Indiana Corn & Soybean Post July 2024

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JULY 2024 | VOL. 17, NO. 2

Ag Policy Summit features ex-USDA Secretary Johanns

Former USDA Secretary Mike Johanns, who served in President George W. Bush’s cabinet, will be the keynote speaker during the Ag Policy Summit on July 31 in Noblesville, Ind.

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Indiana container conference discusses ports, ag exports

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb kicked off the first Indiana Container Shipping Conference and Intermodal Rail Tour on June 17 as leaders discussed ways to develop new container ports.

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Hoosier farmer featured in ad campaign in South Korea

When the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) was looking for a farmer to represent American farmers who grow soybeans using environmentally sustainable techniques, Jim Douglas volunteered.

27 McKinney’s conservation efforts take time but worth it

Tom McKinney admitted there has been a learning curve switching to a strip-tillage system. Because of some electronic issues on a strip toolbar, they only strip-tilled about 300 acres last fall.

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About the cover:

Keevin Lemenager, a farmer from Monrovia, Ind., is a firstgeneration farmer and a board director with the Indiana Soybean Alliance. Lemenager has been involved in both policy and checkoff work while serving Indiana farmers. However, his focus is on providing a future for his young family. (Kate Mattingly photo)

Chair

ISA Membership & Policy Committee

Joseph Stoller, Bremen / D1

Vice Chair

Dylan Christopher, Brookston / D1

Directors

Allen Buchanan, Fowler / D1 Mark Legan, Coatesville / D3

Kevin Kelley, Brookston / D1 Derika Lynam-Spaetti, Richland / D3

John Peters, Monticello / D1 Gary McDaniel, Boonville / D3

Denise Scarborough, LaCrosse / D1 Jason Misiniec, Bicknell / D3

C.J. Chalfant, Hartford City / D2 Larry Rusch, Vincennes / D3

Carey McKibben, LaGrange / D2 Roger Bommer, Brookville / D4

Steve Phares, Albion / D2 Kevin Burbrink, Seymour / D4

Jenna Scott, Muncie / D2

Chris Eck, Boggstown / D4

Brian Warpup, Warren / D2 Mike Koehne, Greensburg / D4

Mark Wenning, Cambridge City / D2 Keevin Lemenager, Monrovia / D4

Kevin Cox, Brazil / D3 Roger Wenning, Greensburg / D4

Vice President Treasurer

Directors

Tom Murphy, Chesterton / D1 Scott Smith, Windfall / D5

Sarah Delbecq, Auburn / D3 Tyler Pottschmidt, Crothersville / D9

Alan Dunn, Michigantown / D4

Staff Credits

Editor / Dave Blower Jr. dblower@indianasoybean.com

Writer / Amie Simpson asimpson@indianasoybean.com

Creative Director / Carol Johnson

Indiana Corn & Soybean Post® is published six times per year by the Indiana Soybean Alliance and the Indiana Corn Growers Association.

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Email: dblower@indianasoybean.com

For advertising information in the Indiana Corn & Soybean Post®, contact Dave Blower Jr. at 317-3473620 or dblower@indianasoybean. com. 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. facebook.com/indianaSoybeanAlliance facebook.com/IndianaCornGrowers

@Indiana_Soy @IN_Corn

President Secretary

Chris Cherry, New Palestine / D6 J.R. Roesner, Ferdinand / D8

Tyler Everett, Lebanon / D7 Joe Tuholski, LaPorte / D2

Infrastructure is the grease that moves agricultural exports around the world

IJoe Stoller Chair ISA Membership and Policy Committee

nfrastructure truly greases the path to easily move exports around the world. As farmers, we spend a lot of time talking about infrastructure. We understand that our job is not finished when we harvest the crop. We know that several more steps are necessary to get it to our customers.

To Become A Member

In the past, the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) has invested in studies to assess rural roads and bridges so that we can truck our soybeans and other farm commodities to grain terminals. Also, ISA’s Membership & Policy Committee (M&P) has organized tours of the locks and dams on the Ohio River to show how vital our inland waterway system is to transporting soybeans to ports that will connect with buyers all over the globe.

And, finally, ISA works extensively with the Soy Transportation Coalition (STC). Whether by rail, interstate highway, the inland waterway system or any other form of transportation, the STC seeks cost effective and reliable transportation systems for those who ship soybeans. STC works with the American Soybean Association (ASA) and other policy groups to legislatively clear the path for more funding of infrastructure projects.

Really, the bottom line is that better transportation infrastructure reduces costs for farmers, and it increases U.S. farmers’ competitive advantage with other soybean exporters in the world.

In June, I attended the Indiana Container Shipping Conference and Intermodal Rail Tour. This conference was organized by ISA and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, our state’s soybean and corn checkoff programs. The meeting attracted farm, business and transportation leaders to discuss ways to develop new shipping container ports and to expand ag export opportunities.

Our state government understands how important this is to Indiana’s economy. In fact, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb and Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock both

attended and spoke at the event. Along with those discussions, the meeting included a tour of Indiana Rail Road’s railyard.

Container shipping capacity has been identified as a key objective to support Indiana economic and agricultural growth.

Shipping containers are a great way to transport specialty crops such as food-grade soybeans, non-GMO waxy corn and high oleic soybeans. These are identity preserved crops that need to be kept separated before getting delivered to a customer.

Containers can also go to countries, such as Indonesia, that cannot handle large-scale shipping vessels. Customers in Indonesia prefer more frequent deliveries of small quantities of food-grade soybeans. By using shipping containers, we can move smaller quantities of specific Indiana crops to a more targeted customer.

Shipping specialty crops out of state in turn helps all farmers who grow traditional corn and soy, too. Basis will have to improve to get the bushels needed.

This is an efficient way to move goods, and many industries other than agriculture have figured out ways to maximize it. The fact that other industries are utilizing containers actually is creating opportunities for Indiana farmers.

Many containers are entering the state filled with supplies and materials for manufacturing businesses, but they are returning empty. The shipping companies at the meeting said agriculture could take advantage of discounted rates by filling those containers with farm goods before they are returned to the railyards. These “backhaul” rates combined with demand for our soybeans is a good combination.

Our neighboring states seem to be taking advantage of increased container shipping. As the M&P chair, we will work to make sure that Indiana farmers are not left out of the shipping container trend.

Report: Corn growers responsible for $151 billion boost to economy

EChris Cherry President

Indiana Corn Growers Association

arlier this month, I traveled with several other Hoosier corn farmers to Washington, D.C. for a couple of events. First, I was part of our Indiana delegation to the National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Corn Congress. And second, the farmers in this delegation visited the legislative staffs of our state’s elected senators and representative at their Capitol Hill offices.

Ag Policy Summit Registration Here

I am on the NCGA’s Ethanol Action Team. We are working on securing year-round access to E15, and we’re trying to get more stations on board with offering higher blends of ethanol. Our ultimate goal is to replace the E10 blend that now exists at all pumps with E15. This is an opportunity, but there are many moving parts.

During this trip, we covered many topics. The pending, but seemingly never-ending, 2024 Farm Bill is always top of mind these days. The regulation of valuable tools, such as herbicides and pesticides, was discussed. And also, we talked about the need for more export markets for U.S. corn and how Congress and the Biden Administration could work together to make that happen.

One of the things we didn’t have to convince too many people about was the value of corn production in the United States.

According to a new report recently released by the NCGA, U.S. corn farmers are responsible for a $151 billion boost to the U.S. economy in 2023. For those of us involved in the day-to-day operation of a farm, this news should not come as a surprise.

We estimate that there are more than 20,000 corn farmers in Indiana. At least 94 percent of these farms are family owned and operated, and around 40 percent of those have been in the same family for three or more generations. This is why we refer to them as “family farms.”

However, anyone who pays the bills on a farm knows that it is also a business. We are measuring our costs against risks and rewards. We’re managing labor, supplies, transportation and more.

If you think of a farm as a small business, which every farm truly is, then it is much easier to see the impact of our work on the overall economy.

The NCGA report, titled Corn Farming’s Economic Contribution Study for 2023, detailed a number of ways in which corn growers shape the U.S. economy, including economic output, contributions to the gross domestic product, tax revenues, labor income and employment statistics.

Here are a few statistics from the report:

• In 2023, U.S. corn farmers produced 15.3 billion bushels of corn, valued at $73.9 billion, across 289,382 farms dedicated to growing corn for grain.

• Corn grower production directly contributed $20.7 billion to the gross domestic product and provided $12 billion in labor wages and benefits.

• The economic impact of corn farming extended across 524 different industry sectors in all 50 states, reinforcing its broad influence on the national economy.

Yet, this report comes as corn prices have dropped and corn growers face many challenges, including higher input costs, tariffs and some trade barriers. The report, however, should serve as a reminder to policymakers that corn grower contributions are important.

Our farms remain deeply rooted in rural America where they drive economic growth. Farms inspire new technological innovation, expand commercial opportunities and build a bioeconomy.

INDIANA

POET purchases corn from local farmers to produce sustainable biofuels and bioproducts. There are five POET Bioprocessing facilities across Indiana: Alexandria, North Manchester, Portland, Shelbyville, and Cloverdale. | poet.com/grain At POET, we believe in cultivating communities and growing the local economy. We have been using biotechnology to create sustainable solutions from local agricultural products for 35 years – ensuring that rural farm families can continue to do what they love for generations to come.

Farmer advocates navigating unprecedented times and push for increased bipartisanship

BY BROOKE S. APPLETON Vice President of Public Policy, National Corn Growers Association

As I recently sat in my car in 90-plus degree weather, blocked by traffic caused by the NATO meeting in Washington, my mind kept moving from song to song.

One minute, I was hearing the 1981 hit “Under Pressure” and the next I was thinking about Diamond Rio’s 1991 country tune “Meet in the Middle.”

One could argue that these songs were buzzing in my head because of the pressure of being stuck in traffic for over an hour during a heat wave. But I am convinced it had more to do with the political climate in Washington, which is highly partisan and continues to present one unprecedented event after another.

We now have less than 50 legislative days left before either chamber of Congress adjourns for the year and one presidential campaign is on shaky footing after the debates while the other still reels from legal issues. Overall, the city is quickly moving into campaign overdrive with the upcoming Republican Convention.

Besides the Presidential rat-race and the “veep” stakes, it’s tempting to turn focus entirely into planning for postelection outcomes and next year.

Yet, there is so much important work to do before Congress adjourns. We need a farm bill passed that is comprehensive, and, on the ethanol front, we are pushing for movement on the Next Generation Fuels Act and passage of legislation to allow for year-round consumer access to higher blends of corn ethanol.

We also have numerous trade issues to deal with, including a need to address and prevent burdensome tariffs and work to cultivate new foreign markets for corn growers.

And the chorus sings: “Pressure pushin’ down on me.

Pressin’ down on you. Under pressure.”

To make matters more complicated, there is growing uncertainty about who will receive the Democratic nomination. Several elected Democrats have indicated that they are losing confidence in President Biden after a recent debate performance that raised doubts about his viability as a candidate.

So far, the president has resisted calls to step aside, but the Democratic Party could be heading toward a brokered convention this summer. While it would make for exciting television, such a development would complicate our jobs as corn grower advocates. It’s hard to develop a comprehensive plan on how to sell our policy agenda when we don’t know to whom we will sell it.

So how do we move forward?

We are soldiering through the uncertainty and focusing on progress on our pending priorities with those who are currently in charge. Elected officials know the calendar is tight, but they must hear from us that our items are urgent, and we need them to act. We want them to feel the pressure.

Next week, we will lead hundreds of corn growers through the power corridors of Washington to meet with members of Congress and agency officials. Our message: We need Congress to act on our priorities.

We are also sending representatives to both political conventions where we will hold events and talk about the value of corn. And we are engaging in an aggressive digital advertising campaign airing in Washington and key battleground states. The ads talk about the many contributions of corn growers.

Most importantly, no matter where we go or who we meet, we will continue to encourage bipartisanship as a means of securing legislative wins.

After all, the manual for navigating tumultous times

was included in a song three decades ago when the political environment was, well, more predictable:

“We’d gain a lot of ground ’cause we’d both give a little. And their ain’t no road too long When we meet in the middle.”

NCGA reacts to 2, 4-D petition

The National Corn Growers Association, joined by five other commodity groups, sent a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo asking her to consider the impacts on farmers as she reviews a petition by the agricultural chemical company Corteva that would place duties on imports of the herbicide 2,4-D.

“Restricting imports of 2,4-D will have wide-ranging consequences for farmers,” the letter said. “American farmers cannot solely rely on Corteva, which is the only domestic supplier of 2,4-D, because there is not enough supply to meet demand.”

The letter also said that, if granted, the petition would cause availability shortages and hamper the ability of growers to be successful.

“Restricting the availability of 2,4-D will be very harmful at a time when farmers are grappling with rising input costs and low commodity prices,” the letter said.

The USDA projects total farm production cash expenses for 2024 at a record-high level. Concurrently, crop values are declining. USDA predicts total cash receipts in nominal value for crops in 2024 will be 11.7 percent lower than in 2022.

“Farmers are unable to incur additional costs in what is already a period of tight margins,” the letter said. “This case has the potential to forcibly cause farmers to cut budgets, which will impact their ability to have successful yields and will further disrupt the economic health of local economies.”

Other groups signing the letter were the American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Sorghum Producers and U.S. Durum Growers Association. The Department of Commerce is expected to issue the preliminary duty rates in September.

