Monday July 10 Crop Progress + Ag News

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending July 9, 2023, there were 4.8 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 14% very short, 26% short, 57% adequate, and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 23% very short, 38% short, 38% adequate, and 1% surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 5% very poor, 10% poor, 23% fair, 41% good, and 21% excellent. Corn silking was 21%, ahead of 7% last year and 15% for the five-year average.

Soybean condition rated 7% very poor, 12% poor, 26% fair, 41% good, and 14% excellent. Soybeans blooming was 43%, ahead of 38% last year, and near 42% average. Setting pods was 3%, near 2% last year and 5% average.

Winter wheat condition rated 8% very poor, 19% poor, 39% fair, 31% good, and 3% excellent. Winter wheat harvested was 12%, well behind 34% last year, and behind 25% average.

Sorghum condition rated 1% very poor, 4% poor, 28% fair, 58% good, and 9% excellent. Sorghum headed was 3%, near 6% last year, and behind 9% average.

Oats condition rated 3% very poor, 9% poor, 37% fair, 46% good, and 5% excellent. Oats headed was 96%, near 99% last year and 97% average.

Dry edible bean condition rated 0% very poor, 1% poor, 33% fair, 65% good, and 1% excellent. Dry edible beans emerged was 98%, near 96% last year.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3% very poor, 11% poor, 34% fair, 44% good, and 8% excellent.



Iowa Crop Progress and Condition

Western Iowa was the recipient of some much-needed precipitation this week and farmers, statewide, had 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 9, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included cutting hay and spraying crops. Some reports were received of farmers beginning to harvest oats for grain.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 15 percent very short, 42 percent short, 42 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 19 percent very short, 45 percent short, 35 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Corn silking hit 22 percent this week, 6 days ahead of last year and 2 days ahead of the 5-year average. Some reports were received of corn starting to dough. Corn condition remained steady at 61 percent good to excellent.

Forty-six percent of soybeans were blooming, 5 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of the average. Soybeans setting pods reached 7 percent, 4 days ahead of last year and 1 day ahead of normal. Soybean condition rated 52 percent good to excellent.

Sixty-seven percent of oats were turning color, 8 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of normal. Oat condition improved slightly with 52 percent good to excellent.

The State’s second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 58 percent complete, 9 days ahead of last year and 1 week ahead of the average. Hay condition improved slightly to 35 percent good to excellent.

Pasture condition rated 24 percent good to excellent. Livestock producers continued to supplement with hay as pasture conditions remained below average.



USDA: Corn Condition Up 4 Points to 55% Good to Excellent

Another week of widespread rains and cooler weather boosted the national corn condition rating for the second week in a row, and soybean condition also improved slightly following several weeks of declines, according to USDA NASS' weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.

CORN
-- Crop progress: 22% of corn was silking, 8 percentage points ahead of 14% last year and slightly ahead of the five-year average of 21%. Corn in the dough stage was pegged at 3%, near both last year and the five-year average rating of 2%.
-- Crop condition: Nationally, corn was rated 55% good to excellent, up 4 percentage points from 51% the previous week but down from 64% a year ago at this time. This year's current rating is still the lowest for this time of year since 2012.

SOYBEANS
-- Crop progress: 39% of soybeans were blooming, 9 percentage points ahead of 30% last year and 4 points ahead of the five-year average of 35%. Soybeans setting pods was pegged at 10%, 4 percentage points ahead of last year's 6% and 3 points ahead of the average of 7%.
-- Crop condition: Soybeans were rated 51% good to excellent as of Sunday, up 1 percentage point from 50% last week but down from 62% a year ago at this time. Like corn, soybean's current rating is still the lowest since 2012.

WINTER WHEAT
-- Harvest progress: 46% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, up 9 points from the previous week and now 13 points behind the five-year average pace of 59%.
-- Crop condition: Nationwide, winter wheat still in fields was rated 40% good to excellent, unchanged from the previous week and ahead of last year's rating at this time of 31% good to excellent.

SPRING WHEAT
-- Crop progress: 72% of spring wheat was headed as of Sunday, 5 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 67%.
-- Crop condition: USDA said 47% of the spring wheat crop was rated good to excellent as of July 9, down 1 percentage point from last week's 48%, and down from 70% a year ago.

