge using load testing technology.
The use of load testing technology for bridges will result in a
more accurate diagnosis of the structural capacity and weight
limitations – ensuring better stewardship of taxpayer dollars
and of our state’s bridge inventory.
Pat Conner, an engineer for LTAP who is helping conduct
the project, likens the sight test bridge assessment to an
annual physical with a general practitioner. Although it is
helpful and can provide guidance, it does not provide specific
data on one’s health.
Conner adds that a load testing assessment is like a heart
stress test. A patient is closely monitored to gain insight
into how he responds to specific conditions. Based on that
information, a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis of the
problem and prescribe a course of treatment.
“The load test looks at individual bridges and helps us
understand how the bridge responds to certain loads,” he
says. “As a result, we can accurately adjust bridges’ weight
limits so that they can be used safely.”
Steenhoek notes that load testing the bridges is helpful
outcome, regardless of what test uncovers.
“In one sense, all of the outcomes are favorable because
the results will provide clarity and affirmation,” he says. “We need
to get the diagnosis right. If we get the diagnosis right, we can
practice better stewardship of resources and tax payer dollars.”
A LONG-TERM APPROACH TO REPAIRING ROADS
As farmers look for opportunities to repair and rebuild county
roads and bridges, Steenhoek is encouraged by the approach of
Indiana’s agricultural community.
“Indiana’s farmers are promoting innovation and they are
putting money where their mouth is,” he explains.
Ronnie Mohr, chair of ICMC’s supply committee and Hancock
County farmer, explains that Indiana’s farmers want to be part of
the solution of helping repair and maintain local infrastructure by
providing local leaders with the needed tools.
“We encourage any innovation or technology that will result in
a more cost effective and reliable delivery of our crops to market,”
says Mohr. “We are very interested in seeing these technologies
become more widely demonstrated throughout Indiana.”
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
At the local level, this testing gives counties vital information
to help leaders make confident decisions and maximize funding
for repairs. And with the data, local leaders can begin to prioritize
projects and make a plan for the future.
Moreover, through stepping into help rural communities repair
their roads, ISA and ICMC demonstrate their desire to be part of
the conversation about planning for the future and working with
local leaders to create an infrastructure that meets the needs of the
local communities and modern agriculture.
“Agriculture is different today than it was 50 years ago when
many of these roads were constructed,” Steenhoek says. “They
were created with different agricultural and rural needs in mind,
and the rural infrastructure has not caught up with the changes in
production, equipment and use.”
For more information about participating in a study, contact
Pat Conner at Purdue LTAP at 765-494-4971.
31
I N V E S T I N G C O R N C H E C KO F F D O L L A R S
CONSERVATION AND PRODUCTION RESEARCH
SHINES AT FALL FIELD DAY
By Abigail Murrish
arly last fall, almost 100 people gathered at Mike Shuter’s
farm in Anderson, Ind. to learn about research currently
being conducted on local, state and national levels. The
attendees were farmers, consultants, retailers, bankers and
extension agents and they represented more than 850,000
acres of farmland throughout the Midwest.
The field day highlighted three conservation research
programs that Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) is
currently sponsoring: production research from Purdue
University’s College of Agriculture, Conservation Cropping
Systems Initiative and the Soil Health Partnership.
“For farmers to effectively and efficiently farm, we must
continually research the best conservation practices that
protect the environment and promote efficient operations,”
Shuter says. “ICMC – the corn checkoff – is committed
to conservation and production research, and the field
day at our farm highlighted the breadth and depth of that
commitment.”
Throughout the day, attendees had an opportunity to see
how checkoff dollars are being utilized to collaborate with
organizations and farmers to conduct research that helps
farmers conserve the environment while maximizing profits
and production.
E
PURDUE PRODUCTION RESEARCH
Dr. Tony Vyn, a professor of agronomy at Purdue
University, is researching practical methods for applying
some of the nitrogen well past the normal side dress timing
for corn. He is working on very detailed experiments on a
Purdue research farm and at three on-farm sites in northwest
and east-central Indiana in cooperation his graduate student
Sarah Brooks.