Rulemaking for Clean Fuel Production Credit is underway for the U.S. Treasury and the IRS

BY BLAIR SHIPP

American Soybean Association

Indiana farmers are deep in the summer growing season, juggling fieldwork with critical advocacy efforts in both local and Washington, D.C. legislatures. As farmerleaders prepare to fly to D.C. next week to discuss a range of soy priorities, the clock is ticking in this congress to pass meaningful legislation before the end of the year.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced June 26 a Request for Information (RFI) related to the Clean Fuel Production Credit to establish voluntary standards for biofuel feedstock crops grown using climate-smart farming practices. These standards aim to quantify, report and verify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions impacts, potentially influencing clean transportation fuel policies at international, national or state levels. This initiative seeks to create market opportunities for U.S. farmers while advancing environmental benefits.

The U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue Service are starting the process of rulemaking to develop guidance related to the Clean Fuel Production Credit (45Z), which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2025. This credit will replace the existing Biodiesel Tax Credit (BTC or 40A) and Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credit (40B) and will apply to biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

USDA is collecting information through this RFI to make a stronger case for more flexibility in climate-smart agriculture practices used to lower carbon intensity scores for the Clean Fuel Production Credit.

ASA supports climate-smart agriculture to enhance carbon intensity reductions but emphasizes the need for flexibility in sustainability practices across all soyproducing states. In April, ASA expressed appreciation for soy’s inclusion as a Sustainable Aviation Fuel feedstock under new Treasury guidance.

However, ASA has concerns that strict requirements, such as mandating both no till and cover cropping practices, could hinder participation, especially in

northern states where these practices are less feasible due to climate constraints.

Farm bill update from Congress

The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced a farm bill framework proposed by Ranking Member Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) in response to Chairwoman Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s (D-Mich.) initiative.

The framework aims to strengthen the farm safety net by adjusting reference prices and expanding access to Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage. It also proposes increased funding for trade promotion programs, supports biobased markets, and invests in agricultural research and biofuels for energy independence.

Negotiations with Chairwoman Stabenow and Democratic committee members are underway to finalize the bill. The House Agriculture Committee passed its version on May 24, beginning discussions in the full House. ASA continues to advocate for its priorities in the legislative process.

WRDA passes House

In late June, the House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee approved the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, legislation that authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program for projects to improve the nation’s ports, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other aspects of our water resources infrastructure.

ASA’s primary advocacy focus this year is ensuring that inland waterways projects funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) are completed using 100 percent general revenue rather than Inland Waterway Trust Fund (IWTF) dollars.

The IIJA allocated funds for seven inland waterways construction projects, but unforeseen expense overruns due to increased supply and transportation costs have left these projects underfunded. Without a specific provision in WRDA 2024 to waive the IWTF cost-share for these major rehabilitation projects, there is a significant risk of

depleting the IWTF, which could delay critical ongoing capital improvement projects.

Unfortunately, the WRDA bill that passed the T&I Committee did not include any provisions for modernizing the inland waterways system, despite the support of more than 50 House members who submitted requests similar to that of ASA.

However, the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee passed its version of WRDA in May, which permanently adjusts the inland waterways cost-share for construction and major rehabilitation projects to 75 percent general revenues (up from 65 percent) and 25 percent (down from 35 percent) Inland Waterways Trust Fund. The Senate bill also ensures 100 percent full federal funding for projects outlined in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Both of these provisions were top requests made by ASA.

The two WRDA bills will eventually be negotiated in conference between the House and Senate. ASA will continue its advocacy to ensure favorable outcomes for our inland waterways.

ASA wants dicamba registration system

ASA submitted comments to the EPA in June on Bayer CropScience’s proposed registration for a new dicamba

product. This registration aims to renew the use of lowvolatility dicamba on dicamba-tolerant soybeans and cotton.

While soy growers generally support the proposal, they have raised concerns about the lack of postemergent access for soybean farmers, which is vital for managing herbicide-resistant weeds like palmer amaranth and for conservation efforts. ASA urged the EPA to ensure access to post-emergent dicamba use.

ASA also expressed concerns about the proposed June 12 cutoff for pre-emergent use on soybeans, emphasizing the need for a reasonable application cutoff date to maintain dicamba’s competitiveness as a weed control tool. Additionally, ASA urged the EPA to use the best available science to develop appropriate Endangered Species Act restrictions and to base restrictions on off-target incidences solely on available evidence.

Currently, there is no registration in place for dicamba use in 2025, despite seed producers preparing dicambatolerant seed for planting across millions of acres. ASA is urging the EPA to swiftly approve a new registration by September to avoid disruptions to input supply chains.

The EPA will review public comments, including ASA’s, as part of the proposed application process and incorporate feedback into the registration decision.

Take action to help Hoosier farmers

Become a lifetime member of Indiana’s corn and soybean policy groups

The Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership & Policy Committee (M&P) represent our state’s farmers in the legislative halls in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C. These organizations need your membership to influence federal and state lawmakers.

Indiana soybean and corn growers can now save money and eliminate the hassle of annual renewals by purchasing a LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP to both ICGA and M&P. For only $1,700, you can be a member of both ICGA and M&P for life!

Anyone interested in buying this membership, should contact Industry Affairs Outreach Manager Khyla Goodman by phone at 317-614-0377 or by email at goodman@indianasoybean.com. Or, you can go to our website, incornandsoy.org/ membership, to join!

Lifetime Members:

Phil Ramsey

Courtney Kingery

Matthew Lucas

Tyler Everett

David Gottbrath

Mike Sprinkle

Jeff Troike

Jim Douglas

Michael Steinbarger

Sam Caldwell

Mark Nigh

Alan Dunn

Mason Gick

Aaron Johnson

Nathan Luallen

Sam Mehringer

David Wenning

Mark Wenning

Creed Gunn

Andrew Fansler

Janice Breiner-Peterson

Kent Burton

Russell Anderson

Troy Hattery

Mark Bacon

Ronald Sutherlin

Jordan Caldwell

Mike Shuter

John Baugh

Janice Peterson

“May I suggest and encourage any of you in crop production in Indiana to seriously consider becoming a lifetime member of this organization that has your best interest at heart. There is no way you can have time to attend every meeting in your county, district, or even state-wide organizations; however, taking advantage of a lifetime membership… you know your family interest will be represented and protected. I believe it is economically a win-win for each of us with land in crop production.”

Ag Policy Summit to feature Secretary Johanns, EPA’s herbicide plan and Technology Showcase

BY DAVE BLOWER JR.

Indiana farmers have many challenges to manage during the growing season. While weather, weeds and insects are expected, changes in laws, rules and regulations can be just as important.

The Indiana Ag Policy Summit is an annual policy-focused program presented by the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership and Policy Committee (M&P) and the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA). This year’s event is scheduled for Wednesday, July 31 at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds in Noblesville, Ind. Registration for the Summit will open at 7:30 a.m. with the program beginning at 8:30 a.m. Lunch is included, and the program will wrap up with a time for farmers to interact with lawmakers, legislative staff and ag stakeholders from noon to 3 p.m. Go online to bit.ly/INAgPolicySummit to register.

Detailed policy discussions

While Johanns is a highlight on the agenda, the Summit will include much more.

Former USDA Secretary Mike Johanns, who served in President George W. Bush’s cabinet from 2005-2007, will be the keynote speaker. He will provide an overview of the 2024 Farm Bill’s status, addressing potential outcomes and alternatives as the current bill’s September expiration approaches.

The American Soybean Association’s Kyle Kunkler will lead a discussion on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s herbicide strategy to comply with the Endangered Species Act. This strategy affects what pesticides farmers can use in certain areas of the state.

Former USDA Secretary Mike Johanns, who served in President George W. Bush’s cabinet from 2005-2007, will be the keynote speaker. He was Governor of Nebraska from 1999-2005 and the state’s U.S. Senator from 20092015.

Johanns will provide an overview of the 2024 Farm Bill’s status, addressing potential outcomes and alternatives as the current bill’s September expiration approaches. He will highlight key political dynamics and discuss solutions to help farmer secure future funding. Additionally, Johanns will cover how the Research and Development Tax credit has helped U.S. farmers reinvest in their operations. With farm bill funding uncertain, Johanns said this incentive has proven valuable for farmers tasked with feeding America’s growing population. This session is collaborative and will conclude with a 20-minute question-and-answer session. Greg Knarr, director of alliantgroup, will moderate.

“The Ag Policy Summit is a great event for getting the opportunity to talk with other farmers about what’s important on their farm, and to talk to policy decisionmakers about what rules and regulations might be coming our way,” said ICGA President Chris Cherry, a farmer from Hancock County, Ind. “With former USDA Secretary Johanns coming, we will definitely talk about federal policy and the farm bill. However, there are issues such as encouraging Indiana to create more infrastructure for container shipping of ag products that will also be discussed.”

Expanding the state’s container shipping capacity has been identified as a key objective to support Indiana’s economic and agricultural growth by the Ports of Indiana and the state’s corn and soybean checkoff programs – the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC). A panel will discuss these plans at the Summit.

Also on the agenda is a discussion led by the American Soybean Association’s (ASA) Kyle Kunkler on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s herbicide strategy to comply with the Endangered Species Act. This strategy affects what pesticides farmers can use in certain areas of the state.

Kunkler said U.S. soybean farmers are concerned about the impacts of these proposals, which include the Vulnerable Species Pilot Program (VSPP) and a draft Herbicide Strategy, the ASA sought a clearer picture of the potential costs the Herbicide Strategy could have — both financially and otherwise — if left unchanged. Data indicates approximately 80 percent of farmers would be

incompliant with these proposals and would face moderate to extreme costs to become compliant.

Technology Showcase and more

The Technology Showcase will feature select ag tech companies that are working towards solutions to make farming more efficient. The companies cover technology that’s used in new equipment, grain handling and plant research. Equipment dealer Bane-Welker will showcase live demonstrations of Raven and Trimble equipment. Plus, Bane-Welker will offer savings on select displays and steering units and have staff on hand to answer questions. In all, approximately 10 companies will display in the Showcase. Stay updated on more company announcements for the Technology Showcase on ISA and ICGA’s social media pages.

Finally, ICGA and M&P will announce their 2024 Friend of Farmer award winner. Last year, Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, was the award winner. The award is presented to someone who has promoted the interests of Indiana farmers through ag policy advocacy. Previous winners include State Rep. Ed Soliday, U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, U.S. Rep. Jackie Walorski, State Sen. Jean Leising and State Rep. Don Lehe.

Many sponsors make events like the Ag Policy Summit possible. This year’s support comes from Premier sponsor alliantgroup; Gold sponsors Pioneer and Farm Credit Mid-America; Silver sponsors Bane-Welker and Insta-Pro; Bronze sponsor Beck’s Hybrids. Lunch is sponsored by the United Soybean Board (USB), the national soybean checkoff program.

New this year is the Member Appreciation Night –exclusive for ICGA and M&P members. This will be an evening of fun, food and networking as a perk to members. This event is set for July 30 at West Fork Whiskey in Westfield, Ind., the night before the Indiana Ag Policy Summit. Anyone interested in becoming a member and attending the Member Appreciation Night should contact Khyla Goodman, Industry Affairs Outreach Manager for ICGA and M&P, at kgoodman@indianasoybean.com.

From property taxes at the Statehouse to the Farm Bill on Capitol Hill, the Indiana Ag Policy Podcast will share the latest from the biggest names in ag policy. Scan below to listen now!

ISDA Director Don Lamb, at right, chats with his predecessor, Bruce Kettler, who is now executive director of the AgriBusiness Council of Indiana, during last year’s Ag Policy Summit.

Rep. Pence: Supporting ethanol industry will remain top priority

BY U.S. REP. GREG PENCE Republican Party, District 6

Before I was granted the privilege of representing Hoosiers in Congress, I built my career in the energy distribution business. I’ve been blessed to be able to use that knowledge and experience throughout my time in Washington.

That’s how I know the importance of supporting the ethanol industry.

Ethanol is a reliable, renewable source of clean energy. Indiana is ranked sixth in the nation for ethanol production, accounting for nearly eight percent of the country’s total. Hoosier producers benefit greatly from the production of ethanol. In fact, almost half of our Indiana-grown corn is converted to ethanol in the 15 biorefineries across the state. One of these, POET Bioprocessing Shelbyville, is in the Sixth Congressional District. Ethanol supports more than 41,000 Hoosier jobs, benefiting both our economy and the environment, and it provides a direct boost to the value of corn.

I know full well that the ethanol industry has promised

to produce long-term solutions to challenges, and I am proud to have been an active supporter of ethanol throughout my time in Congress. In 2022, I authored a letter to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm asking her to provide opportunity to compete for potential Funding Opportunity Announcements for advancements in internal combustion engines that allow for greater amounts of ethanol blended into traditional fuels.

Ethanol is also the most obvious and effective way to utilize alternative fuels. As the Biden administration continues to push a misguided green agenda that centers around electrification, we are all seeing the ramifications is higher prices and strained power grids. Eliminating liquid fuels in favor of electric is short-sighted and unrealistic, and I’ve urged the biofuel and petroleum industries to work together to push back. I’ll continue fighting against full electrification.

Fortunately, the industry has always proven resilient, even as COVID-19 discouraged travel and decreased demand for fuel. As the CARES Act was implemented, I joined my colleagues in a letter to then-Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, urging him to use funds for direct relief to the biofuels sector. Stabilizing the industry was a priority, and I’m pleased to see the growth since then.

As I close out my time in Washington, I will continue promoting the interests of the ethanol industry. Bringing value to our state, farmers, economy, and environment, we can’t afford to waste it.

U.S. Rep. Greg Pence (R-Dist. 6) speaks during a Shop Talk event at a Hancock County, Ind., farm.

