Tuesday June 25 Ag News

Scouting for Stalk Borers
Larry Howard, UNL Extension Educator, Cuming County

     Corn growers should begin scouting corn for stalk borers and determining now whether treatment is necessary.

     Stalk borer hatch and migration to new hosts can be predicted using degree days (DD). Based on research at Iowa State University, stalk borer egg hatch begins at about 575 DD and ends at 750 DD. Begin scouting corn when 1,300-1400 DD have accumulated. This corresponds with the beginning of larvae moving out of grassy hosts. Determine the need for treatment when 1,400-1,700 DD have accumulated.

     To be effective, insecticides must be applied before common stalk borer larvae have entered the stalk. In cases where stalk borers begin feeding on grassy weeds or other vegetation in field edges, control is most effective if timed between 1,400 and 1,700 degree days (base 41°F), which corresponds to first half of the period that stalk borers are migrating from weedy hosts into corn. If the infestation is restricted to the field margin, use a border treatment.

     In cases where there is a history of fieldwide stalk borer damage at a site, insecticides applied to corn and timed for egg hatch may be used to reduce damage. The disadvantage of this approach is that there is no effective way to sample for stalk borers at this time, so treatments are made without knowledge of whether an insecticide treatment would be profitable that year.

     A variety of foliar insecticides are effective against common stalk borers in corn. Refer to the publication http://entomology.unl.edu/instabls/stalkbor.shtml on the UNL Department of Entomology website or the insecticide label information for labeled insecticides, their rates, and restrictions.

     Not all of the currently available Bt corn hybrids have activity against common stalk borer. Several Bt corn hybrids list either suppression or control of common stalk borer. The label term "suppression" indicates that a lower level of mortality is expected than for insects labeled for control.



Cattlemen Gather At Midyear Meeting To Celebrate 125th Anniversary

Cattlemen and women from across Nebraska meet in Valentine, NE, June 18-19 for the Nebraska Cattlemen (NC) mid-year meeting at The Prairie Club and Valentine High School.

The mid-year meeting is one of the two major meetings NC holds each year. NC members gathered to discuss the issues facing the cattle industry and set interim policy to guide the association through the rest of the year.

The highlight of this year's meeting was the celebration of the 125th anniversary of Nebraska Cattlemen. Several special events were held in honor of the historic milestone.

The morning of June 18th began with a meeting of the Board of Directors and then an afternoon filled with golf, Niobrara River tubing, and area tours. Also, the Nebraska Cattlewomen held the 2013 Beef Ambassador Contest. In the evening a welcome reception was held at The Prairie Club where award winning photographer Bill Ganzel shot a historic panoramic photo of all attendees in honor of the 125th anniversary of Nebraska Cattlemen.

Wednesday, June 19th, meetings moved to the Valentine High School, where attendees heard updates and held discussion on pertinent industry issues. NC committee meetings were held throughout the course of the day. Animal Health & Nutrition, Education, Marketing & Commerce, and Taxation committees met in the morning where updates were given on animal traceability, County of Orgin Labeling, Trichomoniasis, and taxes.

The Retail Value Steer Challenge winners and 26 scholarship recipients were honored at the NC Foundation Luncheon.

The afternoon was consumed by the Brand & Property Rights and Natural Resources & Environment committee meetings where issues such as firearm rights, red cedar management and Spill Prevention, Control & Countermeasure Rule were discussed.

The day ended with the General Session which included a panel of Nebraska Stock Growers Association, Nebraska Livestock Feeder and Nebraska Cattlemen Presidents who recalled and discussed history of key events and issues addressed in the first 125 years of Nebraska Cattlemen’s history. The panel included: State Senator Tom Hansen of North Platte, NC president in 2005; Paul Johnston of Lincoln, NLFA executive vice president from 1967 to 1988; John Klosterman of David City, NLFA president in 1970-1971 and NC president in 1988-1989; Roy Lilley of Wellington, Colorado, NSGA executive vice president from 1979 to 1988 and NC executive vice president from 1992 to 1995; Jack Maddux of Wauneta, NSGA president from 1976 to 1978; and, Dick Mercer of Kearney, NLFA president in 1985. John Carter, Nebraska State Historical Society senior research historian and a collaborator on NET’s movie The Beef State, moderated the session.

