Agri-Pulse Open Mic Interview

This week’s Open Mic guest is Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill. As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and chairwoman of the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee, Bustos is encouraged by President Joe Biden’s commitment to agriculture, renewable fuels, climate and rural issues. The Illinois Democrat says the 117th Congress has work to do to win the support of rural voters b...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Barron Segar, president and CEO of the World Food Program USA. In a week where the nation celebrates the productivity of the nation’s farms and ranches, the focus of this interview is the daunting challenge of the millions of men, women and children that are malnourished and regions where famine is a looming threat. The United Nations World Food Programme was awarded...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Dave Puglia, president and CEO of Western Growers. Few industries have been challenged more than produce growers and shippers during the COVID pandemic. In addition to “senseless regulation,”  challenges from reduced water supplies and a lack of adequate labor, Puglia says some growers are looking outside the U.S. for opportunities to raise crops. Puglia says he’s opt...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Rob Larew, President of the National Farmers Union. Along with other farm groups in this pandemic season, the NFU held its 119th annual meeting virtually with an impressive display of political leaders discussing issues facing the industry in the year ahead. Larew says there was a tone of optimism in the membership ranks approaching the new season. NFU members are anx...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Bill Even, CEO of the National Pork Board. Last year proved challenging for the nation’s swine producers and the pork industry despite a record-setting pace for global pork sales. While the new year offers challenges from higher feed costs, Even suggests the packing industry is processing animals at near capacity and demand for pork remains robust from both domestic a...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Steve Censky, CEO of the American Soybean Association. After serving as USDA Deputy Secretary in the Trump administration, Censky is back in St. Louis serving the nation’s soybean farmers. Censky is encouraged with the nomination of Tom Vilsack to return as Ag Secretary and is confident with other names that will assume leadership roles at USDA and the Biden cabinet....

This week’s Open Mic Guest is Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. The Georgia farmer spent time at a socially distanced county president’s conference in Kentucky last week. On the sidelines of the event, Duvall shared his thoughts on the pending debate about climate policy and agriculture’s efforts in sustainability. Duvall reflects on conversations with Ag Secretary No...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Chuck Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. The group’s annual meeting will be virtual this week with no shortage of topics to embrace for the new year. Conner says the group is hopeful the Biden administration will reconsider tax changes offered in the last hour by the previous administration and that legislators will be willing to...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. The nation’s ethanol industry was already in a state of financial stress before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the nation and sharply reduced demand for liquid motor fuels. In this interview, Skor discusses the challenges from the Trump administration’s approval of small refinery exemptions and the need for investment in retail infrastructure...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Tom Halverson, president and CEO of CoBank. The balance of debt stocks of U.S. farmers has grown during the downturn in the overall farm economy, but thankfully, the load of debt service has been eased by the tailwinds of increased global trade and higher commodity prices as well as very low interest rates. CoBank’s Halverson expects borrowing rates to remain low and...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Jim Sutter, CEO of the U.S. Soybean Export Council. In a matter of a few short months, the value of soybeans has seen an astronomical market spike. Sutter says China’s renewed appetite for U.S. soy is a big reason, but not the only bullish influence in the market. Sutter says collaboration with other commodity organizations and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service has...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Ian Jefferies, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads. The rail industry is enjoying an upswing in shipping volumes with the return of global demand for ag commodities following trade tensions with China and the ill effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jefferies says the industry partnered with agriculture and others in the call for Congress to approv...

This week’s Open Mic Guest is USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey. Nearing the end of his tenure as the first FPAC leader, Northey suggests the majority of work on implementing the 2018 farm bill is done as well the heavy lifting for the first two rounds of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program funding for a diverse group of farmers and ranchers across the natio...

This week’s Open Mic guest is U.S. Representative Jim McGovern. The Massachusetts Congressman is outspoken in support of the millions of Americans that, despite stepped up efforts by Washington and volunteers across the nation, are still food insecure. McGovern is calling on President-Elect Joe Biden to appoint a Hunger Czar to centralize government efforts on food insecurity. McGovern says politi...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Kristin Peck, CEO of Zoetis. The COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world a lot about emerging infectious diseases. Peck says early detection and rapid response are keys to curbing the spread of threatening disease in both humans and animals and public and private collaboration is needed to battle future threats. She says the animal health industry’s growth is prompted...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairman Pat Roberts. For four decades, Kansans elected Pat Roberts to represent them in Washington D.C. After serving as chairman and ranking member on the agriculture committees in both chambers and helping write eight different farm bills, the Kansas legislator is hanging up his spurs on the Hill. In this interview, Robert...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Rep. Mike Conaway. The Texas Republican chose not to seek re-election in his 11th district for the 117th Congress and shares thoughts in this interview on the nation’s budget woes, proposed climate policy and the need for farm programs that support the core producers of food and fiber for the nation. Conaway says the nation’s growing budget deficit is a certain obstac...

This week’s Open Mic guest is South Dakota U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson. As the lame-duck session wraps up the 116th Congress, Johnson believes a targeted COVID relief package could be approved. Johnson speaks to opportunities and challenges from the Biden Climate agenda including the Paris Climate Accord. Johnson discusses mandatory price reporting issues that will come before legislators an...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The beef producers have seen their fair share of adversity from the COVID-19 pandemic, but have also seen a resurgence in consumer demand with more meals consumed at home. In this interview, Woodall discusses opportunities for direct marketing to consumers and the need for additional regional processing...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. After gaining another term to represent her state’s 7th district, Spanberger is ready to begin work on developing agriculture’s role in combatting climate change. Spanberger says the base of a green economy should give farmers a seat at the table when discussing national issues like health care, rural broadband and developing innovative...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Betsy Ward, president and CEO of the USA Rice Federation. As an umbrella trade organization representing the sum of the rice industry, Ward speaks to the opportunities and challenges seen in global and domestic markets as well as the impact of the COVID pandemic on consumers around the world. Trade barriers have been an obstacle to the bottom line of U.S. rice produce...

This week’s Open Mic guest is EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. In a conversation just days before the election, Administrator Wheeler discussed the agency’s recent decision to extend the registration of certain dicamba products and amendments to the exclusion zones for ground and aerial pesticide application. Administrator Wheeler discusses the judicial challenges that threaten EPA jurisdiction o...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Jim Collins, CEO of Corteva Agriscience, who describes his company as a “startup with a rich history.” In this interview, Collins discusses the challenges of meeting global demand for food, fiber and fuel and the opportunities of a new production paradigm rewarding farmers for sustainability goals as well as the crops they produce. Collins says Corteva is rapidly deve...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. While the global food distribution system may have been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic, Halstrom says consumer demand for U.S. beef, pork and lamb continues to grow. USDA data suggests strong demand for red meat thanks to recent trade agreements giving U.S. producers a more level playing field to co...

This week’s Open Mic guest is John Piotti, president and CEO of the American Farmland Trust. In this week’s conversation, Piotti expands on the group’s mission to preserve valuable farmland and to expand opportunities for farmers to use their land as a carbon sink to battle climate change as well as produce food for a growing planet. Piotti sees support from private industry as well as government...