While visiting the Decatur County, Ind., farm of Mike Koehne, at left, U.S. Rep. Greg Pence (R-Dist. 6), at right, also speaks with M&P and ICGA Senior Director of Industry Affairs Steve Howell, middle.

Inflation Reduction Act provided $3.1 billion to USDA to bring necessary relief to farmers

BY U.S. REP. ANDRÉ CARSON Democratic Party, District 7

First, I want to say thank you. Farmers are the backbone of our economy and continue to fuel us towards a stronger, healthier future.

I’m proud to represent you and your interests in Congress. Under President Biden, we’re working to reinvest in this vital industry, from the urban farm in my home district in Indianapolis to rural agriculture around the state and country. We’re protecting the farmers of now and of the future, providing immediate assistance plus longer-term conservation and climate solutions.

I voted for the Inflation Reduction Act to provide $3.1 billion for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with the goal of bringing much-needed relief for borrowers with certain Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans. This monumental law also included other efforts to reduce the deficit and lower cost for everyday Americans –including capping the price of insulin at $35 a month for Medicare recipients.

Too many farmers have been hit by pandemic-induced market disruptions, making this assistance vital. But we also need to plan for the future. Time and time again, I hear from farmers that climate change is hitting them the hardest, with crop issues exacerbated by more intense, climate-driven natural disasters.

The Inflation Reduction Act promotes climate-smart agriculture by increasing access to conservation assistance. Overall, it includes $20 billion to make farmland more environmentally friendly, including by making farms more resilient in the face of extreme weather. And just this April, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a historic $1.5 billion in Fiscal Year 2024 to invest in partner-drive conservation and climate solutions through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

In total, the Biden administration brought $57 billion in direct federal payments to farmers in the first three years of his presidency. We have much more work to do for your industry, and I’ll keep fighting on your behalf. Thank you for your ongoing investment in our state. Please feel free to contact my Indianapolis office at 317283-6516 or our Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-4011.

U.S. Rep. André Carson (D-Dist. 7) voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which he said will promote climate-smart agriculture by increasing access to conservation assistance. Overall, the Act includes $20 billion to make farmland more environmentally friendly, including by making farms more resilient in the face of extreme weather.

In 2023, several Indiana corn farmers met with U.S. Rep. André Carson’s staff during visits to Capitol Hill. From left are Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) board member Jerry Osterholt, Roanoke, Ind.; Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) board member Tyler Everett, Lebanon, Ind.; ICGA and ICMC board member Mike Beard, Frankfort, Ind.; Rep. Carson Legislative Assistant Kevin Griffen, ICMC board member Janis Highley, Warren, Ind.; ICGA Board President Chris Cherry, New Palestine, Ind.; and ICMC Board President Tim Gauck, Greensburg, Ind.

Shop Talk meetings offer opportunity to talk ag policy with elected officials

BY EMILY McNIFF

The Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership and Policy Committee (M&P) and the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA) will host Shop Talks throughout Indiana this August. These events are hosted on rural farms and attended by farmers and agribusiness professionals.

Shop Talks are organized to bring together state and federal lawmakers with farmers to discuss policy issues like the farm bill, trade, infrastructure, biofuels and more. The meetings are an opportunity to bring together neighbors and local industry partners to learn more about the state and federal policies that impact growers’ operations and rural communities.

ICGA and M&P directors and staff address ag policy issues at all levels of government by making trips to Washington, D.C. and the Indiana Statehouse to meet with lawmakers and raise awareness of farmer priorities. The summer Shop Talk series allow for legislators to meet the farmers in their districts and communities.

Several federal and state leaders are confirmed to be in attendance and speak this year, including Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Director Don Lamb, U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin (R-Dist. 8) and U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-Dist. 2), with several more in discussion for those hosted in open districts.

In addition to policy discussions, the meetings will offer Pesticide Application Recertification Program (PARP) certifications with Purdue University Extension educators to provide credits to farmers. Within the five-year period, a private applicator has the option of attending three recertification programs hosted by a county Extension educator.

The Indiana Soybean Alliance and the Indiana Corn Marketing Council – the state’s soybean and corn checkoff programs – will sponsor the PARP fees at these meetings.

Recertification programs are at least two hours in length on fertilizer and pesticide-related topics. Each program will also include an approved regulatory topic. A private applicator can attend and receive credit for a recertification program in any county, not just their home county.

The first Shop Talk of the season is at 8 a.m., Wednesday, July 24 at Susan and Mike Brocksmith’s farm in Knox County with special guest ISDA Director Lamb. The

U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin (R-Dist. 9) will participate in a Shop Talk at the Decatur County farm of Tim Gauck near Greensburg, Ind., starting at 8 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 12.

policy organizations have scheduled five more Shop Talk meetings, including:

• Aug. 8 - Delaware County

• Aug. 12 - Decatur County with special guest, U.S. Rep. Erin Houchin (R-Dist. 9)

• Aug. 15 - Huntington County

• Aug. 26 - Marshall County with special guest, U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-Dist. 2)

• Aug. 27 - Rush County

• Pending - White County

• Pending - Morgan County

Go online to incornandsoy.org/events to register and for updates on the two pending Shop Talks.

ICGA and M&P are membership organizations that serve as the policy voice of Indiana’s farmers. Both M&P and ICGA are led by a board of directors committed to continuing the conversations of farm bill, biofuels, trade and other ag policy priorities with federal and state legislators.

Policy work is not funded by checkoff dollars. Membership dollars empower M&P and ICGA to positively influence policy and regulatory matters impacting the U.S. soybean and corn industry.

ICGA and M&P are at the table with lawmakers while you work at your farm. Contact Khyla Goodman by email at kgoodman@indianasoybean.com to learn more about becoming a member.

More than a checkoff leader, Lemenager finds fulfillment as a father and a farmer

BY DAVE BLOWER JR.

Some people find fulfillment and identity in their careers. Others are motivated by money to work harder. For Keevin Lemenager, he values providing for his wife, April, and their two sons Baylor, 7, and Brigham, 9. On their Morgan County farm near Monrovia, Ind., the Lemenagers spend their days working on the farm, taking care of responsibilities and enjoying family time.

Lemenager will complete his third three-year term as a member of the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) Board of Directors later this year. He became a director representing District 4 on the ISA board in 2016. During his time serving the state’s checkoff program, he has also served on checkoff partner programs such as the Soy Aquaculture Alliance (SAA) and the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC).

Lemenager has been a full-time farmer since 2000. He not only farms in Morgan County, Lemenager also grows corn and soybeans in both Putnam and Hendricks counties.

In addition, Lemenager has found value in advocating for farmers at the state and federal level. In 2023, he served as the chair of ISA’s Membership and Policy Committee (M&P) and campaigned for many ag policies in the Indiana legislature. This year he serves as Secretary for ISA and as a Hoosier delegate for the American Soybean Association (ASA) advocating for federal policies such as a new farm bill.

Agriculture has always been a part of Lemenager’s life. His father, Ron Lemenager, is currently a professor of animal sciences at Purdue University. His mother, Glenda, worked as a medical laboratory technologist in clinical pathology at Purdue Veterinary Medicine. He also raises cattle with his father in Benton County, Ind., along with his mother, his brother, Brian, and sister-in-law, Stepheny. Education is important in the Lemenager household. He earned a degree from Purdue University, and he participated in The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers at Texas A&M University.

A good blind date

April Lemenager never imagined living on a farm or learning what she has in recent years.

The Lemenager family, from left, April, Baylor, Keevin and Brigham pose by their barn.

“I had never met a farmer in my life,” April admitted. “We were set up through a series of friends but had difficulty actually meeting each other. It was late springtime, and he told me that it had been a wet spring. At the time I had no idea what that meant other than that it prevented us from meeting up in person. So, we spent the next three weeks getting to know each other over the phone. If I remember correctly, it was row 17 that kept giving him trouble during those late-night phone calls.” Eventually planting season wrapped up, and they had their first date – not without drama.

“Coming out of the restaurant on our first date, I noticed I had a flat tire,” she said. “(Keevin) had driven a service truck straight from the field to the restaurant and fixed it right there.”

Lemenager, smiling, said, “I got that tire fixed for her, and the rest is history.”

April admitted that her understanding of agriculture and farmers was far from complete while growing up in Hendricks County. She realized that farming is incredibly complex and very much a business.

“I was unaware of how much technology is involved in the entire process,” she said. “The equipment that he operates has so many different screens tracking and monitoring everything that he needs to know to help him do the best job.”

Like Lemenager, April finds joy in raising their boys. “Most of the time she’s an unpaid Uber driver for two broke little boys,” he joked.

On occasion, Lemenager will have one son with him running the combine, and April will operate the grain cart with the other son. “The boys like riding in the tractors, and they like talking on the radios. It’s good family time,” he said smiling.

Raising responsible boys

April had a career before meeting Lemenager. “I was a mental health therapist,” she said.

“Now I am her full-time patient,” Lemenager quipped.

These days April is a full-time mom.

“The farm has been fortunate, and we’re at a size where it can support us,” Lemenager said. “Once we started to have children, April was able, and wanted, to take a break from mental health work in order to stay home to raise the boys.”

Although work in agriculture has always been a part of his life, Lemenager wants Brigham and Baylor to find their own passions whether it be in agriculture or not. “You know, they are 7 and 9, and at that age they’re interested in a lot of things,” he said. “They show an interest in what I do. Brigham likes to shell corn, and they like to visit the cattle on my dad’s farm. But what’s in their future? I don’t know. I just want them to be happy and choose something they’re going to like to do.”

In the small plot of land around their home is a garden, a playground, a corn crib and an old barn. These are picturesque places familiar to the Lemenagers’ sons. “I think a farm is just a great place to raise kids,” he said.

April said Lemenager is a devoted father. “There is not much that chokes this man up, but those two little boys can do that,” she said. “He cares for them and their future deeply.

“Keevin is certainly a provider, for sure, but it’s more than that. Simply put, he is just a genuinely good person. He teaches the boys about responsibility; he’s really good about that. He talks to them about giving back, taking care of the ground, caring for animals and simply doing the right thing even when it’s hard. For their age, I think the boys have a good understanding of responsibility and business.”

Lemenager said he’s glad Brigham and Baylor have a close relationship with his parents, and he’s glad they like to visit the cattle on their farm. “They probably go to Benton County and see the cattle a few more times a year

Keevin Lemenager said a farm is a great place to raise a family. His sons agree. Here they are after climbing a tree: Brigham, 9, and Baylor, 7.

Making the most of family time is important for Keevin Lemenager, his wife April, and his sons Brigham and Baylor.

Leaders of the Soy Aquaculture Alliance met at Rushing Waters Fisheries and Trout Farm in Palmyra, Wis., in August 2021. At left, SAA Board Secretary Keevin Lemenager, a farmer from Monrovia, Ind., and an Indiana Soybean Alliance Board member, poses with Rushing Waters owner Peter Frisch and SAA Executive Director Kenlon Johannes.

than I do,” he said. “I’m glad they enjoy that, and they learn quite a lot being around the cattle.”

Checkoff and the farm

Growing up, Lemenager understood cattle and growing hay. In the past 24 years, he’s devoted his time to becoming a better row-crop farmer. Part of his success is finding the right crop to grow. He prefers specialty crops that offer a premium. All of his soybean acres are planted with high oleic soybeans. Lemenager delivers his harvested soybeans to ADM in Frankfort, Ind.

ISA, the state’s soybean checkoff program, has worked to develop a market for high oleic soybean oil so that Hoosier farmers can earn a premium on a better crop. As a result, Indiana is the largest producer of high oleic soybeans in the world, and it’s where Lemenager learned about the crop. Likewise, he grows non-GMO waxy corn in his corn fields. “We’re in the specialty market both ways,” Lemenager said. In addition, he believes in responsibly growing his crop. “I’m proud of what we do, and I think we try to do it right,” Lemenager said. “Every field we own is pattern tiled, and that creates a better environment to grow a crop. It’s also better for the environment because of water management.

During the 2023 Ag Policy

You’re creating a sponge out of your soil, and there’s less runoff downstream.

He said improving soil quality is key to a successful crop. When he acquires new ground, Lemenager takes steps to make it more productive. Those steps include installing new drainage tile and soil testing to create maps for variable rate seeding and fertilizer. He said he prefers poultry manure as a fertilizer, in part, because Indiana poultry farms consume a large percentage of the state’s corn and soybean crop. While the checkoff has helped his farm by offering information on different crops and growing techniques, he said ISA’s efforts to find new markets is more important. During his time on the ISA board, Lemenager learned that soybean meal can be a high-quality protein source for aquaculture diets. Also, with his work on USAPEEC, he has seen buyers in the growing economies of smaller countries express a desire for more protein through U.S. exports of chicken, turkey and duck – all of which contain a lot of soybeans in their diet.

“I really believe in the checkoff work that we’re doing,” Lemenager said. “I didn’t know much about the checkoff when I became a director on the board. However, the more involved I’ve become, the more I believe we’re helping every soybean grower in the State of Indiana.”

The 2024 Executive Board for the Indiana Soybean Alliance includes, from left, Membership and Policy Committee Chair Joe Stoller, Sustainability and Value Creation Committee Chair Brian Warpup, President Kevin Cox, Vice President Denise Scarborough, Market Development Committee Chair Steve Phares, Treasurer Carey McKibben and Secretary Keevin Lemenager.

Summit, while serving as the chair of ISA’s Membership & Policy Committee, Keevin Lemenager announced Ted McKinney as last year’s winner of the Friend of Farmer award.

Gov. Holcomb joins Indiana container conference to discuss container ports and agricultural exports

BY DAVE BLOWER JR.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb kicked off the first-ever Indiana Container Shipping Conference and Intermodal Rail Tour on June 17 as business, agriculture and transportation leaders discussed ways to develop new container ports, grow agriculture exports and expand global trade.