Over 325 attended the 2013 Midyear Meeting to take part in the activities and discuss issues important to the Nebraska beef industry.



Extension Offering Farmland Leasing Meetings in July and August
Farm tenants and land owners are invited to Iowa State University Extension and Outreach farmland leasing meetings during July and August. The 3-hour workshops are designed to assist landowners, tenants and other agri-business professionals with current issues related to farmland ownership, management and leasing agreements.

Each workshop attendee will receive a set of beneficial materials regarding farm leasing arrangements and farmland ownership. Resources on farmland surveys and leasing arrangements also are provided.

Topics covered include:
-    Iowa Cash Rental Rate Survey and Land Values Survey
-    Comparison of different types of leases
-    Lease termination
-    Impacts of yields and prices
-    Calculating a fair cash rent
-    Use of spreadsheets to compare leases
-    Issues unique to this year’s production and an outlook for 2014.
-    Available Internet resources

The leasing meetings being held across Iowa are facilitated by farm management specialists with ISU Extension and Outreach. A listing of county extension offices hosting the meetings is available on the ISU Extension and Outreach calendar – check both months for a complete list of meeting dates, locations and links to more information... http://www.extension.iastate.edu/calendar/ShowList.asp?Month=7&Year=2013&Category=13|Financial+Management+%26+Strategic+Planning&County=All+Counties&CountiesScope=.  Locations will be added as they become available, or contact your county extension office to find the nearest meeting location.

“Knowing the latest information and where to find the best resources will make decisions easier,” said Ann Johanns, program specialist with extension farm management. “ISU Extension and Ag Decision Maker have very helpful information and decision tools.”

Johanns said the Ag Decision Maker leasing section also provides useful materials for negotiating leases, information on various types of leases, lease forms and newly updated Decision Tools. 



Beef Demand is Critical to Understand, Appreciate, and Regularly Assess...
Glynn T. Tonsor, Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Kansas State University

As usual, last Friday's cattle on feed report estimates are being closely examined.  The report estimates may be deemed as slightly bearish as placements were higher than expected while marketings came in lower than anticipated.  As I reviewed related material online, this particular comment caught my attention: "If supply is down why is the live market so poor? Has the demand gone down also?" (www.meatingplace.com)

Given this comment, I want to take the opportunity to highlight a recently released beef demand study I was fortunate to be part of.  The study was funded by the Cattlemen's Beef Board and sought to identify beef demand drivers worthy of top priority in industry efforts to build future beef demand domestically. (www.beefboard.org)

Key take-away points from this study include:
-      To leverage limited resources, the industry should place top priority on areas that both impact demand and are practically feasible to be influenced by collective investment.
-      Price, Product Quality, Nutrition, Health, Food Safety, Social Aspects, and Sustainability Aspects are each broad factors that influence beef demand.
-      Food safety and product quality are factors that both have significant impact on aggregate demand and are considered feasible for the industry to influence.
-      Consumer beef demand affects profitability of all participants in the industry.
-      All industry participants have a role in building and enhancing beef demand.

As suggested by the inquiring comment noted above, both supply and demand factors influence prices realized throughout the supply chain from seedstock produces to retail operators.  Unfortunately the definition and role of beef demand is often confusing leading to misunderstanding of critically important economic concepts.  I encourage readers to take note of the important findings of this study and to make use of the associated resources that include multiple illustrations of what beef demand is (and what it is not).  Long-term industry profitability is substantially influenced by the ability of industry leaders and every contributing participant to maintain and build their understanding of beef demand.



NCGA President Expresses Need for Public's Acceptance of Biotechnology

Increasing demand for major crops and the use of biotechnology in agriculture was the topic during today's American Association for the Advancement of Science's Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture.  National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson answered questions as part of a panel after the lecture, with representatives from the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

"The continued use of biotechnology in agriculture is a key component to food security," Johnson said.  "However, we need to greatly improve the public's acceptance of biotechnology.  Agriculture needs to lead the conversation on this important topic and provide education on the advancements of the industry.  Consumers should be able to make decisions based on science and facts, not fearmongering."

The Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture at AAAS is in honor of Professor Riley's legacy as a "whole picture" person with a vision for enhancing agriculture through scientific knowledge. The AAAS Riley Lecture addresses timely topics such as the role food, agriculture and natural resources play in providing a secure food supply and a sustainable economy.

The main lecturer, Dr. Stephen Long, Professor of Plant Biology and Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois, said the demand for major crops is expected to rise 50 percent by 2030.  He also emphasized that the use of commodities for energy as well as food and feed comes at a time when increases in yield are stagnating.  However, he pointed out that new biotechnological approaches are providing opportunities to overcome these limitations, but that societal and policy acceptance of these opportunities is likely the greatest barrier.



CWT Assists with 3.4 Million Pounds of Cheese Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 10 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America and Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) to sell 3.439 million pounds (1,560 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese to customers in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. The product will be delivered June through October 2013.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in selling 64.562 million pounds of cheese, 51.727 million pounds of butter, 44,092 pounds of anhydrous milk fat and 218,258 pounds of whole milk powder to 31 countries on six continents. These sales are the equivalent of 1.725 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by helping to maintain inventories of cheese and butter at desirable levels. In the long-term, CWT’s Export Assistance program helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the farm milk that produces them.

CWT will pay export assistance to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.



Cartoon Character Debuts to Promote REAL® Seal

In its ongoing effort to revitalize and build awareness of the dairy industry’s iconic REAL® Seal, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is introducing a cartoon character modeled after the logo.

“The REAL® Seal has been around for nearly 40 years,” said Jim Mulhern, Chief Operating Officer of NMPF. “This character is intended to bring the importance of looking for REAL® dairy products and foods made with REAL® dairy products to life.”

The first order of business will be naming the character, according to Mulhern, who said a name will be chosen through an on-line challenge.

“We want kids to learn how to differentiate real dairy products and foods made with real American dairy products from the vegetable- and nut-based pretenders,” said Mulhern. “To highlight this important distinction, we are launching a campaign to name the character.”

Names may be submitted through the REAL® Seal website: www.realseal.com. All entries must be received by August 31, 2013.  The top three names entered will be posted in September on the REAL® Seal Facebook page (www.facebook.com/realsealdairy) and subject to a vote. The name with the most votes will be declared the winner.

“We’re really excited about this approach to helping kids and parents learn to look for REAL® dairy products and foods containing REAL® dairy products,” said Mulhern. A cartoon featuring the character is already featured on the homepage of the REAL® Seal website.



STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY
H.R. 2410 — Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014
(Rep. Rogers, R-KY)

The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 2410, making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014.  The bill severely undermines key investments in financial oversight in a manner that would cripple Wall Street reform, and impedes implementation of statutorily-mandated financial regulations.  It also imposes harmful cuts in rural economic development, renewable energy development, nutrition programs, food safety, agricultural research, and international food aid.  Investing in these areas is critical to the Nation's economic growth, security, and global competitiveness.  If the President were presented with H.R. 2410, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.

In addition, enacting H.R. 2410, while adhering to the overall spending limits in the House Budget's topline discretionary level for fiscal year (FY) 2014, would hurt our economy and require draconian cuts to middle-class priorities.  These cuts could result in hundreds of thousands of low-income children losing access to Head Start programs, tens of thousands of children with disabilities losing Federal funding for their special education teachers and aides, thousands of Federal agents who can't enforce drug laws, combat violent crime or apprehend fugitives, and thousands of scientists without medical grants, which would slow research that could lead to new treatments and cures for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's, and hurt America's economic competitiveness.

More than two months have passed since the deadline for action and the Congress has yet to appoint conferees and agree on a budget resolution.  Prior to consideration of appropriations bills the Congress should complete an appropriate framework for all the appropriations bills that supports our recovery and enables sufficient investments in education, infrastructure, innovation and national security for our economy to compete in the future.  As such, the President's senior advisors would recommend that he veto H.R. 2410 and any other legislation that implements the House Republican Budget framework.

