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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Monday, September 09, 2024
Moving commodities like corn, soybeans and DDGs from key growing regions of the Midwest to major Asian customers is a very big task, but our guest on this week's Open Mic tells how its done and describes some of the associated challenges. Chris Schaffer, who serves as Ag Processing Inc.'s senior director of exports, talks about his cooperative's efforts to be the fastest, most efficient exporter in the Pacific Northwest, moving product through its new port terminal elevator at the Port of Grays Harbor (PGH), Schaffer, who first joined AGP in 1994, spent a brief stint at the U.S. Grain Council (USGC) as the manager of operations for Asian markets from 1999 to 2001. During this time, Schaffer established relationships with Asian customers and focused on educating off-shore customers about GMOs and biotechnology. In 2001, he brought his knowledge of export markets back to AGP where he continues to focus on expanding market opportunities for their farmer members.
This week’s guest on Open Mic is Alex Dunn, President and CEO of CropLife America. Dunn joined CLA in March of this year and brings an extensive career in environmental and regulatory leadership to the association, including her previous service as Assistant Administrator for the EPA office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. Dunn and her team are intently monitoring the EPA’s process of developing strategies for pesticides as they relate to endangered species and trying to educate stakeholders about many facets of the industry. She says CLA members are concerned about EPA staffing shortages and discusses the headwinds facing new and existing products from the crop protection industry.
This week’s Open Mic guest is Ben Alfi, Founder and CEO of Bluewhite. Alfi spent over 25 years in the Israeli Air Force as a combat pilot and as Head of Unmanned Systems Research and Development programs. He leveraged his experience to form the autonomous technology company in 2017. Bluewhite provides add on autonomous capabilities for tractors primarily in the specialty crop space of agriculture production. Alfi says the company’s mission is to build resiliency in farming operations by maximizing a grower’s productivity and minimizing production costs. Alfi believes his technology is an answer to the labor shortage hampering today’s farming operations.
This week’s Open Mic guest is Dave Puglia, President and CEO of Western Growers. Consumers are showing an increased demand for fresh fruits and vegetables in their diets, but U.S. growers of these crops are facing increased headwinds from a reduced water supply, increased input costs, a shortage of farm workers and increasing state and federal regulations. Puglia says their members are looking for biological solutions to replace traditional synthetic crop protection products and robotics to offset an aging and reduced workforce. He also discusses the consequences of organic production mandates, a forced transition to electric trucks and forklifts and a potential extension of the 2018 farm bill.
This week’s Open Mic guest is Mark Eisele, President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The Wyoming rancher says even though profits are now better for cattlemen than row crop producers, they still need a new farm bill to ensure herd safety and provide opportunities to maintain and grow global markets. Sustainability is important and Eisele discusses how cattlemen are working to produce safe, high quality protein with an even smaller environmental footprint. He also discusses the legal challenges one South Dakota rancher is facing with USDA's Forest Service.
This week’s Open Mic guest is Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy. The renewable fuels industry has clawed its way into a significant portion of the liquid fuels industry. Potential growth for both refiners and farmers hinges on regulatory decisions by government agencies and litigation in the court system. Skor says the Treasury Department’s decision on what sustainable agriculture practices will be required for the pending 45Z rule is critical for the industry’s future and if the Biden administration’s climate goals will ultimately be met.