Vyn is working with Shuter to experiment with lateseason nitrogen application using high-clearance farm
equipment that Shuter has modified to enable him to apply
fertilizer when nitrogen uptake is at its peak.
“This on-farm research project seeks to provide more
scientific and Extension guidance to what some Indiana
corn farmers are already doing with respect to late-season
nitrogen applications,” Vyn says. “Technology changes in the
current availability of higher clearance equipment, precision
guidance, crop sensors and sprayer-mounted coulter-toolbar
options plus the economic/environmental incentives to
achieve higher yields with more efficient nitrogen use have
all been motivating factors in the attempts by some Indiana
farmers to apply a portion of their nitrogen to high-yield corn
at later stages of corn development.”
According to Vyn, much of the pre-plant nitrogen can be
lost with extreme rainfall during early growth stages, like
this most recent spring. This research would give farmers
WINTER 2016
the option of waiting to apply some of the nitrogen until the
spring is past.
“What is needed is a more prescription approach
to nitrogen fertilizer amounts, timing, and nitrogen
placement for making sustainable gains with an intentional
supplemental nitrogen approach involving later than normal
application,” Vyn says. For example, 75 or 80 percent of the
total N could be applied by the early sidedress stage (V3-V6)
and the remaining 20 to 25 percent could be applied after the
V10 stage.
Determining the optimum timing of split nitrogen
applications is the goal of Vyn’s research, enabling farmers
to maximize the effectiveness of nitrogen application and
minimizing the amount of nitrogen left in the soil. Although
the potential economic impact is difficult to predict, Vyn says
knowledge about late season nitrogen application will help
farmers make informed crop management decisions.
“Key results in this project will be the measurements of
in-season growth responses, grain yields, and whole-plant
N uptake relative to soil N status,” he says. “But equally
important will be the estimation of on-farm costs and grower
challenges when our cooperators switch to an intentional
“supplemental N” approach following various levels of
background N application(s) earlier in the growing season”
CONSERVATION CROPPING SYSTEMS
INITIATIVE
For four years, ICMC has partnered with Conservation
Cropping Systems Initiative (CCSI) to research farm-scale
agronomic and economic research. Shuter’s farm is home
to one of 17 strip trials, including five non-farm locations
and 12 farms across Indiana in a current CCSI research
study. According to CCSI soil health program manager Lisa
Holscher, the goal of the research is to compare existing
cropping systems to one that incorporates an additional
practice that is expected to improve soil health. Most
compare no-till only operations to no-till and cover crops
operations.
“This is becoming increasingly important as we face
season after season of tough weather conditions,” says
Holscher. “The systems our CCSI farmers are using work –
they are resilient to the tough weather. And it’s profitable for
them – farming is a business, not a charitable institution.”
CCSI runs a battery of ‘standard’ soil and plant tests,
as well as some of the newer ‘soil health’ tests, including
Haney’s Soil Health Nutrient Tool, Phospholipid Fatty Acid
(PLFA), and the Cornell Soil Health Assessment to compare
the effectiveness of various cropping systems. By analyzing
the soil, they are able to quantify soil health changes and
help farmers better understand soils and calibrate them for
maximum production and conservation.
The goal of all CCSI projects, like the one on Shuter’s
farm, is to improve the health of soils and increase the
adoption of soil health systems through research, education,
technical assistance and collaborating with partners.
Holscher says that CCSI works with producers to help them
reducing soil disturbance, increasing/protecting surface
residue, increasing biodiversity above and below ground, and
keeping a living root in the soil year round, all of which leads
to healthier, more resilient soils.
2016 Soil Health Summit in January, and they are looking
forward to collecting data over the next three years as more
farmers join the program.
“This program is continuing to gain momentum because
of the farmer engagement and farmer leadership,” Goeser
says. “Farmers are asking how to optimize their resources
and steward the environment, and that’s what this program
is for.”
For more information about ICMC’s production research
programs, please visit: incorn.org/production-research
SOIL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP
ICMC’s involvement with the Soil Health Partnership was
also highlighted during Shuter’s field day.