The Administration would like to take this opportunity to share additional views regarding the Committee's version of the bill.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
International Food Aid Reform.  The Administration strongly objects to the funding level provided in the Committee bill for P.L. 480 Title II.  The bill fails to incorporate any of the efficiencies sought in the President's food aid reform request, and instead cuts P.L. 480 Title II funding by over 20 percent compared to the Budget request, with the reduction coming entirely out of emergency food aid.  By cutting emergency food aid funding and excluding the proposed changes to allow more efficient food aid, the bill would delay food aid to starving people up to 14 weeks and would preclude as many as 12 million people from receiving life-saving assistance than under the Administration's proposal.

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).  The Administration is deeply concerned that the WIC funding level in the Committee bill puts the program at significant risk of being unable to serve all eligible women and children who seek assistance, which could result in waiting lists, greater hardship, and poorer health outcomes for this vulnerable population.  In addition, the low funding level would effectively end the breastfeeding peer counseling program for the year, stall needed technology investments to improve program efficiency, and deplete the contingency reserve just to cover anticipated costs, leaving the program at risk of further cuts in the event of unexpected changes in food prices or participation.

Child Nutrition School Equipment Grants.  The Administration urges the Congress to fund school meals equipment competitive grants, which would help school districts purchase the equipment needed to serve healthier meals, improve food safety, expand access to meals, and improve energy efficiency.

Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).  The Administration opposes the funding level for FSIS.  In addition to a nearly $10 million reduction from the President's Budget request, the Committee bill forces FSIS to absorb $9 million in rental costs by not providing the necessary funding.  These cuts will significantly impact USDA's ability to adequately inspect food processing plants and prevent foodborne diseases from contaminating America's meat, poultry, and egg product supply.  Over 80 percent of FSIS's employees are frontline inspectors and the Committee's recommendation may require the agency to furlough.  Decreased FSIS inspections will disrupt industry production.

Research Facilities.  The Administration urges the House to include the requested $155 million to fully fund a high priority poultry biosafety and laboratory facility.  State-of-the-art research facilities to replace USDA's aging laboratory infrastructure are key to the Department's ability to meet research challenges of the 21st Century.

Research Grants.  The Administration objects to the level of funding provided for the Agricultural Food and Research Initiative (AFRI) at $291 million, which is a reduction of approximately 24 percent from the FY 2014 Budget request.  The Administration urges the Congress to fully fund the request for competitive peer-reviewed research grants through AFRI.

USDA Funding for GSA Rent.  The Administration urges the Congress to include $164 million in funding for rent as requested in the FY 2014 Budget.  The Committee bill would require 20 agencies—including the three field agencies, the research agencies, the Office of Inspector General and others—to absorb a total of $164 million in fixed rent costs.  This is a de facto reduction to already constrained agency operating budgets.  For example, the bill would require the Economic Research Service to divert more than 8 percent of its current budget to fund rental payments.  These problems are exacerbated by not having the authority requested in the Budget to allow the Department to use mandatory funds to pay for administrative expenses related to delivering certain Commodity Credit Corporation programs.

Evidence-Based Rural Business Grant Proposal.  The Administration strongly urges the Congress to include the FY 2014 Budget request to consolidate seven existing rural development grant programs into a new program that would leverage evidence to award rural business grants.

Clean and Renewable Energy.  The Administration urges the Congress to include the President's FY 2014 Budget request to move the Rural Electric Loan Program away from fossil fuels and encourage the construction, acquisition, or improvement of renewable energy plants in rural America.  In addition, the Administration urges the House to fund the Rural Energy for America Program at the level requested in the Budget.

Rental Assistance Program.  The Administration appreciates that the Committee provided full funding for expiring rental assistance contracts expected in FY 2014 of $1.012 billion, which will continue the support for USDA-financed properties on behalf of the tenants who receive subsidized rent.

Ban on Horse Slaughter.  The Administration appreciates reinstatement of the Federal ban on horse slaughter and looks forward to working with the Congress to complete work on this important legislation.

Department of Health and Human Services
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  The Administration strongly supports robust funding for FDA to continue implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act and to modernize regulatory science to support medical product innovation.  The Administration is concerned that the Committee bill provides $4.3 billion in total resources for FDA, which is $342 million below the President's request, and does not include new proposed user fees.  The Administration urges the Congress to enact new user fees proposed in the FY 2014 Budget, which would provide significant additional resources to enhance FDA regulatory capacity, as well as provide benefits to industry, advance the Nation's food safety system, and continue implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act.  While the Administration appreciates the funding to continue the development of the FDA Life Sciences/Biodefense laboratory in White Oak, Maryland, the overall reductions in budget authority will limit FDA's ability to oversee the safety and quality of Nation's food and medical products and threaten the agency's ability to improve and maintain FDA's other critical facilities.

