Agri-Pulse Open Mic Interview

This week’s Open Mic Guest is Dennis Slater, president of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought an abrupt change of focus for AEM leadership to assist members in navigating various challenges in nearly every aspect of their business. Slater says being declared as essential is an important aspect to their plight, but doesn’t resolve the uncertainty of product...

This week’s Open Mic guest is Tim Lust, CEO of the National Sorghum Producers. While the ag industry as a whole has suffered from many headwinds, Lust reports sorghum producers have fared better than others. China represents a tremendous opportunity for sorghum and has made significant purchases recently. Lust says sorghum growers look for new opportunities from global markets but also share the s...

This week’s Open Mic guest is USDA Deputy Secretary Steve Censky. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a number of challenges for the food production system in the nation. Censky speaks to the industry’s response to the crisis and the strength of the agriculture industry to respond to consumer needs. He says school nutrition is a top priority for the department and discusses the challenge to shift pe...

Our guest for this week’s Open Mic is Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council.  While the poultry industry faces similar challenges to others in the agriculture industry during the COVID-19 emergency here at home, there have been positive developments in export channels for U.S. products. As a result of China’s challenges with African Swine Fever and recent negotiations to...

This week’s Open Mic guest is U.S. Congresswoman Angie Craig. The Minnesota 2nd District Representative serves a diverse constituent base including thousands of family farms. Craig shares her frustration with mixed messages coming from the Oval Office and the USDA on the prospect of a third round of Market Facilitation Program payments in 2020. Craig believes the Trump administration is waffling o...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Brett Begemann, Chief Operating Officer at Bayer Crop Science. Where do U.S. farmers stand in the face of increased global competition in the world? How is consumer perception affecting the development of agriculture innovation? What role does technology play in farmer sustainability goals? In this interview, Begemann addresses these and other difficult issues the...

This week's Open Mic guest is Ambassador Kip Tom, the leader of the U.S. efforts at the United Nations Food and Agriculture agencies in Rome. The Indiana farmer has a keen eye on the use of innovation to improve the conditions of smallholder farmers around the world, but is concerned about opposition to new technologies in food and agriculture. Tom says American producers should be invested in the...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Tim Palmer, president of the National Association of Conservation Districts. With a continued emphasis on climate change and sustainability in Washington, the work of conservation stewards nationwide is coming into clear view. The Iowa farmer says conservation practices help to mitigate national disasters like floods and wildfires. Palmer welcomes new initiatives b...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Roger Johnson, President of the National Farmers Union. Earlier this year the North Dakota native announced he’ll not seek re-election. Johnson and NFU support policy to keep more farmers on the land and remain concerned about the economic health of rural America. Johnson offers his thoughts on agriculture’s place at the table on climate policy, his frustration wit...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Tom Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management Incorporated. Headlines from the dairy industry would suggest a sector under siege with a loss of fluid milk processors and dairy farmers. Gallagher says there are positives to discuss in consumer demand, but the industry needs a paradigm shift to meet a health-conscious consumer’s changing lifestyle. He outlines the group’s 2...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Dr. Heath Tarbert, chairman and chief executive of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The CFTC is perhaps the least known but most significant agency in Washington, regulating price discovery of most of the products consumers use every day. From electronic currencies to farm commodities and crude oil, the agency serves as an overseer of the derivatives marke...

This week's guest on Open Mic is Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. As an appropriator, Moran has a unique look at the government funding conversation and offers his insights as to what should be expected from the Appropriations committees this year. Moran also offers his insights on how he expects election-year politics to impact Capitol Hill. The former leader of the National Republican Senatorial Committ...

This week's guest on Open Mic is Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association. Dykes says trade is a critical issue for the dairy sector and discusses export markets abroad. Here at home, he says the industry must adapt to the desires of the consumer, both in the products IDFA members produce and how the message surrounding them is communicated.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. After serving for 15 years on the front lines for the beef industry in Washington, Woodall assumed the reins of the association last year. Consumer demand for beef has helped sustain cattle prices, but the industry is looking forward to an increase in export demand through new trade agreements. The Te...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Scott VanderWal, vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. The South Dakota crop and livestock farmer is familiar with the challenges of 2019 and equally hopeful that the plight of agriculture will see a brighter horizon in the new year. VanderWal believes agriculture issues will play a role in the 2020 race for the White House, providing an opportunit...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is UC Davis Professor Dr. Frank Mitloehner, an air quality extension specialist. The Council for Agriculture Science and Technology named Dr. Mitloehner the 2019 winner of the Borlaug Communications Award for his efforts in sharing the factual influence of animals and agriculture on climate change. In this podcast, Mitloehner offers examples of how government incentiv...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator Deb Fischer. The Nebraska Republican doesn’t believe President Trump was afforded due process in the House impeachment trial and offers her views on potential Senate action. Fischer is anxious to see USMCA approved and hopes for tangible progress in trade negotiations with China. Fischer doesn’t believe the EPA’s reallocation plan lives up to a White H...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren. The California Democrat worked with some GOP members and the ag industry to see the Farm Worker Modernization act approved last week in the House. The bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, but has the backing of hundreds of farm groups across the country. On trade, Lofgren supports the USMCA as amended but isn’t sure the pha...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey. Few years have presented as many weather challenges for farmers as 2019. USDA’s Farm Service Agency has acted to lessen the effects on crop and livestock farmers as well as facilitated the Trump administration's trade assistance programs. In this interview, Northey speaks to the new signup for t...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Rod Hebrink, President and CEO of Compeer Financial. Farmers have spent much of 2019 hoping for better markets, trade agreements and certainly weather. Hebrink says the current farm economy may show similarities to the 1980s, but the financial state of the industry as a whole is much different. Hebrink says government risk management tools and trade assistance have...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Representative Ted Yoho. The Florida 3rd district representative appreciates the intent of the Farm Workforce Modernization Act approved by the House Judiciary Committee, but shares flaws he believes will prevent the language from becoming law. Yoho says President Trump’s USMCA isn’t in the best interest of his state but stands with him to hold China accountab...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator Mike Rounds. The former South Dakota governor is well aware of the challenges 2019 has presented growers in his state including too much rain, lost markets, and ethanol demand destruction from the EPA’s implementation of the RFS. Rounds offers praise for the farm bill’s risk management tools and trade assistance from the White House and shares concern...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger, D-Va. Serving in her freshman year in Washington, Spanberger has become a strong leader on voluntary farm conservation practices and the need for rural broadband. The Virginia representative says USMCA will benefit farms and businesses in the region she serves and offers her thoughts on the timing and consideration of the acc...

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Sen. Jon Tester. In this interview, the Montana Democrat shares his view of the ag economy and provides insight into legislation to assist the needs of producers facing emotional stress. He shares his view of the pending USMCA trade agreement, trade relations with China, the budget effort and the need for additional revenue toward rural health care and broadband.

This week’s guest on Open Mic is Donnell Rehagen CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. For months, the Trump administration has attempted to bring resolution to the controversy surrounding waivers to the Renewable Fuels Standard. Rehagen says Small Refinery Exemptions granted by the Environmental Protection Agency have wreaked havoc on biodiesel refineries and the agency’s recently announced reallo...