SHP is a collaborative partnership between Monsanto, the
Walton Family Foundation and the National Corn Grower’s
Association that launched in 2014 at Commodity Classic. The
farmer-led initiative brings farmers and agronomists together
with other agriculture organizations and conservations
groups from seven Midwestern states including Indiana,
Illinois and Iowa. The goal of the program is to identify,
testing and measuring management practices that improve
soil health and benefit farmers’ operations.
“SHP is a unique project because it is driven by farmers
and it focuses on helping farmers make their operations more
productive and profitable while protecting the land,” says
Nick Goeser, NCGA Directorof soil health and sustainability
and Director of the SHP. “This is a good investment for
farmers because it is farmer-driven and the goal is to provide
resources for farmers and develop tools for going forward.”
Farmers participating in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin are implementing
conservation practices on specific plots of their land to
evaluate the practices. On Shuter’s farm, they are looking at
two different cover crops systems in eight different strips and
comparing the results and assessing the efficacy.
Goeser says they have preliminary results from the first
year of the study that they will announce and discuss at the
A WORD FROM SARAH BROOKS
I am very appreciative of the ICMC’s
support of my graduate studies. The
on-farm experiments that we are
conducting with the aid of ICMC allow
us to move my small-plot research,
which also focuses on evaluating lateseason N applications, to the farm scale
in order to provide practical answers
to Indiana farmers interested in using
split-N applications as a fertilizer
management strategy. The use of
planned, supplemental N applications
holds much promise to improve the efficiency of the N
fertilizer we apply to corn by ensuring that N is available in
the soil during the time of most rapid N accumulation. In this
research we are focusing on applying the last 20-25% of the
total N at approximately V12-V14. It has been very rewarding
for me as a graduate student to apply my research to such a
practical application that provides much needed insight. I have
also greatly enjoyed working with our on-farm cooperators
Adam and Aaron Howell, Mike Shuter, and Phil Kaiser and
I appreciate their willingness to collaborate with us on this
research project.
INDIANA FARMER’S MEMORY COMMEMORATED
THROUGH STUDENT RESEARCH
HOOSIER FARMERS NEEDED
FOR ICMC BOARD
By Abigail Murrish
By Abigail Murrish
C
elebrating and commemorating the life of an Indiana
corn farmer and former Indiana Corn Marketing
Council president is at the heart of a new graduate student
scholarship at Purdue University.
Gary Lamie suddenly passed away in 2013 and his
former ICMC colleagues wanted to honor his memory by
funding scholarships for graduate students. ICMC’s work
with research at Purdue University offered the board an
opportunity to honor Lamie’s passion for university students
engaged in research related to the corn industry while
investing in research that benefits farmers.
“ICMC wants to invest in students who are currently
researching important corn topics under professors, and who
will become researchers in the future,” says ICMC President
Dennis Maple. “With checkoff dollars, it is important that
we not only invest in current research, but that we also
invest in students who will be instrumental in solving issues
surrounding corn production for years to come.”
Graduate Student Corn Research Assistantships are
available from funds provided by the Indiana Corn Marketing
Council in collaboration with the vCollege of Agriculture.
These funds are intended to support the research phase of
graduate students’ masters’ and doctoral programs. The
recipients of the 2015 scholarships are Ph.D. student Sarah
Brooks and masters’ student Neal Hengge.
“The graduate student assistantships provided by the
Indiana Corn Marketing Council offer excellent motivation
and support for graduate student research on corn production
and use,” says Marshall Martin, senior associate director of
agriculture research Purdue University. “This year’s awardees
are conducting research on enhancing corn grain yields and
ethanol production efficiency.”
Sarah Brooks research focuses on better understanding
nitrogen uptake by the corn plant during grain fill to enhance
yields and grain quality.
“Early in my college career I recognized that agronomy
and crop production is where my passion lies,” Brooks says.
