Agri-Pulse Open Mic Interview

This week's Open Mic guest is Bryan Humphreys, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council. Commodity groups are hopeful the House will soon approve a new farm bill. While most hope to see attention to the remaining titles of farm programs, the nation's pork producers want to see a legislative solution to California's Proposition 12 animal welfare law that's attached to the House Ag Committee's far...

This week's Open Mic guest is Dr. Peter Beetham, Co-Founder and President of Cibus. Agriculture technology has made major advances since the introduction of genetic engineering in the 1990's. Beetham says Cibus works to develop traits for seed companies through genetic engineering. Beetham explains how decisions by the European Parliament and the U.S. The Supreme Court can help outline the future...

This week's Open Mic guest is Richard Fordyce, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation. Fordyce says USDA staff is working to implement farm program updates provided under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, disburse funds under the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program as well as disaster assistance to farmers who have suffered loss to natural disasters and wildfires. He discusses USDA re...

This week's Open Mic guest is John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association. The annual "Feeding the Economy Report" was recently released, indicating the food and agriculture sector contributes over $10 trillion to the nation's economy and provides over 49 million jobs. Bode discusses the opportunities and challenges presented by the recent Dietary Guidelines and by the MAHA Commi...

This week's Open Mic guest is Viren Popli, President and CEO of Mahindra North America. The world's largest tractor manufacturer by volume has been growing its customer base between farmers, ranchers and landowners for over two decades. While the machines are assembled in the United States, Popli says the company has been forced to embrace import tariffs from the Trump administration. He sees hope...

This week's Open Mic guest is Steve Censky, CEO of the American Soybean Association. Soybean growers face a number of headwinds approaching a new crop year. High input costs and low commodity prices are squeezing producer profit potential. Censky says uncertain export opportunities, questions over government incentives for renewable fuel, and an outdated farm bill only add to grower uncertainty.  ...

This week's Open Mic guest is National Farmers Union President Rob Larew. The group wrapped up their 124th annual convention last week in New Orleans and he says the challenges facing family farmers and ranchers continue to grow more complex. Delegates approved special orders of business targeting family farmers and the future of food and agriculture policy. Larew says additional farm assistance f...

This week's Open Mic guest is Deanna Kovar, President, Agriculture and Turf Division of John Deere. On the sidelines of this year's Commodity Classic, Kovar shared the company's efforts to assist farmers with precision agriculture solutions for their sustainability and productivity goals. She says the company supports regenerative agriculture and renewable fuels, utilizing both ethanol and biodies...

This week's Open Mic guest is Christy Seyfert, CEO and President of the Farm Credit Council. In this interview, Seyfert explains how a diversity of revenue streams is helping some farmers weather the challenging economic climate of high input costs and low commodity prices, along with enhanced crop insurance tools. Looking ahead, Seyfert discusses why a new farm bill, including updated levels for...

This week's Open Mic guest is Ted McKinney, CEO of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Following the group's Winter Policy Conference, McKinney says state ag leaders are hoping Congress can make progress on a new farm bill. The group's policy priorities include pesticide regulations, labor policy reform, regional food procurement as well as livestock disease preparedness...

This week's Open Mic guest is Florian Schattenmann, Chief Technology Officer for Cargill. A younger generation of consumers is making greater demands on the food production system from the fields to the products offered on grocery store shelves.  Schattenmann says artificial intelligence is helping their scientists more efficiently analyze data around food production, protein demands and bring the...

This week's Open Mic guest is Cathy Burns, CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association. Specialty crop growers face economic headwinds of rising input costs, a lack of available labor, and a loss of revenue. Burns and members of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance are appealing to Congress to find additional financial support for growers across all 50 states. She explains why IFPA support...

This week's Open Mic guest is USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden who explains significant strides toward the reorganization of the Agriculture Department. Vaden shares the challenges of occupancy and maintenance at current buildings, including the Beltsville research facility. He also reviews how bridge assistance funds will be distributed to farmers, outlines upgrades to USDA technology, and say...