Container shipping capacity has been identified as a key objective to support Indiana’s economic and agricultural growth, which led to the creation of this event hosted by Ports of Indiana, Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC).

developing and maintaining a world-class port system, and by serving as a statewide resource for maritime issues, international trade and multimodal logistics. Learn more at www.portsofindiana.com

“I commend Indiana’s statewide agricultural sector and port leaders for convening this important discussion about growing Indiana’s global trade by expanding our international container shipping opportunities,” Gov. Holcomb said.

“Improving our infrastructure to support local container terminals can provide Hoosier farmers with access to overseas customers,” said ISA and ICMC CEO Courtney Kingery. “Indiana corn and soybean farmers produce premium, value-added products but often lack easy access to international container facilities that offer efficient shipments of identitypreserved commodities to world markets.”

The conference included a tour of Indiana Rail Road’s Senate Avenue Intermodal Yard and speakers from International Feed, S&P Global, POET, Pence Group, Cole Hardwood, Cargo Services, Indiana Rail Road, ISA, ICMC and Ports of Indiana.

“Our state has a proud ag-based heritage and an equally exciting future, led by specialized soybeans, corn and hardwood products that are coveted throughout world markets. Leveraging all our port, rail and transportation resources to expand our container shipping connections will strengthen our economy and create even more opportunities for Hoosier farmers, businesses and families.”

The conference included a tour of Indiana Rail Road’s Senate Avenue Intermodal Yard and speakers from International Feed, S&P Global, POET, Pence Group, Cole Hardwood, Cargo Services, Indiana Rail Road, ISA, ICMC and Ports of Indiana.

Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, Ports of Indiana is a self-funded enterprise dedicated to growing Indiana’s economy by

Shipping containers

The development of shipping containers with standard dimensions supports efficient transport of a variety of goods in truck-sized containers. Standard containers are generally 8-feet wide, 8.5-feet tall and 20 or 40-feet long, with larger sizes available. Global standardization allows ocean vessels to stack and carry more than 20,000 containers per voyage to multiple countries around the world.

For Hoosier farmers, as an example, a container could be loaded locally with Indiana soybeans, get moved by truck to an intermodal railroad yard where it is loaded and carried to a seaport for overseas delivery. Through Ports of Indiana, local products have access to overseas shipping with two ports along the Ohio River, at Mount Vernon and Jeffersonville, and another port in Burns Harbor on Lake Michigan. Indiana has fewer container terminals than neighboring states.

Ports of Indiana is hoping to lead the development of new container terminals at its three ports, which already provide access to foreign markets for bulk and breakbulk cargoes.

The Indiana Container Shipping Conference and Intermodal Rail Tour brought together business, agriculture and transportation leaders to discuss ways to develop new container ports, grow agriculture exports, and expand global trade.

Indiana ports generate $8.7 billion per year in economic impact for the state and support 50,000 jobs. Ports of Indiana is undergoing a $100 million capital campaign that includes eight federal grants, five docks, three railyards, two cargo storage facilities, extensive cargo handling equipment and decarbonization planning.

“Container shipping represents a major new venture for Indiana’s ports,” said Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock. “We don’t handle containers today due to regulatory and market challenges, but containers represent the highest-valued and fastest-growing cargo for ports around the world. By working with our state agriculture partners and many others, we hope to develop new container facilities that will allow Indiana to better connect with the global economy.”

In early June, the Ports of Indiana Commission approved a plan to launch “The Indiana Container Initiative” to develop multiple international container terminals. This initiative is designed to increase the organization’s efforts to pursue the development of international container facilities within Indiana’s ports and other locations throughout the state.

Expanding export opportunities

As it stands, the volume of corn, soybeans or farm commodities – as well as other raw commodities – that leave Indiana in containers is relatively small, said Ed Ebert, Senior Director for Market Development for ISA and ICMC. However, with the correct infrastructure in place, he believes Indiana could tap into already existing shipping routes.

“Shipping from Asia and China can play a significant role,” Ebert said. “China is a key player in the global container network. Containers with consumer goods leave major ports in China as well as Japan, South Korea and Southeast

Asia destined for the largest consumer goods market in the world – the United States. When these containers are offloaded and emptied, they can ideally be loaded with U.S. soybeans to get hauled back to China and Asia.”

Kingery recently traveled to meet many overseas buyers and has identified the most desired agricultural products that Hoosier farmers produce, including specialty soybeans such as high oleic, non-genetically modified or food grade soybeans; specialty corn such as nongenetically modified or waxy corn; soybean and corn co-products such as distillers’ dried grain or ethanol; meat and poultry, such as eggs, turkey, duck and pork; and Indiana hardwoods.

“Ports of Indiana along with ISA and ICMC seek to expand the sale of specialty agricultural products exported in containers from Indiana to global markets,” Kingery said. “Stakeholders and potential supporters are gathering to explore funding opportunities and areas of cooperation to expand Indiana’s value-added commodity exports. The market potential of shipping to global customers could be up to 11,600 containers of $165 million in product value between soybean and corn commodities and co-products annually.”

Many agriculture and shipping stakeholders participated the meeting including: the Indiana Corn Growers Association, Cole Hardwood, POET, The Indiana Rail Road, Pence Group, S&P Global, the Indiana Economic Development Corp., the Agribusiness Council of Indiana, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corp., Indiana Farm Bureau, The DeLong Co., Inc., International Feed Worldwide, CSI, Bose Public Affairs Group, Louisville and Indiana Railroad, Barnes and Thornburg LLP, IN Ag LLC, CSX, and Spliethoff.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock, and ISA and ICMC CEO Courtney Kingery spoke to guests during the first-ever Indiana Container Shipping Conference.

USSEC, Indiana soybean checkoff program celebrates Soybean Oil Masters graduates

BY DAVE BLOWER JR.

The Soybean Oil Masters program, an effort led by the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and the U.S. Soy Export Council (USSEC), offers reasons to international soybean industry stakeholders why U.S.grown soybeans should be preferred.

This program educates and fosters connections internationally within the agricultural, trade and culinary sectors. The mission is to provide global end users, crushers and influential groups in the food industry with a comprehensive understanding of U.S. soybean oil and, ultimately, to increase demand. The program covers various aspects including nutritional benefits, practical applications, production processes and the sustainability of U.S. soybean production.

opportunities for Indiana and U.S. farmers to have their products used in more markets.”

Indiana is the leading producer in the world of high oleic soybeans. To showcase that product, the Soy Oil Masters program participants enjoyed food cooked in high oleic soybean oil at the Indianapolis 500, at a lunch at Victory Field and during a tour of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the home of the Indiana Pacers.

More than 100 graduates of that program wrapped up a big week in the Hoosier State recently with tours of Indiana farms, agribusinesses, Purdue University, and finally, watching the greatest spectacle in racing – the Indianapolis 500-mile race.

“We want to congratulate each and every one of you – the third class of graduates from the Soybean Oil Masters program,” said ISA Chair Kevin Cox, a farmer from Clay County, Ind. “You have joined an elite group of only 1,000 graduates from around the world. We have 110 attendees graduating from the program representing the entire soy value chain – from crushers and refiners to importers and restaurants. We find this investment incredibly valuable – both for growing your market capacity and knowledge base, and for creating more

“High oleic soybean oil is a healthy and nutritious alternative to traditional vegetable oils,” Cox said. “I couldn’t be prouder as an Indiana farmer to promote this success story and to show the state’s soybean farmers the value their checkoff brings.”

Silvia Villalobos, center, poses with her Soy Oil Masters certificate along with ISA Board Chair Kevin Cox, a farmer from Brazil, Ind., at left, and USSEC Board Chairman Lance Rezac, a farmer from Onaga, Kan., following the graduation ceremony in Indianapolis, Ind., in May.

Middletown, Ind., farmer David Howell talks with Soy Oil Masters program participants during a cookout he hosted in late May. Howell frequently hosts foreign trade teams at his farm.

Soybean Oil Masters participants

This year the Soybean Oil Masters participants came from Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico in the Americas; China, Japan and Korea in North Asia; India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam in Southeast Asia. Their tour through Indiana included stops at Beck’s Hybrids, Corteva Agriscience, Pence Group and Bunge; the research sites at Purdue University; and tours at the farms of David Howell, Middletown, Ind.; Kevin Kelley, Brookston, Ind.; Adam Sheller, Noblesville, Ind.; Tyler Everett, Lebanon, Ind.; Jenna Scott, Gaston, Ind.; Scott Smith, Windfall, Ind.; Dylan Christopher, Monticello, Ind.; and Chris Eck, Boggstown, Ind.

“I decided to host a tour because I’ll learn as much from the tour group as they’ll learn from me,” said Kevin Kelley, who is an ISA board director. “Many of the people visiting our farm today have never seen an American farm. They may not fully understand the process and care that goes into producing our soybean crop. Their questions centered around crop rotations, crop health and our soil’s health. My hope is that our visitors learned several reasons why they should prefer the safety, sustainability and reliability of U.S.-grown soybeans over those of our competitors in other countries.”

The program targets participants from across the soybean oil value chain, including importers, crushers, refiners, consumer goods companies, the hospitality and institutional sectors, cooks and nutritionists. The participants may understand their part of the value chain but lack a detailed understanding for the rest of it.

“We hope you leave here with a better idea of where your soybeans and soybean oil come from and how they’re grown,” Cox told program graduates at a ceremony on May 25. “We want you to know that trusted partnerships between U.S. farmers and suppliers, and you and your countries benefit all of us. I can say from experience that you will value the relationships and connections you’ve made here for your entire career. We hope you will use this

knowledge and information from the program to help you in the coming years.”

Indiana farmers hosting tours

Indiana’s soybean growers already do an excellent job of producing a crop. According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Hoosier farmers intend to plant more than 5.6 million acres of soybeans this year. Indiana produced more than 335 billion bushels of soybeans worth an estimated $4.4 billion last growing season. Indiana is the fourth-largest soybean-producing state in America. To find buyers for all those soybeans requires building relationships around the globe.

“International soybean buyers have an idea of how we raise crops in the U.S.,” said tour host Tyler Everett. “I hope this visit to our farm helps complete that image of U.S. soybean farming and how we sustainably produce a quality crop.

Tour host Adam Sheller agreed. “I hope the trade teams walk away with an understanding of the investment and management it takes to grow a nonGMO crop,” he said.

Indiana’s soybean checkoff’s mission is to increase the crop’s value by finding new customers. ISA’s strategy to accomplish this goal is comprehensive and requires partners such as USSEC.

“The world of ag is competitive and opportunities like this help us educate them as to why American soybeans maybe should be the preferred source for them and a trusted source as well,” Kelley said.

“We talked a little bit about our crop rotations, that we’re using cover crops, we’re using minimum tillage. Since we own the majority of the land that we farm, thankfully, that we’re able to make some decisions,

Hamilton County, Ind., farmer Adam Sheller explains soybean production to Soy Oil Masters program participants from Central and South America.

Delaware County, Ind., farmer Jenna Scott hosted members of the Soy Oil Masters program for a farm tour in May.

“This is a really a great cross-cultural activity for them to help strengthen the relationships we have at these various markets as well as important people in in these countries.”

-- Will McNair, USSEC Director of Oil and Soy Food Programs

long-term decisions, for the health of the soil, which then results in healthier crops, healthier soybeans, soybeans with better traits, better nutrient profile for them. We’ve been here for 100 years, 120 years, and we’re hopefully going to be here for quite a bit longer. So, we’re a reliable source for them, and we’re looking to be a good long-term partner.”

Program history

The Indiana Soybean Oil Masters program started in Korea six years ago. More than 350 soybean oil industry representatives have graduated from the program in Korea. USSEC and ISA use the program to encourage trade, and Korea is the No. 1 importer of U.S. soybean oil. Korea is also an early adopter of high oleic soybean oil.

USSEC’s mission is to maximize the utilization, value and access to markets of U.S. Soy around the world. USSEC receives soybean farmer checkoff dollars from USB and several state soybean checkoff organizations, including ISA. USSEC tries to fulfill its mission of creating a preference for U.S. Soy by nurturing relationships, growing awareness and demonstrating value to global customers.

With offices in more than 80 countries, USSEC helps customers with diverse backgrounds and experiences to reach their full potential by using U.S. Soy products. The purpose of these tours was to highlight the care of soybean production in Indiana and to give

international soybean stakeholders an opportunity to ask questions of farmers.

“Our hope is that these soybean industry stakeholders will return home knowing that the United States is a consistent, reliable supplier that is innovating to help meet their demand needs for the future,” said Will McNair, USSEC Director of Oil and Soy Food Programs.

“The participants included vice presidents, business owners and key R&D or purchasing personnel. Indiana is a crucial state for soybean production, exports and innovation. Being able to visit these sites in Indiana really helps to send the message to the international buyers of innovation, production and supply reliability.”

He said, for most of the attendees, it is their first time visiting the United States.

“This is a really a great cross-cultural activity for them to help strengthen the relationships we have at these various markets as well as important people in in these countries,” McNair added.

He said USSEC’s partnership with ISA is integral to the program’s success. “Helping to fund much of the program in various parts of the world, being able to provide on the ground support here, being able to help us arrange visits,” McNair explained.

Visit www.ussec.org for details about U.S. Soy export efforts. Go to www.unitedsoybean.org for news about the national soybean checkoff. For more on ISA, visit www.incornandsoy.org.

Sunetra Ramsingh, a member of the Americas group during the Soy Oil Masters tour through Indiana in May, poses at a display that features some of the products made from U.S. soybeans.