“At a time when farmers in the developed world need to
work harder for each unit of yield gained, this is the ideal era
to capitalize on our genotypic awareness and combine this
with a big picture management understanding in order to
manage genotypes (through hybrid placement, population,
and optimum nutrient management) in a way that exploits
their genetic potential in a wide array of environments.”
According to Tony Vyn, professor of agronomy and
cropping systems extension specialist, Brooks is an
impressive student whose research will benefit farmers
because of its practical application to agriculture.
“Sarah is one of those rare graduate students that will
help inspire future changes in Corn Belt crop production
systems based on the highest quality science, a fundamental
understanding of practical agriculture, and a gift for
WINTER 2016
communication (to farmers, students and scientists),” Vyn
says.
Along with Brooks, Neal Hengge, a masters’ student,
is a recipient the ICMC scholarship. Hengge is exploring
liquefaction of corn stover to reduce ethanol production costs
and increase ethanol yield. Results of this research should
contribute to the profitability of Indiana corn farmers.
“Using engineering to find new ways to produce
alternative energy has been a passion of mine since high
school,” says Hengge. “My current work is focused on
the liquefaction of corn stover to add value its conversion
to ethanol. My graduate thesis will propose to carry out
fundamental research on lowering the viscosity of biomass
slurries in an attempt to increase biomass conversion to
ethanol efficiency.”
Michael Ladisch, Hengge’s major adviser and professor
of agricultural and biological engineering, says that he is
impressed with Hengge’s enthusiasm and interest in corn
processing and corn stove.
“Neal Hengge has a passion for agriculture and its role in
providing renewable feedstocks,” Ladisch says. “The award
of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council Graduate Research
Assistantship in support of the research phase of his thesis
will help develop and reinforce his enthusiasm for addressing
research that will positively impact corn growers.”
“The goal of the program is to support graduate students
whose research is relevant to the knowledge base important
to the corn industry,” says Maple. “We know that success on
the farm is directly correlated with continual advancements
in research, and we are excited about the work we’ll be
funding and students we’re investing in this year through the
scholarship.”
Applications for the 2016 scholarships are now being
accepted. For more information, contact Marshall Martin at
[email protected].
INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED WITH
INDIANA CORN MARKETING COUNCIL?
The ICMC board of farmer-directors is responsible for
enhancing the value of corn for Hoosier farmers through
the investment of those checkoff funds. The main areas
of investment are grain marketing, livestock, biofuels,
production research and environmental programs, and new
use innovation.
“As an ICMC director, I’ve had the opportunity to
influence the future of the Indiana corn industry through
stewarding the state’s checkoff funds,” said Dennis Maple,
ICMC President and farmer from Greentown, Ind. “For
Indiana to remain a national leader in the corn industry, we
must have grassroots leadership in our state and hear from
our farmers.”
ICMC LEADERSHIP NEWS
In September 2015, four Indiana corn farmers elected
were to serve on the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC)
board of directors.
Mike Beard from Frankfort, Ind. and Herb Ringel from
Wabash, Ind. were re-elected to serve as district directors.
Sarah Delbecq from Auburn, Ind. and Kelly Whiteman Snipes
of Rochester, Ind. were elected to serve as at-large directors.
Ringel from Wabash County will serve as director for
District 2, which includes St. Joseph, Elkhart, Marshall,
Kosciusko, Fulton, Wabash, Miami, Cass, and Carroll
counties.
Beard from Clinton County will serve as a director for
District 5, which includes Howard, Grant, Clinton, Tipton,
Madison, Hamilton, Boone, Hendricks, Marion, Hancock,
Rush, Decatur, Bartholomew, Shelby, Johnson, and Morgan
counties.
Sarah Delbecq and Kelly Whiteman Snipes represent the
entire state of Indiana.
The newly elected directors will help direct programs that
drive the success of the corn industry within the state and
they began their terms in October.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO SERVE
To run for an ICMC director seat, Indiana corn farmers
must be a registered Indiana voter, at least 18 years of age,
and reside in the appropriate district. All farmers who submit
a valid petition by the deadline will be listed as a candidate
on the election ballot.