This week's Open Mic guest is Florida Congresswoman Kat Cammack. The 3rd district representative says the proposed $1-billion dollars of Bridge Assistance for specialty crop and sugar farmers is significantly deficient to meet losses suffered by those producers. Cammack says a review of USMCA this summer should include better protection for fruit and vegetable producers in her state. She also addr...

This week's Open Mic guest is House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig. Before the release of the Farm and Family Freedom Act framework last week, the Minnesota Democrat spoke with Agri-Pulse on the sidelines of the American Farm Bureau Federation  convention. Craig expressed dismay with ICE raids in Minnesota and discussed the impacts on farm labor. Craig says her members are willin...

This week's Open Mic guest is Alison Bodor, president and CEO of the American Frozen Food Institute. Bodor says AFFI is pleased with the call for more whole and nutrient dense foods in the new dietary guidelines because frozen foods offer exceptional food quality, nutrition and less food waste. She explains other advantages of the frozen category and why AFFI is hopeful for a new farm bill with op...

This week's Open Mic guest is Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation and a third-generation Georgia farmer. The group's annual meeting is coming up in Anaheim, California next week and features key ag leaders from Washington. Duvall previews what his members would like to hear from those leaders on a variety of issues such as labor, high input costs and New World Screwworm....

This week's Open Mic guest is Jim Sutter, CEO of the U.S. Soybean Export Council.  Prices and trade policy have challenged U.S. soybean exports, especially as large volumes of Brazilian soybeans have displaced traditional sales to China. Having met with Chinese industry and government officials, Sutter says the Chinese want a better trade relationship with the U.S. but he is also focused on market...

This week's Open Mic guest is House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson. While another year has come and gone without a completely updated farm bill, Thompson says he is pleased with financial assistance approved last year and farm program updates included in budget reconciliation this summer. Thompson hopes to begin markup of the remaining farm bill in January and to address additi...

This week's Open Mic guest is Kevin Burkum, CEO of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action. The group took a new name and mission in 2021 representing over 700,000 row crop and livestock producers as well as supporting industry. The association seeks opportunities for collaboration, information-sharing and solution development for the full ag value chain. USFRA seeks to be a connective and unifying vo...

This week's Open Mic guest is Tom Zacharias, President of National Crop Insurance Services. As risk factors for crop and livestock farmers have grown over the years, crop insurance has become a critical tool to manage risk not only from catastrophic events but from intense economic pressure on the nation's producers. Zacharias says Congress provided much needed improvements in not only farm progra...

This week's Open Mic guest is Melissa Ackerman, CEO and Co-Founder of Planet Harvest. During the Covid pandemic, Ackerman worked with the Produce Alliance to provide channels for unharvested produce to those in need. Her work with the Farmers to Families Food Box Program led to a relationship with Ivanka Trump and the birth of Planet Harvest with a mission of incorporating sustainably sourced prod...

This week's Open Mic guest is Gregg Doud, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. Dairy farmers are seeing better financial returns than in previous stages of a traditionally cyclical market. Doud says beef demand is providing uncharacteristically strong income support for dairy calves and cull animals, while consumer's protein demand is a boon for the industry. Milk producers...

This week's Open Mic guest is Tim Lust, CEO of the National Sorghum Producers. As the group prepares to celebrate their 70th anniversary, sorghum growers face daunting challenges from a loss of export markets and a future that hinges on developing domestic demand from renewable fuels and new market opportunities. He says the race for acres is an obstacle for growers as is adequate water to raise c...

This week's Open Mic guest is Tom Michels, Director of Government Affairs for United Airlines. Global aviation fuel demand is near 100 billion gallons annually and farmers can play a crucial role in producing renewable fuels for a portion of that demand. United Airlines continues to not only consume but invest in sustainable aviation fuels. Michels says the market shows tremendous opportunity to l...