Shelby County, Ind., farmer Chris Eck talks to a Japanese member of the Soy Oil Masters program during a farm tour in May.

ISA, USSEC finish months of teaching in Korea wth Soybean Oil Masters program graduation

BY ANITA SHARKEY

From June 19-24, several board members of the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) visited Seoul, South Korea, to participate in the U.S. Soybean Sustainability Conference and Soybean Oil Masters Program Graduation ceremony.

This event, sponsored by ISA and led by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), marks a significant milestone in promoting U.S.-grown soybeans and their derivatives on a global scale.

The Soybean Oil Masters Program is an initiative designed to educate international stakeholders about the advantages of U.S.-grown soybeans. It targets key players in the agricultural, trade, and culinary sectors, including importers, crushers, refiners, consumer goods companies, and nutritionists. The program’s mission is to increase the demand for U.S. soybean oil by highlighting its nutritional benefits, practical applications, production processes, and sustainability.

seasoned supporters for foreign trade and sustainable farming practices from Middletown, Ind. The Howells have hosted more than 1,000 international visitors on their farm, providing invaluable insights into U.S. soybean production.

A U.S. soy delegation consisting of directors from the Indiana Soybean Alliance, the United Soybean Board and the Ohio Soybean Council visited Hanil Feed Group in South Korea along with USSEC and FAS Seoul staff on June 21. As the U.S. crush expands due to a renewable diesel policy, USSEC seeks to share the latest information about the U.S. soybean meal market with the feed industry and bring its attention to market changes that lead to an increase in the export availability of U.S. soybean meal.

Indiana plays a pivotal role in this program. As the leading producer of high oleic soybeans, Indiana is at the forefront of innovations in soybean farming and high oleic soybean oil production. This oil, known for its improved fat profile and heart health benefits, is a testament to our farmers’ commitment to growing a sustainable product that is indemand by customers here and overseas.

The highlight of the trip to Seoul was the graduation ceremony that took place on June 21, participants received their certificates. These graduates join an elite group of 1,000 individuals who have completed the program worldwide. The program’s global reach includes participants from North and South America, Asia and Southeast Asia, demonstrating its broad impact on the international soybean oil market.

Indiana farmer leaders attending the event included Carey McKibben from LaGrange, Ind.; and Derika LynamSpaetti from Richland, Ind.; David and Mary Howell,

“The Soybean Oil Masters Program is a comprehensive course about the process of soybean oil from farm to market,” Carey McKibben said. “It starts with the way U.S. farmers sustainably grow soybeans, then how they make their way through the supply chain, then crushing of the beans with the latest technology, to why U.S. soybean oil is superior, especially high oleic soybean oil.”

A week of learning and exchange

Prior to the ceremony in Seoul, last year’s Soybean Oil Masters Program participants had a chance to visit Indiana in May.

Farmers also participated in the U.S. Soy Sustainability Conference. David and Mary Howell have hosted more than 1,000 international visitors on their farm in Middeltown, Ind., providing invaluable insights into U.S. soybean production.

More than 100 participants toured Indiana farms, agribusinesses, and Purdue University. These tours provided international stakeholders with an understanding of the care and innovation involved in Indiana’s soybean production.

The benefits of high oleic soybean oil were also showcased throughout the participants’ visit. This versatile oil, which extends product shelf life and offers a longer fry life than other edible oils, was featured in meals at the Indy 500, Victory Field, and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Local institutions like Purdue University and Indiana University also use high oleic soybean oil in their dining services and sports concessions, highlighting its growing popularity.

Impact on Indiana farmers

From January through April of this year, 67,000 metric tons of U.S. food-grade soybeans worth $57 million were exported to Korea and in 2023, it was the 10th-largest importer of U.S. soybeans. Through the Soybean Oil Master’s program, USSEC and ISA are working together to increase demand and open new markets for the high oleic soybean oil.

ISA Senior Director of Market Development Ed Ebert attended the event and said, “buyers from across South Korea learned about specific production practices that make US Soy the worldwide leader in sustainably produced soy proteins.”

During the program, Indiana farmers had the opportunity to visit a Korean feed mill, tofu manufacturer, and aqua feed protein supplier.

Indiana farmer leader Derika Lynam-Spaetti of Richland, Ind., provided an introduction to the Indiana soybean industry during the Soy Day Awards Ceremony.

“These same farmers then had the opportunity to present certificates of completion to the USSEC Soy Oil Masters graduates in a ceremony,” Ebert continued. “This caps a yearlong training program that emphasizes the quality and benefits of U.S. Soybean oil, management of that oil, and introduces students to the benefits of high oleic soybean oil, sustainably produced by U.S. farmers.”

By fostering international connections and demonstrating the quality and reliability of U.S. soybeans, the program helps build long-term partnerships that benefit both farmers and global consumers.

Farmer-owned lender FCMA.com

Hoosier farmer featured in ad campaign selling healthy soybeans to South Korea

BY DAVE BLOWER JR.

When the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) was looking for a farmer to represent American farmers who grow soybeans using environmentally sustainable techniques, Jim Douglas volunteered.

Douglas is a farmer from Flat Rock, Ind., and a director for the United Soybean Board (USB), the national soybean checkoff program. For nine years, Douglas was a board member of the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), the state’s soybean checkoff program. Now, he is featured on billboards and in commercials in South Korea as USSEC’s representative of a responsible U.S. farmer who produces healthy crops.

Daerim, a major food manufacturer, has expanded its Sustainable U.S Soy-labeled soy food products. Our Home, another major food manufacturer and food service provider, launched tofu products with the Sustainable U.S Soy logo label this year. From January through April of this year, 67,000 metric tons of U.S. food-grade soybeans worth $57 million were exported to Korea. USSEC also launched a digital campaign on YouTube focusing on U.S. Soy sustainability.

“I’ve spent my entire life cultivating this piece of land. When I first realized that soybeans are turned into an extraordinary variety of food products and served on dining tables all around the world, I felt a tremendous responsibility,” Douglas said in one of the commercials. “This crop provides growing children in countless countries with nutrients and nourishment they need. It is for this reason that I decided to adopt sustainable cultivation techniques. I want to conserve this land and pass it on to future generations.”

USSEC’s consumer outreach campaign in South Korea features Douglas promoting sustainably grown U.S. soybeans. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the sustainability of U.S.-grown soybeans among general consumers as well as the food industry. The campaign includes billboards and signs that have been running on buses in Seoul and its suburbs that may reach as many as 260,000 people.

As a result of this advertising in South Korea, Sajo

Douglas is the fifth generation to work his farm in southern Shelby County. In addition to soybeans, he grows corn with his son, James. Through a partnership with the Mark Legan family of Putnam County called D & L Pork, Douglas Farms also finishes more than 30,000 hogs per year. He and his wife,

USSEC has launched a consumer outreach campaign in South Korea featuring Jim Douglas, a farmer from Flat Rock, Ind., and a USB board member, to promote sustainably grown U.S. soy.

USSEC’s ad campaign includes billboards and signs that have been running on the buses in Seoul and the suburbs that may reach as many as 260,000 people.

Kay, have five children and 12 grandchildren. The couple now lives about 15 minutes from the homestead house where they first moved after their wedding in 1980.

Through his involvement with ISA and related organizations such as USSEC, Douglas learned about the mechanics of international trade, domestic markets and product development.

“Before I got involved in ISA, I took for granted that all these things happen, and I think many farmers sit back, busy with their lives and family while all this takes place behind the scenes,” Douglas said. “ISA is there every year with a dedicated staff to promote not only soybeans, but industries that use them. ISA is in there plugging along helping with those industries. In the end, they’re going to use more beans because of that.”

He recommends farmers to get involved with trade organizations to put a voice to American ag, though he realizes that means balancing such involvement with farming and raising a family. Douglas said family time is precious, but working in time to get involved is valuable, too. He believes any given person involved in ISA or a similar organization will likely get more out of the organization than they give to it.

“Back when I started out, we were hardly reliant on our trade ties, but now we’re completely reliant on our trade partners and business more than our domestic needs,

The USSEC marketing campaign in Korea aims to raise awareness about the U.S. soy sustainability among general consumers as well as the food industry.

so the roles and importance of these organizations have really stepped up,” he said.

To see the USSEC video series, go online to bit.ly/HoosierFarmerInSoyCampaignKorea.

Volunteer at the Glass Barn

The Indiana Soybean Alliance is looking for Glass Barn volunteers during the 2024 Indiana State Fair. Weekend and evening shifts are the biggest needs. You’ll receive a complimentary parking pass, admission to the state fair, a meal coupon to the beef tent, pork tent, or dairy bar, and a newly designed Bean Team shirt.

Visit bit.ly/GlassBarnVolunteer or scan here

Hoosier farmers participate in trade mission and conference in Colombia

BY ANITA SHARKEY

Farmer Board members from Indiana Soybean Alliance recently participated in U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC)’s QSSB Trade Mission and the Americas Agricultural Cooperators Conference in Bogota, Colombia. These events, representing the interests of Indiana farmers and fostering international collaborations took place June 11-14.

The Americas Agricultural Cooperators Conference is the signature event organized by the Americas Region of USSEC. This conference serves as a vital platform for building relationships and exploring business opportunities. The goal is to connect key decision-makers from across the Americas, share updated market information, and discuss future trends. The event also aims to elevate the preference for U.S. Soy and reinforce free market access in our markets. Participants at the conference engaged in discussions and presentations on U.S. soy production, global geopolitics, risk analysis, sustainability, and market trends.

A special highlight of the conference was Mike Koehne, ISA Director, USSEC Director, and American Soybean Association (ASA) Director, delivering the closing remarks on the first day. Phil Ramsey, Indiana farmer and ASA Director, also spoke during a farmer panel to share valuable insights with the guests.

Mike Koehne provided closing remarks. He emphasized the importance of the conference in fostering shared insights and valuable industry knowledge.

The Indiana Soybean Alliance is committed to ensuring that our farmers have a voice in the global market. ISA participates in the QSSB Trade Mission and the Americas Agricultural Cooperators Conference to:

• Strengthen Partnerships: Build and maintain relationships with key industry players in the Americas region.

• Share Knowledge: Exchange insights and learn from international growers and industry experts.

• Promote U.S. Soy: Showcase the quality and reliability of U.S. soybean products.

• Identify Opportunities: Explore new business opportunities that can benefit Indiana farmers. ISA was well-represented by several board members: Chris Eck, Boggstown; Mike Koehne, Greensburg; Larry Rusch, Vincennes; Roger Wenning, Greensburg; and Phil Ramsey, Shelbyville.

“You are all to be commended for your tremendous commitment and dedication to growing, expanding and stretching your already robust knowledge and perspective,” he said. “Likewise, the U.S. soybean industry is steadfast in our unwavering commitment to the partnerships and friendships we’ve formed in the region, and we are equally dedicated to providing you with the highest quality soybean products.”

He added that the Cooperators Conference is a testament to that shared resolution toward furthering and harnessing the tremendous growth and opportunity in Americas agriculture.

Mike also highlighted the unwavering commitment of the U.S. soybean industry to partnerships in the region and the provision of high-quality soybean products.

Participating in these overseas events directly benefits Indiana farmers by:

• Enhancing Market Access: Strengthening trade relationships can open new markets for Indiana soybeans.

• Providing Insights: Learning about global market trends and consumer preferences helps farmers make informed decisions.

• Building Networks: Establishing connections with international stakeholders can lead to new business opportunities and collaborations.

Stay tuned for more updates as our ISA Board members continue to engage with industry leaders and explore new opportunities for Indiana farmers.

This truck is unloading soybeans at the Solla Animal Feed Plant in Bogota, Colombia.

Aquaculture and livestock projects build the global market for U.S. soybean meal

BY TOM D’ALFANSO Director of Animal and Aquaculture, U.S. Soybean Export Council

As U.S. soybean crushing capacity grows, more sustainable soybean meal will be available for animal and aquaculture feed.

In 2023, three crush plants expanded operations and a new plant opened in North Dakota. Plans are underway for 12 new soybean crushing plants and five expansions to be operating by 2026, including small increases in Indiana.

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) is sharing the advantages of U.S. soybean meal and the logistics infrastructure to help customers around the world capitalize on its increasing availability and support global food security.

U.S. soybean meal offers significant nutritional benefits. USSEC is showing worldwide feed formulators that the value of U.S. soybean meal goes beyond crude protein. Its high digestibility and essential amino acids support the health and growth of livestock and aquaculture. Plus, U.S. Soy products have a lower carbon footprint than soy of other origins.

Showcasing advantages for European customers

Thomas D’Alfonso is the Director of Animal and Aquaculture for the U.S. Soybean Export Council.

• USSEC organized “Soy Quality and Sustainability – Training in Soy Ingredients, Microscopy and Animal Nutrition” at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, an exchange with the goal to build knowledge of the role of U.S. Soy’s quality and sustainability.

• In conjunction with Bunge Romania, USSEC offered “Back to Basics in Sustainable Soybean and Soy Ingredients,” an interdisciplinary approach to preserve quality and improve sustainability in oil extraction, feed manufacturing and animal nutrition.

• USSEC enabled participation in applied feed manufacturing and animal nutrition training at Universidad Politécnica in Madrid, Spain, which included an interdisciplinary approach to understand the role and impact of U.S. Soy on profitability and sustainability.

• U.S. Soy customers participated in the Turkey Science and Production Conference in the U.K. in March, which included “Improving Sustainable Poultry Production Performance through High Quality U.S. Soy Ingredients.”

In Europe, USSEC programs and events focus on helping soybean meal customers understand quality, differentiate between soy origins, maximize value and benefit from the sustainability advantages of U.S. soybean meal. Soybean meal from Indiana and neighboring states can reach Europe through ports on the Gulf of Mexico and along the East Coast.