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GENOME SEQUENCING BREAKTHROUGH BOOSTS CORN BREEDING, CONNECTS TO UNL LEGACY

University of Nebraska–Lincoln scientist James Schnable and international colleagues have created the first complete map of the corn genome, a landmark achievement that can enable major long-term advances in crop health, resilience and productivity.

“These research findings can help us build tools to predict which new corn varieties will perform well in particular environments, because we will be better able to identify the functions of individual genes in corn,” said Schnable, Charles O. Gardner Professor of Agronomy.

Schnable and scientists from Iowa State University and China recently published their findings, titled “A Complete Telomere-to-Telomere Assembly of the Maize Genome,” in the journal Nature Genetics. Their findings come one year after the complete mapping of the human genome.

Scientists have devoted much effort this century to identifying the full breadth of the corn genome, the set of genetic material that plays a critical role in determining a corn plant’s physical characteristics, growth and health. Mapping the full breadth of corn’s genetic material has been a longtime challenge because the corn genome is large and immensely complex.

Technology used in the first draft of a corn genome, in 2009, identified a significant portion of corn’s wide variety of genetic material. Still, many genetic regions were too complex to be deciphered by the technology available at that time. In all, more than 100,000 gaps in the genetic sequence remained to be filled.

“Our team drew on the latest technology, plus the particular expertise of the individual team members, and that finally made possible the mapping of the complete corn genome,” Schnable said. In that first study, scientists had been able to map the centromeres — the complicated middle portions of chromosomes — for only two of corn’s 10 chromosomes, for example. Schnable and his colleagues were able to sequence all 10.

Schnable focused on regions of the corn genome containing genes called nearly identical paralogs: two or more genes located next to each other that are so similar it was hard or impossible to tell them apart in previous genomic-mapping efforts. Genetic repetition takes on extraordinary complexity in the corn genome, resulting in large areas of chromosomal material packed together in ways that have defied individual identification and analysis.

With this new complete analysis of a much-studied corn line known as Mo17, Schnable said, “we’re now able to resolve each of those individual genetic copies and start to do a better job of figuring out what individual genes do, rather than having all this combined into a mishmash where it's hard to figure out which gene is doing what.”

The idea for this international project originated with Chinese researchers. Schnable has known Jinsheng Lai, a Chinese scientist and the paper’s lead author, for more than a decade, going back to when Schnable was a postdoctoral researcher at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. “When he was putting this project together, he reached out to me to participate because of my expertise in this field,” Schnable said.

This new corn genome sequence has particular long-term value for developing improved corn varieties by strengthening the scientific understanding of how differences in corn genetics affect varieties. “Rather than conducting selection, we will have the potential to design and engineer corn varieties to adapt to changing climates and grow in more nitrogen-limited conditions,” Schnable said. “We can be more nimble in adapting corn to future challenges in terms of increasing yield and using less nitrogen and water.”

New opportunities also are possible, long term, for creating higher-value secondary products, such as additional value for dried distillers grains from ethanol plants.

This groundbreaking research connects to the university’s long history of cutting-edge study of corn genetics, Schnable noted. At the start of the 20th century, corn geneticist Rollins A. Emerson did pioneering work on the Nebraska faculty in rediscovering the laws of genetic inheritance established by Gregor Mendel.

Emerson later was a professor at Cornell University and in the 1920s was a mentor to doctoral student George Beadle, a Nebraska native and Husker alumnus who in 1958 received a Nobel Prize for his innovative work in genetics. The university’s Beadle Center, which facilitates research in biochemistry and biological sciences and includes the Center for Biotechnology, is named after him. Emerson also mentored another, later Nobel Prize recipient, Barbara McClintock, one of the 20th century's central figures in corn genetic science.

In the 1960s and ’70s, Charles O. Gardner, the Husker scientist for whom Schnable’s professorship is named, was a leader in quantitative genetics and plant breeding. Gardner, a Regents Professor of Agronomy, served as president of the Crop Science Society of America and “developed new breeding methodologies and trained a whole generation of students,” Schnable said.