In 2016, ICMC will have seats up for election in Districts
1, 4, and 7. There are also two At-Large seats up for election.
• District 1: Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Starke, Pulaski, Jasper,
White, Benton, and Newton.
• District 4: The counties include Warren, Teippecanoe,
Montgomery, Putnam, Owen, Clay, Viga, Parke,
Vermillion, and Fountain.
• District 7: Sullivan, Greene, Daviess, Martin, Knox,
Dubois, Pike, Gibson, Warrick, Spencer, Vanderburgh,
and Posey.
• The two open At-Large seats represent the entire state of
Indiana.
Voting takes place at local Cooperative Extension Service
county offices in August 2016. Board members must be
willing to participate in board meetings, committee meetings,
and other corn checkoff functions throughout the year.
Farmers interested in running for a director position
should submit a petition to the ICMC office before June 30,
2016. Farmers can receive a petition by downloading the
forms at www.incorn.org/elections or by calling the
ICMC office at 317-347-3620.
Neal Hengge and Sarah Brooks
35
INVESTING CORN AND
BIG DATA, LITTLE DATA
Y
MOVING FORWARD FROM THE MISERY OF THE
2015 CORN CROP
M
ost of us simply want to “put the 2015 corn crop to
bed” and move forward. As we look ahead to the 2016
cropping season, two major factors that will undoubtedly
affect profitability of the corn crop are relatively low grain
prices and unpredictable extreme weather.
“Low” grain prices are indeed “relative” because who
would have complained about $3.80 corn only a few short
years ago (okay, maybe 10 to 15 years ago)? The problem is,
of course, that while grain prices have dropped drastically the
past 5 or so years from their highs in the late 2000’s, many of
our crop input expenses have not decreased much at all.
Agronomically, we can respond to “low” grain prices by
1) reducing crop input costs wisely, without sacrificing yield,
2) improving yields without increasing cost per bushel, or
both. Some crop inputs have a small chance of improving
yields and can be cut with minimal yield risk. Some crop
inputs may not be necessary at all. Other inputs, like nitrogen
(N) fertilizer, are very important to yield.
Unpredictable extreme weather has become so
prevalent that it is fair to redefine “normal” weather as an
unpredictable number of unpredictable extreme weather
events, each occurring unpredictably, with unpredictable
severity. Such “normal” weather patterns represent the
greatest agronomic challenge we face in producing good corn
yields consistently and reinforce the need to work toward
improving the weather resilience of our crops.
Here is a short list of key agronomic factors to consider as
you strive to grow a crop that is resilient to the unpredictable
extremes of Mother Nature.
• Poor soil drainage influences many other yield influencing
factors, including root health and depth, relative risk of
soil compaction, timeliness of planting and other field
operations, success of weed control, risk of losing soil
nitrate-N, and success of reduced tillage practices. Work
toward improving surface drainage or tile
drainage systems.
• The risk of soil compaction goes hand-in-hand with
poor soil drainage, large heavy field equipment, and the
natural human characteristic of impatience. Work hard
WINTER 2016
RL (BOB) NIELSEN
Agronomy Department
Purdue University
[email protected]
kingcorn.org/cafe
on changing those factors to minimize the risk of creating
soil compaction.
• Consider reducing the number of tillage operations in
your operation in order to reduce machinery production
costs, reduce the number of opportunities to create soil
compaction, conserve soil moisture in times of dryness,
and improve soil permeability in times of rain.
• Select hybrids with superior yield potential AND stress
tolerance characteristics. The latter safeguards against
the effects of unpredictable stresses. Seek hybrids that
consistently rank near the top of a large number of
variety trials.
• Improve the efficiency of your N fertilizer management.
Avoid fall applications of anhydrous ammonia. Move
toward sidedress N applications. Include nitrification
or urease inhibitors where appropriate. Consult our
guidelines for the “ballpark” optimum N rates suitable for
your area of the state… (http://www.kingcorn.org/
news/timeless/NitrogenMgmt.pdf).