USSEC has used a variety of educational opportunities to highlight the value and benefits of U.S. soybean meal throughout Europe. These include:

• At the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research in Greece, USSEC implemented an evaluation of replacing fishmeal with sustainable fermented soybean meal in European seabass fed high-performing diets.

Importers have told USSEC they are pleased with the quality of the soybean meal they are receiving from the United States. For example, in one shipment to Poland, the specifications of the commodity soybean meal delivered were slightly better than what was outlined in the purchasing contract.

European markets have opportunity for growth. For instance, USSEC participated in the 2024 Global Seafood Expo in Barcelona, Spain. The total volume of fish and shellfish produced in aquaculture in Europe is predicted to rise by 56 percent from 2010 to 2030, while the value is expected to increase by $3.4 billion. This is expected to lead to an additional total feed requirement of 395,000 metric tons.

Pacific Northwest expands soybean meal shipments

To demonstrate the sustainable production and efficient supply systems for U.S. soybean meal from the Pacific Northwest to Asia, USSEC has hosted multiple trade teams and events.

In 2023, leadership of the Korean Feed Association and member feed mills visited the U.S. In January 2024, USSEC hosted the Korea Soybean Meal Buyers Team, including purchasing managers from 14 feed mills. Both groups visited the Port of Grays Harbor in Washington state, where an expansion is equipping the facility to export more soybean meal from the U.S. Northern Plains and Midwest. The groups also met with export partners and others to better understand the U.S. soybean meal supply chain. While soybean meal crushed in Indiana likely won’t take this route, this export option is bringing value back to Indiana farmers through overall exports.

Taking advantage of the increased export availability

The U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) is sharing the advantages of U.S. soybean meal and the logistics infrastructure to help customers around the world capitalize on its increasing availability and support global food security.

of U.S. soybean meal, USSEC continues to promote U.S. soybean meal in Asia. Programs scheduled in the coming year include the U.S. Soybean Meal Master Program, conference and trade missions. These efforts have potential to increase the market for U.S. soybean meal in this region.

In Korea alone, customers are showing an increased interest in U.S. soybean meal with their purchases during the last marketing year, which was followed up with slightly higher volume in the first half of the current marketing year. That is evidence we are building that market.

In addition to educating customers on the latest innovations and advances in soybean meal quality control and shipping logistics, these USSEC efforts contribute to building U.S. Soy preference for the benefit of international customers. As a result, the global market for U.S. soybean meal is expected to grow alongside U.S. crush capacity and biofuel demand.

A terminal expansion at the Port of Grays Harbor in Washington will increase ease of shipping U.S. soybean meal from the Pacific Northwest to customers throughout Asia. (United Soybean Board photo)

This shipment of U.S. soybean meal is unloaded in Poland.

ISA partners with USMEF for first Red Meat Symposium in Mexico

BY STEVE PHARES

Board Director, Indiana Soybean Alliance AND ED EBERT

Senior Market Development Director, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Marketing Council

Mexico has long been a key market for U.S. pork with a focus on hams and other product for further processing, but strong growth in retail and foodservice have sent demand for U.S. red meat into overdrive in 2024. That’s why the Indiana Soybean Alliance partnered with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to host the first-ever U.S. Red Meat Symposium in Mexico.

The symposium, in June in Mexico City, offered a key, face-to-face networking opportunity for U.S. suppliers and Mexican importers. Those U.S. exporters had access to buyers from every corner of Mexico and an opportunity to showcase the quality of American beef, pork and lamb. U.S. companies brought product to Mexico City for the exporters to see and taste in order to appreciate the quality of U.S. red meat.

Due in large part to decades of free trade, Mexico has built a reputation as a reliable trading partner for U.S. agriculture. But, it should by no means be seen as a mature market. As 2024 has shown, there is still plenty of room for growth, with U.S. pork exports to the country up 7 percent on volume this year and beef exports up 17 percent.

“I would say that Mexico is still a developing market,” Jonn Slette, the director of USDA’s Agricultural Trade Office in Mexico City told us. “Over 60 percent of Mexicans are still at or below the poverty line and as they move into the middle class. That’s where our growth is going to be,”

Mexico is a diverse marketplace, with demand for U.S. product growing across a

number of sectors. During our visit, we toured Calle 7, a large wet market moving literally every part of the carcass. USMEF is on the ground in that market, and others like it, promoting our product to foodservice managers and other key buyers.

We also saw U.S. product showcased in very high-end grocery stores in Mexico City, as well as Costco. And USMEF is working with importers to develop new snack products to be featured across the country’s neighborhood convenience stores.

The Mexican market is eager to expand purchases of U.S. red meat and has shown an ability to find new uses for underutilized cuts in order to contain costs while maintaining the quality of experience their customers have come to expect. The symposium’s Product Showcase Room was packed with buyers who were not only asking about purchases now, but also at any future events.

These kinds of investments are key to building value for our producers. So far this year, pork exports have been contributing $66.54 per head slaughtered, accounting for more than 30 percent of pork production. In 2023, pork exports accounted for 7.77 million bushels of Indiana soybean usage for a value of $118.95 per acre.

In addition to the Indiana Soybean Alliance, funding support for the U.S. Red Meat Symposium in Mexico City was provided by the National Pork Board, the Beef Checkoff Program, Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, Nebraska Beef Council and USDA’s Market Access Program.

Calle 7 is a large wet market that literally moves every part of the carcass. USMEF is on the ground in that market, and others like it, promoting U.S. products to foodservice managers and other key buyers.

Steve Phares Ed Ebert

USAPEEC Annual Meeting shatters expectations, solidifying its position as premier industry event

The 2024 USAPEEC Annual Meeting shattered expectations, solidifying its position as the premier industry event for U.S. poultry and egg exporters. Record-breaking attendance, substantial sponsorships and a dynamic atmosphere fueled by informative sessions, insightful discussions and strong industry connections cemented the event’s success.

Set in California, the meeting attracted 326 registrants – the highest number in USAPEEC Annual Meeting history. This turnout signifies the industry’s unwavering support for USAPEEC’s mission to promote U.S. poultry and egg products globally. The meeting provided a platform for members to connect and build relationships.

A highlight was the inaugural Marketing Showcase, featuring USAPEEC’s international staff. Members and sponsors enjoyed invaluable face-toface interactions, discussing marketing programs and exploring opportunities in various regions. The energy was palpable as attendees exchanged ideas and strategies for maximizing their global reach.

Supported by the Iowa Soybean Association, the event featured renowned grill influencer Chef Sergio Salinas (“Checo”) from Enrazsados. Chef Checo’s expertise was on full display as he led interactive workshops for more than 130 HEB employees, providing hands-on experience in preparing marinated chicken thighs and various dressings.

USAPEEC strategically incorporated ALCO and Maple Leaf Farms’ products into the workshop curriculum. More than 150 samples were prepared, featuring a delectable range of items like chicken breast pastor and marinated duck tacos. Notably, all products were sourced directly from HEB’s sales catalog, generously donated by the two USAPEEC members.

Hamza Rouached of Maple Leaf Farms speaks with Thomas Tan, who is a consultant with USAPEEC Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), during the USAPEEC Marketing Showcase meeting.

Attendees not only participated in the workshops but also received promotional bags with samples to take home, ensuring a lasting impression of the high quality offered by USAPEEC members.

The Trade Policy Task Force also convened for its crucial first meeting of the year, tackling pressing issues impacting global trade. High on the agenda were topics like Highpath Avian Influenza (HPAI), the current state of U.S.-China trade relations, and the recent positive development –the reopening of the Colombian market for U.S. poultry products. Addressing these critical matters ensures a smooth and thriving export environment for USAPEEC members.

But USAPEEC’s dedication extends far beyond the annual meeting. Staff are actively engaged in diverse marketing programs worldwide, driving demand for U.S. poultry across various markets.

In Mexico, a collaborative effort saw USAPEEC members join forces to promote their offerings within the influential retail sector. USAPEEC Mexico partnered with members Alimentos Calidad Optima (ALCO) and Maple Leaf Farms to showcase their products to retail giant HEB. Capitalizing on the popular Father’s Day grilling theme, the companies staged a special event at HEB’s corporate offices.

Another initiative saw USAPEEC Mexico team up with the Indiana Soybean Alliance to promote value-added turkey products readily available in Mexican retail stores year-round. This innovative approach addressed the convenience factor often sought by consumers.

The workshop, broadcasted live via Zoom, was led by Ruben Mora, an external chef consultant. Hosted by Carlos Garcia, USAPEEC Mexico’s marketing consultant, the workshop not only discussed the properties and applications of these value-added products but also emphasized their year-round availability in stores. With 55 attendees actively participating, the workshop culminated in the preparation of a mouthwatering turkey sriracha crispy bowl. To further entice viewers, 50 attendees received a kit containing all the ingredients to recreate the recipe at home.

These are just a few examples of USAPEEC’s ongoing commitment to supporting its members and promoting U.S. poultry and egg products on a global scale. By fostering strong partnerships, facilitating industry connections, and implementing innovative marketing initiatives, USAPEEC ensures the continued success of the U.S. poultry and egg industry in the international marketplace.

U.S. Grains Council leaders travel to Mexico to improve corn trade

BY WILL MARGERUM

U.S. Grains Council (USGC) Chairman

Brent Boydston and USGC Past Chairman and Indiana corn farmer

Josh Miller went south of the border recently for meetings with major stakeholders in the U.S.-Mexico corn trade market to maintain positive communication and relationships with one of U.S. agriculture’s most valuable customers.

Boydston and Miller arrived in Monterrey, Mexico on May 28 to join USGC Director in Mexico Heidi Bringenberg and USGC Senior Marketing Specialist Javier Chavez. That evening, the group met with staff from the U.S. Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) in Monterrey to coordinate future collaboration efforts in the country. The ATO works with private industry and government officials in both the U.S. and Mexico to serve as a center for U.S. export promotion and a point of contact for Mexican importers looking to purchase feed grains and other products.

discuss how U.S. producers can meet the company’s demand.

The agenda then shifted to Mexico City for an extended discussion with the National Chamber of Industrialized Corn (CANAMI), an important ally to the entire U.S. agriculture industry during the ongoing process of ensuring food security and normalizing agricultural trade while complying with Mexican import restrictions.

USGC board members and staff based in its Mexico office attended a series of meetings recently to stay connected with importers and producer associations in Mexico and retain the country’s status as U.S. agriculture’s second largest market. The Council was represented by USGC Deputy Director in Mexico Estefanía Perez (rear, second from left); USGC Senior Marketing Specialist Javier Chávez (rear, right); USGC Director in Mexico Heidi Bringenberg (front, left); USGC Past Chairman and Indiana corn farmer Josh Miller (front, second from left); and USGC Chairman Brent Boydston (front, second from right).

“With recent political obstacles and challenges to rail transport logistics affecting grain imports to Mexico, it’s vital for the Council to work in tandem with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service in Mexico to keep shipments moving,” Boydston said. “U.S. producers and Mexican importers and end-users alike are looking for reassurance that trade will continue operating smoothly, and it’s the Council’s duty to facilitate that goal as much as possible.”

The delegation also met with staff from a leading global food production that offers products in 112 countries to

The program concluded in Jalisco, the largest livestock-producing state in Mexico and headquarters of the National Association of Feed Manufacturers for Animal Consumption (ANFACA), an invaluable partner to the Council for more than 30 years. The Council’s group participated in its annual industry luncheon, where attending representatives constituted 90 percent of U.S. corn exports to Mexico, to show the Council’s continuing commitment to collaboration with ANFACA and Mexican importers and producers.

“The Council’s relationship with ANFACA over the decades has been very important both for the Council’s strategy in Mexico and for raising demand for U.S. corn to the level we see today,” Bringenberg said. “I sincerely look forward to continued successes with ANFACA and to building deeper relationships with other associations that will keep U.S. agriculture as the premier option for Mexican importers.”

Go online to grains.org/office/Mexico to read more about the Council’s work there.

Checkoff-funded research is studying if drones can effectively apply fungicides

BY CAROL BROWN

Drones are becoming valuable tools in the agriculture industry. These unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, can do a number of tasks for farmers including field scouting, cover crop seeding, as well as fertilizer, herbicide and fungicide applications. But there are still some unknowns when using drone technology for these purposes.

Plant pathologist Darcy Telenko is determining the effectiveness of drone use for soybean disease management through a project funded by the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA). The associate professor with Purdue University Extension is conducting research on drone-applied fungicides to reduce soybean foliar diseases.

“I want to see if drones could achieve the fungicide coverage needed to manage or mitigate diseases including frogeye leaf spot, Septoria brown spot and Cercospora leaf blight,” Telenko explained. “We are comparing drone application rates to traditional on-theground fungicide applications for best efficacy.”

A UAV applying fungicide on a soybean field at a Purdue University research plot. Researcher Darcy Telenko measures the spray deposition and how well the applied fungicide penetrated into the soybean canopy for the reduction of soybean foliar diseases. (Darcy Telenko photo)

Telenko is applying fungicide at two rates, 2 and 5 gallons per acre, with the UAV to soybean research plots at three Purdue University research farms. She and her team compared these rates to fungicide applied at 20 gallons per acre with a ground rig. All were applied at R3 and R5 soybean stages.

The project included a non-treated soybean control plot.

“One of the variables with crop research is that diseases don’t always appear where and when we want them,” she said. “We had little disease pressure in 2023, but we tried to answer questions including how deep were the drone-applied fungicides getting into the soybean canopy, how wide the spray actually reached, and how heavy was the spray dispersion.”