With the complete corn genome now sequenced, scientists will be able to proceed to important follow-up research to study and determine the function of individual genes that weren’t identified in previous corn genomic research. “Many of these genes are likely involved in corn’s ability to adapt to different environments and different stresses,” Schnable said.

The university “is well positioned to study this,” Schnable said, “because we have such a powerful research and Extension network and we’re able to grow corn varieties all across the state. One of my research groups here at the university is testing hundreds of corn hybrids across the 400-mile breadth of Nebraska and into Iowa.”

These Husker research initiatives, he said, “can help us build better models of how corn plants respond in different environments so we can develop those varieties that will thrive.”



Executive Travel Charts Course for Carbon-Free Travel, Plants 111K Trees

In a groundbreaking effort to promote sustainability within the travel industry, Lincoln-based Executive Travel has taken the initiative to offset its carbon emissions by planting trees throughout the state.

In July 2021, Executive Travel announced its ETGreen initiative with a goal of planting 1 million trees to help reduce the industry's impact on the planet. Pledging to plant a tree for each plane ticket sold, Executive Travel partnered with Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) to source and plant trees throughout the state.

The partnership between Executive Travel and Nebraska’s NRDs has resulted in a significant environmental impact. In 2022 alone, 48,862 trees were planted across various communities in Nebraska. Building on this success, the initiative reached new heights in 2023 with 62,370 trees planted, further enhancing the natural beauty and sustainability of Nebraska's landscapes. As a result, the combined efforts of Executive Travel and the Natural Resources Districts have led to the planting of 111,232 trees during the span of two years.

“Together, we have made a significant contribution towards restoring and preserving Nebraska's natural habitats,” said Steve Glenn, Executive Travel chairman. “By planting more than 111,000 trees, we are not only offsetting carbon emissions but also creating a legacy for future generations. We are committed to continuing this vital work and furthering our collective efforts to protect the environment.”

Nebraska's NRDs work with a network of local landowners who plant trees annually through the NRD Conservation Tree Program, which means the trees are cared for after the initial planting. The collaboration between Executive Travel and Nebraska's NRDs showcases the power of public-private partnerships in addressing environmental challenges and fostering a sustainable future.

“By embracing a commitment to environmental stewardship, Executive Travel is setting an inspiring example for the travel industry,” said Dr. Orval Gigstad, Nebraska Association of Resources Districts president. “Each tree planted represents a tangible step towards a greener future, where nature thrives, and communities flourish.”

Each year, the NRD Conservation Tree Program provides hundreds of thousands of low-cost, bulk trees for planting across the state. Districts collect orders for trees between November and March, then trees are distributed in April in time for spring planting. A majority of NRD conservation trees are sourced from the U.S. Forest Service’s Bessey Nursery in Halsey, Nebraska.

In 2023, Nebraska’s NRDs planted more than 598,000 trees with over 62,000 funded by Executive Travel. Executive Travel’s cost-share funding allowed Nebraska’s NRDs to plant thousands of additional trees in a variety of ways around the state including:
    Lower Loup NRD planted 8,151 trees with 302 landowners in central Nebraska, who were handplanting trees in the district.
    Upper Niobrara White NRD planted 7,600 trees with landowners in northwest Nebraska.
    Lower Big Blue NRD planted 400 trees in wildlife plantings at Cub Creek Recreation Area southwest of Plymouth, Nebraska, and an additional 800 trees with local schools and community organizations.

Executive Travel has committed to third year of tree planting with Nebraska’s NRDs and hope to plant an additional 75,000 trees during the 2024 planting season next spring.

Since their inception in 1972, Nebraska’s NRDs have been planting conservation trees and shrubs for windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife habitat and other conservation purposes. NRDs planted have planted more than 100 million trees – that’s approximately 50 trees for each Nebraskan.

Each NRD program varies, but possible tree program services include planting, weed barrier installation or weed control, and drip irrigation. For more information on cost share availability, designing a plan or ordering trees, contact your local NRD or visit www.nrdtrees.org.

 

AMERICA’S CULTIVATION CORRIDOR LAUNCHES ISRAELI COHORT OF CULTIVO VIRTUAL ACADEMY

A new cohort of Cultivo™ Virtual Academy hosted by America’s Cultivation Corridor™ launched on July 6.  Seven companies from Israel are participating in the virtual program that provides participants with mentorship, interaction with Iowa’s agricultural leaders and an online curriculum focused on U.S. market entry, regulatory and financing systems, and customer perspectives.