Other Agencies
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).  The Administration strongly opposes the funding level of $195 million for CFTC, which is $120 million below the President's FY 2014 Budget request.  The reduced funding level will seriously impede CFTC's implementation of critical Wall Street reforms to increase market transparency and integrity, reduce risks to the economy and protect consumers, and will unacceptably increase the risk of fraud and manipulation in the $30 trillion futures and $250 trillion swaps markets.

GIPSA Marketing Rule
The Administration strongly opposes a provision in the Committee bill that effectively prevents USDA's Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration from further implementing the remaining portions of a rule on conduct violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921.  This provision would rescind many components of the rule that was finalized in December 2011 preventing its full implementation, which is needed to clarify conditions for industry compliance with the Packers and Stockyards Act and provide for a fairer marketplace.

Civilian Pay Raise
The Administration urges the Congress to support the proposed 1.0 percent pay increase for Federal civilian employees.  As the President stated in his FY 2014 Budget, a permanent pay freeze is neither sustainable nor desirable.

The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress as the FY 2014 appropriations process moves forward.



CFTC Expected to Recommend Civil Suit Against Former MF Global CEO Jon Corzine

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is expected to recommend a civil lawsuit against former MF Global Holdings Ltd. chief executive Jon S. Corzine for his role in overseeing the now-bankrupt securities brokerage.

CFTC officials have told lawyers for Mr. Corzine the commission would recommend the agency file a suit as early as this week, a person familiar with the case said. Commissioners at the CFTC would have to vote on any recommendation to file charges against Mr. Corzine.

In this case, only four of the five commissioners would vote to approve the action. CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler recused himself from the investigation shortly after it started because of his ties with Mr. Corzine at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS), where the two were co-workers in the 1990s.

A civil suit would be another chapter in a long ordeal for former MF Global customers and Mr. Corzine, a former New Jersey governor and senator who also served as chairman of Goldman during the 1990s. Criminal and civil investigations have swirled around the firm and its former officials after an estimated $1.6 billion in money was improperly moved from customer accounts in the days before the firm's Oct. 31, 2011 bankruptcy.

The criminal case hasn't progressed to date, but the civil case is moving ahead at the CFTC, which regulates brokerages like MF Global that specialize in futures contracts.

In multiple Congressional hearings, Mr. Corzine denied any role in the movement of customer money, saying he didn't know about it until after the fact.

Mr. Corzine's lawyers have pointed out that MF Global's collapse, and the subsequent shortfall in customer funds, occurred in part because of the actions of MF Global's counterparties and bankers. Lawyers also have noted that much of the customer money has been returned.

A civil case against Mr. Corzine is likely to focus on his supervision of the firm, not details of money movement in the final days before the firm's bankruptcy filing, the person familiar with the case noted. If the CFTC files civil charges against Mr. Corzine, it could be because the CFTC decided not to pursue a settlement with him or because settlement talks were unsuccessful.

In a statement, a spokesman for Mr. Corzine, Steven Goldberg said: "The CFTC apparently intends to bring what would be an unprecedented and meritless civil enforcement action against Mr. Corzine. There is no legal or factual basis for the CFTC's attempt to blame Mr. Corzine for alleged mishandling of customer funds in the last days of MF Global." The potential CFTC lawsuit was reported earlier in the New York Times.



Inclusive Innovation in Action: New DuPont Innovation Center Launched in Iowa

DuPont today opened its Johnston Innovation Center, the company’s second innovation center in the United States and 12th around the world, focusing on the company’s unique integrated science capabilities across the food, agriculture and energy value chains.