• Consider row starter (2x2) fertilizer at planting to
minimize the effects of early-season stresses and better
assure healthy, uniform stand establishment. Aim for 30
to 40 lbs actual N in the starter fertilizer, remembering to
deduct that amount from the total N to be applied to field.
• Improve the effectiveness of your weed control strategies.
Know which weeds you are dealing with. Recognize and
identify resistant weeds. Know and rotate the herbicide
chemistries that control those weeds. Time the herbicide
applications relative to the size of the weeds. Do not rely
solely on post-emergence herbicides.
• Improve the effectiveness of your disease control
strategies. Know your diseases (send samples to Purdue’s
Plant & Pest Diagnostic Laboratory). Use a 4-pronged
approach: 1) Genetic disease resistance, 2) Avoid corn
after corn, 3) Bury corn residues with tillage (where
appropriate), and 4) Consider foliar fungicides
where appropriate.
ou need to go to a meeting an hour or so away, so you
hop onto one of the interstates that crosses the state.
Twenty minutes down the road, all the cars pretty much come
to a stop. As your car creeps along, your companion sitting
next to you pulls out their smart phone and asks the map app
to find information on the stopped traffic. When this happens
to me, I tend to get off at the next exit and use the back roads
to find my way to the meeting.
Many, many years ago my husband and I spent a year
working on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles valley. He
worked in one town, and I worked two towns away. Because
of the hills in the area, while he could drive city streets to get
to his office, I had the choice between an interstate or a state
highway. My drive to work took no more than 30 minutes.
My drive home could take anywhere from one to three hours
depending on traffic. The only way I could know if it was
going to be bad was to try to catch a report from one of the
traffic helicopters as I left the office so I could take the state
highway instead.
The phone app that my companion pulled out is most
likely run by Google maps, and they didn’t build their traffic
information by sending out traffic helicopters. They tap
into what is generally referred to as “Big Data.” From what
I’ve read, rather than building their traffic maps by tracking
individual cell phones, they look at the pattern of interactions
of all cell phones in the area with the cell towers. They’ve
built models of what normal traffic flow cell interactions look
like; therefore, when the live data feed changes, they can
assume cars are not moving.
Big Data aggregates individuals’ data in order to gain
insight from the patterns. Little Data is all about managing
the individual. When you have this or that field sampled, you
are looking to get insight into how to improve your yields
in that field. Everyone has the ability to tap into Little Data
about their operation. You collect the samples, send them to a
lab and then compare the reports to what the experts advise.
Access to Big Data’s information takes the formation of a
network of people willing to share information. Participating
in INfield Advantage gives you access to our network of
producers and experts, and coming to your local winter
grower meeting is a chance to gain insights from the patterns.
Last June we saw a wee bit more rain than we wanted,
with some areas seeing a lot more than they wanted. When
we went out to collect stalk samples at black layer, we found
areas where no crop had survived, areas with outstanding
yield, and areas with tiny ears less than two feet above the
ground. I think everyone agrees that the water washed out the
nitrogen at minimum and in many areas sat in pools
for weeks.
When we look at a single field, we can draw a conclusion
about what happened to that field. When we look at a
local group, or network, we can start to see how minor
management changes – like nitrogen form, timing or
placement, may have shifted the results. Furthermore, by
asking questions during the winter meeting, it’s possible to
dig into the details of those management changes. When
we split the
state into multicounty regions
and aggregate all
the data within
that region, we
achieve Big Data.
Looking at
this year’s INfield
Advantage data
by region allows
MEG LEADER
us to understand
Agricultural and Environmental
what fertilizer
Affairs Program Manager
rates for which
Division of Soil Conservation
forms and timing
Indiana State Dept. of Agriculture
still produced
[email protected]
corn stalk
in.gov/isda/ofn
nitrate values
within the range
that university
scientists consider optimal. Adding in previous years’ data,
say 2011 – another high rainfall year, and we start producing
a picture of how to produce your optimum yields even during
an untypical wet year.