The program’s virtual sessions will be facilitated by Iowa business and university leaders. America’s Cultivation Corridor will host and coordinate the Cultivo Virtual Academy in partnership with its investors and supporting organizations. The Iowa Economic Development Authority is the presenting sponsor of the program.

“We are excited to welcome a new cohort of companies into the Cultivo program.  They bring a diverse range of technologies and innovations to address the challenges we are facing in agriculture and food production today,” said Cory Reed, Chair of America’s Cultivation Corridor Board of Directors, and President, Worldwide Agriculture & Turf Division, Production & Precision Ag, John Deere.

The seven participating companies include:
    Agrematch is a data-science product discovery and development company that works with industries that require novel bioactive compounds for their products.
    BugEra is building an insect genetics platform to develop novel strains of the black soldier fly (BSF) to enhance biomanufacturing and produce higher quantities of high quality oil for biofuels.
    DriftSense is developing an evidence-based prediction tool to help growers know when to apply pesticides for optimal precision, efficiency and sustainability.
    Fermata Tech is a data science company developing computer vision solutions for outdoor and  controlled environment agriculture.
    PlantArcBio is an ag-biotech company engaged in research and development in the field of gene discovery and biological components for improving plant traits and controlling pests.
    ProJini is using a new pesticide-discovery engine to discover and develop new pesticides acting in a new mode of action and interfere with protein-protein interactions.
    Seed-X is an AI-driven agtech software company that is working to optimize seed and food supply chains by addressing quality attributes at the single seed level.

“We look forward to connecting these innovators with Iowa’s business leaders, researchers and forward-thinking farmers and livestock producers throughout the six-week Cultivo Virtual Academy program,” said Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority. “The insights they gain and relationships they form will provide a solid foundation as they look to advance their market penetration in the United States.”

The Cultivo Global Ag Innovation program was launched in 2021 and features the six-week Virtual Academy as well as consultations, connections and curriculum for international scale-ups to learn from Iowa’s agricultural leaders and prepare for a U.S. market entry.

“The strong group of Israel-based startups will benefit from Iowa’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem and our agriculture and bioscience leadership,” said Billi Hunt, executive director of America’s Cultivation Corridor. “The world-class speakers, networking opportunities and connections they will make through this program will help them more successfully navigate their entry into the U.S. marketplace.”

Applications for the next multi-nation cohort of Cultivo Virtual Academy are now being accepted, with plans to begin the program in October 2023.

For more information on the program, or to learn about opportunities to sponsor or participate in a future cohort, visit https://www.cultivationcorridor.org or contact Billi Hunt, executive director of America’s Cultivation Corridor at bhunt@cultivationcorridor.org.

Investors and partners of America’s Cultivation Corridor are working together to accelerate the development of new technologies, strengthen Iowa’s ag bioscience workforce, and attract economic development, all focused on meeting the challenge of feeding a growing world population in a sustainable way.

Stakeholders in America’s Cultivation Corridor include Iowa State University, Corteva Agriscience, Deere & Company, Greater Des Moines Partnership, Ames Economic Development Corporation Iowa Pork Producers, Kent Corporation, MidAmerican Energy Company, Hy-Vee, Iowa Corn Promotion Board, Iowa Farm Bureau, ISG, Kemin Industries, Chevron REG, Scoular, and Sukup Manufacturing Co.

2023 Sponsors of Cultivo include Iowa Economic Development Authority, Iowa State University Economic Development and Industry Relations, BioConnect Iowa, Beck’s and Fredrikson & Byron P.A.



Performance Livestock Analytics Secures Investment from Builders VC, Separates from Zoetis to Fuel Growth

Performance Livestock Analytics (PLA), a leader in data analytics solutions for livestock producers, is excited to announce its separation from Zoetis. The newly independent PLA business is led by its original founders, Dane Kuper and Dustin Balsley, and with financial investment from Builders VC.