Several limitations of UAVs may play a part in fungicide efficacy such as whether the drone is equipped with the right nozzles. Some drone nozzles cannot be switched out to achieve the most accurate spray width or droplet size.

Telenko also analyzed soybean yield, which was similar across all plots at each site. After one year of research, the drone applications performed as well as the ground rig for reduction of frogeye leaf spot at both R3 and R5 stages. The drones were better at controlling Septoria brown spot than the ground-rig in terms of diseased plant percentage, but the differences weren’t statistically significant.

The 2- and 5-gallon per acre carrier volume amounts via the drone were similarly successful in controlling the disease. Spraying with a reduced carrier volume means that more acreage could be covered by the drone before refilling the tank. This will not reduce the fungicide per acre cost to the farmer, but it may offset the labor cost for the custom application.

Drone benefits and challenges

Drones have numerous advantages when it comes to agricultural work. Under wet field conditions, they can enter a field sooner than ground equipment. They can reach all areas of the field, even the tight-turnaround spots, and they can more easily avoid obstacles like a pole or a tree line.

Darcy Telenko

There are caveats with using UAVs as well. Drone battery life is a consideration along with tank capacity, in addition to licensing and certifications for flying a UAV.

“One limitation of drone usage is battery life – we can only get so many passes across the field before the battery needs to be swapped,” Telenko said. “Another consideration is having a place near the fields to charge batteries, refill tanks, and for fungicide mixing and washouts.”

There are different FAA rules based on the total weight of the drones, she added. Depending on the size of the drone, there are different requirements for registration, which limits the amount of fungicide it can carry across the field.

Farmers also need to be cognizant of products and ensure they are labeled for aerial application.

Flying UAVs requires permits

drones in Indiana that can be a good resource for anyone interested in getting started.

Telenko is partnering with staff at the Purdue research farms who have drone piloting licenses and applicator certifications. Flying a UAV for fungicide or other chemical application requires a separate applicator permit, which varies by state.

Purdue Extension has a useful checklist for flying

Plant diseases appearing in a field are never good, but Telenko needs to have them in order to get useful results. If conditions are right, these diseases will reappear within the research plots for more data collection this coming season.

In addition to the three soybean diseases she focused on in the previous trials, she is adding white mold to the project. The research was also conducted in corn plots for tar spot and gray leaf spot through other funding sources.

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Casteel: Soybeans have an amazing ability to adapt and overcome stressful situations

BY SHAUN N. CASTEEL, Purdue Extension Soybean Specialist

Indiana’s soybeans have been off to a great start in terms of development this season with 30 percent of the state’s crop flowering as of July 7. This flowering progress aligns with the 5-year average, and it is much faster than 2023 – though it was a delayed flowering season.

We also have 9 percent of Indiana that is podding as of July 7, which is about 7-10 days earlier than the 5-year average and 2023. My goal is to have soybeans “green to the eye by the 4th of July” (e.g., close the row by the time soybean are flowering out the top). But what happens when storms take those leaves away?

Shaun Casteel

Severe weather continues to impact our soybean fields with localized intensity from heavy rains to strong winds to hail. Nothing is more gut-wrenching than to walk out into a field that had great potential the previous day to see leaves, branches and even pods on the ground. Soybeans have an amazing ability to adapt and overcome many stressful situations from low plant stands in June to leaf loss in July.

How much can soybeans recover? How much yield loss is expected? The answers to these questions will primarily depend on the growth stage that was impacted and the level of damage.

We simulated leaf loss from strong storms and hail for three seasons at R1 (first bloom) and R3 (first pod) on two varieties (maturity 2.7 vs. 3.7). We removed 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent of the leaves within each one of the varieties as they reached the target growth stage.

We took weekly pictures to document the canopy recovery period (Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4) and of course, yield. We followed up with three more seasons of simulations at R4 (full pod) and R5 (first seed).

Canopy closure is not the same as total leaf area or leaf biomass, but it does give us a good idea of plant recovery. Soybeans that lost leaves at R1 took about two weeks to recover from 25 percent and 50 percent leaf loss; about three weeks to recover from 75 percent leaf loss, and approximately five weeks to recover from 100 percent leaf loss (Figure 5).

As we pushed the leaf loss back until R3, full canopy recovery of soybean with 100 percent leaf loss did not occur. Interestingly, soybeans canopy recovery after 25-75 percent leaf losses at R3 was better than expected.

Soybean yield response to leaf defoliation was similar between the varieties even though they were a full maturity unit different (e.g., 2.7 vs. 3.7). The least amount of yield loss occurred when soybean lost leaves at R1 compared to R3, R4 and R5. With one-fourth to half loss of leaves at R1, soybean yield was still about 95 percent of maximum potential (Figure 6). Greater leaf loss at R1 still yielded 75-80 percent of its potential.

Interestingly, leaf removal at R3, R4 and R5 demonstrated similar yield potential when 25-75 percent of the leaves were removed (Figure 6). Soybeans reached about 80 percent of yield potential when half of the leaves were removed and about 60 percent of yield potential when three-fourths of the leaves were removed R3, R4 or R5.

Soybeans normally continue developing new leaves between R5 to R6 (first seed to full seed) at which point plants shift the priorities to developing pods and seeds. As you might imagine, leaf loss later in reproductive stages or greater leaf loss at R4 and R5 will have more impact on development and yield.

These plants have more investment into developing pods and seed, and now, less time for leaf recovery, pod retention, and seed fill before the season closes. This is demonstrated with the yield differences when all the leaves were removed at R3 compared to R4 and R5 (Figure 6).

Weather happens and there is nothing we can do about it. The best course of action is to know the growth stage when the damaged occurred and assess leaf loss (e.g., percent or number of leaflets missing) to get an idea of the yield potential. Even with half of the leaves lost between R1 to R5, soybeans can attain 95-80 percent yield potential.

Figure 1: Soybean recovery 2, 7, 16 and 23 days after 50 percent of leaves were removed at R1 (first bloom) in 2014 West Lafayette.

Figure 3: Soybean recovery 1, 8, 18 and 25 days after 50 percent of leaves were removed at R3 (first pod) in 2014 West Lafayette.

Figure 5: Canopy closure (%) of soybean (2.7 maturity) that was defoliated at R1 (first bloom) in 2012 West Lafayette.

Figure 2: Soybean recovery 2, 7, 16 and 23 days after 100 percent of leaves were removed at R1 (first bloom) in 2014 West Lafayette.

Figure 4: Soybean recovery 1, 8, 18 and 25 days after 100 percent of leaves were removed at R3 (first pod) in 2014 West Lafayette.

Figure 6: Soybean yield effects after 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent defoliation at R1 (first bloom, 2012-14), R3 (first pod, 2012-14), R4 (full pod, 2016-18), and R5 (first seed, 2016-18) near West Lafayette.

Research studies relationship between disease severity reduction and grain fill duration in corn

BY MALENA BARTABURU

M.S. Graduate Research Assistant, Purdue University

AND DAN QUINN, Ph.D.

Extension Corn Specialist, Purdue University

Optimizing and extending the postpollination, grain filling period in corn is important for improving grain yield. Overall, this period is critical due to its influence on final kernel size and dry weight. Grain fill duration and kernel weight accumulation in corn is most often a function of both late-season environmental conditions and plant health prior to maturity.

For example, better environmental conditions (e.g., adequate moisture and moderate temperatures) and better plant health (e.g., lack of nutrient deficiencies and plant disease), can result in an extended grain fill period, and corn kernels with higher dry matter levels and overall weight.

Beginning in 2022 and completed in 2023, a research trial at Purdue University and funded by the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC), sought to further understand how both fungicide use and corn disease control can influence grain fill duration and kernel weight accumulation in addition to just harvest grain yield. The research trial compared corn with and without a foliar fungicide applied at the R1 growth stage (silk emergence).

The study utilized weekly ear sampling techniques to sample, assess and weigh developing corn kernels from the R2 growth stage (milk) to the R6 growth stage (maturity) in order to properly understand how grain fill duration and kernel weight accumulation may or may not be impacted by sufficient disease control. In addition to the weekly ear samples, corn foliar disease severity

ratings and final grain yield measurements were collected to further assess the impact of this management practice comparison.

In both 2022 and 2023, the corn research trials were each impacted by foliar disease symptoms, which were highlighted by tar spot, gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight. When corn ear leaves were rated at the R5 growth stage (dent) in 2022 and 2023, severity ratings reached 4 percent and 8 percent, respectively, which is a function of the total number of lesions directly impacting the leaf attached to the developing ear.

However, with the inclusion of a foliar fungicide application, ear leaf disease severity was reduced to 1 percent and 2 percent in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The first observation of this research trial further highlighted the potential of a foliar fungicide application in reducing corn leaf disease severity when applied at the R1 growth stage.

However, the further question is, what is the impact of the observed disease control on grain fill duration, kernel weight accumulation and grain yield? In both 2022 and 2023, grain fill duration (days after silking until maximum kernel dry weight was achieved) was extended with an R1 fungicide application and an observed reduction in leaf disease severity (Figures 1 and 2).

In 2022, with the inclusion of an R1 fungicide application, grain fill duration was extended by four days

Malena Bartaburu

Dan Quinn

Figure 1: Based on a 2022 study on a field in West Lafayette, Ind., this shows the relationship between corn kernel dry matter (mg/kernel) and days after silking (R1 growth stage) in response to the control treatment (no fungicide applied) and the application of an R1 foliar fungicide. Each individual point present on weekly intervals represents the average of 15 kernels sampled from the same ear. The solid lines represent grain fill response for the control (blue) and the R1 fungicide (orange) treatments. The grain fill duration and maximum kernel weight achieved are indicated by the dotted vertical lines and values present with the figure.

and maximum kernel dry weight from the sampled ears was increased by 11 percent (Figure 1). This result translated to an overall grain yield increase of 19 bushels per acre.

In 2023, similar results were observed (Figure 2), with an observed grain fill duration extension of five days, maximum kernel dry weight increase of 8 percent, and an overall grain yield increase of 11 bushels per acre with the inclusion of an R1 fungicide application. Overall, this research highlights the potential for improved grain fill duration, kernel weight accumulation, and grain yield when foliar disease is adequately controlled in corn. In addition, this research provided further understanding of the influence of grain fill period extension and maximum kernel weight accumulation on final corn yield.

Furthermore, this research highlights the importance of maintaining and managing late-season corn plant health in order to improve grain fill duration and kernel weight accumulation. Despite these results, it is also important to note that foliar disease was observed in both years of this research trial.

These results were not observed in the absence of disease and/or the absence of observable disease control with a fungicide application. Corn producers still need to maintain informed and targeted foliar fungicide applications in order to maximize yield response, profitability and prevent fungicide resistance.

Figure 2: Based on a 2023 study on a field in West Lafayette, Ind., this shows the relationship between corn kernel dry matter (mg/kernel) and days after silking (R1 growth stage) in response to the control treatment (no fungicide applied) and the application of an R1 foliar fungicide. Each individual point present on weekly intervals represents the average of 15 kernels sampled from the same ear. Solid lines represent the grain fill response for the control (blue) and the R1 fungicide (orange) treatments. Grain fill duration and maximum kernel weight achieved are indicated by the dotted vertical lines and values present with the figure.

Purdue University research student Malena Bartaburu poses with an assessment of her research which was funded by the Indiana Corn Marketing Council.

Corn Research Book provides valuable data to help farmers improve practices

BY ANITA SHARKEY

Dan Quinn, Assistant Professor of Agronomy and Extension Corn Specialist at Purdue University, is thoroughly informed on the research conducted on corn production across Indiana. This research is compiled annually into The Applied Research for Corn Production or, as he refers to it, the Corn Research Book.

The book provides valuable data and findings to aid farmers in improving their practices and yields. In the book, Quinn covers the various trials conducted, the collaboration with the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC) and the importance of farmer-driven research.

other states.

“This study has a lot of good information from both a production and economic standpoint,” Quinn noted. “It includes seeding rates, fungicides, micronutrients, sulfur and more, allowing farmers to look at a variety of practices.”

The Applied Research for Corn Production includes results from on-farm research trials conducted under the direction of Quinn in 2023. He highlighted the diversity of these trials, stating that they encompass a wide range of topics relevant to corn production. The primary goal of this project is to make university research accessible to Indiana farmers who can benefit directly from the insights and data.

“We do upwards of 40-50 research trials around the entire state of Indiana yearly,” he said. “This book is a condensed version of various studies, sharing yield results, economic results, soil test results and more. It’s about giving farmers a chance to see if there’s something they can try on their own farms.”

Quinn emphasized two significant studies: the Intensive Management Trial and the Biologicals Study.

Intensive Management Trial

Funded by ICMC for two years, this expansive study examined various management practices and products across multiple locations, even collaborating with three

Biologicals Study

An ICMC-supported trial examines corn yield response to different management practices and inputs. R1 foliar fungicide application, increased seeding rate and intensive treatment led to increased corn grain yield. Another result from the trial showed that foliar disease presence like tar spot and gray leaf spot was reduced by R1 fungicide application, likely driving the observed yield response.

This study focuses on nitrogen-fixing biologicals and examines their impact on production and the environment. “We’ve drastically expanded this research over the last couple of years. We had six locations this year, both field scale and small plots,” Quinn explained. “It’s a very expansive study that will continue over multiple years.”

Early results showed that corn yield wasn’t improved by biological products at the examined nitrogen fertilizer rates. Analysis of additional locations is still ongoing this year.

The ‘Why’ behind the research

Quinn emphasized the importance of conducting research driven by farmer’s needs and questions.