37
IS is the only organization wholly dedicated to the success of the
soybean industry in Indiana. Becoming a member gives you uick,
personalized access to the checkoff resources — and support —
you need to succeed.
CONGRATULATIONS to our first winner,
avid Morgan, soybean farmer from
Swayzee, Indiana.
Checkoff investments strengthen our industry
and help ensure a profitable future for all
soybean farmers — but there’s another side of
your membership that’s just for you. Take full
advantage of everything your checkoff dollars
provide with personalized access to local and
national checkoff resources, risk management
tools and the latest ag production research on
the market.
COMMUNITY LEADERS GAIN PERSPECTIVE
ON THE LOCAL IMPACT OF AGRICULTURE
H
elping community leaders understand the journey corn
and soybeans take from farm to business was the goal
of the recent “Follow the Grain Tour” sponsored by Indiana
Corn Growers Association and Indiana Soybean Alliance’s
Membership and Policy committee.
On Sept. 29, economic development leaders from various
state and local agencies attended the tour which provided
attendees a clear picture of idea of how agriculture – from
family-owned grain and livestock farms to food processing –
can bring value to our local and state economies.
“The Follow the Grain Tour gave farmers like me a chance
to show local civic and economic leaders the value that
modern agriculture brings to our state and communities,”
says Don Wyss, a corn and soybean farmer and ISA director.
“Through traveling the path that grain takes from the farm to
the end consumer product, tour attendees gained a firsthand
knowledge of the countless ways that agriculture can build
strong communities and local economies.”
The tour began at Prairie Farms located in Fort Wayne,
Ind. and then traced the journey of corn and soybeans
backward, from the food processing plant to a family farm.
Tour attendees visited Kuenhert Dairy Farms and soybean
processor Bunge North America, and then concluded at Wyss
Family Farms, a family corn and soybean farm.
“At the Indiana Economic Development Association,
we define economic development as ‘the facilitation of
investment that leads to long-term community prosperity,’”
says Lee Lewellen, executive director of the Indiana
WINTER 2016
Economic development leaders from across the state participated in
the Follow the Grain Tour on Sept. 29 hosted by Indiana Corn Growers
Association and Indiana Soybean Alliance. The tour included several
stops in northeast Indiana showing how grain moves from the farm to
the end consumer product, including Wyss Family Farms outside of Fort
Wayne, Ind. (ISA/ICGA photo)
Economic Development Association. “Nothing fulfills that
definition for Indiana better than 21st century agriculture.
Many times, we talk about attracting technology and
innovation to Indiana, but on the Follow the Grain Tour,
we got to see that Indiana’s ag industry already embodies
technology and innovation.”
The tour built off the conversation began at the Indiana
Livestock, Forage & Grain Forum about the ways that
livestock production, as well as corn and soybean farms,
benefit rural communities. Annually, Indiana’s animal
agriculture industry contributes $7.3 billion in economic
output and provides more than 38,000 jobs for Hoosiers.
“Participating in the Follow the Grain Tour was a great
opportunity to see the direct impact of farming on both the
local and world economy,” says John Urbahns, Fort Wayne
vice president of economic development. “Farming plays a
much bigger role in supporting other local industries than
most people realize. Without producing the raw goods in our
community we wouldn’t have the opportunity to host many
of the companies that call Indiana home.”
For more information about how agriculture contributes
to local economies, visit www.farmersdeliver.com.
Activate your personal membership
today for a chance to win a $500
gift card to Rural King® at
IndianaBeanBenefits.com.
Sign up today for your chance to get the most out of your checkoff membership
benefits and win a $500 gift card to Rural King®.
First Name*________________________ Last Name*_________________________ Farm (Company) Name ____________________________________________
Spouse/Partner Name __________________________________________________ Street Address*___________________________________________________
City*____________________________________ State*_________________________________ Zip*____________________________________________________
County_______________________________________ Email Address*__________________________________________________
Business Phone________________________ Mobile__________________________ Fax______________________________________ Birth Year_______________
Additional Information
How would you like to receive information from the Indiana Soybean Alliance?*
Email
The Indiana soybean checkoff membership is a voluntary, free membership providing access to
individualized checkoff benefits based on member-selected interests. You will receive checkoff
communications corresponding to your selections.