The strategic decision for PLA to separate from Zoetis is a result of PLA’s growth and increasing market demand for its cutting-edge digital solutions. The separation will provide PLA with increased agility and autonomy to respond to market dynamics and customer needs.

Builders VC's investment will fuel PLA's expansion plans, including further product development, expanding market reach and scaling operations to support growing customer demand.

"This represents an exciting milestone in our journey. We are grateful to Zoetis for their support in growing Performance Livestock Analytics and enabling us to reach this pivotal moment," says Dane Kuper, CEO of Performance Livestock Analytics. "With the backing of Builders VC, we are well-positioned to accelerate our growth and continue empowering livestock producers with the tools they need to make informed decisions, improve their operations and drive profitability."

PLA is an established leader in the livestock technology space, combining cloud-based platforms with automated on-farm data collection to provide powerful analytics livestock producers need to make the best decisions.

The company’s core product, Performance Beef, makes it easy to change rations, create accurate invoices and closeout reports, track individual animal health, and analyze trends in performance. Cattle Krush complements Performance Beef, using real-time market data to give producers instant breakeven, market analytics and profit alerts to help in buying and selling cattle.

"We are thrilled to once again collaborate with the Performance Livestock Analytics team as they embark on this exciting new chapter,” said Mark Blackwell, General Partner at Builders VC. “As an early backer of the team in the initial iteration of the business, we have witnessed their remarkable growth and unwavering dedication to revolutionizing the livestock industry. We are delighted to continue supporting their mission as they chart their independent path, leveraging data analytics to empower livestock producers and drive sustainable practices. Together, we are poised to make an even greater impact on the industry.”

The PLA team will continue to work closely with Zoetis as a strategic partner to ensure a seamless transition for existing customers.



NCGA Urges Advocates and Allies to Ask Congress to Advance Farm Bill

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) launched a campaign today that encourages advocates and allies to contact their congressional delegation about the importance of passing a bipartisan, comprehensive farm bill in 2023 that will support and protect the corn industry.

NCGA president, Tom Haag, noted the importance of this opportunity and the need for corn growers to send a strong, unified message to Capitol Hill.

“Farm bills only come around every five years. Sandwiched between legal jargon and formalities is language that directly affects the operations and livelihoods of corn growers,” said Haag. “This bill funds programs that help us stay in business in the tough years; support our continued stewardship and conservation of the land; explore new foreign markets; and advance innovative research. The stakes are high. We need a comprehensive, bipartisan bill that will protect and bolster corn, America’s crop.”

NCGA has been working diligently since the implementation of the last farm bill to thoughtfully develop recommendations for the 2023 farm bill by surveying membership, processing input from Action Teams and grower leaders, and analyzing the political environment. You can find more information about NCGA’s farm bill priorities here... https://www.ncga.com/key-issues/current-priorities/farm-bill.  



Is Wildfire Smoke Affecting Midwest Crops?

The past several summers have seen large wildfires burn millions of acres across North America. The effects of these fires have been devastating, and smoke from the fires has been a frequent health concern in nearby population centers.

The increased frequency of smoky days in agricultural areas raises the question of what impact the smoke might be having on crop productivity. Ample sunlight is critical for maximizing plant photosynthesis and crop yield, and lower than normal solar radiation during grain fill can be detrimental.

The impact of wildfire smoke on crop growth is complex and involves competing effects that both enhance and suppress photosynthesis. There are three primary factors that directly impact photosynthesis: reduced sunlight intensity, increased sunlight diffusion, and increased ozone (O3) levels.

    Reduced Sunlight Intensity: Much like a hazy cloud cover, smoke reflects a portion of incoming sunlight, reducing the amount of light available to plants. Because plants depend on sunlight to carry out photosynthesis, any reduction in light is potentially detrimental to crop productivity.

    Increased Sunlight Diffusion: Wildfire smoke can significantly increase the diffuse fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), which can benefit plants by increasing light use efficiency and the availability of light to lower canopy leafs.

    Increased O3 Levels: Ground-level ozone is a damaging air pollutant that is harmful to human health and plant growth. Elevated ozone levels have the potential to significantly reduce crop yields. Dicot species, such as soybeans, are generally thought to be more susceptible to yield reduction than monocot species, such as corn (Heagle, 1989), although research has shown that corn and soybeans are both susceptible to yield loss from ozone pollution (McGrath et al., 2015).