“My research program is very applied, addressing direct questions from the environment or farms,” he

Purdue Extension Corn Specialist Dan Quinn conducts corn production-related research across Indiana. He compiles this research into a book that is available for Hoosier farmers.

said. “A lot of my research ideas come from farmers. We aim to take a question from a farmer and conduct research to provide answers quickly.”

This approach is precious because it allows for unbiased, comprehensive research unrelated to any specific company or product. “We’re in a unique position to test various things and share the results,” Quinn added. “This unbiased research helps farmers learn and make informed decisions.”

Unbiased research will ultimately lead to better education and advocacy for Indiana farmers. The primary goal is to equip farmers with the resources and knowledge to achieve the highest possible yields.

Collaboration with the corn checkoff

ICMC has supported and collaborated with Quinn’s research program throughout his time at Purdue. Beyond these research initiatives, ICMC also supports other endeavors that contribute to the agricultural community.

One such initiative is the Purdue Crop Chat podcast, a platform that provides farmers with timely information and insights on crop management, emerging technologies and industry trends. The podcast is part of Hoosier Ag Today’s podcast network.

Additionally, ICMC is a key sponsor of the Corn Improvement Conference, an event that brings together experts, researchers, and farmers to discuss advancements in corn production and share valuable knowledge.

“Indiana Corn is a great supporter of applied research and the dissemination of results,” Quinn said. “Their support helps drive a lot of what we do and ensures that the research benefits the farmers.”

Purdue also invites farmers to attend field days for an opportunity to ask questions about research.

The Applied Research for Corn Production book provides valuable data and findings to aid farmers in improving their practices and yields. An ICMC-supported trial examines corn yield response to different management practices and inputs. R1 foliar fungicide application, increased seeding rate and intensive treatment led to increased corn grain yield.

Upcoming field days sponsored by ISA and ICMC are scheduled for:

• Aug. 21 - Pinney Purdue Agricultural Center. For details, call 219-733-2379 or email sboyer@purdue.edu

• Aug. 22 - Northeast Purdue Agricultural Center. For details, call 260-244-7290 or email cclake@purdue.edu

• Aug. 27 - Southeast Purdue Agricultural Center. For details, call 812-458-6977 or email jwahlman@purdue.edu

• Aug. 29 - Davis Purdue Agricultural Center. For details, call 765-468-7022 or email jboyer@purdue.edu

Accessing the Corn Research Book

Taking everything into account, Dan Quinn’s research at Purdue University offers vital insights for Indiana corn farmers. The annual Corn Research Book, supported by ICMC, delivers practical data to boost yields.

For those interested in accessing Applied Research for Corn Production in Indiana, it is available on Quinn’s website, thekernel.info.

Additionally, the ICMC and Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) websites provide links to the book. Another option is printed copies. Physical copies are distributed at Purdue’s field days and can be requested via email at djquinn@purdue.edu.

McKinney’s conservation efforts take time but says they’re worth it

BY AMIE SIMPSON

Tom McKinney grew up on his family’s corn and soybean farm in Kempton, Ind., and returned to the operation after receiving his bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics and animal science from Purdue University.

“I knew I wanted to farm, so I came straight back and have no regrets,” he said. “At the time, my twin brother, Ted, and I were running a seed corn detasseling business, and that’s why I didn’t go off and spend two or three years working off the farm like my family wanted me to.”

That detasseling business continued for 35 years. Today, he leads efforts as president of McKinney Farms alongside his wife, Karen. The operation consists of several thousand acres of seed soybeans, non-GMO soybeans that are exported as whole beans, and high oleic soybeans as well as commercial corn for ethanol.

found success in using biologicals, which can help improve soil health and make it easier to plant crops.

“The process helps break down stalks so they’re more palatable going through the soybean planter at an angle,” McKinney said. “We prefer to stay with a 50/50 rotation for the efficiency of the nitrogen and to help suppress weeds.”

The seasoned farmer is no stranger to exploring the environmental and economic benefits of adjusting management practices. “What you don’t know, you don’t know,” McKinney said when reflecting on the decision to utilize different conservation practices on his farm. “We started wondering if there was a better way to be productive while improving soil health. Cover crops are a good example. About five years ago, we started planting a few acres of cover crops and are increasing (that amount) each year. We want to evolve, adapt, and improve, just like farmers always do.”

Complete no-till system for soybeans

With a 50/50 crop rotation, he has begun a strip tillage system for corn and has a nearly complete no-tillage system for soybeans into standing corn stalks. He has

He also seeds cover crops with a vertical till, minimum disturbance tool. Today, he seeds cereal rye into 500-600 corn and soybean acres which can scavenge nutrients like nitrogen, reduce soil erosion and increase soil organic matter.

“We’ve learned that as long as you get an even seeding and emergence, cereal rye chokes out all weeds and because of that we don’t do any fall burndown where we seed cereal rye,” he said. “We raise 200-300 acres of non-GMO soybeans for IOM out of Portland, which is a whole bean market for the high dollar income of South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam. We raise a little over 1,100 acres of high oleic soybeans, and 1,200 acres of seed beans for Pioneer.”

The Tipton County farmer has learned that cover crops are a long-term game. When asked if he’s seen yield benefits, he said the answer is probably not yet.

“If you talk to a farmer who is no-tilling or implementing other conservation practices, they will tell you it takes a few years of changing the biology of the soil to see yield results,” he said. “We’re getting there. Maybe this year’s improvements are part of that. Whatever the case, I believe what they’re saying. What I learn and what I study and what I hear from others in this space makes sense. For example, radishes break up compaction and oats put

Tom McKinney’s operation in Kempton, Ind., consists of several thousand acres of seed soybeans, non-GMO soybeans that are exported as whole beans, and high oleic soybeans as well as commercial corn for ethanol.

a root down, which is a path for the corn roots. So, it all makes sense. It just takes a few years to get that biology changed away from turning the soil.”

Switching to a strip tillage system

McKinney admitted there has been a learning curve switching to a strip-tillage system. Because of some electronic issues on a strip toolbar, they only strip-tilled about 300 acres last fall.

“Which is okay,” he said. “We weren’t going to beat ourselves up; and if we were going to do it, we were going to do it the correct way. We’ve been vertical tilling for several years, and we’ve had excellent yields, but we’re anxious to do more strip tilling. We’re putting dry fertilizer –phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) – on in the fall.

“We’re excited about our strip-till rig. We went ahead and invested to have guidance on the back of the tractor. Not only do we have Real Time Kinematic (RTK), a technique used to increase the accuracy of GPS, on the tractor itself, but we have the steerable ProTrakker Hitch that helps keeps us straight. We’re excited about getting all the acres done next time, and we’re saving money by eliminating three trips. We have our own fertilizer truck, so we’re saving the cost of hiring outside help and saving that trip which can be between $7 and $8.50 an acre. We’re also saving the fall trip with a disc chisel or disc ripper, and then we’re saving a trip in the spring, in our case, with a vertical tillage tool.”

Advice he has for someone looking to adopt similar practices is to find a mentor, attend conferences and lean on research from land grant universities and resources from organizations like the Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council.

Tom McKinney raises 200-300 acres of non-GMO soybeans, which is a whole bean market for the high-dollar income of South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam. He also raises more than 1,100 acres of high oleic soybeans and 1,200 acres of seed beans.

“Don’t be afraid to try something. There are so many people implementing these practices today. You can typically find a farmer who will have you ride in the cab with them or let you drive their tractor or even run the strip till bar to get a feel for what it’s like and learn the monitors,” he said.

He noted that it’s important that conservation practices remain voluntary, but farmers should be proactive in finding what works on their farm.

“We’re a long way from it, but if we don’t adapt as production agriculture, a mandate is going to strongly suggest that we implement these practices,” he said. “So, let’s stay ahead of the game, and make it profitable. The mentors that I have looked to and sought answers from have been doing that and I continue to learn from them.”

As for finding a mentor, McKinney said the national no-till conference is a good way to learn from people who have experience implementing various conservation practices. The next national no-till conference is Jan. 7-10, 2025, in Louisville, Ky.

He also encourages farmers to contact land grant universities – Purdue University, Ohio State, Iowa State, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Michigan State – and find out about ongoing research and suggestions for getting started.

With a 50/50 crop rotation, Tom McKinney has begun a strip tillage system for corn and has a nearly complete no-tillage system for soybeans into standing corn stalks.

GrenOl sustainable fuel offers new markets for Indiana corn farmers

BY ANITA SHARKEY

Catalyxx is an innovative greentech company that is replacing the use of fossil-based feedstocks and providing sustainable solutions for producing renewable chemicals and biofuels. Established in 2017, the company’s technology upgrades ethanol by converting it into high-value chemicals suitable for fuel.

During the past several years the Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC), the state’s corn checkoff program, has funded the GrenOl Renewable Fuel Project.

“GrenOl is basically ethanol that has been catalytically converted into a blend of other longer chain alcohols,” explained Corey Crafton, ICMC Value Creation Research Manager. “GrenOl can be used in the market to be mixed back in with more traditional fuels such as diesel.”

Joaquín Alarcón, the founder, president and CEO of Catalyxx, said the fuel is full of potential. “We are opening a new market for ethanol producers and corn growers,” he said. “Instead of blending the ethanol with gasoline, we are using this ethanol to produce something different that will be blended with diesel.”

Alarcón said the company is creating a completely new market for ethanol.

“We expect this fuel to be used in farming equipment in the future,” he said. “It will help to make corn production more sustainable and provide more environmental benefits. There are also economic advantages. This fuel is clean – it reduces the smoke that diesel produces and is cost competitive.”

Importance of GrenOl to Indiana farmers

ICMC decided to fund research by Catalyxx because its technology aligns with ICMC’s

Catalyxx CEO Joaquin Alarcón was one of the winners of Consider Corn Challenge III in 2022. Catalyxx, based in Chesterfield, Mo., is a technology company that provides sustainable solutions for producing renewable chemicals for biofuels.

strategic focus of increasing the value of corn or products made from corn.

“Without the help of ICMC, it would be completely impossible for us to achieve what we have achieved,” Alarcón said.

This project is crucial for Indiana corn farmers, as it promises substantial benefits. Catalyxx is ready to advance its technology by building a commercial, scalable plant and eyes are on Indiana. Establishing such a plant in Indiana could have a significant impact, especially as the demand for ethanol decreases due to the rise of electric vehicles and small motors.

A 100,000-ton plant could potentially reintroduce 60 million gallons of ethanol back into the market, equivalent to moving 21.5 million bushels of corn annually. GrenOl is currently being produced on a small scale for testing purposes.

The collaboration between Catalyxx and ICMC has resulted in the innovation of GrenOl. This sustainable fuel offers new markets for Indiana corn farmers and sustainable farming.

Established in 2017, the technology employed by Catalyxx upgrades ethanol by converting it into high-value chemicals suitable for fuel.

Two district and two at-large elections for Indiana corn checkoff board in August

BY DAVE BLOWER JR.

The Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC), the state’s corn checkoff program, will host elections for Board of Director positions in Districts 5 and 8 and also for two statewide, at-large seats.

ICMC was established by the Indiana General Assembly in 2007 to promote the interests of corn growers in the state and to manage corn checkoff funds. Led by a board of 17 voting directors who guide corn checkoff funds on behalf of more than 20,000 Indiana corn farmers, ICMC aids corn farmers through its strategic initiatives of market development; environmental, social and economic sustainability; value creation and producer engagement.

Absentee voting is open now through Aug. 7. Absentee ballots can be downloaded from the ICMC website at incornandsoy. org/ICMCvoting or by calling the ICMC office at 317-6442863.

Farmers may vote in person at Purdue Cooperative Extension Service county offices from Aug. 12-16. All eligible Hoosier corn producers, defined as any person engaged in the business of producing and marketing corn in Indiana under the producer’s own name or the name of an entity in which the producer has ownership, may vote in the election.

“New people bring new perspectives and fresh ideas and will help us invest checkoff dollars wisely in our efforts to develop new markets, implement new research and increase promotional efforts of Indiana corn,” said ICMC President Tim Gauck, a Greensburg, Ind., farmer. “We rely on farmers to fill these leadership positions to keep the state’s corn checkoff strong. For many years, Indiana corn growers have benefitted from the volunteer leaders of the ICMC board.”

The state is divided into nine districts with one director representing each of the state’s Congressional districts and six at-large seats representing all of Indiana.

The following candidates will appear on the ballots:

• Scott Smith, a Windfall, Ind., farmer – District 5, which includes the counties of Bartholomew, Boone, Clinton, Decatur, Grant, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Howard, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Morgan, Rush, Shelby and Tipton.

• Matthew Lucas, a Brownstown, Ind., farmer – District 8, which includes the counties of Brown, Crawford, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Lawrence, Monroe, Orange, Perry and Washington.

• Janis Highley, a Warren, Ind., farmer – an at-large candidate who would represent all 92 Indiana counties.

• Lori Cyr, a Fowler, Ind., farmer – an at-large candidate who would represent all 92 Indiana counties.

The ICMC board manages state corn checkoff investments and determines promotional, educational and research activities that can strengthen Indiana’s corn industry. The elected directors will serve three-year terms beginning Oct. 1. ICMC directors can serve three consecutive full terms or a total of nine consecutive years.

For more information, visit incornandsoy.org/ ICMCvoting or call Amber Myers, ICMC Board Leadership Manager, at 317-644-2863. For additional information about Indiana’s corn checkoff program, go online to www.incornandsoy.org.

Funded with Indiana corn checkoff

Scott Smth Matthew Lucas

Janis Highley

Lori Cyr

There is a relentless spirit that unites us all in agriculture - a conviction we can dream big and that together, we become unstoppable.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17 NIV