Phone
Yes
Mail
101-249
250-499
5,000-10,000
500-999
Ryan Sands, hog and grain farmer, Silver Lake, Indiana, discusses his family’s efforts to
build new livestock barns so he and his brothers could return to the family farm.
“I think it is great that soybean checkoff provided funds for a livestock video. We [grain
and livestock farmers] are separate parties, but we are one entity that provides food
to the country, and we have to keep unity in farming and dispel stereotypes. It is your
choice how you want to feed your family and we shouldn’t be marketing against each
other — especially when it comes to educating the public.”
01-MC165-12/01
INSCSOYB 33821-19
Aquaculture
10,000+
Hay
Livestock
Other ________________________________
Organic Farm
No, my farm is not organic.
Are you a member of any of the following organizations?
Non-GMO Corn
Soybeans
Seed Corn
Oats
Swine >55 LBS
Laying Hens
Other _______________________________
Goats
Ducks
Veal Calves
Turkey
Cattle or Cow/Calf Pairs
Chickens (not laying hens)
Aquaculture
Equine
If choice is “Vegetable”, please check all that apply:
Tomatoes
* indicates required field
Specialty Corn
Other Specialty Acres
Sorghum
Swine <55 LBS
Mature Dairy Cattle
Indiana Poultry
Non-GMO Soybeans
If choice is “Livestock”, please check all that apply:
Indiana Soybean Alliance (dues-paying policy membership)
Indiana Beef Cattle Association
White Corn
High Oleic Soybeans
Indiana Corn Growers Association
Indiana Farm Bureau
Sustainability
If choice is “Small Grain”, please check all that apply:
Wheat
Yes, my farm is organic.
Biodiesel
Production & Environment Research
Transportation
Seed Soybeans
Vegetable
New Uses
IN Family of Farmers
If choice is “Row Crop”, please check all that apply:
Corn
Small Grain
Indiana Pork Producers
Indiana soybean acres help fund the soybean checkoff to facilitate research, promotion and educational programs to enhance soybean production and use
to ensure a strong and profitable future for all soybean farmers.
Livestock
Grain Marketing
1,000-1,999
Type of Farm
Row Crop
Indiana Corn and Soybean Review Magazine
INfield Advantage
Approximately how many soybean acres do you farm?
2,000-4,999
Funded with Indiana soybean checkoff dollars.
Rural King® is a registered trademark of Rural King and its subsidiaries.
Fax
No
1-100
What’s your bean benefit?
Text Message
I certify that I market at least 250 bushels of soybeans per year in Indiana.*
I would be interested in more information about:
Melons
Potatoes
Mint
Sheep/Lambs
CountryMark Branded Dealers
NO OTHER FUEL BRINGS
Indiana soybean acres help fund the soybean checkoff to facilitate research,
promotion and educational programs to enhance soybean production and
use to ensure a strong and profitable future for all soybean farmers.
Learn more at www.indianasoybean.com.
Indiana Soybean lliance is the organization dedicated to managing soybean checkoff dollars in
programs benefiting Indiana soybean farmers. The Indiana soybean checkoff membership is a
voluntary, free membership providing access to individualized checkoff benefits.
MORE TO THE FIELD.
Muncie • 800-894-5019
South Whitley • 800-448-3965
Put the value of four to work for you with CountryMark Premium Dieselex-4 fuels.
Discover why those who hate downtime and demand performance choose to fill
up with Premium Dieselex-4. It’s these four benefits that bring our hard-working
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dealer and get the fuel that works as hard as you do.
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Funded with Indiana Soybean checkoff dollars.
Rural King® is a registered trademark of Rural King and its subsidiaries.
LAUGHERY
Osgood • 800-821-2629
NO POSTAGE
NECESSARY
IF MAILED
IN THE
UNITED STATES
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CHECKOFFS HELPING - Indiana Soybean Alliance

Transcription

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