“DuPont has a history of innovation and scientific discovery. Today, we are creating solutions to address the world’s big challenges of feeding and protecting a growing global population and reducing reliance on fossil fuels,” said Chair and Chief Executive Officer Ellen Kullman.  “The key is to quickly connect our integrated science to the market. The Innovation Centers enable DuPont to harness its global science capabilities to create local solutions that are tailored to meet the most pressing market needs.  In just two years, we have generated more than 225 active projects from this model. The DuPont Johnston Innovation Center provides a unique environment for collaboration among more than 10,000 DuPont scientists and engineers with customers, government officials, academics and business partners around the world.”

The 3,500 square foot space and adjoining collaboration room showcases the latest company technology, applications and products created to meet the world’s biggest challenges, including food security, energy and protection. During the opening event, Kullman also announced two recent DuPont projects in Iowa that further demonstrate the company’s commitment to growing its research capacity globally in order to address the demands of a growing world population.  DuPont Pioneer will break ground on a new research facility, Beaver Creek II, in Johnston in the fall of 2013 – a project that will add 100 new jobs to the Des Moines metro area. Additionally, DuPont is investing over $200 million in its Nevada, Iowa commercial cellulosic ethanol production facility. The construction of the facility will employ over 1,000 construction workers.  It will employ over 60 full time jobs and involve hundreds of farmers who will supply the stover to the facility upon completion.

“Iowa is critical to meeting many of the food and energy demands globally, and we are proud to build on our business here in the state,” Kullman said.

Johnston, Iowa, is the 12th Innovation Center for DuPont. Other Innovation Centers have been opened recently in Turkey, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, India, Brazil, Mexico, Michigan, Russia and Switzerland.  To learn more about DuPont’s Innovation Centers, visit our website at www.innovationcenter.dupont.com.



Novozymes acquires TJ Technologies Inc., further strengthens position in bioagriculture

Novozymes, the world leader in bioinnovation, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire TJ Technologies Inc. based in Watertown, South Dakota, USA.

The acquisition is yet another important step in building Novozymes’ business within BioAgriculture, in the case of TJ Technologies specifically within the bioyield enhancement segment. Today, Novozymes is a leading player in the bioagriculture industry, and this acquisition will further strengthen Novozymes’ position with complementary technologies and products.

“With this acquisition we continue to build our business within sustainable bioagriculture. TJ Technologies Inc. is a frontrunner in bioyield enhancers, and this acquisition will further underpin Novozymes’ position, while strengthening commercial access,” says Thomas Videbæk, Executive Vice President of Novozymes and head of Business Development. “Combining our existing products and leading global name with TJ Technologies’ strong and proven portfolio, brands and regional market coverage will strengthen the joint company’s commercial position in important crop markets.”

Bringing new products and innovation to market
Founded in 1978, TJ Technologies Inc. develops and markets proprietary microbial and micronutrient products for agriculture. It is a significant participant in the U.S. market for bioyield enhancement products, with a strong position in seed treatment of corn as well as other important crops.

“With its proven portfolio of products and new pipeline opportunities, TJ Technologies’ talented employees will add solid experience and knowhow to Novozymes, which can leverage its leading position to bring the existing products to market, and further develop new innovation and growth opportunities for the bioagriculture market,” says Videbæk.

Biological solutions on the rise globally
Biological technologies are natural solutions with multiple modes of action. They are used to improve plant health and growth or combat diseases across various broad-acre crops such as corn and soy and high-value crops such as leafy greens, fruits, and vegetables.

Globally, the market for biological solutions in agriculture is expanding at a rapid pace. Driven in particular by growing populations there is an increasing need for sustainable agricultural production.

“Today, the global population is growing at a much faster pace than agricultural production. The challenge is to increase yields on the same amount of agricultural land without any additional costs to the environment,” explains Videbæk. “Increasingly so, farmers are becoming aware of potent biological solutions that both improve agricultural productivity, while also reducing the environmental impact of their operations. With the acquisition of TJ Technologies Inc., we further extend our offerings to this exciting, biological market.”

The biological solutions complement the use of traditional chemicals and pesticides, which have a world market worth around $150 billion. By contrast, the emerging bioagriculture market is estimated to be worth about $1.5 billion with an annual growth rate of 10-15%.

TJ Technologies Inc. and Novozymes have agreed not to disclose the financial terms of the agreement. The acquisition does not impact Novozymes’ financial guidance for 2013.