Agri-Pulse Open Mic Interview

This week’s Open Mic guest is Brian Jennings, CEO of the American Coalition for Ethanol. The renewable fuels industry struggled from a number of significant challenges leading up to this year, highlighted by reduced volume demand by the EPA’s Small Refinery Exemptions. Jennings says 2020 has brought even more financial hardship including reduced fuel demand from COVID, a crude oil price war and lo...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Jen Sorenson, president-elect of the National Pork Producers Council. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic proved to be the latest challenge to the nation’s swine industry. Following a period of lost global markets due to trade conflicts, Sorenson says producers' profit hopes were crushed under the weight of lost domestic markets and reduced processing capacity because of COVID...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Mark Stewart, President and CEO of Agriculture Future of America. Following the vision of the Kemper Family of Kansas City, an agriculture youth development organization was born in 1996 to help in the evolution of future ag leaders and to support their spirit of entrepreneurship. Today, Stewart says that same vision has expanded to over 200 college campuses and 150 d...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Sen. Amy Klobuchar. The Minnesota Democrat may have failed in her attempt for the Oval Office but remains a staunch supporter of agriculture and rural America. In this interview, Klobuchar offers thoughts on the nation’s economy and what’s essential in any new COVID relief measure including support for farmers and small businesses as well as state and local government...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo. A year ago, Missouri’s 4th District struggled with massive flooding and now is mired in the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like other rural communities in the nation, Hartzler says nearly every facet of their economy has been beset with adversity from the virus. Hartzler supports another round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program support...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Andy LaVigne, president and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association. Many believe consumers have a new appreciation for farmers and the overall food supply chain following the COVID-19 pandemic. While the world hopes science delivers an answer to the disease, some of those same consumers push back against new seed innovation that can lead to a more secure food supp...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Tom Stenzel, President and CEO at United Fresh Produce Association. Specialty crop growers have faced a number of challenges in adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stenzel says his members are hopeful for financial assistance but also liability protection from a new relief package from Washington. A disruption of the traditional supply chain is just one of many obstacl...

This week’s Open Mic guest is California’s 20th District Representative Jimmy Panetta. Central Valley farmers have suffered the ill effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and he supports recent amendments to the CFAP program and extended signup dates. In this interview, Panetta discusses the ongoing challenge of protecting farmworkers in the state and the need for additional federal assistance for PPE,...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Sarah Frey, President and CEO of Frey Farms. As this year’s winner of the Woman in Produce Award from the United Fresh Produce Association, Frey is a shining example of a true entrepreneur who saved the family farm and grew a business that encompasses a variety of specialty crops grown in multiple states. In this interview, Frey offers her thoughts on the challenges o...

This week’s Open Mic Guest is Beth Ford, president and CEO of Land O’Lakes. The nearly century-old company has recently formed a multi-year partnership with Microsoft and has helped to form a new coalition to lobby Washington for increased access to broadband in rural communities. Recognizing a lack of healthcare in rural communities and a lack of investment in technology for schools, Ford says th...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Dr. Gary Adams, President and CEO of the National Cotton Council. A trade dispute with China and the COVID-19 pandemic have wrought tremendous economic disparity on not only cotton farmers, but the sum of their supporting industry. The closing of retail outlets has plummeted consumer clothing purchases. With all eyes on the next round of financial aid, Adams says fede...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Dr. Barbara Glenn, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. State ag leaders have renewed their call for federal assistance to respond to the needs of farmers, ranchers and rural communities in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The group is also calling for expanded rural broadband coverage, the expansion of domestic and global markets an...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Mike Frank, executive vice president and CEO of retail at Nutrien. In the midst of a challenging ag economy, Nutrien continues to expand retail outlets and acquire companies while expanding products and services for their customers. Frank says the company’s growth is founded on finding agronomic and financial solutions for its customers. He believes revenue from carbo...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. The COVID-19 pandemic is just the latest in economic challenges for the nation’s farmers and ranchers. Duvall offers his gratitude for administrative and legislative assistance for agriculture but shares that the economic threat to the nation’s food supply is far from over. He offers thoughts for addition...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Michigan’s U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow. The Senate Ag Ranking Member is leading efforts to improve the environment and create a new revenue stream for farmers and foresters. The Growing Climate Solutions Act has bipartisan support and will see companion legislation soon in the House. Stabenow sees the need for additional farm revenue assistance and says nutrition ass...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Representative Jim Costa. The California Democrat was pleased with last week’s Supreme Court DACA ruling and says it’s time for the Senate to take up the Farm Worker Modernization Act to ensure an adequate workforce for the nation’s food supply chain. The 16th district representative supports federal financial assistance for agriculture and says the industry should no...

This week’s Open Mic guest is U.S. Representative Rick Crawford. The Arkansas 1st District Republican serves on the House Agriculture Committee as well as the Select Committee on Intelligence and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. In this interview, he shares concerns over the U.S. trade relationship with China, COVID-19 impacts on the food supply chain and federal assistance to farm...

This week’s Open Mic Guest is Rep. Chellie Pingree. As a member of the House Committees on Agriculture and Appropriations, the Maine Democrat has played an integral role in Washington’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this interview, Pingree discusses policy that has been effective and response efforts that need to be amended to include more people from all regions of the country. Pingree be...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association. The COVID-19 pandemic has painfully exposed the “Rural Divide” between those who enjoy adequate internet service and those who suffer from a lack of connectivity. In recent testimony before Congress, Bloomfield advocated for developing a national infrastructure to meet the needs of the day and capturing...

This week’s Open Mic Guest is Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark. Few events in history have been as challenging as the COVID-19 pandemic. Agriculture makes up one-fourth of Arkansas’ GDP and has hit the state’s rural economy especially hard. As a member of both the Agriculture and Appropriations Committees in the Senate, Boozman approves of additional funds to support the industry but is keeping an eye on...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. Even before the bulk of the CARES Act funding is distributed to farmers and the ag industry, the House of Representatives, on a party-line vote, approved another $3-trillion in economic stimulus funds. Hoeven believes his chamber will consider additional stimulus legislation, but not until the results of the Phase 3 plan are realized. Hoeven s...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Polly Ruhland, CEO of the United Soybean Board. Soybean farmers have been hit hard by lost global market share and increased competition from crops in the Southern Hemisphere. Now, the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic is pushing the outlook for many farmers further into red ink for 2020. Ruhland says the soybean checkoff is on task and identifying areas of economic gro...

This week’s Open Mic Guest is Alabama Congressman Robert Aderholt, a member of the House Committee on Appropriations. In this interview, Aderholt discusses the timing of the next round of legislation to support agriculture and the economy during the COVID-19 crisis and potential impacts on the next farm bill. Aderholt says the nation’s debt is an issue when considering an infrastructure bill but b...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin. The Illinois Democrat stands in full support of legislation intended to prop up the U.S. economy and assist farmers suffering losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Durbin, who once worked at a packing plant, shares thoughts on the need to protect human health in those workplaces and concerns about the ethanol industry. Durbin hints tha...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is NRCS Chief Matt Lohr.  The 5th-generation Virginia farmer understands the responsibility of preserving natural resources while at the same time meeting the nation’s challenge for food, fiber and fuel. In this interview, Lohr discusses existing programs and new program innovations being implemented across thousands of conservation districts across the nation. Lohr s...