“Based on what is known about the effects of reduced solar radiation, it seems very plausible that wildfire smoke could cause reductions in crop yields,” said Ben Jacob, Pioneer Field Agronomist.

Wildfire smoke is not a problem that’s going away anytime soon. Based on what is known about the contributing factors, wildfires in western North America are likely to increase in frequency and intensity in the coming years. The effects of wildfire smoke on both agricultural and natural ecosystems will likely continue to be an active area of research.



Apply for the 40th Anniversary ASA Corteva Young Leader Program

If you are passionate about farming and ready to hone your leadership skills and connect with industry leaders committed to creating a better future for farmers, the ASA Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program is for you!

Program owners American Soybean Association and Corteva Agriscience are seeking farmers to apply for the 40th Class of ASA Corteva Young Leaders!

Phase I of the 2023-24 Young Leader program will take place Nov. 27-30 at Corteva’s Global Business Center in Johnston, Iowa. The program continues Feb. 27-March 1, 2024, in Houston in conjunction with the annual Commodity Classic Convention and Trade Show.

“For 40 years the Young Leader program has helped identify and train soybean farmers to be leaders in the industry,” said Illinois soybean grower and ASA President Daryl Cates. “The program has had a tremendous impact on soybean advocacy, and you’ll find graduates of the program in various positions throughout the industry. Three members of the current ASA Executive Committee are graduates of the program.”

Soybean growers, both individuals and couples, are encouraged to apply for the program, which focuses on leadership and communication, agriculture trends and information, and the development of a strong and connected network. Not “young?" You can still apply: Actual age isn’t important! Interested partners, even if not employed full time on the farm, are encouraged to attend and will be active participants in all aspects of the program.

“Each time I talk to Young Leaders, I consistently hear across the board how the program is unlike any they’ve ever participated in,” Cates said. “Participants learn skills that help them in both their operation and organizational work. Equally important, Young Leaders make connections with industry leaders and other farmers who are driven, tech savvy, and want to make a better future. We are grateful to Corteva for continually supporting this program for 40 years. It’s impressive and it’s important.”

ASA and Corteva Agriscience will work with the 26 state affiliates and the Grain Farmers of Ontario to identify the top producers to represent their states as part of this program.

“America’s farmers provide the strongest voice not only for agriculture, but also for rural America. Over the past four decades, we have seen Young Leader farmer-alumni successfully make their voices heard as governments, society and other stakeholders shape policies and programs that support agriculture and rural communities,” said Matt Rekeweg, U.S. Industry Affairs Leader, Corteva Agriscience. “We are proud to continue our support of the ASA Corteva Agriscience Young Leader Program, which continues developing the next generation of grower leaders and advocates for agriculture.”

Applications are being accepted online now. Interested applicants should click here for additional information and to apply.... https://soygrowers.com/education-resources/grower-education/leadership-development-programs/young-leader-program/.  



New USDA Livestock Auction Dashboard Brings Data to Life

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today launched a new data visualization tool, the Livestock Auction Dashboard https://mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov/livestock_auction_dashboard, providing users the ability to view and access livestock auction market information in a manner that is simple to use and understand. Market information for cattle, sheep, and goats will be available in a variety of visual formats in the new dashboard. For example, filters can be applied to allow users to see information from different markets and commodities throughout different timeframes. In addition to current reports, users can easily compare and analyze five years of historical data.

The dashboard includes data already published through the MyMarketNews platform; however, it offers the new benefits of dynamic visualization and easier analysis. For example, dashboard users will have the ability to filter data by properties, including date, state, market type, report title, and Slug ID (a four-digit number unique to each report) allowing information displayed to be customized to individual needs.



Investing in Future Generations: United Sorghum Checkoff Program Unveils Curriculum for Grades Kindergarten through 12th

The United Sorghum Checkoff Program launched its first Farm-to-School Curriculum, an agricultural education initiative that aims to integrate the science and production of sorghum, in addition to its nutritional value, into classrooms across the United States.

"We are thrilled to provide teachers with comprehensive materials that incorporate various aspects of sorghum into subjects from STEM to Language Arts," Sorghum Checkoff Director of Food Innovations & Institutional Markets, Lanier Dabruzzi MS, RD, LD said. "This initiative underscores our commitment to agriculture education and our goal to inspire the next generation to recognize and utilize the potential of sorghum in their lives and the world around them."

The curriculum provides educators with an array of engaging resources that introduce students to the importance of sorghum as a sustainable, versatile and flavorful grain that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. The program also aims to ignite the passion for agriculture in the next generation, cultivating an understanding and appreciation for sorghum.

"The focus on Farm-to-School is an exciting addition to our educational outreach," Sorghum Checkoff Executive Director, Norma Ritz Johnson said. "It serves as a remarkable resource for teachers, providing lesson plans and activities that conform to National Science and Common Core State Standards. We believe this curriculum will not only spark students' interest in sorghum, but also inspire them to explore careers in agriculture. By introducing children to sorghum and its multitude of benefits early in their developmental years, we hope to cultivate a long-lasting appreciation for this crop. This early exposure aims to foster a new generation of consumers who are well-informed about the source of their food and cultivate a love for sorghum-based foods."

The Sorghum Farm-to-School curriculum engages students of all grade levels, from Kindergarten to 12th grade, through experiential learning. Tailored modules for elementary, middle, and high school students offer rich, multisensory experiences. Students not only grow and taste sorghum, but they also explore various subjects by writing about and applying their knowledge of this versatile grain. These learning experiences cover a wide spectrum of educational content, from understanding sorghum's crucial role in global food security and world nutrition, to exploring its potential as a renewable energy source. The program is further enriched with an interactive video, promoting an engaging and comprehensive learning environment.

Find tailored curriculum content and activities for Kindergarten to 12th grade students by exploring SorghumCheckoff.com/educators.



Lucent Bio Enables Sustainable Agriculture with Patented Biodegradable Smart Fertilizer System

Lucent Bio, an industry leader in sustainable crop nutrition, proudly announces the patent approval of an innovative biodegradable nutrient delivery technology (US Patent No. 11,691,928). This transformative technology signals a new era in the agricultural industry, advancing global practices with the promise for future investment.

The patented technology fundamentally reimagines the delivery of nutrients, using water-insoluble biopolymers to provide a next-generation alternative for crop nutrition. This technological breakthrough is backed by rigorous scientific research and validation, marking a pioneering stride in the agri-tech industry.

Peter Gross, Chief Technical Officer at Lucent Bio, says, "This patented technology redefines the concept of sustainable farming, by providing a fertilizer solution that is more efficient, environmentally responsible, and providing a better ROI for the farmer. We are proud to have reached this milestone that places Lucent Bio at the forefront of agri-tech fertilizer innovation."

The patented technology will be harnessed through AGT Soileos in Western Canada, a joint venture between Lucent Bio and AGT Foods, leveraging the collective expertise to support farmers in enhancing crop performance while prioritizing the long-term stewardship of natural resources.

Murad Al-Katib, AGT Foods President and CEO shares, "The continued collaboration between AGT and Lucent is flourishing. We are nearing completion of the manufacturing facility in Saskatchewan, which will be the first of several global facilities bringing these smart fertilization solutions to local farmers. This patent is a milestone in the progression of commercializing Soileos," said Murad Al-Katib, President and CEO of AGT Foods.

"At Protein Industries Canada, we recognize the potential of plant-based food and ingredients to help revolutionize the global food system," CEO of Protein Industries Canada Bill Greuel said. "The partnership between Lucent Bio and AGT Foods is a prime example of how Canadian companies, supported by the Global Innovation Cluster program, are collaborating to help solve some of the most pressing issues facing the agriculture and food sector with the commercialization of new products."

Lucent Bio is actively fostering fertilizer innovation with new biopolymer-based seed coatings and controlled-release NPK coatings under development that are plastic-free and biodegradable. These innovations come at a time when governments in the EU and North America are rolling out new regulations to ban microplastics in agriculture. This underscores the company's commitment to providing profitable, sustainable and climate-resilient fertilizer solutions. As the company continues to innovate and lead, it welcomes all interested parties to join them in this journey toward a sustainable future.